Memoirs of Henry Hunt, Esq., vol 3 | Page 5

and the ungovernable rage of our opponents. We had
daily to encounter the most artful and unprincipled manoeuvres, which
were put in practice to entrap and mislead us. There was no mean and
despicable art, nothing which was likely to irritate and inflame, that
was not tried, for the purpose of throwing me off my guard; and all
those who chose to try these experiments upon my patience and my
temper, let them commit any atrocity however glaring, were sure to be
shielded by the authorities. There was no law, no protection for me or
my friends; and we had only to rely upon the goodness of our cause,
our general forbearance, or our prompt and courageous resistance to
lawless violence. One day, towards the latter end of the contest, a
person introduced himself into my room (for any one who asked was
instantly admitted), and, after behaving in a very improper manner, he
placed himself in a boxing attitude, and commanded me to defend
myself, or he should floor me. I had no inclination to have a set-to with
a perfect stranger, and was about to request his immediate departure,
when he struck me a smart blow upon the chin, and then affected to
apologise for the insult, or rather assault, by saying, that it arose
entirely from the want of my keeping a proper guard. I, however,
instantly spoiled his harangue, by retaliating in a way that he little
expected: I seized the gentleman, and, having sprung with him out of
the door, I gave him, in spite of the most determined resistance, a
cross-buttock, and pitched him a neat somerset over the banisters, into
the landing-place of the ground-floor, before my friend Davenport had
scarcely left his seat. This being witnessed by some of my friends, who
were standing at the bottom of the stairs, and saw the fellow come
flying over the banisters, with part of my coat in his hand, which he had
seized hold of, and held fast in the struggle; they, without farther
ceremony, began "to serve him out" in proper stile, as he was

immediately recognized to be a sheriff's officer, and a notorious bruiser,
belonging to the White Lion faction; and if Mr. Davenport had not
rushed to his assistance, and secured him by consigning him to the
custody of two constables, he would have paid very dearly for his
insolent frolic; and, as it was, he came off very roughly, with several
bruises and a dislocated shoulder.
I had given my word to my friends, that on the day after the chairing of
Mr. Davis, I would return from Bath, and dine with them. I kept my
word, and I was met at Totterdown, about a mile from the entrance of
the city, and conducted through the streets in the most triumphant
manner. I was taken to the Exchange, where I protested against the
illegal manner in which the election had been carried by the lawless
introduction of the military force, and I pledged myself to petition
Parliament against the return of Mr. Davis; this pledge was received
with every demonstration of applause, and promises of pecuniary
support were reiterated from every quarter. I dined with a very large
party of my friends, and thus ended a contest as severe as ever was
maintained at any election upon record.
From this contest there resulted one benefit, which amply paid me for
my toils. During fifteen days, the people of Bristol had an opportunity
of hearing more bold political truths, than they had ever heard before;
both the factions of Whigs and Tories were exposed, and their united
and unprincipled efforts to deceive and cajole the people were freely
canvassed, and rendered incontrovertible.--There had always been in
Bristol two factions, nearly equally divided between the Whigs and
Tories; and the whole of the politics of the people consisted in
supporting these two factions, which were designated the high and the
low party. The opposition, or Whigs, had always contrived to make the
people believe that they were their friends, and that the Government, or
Tory faction, were their enemies; that the Whigs were every thing that
was pure and honourable, and disinterested and patriotic; but that the
Tories, or Blues, were every thing that is the reverse. During these
fifteen days, this delusion was dispelled, and the actions of the Whigs
were as rigidly discussed as those of the other faction; in fact, more so,
for the people all well understood the practice as well as the principles
of the Tories, but they had not till now been enlightened upon the
subject of the Whigs, so as plainly to see and understand their situation.

The task of enlightening them on this head, I made it my business to
accomplish, and, aided by the