of leaving England, to carry personally into effect one of the
most important enterprises in which any man has ever yet
engaged--namely, the shortening by one half the time of our
communications with India--has been refused, by Sir James Graham,
a commission as Lieutenant in the Navy, a rank to which he is
fairly entitled from his period of service, and which is most
material to his success. The Board of Control, the Admiralty,
nay, the whole of the Government, profess the desire to have this
great project fully brought to bear; they admit Mr. Waghorn's
qualifications, attested by nearly the whole mercantile community
of India, for the undertaking; they are relieved, through his and
their means, of all expense or thought or trouble about the
success of it; the only thing asked is a Lieutenant's
commission, simply because Mr. Waghorn is aware of the far
greater attention which the rank of a British officer will
procure him from the Pacha of Egypt, and would willingly, to
obtain it, relinquish the pay of that rank, and yet it is refused
by those to whom his labours, if successful, must prove of
incalculable benefit!"
Another little instance of prejudice, which broader thinking has
rendered impossible, nowadays, is given in the _Times_, March 21st--
"MARYLEBONE OFFICE.
"Yesterday morning, just as the business had commenced, a case of
trivial importance was called on, when at the moment the writer
came into the Justice Room, and was approaching the desk usually
appropriated for reporters, which had been previously occupied by
two policemen, who, knowing the arduous duties which those
connected with the press had to perform, immediately gave way,
when the following colloquy ensued--
"Mr. Rawlinson (to the policeman): Why do you give way to that
man--you have a better right to be here than he has? Then,
extending his voice, he said to the reporter, I wish you would
not come here so often, sir.
"Reporter: 'I believe, sir, that police offices are, or at least
ought to be, open to the public; and, as I am employed by the
_Times_ newspaper to report the proceedings at this office, I
humbly submit that I have as much right to stand here for the
information of the public in general as any policeman who may be
a witness in the case before you.'
"Mr. Rawlinson: The office is too full of reporters; I beg, sir,
that you will give way to the witness.
"Reporter: Most certainly, sir; but, with all due deference, I
beg to submit that in a public office reporters are entitled to
admission.
"Mr. Rawlinson (angrily): Perhaps I may let you know to the
contrary.
"Here the conversation dropped."
Yet one more case of ignorance and prejudice--which occurred in the
House of Commons, on March 25th, when the report of the Committee of
Supply was brought up. On the question that the House do agree with
the Committee in the resolution that a sum not exceeding £16,884 be
granted to his Majesty for the expenses of the establishment of the
British Museum--
"Mr. Cobbett rose to object to the resolution. He saw no reason
why the sum of £16,000 should be paid out of the general taxes of
the country for the sake of supporting the British Museum. In
former times, when Mr. Bankes superintended the expenditure of
the British Museum, the grant to it did not exceed £10,000. Then
he thought the grant unjust, and now he could not imagine why, in
the present distressed condition of the country, it should be
raised to £16,000: for when was the British Museum of the
slightest use to the country at large? Last year there was £1000
paid for a collection of insects; what use could that collection
be of to the weavers of Lancashire, or to the farmers and
tradesmen of distant parts of the country? The plain fact was
that the British Museum was of no use at all! It was a place to
which curious persons went to entertain themselves, by gratifying
their curiosity, and in which the rich were accustomed to lounge
away their time at the expense of their poorer countrymen. For
his own part, he did not know where the British Museum was (much
laughter), and was not acquainted with its contents. He thought
that this sum of £16,000, granted by the Committee, was just
£16,000 thrown away for the gratification of a set of loungers,
who had first taken care to get enough out of the taxes to enable
them to lounge away the rest of their lives in complete idleness.
He also objected to this grant because there was £10,000 of it,
and more, paid away in salaries, and to whom? If a list of the
parties to whom those salaries were paid were laid upon the table
of the House--and he would undertake to say that it should
shortly be laid there--it would be found that they were paid away
to the aristocracy and their dependents. He would move for a
list of those who received them." (Several voices: "The list is
published already.") "Who, he should like to know, were the maids
who swept out the rooms of the British Museum? Doubtless they
were the daughters of the head officers of the establishment. He
would say that a more scandalous job than this grant never
disgraced this Government, and that was saying a great deal.
(Laughter.) He should conclude by moving that this report be
recommitted."
Of course no one was on his side, and the grant was passed.
From April to July this year influenza was very prevalent, sparing
neither rank, age, nor sex. It was not a new disease, for it was known
in 1580, when it preceded the plague; in 1658, it was followed by a
fatal epidemic fever; in 1743 by the plague; in 1762 by violent
dysentery; in 1813, by ophthalmia and dysentery, and in 1831 by the
cholera. The _Medical Gazette_, of May 5th, says--
"As to the rest, so far as regards the metropolis, the influenza
has been plague enough, without looking for another. It has been
a hundred-fold more prevalent than cholera was, and we are
inclined to believe has proved fatal, within the last fortnight,
to a greater number of persons than that disease carried off in
London within an equal period. Certainly this holds good with
respect to the upper and middle classes of society, among whom a
large number of aged persons have fallen victims to it. The
increased mortality of the metropolis during the present
epidemic, is strikingly exemplified by the weekly account of
burials. That ending April 16th exhibits an increase over the
preceding of 266; that ending April 23rd, another increase upon
the above of 209; that of May 1st, a further increase of 165;
making the entire increase in the number of funerals last week
equal to 640; and this, too, within the limits of the Bills of
Mortality. The epidemic is now, however, rapidly on the decline,
though a considerable number of relapses have occurred, and many
continue to linger under its effects."
It spread both to Ireland and Scotland, but ceased about July.
On April 30th, an attempt to repeal the House and Window Tax was made,
but was not successful. The window tax was especially obnoxious, as it
led to keeping out light and fresh air from rooms that sadly needed
both, and it lingered on until July 24, 1851, when it was repealed by
Act 14 & 15 Vict. c. 36, and a duty upon inhabited houses was levied
in its place.
In this reign there could scarcely be political agitation without
violence, and we find on May 13th, there was even murder committed.
The following account is taken from the _Annual Register_, as being
more condensed than the newspaper reports:--
"POLITICAL MEETING AND MURDER.
"For some days placards had been posted up, addressed to the
members of the political unions, calling a public meeting, to be
held in Calthorpe Street, Coldbath Fields, preparatory to forming
a National Convention. A proclamation had been issued from the
Home Office, prohibiting the meeting as being illegal. It was
held, nevertheless, on the 13th. The hour appointed for the
meeting was two o'clock, but the populace had been assembling for
three hours previously. Shortly after twelve o'clock strong
detachments of the metropolitan police marched into the
neighbourhood, and took up their quarters in the riding school of
the London Volunteers, and the several livery stables in the
vicinity. Colonel Rowan and Mr. Mayne, the two Commissioners, had
previously arrived, and were accommodated at a house in the
neighbourhood, attended by two clerks. A magistrate of Hatton
Garden office was stationed in the House of Correction, as were
also other magistrates, and a strong body of the police force.
Two officers of the 1st Regiment of Life Guards were on the
spot, in plain clothes, keeping up a constant communication with
their regiment, a detachment of which was under arms, and ready
at a moment's notice.
"Matters remained in this state till near two o'clock, by which
time the number of people had greatly increased, and there were
between three thousand and four thousand present. During this
time the committee, consisting of six individuals, were holding
their council at the Union public-house, Bagnigge Wells, and some
discussion arose between them, as to which of them should ascend
the hustings first. A young man named James Lee undertook to open
the proceedings by proposing a person to fill the chair. Shortly
before three o'clock a caravan, which had been engaged for the
purpose, took its station. Lee jumped into it, followed by a
person named Mee, and several others. Lee waved his hat several
times, which was answered by the shouts of the assembly. The
owner of the van, however, did not like the appearance of things,
and instantly drove off, the committee jumping out of the
caravan. Lee was then carried on the shoulders of some of the
mob, to the railings, and proposed that Mr. Mee should take the
chair, which, being seconded, Mr. Mee stood up and addressed the
meeting, calling upon those present to beware of those hirelings
of the Government who were paid to induce them to commit a breach
of the peace. The Union, who had been anxiously expected all the
morning, at this moment made their appearance, and the
acclamations of the populace were deafening. The Union consisted
of about a hundred and fifty persons, and the banners carried
were, 'Liberty or death,' with a skull and cross-bones on a black
ground, with a red border; 'Holy Alliance of the Working
Classes;' 'Equal Rights and Equal Justice;' a Tricoloured flag;
the republican flag of America; and a pole with the cap of
Liberty.
"They had scarcely got upon the ground, before a detachment of
the A division (supported by some other divisions) marched into
Calthorpe Street with the greatest order and precision. Their
promptitude and formidable appearance seemed to make a momentary
impression on the mob, but a person, pointing to the banner of
'Liberty or death,' shouted, 'Men, be firm!' This was sufficient
to rouse their feelings; they called out, 'Down with them;
Liberty or death!' and appeared determined to resist to the
utmost. 'Go on, go on!' resounded from all sides to the speaker.
"The division of police had halted in the middle of the street,
and received renewed orders to act calmly and with forbearance.
They then walked forward, with their staves in their hands,
clearing their way through the observers who had been attracted
to the spot, and pressed forward directly to the man who still
continued to address the mob. The police were instantly attacked
by the mob. The conflict was but of a minute's duration, and the
sound of the blows, and the shrieks of the women who had obtruded
themselves into danger were loud. When a clearance was effected,
at least twenty men were prostrate on the ground, with blood
streaming from their heads. Sergeant Harrison, of the D division,
was the first who seized a banner, but received a violent blow on
the arm. Robert Cully, C 95, and his brother, made up to another,
when Cully received a wound in the abdomen from a stilletto, and
instantly expired. Sergeant Brooks was also wounded, besides
several others who received blows. The people rallied in the open
space by the prison, and made a vigorous attack on the police,
which was instantly and effectually repelled, though not till
they had attempted to rescue the banner of 'Liberty or death.'
The police were therefore formed into lines, extending across the
different streets, for a quarter of a mile round the place, and
every party of three or four persons was instantly ordered to
'Move on.' In Gray's Inn Lane, on the N division clearing the
place, one man took a stone to fling at the policeman who was
ordering him off, but his arm was arrested by another policeman.
A united shout of 'Stone the ---- ----!' arose, and there was an
immediate rush of the populace into the middle of the road, where
there were fresh laid granite stones; but a movement of the whole
division, and the capture of the ringleaders, arrested the
further progress of the mob. By four o'clock, everything was
tranquil, and a number of prisoners had been arrested.
"An inquest was held on the body of Cully, the policeman who had
been stabbed. From the state of political feeling, the jury
seemed determined to justify murder on the ground that the
meeting was legal, or, if illegal, had not been legally
dispersed. The inquest was continued for several days, and
finally the jury, after retiring for nearly three hours, returned
the following verdict: 'We find a verdict of _justifiable
homicide_ on these grounds: That no Riot Act was read, nor any
proclamation advising the people to disperse; that the Government
did not take the proper precautions to prevent the meeting from
assembling; and that the conduct of the police was ferocious,
brutal, and unprovoked by the people; and we moreover express our
anxious hope that the Government will, in future, take better
precautions to prevent the occurrence of such disgraceful
transactions in this metropolis.'
"Coroner: Your verdict only traduces the police and the
Government. You are not borne out by the evidence in justifying
the murder of this man. Were the people innocent who used the
murderous weapons, stilettos, bludgeons, and lances, such as you
have seen?
"Foreman: We state in our verdict on what grounds we justify the
homicide. We do not traduce the police, nor the Government. We
trust that our verdict will prevent the negligence and misconduct
that has caused the arms and heads of his Majesty's peaceable
subjects to be broken.
"Coroner: Do you call them peaceable subjects?
"Foreman: It has been proved that they are peaceable. We will say
no more, sir; record our verdict or dismiss us. We have told you,
sir, we will not alter a letter. In regard to our oath, and our
duty to our God, our country, and our King, we can give no other
verdict.
"After a consultation of some length, the coroner directed the
verdict, as originally put in, to be entered on the record. The
depositions, inquisition, and record were then completed and
signed.
"The coroner said, 'Gentlemen, I consider your verdict
disgraceful to you; but I thank you for your great attention to
the case.'
"The foreman, bowing, said, 'We thank you, sir.'
"Hereupon, a number of persons in the room, which was crowded to
excess, exclaimed, 'Bravo, jurors; you have done your duty nobly,
the country is indebted to you;' which was followed by vociferous
cheering in the room, re-echoed with prodigious vehemence by the
crowd outside. As the jury withdrew, numbers of persons pressed
forward and shook each of them eagerly by the hand. In the
streets, as they passed, they were cheered by name, while the
police were hooted.
"On May 29th, the Solicitor-General moved the Court of King's
Bench for a writ of _Certiorari_ to remove the inquisition into
that court, for the purpose of having the verdict quashed. The
verdict, he said, was bad in point of law. The conclusion at
which the jury had arrived was not only unwarranted by the facts
given in evidence, but directly contrary to those facts."
The verdict was quashed, and a man named George Nursey was charged
with the policeman's murder, but the prosecution failed in getting a
conviction.
Here is a somewhat curious police report treating of an extinct
industry. Indeed, I doubt whether it would have obtained in 1833, had
not tea been so dear. _Times_, May 14th--
"UNION HALL.
"Yesterday, in the course of examination of two boys, who were
brought from Camberwell, before Mr. Chambers, for gambling on
Sunday, some disclosures of importance respecting the extent to
which the suspected adulteration of tea is carried on in this
metropolis were made.
"In the possession of one of the juvenile defendants a policeman
found two shillings upon taking him into custody, and when the
boy was asked by the magistrate where he got that money, he
immediately replied, 'Not by gambling, your Worship, but by
picking tea leaves.'
"Mr. Chambers (smiling): The tea plant does not happen to grow in
this country, my lad; therefore you are adding a falsehood to the
offence for which you were brought here, and that offence is
always sure to lead to crimes of more magnitude.
"The defendant still persisted in the truth of his assertion,
relative to the picking of tea leaves; and when asked to explain
the manner in which he did it, he replied, 'Why, your Worship, I
am employed by a cowkeeper at Camberwell, who sends me into the
fields to gather sloe leaves and black and white thorn leaves,
and he pays me so much a pound for all I picks. I works hard, and
sometimes earns a good bit of money at the job.'
"Mr. Chambers inquired what the cowkeeper wanted with sloe and
black and white thorn leaves; it could not be for the use of his
cows.
"Inspector Walters, of the P division, stated that he should be
enabled to throw some light upon the subject of what the boy
termed 'picking tea leaves.' The inspector then said that for the
last month a number of poor persons, of both sexes, were observed
in the fields adjacent to Camberwell, picking leaves out of the
hedges. To such an extent, in fact, had this picking system
lately been carried, in and about that neighbourhood, that many
of the hedgerows were completely divested of their foliage. He
had questioned some of the people as to the purposes for which
the leaves were intended, and he had the same reply from all,
namely, that they were employed by a cowkeeper, who gave them a
penny a pound for sloe and black thorn leaves, and half that sum
for white thorn leaves. One man told him that he picked between
50 and 60 lbs. a day, and always had a sure market for selling
them to the cowkeeper. On a recent occasion a gentleman resident
in Camberwell complained that the hedge surrounding one of his
fields had been entirely stripped of its leaves, but he objected
to give any person into custody for the damage committed on his
property, but warned them not to be seen there again. The
inspector added that the circumstance had created some surprise
at Camberwell, and he had instituted an inquiry into the matter,
in the course of which he ascertained that the statement made to
him by the persons found picking the leaves was perfectly correct
as to the party whom they supplied. The next step was to discover
how the cowkeeper disposed of the leaves, and this was
accomplished by placing persons to watch his premises, when it
was found that they underwent no process while in his possession,
but were sent in bags to extensive tea dealers in the city, to
whose warehouses they were traced from the cowkeeper's yard in
Camberwell.
"Mr. Chambers inquired what steps had been taken after tracing
leaves of that description to the house of a tea dealer. It
looked, certainly, very suspicious, for he heard reports of tea
being adulterated with sloe leaves.
"The inspector said that information of the fact of such leaves
as those he had described having been received at a tea warehouse
was given to the Excise, and he had no doubt but they intended to
act forthwith upon it."
CHAPTER XV.
1833.
The Queen's visit to the City--Her unpopularity--King's dislike
of the Duchess of Kent--Hungerford Market opened--Death and
funeral of Wilberforce--Abolition of slavery--Synopsis of Act--A
Women's rowing match--List of periodicals and their
circulation--Return of Captain Ross--State of Ireland--Passing of
"Coercion Bill," etc.
The poor Queen was still very unpopular, as we read in the _Times_ of
June 15th--
"We are assured by a gentleman who followed the royal procession
on Thursday (June 13th), both in the approach to the Cathedral
and in the subsequent visit to the Mansion House, that her
Majesty's reception in the City was by no means so favourable as
was represented. In passing up Ludgate Hill the groans and hisses
of the multitude were extremely violent, so as quite to overpower
the manifestations of respect which proceeded in that place from
a very small portion of the spectators. After the termination of
the service at St. Paul's, the royal carriage was attended,
comparatively, by a very small number of the populace, and among
these a few hisses were occasionally heard, with also a few
indications of a more loyal nature; but the demeanour of a far
greater portion of the spectators was cold and indifferent. Some
hisses were heard from the populace at the time her Majesty was
ascending the steps at the Mansion House. When the _cortége_
drove off after the visit to the Lord Mayor, it was done with so
much rapidity as to be soon out of sight, and almost elude the
observation of the populace."
There was also considerable friction, in the royal circle itself. The
King did not like the Duchess of Kent, and did not scruple to show his
dislike openly in somewhat petty ways. Hear what Greville says--
"July 4th.--At Court yesterday, and Council for a foolish
business. The King has been (not unnaturally) disgusted with the
Duchess of Kent's progress with her daughter through the kingdom,
and, amongst the rest, with her sailings at the Isle of Wight,
and the continual popping in the shape of salutes to her Royal
Highness. He did not choose that this latter practice should go
on, and he signified his pleasure to Sir James Graham and Lord
Hill, for salutes are matters of general order, both to army and
navy. They (and Lord Grey) thought it better to make no order on
the subject, and they opened a negotiation with the Duchess of
Kent, to induce her, of her own account, to waive the salutes,
and when she went to the Isle of Wight to send word that, as she
was sailing about for her amusement, she had rather they did not
salute her whenever she appeared. The negotiation failed, for the
Duchess insisted on her right to be saluted, and would not give
it up. Kemp told me he had heard that Conroy (who is a ridiculous
fellow, a compound of 'Great Hussy' and the Chamberlain of the
Princess of Navarre[14]) had said, 'that, as Her Royal Highness's
_confidential adviser_, he could not recommend her to give way on
this point.' As she declined to accede to the proposals, nothing
remained but to alter the regulations, and, accordingly,
yesterday, by an Order in Council, the King changed them, and
from this time the Royal Standard is only to be saluted when the
King or Queen is on board."
[Footnote 14: See Sir C. Hanbury Williams' Poems.]
Among the odds and ends of news in this year was the opening of
Hungerford Market, on July 2nd, amidst great festivity, which included
a balloon ascent, and a ball and fireworks at night. It was situated
on the site now occupied by the Charing Cross Station, and was
demolished in 1862.
On the 29th of July died William Wilberforce, the distinguished
philanthropist, memorable especially for his exertions in the
abolition of slavery. He was buried on August 4th, in Westminster
Abbey, the pall-bearers being the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the
House of Commons, Lord Bexley, the Marquis of Westminster, the Right
Hon. Charles Grant, Sir Robert Inglis, Mr. W. Smith, and His Royal
Highness the Duke of Gloucester. Among the mourners were the peers, at
the head of whom were the Dukes of Sussex and Wellington, the
Archbishop of Canterbury, and most of the bishops, and, lastly, the
members of the House of Commons.
It seems hard that he was denied the pleasure of seeing that come to
pass, the forwarding of which had occupied so great a part of his
life, viz. the abolition of slavery. In 1807 the importation of slaves
into our colonies was decreed; but men's minds were exercised as to
the lawfulness of keeping slaves at all, and an Anti-Slavery Society
was established in 1823, the principal members of which were
Wilberforce, Buxton, Zachary Macaulay, Lord Suffield, and Dr.
Lushington, and in that year a movement was made in Parliament in
furtherance of this object, but for some years the cause made little
progress, until 1830, when it was again taken up. But, in 1833, the
Government took it seriously in hand, and the abolition of slavery was
carried with comparatively little opposition. True, Mr. W. E.
Gladstone, in a debate thereon, on June 3rd, defended his father as a
slave owner--he having an estate at Demerara, called Vreeden's
Hoop--but he had a bad cause to back up, and his speech was
practically nullified by Lord Howick's reply.
The opponents of the Bill talked of the helplessness of the negroes,
who had always had everything found them, and prophesied that they
would starve; indeed, an anonymous artist produced the accompanying
picture of "An Emancipated Negro," who is reduced to catching
butterflies for food.
[Illustration: "An Emancipated Negro."]
The Bill passed the House of Commons on August 7th, and received the
Royal Assent on August 28th. It is 3 and 4 Gul. IV. c. 73, and is
entitled "An Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout the _British_
Colonies; for promoting the industry of the manumitted slaves; and for
compensating the persons hitherto entitled to the services of such
slaves." It is a long Act, but the following is a synopsis.
All children under six years of age, or born after August 1st, 1834,
are declared free: all registered slaves above six years become, from
the same date, apprenticed labourers, divided into two principal
classes, _prædial_, or those engaged in agriculture, and the
_non-prædial_; the apprenticeships of the former to expire August 1,
1838; of the latter August 1, 1840. The hours of the _prædial_
apprentices not to exceed forty-five in any one week, and for which
they were to be paid either by being boarded and lodged or by
receiving a sum of money weekly. By this transition into the
apprentice state, the slave immediately entered into the chief
immunities of a free man; he could not be arbitrarily punished by his
master, and became eligible to give evidence in criminal and civil
courts, to serve on juries and in the militia. One of the chief
difficulties to settle, was in determining the compensation to the
owners of slaves for the loss of their compulsory services. A very
small party in the Commons was in favour of the immediate and entire
emancipation of the negroes, and that without any compensation
whatever; the ministers at first proposed advancing a loan of
£15,000,000 to the West India proprietors; subsequently this _loan_
was transmuted into a _gift_ of £20,000,000, by which liberal
donation, Mr. Secretary Stanley said the whole plan would ensure the
cordial co-operation of the planters and colonial legislatures. On
this basis it was settled, and an end put to a question which had
formed almost the exclusive subject of public interest and agitation
by the religious portion of the community during the last half
century.
To change from grave to gay. The "New Woman" was already beginning to
assert masculine functions, though hardly in such an æsthetic manner
as to-day. In 1787 Rowlandson portrayed a cricket match played in that
year by women, at Ball's Pond, and several satirical prints
immortalize the lady cricketer; but it was reserved for the _Times_ of
September 4, 1833, to chronicle--
"A ROWING MATCH AMONG WOMEN.--The proposed wager among women came
off yesterday. It was said that the contest was for a purse of
sovereigns given by the ladies and gentlemen of Lambeth; but it
is believed the proprietor of a public-house near Lambeth Palace
was the donor. The females were the wives and daughters of
fishermen. The _canaille_ mustered in shoals, and never did we
see a rowing match so attended. The purlieus of Westminster and
St. George's Fields had poured forth their population, and
Billingsgate had supplied its oratory. To attempt to describe the
rowing, or to give the names of Sal this, or Mary that, as they
were bawled from the shore in a tone of encouragement, would be a
gross insult to the understanding of our readers; but the lady
who wore a blue bow in her cap as large as a sunflower, and who
had her garments tied round her legs with a rope, had the
distinguished honour of being declared the victor."
We are used to hear each newspaper vieing with another as to its
circulation, but the following list is authentic, as every newspaper
had to be stamped by the Inland Revenue, and the numbers as officially
declared must needs be correct. It also supplies an authentic list of
the ephemeral publications of the day. It covers from January 1, 1832,
to June 30, 1833.
--------------+-----------------------------------------------+------------
Period of | Title of Newpaper. | Number of
Publication. | | Stamps.
--------------+-----------------------------------------------+------------
Daily | The Times } | 5,727,987
Thrice a week | Evening Mail } |
| |
Daily | Morning Herald } | 3,949,991
Thrice a week | English Chronicle } |
| |
Daily | Morning Post | 1,047,000
| |
" | Morning Chronicle } |
Weekly | Englishman } |
" | Observer } | 2,682,297
" | Bell's Life in London } |
| |
Daily | Morning Advertiser | 1,696,500
| |
" | Guardian and Public Ledger } |
" | British Traveller } | 433,218
Weekly | Weekly Times } |
| |
" | County Chronicle } | 213,500
" | County Herald } |
| |
" | United Kingdom | 429,000
| |
" | Mark Lane Express (commenced Jan. 3, } |
| 1832) } |
" | New Farmer's Journal (commenced Feb. } | 65,710
| 11, 1833) } |
| |
" | Farmer's Journal (discontinued July 16, } | 46,975
| 1832) } |
| |
" | British Liberator (commenced January 13, } | 9,550
| 1833) } |
| |
" | Merle's Weekly Register (commenced November } | 16,452
| 19, 1832) } |
| |
" | Sunday Herald (commenced April 7, } | 14,300
| 1833) } |
| |
" | Bell's Weekly Messenger | 776,500
" | Bell's Weekly Dispatch | 2,330,947
" | Ballot | 93,000
" | Atlas | 247,500
" | Examiner | 329,645
" | Literary Gazette | 62,675
| |
" | Court Journal } |
" | Naval and Military Gazette (commenced } | 185,875
| February 9, 1833) } |
" | New Court Journal (commenced March 30, } | 4,850
| 1833; discontinued June 1) } |
| |
" | Cobbett's Weekly Political Register | 128,500
" | John Bull | 445,500
Twice weekly | London Gazette | 218,000
Weekly | Spectator | 173,283
Weekly | Age | 519,800
" | News | 199,000
" | Satirist | 393,022
Daily | Albion and Star | 393,000
| |
" | Standard } |
Thrice a week | St. James's Chronicle } |
" | London Packet } | 2,328,500
Weekly | London Journal } |
| |
Daily | True Sun } | 559,140
Weekly | Weekly True Sun } |
| |
Daily | Courier | 1,170,250
" | Globe and Traveller | 1,657,500
" | Sun | 1,061,000
Thrice a week | Record | 397,250
| |
Weekly | Sunday Times } | 643,500
" | Essex and Herts Mercury } |
| |
" | Alfred } |
" | United Service Gazette (commenced February } | 63,709
| 9, 1833) } |
| |
" | Town | 86,100
" | Patriot (commenced February 22, 1832) | 159,000
" | Old England (commenced April 14, 1832) | 48,300
" | Christian Advocate | 113,055
" | Bell's New Weekly Messenger | 365,500
| |
" | The Truth (commenced February 10, 1833; } | 5,000
| discontinued March 10) } |
| |
" | The Athenæum, only one stamped number } | 10,000
| published within the period } |
| |
" | Commercial Gazette | 40,600
| |
" | Law Chronicle } | 10,475
" | Law Gazette } |
| |
" | Racing Calendar | 42,575
" | Banker's Calendar | 16,000
| |
" | Constitution (discontinued January 15, } | 1,500
| 1832) } |
| |
" | World (discontinued May 23, 1832) | 16,600
| |
" | Plain Dealer (commenced January 1, 1832; } | 9,000
| discontinued February 19, 1832) } |
| |
" | Reflector (commenced December 15, 1832; } | 2,600
| discontinued December 29, 1832) } |
| |
" | Mercantile Journal | 17,465
" | Corn Trade Circular | 5,250
Thrice a week | Course of Exchange | 8,010
" | Commercial Record | 5,700
Weekly | London New Price Current | 22,300
| |
" | Universal Corn Reporter (commenced } | 20,000
| February 6, 1832) } |
| |
" | Bankrupt's and Insolvent's Weekly Gazette | 16,987
Monthly | London Literary Gazette | 14,250
| |
Weekly | The Movement (commenced April 28, } | 3,000
| 1833; discontinued June 3) } |
| |
" | London Mercantile Price Current | 5,610
" | United Kingdom Gazette | 4,706
--------------+-----------------------------------------------+------------
Captain Ross, who from May 29, 1829, had been employed in the
_Victory_ steamer on a fresh expedition to the Arctic Regions, at the
expence of Sir Felix Booth, a rich distiller, arrived safely at
Stromness on October 12th, on board the _Isabella_ of Hull (formerly
his own discovery ship), which picked him up in Prince Regent's Inlet
on August 27th, he having finally abandoned his own ship thirteen
months previously. He had a narrow escape of losing all his papers;
for, after showing them at the Admiralty, he left them in a cab.
Luckily, the cabman was honest, and the captain recovered them.
Parliament (the first reformed) met on January 29th, and it was not
long before the more effective government of Ireland was brought on
for discussion. A Bill for the suppression of disturbances in Ireland
(or, as it was commonly called, "The Coercion Bill") was introduced
into the House of Lords by Earl Grey, was read a first time on
February 15th, and was passed there without a division on February
22nd. But it had a very warm time in the House of Commons, and it was
not passed until March 29th. The Lords agreed with the amendments of
the Commons, and it received the Royal Assent on April 2nd. It is 3
and 4 Gul. IV. c. 4, "An Act for the more effectual suppression of
local Disturbances and dangerous Associations in Ireland." The Lord
Lieutenant at once put the Act in force, with very good results. The
more daring outrages diminished; for whereas the offences against the
law, in eleven counties, were 472 in March, they were but 162 in May.
[Illustration: Dresses.]
Two other Bills, which materially tended to the pacification of
Ireland, were passed, and became law respectively on August 14th and
28th--3 and 4 Gul. IV. c. 37, "An Act to alter and amend the laws
relating to the Temporalities of the Church in Ireland," and 3 and 4
Gul. IV. c. 79, "An Act to provide for the more impartial Trial of
Offences in certain cases in Ireland."
[Illustration: Hair dressing.]
The fashions of this year include two walking-dresses, one dinner, and
one ball-dress, together with bonnets, a turban, a cap, and various
modes of dressing the hair. (_See preceding page._)
CHAPTER XVI.
1834.
Corporation commission--Curious advertisement--Discovery of
treasure--Bribery at Liverpool--Duke of York's statue--Trades'
unions--Skit thereon--Riot at Oldham--Unionist oath--Union
meeting and monster petition--Its fate--Duke of Wellington made
Chancellor of Oxford--The Princess Victoria's lover.
The first thing of importance in this year was the resumption of the
sittings of the Corporation Commission, which was an inquiry into the
Corporation of London. This object of envy has been several times
attacked, sometimes partially despoiled; always threatened, yet always
vigorous, it is the red rag of the Radical bull. This Commission did
the usual thing--took evidence, and came to nought.
The year itself was very uneventful in social incidents, so that I
must draw upon divers odds and ends illustrative of the times. Here is
the advertisement of a particularly cool gentleman, culled from the
first page of the _Times_, January 17th--
"AN HEIR.
"A single gentleman, member of an English university, disgusted
at some family differences, is desirous of relinquishing his
connections and changing his name. The advertiser, who is a
gentleman of good education, affable manners, and pleasing
address, submits the proposal to the consideration of the
affluent, who have no issue. A full explanation will be entered
into, and most respectable and satisfactory references given.
Apply, etc."
Next is a paragraph from the _Cambrian_, quoted in the same _Times_--
"REMARKABLE SUBMARINE DISCOVERY.
"Among the occurrences which have been transmitted by tradition
to our neighbours in Gower, is the account of the wreck of a
homeward-bound Spanish galleon, laden with dollars, on Rhosily
Sands, near the Wormshead, shortly after the conquest of South
America by the Spaniards; that the crew, without giving
information of the nature of her cargo, sold the wreck for a
trifle to a Mr. Thomas, of Pitton, who, not being aware of the
value of his purchase, or from some other cause, took no pains
for her recovery, and that she shortly became completely embedded
in the sands. Nevertheless, suspicion always existed in that part
of the country that she must have had on board some valuable
articles; and, about twenty-six years ago, in consequence of the
sand having drifted very unusually, part of the wreck, in a very
decayed state, became visible, and a great quantity of dollars,
with some old iron and pewter, were then dug up from some depth
in the sand. The late Mr. John Beynon, of Pitton, having failed
to prove by any written document the purchase of the vessel by
his ancestor (the above-named Mr. Thomas), Mr. Talbot, of Penrice
Castle, the lord of the manor, became entitled to the property,
but he generously refused to accept it; consequently, many of the
inhabitants were much enriched by this fortuitous circumstance.
The spot where the vessel struck being only open at four hours
ebb-tide, and the sand having returned to its old quarters, the
money-hunters were obliged to desist in their attempts, and all
hope was abandoned of any further booty from that source. During
the late gales, however, the sand having shifted again, the spot
was once more resorted to, and the recovery of a very large
quantity of dollars has been the result, some bearing the date of
1631, others further back. The circumstance has created a very
peculiar interest in the neighbourhood; and, as it is not likely
that the present lord of the manor, C. R. Talbot, Esq., will
deviate from the precedent of his respected father, it is to be
hoped that the neighbourhood, which is very poor, will be
considerably benefited by this occurrence."
On March 19th the House of Commons passed a bill disenfranchising the
Freemen of Liverpool for bribery at the late election, but it did not
pass the Lords. Liverpool had formerly an unenviable notoriety for
this sort of thing, and it is said that in 1830, when Messrs. Denison
and Ewart contested the borough after the death of Mr. Huskisson, it
cost each of the candidates over £40,000! The _Times_ of February 26,
1834, in a leading article on this election, says--
"On this occasion, likewise, votes rose in price as the contest
advanced, and towards its conclusion a single vote was sold for
£80! Nearly every freeman who came to poll was bribed. The
tickets given for enabling parties to claim payment from Mr.
Denison's committee amounted to two thousand; and one of the
witnesses having obtained these tickets, copied from them into a
poll-book, against the name of each voter, the sum which had been
paid him. The following is the analysis of the list of the other
candidate, Mr. Ewart's voters, with their respective prices, as
drawn up by his own law agent:--
600 freemen received £10 and under.
462 " " between £10 " £20
209 " " " £20 " £30
24 " " " £30 " £40
7 " " " £40 " £50
1 " " £60
----
1303
"One circumstance which disgracefully distinguished the bribery
practised on these two occasions, was the open, fearless, and
shameless manner in which it was conducted. The respective
parties advertised for supporters, and announced the price which
they were ready to give for votes on the walls of their committee
rooms. Tickets or tally-papers were openly distributed, which
were as regularly paid. The ingenious conductors of the election
had thus the merit of systemizing corruption--of making the sale
of consciences a counting-house affair, with the proper
assortment of promissory notes or poll-tickets and bags of gold,
with cashiers, examiners, and controllers of account!
"Another most striking and most melancholy characteristic of the
contest was not only the universality of corruption among the
poorer freemen, but the height to which the tide rose among
persons in better circumstances, whom, but for the levelling
nature of the system and the gradual decay of the moral sense
which it produces, the infamy ought not to have reached. It was
mentioned by the treasurer of Mr. Ewart's committee that several
'respectable' persons received large sums of money. A retired
brewer demanded £50; a captain in the militia received £35; three
brothers, 'respectable men,' were paid £30 a-piece; a druggist
and his father, both 'respectable men,' each received £20; and a
'respectable man,' worth £10,000, as he came early in the
contest, was satisfied to pocket the paltry sum of £12!"
The statue of the Duke of York was placed upon its column in Carlton
Gardens on April 11th, and the _Examiner_ of the 12th thus speaks of
it--
"The announcement of the newspapers that the elevation of the
Duke of York's statue was to be celebrated with military honours
drew a vast number of people to Carlton Gardens and the
neighbouring houses. There was, however, no military spectacle,
not even a military band to while away the time during the slow
process of hoisting up the statue, which did not reach the top of
the column till the people had dispersed, who had spent the day
in wondering what was to happen to requite them for their trouble
in coming to the spot and the tedium of waiting. Nothing was to
be seen but a bit of canvas fluttering in the bitter east wind,
showing the place of the statue, to which it served as wrapper.
The ascent was imperceptibly slow, such as sailors proverbially
say is the progress of lawyers to heaven. The weight of the
statue is said to be seven tons, and the height above thirteen
feet. A woman in the crowd, according to the _Globe_, observed,
'The Duke of York was never so large as that.' The same criticism
was made by a learned judge on the statue of Canning at
Westminster, and his companion, Mr. Thesiger, agreeing that
Canning was not so large, readily perfected the criticism by
adding 'nor so green either.'
"The statue of the Duke of York turns his back on the town and
his face to the Park. This arrangement was contrary to the
judgment of Mr. Westmacott, but insisted on by the Duke of
Wellington, who held it a point of propriety that the
Commander-in-Chief should face the Horse Guards. His Grace also
contends that it will be seen by more people from the Park below
than from Waterloo Place--another curious evidence of the
correctness of his observation. But this is not the Duke's first
mistake as to public views. It now seems that the Duke of York is
ashamed to show his face to the town, and, what to military
notions is worse, he turns his back on Waterloo Place.
"On the base of the monument should be inscribed, 'He made
creditors pitied!'--an effect never before produced, as the
sympathies of the world generally runs with poor debtors, and
creditors are only thought of and talked of as 'hard' and
'cruel.' No general in history was ever so heavily charged as the
Commander-in-Chief, and yet the charges of his creditors were the
only charges the general ever defeated."
In May, people were much exercised about Trades' Unions, which were
then being formed, and, as is their nature, leading to strikes, some
of which were then becoming serious, as in the cases of the cotton
spinners and the journeymen tailors. An attempt was made to turn the
movement into ridicule, as shown by the following, but without
effect--
"CIRCULAR LETTER AND REGULATIONS FROM THE GRAND LODGE OF LADIES'
MAIDS.
"MADAM,
"By direction of the Friendly Society of Operative Ladies' Maids,
I have to inform you that, to stay the ruinous effects which a
destructive fashionable competition has so long been inflicting
on them, they have resolved to introduce certain new regulations
into their profession, which regulations they intend should
commence from Monday next; and I herewith beg to enclose a copy
of them--
"REGULATIONS.
"No sister shall be allowed to work, except for herself, from the
first day of May to the last day of April. No sister shall plait,
brush, or dress her lady's hair, or wait upon her in
sickness--except for such extra remuneration as each sister shall
deem it expedient to ask. No sister shall be called before ten in
the morning, nor shall any sister remain in a service where she
is refused a fire in her own room, an armchair, a subscription to
a circulating library, the free use of her lady's clothes, and as
many followers as she may like to retain. No lady shall presume
to part with her maid or to hire another without the consent of
all the ladies' maids within four miles of Grosvenor Square. Nor
shall any lady buy any gown, bonnet, or any article of dress that
may not be made serviceable or profitable to her maid, nor shall
she be allowed to retain the same in wear after the Grand United
Lodge of Operative Ladies' Maids shall have declared it a lawful
perquisite. No sister shall be allowed to ask leave to go out,
nor shall any sister be contradicted or found fault with, neither
shall she be put up with a small looking-glass, nor with a room
with a northern aspect.
"As the demands here specified are of so reasonable a nature, and
as, moreover, they are unquestionably calculated for the benefit
of the employers as well as the employed, the Society confidently
hopes that you will accede to them, and, henceforth, a mutual
confidence may be sustained between ladies and their maids, and
that they will, for the future, consent to lace each other's
stays, and dress each other's hair.
"It only remains for me to add that your ladies' maids, members
of this Society, will cease to answer your bell, though you may
ring it ever so often, should you decline to act upon the new
regulations; and, further, I think it right to apprize you that,
in that case, they will think it no longer necessary to keep any
family secrets with which they may have made themselves
acquainted.
"I am, Madam, Your obedient, humble servant,
"SARAH BROWN,
"Secretary to the Grand United Lodge
of Operative Ladies' Maids."
People hardly knew what to make of these Trades' Unions, and, at their
beginning, they seemed to be somewhat antagonistic to authority, and
decidedly subversive of existing institutions. And, perhaps, in the
first flush of his emancipation, the working man had somewhat crude
ideas of his position, and was a little too fond of processions,
meetings, and showing himself in public. For instance, on April 15th,
there was a riot of a serious description at Oldham. On the previous
day, two members of a Trades' Union, at a meeting of their body, were
arrested by some policemen, after a desperate struggle. They were on
their road to Hollinwood, near Manchester, under the custody of two
officers, for the purpose of being examined, when a large crowd
attacked the officers, whom they beat severely, and rescued the
prisoners. This occurred in front of Bankside Mill, which belonged to
a Mr. Thompson, who was disliked by the Unionists on account of his
employment of "Knobsticks," or men not belonging to the Union. These
"Knobsticks" had been provided with arms for their defence, but, as it
turned out, used them for offence; for, appearing at the windows of
the building, they made a foolish display of their weapons, and fired
blank cartridge at the passing mob. One gun, at least, must have been
loaded with ball, for a man named James Bentley was killed.
This so incensed the mob, that the windows of the manufactory were
immediately demolished, the dwelling house of the proprietor entered,
and a total destruction of its contents effected. The liquors were
drank in the cellars, the cabinets rifled and broken, the victuals
eaten, and about £50 in money stolen. One of the lower rooms was
filled with printing cloths, to which the mob set fire. The arrival of
a party of lancers eventually caused the dispersion of the mob. The
two Union men who were rescued afterwards surrendered, and were
liberated on bail; meanwhile, the town was in a state of great
confusion. A meeting of upwards of ten thousand operatives was held
next day on Oldham Edge or Moor, at which resolutions to support their
fellows were made. At a coroner's inquest subsequently held on the
body of the individual who was shot, a verdict of _manslaughter_ was
returned.
The _Times_ of May 5th gives the following as--
"THE OATH OF THE UNIONISTS.
"I (each party here to repeat his name), being in the presence
of Almighty God and this assembly, do voluntarily declare that I
will persevere in maintaining and supporting a brotherhood known
by the name of the United Operative . . . . . . of the Grand
National Consolidated Trades' Union of Great Britain and Ireland,
and I do further promise that I will, to the utmost of my power,
assist them, upon all just and lawful occasions, to obtain a just
remuneration for our labour; nor will I, knowingly, ever fill the
situation of, or finish the work of, any brother who has left his
employer in obedience to the ordinances and regulations of the
Consolidated Union aforesaid; and I call the Mighty Power who
made me, to witness this, my most solemn obligation, by which I
bind myself, that neither hopes nor fears, rewards nor
punishments, nor even the law of life itself, shall ever induce
me, directly or indirectly, to give information respecting
anything contained in this lodge, and that I will neither write,
nor cause to be written, anything appertaining thereto upon
paper, or upon anything else whatsoever, but for the purposes of
the aforesaid Union: and I do further promise to keep inviolable
all its rules, signs, and secrets. Neither will I ever give
consent to have any of its money divided, or appropriated to any
other purpose than to the uses of this lodge, and for the end of
the aforesaid Consolidated Union. And may God keep me steadfast
in this my most solemn obligation."
It was for taking unlawful oaths, probably of this kind, that six men
had been convicted at Dorchester Assizes, a fact which so worked upon
the Trades' Unions of London, that on April 21st they met in their
might to the number of thirty thousand, in Copenhagen Fields, and
proceeded in procession to Whitehall to present a monster petition
(which it took twelve men to carry) in the convicts' favour, to the
Home Secretary. Lord Melbourne refused to receive it, thus brought,
but consented to see a deputation. This did not suit the agitators,
and, as the only answer they could get was that Lord Melbourne had
seen a copy of the petition; that he did not disapprove of its
language; and that, if that petition should be presented on another
day, and in a becoming manner, he would receive it and lay it before
the King;--they retired, taking the petition with them, rejoining and
reporting their interview to the main body of the procession, which
had halted on Kennington Common. This broke up the meeting, and the
crowd melted away, having behaved most peaceably. On the 24th the
petition was presented to Lord Melbourne by a deputation from the
Trades' Unions, and laid before the King in the usual way.
On the death of Lord Grenville, the Duke of Wellington was made
Chancellor of the University of Oxford. He had previously received the
distinction of having been made (_in absentiâ_) a D.C.L. of the
University in 1814, when this honour was also bestowed on the Emperor
of Russia, the King of Prussia, and Marshal Blücher. At his
installation on June 10th he wore his Chancellor's robes of black silk
and gold, and H. B. has given us a very graphic portrait of him on
this occasion: and he was attended by the Marquis of Londonderry, Lord
Montague, Lord Apsley, Lord Hill, Lord Mohun, Sir George Murray, Sir
Henry Hardinge, Sir S. Acland, Sir Robert Inglis, and Sir Charles
Wetherell. There were likewise present eleven members of the
episcopal bench. Among the ladies were to be seen the Princess
Lieven, the Marchioness of Salisbury, and the Countesses of
Clanwilliam and Brownlow. The Rev. John Keble of Oriel, so well known
to us as the author of _The Christian Year_ (then professor of
poetry), wrote the installation ode--and the Duke's reception was
magnificent.
[Illustration: Man.]
The Princess Victoria had not long entered into her fifteenth year
when she had a lover, whose story is thus told by the _Courier_ of
July 24th:--
"A SUITOR TO ROYALTY.
"A good deal of talk and merriment have been created in
Kensington, in consequence of the eccentricities of a gentleman,
said to hold a rank of some importance in the army, who has
fallen desperately in love with the Princess Victoria, and who,
for some months past, has taken every opportunity of manifesting
the ardour of his passion for her Royal Highness. From what can
be gathered of this eccentric gentleman's movements, it appears
that about the beginning of last spring he made some very
particular inquiries of the keeper at the Mount Gate, Kensington
Gardens, as to the Princess, wishing, in particular, to know the
best way in which he could obtain an introduction, and whether it
was most likely an interview would be granted at Kensington
Palace.
"The gatekeeper referred the gentleman to the proper authorities
at the palace; after which he received three cards, containing,
as the gentleman said, his titles and dignity, with a request
that they should be immediately forwarded to her Royal Highness
the Princess Victoria. On the cards were written "The King of
Rome," "The Emperor of the Austrias," and "The Grand Lama of
Thibet." Several letters were sent to the palace by this
tripartite potentate, who was constantly seen promenading before
the palace and in the gardens, waiting to obtain the desired
interview with the Princess. One day, while the gatekeepers were
at dinner, he contrived to jump over the palings into the
shrubbery, and there plant a laurel, to which he affixed another
letter to the Princess Victoria; which, of course, when
discovered, was speedily removed.
"From that time, this gentleman continued to pursue the same
system of eccentricity, and yesterday morning, having made some
further inquiries of the gatekeeper respecting the Princess, the
gatekeeper considered it to be the most prudent course to inform
Sir John Conroy of the persevering conduct of the enamoured
suitor. The gatekeeper having received his instructions,
proceeded to the station-house, and returned to the gardens
accompanied by Inspector McManus, of the T division. The
gatekeeper and the inspector then proceeded towards a bench in
the garden, where the individual in question had taken a seat.
The inspector told him he must take him into custody, unless he
would pledge his honour to abstain, in future, from the
ridiculous system of annoyance he had practised. The individual,
after some demur, gave the required promises, and was allowed to
leave the gardens, after having given a card, which contained, as
was presumed, his real name and rank, which was stated to be that
of a lieutenant-colonel. He was a tall, military-looking man,
with an umbrella and a bunch of lavender, and apparently about
forty-five years of age."
CHAPTER XVII.
1834.
Crockford's and game--The _chef_ in trouble--Burning of the
Houses of Parliament--The tapestry in the House of Lords--Story
of one piece--Temporary House of Lords--Tithe riots in
Ireland--Change of Ministry.
One would imagine that Crockford's gambling "hell" was too solemn a
place to extract laughter from, but yet there is a police case in
connection with that place, and in which the celebrated _chef_ Ude was
principally concerned, which is the reverse of serious.
"On July 25th, M. Eustache Ude, the celebrated French cook,
appeared at Bow Street on a summons at the suit of the Marquess
of Queensberry, for unlawfully disposing of certain birds called
'red game,' between the 19th of March and the 1st of August,
contrary to the provisions of the Game Laws.
"Sir Roger Griesley deposed that he was a member of Crockford's
Club House, and one of the managing committee of that
establishment. The defendant was cook there, and on the 19th of
June witness dined at the club house, and saw grouse served in
the room, but did not partake of it.
"M. Ude: Vell, my dear Sare Rojer, vat is all dis to me?
Certainement you must know dat I don't know vat de devil goes up
into de dining-room. How de devil can I tell veder black game, or
vite game, or red game go up to de dining-room? Dere is plenty of
game always go on in de house, but dat is noting to me. My only
business is to cook for de palates of dose who like de game.
"Sir Roger Greisley: I really don't know what, in common justice,
M. Ude can have to do in this matter. He is the cook of the
establishment certainly, but he only prepares what is ordered.
The committee order the things, and he provides according to that
order.
"M. Ude: Tank you, my dear Sare Rojer. I knew you vould get me
out of de scrape vot de noble marquis has got me into dis time.
"Charles, Marquess of Queensberry, sworn: I was a member of the
committee at Crockford's, but am not now. I was at Crockford's on
the 19th, and dined, and grouse was served at the table.
"M. Ude: But, my noble friend (great laughter), as I said to my
friend Sare Rojer, I know noting at all about vot vent into de
room. I never sawed it at all. De orders are given to me. I send
my people to de butcher, and to de poulterer, and to de
fishmonger, and de tings are brought, and I command dem to be
cooked, and dey are cooked, and dat is all I know about it.
"Sir F. Roe: Whether you know it or not, the Act of Parliament
makes you liable.
"M. Ude: Upon my honour, dat is very hard. Ven I got de summons I
remonstrated vid my Lord Alvanley, and he say, 'Oh, never mind,
Ude, say dey vere pigeons, instead of grouse.' 'Ah, my lord,' say
I, 'I cannot do better dan call dem pigeons, because dat bird is
so common in dis house.' (Loud laughter.)
"Sir F. Roe, who appeared greatly to enjoy the scene, said he
must, upon the oaths of the noble marquess and Sir Roger
Griesley, convict the defendant; but he should certainly put the
lowest penalty, namely, 5_s._
"M. Ude: Vel, I shall pay de money, but it is dam hard. Ve have
always game in our house, and de poor devil of a cook have to pay
de penalty for it. (Great laughter.)"
By the Budget of July 25th, the House Tax, which was imposed in 1695,
was repealed, as was also the stamp duty on almanacks, which had
existed since 1710.
The talk of the year was, undoubtedly, the burning of both Houses of
Parliament on the evening of October 16th, caused by the overheating
of a flue whilst some workmen were burning a quantity of old Exchequer
tallies. The following account is taken from the _Annual Register_.
"The two Houses of Parliament, with nearly all their various
offices, the old Painted Chamber, associated with a thousand
historical reminiscences, the libraries of the two houses, etc.,
all fell a prey to a destructive fire, which broke out about
half-past six o'clock in the evening. The flames suddenly burst
forth near the entrances of the two houses, and immediately burnt
with a fury almost unparalleled. In less than half an hour from
the first discovery of the flames, the whole interior of the
building from the ground floor to the roof presented, through the
numerous windows with which it was studded, one entire mass of
fire. Thousands of persons instantly assembled, the engines were
in attendance, the police and soldiery on the spot, and every
exertion was made to save the public papers and other important
documents, vast quantities of which were conveyed to a place of
safety, although many were unfortunately consumed.
"All attempts to save the House of Lords proving abortive, the
firemen directed their attention wholly towards the House of
Commons, and to the preservation of Westminster Hall. The wind,
which previous to this time had blown from the south, at eight
o'clock veered somewhat towards the west, thus throwing the
flames immediately upon the House of Commons, the angle of which,
abutting upon the House of Lords, caught fire; and,
notwithstanding the utmost exertions of the firemen, assisted by
the military, the roof ignited, and fell in with a tremendous
crash, accompanied with an immense volume of flame and smoke, and
emitting in every direction millions of sparks and flakes of
fire. This appearance, combined with the sound, resembling the
report of a piece of heavy ordnance, induced the assembled
multitude to believe that an explosion of gunpowder had taken
place.
"The flames now took a different direction; but the danger to the
Hall appeared more imminent than ever. From the House of Commons
the fire appeared to retrograde, as well as to advance, and,
whilst the Speaker's house (which was partially burnt) was placed
in jeopardy on the one side, the range of Committee-rooms,
situate immediately over the members' entrance to the House of
Commons, opposite to Henry VII. chapel, appeared to be entirely
enveloped by the devouring element. A dense black column of smoke
issued from the roof of this part of the building, which was
almost immediately followed by a large column of flame, and the
south end of the wall was therefore at this time encompassed by
burning edifices. At this period several engines were introduced
into the Hall, and an immense quantity of water was distributed
over every part of the building. The firemen and soldiers
employed on the exterior of the building also redoubled their
exertions, apparently wholly regardless of the danger to which
they were exposed by the falling of burning rafters and the
showers of molten lead which poured down upon them on every side.
Their efforts were eventually crowned with success. That
venerable structure escaped comparatively uninjured, as did the
official residence of the Speaker.
"From an official statement published by the Commissioners of
Woods and Forests, it appears that, in the House of Lords, the
Robing-rooms, the Committee-rooms in the west front, the rooms of
the resident officers, as far as the octagon tower at the south
end of the building, the Painted Chamber, and the north end of
the Royal Gallery, abutting on the Painted Chamber, from the door
leading into that chamber as far as the first compartment of
columns, are totally destroyed. The Library and the adjoining
rooms, as well as the Parliament offices, and the offices of the
Lord Great Chamberlain, together with the Committee-rooms,
housekeeper's apartments, etc., in this building are saved.
[Illustration: Burning of the Houses of Parliament, October 16,
1834.]
"In the House of Commons, the House, Libraries, Committee-rooms,
housekeeper's apartments, etc. (excepting the Committee-rooms
Nos. 11, 12, 13, and 14, which are capable of being repaired),
the official residence of Mr. Ley, clerk of the House, and all
the rooms of the Speaker's house, from the oriel window to the
south side of the House of Commons, are entirely destroyed. The
state drawing-room under the House of Commons, the Levee-rooms,
together with the public galleries and part of the cloisters, are
very much damaged.
"The loss of records sustained is not important, nearly
everything of value having been printed; but among those of the
House of Commons destroyed, are the test and qualification rolls,
signed by the members after taking their oaths; and the original
Warrant for the execution of Charles I. is said to be missing
from the House of Lords.[15] ... The books in the lower library
of the House of Commons were saved; but those in the upper room,
including the quantity lately received from France, were
destroyed. The lover of ancient art has to regret the tapestry of
the Spanish Armada, the fragments of ancient painting in the
Painted Chamber, and St. Stephen's Chapel; and the probable
necessary demolition of, at least, the latter of those
structures. Some fine relics of ecclesiastical architecture will,
however, still be preserved in the Speaker's house. A curiosity
saved from the fire, is an oak table marked with the blood of
Perceval."
[Footnote 15: This, luckily, was not the case, as it is still in
keeping at the House of Lords.]
Luckily, drawings of the tapestry hangings in the House of Lords had
been made, and a fine set of engravings of them were published by John
Pine in 1739. There were ten pieces, each illustrating some phase in
the attacks and defeats of the Spanish Armada; and _Joachim de
Sandvart_ tells us[16] that the designs for this tapestry were made by
_Henry Cornelius Vroom_, a famous painter of Haarlem, eminent for his
great skill in drawing all kinds of shipping; and that it was woven by
_Francis Spiring_. There is a bit of a story attached to one piece of
this tapestry, vide the _Times_, Dec. 5th--
[Footnote 16: Academia Artis Pictoriæ Noribergæ, p. 274.]
"At the time the gallery in the late House of Lords was erected,
the tapestry was removed from that portion of the wall which
faced the throne, in order to make way for the gallery; and the
tapestry so taken down, forming part of the ancient and
well-known painting of the Spanish Armada, was placed for safety
in a room appropriated to the Lord Chamberlain. The tapestry lay
there for some time; but it would appear that little value was
attached to it. Subsequently, a servant of Major McArthur,
conceiving that the tapestry was little better than a useless
piece of lumber, offered it, as a present, to a man named Ware,
one of the ticket porters employed about the House of Lords; who,
however, would not accept it as a present, but gave the servant
five shillings for it. He, subsequently, sold it for fifteen
shillings to a broker named Preston, who in turn, made cent. per
cent. upon the article, having sold it for thirty shillings to
Mr. Thorn, in whose possession it remained. The tapestry lay
among other curious articles for some time in the ware room of
Mr. Thorn; and, after the destruction by fire of the Houses of
Lords and Commons, he considered that his purchase might be
turned to good advantage. As it now became a precious relic of
what the flames had destroyed, he set upon it a considerable
price (said to be no less a sum than £400). The tapestry was, for
some time, exhibited to the curious customers by whom his shop
was frequented; and, at length, Mr. Thorn, conceiving that his
Majesty's Government might feel desirous to become the purchasers
of so curious a memorial, wrote to Lord Melbourne upon the
subject, and, subsequently, to his Grace the Duke of Wellington;
in consequence of which, the Commissioners of Woods and Forests
ordered an inquiry to be instituted, with a view to ascertain by
what means Mr. Thorn became possessed of the tapestry."
The inquiry ended in the tapestry being restored to Mr. Thorn.
Parliament, which had been prorogued to October 23rd, had to be
further delayed in its meeting till November 25th, the library of the
House of Lords being fitted up for the ceremony of prorogation. It
represented the old House as nearly as possible. At one end was a
gold-burnished chair, which had to do duty for the splendid throne (of
Geo. IV.) which was destroyed; and in front of it appeared a seat or
form for the Lords Commissioners, and a miniature representation of
the woolsack; there were also benches on each side, and even cross
benches, all duly covered with scarlet cloth. There was a large table
in the centre of the chamber, and on it were the identical boxes that
heretofore had appeared on the table of the old House. The Commons
assembled in the committee-rooms, Nos. 4 and 5, which had not been
touched by the fire.
It was determined that the House of Lords should be immediately fitted
up for the next session of the House of Commons, and the Painted
Chamber for the House of Lords; which, Sir Robert Smirke reported,
might be effected at an expense of £30,000. These works were
immediately commenced, and the Houses were ready for the reception of
members, when they met again on February 19th of next year.
_Apropos_ of this conflagration, Raikes says in his _Journal_--
"Mr. Hume, during the last session, had been proposing, without
success, a vote to build a larger House of Commons; a wag in the
crowd, watching the progress of the conflagration, exclaimed,
'There is Mr. Hume's motion carried without a division.'"
It had not been a very eventful Parliament, that of 1834. A Bill for
the removal of the civil disabilities of the Jews was passed in the
Commons and thrown out in the Lords, as was also a modified Coercion
Bill for Ireland. But that did not prevent outrages in that country,
which were still frequent. One of the most deplorable of the tithe
riots was in December, and took place at Rathcormack, county Cork. The
tithes had been attempted to be levied in November, but so much
obstruction had been made, that troops were applied for, and were
furnished on the 15th of December. On that day every disposition to
resist was shown by the country people; but, although it was necessary
to read the Riot Act, the persons employed in the collection of the
tithe succeeded in levying part of the sums due. On the 18th, a larger
number of persons assembled, and attempted to obstruct the
magistrates, and the civil and military force which accompanied them.
The end of a lane which led to a farm-house was blocked up by a car;
and a body of about six hundred men resisted its removal and the
further progress of the party. Orders were given by the magistrates to
clear the passage; the violence of the people became greater. The Riot
Act was then read. The troops were assailed with volleys of stones;
some of the soldiers and officers were knocked down; and, after every
attempt to persuade the people to disperse had failed, the magistrates
ordered the troops to fire. This they did, and a considerable number
of the mob were wounded, and several killed.
[Illustration: Dresses.]
On November 14th Lord Melbourne put his resignation and that of his
colleagues into the hands of the King, who applied to the Duke of
Wellington to form a new cabinet; but the Duke advised his sovereign
to entrust this duty to Sir Robert Peel, and as Sir Robert was
spending the winter in Italy, he offered to carry on the public
business until he could return. A messenger was at once sent off, who
arrived in Rome on November 25th. Sir Robert left next day, reached
England on December 9th, and by the end of December the official
arrangements of the new ministry were complete. This was the third
ministry in 1834, the premiers being Earl Grey, Lord Melbourne, and
Sir R. Peel.
[Illustration: Hair dressing.]
The dresses illustrated are two for walking, one dinner, and one for a
ball. The front and back of a cap are also shown.
CHAPTER XVIII.
1835.
First cargo of ice to India--Election riots at Halifax and in
Scotland--A female sailor--The new temporary Houses of
Parliament--The King and others hissed--Question of admitting
ladies--A political skit--Deaths of Hunt and Cobbett.
The chronicle of this year must be made up of odds and ends, for there
is no one thing of absorbing interest to record. And first, we find a
paragraph in The _Times_ of January 11th (quoting the _Mechanic's
Magazine_), headed
"EXPORTATION OF ICE TO INDIA.
"Lord William Bentinck has presented to Mr. Rogers, supercargo of
the ship _Tuscany_, a handsome silver vase, bearing the following
inscription: 'Presented by Lord William Bentinck,
Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in India, to Mr. Rogers,
of Boston, in acknowledgment of the spirit and enterprise which
projected and successfully executed the first attempt to export
(_sic_) a cargo of American ice into Calcutta.' The quantity of
ice landed by the _Tuscany_ was about one hundred tons, and the
selling price being 6-1/2 cents per lb., it is calculated that
the owners received $12,500 upon an investment which, including
the cost of all the extra precautions for preserving the ice, did
not exceed $500."
Owing to the resignation of the ministry in November, 1834, Parliament
was dissolved, and a General Election took place--which, after the
manner of the times, conduced to riotous behaviour in several places.
At the close of the poll at Halifax, on January 14th, the yellow, or
Reforming party, attacked various houses, public and private. In some,
they contented themselves with breaking windows only; in others, they
entered the premises, broke all the window frames, window shutters,
inside and out, and other wood-work, and completely demolished every
article of furniture within their reach. The mob, three hundred in
number, entered the house of Mr. J. Norris, simultaneously, through
the dining-room windows, library windows, and by breaking down the
principal door. All the windows were broken to pieces--the window
frames, in many places; and the whole furniture in the dining-room and
library, and all the pictures, with the exception of six or eight,
which were badly injured, were destroyed; whilst the plate was stolen,
the bookcase was smashed, and quantities of books were taken from the
shelves and torn to pieces. These, with music books and prints, were
scattered over the lawn in front of the house, and in the garden,
until the place looked as if it had been covered with snow. A grand
piano was smashed to atoms, together with other musical instruments; a
marble mantelpiece was broken, and the place was wrecked.
A similar attack on the vicarage was repelled. At Shaw Lodge, the
residence of Mr. J. Holdsworth, the mob entered the house, and
demolished all before them. At the Field, Mr. J. Staveley's house was
attacked and entered, and all the furniture, pictures, etc., were
smashed, as well as the windows and window frames of the house and
warehouse adjoining. Many other houses were attacked and received
different degrees of damage, and the mob did not disperse till the
arrival of a troop of lancers.
In Scotland, serious rioting took place at Jedburgh and Hawick,
polling places for the County of Selkirk, when Captain Elliot, the
ministerial candidate, was defeated by Lord John Scott. On the morning
of January 17th, the second day of polling, the Jedburgh mob, having
learned the probable success of the Conservative candidate, began to
assume a surly aspect. Lord John Scott, on making his appearance, was
loudly hissed; and, when leaving the town, a few ruffians assaulted
him, by throwing pieces of ice, etc., but, fortunately, without doing
him any injury. In the afternoon, when the certain defeat of Captain
Elliot's party became evident, symptoms of restlessness were displayed
by a great part of the crowd, and several voters and others, in the
interest of his lordship, could only with great difficulty reach the
polling place; later in the evening the conduct of many of those
assembled became more outrageous, and several of the friends of Lord
John Scott were struck and abused by the mob; but the streets were
quiet at night.
At Hawick, the mob was much more riotous. On the 16th, the first day
of polling, notwithstanding the strong constabulary force sworn in for
the occasion, the crowd got very noisy, and used every sort of
annoyance to the voters for Lord John Scott, such as pushing,
spitting, throwing stones and snowballs, and tearing clothes, etc.,
while they cheered the voters for Captain Elliot. As the day advanced,
the rabble got worse and worse, insulting and maltreating all voters,
and others friendly to his lordship's cause, in defiance of the
strenuous efforts of the sheriff and a number of the justices of the
peace, the bailies and others. The Sheriff ultimately found it
necessary to read the Riot Act.
On closing the poll for the day, the mob surrounded the Tower Inn
(where Lord John's voters were), and, whenever any person attempted to
leave the inn to go home, he was immediately attacked and abused; in
consequence of which a great number were compelled to remain at the
inn during the night. The doors of the inn were frequently attempted
to be forced open, most of the windows were broken; and, in the course
of the night, the windows of the houses of many of the inhabitants
were riddled with stones. An additional number of constables were
sworn in on Saturday.
The mob appeared more desperate than on the preceding day, and every
means of intimidation were practised to prevent Lord John's voters
coming forward; in one case where a voter in that interest was going
to the booth in a carriage, the crowd attempted to upset it--and, upon
his voting and returning from the booth, he was seized, in spite of
the efforts of the constables, and abused and maltreated. The Riot Act
was again read, and the town became quieter, especially when a troop
of the Scot's Greys arrived. Captain Elliot, the defeated candidate,
in his address after the election, thanked the populace for their
orderly conduct!
I have given these as specimens of ante-ballot elections in time when
William IV. was King.
Most of us know the ballad of _Billee Taylor_, how he was impressed
and taken to sea--and how
"Soon his true love followed 'arter
Under the name of Richard Carr,
And her lily white hands she daubed all over
With the nasty pitch and tar."
And some of us may probably know the true history of Mary Ann Talbot,
who fought both in the army and navy, and was wounded both in the
ankle and in the thigh, a little above the knee, in the action of the
"Glorious First of June." She lay in Haslar Hospital without her sex
being discovered, afterwards was taken prisoner by the French; then
shipped to America as steward, and when going a voyage to the
Mediterranean, was impressed, and discovered her sex rather than serve
again in the navy.
But her story belongs to the latter part of the eighteenth and
beginning of the nineteenth centuries. Here is one, happening in this
year, and is thus reported in all the newspapers of the time, and in
the _Annual Register_.
"MANSION HOUSE, 10th Feb.--The Lord Mayor having observed a
statement in the _Observer_ newspaper relative to a female who
for some time past had performed the duties of a seaman, directed
an inspector of police to make inquiries into the circumstances,
in order that, if the girl required assistance, it might be
rendered to her, without subjecting her to annoyance. The
inspector now appeared before the Lord Mayor, accompanied by the
girl, the captain of the vessel in which she came to London, and
several gentlemen who felt an interest in the remarkable details
of the case.
"Captain McIntire, of the _Sarah_, from Belfast, stated that he
met the girl, whose name is Ann Jane Thornton, at St. Andrew's,
in North America. She was dressed in sailor's clothes, and had
all the appearance of having been brought up to that employment.
He engaged her at nine dollars a month to act as cook and
steward, and considered that she was what she seemed to be, until
a few days before the arrival of the vessel in the port of
London. It appeared that some of the crew had suspected her sex
before she was seen washing in her berth, from the circumstance
of her having repeatedly refused to drink grog.
"The Lord Mayor: It has been reported that she was ill-treated by
her captain and the crew. I wish to be particularly informed upon
that point. Captain McIntire said he would call upon the girl to
say whether he had not uniformly treated her with kindness, and
whether, when her sex was discovered, the degree of kindness and
care was not increased. The girl declared that Captain McIntire
had acted towards her with humanity, and had desired her to
complain to him if any of the crew attempted to treat her
harshly. She had been, in the course of the voyage, struck by
some of the sailors, because she could not work as hard as they
did--a thing she found it difficult to do in a gale of wind, but
she did not tell the captain, as she determined to endure as much
as possible, without grumbling.
"The Lord Mayor: Is it possible that this mere girl, for she
cannot be more than sixteen or seventeen years of age, performed
the duties of a seaman?
"Captain McIntire: It is, my lord. She performed them to
admiration. She would run up to hand (_sic_) the topgallant sail
in any sort of weather, and we had a severe passage. Poor girl!
she had a hard time of it, she suffered greatly from the wet, but
she bore it all excellently, and was a capital seaman.
"The Lord Mayor: Is the account of the romantic pursuit of the
person she is said to be attached to correct? Is it true that she
went to America after the captain who was said to be her
sweetheart?
"McLean said that the account she had given him corresponded with
that which had appeared before the public; but she would,
herself, mention the particulars.
"Captain McIntire said that he had no doubt of the correctness of
her statement. She was not at all given to loquacity. On the
contrary, she did the duty of a seaman without a murmur, and had
infinitely better use of her hands than of her tongue.
"This description of the female sailor seemed to be accurate. Her
hands appeared as if they were covered with thick brown leather
gloves, and it was only by repeated questioning the Lord Mayor
got from her the facts, of which the following is the substance--
"Ann Jane Thornton stated that she is in the seventeenth year of
her age. Her father, who is now a widower, took her and the rest
of his family from Gloucestershire, where she was born, to
Donegal, when she was six years old. He was owner of stores in
that part of Ireland, and in good circumstances, and was always
affectionate to her. She regretted that she had quitted her home,
for her departure, of which she had given no previous notice to
her father, must have caused him many a sorrowful hour. When she
was only thirteen years old, she met Captain Alexander Burke,
whose father resided in New York, and was the owner of vessels
there; and, before she was fifteen, they became strongly attached
to each other. Soon after, Burke was obliged to go to New York,
and she took up the resolution to follow him. She quitted her
father's house accompanied by a maid-servant and a boy, and,
having procured a cabin-boy's dress, she exerted herself to
obtain a passage to America. The servant-maid and boy took leave
of her immediately upon her embarking, the latter being charged
with a message to her father, informing him of her intention. By
degrees she became reconciled to the labours of her new
employment, but she beheld with joy the shores of New York, where
she thought her labours would terminate. The moment she landed,
she went off in her cabin-boy's dress to the house of Captain
Burke's father, and said that she had worked under the captain's
orders, and wished to be engaged by him again. It was by the
father of the young man she was informed that his son had died
only a few days before. America, however, was no place in which
to look for sympathy. In the belief that the sea (which no doubt
her affection for Burke recommended to her) was a more probable
mode of existence than any she could adopt in the dress of her
sex, she applied for and obtained a situation as cook and steward
in the _Adelaide_, and, subsequently, in the _Rover_, in which
latter vessel she sailed to St. Andrew's, where she fell in with
Captain McIntire. The captain of the _Rover_ had agreed to take
her to Belfast, but he received an order from the owners to sail
for the West Indies, and, as she was resolved to return to her
father as soon as possible, she refused to accompany him. For
thirty-one months she had been engaged in these remarkable
adventures, and participated in the most severe toils of the
crews of which she formed part.
"The Lord Mayor: And are you not weary of so harassing a life?
"Girl: Yes. I am anxious to get home. I hope and believe that my
father will forgive me for the sorrow I have caused him. I have
had my own sorrows, too.
"The Lord Mayor: How did it happen that you fancied the sailor's
dress, well knowing that by assuming the appearance of one you
pledged yourself to perform such terrible duties?
"Girl: I couldn't think of any other way, and I did the duties as
well as I could. I underwent a good deal. I travelled from East
Port in North America to St. Andrew's by myself, a distance of
seventy miles through the woods. I walked all the way.
"The Lord Mayor: And without sustaining any injury?
"Girl: I received none. I knew the sailor's clothes would carry
me through safe, and at St. Andrew's I met Captain McIntire.
"The Lord Mayor: I will give directions that you be taken care
of until I can hear from your father, to whom I shall write
to-night. You have done him great wrong by abandoning him under
any pretence, but you have suffered bitterly for your
disobedience.
"The information which the Lord Mayor received from Ireland was
that, soon after the girl had left her home, her father had
emigrated, with many others, to Canada, for the purpose of
seeking his fortune among the numberless adventurers who ran away
from Irish turbulence and starvation at that period, and that he
had sent back no intelligence to Ireland since his departure. In
Donegal, however, a sister of the young woman was found to
reside, who expressed great joy at hearing of her relation. The
Lord Mayor gave the girl adequate means of defraying her expenses
to Donegal."
Parliament was to meet on February 19th, and there was but scant time
to prepare and furnish places for them to meet in. As these temporary
premises have long since been consigned to limbo, and as even very
little tradition remains of them, I may be pardoned for giving a short
contemporary account of them, which contrasts forcibly with the
beautiful palace in which our legislature is now housed.
"The approaches to the House of Lords are very limited; the
Peers, as well as the King, must enter by the Royal doorway and
gallery throughout the session, and both parties must enter the
body of the house by the same doorway--namely, that at the end of
the Royal Gallery, formerly opening into the Painted Chamber, now
the House of Lords. Facing this doorway is the woolsack, and a
very small one it is compared with its predecessor; and,
immediately behind it, and to the right of the doorway, is
stationed the throne, against that end of the House which abuts
upon the Thames; this, like the woolsack, is of very diminished
proportions, when contrasted with the grand and gorgeous affair
in the former House of Lords, as may be inferred when it is
stated that it is the identical throne constructed for George
IV.'s Council Chamber in a room in Carlton House.
"The present House of Lords is remarkably narrow, as may be
imagined from the fact that the cross benches (the arrangement of
the old house being followed, though somewhat in miniature) will
not conveniently accommodate three or four peers each. There are
side galleries for the peers, approached by staircases in the
body of the House, but in line with the bar. All the furniture,
the forms, etc., are covered with crimson and brass binding, as
was the case in the former House. There are six richly gilt
chandeliers, suspended by long lacquered chains, for the purpose
of lighting the House. Both Houses are to be heated by steam
apparatus, similar to that used in King's College Chapel, etc. In
the Lords the conductors appear in the House, but are neatly
enclosed with iron casings: in the Commons the heat ascends
through a large grating in the centre of the floor of the House.
"There is a large gallery for strangers in the House of Lords,
that is, that it projects well into the House, instead of being
out of the House, as was the case with the accommodation formerly
accorded by their Lordships. The front row of this gallery is
arranged for the Press, separated from the rest of the gallery by
a high partition, or backboard, and approachable at the end of
the gallery by a passage for the exclusive advantage of the front
row.
"The arrangement of seats in the Commons differs materially from
that which characterized St. Stephen's. Here, all is remarkably
open. There are no places under the gallery; all the members'
seats, to the very end of the House, and even in the members'
side galleries (there being no woodwork, only two iron rails in
front) are as visible to all the House as the Treasury or
Opposition benches, so that there will no longer be the
opportunities of retreating into recesses or behind curtains, and
there indulge in high-sounding sleep, or in still more
unparliamentary, because far more modern, exclamations and
imitations, when midnight may have approached, to give notice
that the 'crowing' of the cock or the 'braying' of patient
steeds may be expected. These things may again distinguish the
assembly, but those who contribute to such distinction must now,
at least, be _seen_ by strangers as well as members. This may not
be without its good effect in awing even the most refractory into
something like respect for others, if they have no great deal for
themselves. The woodwork is entirely of oak, and the seats are
covered with green leather. The Speaker's chair is constructed
like the old chair, which was after a design furnished by Sir C.
Wren, though that chair is introduced in the celebrated picture
of Oliver Cromwell desiring the 'bauble' to be removed. The Royal
arms are not at the top, as that would have intercepted the view
of the gallery behind the Chair, which will be chiefly
appropriated to the press, and under the Speaker's control."
At the opening of Parliament, the Dukes of Cumberland and Wellington,
several of the bishops, and some members of the House of Commons, were
soundly hissed; nay, the King himself, when he opened Parliament on
the 24th, was served the same, and two men were taken up for the said
offence--one of them not only having groaned in a violent manner, but
having called out, "There goes a d--d villain." Both had to find bail
to keep the peace, self in £40, and two sureties in £20, which, not
being forthcoming, they were locked up in default.
Whilst on the subject of this new Parliament, I may mention that on
March 12th, the Hon. C. Berkeley gave notice that on May 1st he should
move that a portion of the Strangers' Gallery in that House be set
apart for the accommodation of ladies--which elicited "great
laughter." But his motion never came off, for, on the date fixed, the
House was in its Easter vacation, but was referred to a committee to
report on. On April 9th Sir Robert Peel and his ministry resigned, and
was succeeded by Lord Melbourne as Prime Minister.
Anent this, on June 1st, two men were charged at Bow Street, with
causing a great mob by halloaing forth an harangue, entitled, "The
political form of Matrimony between the Whigs and the people"; a
portion of which is as follows:--
"Now, there was a man in the House of Incurables, whose name was
Melbourne, and that man was perfect and upright. There was a day
when the Reformers came to present themselves before the King and
Bobby;[17] and Billy[18] said unto Bobby, 'Whence comest thou?'
And Bobby answered, 'From going to and fro from St. Stephen's.'
And Billy said, 'My servant Melbourne is perfect and upright, and
one that feareth the King and supporteth the rights of the
people.' And Bobby said, 'Do they serve the people for nought?
Put forth thine hand and touch his office, and he will mock the
people to their face, place for place, pension for pension--yea,
all that the Whigs have, will they give for their pensions.' And
Billy then said to Bobby, 'His office is in thy power.' And a
messenger came unto Melbourne and said, 'Thy Ministry is
dissolved, and Bobby is chosen in thy stead, and I alone am left
to tell thee.' Then Melbourne arose and rent his wig, and shaved
his head, and fasted three days in sackcloth and ashes.
'Pensionless came I unto office, and pensionless shall I go out.
Billy gave, and Billy taketh away; and blessed be the name of
Billy.'"
[Footnote 17: Sir Robert Peel.]
[Footnote 18: The King.]
Lord Melbourne, however, remained Premier during the whole of the
King's reign. Whilst on politics, I may mention that two noted
Radicals died this year--Henry Hunt in February, and William Cobbett
on June 18th.
CHAPTER XIX.
1835.
Gambling house police case--Curious superstition--A cook's letter
to her mistress--Jews and public employment--Fire at Hatfield
House--Curious discovery of jewels--Scarcity in Ireland.
Under the year 1833, I called attention to the prevalence of
gaming-houses, but, in spite of the efforts made to put them down,
they still flourished, as we see from the annexed police report, taken
from the _Times_ of July 7th.
"MARLBOROUGH STREET.--William Smart, the proprietor of a
gaming-house in the Quadrant, called the 'Regent Circus Club,'
appeared before Mr. Dyer, yesterday, on a warrant charging him
with committing an assault on a man named John Ward, under the
following circumstances. The complainant stated that he had for
some time filled a situation in the gaming-house kept by the
defendant, but no longer wishing to have anything to do with such
disgraceful proceedings, he gave the defendant warning to leave;
but, when he applied for his wages, he was attacked by the
defendant, and most cruelly beaten by him.
"The defendant, in answer to the charge, stated it was totally
false, and that the first assault had been committed by the
complainant himself. The truth was, that he had been discharged
from his situation on account of his having retained some money
which did not belong to him. The complainant denied this
statement, and said that his reason for leaving the service was
on account of the disgust he felt at the proceedings that were
going forward, and the system of robbery that was practised upon
the gentlemen who went to the defendant's house. He here handed
to the magistrate a couple of the dice that were made use of in
the defendant's house, saying, at the same time, that they were
loaded for the purposes of deception.
"Mr. Dyer, after examining the dice, said that although it was
certainly very disgraceful, if it were true, to make use of such
instruments to rob the persons who might be foolish enough to
enter a house of such a description, yet that had nothing to do
with the present question. He considered the assault proved, and
therefore called upon the defendant to find bail.
"A person, who said he attended professionally for the defendant,
said they had now to make a charge against the complainant of
having wilfully broken a valuable pane of plate glass. It
appeared that this occurrence took place at a house of a similar
description to that kept by the defendant, and which belonged to
one of his friends or a relation, called 'The Melton Club,' in
Park Lane.
"Ward, the complainant, said that he went there for the purpose
of asking for his money, but could not gain admittance. He
accidentally broke the window, and gained admission as far as
'the tiger.'
"Mr. Dyer asked what was meant by 'the tiger?'
"Ward replied that it meant the second door at a gaming-house,
which was a very strong one, which enabled the persons inside to
shut out any one they did not like to admit.
"Mr. Dyer asked the person who made the charge why it had not
been brought forward before?--He replied that it was so paltry,
that he did not think it worth while to bring it forward.
"Mr. Dyer said that, whether it was a paltry one or not, it would
have looked much better if it had been brought forward before a
charge had been made by the complainant. He then said that the
defendant must find bail for the assault, and, with respect to
the counter-charge which had been made, he should not interfere
in it, but leave the parties to take their legal remedies."
In this year was finished a monument to the memory of George IV.,
which was erected at Battle Bridge, now known as King's Cross. It was
a composition statue of the king, about eleven feet high, and it stood
atop of an octagon building of brick and cement, which was used first
as a police station, and afterwards as a public house, whilst the
pediment of the statue was utilized as a "Camera obscura." It was
demolished in 1845, and it is said that the basis of the statue's nose
was a draining tile, and that it was offered to a gentleman for
sixpence!
We come across a curious superstition. Two men were executed for
burglary, at Horsham, on August 22nd, when the silly custom of passing
the hands of the dead men over the necks of two or three females, as a
supposed cure for the glandular enlargements, was upon this occasion
had recourse to. And the _Times_ of April 24, 1837, quoting the
_Gloucester Journal_, has in a paragraph headed "REVOLTING BEHAVIOUR
OF A HANGMAN," with which I will not horrify my readers, the
following: "Several women were on the platform to have their necks
charmed by rubbing the dead man's hands over their wens as a cure."
But if we get horrible paragraphs in the papers, we also occasionally
meet with amusing ones, as this from the _Times_ of September 22nd--
"MARCH OF INTELLECT.
"We can vouch (says the _Bristol Mirror_) for the authenticity of
the following copy of a letter from her late servant, to
Mrs.----
"'Dear Madam, I cannot enter into the family of the Hon. ----,
without returning you many thanks for your unsteady and
dishonourable character. I am truly sorry that you have been so
unfortunate in your four cooks since I left, and trust the fifth
will be as indifferent; but your cruel and _unladylike_
insinuations could have no weight where my _real_ character was
so well known.
"'From your grateful friend, ----,
"'P.S.--Farewell--
"'May the turf where thy old reliques rest
Bear herbs, odoriferous herbs, on thy breast:
Their heads, thyme and sage, and pot marjoram wave,
And fat be the gander that feeds on thy grave.'"
Although the disabilities under which the Jews laboured were not
removed by Act of Parliament, public opinion was decidedly in favour
of the freedom of the Israelite. Mr. (afterwards Sir) Francis
Goldsmid, was the first Jew that was ever called to the English bar,
and this took place in 1833. According to the _Times_ of November
18th, quoting the _Liverpool Albion_, it was in 1835 that a Jew was a
juror in a law court for the first time.
"It may be noted, as a novelty, that Mr. Joseph Hess,
silversmith, of Lord Street, was the first person of the Jewish
persuasion who ever discharged the duties of a juryman in any of
the courts of this country; that gentleman, after having been
sworn on the Pentateuch, forming one of the grand jury panel at
the Kirkdale Quarter Sessions."
And the first Jewish alderman and sheriff of the City of London, was
Mr. Sheriff (afterwards Sir) David Salamons, who was elected to the
vacant gown of Aldgate Ward, on November 21st.
One incident which set all tongues wagging, about this time, was the
great fire at Hatfield House, on November 27th, and the death of the
Marchioness of Salisbury (grandmother of our present premier) by
burning. She had only arrived at Hatfield on the previous day, and on
the afternoon of the 27th she retired, a short time before dinner, to
her dressing-room to write a few letters. At five o'clock her maid
entered her apartment, and found her writing by the light of two
candles. Her ladyship complained of the dimness of the light, and
requested her maid to bring her a bedroom candle, which she did, and
left the marchioness, who wore a very lofty headdress, writing by
these three candles.
About half-past five fear was felt by the female servants of the
house, in consequence of the volumes of smoke. The marquis and
marchioness were alarmed, and the marquis tried to force his way into
his mother's dressing-room, but found it so full of flame and smoke,
as to render all hopes of rescuing her utterly desperate. The fire
bell was rung, and the engines arrived from the neighbouring towns,
but were of little avail, as there was a bad supply of water. That
part of the west wing which looks down the noble avenue of trees by
which Hatfield Hall is approached from the south, was speedily gutted
by the fire. The roof fell in with a tremendous crash, and the poor
old marchioness was buried in the ruins.
Another subject for talk was an extraordinary discovery of valuable
jewels, thus told in the _Annual Register_, December 21st.
"In the month of February last, the warehouse of Messrs. Hall &
Co., on the Custom House Quay, was broken into, and a box, in
which there were deposited diamonds belonging to a foreign
countess, and amounting to from £7000 to £8000 in value, stolen
therefrom. From the mode in which the robbery had been effected
at the Custom House, it was the opinion of Lea, the constable, at
the time, that both it and the one at Messrs. Hall & Co.'s had
been accomplished by the same parties who had effected the Custom
House robbery. By the most singular accident, however, a portion
of the diamonds had been discovered in such a manner as to leave
no doubt that they had been in the possession of William Jourdan.
Lea, the officer, made the following statement:--
"He said that, having satisfied himself by inquiries and
information through various channels that Sullivan and Jourdan
were the persons engaged in the robberies, he, with much
difficulty, traced out their residence in the neighbourhood of
Kennington. He had no sooner done so, than they by some means or
other got information of it, and, before he could secure them,
left their homes, taking with them a portmanteau and trunks each,
with an excellent stock of clothes, and took up their lodgings at
the Red Lion Tavern, in King Street, Bloomsbury, where they
represented themselves as persons engaged in mercantile pursuits.
By this means, he (Lea) lost trace of them for several days,
until a person who had been placed to watch the house at
Kennington, followed and traced the brother of Sullivan to the
Red Lion. Lea lost no time in going to the house, and on making
inquiries of the landlady about the person (describing Sullivan's
brother) who had been there, a short time before, with a green
bag, and the object of his calling; she said he was a shoemaker,
who had called to take some orders from, and do some work for,
two gentlemen who were stopping in the house.
"Sullivan's brother is a common thief, and had merely assumed the
character to prevent any suspicion in the minds of Mr. Proctor
and his family, and, by this means, he was enabled to see his
brother and Jourdan often, and, when seen by a fourth party, his
manner towards them was precisely that of an artisan. Lea then
proceeded to state that from the description which he obtained
from Mrs. Proctor of the description of the persons who were at
her house, he was satisfied that they were the parties of whom he
was in pursuit, and he consequently made such arrangements as to
succeed in the apprehension of both on the following morning.
"At that time (the 2nd inst.), after securing the prisoners, he
made what he conceived to be a minute search of the apartments
which the prisoners occupied, and had secured everything
belonging to them, but he had now discovered that,
notwithstanding all his care, he had overlooked some most
valuable property.
"After the capture of the prisoners, Jourdan's wife and
Sullivan's brother had repeatedly called at Mr. Proctor's, and,
upon various occasions, expressed the greatest anxiety to go into
the room which had been occupied by Jourdan, but this was
refused, notwithstanding their earnest entreaties. Two or three
persons, of gentlemanly appearance, had, at different times,
driven up to the door in coaches, with luggage, as if they had
come off a journey, and eagerly asked for lodgings; but Mr.
Proctor, owing to what had previously happened, refused to let
any strangers lodge at his house, and the parties were obliged to
go away.
"On Thursday morning last, Mr. Hanson, a gentleman residing at
Reading, who, when in town, was always in the habit of stopping
at Mr. Proctor's, called there, and his luggage being taken into
the room that had been previously occupied by Jourdan, he ordered
a fire to be lit by the time he came home in the evening. This
was done by a charwoman, who is in the habit of attending the
house, and that being the first time since spring that a fire had
been made in the room, she threw a quantity of what she conceived
to be rubbish which had accumulated during the summer months
under the ornamental paper in the grate, on the top of the coals,
after the fire had been made up.
"In the course of the night the attention of Mr. Hanson was
attracted to a most brilliant substance in the centre of the
fire, and, on taking it out with the tongs, he, on inspection,
found a brooch of considerable size, set with pearls, but the
greater part of the gold mounting had melted from it. This
circumstance led him to examine the fire more minutely, and he
found two more, one of a larger and one of a smaller size, but
which, as well as the former, had been seriously damaged by the
fire. On communicating the circumstance to Mr. Proctor, the fire
and the ashes underneath were carefully examined, and seven good
sized brilliants, seven emeralds, one of which is of considerable
size and must have been of great value, and four dozen of small
but sparkling brilliants were found.
"Lea recollected perfectly, upon searching Jourdan's room,
observing the ornamental paper in the fireplace, but not
perceiving it disturbed in any way, it did not occur to him to
examine it minutely, particularly as the prisoners had trunks in
the room. There was no doubt on his mind that the property which
had been placed there by Jourdan was of considerable value, from
the anxiety evinced by his friends to get to the room to secure
it, and it was not at all improbable that there was a portion of
the notes stolen from the Custom House placed there also, and, if
so, they must have been destroyed by the fire."
Matters were fairly quiet in Ireland, but there was a murder now and
then. There was, however, sad distress, and this is the tale told in
June. In that month, the poorer inhabitants in many places along the
west coast of Ireland, particularly in County Mayo and the adjacent
islands, suffered severely from a failure of provisions. At a meeting
of a Central Committee for their relief, held at Castlebar, on June
15th, the Rev. Mr. Dwyer stated that the population of Clare Island
amounted to three hundred families, of whom only fifteen, at most, had
provisions to last the harvest. All the rest were, at that moment, in
want, with the exception of twelve or fifteen families who would be
equally destitute in a fortnight. Of nineteen families living in one
village, twelve had begun to be in want in April. In that village
there were six families who, if a shilling could buy a ton of
potatoes, were not able to command it. All the other villages in the
island were said to be still worse off.
The Rev. Mr. Conolly, from the island of Achill, stated that the crop
there was short from last harvest, owing to the failure of the seed in
spring, and to the north-western gales of the previous August. He had
given relief to seven hundred and fifty families, and he would require
thirty tons more than he had to distribute, in order to afford even
six stone to each family. Many poor creatures came forward to offer
the hides of the goats they had killed, as also geese, hens,
stockings, and even wearing apparel, in lieu of potatoes.
A respectable inhabitant of Ihnisturk stated the number of families at
about ninety, of which only five were not distressed. Some few might
be able to procure food from their own resources, provided the rents
were not called in, but if they were, the people would starve. Sligo's
agent at Boffin and Stark had given relief to eighty-five families;
fifty families were, to his own knowledge, positively in a state of
starvation, and utterly destitute of means to procure relief; about
one hundred families, besides, were in want; but half that number had
some means, the rest had none.
The Rev. Mr. Hughes stated, that the distress in his parish
(Burrishoole) was chiefly owing to the failure of the potato crop,
some of which was lost by the perishing of the seed, and some by high
winds in August. Many families were obliged to put themselves on the
short allowance of one meal in the day, so early as last February; he
had already seen many with the signs of starvation in their haggard
countenances, and had heard them cry from hunger. He knew whole
families, each of which had subsisted, frequently, for twenty-four
hours on one quart meal. The population was 11,761, of which number
five thousand were now actually in want; three hundred families had
neither cow, sheep, nor horse, nor any other means to purchase
provisions; two hundred families, at least, had not been able to make
their usual sowing of potatoes for want of seed; and hundreds would
necessarily perish with hunger, unless something was soon done for
their relief.
[Illustration: Dresses.]
[Illustration: Dresses.]
The Rev. Mr. Gibbons stated the population of his parish (Kilgevar) at
nine thousand. The crop failed there last year owing to the rotting of
the seed and to harsh winds; two thousand five hundred persons were
now in distress. About one half of these might struggle through
summer, if they sold their few head of cattle to procure provisions,
but the rest had no resource. The wives and children of a great many
of them had already gone to beg. At subsequent meetings of the
committee similar accounts were received from other parts of the
western coasts and its islands. They exhibited the state of the
country as being deplorably wretched, and the sufferings of the poor
as daily and hourly on the increase. Several thousand families were
reported to be without food, except the precarious sustenance they
were enabled to gather in the fields, and among the rocks on the
seashore. Cabbage and shellfish usually furnished their repast. In
some places partial relief was given by the meal which the Central
Board ordered to certain districts; and a resolution passed at a
meeting, by which they requested permission of the London Distress
Committee to procure, with the money remaining at their disposal, one
hundred tons of meal, to give further assistance. A Mr. Owen, from the
Board of Works, attended by order of the Lord Lieutenant, and informed
the meeting that his mission was into Erris, where £500 was to be
expended for the purpose of giving the poor employment.
[Illustration: Hair dressing.]
The costumes, etc., given for this year are a nursemaid and children,
indoor and walking dresses, and different modes of dressing the hair.
(See pp. 211, 212.)
CHAPTER XX.
1836.
Curious case of a girl stolen by gipsies--Superstition _re_ light
at Christmas in the North of England--Designs for New Houses of
Parliament--King William III. statue blown up--Admission of
ladies to the House of Commons--Stuart impostors--An
inter-university boat race--How Cambridge came to have light blue
as a colour.
On January 15th, the Brighton bench heard the following extraordinary
tale:--
"A little girl who stated her name to be Charlotte Savage, and
that she was thirteen years of age, was brought up by Mr.
Solomon, who stated that her story was so extraordinary that he
thought it his duty to let her state it to the bench.
"The child, in reply to the questions of the magistrate, stated
that her father's name was Robert Savage, that he was formerly a
soldier, but, on marrying her mother, turned Custom House
officer, and was now living at Bristol. Just before hay-making
time last year she and her brother Robert went to the theatre at
Bath; and, as they were returning home at night, her brother
being a little on before, she was taken up by some gipsies, who
gagged her, and put her into a cart. She had ever since been
travelling about with them, and knew the names of three, who were
called John, Richard, and William Lee. They got a living by
selling combs, and by stealing geese, turkeys, sheep, and
rabbits, which they killed and skinned, and the skins of the
sheep and rabbits they sold. Whenever they travelled through any
towns they put her at top of a cart, and when they encamped she
was always employed in washing linen or nursing the children; and
she could not escape, there being always a great boy and girl
with her.