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William Huskisson and the Controverted Elections at Liskeard in 1802 and 1804
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 February 2009
Extract
On 9 March, 1804, by an overwhelming majority of its few electors, the little Cornish borough of Liskeard chose William Huskisson to represent it in Parliament. Huskisson at once found himself entangled in a complicated quarrel that was none of his making, for the election was a mere episode in the midst of a long-drawn battle. Even a smashing poll was not conclusive, and with great ingenuity Huskisson was kept out of his seat for more than three months. Meantime there raged as pretty a contest as ever delighted a House which took unholy pleasure in disputed returns.
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References
page 205 note 1 Peckwell, R. H., Cases of Contested Elections in the Second Parliament of the United Kingdom, begun … 31 08, 1802. Vol. I, part 1, 1805Google Scholar; part 2, 1804; Vol. II, part 1, 1806. I cannot discover that this work was ever completed. Peckwell took the coif in 1809, was knighted in 1822, and was C.J. at Calcutta, 1822–3.
page 206 note 1 Oldfield, T. H. B., History of the Boroughs (1792), I, 183–6Google Scholar, and Representative History (1816) III, 250–1; cf. Willis, Browne, Notitia Parliamentaria, II (1716), 29Google Scholar; Allen, John, History of Liskeard and Its Vicinity (1856), 296Google Scholar; Peckwell, , op. cit., I, i, 111, 117Google Scholar; Smith, H. S., The Parliaments of England I, 44Google Scholar. Smith is so useful that it seems ungrateful to point out that he cannot in every case be relied on, e.g. he records the return of Huskisson for Liskeard at a by-election in 1800, vice Inchiquin, resigned. This seems to be a typographical error, for Huskisson was then M.P. for Morpeth, as is correctly stated in the appropriate place, ib. I, 244. The Indentures of Return show that in 1802 (when 28 voted) 21 signed the indenture; in 1804 (when 24 voted) 20 signed; in 1806 (full poll uncertain) 21 signed. P.R.O., Writs and Returns C. 219/171, 219/176. Liskeard is spelt Liskard or Leskard by Oldneld. In the indenture for 1806 it is Leskerret. Some lines of contemporary doggerel show that it was pronounced Liskard, with the second syllable accented. Peckwell gives a brief analysis of the indentures from 13 May, 6 and 7 Edward IV to 6 July, 1802, op. cit. I, i, 119–125.
page 206 note 2 Parliamentary Papers of John Robinson, 1774–1784, ed. Laprade, W. T., C. S., 3rd Series, XXIII, 1922, 107, 128, 82–4Google Scholar.
page 207 note 1 Cr. 30 January, 1784: manifestly an election peerage. This date seems to confirm a suspicion that Robinson's “Last State” should be assigned to a date earlier than April.
page 207 note 2 Edward Eliot was Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall till his death in 1804; E. James Eliot was Remembrancer of the Exchequer, 1786, Commissioner for India, 1793; and William Eliot, after a succession of diplomatic appointments, 1791–1800, was a Lord of the Admiralty, 1800, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 1804–5; a Lord of the Treasury, 1807–12; and this is by no means a complete list.
page 207 note 3 Edward James Eliot, e. s. of Lord Eliot, m. Lady Harriot, 3rd child and younger da. of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, 21 September, 1785. Lady Harriot d. 25 September, 1786, having issue a da. b. 20 September, 1786. See The Letters of Lady Harriot Eliot 1766–1786, ed. Headlam, Cuthbert. Edinburgh. 1914Google Scholar.
page 208 note 1 Courtney, W. P., The Parliamentary Representation of Cornwall to 1832, p. 263Google Scholar.
page 208 note 2 Peckwell, , op. cit. I, i, 117Google Scholar.
page 208 note 3 This is subject to the risks of an argument from silence, which may conceal ignorance, mine or my authority's. But Smith, H. S., op. cit. I, 43–4Google Scholar, records no contest.
page 209 note 1 Allen, , op. dt. 299, 262, 370, 513–14Google Scholar. Joseph Childs married a Miss Borlase, whose mother was a Miss Peter of Harlyn, “both ancient Cornish names.” He died in 1829, æt. 53. His son, Christopher, Mayor in 1848, when he was responsible for notable public improvements, was a friend of Allen and, it would seem, the source of his information.
page 209 note 2 Times Thursday, 8 July, 1802.
page 209 note 3 Ib., Tuesday, 13 July, 1802. There had been a very brief reference to the poll, ib. Saturday, 10 July.
page 210 note 1 John, 3rd but 1st surviving s. and h. of Edward Eliot, was a friend and patron of Sir Joshua Reynolds. He was M.P. for Liskeard, 1784–1804; s. as 2nd Baron Eliot of St. Germans, 1804; and was cr. Earl of St. Germans, 28 Nov., 1815.
page 210 note 2 William Eliot, heir male of his brother John, s. as 3rd Baron and 2nd Earl, 17 November, 1823, and d. 19 January, 1845.
page 210 note 3 10 July.
page 210 note 4 Mackintosh's description in his recollections: Memoirs of … Sir James Mackintosh ed. Mackintosh, R. J., 1833, I, 17Google Scholar.
page 210 note 5 Ogilvie published in 1781 An Essay On The Right of Property In Land With respect to its Foundation in the Law of Nature Its present Establishment by the Municipal Laws of Europe and The Regulations by which it might be rendered more beneficial to the lower Ranks of Mankind. See the reprint, ed. M. Beer, 1920, especially p. 32. On Ogilvie's importance, Beer, M., History of British Socialism 1923, I, 109–112Google Scholar, or, better, Hovell, M., The Chartist Movement 31–3, 35–6Google Scholar. Biographical material for Ogilvie is scanty in detail. Gent. Mag. LXXXIX, i, 189, gives him only two lines. Viri Illustres Universitatum Abredonensium compiled by McCulloch, W. E., 1923, p. 41Google Scholar, adds little, if anything, to the information in J. R. MacDonald's article in the D.N.B.
page 211 note 1 The figures are set out in the subsequent petitions.
page 212 note 1 P.R.O., Writs and Returns C. 219/171, No. 39. The indenture is between the Mayor, Edward Hobling, “and the Capital and Free Burgesses of Liskeard, of the one part, and Thomas Carlyon, Sheriff, of the other part.” It is signed and sealed by twenty persons besides the Mayor and two witnesses. Endorsed, “Liskeard, Received 28 July, 1802.”
page 212 note 2 Times 10 July, 1802.
page 212 note 3 C.J. LVIII, 25–6.
page 213 note 1 Ib., 35–6.
page 213 note 2 Ib., 203–5. John Fonblanque, M.P. for Camelford, was the nominee of the petitioners: William Dundasj M.P. for Sutherlandshire, of the sitting members. General the Hon. J. Chappie Norton was chairman.
page 214 note 1 Peckwell, gives the names, op. cit., I, i, 110Google Scholar.
page 214 note 2 Allen, , op. cit., 298–301Google Scholar.
page 214 note 3 Peckwell, , op. cit., I, i, 125–7, 111, 117Google Scholar.
page 215 note 1 Ib., 134–145.
page 215 note 2 C.J., LVIII, 243–4. It did not find the petition either frivolous or vexatious. Sittings had been delayed by the illness of a member, ib., 210.
page 215 note 3 2 Geo. II, c. 24, s. 4.
page 215 note 4 Parl. Deb., I, 374–6.
page 215 note 1 C.J., LIX, 57–8.
page 216 note 1 C.J., LIX, 57–58.
page 216 note 2 Ib., 119.
page 217 note 1 An election squib Addressed to the Independent Inhabitants of Liskeard a single sheet [B.M., s.sh. 8°, 1879, c. 12 (84)]. It was occasioned by the election of 1806, not of 1804 as suggested in the B.M. catalogue. This is proved by an allusion to a “Hobling Mare.” Edward Hoblyn was Mayor in 1806. He may be the E. Hobling who was Mayor in 1802, but Huskisson had no part in the election of that year. Edmund Carthew was Mayor in 1804.
page 217 note 2 C.J., LIX, 132–3: Times, Saturday, 5 March, 1804.
page 217 note 3 Repeated, ib. Sheridan to Addington, Pellew's Sidmouth II, 252–3; Moore's, Sheridan II, 320–2Google Scholar. The value of the office fluctuated, but was seldom less than £800 a year. Trouble arose because the reversion of it had earlier been promised to General Lake. Apparently Sheridan held it while Lake was out of the country, surrendered it on Lake's return, and received it back at his death. This would mean that Sheridan lost the emoluments for about a year, as Lake embarked for home in February, 1807, and died 20 February, 1808. Rae's, FraserSheridan II, 243–5Google Scholar. Pearse's, Lake 418Google Scholar.
page 218 note 1 Op. cit., 315.
page 218 note 2 Unless, that is, I have misdated the squib referred to above. It implies that at the election to which it relates Huskisson made a speech at the Town Hall, defending the rights of non-resident freemen, and exciting the rage of the opposite party.
page 218 note 3 C.J., LIX, 168.
page 219 note 1 Add. MS., 38737, f. 34.
page 220 note 2 P.R.O., Writs and Returns, C. 219/171, No. 63: dated 9 March, 1804.
page 221 note 1 Petition of , Henry Burgess, presented 22 March, C.J., LIX, 172Google Scholar; Times, 23 March, 1804: Parl. Deb., I, 960.
page 222 note 1 C.J., LIX, 168.
page 223 note 1 Parl. Deb., I, 954–5; Times, 22 March, 1804.
page 223 note 2 C.J., LIX, 172; Times, 23 March.
page 224 note 1 Parl. Deb., I, 960; Times, 23 March.
page 224 note 2 C.J., LIX, 172.
page 225 note 1 Parl. Deb., I, 960; Times, 23 March.
page 225 note 2 C.J., LIX, 188; Parl. Deb., I, 1061–2; Times, 29 March. TRANS. 4TH S.—VOL. XIII.
page 226 note 1 C.J., LIX, 188; Part. Deb., I, 1061–2; Times, 30 March.
page 226 note 2 1Parl. Deb., II, 8–10, 24, 361, 409; Times, 6 April, 3–10 May; C.J., LIX, 172, 195, 198.
page 226 note 3 10 May, 1804. Reported and entered on the Journal, 11 May. Times, 11 May, 1804; C.J., LIX, 273.
page 226 note 4 Ib., 274, 276, 281; Parl. Deb., II, 411, 412, 414–16; Times, 15, 16, 17 May.
page 227 note 1 Allen, , op. cit., 301Google Scholar.
page 227 note 2 C.J., LIX, 281.
page 227 note 3 Ib.
page 227 note 4 Parl. Deb., II, 414–16; Times, 17 May.
page 227 note 5 C.J., LIX, 282; Parl. Deb., II, 418. Pitt took his seat, after his reelection for Cambridge, on the same day. Ib. 417.
page 227 note 6 Ib., II, 533; Times, 8 June.
page 227 note 7 Ib., 12 June; Parl. Deb., II, 611–13.
page 227 note 8 Ib., 664–5; Times, 14 June.
page 228 note 1 Parl. Deb., 15 June; Parl. Deb., II, 672.