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1819 Apr. 12
To Erskine
Morn. Chronicle 11 March 1918 continued
The Rump, who administer Westminster in the name of
Sir Francis Burdett, must by this time be convinced, that it
would have been wiser for them, not to have wantonly "elicited"
a contest with the Whigs. To gratify their private spleen and malignity
they have sacrificed a seat in Parliament for one of their
dependants, and have spread general distrust and disunion
among the friends of Reform throughout the Kingdom. In the
eyes of this miserable little junta, it was an unpardonable crime
in the Whigs to have placed Sir Samuel Romilly higher on the
poll than Sir Francis Burdett. We are far from attributing to
Sir Francis himself any such illiberal feelings. Much as we differ
with him in principle, and meanly as we think of his pliancy
and subserviency to his Rump Administration, we fully acquit
him of any ungenerous regrets at the triumph of his great
competition. But the rump that govern Westminster in his name,
and the little Court of Dandies that wait upon his person, were
inflamed with spite at the failure of their efforts, and looked forward
with eagerness to an opportunity of giving vent to their malice.
A safe occasion seemed to present itself. Mr. Hobhouse had been
canvassing Westminster for three months without interruption –
the Court Candidate had withdrawn – no other Competitor appeared.
The day election was at hand, and the success of Mr. Hobhouse
seemed inevitable. This was the moment chosen to insult a party
that had mortified their pride, and refused to adopt the extravagance
of their opinions. It was no alleviation of their hatred, that the
Whigs had fought for them in the hour of danger, when Sir
Francis, their Representative, was otherwise employed. It has
been the constant practice of their sect, in adversity to cling to the
Whigs, in prosperity to traduce them.
Identifier: | JB/109/091/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 109.
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1819-04-12 |
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109 |
Fallacies; Parliamentary Reform |
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091 |
To Erskine |
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001 |
Morn. Chronicle 11 March 1819 continued |
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Collectanea |
1 |
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recto |
C1 |
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JOHN DICKINSON & C<…> 1813 |
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A. Levy |
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1813 |
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35746 |
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