Meeting of the monied interest constitutional opposition to [the] 10 pr. cent, i.e., John Bull's friends alarm'd by the new tax / [graphic]

"Fox stands, declaiming violently to his supporters, who surround him. He holds out a paper: 'Ruination - New Tax one Tenth of Income & 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 (see BMSat 8331, &c). Erskine stands beside him in profile to the left as in BMSat 9246, 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" [see BMSat 8502]. 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! [see BMSat 6777] 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 [see BMSat 9045]; 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 (cf. BMSat 9380), saying, "Damn their 10 per Cents, I'll warrant I'll Jockey 'em as I did with the Servants Tax" [see BMSat 9167], 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, & be contented with 4 Bottles a day" [see BMSat 9168, &c.]. Derby, in hunting-dress, says: "I must sell my Hounds, & hang up my Hunting Cap, upon my Horns!" [cf. BMSat 6668]. Nicholls peers through a glass, saying, "I see clearly he wants to keep us out of place, & fill his own pockets". On the extreme right stands Burdett, saying, "Dam'me! if my Lady Ox------d [see BMSat 9240] must not leave off wearing Trousers & 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 (cf. BMSat 5940), 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" (see BMSat 9271). George Walpole [Identified by Wright and Evans as Tarleton.] (see BMSat 9376), 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, & a few Moroons, I'd teach him how to humbug us out of our Property." (He had been Tierney's second, see BMSat 9218, 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! [See BMSat 9184.] 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" [see BMSat 9212]. Behind Fox are two silent supporters: (left) Stanhope (or perhaps Grafton) saying "Mum", and (right) Sir George Shuckburgh, full-face."--British Museum online catalogue