"A large and plebeian crowd is being addressed from three roughly made platforms, one being in the middle distance, another in the background. In the foreground (right) a man, supposed to be Thelwall, leans from his rostrum in profile to the left, shouting, with clenched fists, and raised right arm. Behind him stands a ragged barber, a comb in his lank hair, holding out a paper: 'Resolutions of the London Corresponding Society'. Next him, a man with the high-crowned hat and bands of a dissenting minister holds a tattered umbrella over the orator. A man on the steps leading to the platform, wearing a bonnet-rouge (the only one in the crowd) has a vague resemblance to Fox. From the next platform (left) a butcher, supposed to be Gale Jones, bawls at the crowd with raised right arm. Beside him stand a man holding a scroll inscribed 'Rights of Citizens'. The third orator is a tiny figure (Hodgson) with both arms raised. All the platforms are surrounded by crowds, and hats and arms are being waved by those addressed by the butcher. In the foreground (left) a man sits holding out for signature a document which is supported on a barrel of 'Real Democratic Gin by Thelwal & Co.' Three little chimney-sweepers stand round it, one of whom, holding a pen, has just made his mark on the 'Remonstrance', below the signatures of 'Jack Cade', 'Wat Tyler', 'Jack Straw'. All wear caps with the name of their master on a brass plate (according to the Chimney-Sweepers' Act of 1788); this is 'Thelwall'. A fat woman sells a dram to one of the crowd. Another presides over a portable roulette or E.O. table, a 'teetotum', inscribed 'Equality & no Sedition Bill'; three barefooted urchins are staking their pence. The heads in general do not appear to be portraits, but in the centre of the design, with his back to the woman selling drams, is Priestley, caricatured, standing with folded arms facing Thelwall. There is a landscape background with trees up which spectators have climbed. ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., One line of quoted text, running on both sides of title: "I tell you, citizens, we mean to new-dress the Constitution and turn it, and set a new nap upon it." Shakspeare., and Mounted to 30 x 40 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Novr. 16th, 1795, by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Thelwall, John, 1764-1834, Jones, John Gale, 1769-1838, Priestley, Joseph, 1733-1804, Hodgson, Richard, 1760-1816, and London Corresponding Society.
Subject (Topic):
Freedom of the press, Meetings, Petition, Right of., Sedition, Political crimes and offenses, Butchers, Chimney sweeps, Crowds, Podiums, Political parades & rallies, and Working class
"Sheridan and Fox walk (left to right) one behind the other, bending under the weight of huge bundles of petitions which they carry on their heads. Both wear bonnets-rouges; Fox is dressed in a tattered shirt and breeches. Smaller petitions project from their pockets. Sheridan's petitions are: 'House of Correction', 'Petition in Favor of Sedition', 'for Sedition', 'Girls Petition', 'Boys Petition', 'Washerwomens Pn', 'Pickpocket from Newgate', 'Drunkards', 'Marshalsea', 'Burow Clink' [the Clink prison in the Borough of Southwark], 'Bridwell'. He says: "These will serve for a few hours Jaw, & if we can but procrastinate the Bill a few days we may be able to Effect something in that Time." Fox's petitions: 'St Lukes from Thelwal with an Essay on Deism' [cf. BMSat 9286], 'Gamblers Peti[ti]on Dustmens', 'an adress from that oppresed body of Men on Board the Hulks [convicts]', 'Bankrupts P [above Banker's, scored through]', 'Nightmen', 'Scavengers', 'Card & Dice Makers', 'an adress', 'Fish Women'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker identified in British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark resulting in partial loss of imprint., Printseller's announcement following publication statement: Folios of caracatures [sic] lent out for evening., Temporary local subject terms: Bills: Treasonable Practices bill -- Seditious Meetings bill., Watermark: Strasburg bend., and Mounted to 31 x 39 cm.
Publisher:
Published Novr. 26, 1795, by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806 and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
