Meeting of the Monied Interest, [1798 - 1799]
Scope and Contents
Artist: James Gillray. Published: Hannah Humphrey. Fox stands, declaiming violently to his supporters, who surround him. He holds out a paper: 'Ruination - New Tax one Tenth of Income and Property, to Support the accursed War, of the Infamous Minister'. His clenched right fist is raised, and he says: "Gentlemen; - we are all ruin'd we sha'n't have Five Guineas left to make a Bett with! - one Tenth dead, without a single throw of the Dice! - why its worse than the French Game of Requisition; - for in that there would be some chance of coming in for Snacks!" He is dishevelled and ragged, with a padlocked 'Begging Box' slung round his shoulder. Erskine stands beside him in profile to the left holding a brief-bag: 'Republican Causes'. He says: "I wish it was to come on in the Kings-Bench for I would take up a Brief against him there, gratis; - but I dont like to say any thing to him in t'other place". M. A. Taylor, like a small fat boy, wearing a tricolour suit and a bonnet-rouge in the form of a fool's cap, says, looking up at Fox: "One Tenth? - why he takes us for Boys or Chicks! zounds what a funk I am in." Tierney, wearing a ragged coat, stands in profile to the right, saying, "10 per Cent? - why it will make Bankrupts of all my Friends in in [sic] the Borough; ah the Villainous Cutthroat he wants to bring us to St Georges's Fields at last." Next Tierney stands Horne Tooke, saying, "One Tenth? - mum! - get it of me if you can tell how to get blood from a Post - or from one of the Gibbets at Wimbleton! - why its a better Subject to Halloo about than the Brentford Election." (He lived largely on the bounty of his friends.) On the right, behind Erskine, are the Duke of Bedford, dressed as a jockey, saying, "Damn their 10 per Cents, I'll warrant I'll Jockey 'em as I did with the Servants Tax", and Norfolk, a bottle of Port in each waistcoat pocket, saying: "Why it will ruin us all! - One whole Tenth taken away from the Majesty of the People? - good heavens! - I must give up my Constitutional Toasts, and be contented with 4 Bottles a day". Derby, in hunting-dress, says: "I must sell my Hounds, and hang up my Hunting Cap, upon my Horns!". Nicholls peers through a glass, saying, "I see clearly he wants to keep us out of place, and fill his own pockets". On the extreme right stands Burdett, saying, "Dam'me! if my Lady Ox------d must not leave off wearing Trousers and take care of her little 10 pr Cent." On the left, outside the Foxite circle, stand four others: Sinclair, barefooted and wearing a kilt and plaid, scratches his arm, saying "De'el tak me, but it gees me the Itch all o'er, to be prime Minister mysell; - out o' the 10 pr Cents I could mak up for ye loss of my place at the Board". George Walpole [Identified by Wright and Evans as Tarleton.], very thin, and wearing his enormous cocked hat, says with clenched fists: "Pistols! - I say, - Pistols! for the Villain! - zounds, I wish I had my Long-Sword here, and a few Moroons, I'd teach him how to humbug us out of our Property." (He had been Tierney's second, and had taken a leading part in suppressing an insurrection of maroons in Jamaica in 1795.) Moira stands stiffly erect, saying: "An upright Man can see things at a distance; - yes! I can plainly perceive, he would cut us down One Tenth, that he may be above us all." Pulteney, on the extreme left, peers through an eye-glass, saying, "10 per Cent? mercy upon me! where am I to get 10 per Cent? - ay I see I shall die a Beggar at last". Behind Fox are two silent supporters: (left) Stanhope (or perhaps Grafton) saying "Mum", and (right) Sir George Shuckburgh, full-face. Description from the British Museum.
Dates
- Creation: [1798 - 1799]
Conditions Governing Access
Physical item available by appointment in our Reading Room
Extent
1.0 Item(s)
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2TN United Kingdom
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