Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-05-24
Old.Tlme Elections in ENGLAND.


We talk about lively elections in this
country and in this age, but they seem
tame when compared with one that &C.
Cured in Westminster, England, Gen.
fury ago. In comparing it with some
recent English elections, the Pau Mall
Gazette draws 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 lively election.
In 1884 the King made Pitt Prime
Minister in the face of hostile ms
| jority i'm 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 caricatuyes, some
Of them of the coarsest description.
Over $4,000 were spent out of the
Secret-Service fund against him. Mis-
siles and all sorts were used, and upon
one occasion dead cats wore hurled at
Fox when he was speaking. Rioting
took place daily. The Gazette says:
The hustings in Coyent Garden 'Were sur
rounded by yelling and battling mob. On one
occasion 800 sailors of Lord Hoods undertook
Chairman, being retained by Mr.. Foxs party
drove them back to their element, and cured
the tars of their ambition of q naval victory,
down and delivered their votes in body for Sir
Cecil Wray, which says Horace Walpole
dared TO do On the LIST Of May there was
pitched battle in Covent Garden between Fox's
armed With swords .nd bn
derbusses, which was only ended by the inter
vention of company of Guards. luckily before
killed near the hustings, and the Court tried e.
were tried at the Old Bailey, but triumphantly
acquitted"
There was still other influences al
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. Apub-
lican 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 canvassing. Thereupon the
/ uchess of Devonshirc, 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 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 fortv-seven days the vote stood
Fox (Whig), 6,233; Wray (Tory),
5,098. "Fox received an ovation such
as had never been seen before. Mount
cd on triumphal car, accompanied by
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 OF
Portland apd Dcvonshirc drawn by six
horses each, he was received in state
by the Prince Of Wales (also clad in
blue and buff, and the Duke of Deyon.
shire, on platform erected in front o.
Devonshire House." Then followed 6
scrutiny" demanded by Wray, and
this went on for two or three months
finally resulting in Fox's success, and
! the Railiff, who had conducted the
scrutiny in an underhanded manner
was mulcted in $1,000 by MiddlescS
jury. While we have never had IN
election which could compare with this
for ivclineSs, it does not follow by any
means that 1.-THE boys could not exec
it if they could only have free tables in
the publicans' houses, rival ladies to
head the factions, and forty-seven days
in which TO get in the voting. The
trouble with our elections is, that they
arc over just as the thing begins tC
grow interesting - Chicago Tribune.
Al,