The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-04-06
Old.TIme Elections in Enslana.

We talk about lively elections in this
country and in this age, but they seem
tame when compared with one that oc-
Cured in Westminster, England, a CEN
fury ago. In comparing it with some
recent English elections, the Pail Nall
Gazette draws a very graphic picture of
the former, some of the scenes of which
will convince the reader that we have
in this country very little idea Of the
real materials that go to make up what
may be called q lively election.
In 1884 the King made Pitt Prime
Minister in the face of hostile ma
iOrity in the Commons, dissolved Par
lament, and then used the whole
strength of the Court to prevent the
return of Fox for his old Westminster
constituency. The election began on
April /, and Parliament was to meet
May Is. For the first week Fox was
at the head of the poll, but by the 18th
he was at the bottom. The stores and
the dead walls were covered with
placards, satires and caricatures, some
of them of the coarsest description.
Over $4,000 were spent out of the
cret-Service fund against him. Mis-
silcs and all sorts were used, and upon
one occasion dead cats were hurled at
Fox when he was speaking. Rioting
took place daily. The Gazette says:
The hastings in Csvent Garden were sur
rounded by a yelling and battling mob. On one
occasion 800 sailors of Lord Hoods undertook
to drive away their opponents, but the Irish
drove them back to their element, and cured
the tars of their ambition of naval victory
On another, 80 men in the Guards were marched
down and delivered their votes in BODY for Sir
Cecil Wray, which, says Horace Walpole,
father IN the most quiet times would not have
| dared TO do. On the 1st of May there was a
Dllc1eu oablle IN OoFehS Oafoeh DeI"een FOX ;
butcners, with m lrroWbones and cleaners. and
Nray's supporters armed with swords and blum
derousses, which was only ended by the inter
ventlon OF com any of Guards, luckily before
any lives were lost. Later on, Constable was
killed near the hastings, and the Court tried to
nx the murder on FOxs party, some of whom
were tried at the Old Bailey, but triumphantly
acquitted"
There was still other influences at
work to carry the election. The Prince
of Wales took sides against the King,
| dOnned FOx's colOrs, and threw open
Carlton House to his followers. A pub
lican9 named House kept open house,
and set free table for all who would
vote for Fox. Lovely women entered
into the contest. Wray, the opponent
! of Fox, had had the benefit of Lady
Salisbury s canvasSing. Thereupon the
/ Duchess of Devonshire, the reigning
| beauty of the day, and her sister, Lady
! Duncannon, espOused the cause of Fox,
and ''were in every BLACKBOARD
house in Longacre by s o'clock in
the morning. Lady Salisbury was
| plain, old and very naughty, and the
! fascinating Duchess easily disposed of
| her and drove her out of the field.
With the help of the Prince, the Ouch
ess and the publican, Fox, gradually
drew ahead, and after the polling had
lasted forty days the vote stood
Fox (Whig), 6,233; Wray (TOry),
| 5,99S. Fox received an ovation such
as had never been seen before. Mount
ed on a triumphal car, accompanied bJ
an immense crowd on foot and whole
regiment of hOrsemen wearing the blue
| and buff, the procession being closed
| by the carriages of the Duchesses 81
| Portland and DevOnshire drawn by 81
horses each, he was received in stats
by the Prince of Wales (also clad it
blue and buff, and the Duke of Devon.
shire, on platform erected in front O.
! DevonShire House, Then followed I
scrutiny" demanded by Wray, and
this went on for two or three months
finally resulting in FOx's success, an
| the Baililf, who had conducted th'
scrutiny in an undetermined manner
was mulcted in $4,000 by a Middlese'
jury. While we have never had at
election which could compare with Thu
for livelineSs, it does not follow by am
| means that 1.-THE bovs' could not exec
it if they could only have free tables i.
the publicans' houses, rival ladies Il
head the factions, and forty day:
in which to get in the voting. The
trouble with our elections is, that they
are over Just as the thing begins &
grow interesting Chicago Tribune.