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Subject Area: Political Theory
Collection: The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill

142.: The Westminster Election of 1868 [10] 18 NOVEMBER, 1868 - John Stuart Mill, The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume XXVIII The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume XXVIII - Public and Parliamentary Speeches Part I November 1850 - November 1868 [1850]

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The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume XXVIII - Public and Parliamentary Speeches Part I November 1850 - November 1868, ed. John M. Robson and Bruce L. Kinzer (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1988).

Part of: Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, in 33 vols.

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142.

The Westminster Election of 1868 [10]

18 NOVEMBER, 1868

Daily Telegraph, 19 November, 1868, p. 8. Headed: “The General Election. / Declarations. / Westminster.” Similar reports (also in the first person) appeared in the Morning Star and the Daily News; The Times had a third-person report. Though the declaration of the poll was scheduled for 2 p.m., the number of voters and the consequent difficulty of making up the lists delayed the High Bailiff until 4 p.m. When he appeared on the hustings, the front was occupied by “a number of roughs of the worst type” who, annoyed at the delay, “held high carnival,” with the result that “any decently-clad individual wearing a chimney-pot hat had good reason to remember his imprudence.” “The principal speaker in the crowd was a little boy whose age could not have been more than ten or twelve years”—The Times guesses fourteen—“whose platform was the shoulders of a young man. This youthful political orator expatiated very intelligently upon all the prominent questions of the day, gave the Liberal party full credit for all they had done and intend doing, criticised the Tories rather severely, even going as far as to wish to see the distinguished educator of that party well hung; accused the successful Tory candidate for Westminster of all sorts of bribery and corruption, and prophesied that gentleman’s speedy rejection from the seat for Westminster.” (Morning Star.) Mill and Grosvenor, with their supporters, had arrived before 2 o’clock, to enthusiastic cheers. After waiting an hour, however, Mill, “who was indisposed,” rose, whereupon “the little fellow on the man’s shoulders called for ‘Cheers for Mr. Mill,’ a cry which was readily responded to; and, addressing Mr. Mill, said, ‘Don’t mind, Mr. Mill, we’ll pop you in for Greenwich.’

(Great cheering.)”

gentlemen—So much unexpected delay having occurred, and as I have a bad cold, I will take the opportunity of saying at once the few words I have to say. To be defeated in a contested election is so common an occurrence that there is no reason why any sensible man should be much moved by it—and least of all is that any reason in my case, who, as you know, did not seek the honour which you conferred on me; but, on the contrary, the acceptance was and has been throughout a sacrifice to me. (Hear, hear.) Whatever regret I feel, therefore, at the result of yesterday’s election is solely on public grounds. (Cheers.) I regret the loss of a vote to Mr. Gladstone and the Liberal party. (Great cheering.) I regret that Westminster, which was so long at the head of the Liberal interest, should have had the unenviable distinction of being the only metropolitan constituency which has at this election sent a Tory to the House of Commons by the vote of the majority. (Hisses.) And I am sorry for one reason more. I think it was an encouragement to young men ambitious of parliamentary distinction—it was a good lesson to them when they found that a great constituency like this was willing to be represented by a man who always told you plainly when he differed in opinion from you—who told you that he differed on a few important points, though he agreed on more, and that he should maintain his opinion by his vote, and who never, for the sake of preserving his seat, ever said or did anything which he would not have thought it his duty to if he had not been your representative. (Cheers.) It only remains for me to make my warmest acknowledgments to those who have laboured on my behalf, awhich I do most heartily,a and to the electors who have not only given me their support, but an amount of bsupport, favour, and countenanceb very far above my deserts. (Cries of No, and cheers.)

[As he left the hustings with his friends, Mill was again warmly cheered, and was joined by a large crowd in walking back to the Liberal committee rooms in Cockspur Street. The display of a Tory placard offended some in the crowd, and a rush on the hustings resulted in the reporters being “walked over” (Morning Star), and the police were required to restore order. An hour later, William James Farrer, the High Bailiff, appeared, accompanied by Smith, who was greeted by “a storm of mingled cheers and groans.” The poll was announced: Smith, 7,648; Grosvenor, 6,584; Mill, 6,284; and Smith and Grosvenor were declared elected. Smith spoke amidst an uproar, and then Grosvenor, who was heard with much greater ease, expressed his thanks, mixed with regret at the loss of Mill as a colleague. A vote of thanks to the High Bailiff terminated the proceedings more peacefully than had been earlier feared.]

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>“Westminster Election: The Nomination in Covent-Garden”

Illustrated London News, 22 July, 1865, p. 56

Metropolitan Toronto Library

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[b-b]DN] DT kindness and favour