to bring the Marquis Wellesley's conduct in India before the public, by
an impeachment; and it was pretty generally believed that he would
come in for Westminster at the head of the poll. The moment that the
Parliament was dissolved, he and his friends in Westminster were upon
the alert, and a meeting was called at the Crown and Anchor, to consult
upon the best means of securing his return, which was doubted by no
one; however, the cursed bane of all political liberty, _jealousy_
interposed. Sir F. Burdett and Mr. Paull had been upon the most intimate
terms, and the Baronet had strained every nerve to promote and secure
the return of Mr. Paull for Westminster; and if he could have secured
the return of that gentleman by _his own_ interest and popularity, Mr.
Paull would have been returned; but the misfortune was, that _Mr. Paull_
had himself become very popular, deservedly popular, sufficiently so,
indeed, to have secured his seat by his own exertions, if Sir Francis
Burdett had stood neuter. But Mr. Paull had no wish of this sort; he by
no means desired to push himself above Sir Francis Burdett in the scale
of political popularity; neither, on the other hand, was he quite
prepared to act as the tool and puppet of Sir Francis Burdett.
Mr. Paull not having the slightest idea of the working of the green-eyed
monster, jealousy, in the Baronet's breast, a dinner meeting of Mr.
Paull's friends was advertised for the next day, at the Crown and
Anchor, _Sir Francis Burdett_ in the chair. The time arrived, the party
assembled, but Sir Francis Burdett did not appear; a circumstance which
threw a damp upon the meeting. Mr. Jones Burdett, however, attended, and
read a letter from his brother, Sir Francis, addressed to the meeting,
censuring in strong language the use that, without his consent, had been
made of his name, and reflecting upon Mr. Paull. This caused a very
unpleasant sensation in the meeting, and an elucidation of the business
was demanded by some of the party. It appeared that Mr. Paull and his
friends had announced the name of Sir Francis to be in the chair, as
they had frequently done on a former occasion, without previously
consulting the Baronet. Following the generous and undisguised impulse
of his heart, and acting upon the principle of "do as you would be done
unto;" Mr. Paull had used the Baronet's name, under the firm conviction
that his friend Sir Francis would hurry to his post at a moment's notice
to assist him, as he, Mr. Paull, would have done, at any hour of the day
or night, to have served Sir Francis. But Mr. Paull was deceived; and
some of his friends, who knew Sir F. Burdett better than he did, saw
that the apple of discord had been thrown down by the implacable fiend
_jealousy_, they anticipated what would follow, and they retired from
the contest in disgust.
Mr. Paull, having had such a gross insult offered to him by a man whom
he had hitherto esteemed his friend, and being wounded at such a moment
in the most sensitive part, called upon Sir Francis Burdett for an
explanation; and this being refused, he demanded satisfaction in the
field, as a dernier resort, when he found that no terms of conciliation
were likely to be acceded to by the Baronet. They met, and on the first
fire both were wounded. Sir Francis Burdett received his antagonist's
ball in his thigh, and Mr. Paull had the top of his shin bone shot away.
They were both severely wounded. This caused a great sensation, not only
throughout the metropolis but also throughout the kingdom. The public
press, which was hostile to both the parties, made the worst of the
affair; but they leaned to the Baronet, and affected to pity him, as
having been stung by a viper of his own fostering. The truth was, that
the press upon this occasion, as upon all others, had a leaning to
the Aristocracy, and Sir Francis Burdett was no mean part of the
Aristocracy. He was an old Baronet, with very large landed property,
although he was supposed to have spent nearly a hundred thousand pounds,
_four years of his income_, in his contests for the county of Middlesex.
Sir Francis Burdett had besides endeared himself to the friends of
Liberty all over the kingdom, by his public spirited exertions in and
out of Parliament; and no man was a more warm and zealous admirer of
the Baronet than I was. Like the great majority of his friends, I was
enraged with Mr. Paull, and condemned his hasty, and, as I considered
it, ungrateful attack upon the life of his patron, Sir Francis. This
feeling was propagated with great assiduity by that part of the public
press which was called liberal; and, taking advantage of this feeling,
together with the pity excited by the severe and dangerous wound he was
supposed to have received, the friends of the Baronet immediately came
to a determination to propose him as a candidate for Westminster. Mr.
Clayton Jennings, a barrister, took the lead, and during the contest
appeared every day on the hustings as the Baronet's "_locum tenens_."
However, few, if any of those who assembled as a Committee, were
electors, and it was with the greatest difficulty that they could get
the promise of two householders, to propose and second the nomination of
Sir Francis Burdett. The great fear was, that the proposer and seconder
would make themselves liable for the expenses of the hustings; and, as
they had no reliance on the Baronet to indemnify them, this difficulty
increased almost up to the hour appointed for the nomination. At
length a Mr. GLOSSOP, a tallow-chandler, volunteered to propose the
Baronet, if any one would second him; which, after a great deal of
persuasion, one ADAMS, a currier and leather-dresser in Drury-lane,
agreed to do. But, such was the dread of the expense, and so little
acquainted was this person with the rights and duty of an elector, that,
when it came to the pinch, as I am credibly informed, _he actually run
from his agreement, and refused to do it_; so that the Baronet, when
proposed, would have been left without a seconder, had not a young man,
of the name of COWLAM, stepped forward and performed the office. I have
heard poor COWLAM laugh most heartily at the timidity and meanness of
this ADAMS, who, when the danger was over, claimed the merit of having
seconded the Baronet at the nomination; which claim he has repeated ever
since, and, on the merit of this he bravely swaggers and struts about at
all the Rump dinners, he being one of the most conspicuous and notorious
members of that August body. COWLAM, who was much too honest and sincere
a lover of liberty to remain long either a dupe or a tool of this gang,
let me into almost all the _intrigues, tricks_, and _gambols_ of the
junta of Westminster patriots, which I shall expose and lay bare to
public view, as I proceed with my Memoirs.
The public mind was very much agitated by the duel of Sir Francis
Burdett and Mr. Paull, but the newspaper editors all appeared to throw
the blame upon the latter; and even those who at the former election had
warmly supported him, with very few exceptions, abandoned him. The cry
was raised against him, and he was basely deserted by those who, even at
the risk of their lives, ought to have supported him. In justice to a
much lamented deceased individual, the late _Abraham Hewlings_, Esq., I
must state that _he_ stood firmly and honestly by his friend Paull, to
the last moment; but the cry was for Burdett, and his friends gathered
those laurels which poor Paull had so deservedly won at the former
election. If Sir F. Burdett had only stood neuter, nothing could have
prevented the return of Mr. Paull; but with the support of Sir F.
Burdett, similar to what he had received from him at the former contest,
his election would have been sure.
The friends of the Baronet carried his election with a high hand, and
he was returned at the head of the poll, by an immense majority; there
having been polled for him 5,134 electors. Lord Cochrane polled 3,708;
so that Sir Francis bad a majority of 1,426 votes above Lord Cochrane,
the other successful candidate; Mr. Sheridan polled only 2,615, so that
the votes of Sir Francis nearly doubled those of Mr. Sheridan, the late
member; Mr. Paull polled no more than 269 votes.
The friends of freedom, throughout the whole country, were delighted
with the success of Sir Francis and Lord Cochrane; or rather with the
triumph of the electors of Westminster, in having thus rescued the
representation of their city out of the hands of the two great factions
of the country, which had always divided the representation of that city
between them; the Whigs and Tories having each returned a member. This
was, therefore, considered as a great triumph for the friends of reform;
for neither Sir F. Burdett nor Lord Cochrane was considered as being a
Whig or a Tory, but as a friend to the liberties of the people. Lord
Cochrane was certainly an officer of his Majesty's navy, but he had on
various occasions, during the last Parliament, expressed himself as a
friend to an inquiry into the abuses of Government, and particularly
into the abuses of the navy, with which he was intimately acquainted,
and to expose which he had proved himself to be both able and willing.
To some of the electors of Westminster he had likewise pledged
himself to support the cause of Reform in the House of Commons. He was
consequently considered a more eligible member for the electors of
Westminster than the brilliant Mr. Sheridan; and he was accordingly
elected with Sir F. Burdett.
I was at this time residing in Belle Vue, at Clifton, winding up the
brewing concern, in which I had unfortunately embarked. I had returned
home out of Wiltshire, late at night, and had lain longer in bed than
usual, when the servant came to my room, and informed me that an
opposition was anticipated for the election at the city of Bristol, as
a new candidate had offered. This new candidate was Sir John Jarvis,
an Irishman, who was the Commander of the Bristol Rifle Corps of
Volunteers. I knew something of the politics of Bristol, but I could not
fathom the drift of this opposition, as I could not make out what
claim Sir John Jarvis had to be a more popular character than the
late members, Colonel Baillie and Mr. Bragge Bathurst. To be sure Mr.
Bathurst was a ministerial man, a brother-in-law of the Addingtons, and
therefore very unpopular; but as Sir John Jarvis was also a ministerial
man, there appeared something mysterious in the business. However, the
servant informed me that the populace were drawing him round the city
in his carriage, and that he was evidently the popular candidate. After
all, it ought to be no great wonder that any one should have been
popular that was opposed to Mr. Bragge Bathurst.
On hearing this intelligence I put on my clothes, and having taken
a hasty breakfast, I proceeded towards Bristol, determined to be an
eye-witness of the proceedings of the election. When I got upon the
Exchange all was confusion, Sir John Jarvis was addressing the people in
an incoherent, unintelligible speech, in which, however, he professed
great patriotism, and vowed that he would oppose Mr. Bathurst to the
last moment, and keep the poll open as long as there was a freeman
unpolled. He then alighted from his carriage, and retired into the large
room in the Bush tavern, where he was followed by a great number of
the electors, and others; and amongst that number I made one. He was
attended by a noisy blustering person, who I found was an attorney, of
the name of Cornish, who also was professing what he would do, and how
he would support his friend Sir John Jarvis. Hundreds of freemen pressed
forward, and offered their copies of their freedom, as an earnest that
they would voluntarily give him their votes; but it struck me that all
was talk, and no one appeared to take any efficient steps to promote or
secure the election of Sir John Jarvis, who himself appeared to be all
bluster, and to be acting without the least system or arrangement,
calculated to secure even the first requisites to commence an election.
I now took the liberty to ask the candidate whether he was prepared with
any one to propose and second his nomination; to which he gave me a
vague and unmeaning answer, apparently as if he did not understand what
I meant by a person to propose and second him. I then appealed to Mr.
Cornish, the worthy attorney, who answered me in a similar manner; and
he evidently appeared not to be in the secret any more than myself. I
next addressed the multitude, to inquire which of them was prepared to
propose Sir John Jarvis, and which to second the proposition? All said
they were ready to _powl_ for Sir John, but no one was engaged to
perform the necessary part of the ceremony to which I had alluded, and
it likewise seemed very plain that neither Sir John nor his attorney
took any pains to secure any one to do this. At this critical moment
intimation was given, that the Sheriffs were proceeding with the other
Candidates to the Guildhall, to commence the election. Sir John and his
agent were about to move very deliberately towards the scene of action,
when I addressed him as follows:--"I see that you are either unaware of
the forms to be observed, or you are unprepared, Sir John. If, however,
when it comes to the proper time, no one else proposes you, I will:
though I am no freeman of Bristol, yet I will undertake to do this, as
it will give your friends an opportunity of coming forward, and it will
prevent the Sheriffs from hastily closing the election, which they are
very likely to do if you are not prepared with some friends to propose
and second your nomination." He answered, as we went along together,
"Very well, Sir." In this way we proceeded to, and entered, the
Guildhall, and mounted the hustings together. The usual proclamation
being read by the Under-Sheriff, an old mumbling fellow, of the name of
Palmer, some one proposed Colonel Baillie, the late member, as a fit and
proper person to represent the city again. Colonel Baillie was a
Whig member, and Colonel of the Bristol Volunteers, being a Whig, or
_Low-party-man_, as they called him. This proposition was received with
very general cheers and approbation. The next person proposed was Mr.
Bragge Batburst. He being a ministerial man, the speaker was repeatedly
interrupted with loud shouts of disapprobation, which continued without
intermission till the conclusion of the speeches of those who proposed
and seconded him. The Sheriffs were now about to proclaim these two
candidates duly elected. There stood Sir John, looking as wild as a
newly taken Irishman, fresh from the bogs of that country; and there
stood the electors, bawling _Sir John Jarvis for ever!_ while the
Sheriff was very deliberately proceeding to declare the proposed
candidates duly elected. As I had narrowly watched their motions, I now
stepped forward, and addressed the electors in at least an animated
speech, in which I proposed Sir John Jarvis as the most eligible person
to represent them in Parliament. During the time that I was thus
addressing them, the most dinning uproar arose. I was loudly and
enthusiastically applauded by the multitude, the great body of the
electors; and as loudly and earnestly opposed and hooted by the
well-dressed rabble upon the hustings and its vicinity, consisting of
the whole of the Corporation, the Clergy, the Attorneys, and their
myrmidons; but I persisted and delivered some wholesome truths as to the
state of thraldom in which the electors had hitherto been bound and
held by the two factions of Whigs and Tories, who had always in Bristol
divided the representation and the loaves and fishes between them,
leaving the electors nothing but the empty name of freemen. The people
were in an ecstacy of joy to hear this language, which so completely
corresponded with their feelings, which was so very different from
that which they had been accustomed to hear from the candidates of the
contending factions, and which language of truth also enraged the agents
of those factions almost to a state of madness. The violence and threats
of those despicable agents were open and undisguised, and exceeded all
bounds; nay, some of them actually proceeded to personal violence, and
began to lay hands upon me, to pull me down. As, however, I was no
chicken, I easily repelled those who ventured too near, and threatened
them, if they did not keep at a distance, that I would call in the aid
of those who would soon make a clearance of the hustings, if they were
disposed to try their hands at an experiment of that sort. The people
immediately took the hint, and rushed forward to support me, and to
punish those who had assailed me; but I told them there was then no
occasion for their interference, as the gentry were peaceable.
I proceeded with my haranguing, and those who were not in the secret
actually began to be alarmed, for fear there should be a contested
election, which they had by no means expected. I eulogised Sir John
Jarvis, cried his patriotic virtues up to the skies, and descanted upon
his talent, his resolution, and his invincible love of religious
and civil liberty. I saw that those around me were astonished at my
language, and, what was rather surprising to me, I perceived that Sir
John looked as much astonished as any of my hearers; and the reader will
also be astonished when I inform him, that I had never seen Sir John
Jarvis before in my life, to speak to him, and in fact that I knew
nothing about him. I only spoke of him that which my imagination
suggested to me an honest candidate ought to be; and, what is more
extraordinary, as I was a stranger in Bristol, so the people were
strangers to me, for I saw scarcely a single person amongst the whole
assemblage whom I could call by name. I recollect there was one old
Alderman, of the name of Bengough, who was almost frantic during my
speech, and some of his friends were obliged to hold him down by mere
force. The cry was, who is he? What is his name? Is he a freeman or a
freeholder of the county? At the intervals when the multitude gained
silence for me, by overwhelming and drowning the clamour of my opponents
with their shouts of hear him! he shall be heard!! Bravo, Bravo!!! &c. I
went on with my speech. The Right Honourable Bragge Bathurst, the White
Lion, or Ministerial Candidate, stood near me in great agony, which I
did not fail to heighten, by giving him a well-merited castigation for
his time-serving devotion to the Ministers, his never-failing vote for
war, and for every tax which was proposed to be laid upon the people.
I urged the absolute necessity of the Electors of Bristol returning a
member the exact reverse of Mr. Bragge, which I described Sir John to
be. But these compliments to the popular Candidate, appeared to be
received by no one less graciously than by Sir John himself; and instead
of his giving me, by nods or gestures of assent, any encouragement to
pursue my theme when I met his eye, which at first I frequently sought,
I received the most chilling frowns and discouraging shakes of the head.
Though I had no doubt now but I had _mistaken my man_, I, nevertheless,
concluded by proposing him as a Candidate to represent the city of
Bristol in the ensuing Parliament which proposition was received by nine
distinct and tremendous cheers.
Silence being restored, the Sheriff demanded, in a very respectful tone,
if I was either a freeman or a freeholder? I replied that I was a
stranger in Bristol, I was neither as yet; but that I hoped soon to
become both. This caused immense clamour, and Alderman Bengough and his
supporters, some of the well-dressed rabble of the city of Bristol,
roared out lustily, "turn him out, turn him out." My friends, however,
or rather supporters, who were as to numbers and physical strength more
than twenty to one, reiterated, "touch him if you dare!" I contended
that it was not at all necessary for a Candidate to be proposed either
by a freeman or a freeholder; that Sir John was entitled to offer
himself without any such formality, and that if one man polled for him
that made him a legal Candidate; and I urged him to do so, but he stood
mute and shuffled from the point. Now, for the first time, I began to
discover that it was all a hoax, and that the patriotic Irishman was
nothing more nor less than a scape-goat, a mere tool in the hands of the
White Lion club, or ministerial faction; a mere scarecrow, whom they had
set up to deter any other person from offering himself, or rather to
prevent the freemen from seeking another Candidate; and it must be
confessed that their plan succeeded to a miracle. In the midst of this
squabbling the Sheriffs very coolly declared that Colonel Baillie and
the Right Honourable Bragge Bathurst were duly elected, without any
opposition, and the return was made accordingly.
I was at that time a complete novice in electioneering matters, neither
had I the least idea of offering myself, or indeed any ambition to be a
Member of Parliament. I was, however, so completely disgusted with the
conduct of the Sheriff, the factions, and their tool, Sir John Jarvis,
that I addressed the enraged multitude, who felt that they had been
cheated and tricked out of an election, and I promised them that,
whenever there was another vacancy or a dissolution of Parliament,
I would pledge myself to come forward as a Candidate, or bring some
independent person, who would stand a contest for the representation of
their city. The people were excessively indignant at the treatment which
they had received, and they hooted, hallooed, and even pelted Mr. Bragge
and his partizans out of the Hall, and with considerable difficulty the
latter reached the White Lion, where a gaudy gilded car was provided,
as usual, in which the Candidate was to be chaired. I left the scene in
disgust, and returned to my house at Clifton. Before, however, I had
taken half my dinner, which was waiting for me when I reached home, a
messenger arrived, either a Mayor's or Sheriff's officer, to inform me
that the populace had hurled Mr. Bragge Bathurst out of his car, and
that he had escaped with great difficulty into a house, which the mob
were pulling down, and had nearly demolished; and that Mr. Bragge's life
would certainly be sacrificed if I did not come down to Bristol and save
it, by interfering with the populace to spare him.