print; satirical print

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Object Type: print; satirical print
Museum number: 1914,1009.33
Title: Object: The glorious reform in parliament.
Description: A tall central column divides anti-Reformers (left) from Reformers. On it stands Lord J. Russell holding up the mirror of 'Truth', the Bill in his left hand. The base is inscribed 'King and Constitution'. On the column, reading downwards: 'Lord Russell and Reform 60 Rotten Boroughs to be disfranchised Auldborough Appleby Beeralston Bletchingly Boroughbridge Callington Corfe Castle Gatton Old Sarum Tregony Buckingham Wareham &c. Give Members to Manchester Sheffield Halifax Huddersfield Birmingham Kidderminster Macclesfield Dudley Bradford Stockport Wakefield &c &c'. The Tories, impotently violent, attack the column with weapons and haul at it with three ropes. From the uppermost rope hangs a green bag, from which protrude two little feet: it is inscribed 'Northumberland & Co £2 Millions to oppose the King'. In front are Wellington and Peel; the Duke uses a battle-axe with a damaged edge inscribed 'Blood', Peel a pickaxe. Round the latter's waist is a broad band inscribed 'Orange Peel'; the Devil peers at him from the flames of Hell, shouting 'Go it Bob'. Behind these two are the rest of the 'Conservative Gang', partly hidden by smoke. The most prominent are Wetherell in a barrister's wig, Sir R. Wilson (see BM Satires No. 16653), his back placarded 'A Rat A Rat to be tarred & feathered', Cumberland and Eldon. Behind Wetherell, Hunt, wearing a battered top-hat inscribed 'sold', brandishes a spiked bludgeon inscribed 'Riot'. Many supporters with pikes and flags inscribed 'War and Revolution' form a background. In the foreground, falling to the ground, which is inscribed 'Bribery and Corruption', are spurred cavalry boots (cf. BM Satires No. 14220) and military gauntlets. A spade lies beside them. Facing the frenzied gang stand the dignified Reformers. Grey, in a peer's robe, and Brougham, in Chancellor's wig and gown with the Mace and the Purse of the Great Seal, hold up between them a long scroll headed 'Pro Rege Lege Grege' [see BM Satires No. 16642]; it continues: 'Grey Brougham Russell Althorp Hume O'Connell Norfolk Burdett Hobhouse Hawkins Stanley Davis. And many more good fellows—Huzza—' Grey's words fill a large label above his supporters: 'We are for our King and People. The Bill the whole Bill and nothing but the Bill'. There are three other Reformers including (?) Denman. Against the column leans a big anchor entwined with a scroll: 'God Save the King'. Flanking Lord J. Russell in the upper part of the print are two designs: [1] (Above the anti-Reformers) 'Vox Populi | Dissolution of Parliament'. William IV stands, saying with an imperious gesture, 'My Lords and Gentle, men. I have been induced to resort to this measure for the purpose of ascertaining the sense of my people, in the way in which it can be most constitutionally and authentically expressed'. Brougham stands; the other peers are terror-struck, Wellington falls backwards from his seat, others flee; one (? Londonderry! has long ass's ears. See BM Satires No. 16641, &c. [2] 'Speed the Plough | The Country as it will be'. Two full cornucopias are suspended above a landscape where a man ploughs; there are ships in full sail, a mill, &c.; a rising sun irradiates the scene with rays inscribed 'Peace & Plenty'. For these expectations cf. BM Satires No. 17015, &c. [May 1831] Hand-coloured lithograph
Producer name: After: Isaac Robert Cruikshank; Published by: Alfred Miller
School/style
Production date: 1831 (?)
Production place: Published in: London (England)
Materials
Technique: hand-coloured; lithograph
Dimensions: Height: 396 millimetres; Width: 320 millimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', XI, 1954) An election print; for the Tories' election fund see No. 16664, &c.; for the use made of the King's name, No. 16673, &c. The unfamiliar names of Reformers are John Heywood Hawkins (1803-77), M.P. 1830-1 for St. Michael's, whose speech on Reform on 19 April (published as a pamphlet) made a great impression, Hobhouse, 'Recollections of a Long Life', 1910 iv. 102 f; see Venn, 'Alumni Cantab.'; Lt.-Col. Thomas Davies, M.P. for Worcester, who sat with the Opposition but was not, like Hunt, a Radical. 'Parl. Deb.', 3rd s. iii. 1247. An early use of the term "Conservative", suggested in the 'Quarterly Rev.', Jan. 1830, in an article attributed to Croker, but not by him, according to Brightfield, 'Croker', 1940, p. 403 n. For the boroughs see No. 16610, &c. Cf. No. 16650. Adapted in Nos. 16677, 17131. The original version of this print is described in detail in 'The Times', 9 May: "A silk handkerchief with a design by Robert Cruikshank is now selling in all the shops. The scene in the Upper House on the dissolution of Parliament is described with great force and humour. In the middle is a column dedicated to the King and Constitution . . . [&c, &c.]."
Bibliographic references
Location: Not on display
Subjects
Associated names: Associated with: John Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer; Associated with: Henry Peter, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux; Associated with: Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet; Associated with: Thomas Henry Hastings Davies; Associated with: Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman; Associated with: John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon; Associated with: Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover; Associated with: Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey; Associated with: John Heywood Hawkins; Associated with: John Cam Hobhouse, 1st Baron Broughton; Associated with: Joseph Hume; Associated with: Henry "Orator" Hunt; Associated with: Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry (as Charles William Stewart); Associated with: Bernard Edward Howard, 12th Duke of Norfolk; Associated with: Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland; Associated with: Daniel O'Connell; Associated with: Sir Robert Peel; Associated with: Lord John Russell (later John Russell, 1st Earl Russell of Kingston Russell); Associated with: Edward Geoffrey Smith Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby; Associated with: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington; Associated with: Sir Charles Wetherell; Associated with: William IV, King of the United Kingdom; Associated with: Sir Robert Thomas Wilson
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1914
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1914,1009.33

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