"The interior of the House of Commons; the Speaker's chair and the table are in the foreground on the extreme left; only the Opposition benches are visible and are crowded with English sansculottes wearing bonnets-rouges who eagerly watch the denunciation of Pitt. Fox sits in the Speaker's chair, as the presiding judge, a bonnet-rouge pulled over the crown of his hat. Opposite (right), on a low platform surrounded by a rail, stands Pitt; a rope round his neck is held by Lauderdale who stands behind him on the extreme right with a headsman's axe in his left hand. In front of Pitt, leaning eagerly forward over the rail is Stanhope, gesticulating violently and holding out a large scroll: 'Charges. - Ist For opposing the Right of Subjects to dethrone their King. - 2d For opposing the Right of Sans-Culottes to Equalize Property, & to annihilate Nobility. 3d For opposing the Right of Free Men to extirpate the farce of Religion, & to divide the Estates of the Church.' Pitt, anxious and bewildered, his hands manacled, wearing only his shirt which has been torn from his shoulder, stands in profile to the left. Fox sits inscrutable, his clenched fists on the desk before him, a bell at his right hand, looking sideways at Pitt. Below him at the table are Erskine and Sheridan. Erskine, in wig and gown, as the accusing counsel, stands with outstretched hand pointing to Pitt and addressing the rabble on the benches. In his left hand is a paper headed 'Guillotine' and from his pocket protrudes a brief: 'Defence of Hardy' [see BMSat 8502]. Sheridan writes busily: 'Value of the Garde Meuble'. The books on the table are: 'Rights of Man' [see BMSat 7867, &c], 'Dr Price' [see BMSat 7629, &c], 'Dr Priestley' [see BMSat 7632, &c], 'Voltaire', 'Rosseau' [sic]. A large scroll hangs from the table: 'Decrees of the British Convention (ci devant Parliament) Man is, & shall be Free, therefore Man is, & shall be Equal. Man therefore has nor shall have Superior in Heaven or upon Earth.' On the ground the head of the mace projects from under the tablecloth. Beside the table (left) are five large money-bags inscribed: 'Treasury Cash to be issued in Assignats' and 'D° Cash for D°'. On the Speaker's chair, in place of the royal arms, is a tricolour shield with the motto 'Vive la République'. In the foreground, immediately in front of Pitt and Lauderdale, is an iron stove with an open door showing Magna Charta and Holy Bible burning. Holding their hands to the flames are Grafton (left) and Norfolk (right) facing each other; each sits on an inverted ducal coronet. Beside and behind Grafton sits Lord Derby. Slightly to the left and behind this group Lansdowne kneels, weighing in a pair of scales a weight, resembling a cap of liberty and inscribed 'Libertas', against a royal crown. The crown rests on the ground, Lansdowne tries to pull down the other scale. Beside the crown two large sacks stand on the floor inscribed 'For Duke's Place' and 'For D°' (the Jews of Duke's place were supposed to dispose of stolen plate, cf. BMSat 5468). From one protrudes the Prince of Wales's coronet and feathers, an earl's coronet and a Garter ribbon; from the other, a mitre and chalice. In the foreground lie a bundle of papers inscribed 'Forfeited Estates of Loyalists. Chatham, Mansfield, Grenville.' On the crowded benches a fat butcher is conspicuous, sitting arms akimbo. Near him are a hairdresser and a tailor in delighted conversation. A chimney-sweeper holds up brush and shovel, grinning delightedly. The faces register ferocity, anger, surprise, amusement, brutishness. In the back row, under the gallery, stand dissenting ministers wearing clerical bands."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Parliament reformed
Description:
Title etched below image., Text following title: Vide Carmagnol Expectations., Sheet partially trimmed within plate mark., and Temporary local subject terms: Conventions: decrees of the British Convention -- Interiors: House of Commons -- English sansculottes -- Bonnets rouges -- Shields: tricolor shield -- Bags of money -- Magna Charta -- Holy Bible -- Opposition -- Coronets -- Ministers -- Maces -- Iron stoves.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 2d, 1795, by H. Humphrey, No. 37 New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Lansdowne, William Petty, Marquis of, 1737-1805, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Stanhope, Charles Stanhope, Earl, 1753-1816, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Grafton, Augustus Henry Fitzroy, Duke of, 1735-1811, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, and Lauderdale, James Maitland, Earl of, 1759-1839
