The First Reformed Parliament - Borough Election - North & Elphinstone Returned
Parliamentary election and its amenities in 1835
The first reformed Parliament, of which Earl Grey and Viscount Melbourne were successively Prime Ministers, came to an end, as previously stated, on the 30th of December, 1834. This dissolution - which was the arbitrary act of King William, who was then at Brighton, and exulted in by his brother, the Duke of Cumberland, who, a few years previously, resided at Hastings - was regarded by the Reformers as an attempt in high quarters to override popular rights, and by indirect means to practically annul the provisions of the Reform Act. True, Sir Robert Peel, who had already formed a new Cabinet, declared that he accepted that measure as a final settlement of a great constitutional question, and would carry out its intentions, supposing them to imply a careful review of old institutions, undertaken in a friendly spirit and with a view to improvement. But many at the time had no belief in his sincerity, and a still greater number looked at the constitution of his Cabinet as one that would work for the quasi-restoration of old conditions. However, the writs were issued immediately after the Dissolution, and within six days the nomination at Hastings took place. To describe the excitement and bustle with which the new year was ushered in would require a more facile pen than mine; but I may say that from the first to the sixth of January the several candidates were almost ubiquitous, whilst their canvassing friends, together with printers, posters and messengers, were actively employed almost day and night. Four candidates were in the field, namely, the Right Hon. Joseph Planta (who, succeeding Mr. Lushington in 1827, sat with Denison for Hastings in 1828 and '9, and with Sir H. Fane in 1830), Mr. Howard Elphinstone (the popular, but unsuccessful candidate in 1832), Mr. F. North (who with Mr. Warre, had represented Hastings before and after the passing of the Reform Bill) and Mr. M. Brisco (the "Squire of Coghurst Hall.") The nomination took place on Monday, Jan. 5th, and may be thus described :- Mr. Elphinstone, with his committee and friends, was loudly cheered as he ascended the hustings, soon after 10 o'clock. The other three candidates, with their supporters, took up their positions nearly an hour later, Mr. Planta's reception being anything but enthusiastic. It was said that among those who cheered him were many hired men, but their vociferations were lost in the greater din of groans and hisses. Mr. Shadwell proposed his tried friend, Mr. North, whom he had proposed on a former occasion, and he proposed him on purely independent principles. Mr. W. Ransom seconded : he believed Mr. North to be a true and ardent friend to Reform, and one who would not deceive those electors who might give him their support, - George Hancock, Esq., proposed Mr. Elphinstone, an unflinching advocate of the people's rights. Would they, he asked, trust those, who, to serve their own purposes had suddenly become Reformers? Mr. Elphinstone, he assured them, was determined to support the abolition of that monstrous anomaly, a foreign and Irish Church establishment which was deluging that unhappy country. - Mr. H. Thwaites seconded, and was desirous of calling Mr. North's attention to the abolition of the House and Window Taxes. He felt strongly on that question, and had addressed a letter to that gentleman, to which mr. North had not condescended to reply. - Mr. Planta was proposed by Sir Wathan Waller, amidst much confusion and uproar, during which only indistinct sentences could be heard about the Church in danger, infidelity stalking the land, institutions threatened, etc. The speaker was convinced, however, that Mr. Planta was the true friend of the people. Mr. N. Williams seconded, amidst hisses, and cries of "We don't want Planta nor the Screwdriver who seconds him." - Mr. Briso was proposed by his brother-in-law, W. Camac, Esq., who disclaimed any private or personal views in doing so. - Mr. G. Robinson seconded. - Mr. North (who was cordially received) then said the time had arrived for him to explain his political sentiments. He sought n o disguise, for he was perfectly independent in principle. He had never pledged himself to any particular measure, nor would he do so; but this he would say, that he was a bold supporter of every measure which he, in his conscience, believed to be conducive to the good of the country. If he was to be blamed for supporting the Government of Earl Grey in those liberal measures they were then enjoying, he must plead guilty; but he had never been a servile supporter of that Government any more than he would be of any other. He had even opposed the Government of Earl Grey on two occasions. - Mr. Elphinstone (who was received with repeated cheers) said he had come into the field for a fair and many fight with the Tories, and his cry was, Down with the Duke! Down with Sir Robert Peel! He was sure that Hastings and St. Leonards could not serve that cry better than by rejecting the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Planta and Musgrave Brisco. He had to complain of the manner in which those gentlemen conducted their canvass, whilst he had also to thank Mr. North for the fair and independent course which he had pursued. - Mr. Planta being received with a volley of groans and hisses, asked, "Is this the conduct of Englishmen to condemn a man unheard? That cause must, indeed, be a bad one that can only be supported by clamour and violence." He would, however, thank the constituency, and especially the Pink party for their generous testimony of his private character. - Mr. Brisco had very little to say. - They all knew him as an honourable man, and his principles were explained in his printed address.
During the canvassing, one of Mr. Planta's committee-rooms was at the Horse-and-Groom, St. Leonards, and another at the Marine Hotel, Hastings. With the latter is associated the following anecdote :- A fisherman, to whom I will give the name of Zebulon and from whom some favour was expected, was told by some "young bloods" of the Conservative party to go to the Marine and get a bottle of anything he liked; and, as "open houses" were common in those electioneering times, and especially common on that particular occasion, the man had no doubt of the genuineness of the order with which he was verbally entrusted. But, for the better elucidation of this frolic, it should be firstly explained that Mr. Hutchings, the landlord of the Marine, was also the lessee of "Rocklands," a small farm on the East Hill; and in terms of endearment when feeding her fowls, his wife would say "Chipachup, chipachup!" It so happened that one of the electioneering party was acquainted with this fact, and he in a jocular mood, told Zebulon to ask for Mrs. Chipachup. This was done, and without any suspicion of its impropriety. But, as might be supposed, the man's enquiry for Mrs. Chipachup was resented with true womanly dignity, and his persistent demand for the opportunity of speaking to Mrs. Chipachup resulted in his sanity being questioned. Short of actual madness, however, his want of thorough sobriety was not for a moment doubted. The mistaken identity of nomen being at length got over, the demand was then made for the bottle of something for which the order had been given. It was of no use to say that liquor was not given away at that establishment, nor that it was not even sold there without payment in cash. A bottle of "summut" the man wanted, and a bottle of summut he would have, or else "Old Planta" shouldn't have his vote. The landlady still protested, but each remonstrance only drew forth from the claimant an emphasised expletive, accompanied by the salivation of Mrs. Chipachup's dress, the salivating fluid being highly scented with the perfume of tobacco. By-and-by, the opportune appearance of the gentleman who had given the order put an end to the rencontre,and a little explanation made it all square.
The nomination of the Hastings candidates for a seat in Sir Robert Peel's new Parliament was followed on the sixth of January by the election, and in the midst of great excitement. There was a full parade of band and banners, an exhibition of party colours at almost every window, satin-rosettes on every man's hat or coat, and treating in all directions. The carriages of the several candidates (with the pretty Mrs. Brisco in one, the lady-like mrs. Elphinstone in another, and the noble-looking Mrs. Planta in a third) were driven frequently round the two towns, and from one town to the other, the occupants receiving the greetings of hottings of partizans, and acknowledging the same with real or assumed courtesy. Then there was Mr. and Mrs. Camac’s splendid equipage with two postillions and an outrider, whose appearance always attracted the attention of the public. No effort was spared on either side to get the voters to the polling booth, although it must have been apparent to two of the candidates that their chances of success were disparagingly small. At the close of the first day's poll the Radical's declared the numbers to be 217 for Elphinstone, 184 for North, 88 for Planta, and 87 for Brisco. But the election having continued from the 6th to the 8th, the final announcement by the Returning officer was:-
| North (Liberal) | 374 |
| Elphinstone (Radical) | 291 |
| Planta (Conservative) | 159 |
| Brisco (Conservative) | 157 |
The supporters of the unsuccessful candidates were exceedingly mortified at a defeat which showed a disparity of more than two to one, and a split among them soon became manifest. The Brisco-ites were charged by the "Planta-genets" with being the cause of such defeat, and the former repudiated the accusation with some warmth, at the same time pointing to the almost equal votes of the minority, as a proof that the party had worked well together. An early dissolution, however, was anticipated, and permanent committees were formed for furthering the Conservative cause. It was estimated that the cost of this contest to the Conservative candidates exceeded £5,000. How much was contributed by Mr. Brisco, and how much by the Carlton Club (which was then but a comparatively young institution) it is not in my province to say; but that the estimate was pretty well within the compass of fact may be taken for granted, seeing that it was never publicly disputed. It was even said that Planta's expenses alone amounted to nearly that sum. From what I myself saw, I had no reason to question the accuracy of the estimate. A "roaring trade" was done at the public-houses and beer-shops in the week between New Years' Day and the following Wednesday, some of the smaller repositories of John Barleycorn having carte blanche orders for any amount not exceeding £50 or £60. It was my questionable privilege to employ a few evenings in assisting my relatives to ply with drink the voters and non-voters alike, thus helping to render the former as unfit as possible for the proper exercise of the franchise. I had I remember, some qualms of conscience in the matter; and, although I was barely out of my 'teens, I spoke pretty freely against the sin of bribery and corruption. I had, moreover, in opposition to my relatives' "political principles," imbibed Liberal ideas, and was as freely censured, in return, for siding with the "beastly Radicals, who wanted to overthrow the Government and the Church, and to give the reins into the hands of the -
