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Cornwall Politics 1826-1832: Another Face of Reform?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 November 2023
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It is now more than six years since Professors D.C. Moore and R.W. Davis battled it out, toe to toe like a pair of heavyweights, over the “other face of reform” in Buckinghamshire. The controversy began, it will be recalled, when Davis in his book on Bucks electoral politics addressed himself to Moore's conclusions about a country-based reform movement. Moore suggested that it was composed of ultra-Tories and rural Whigs, who eventually influenced the framing of the First Reform Act. Davis labelled Moore's “other face of reform” an “hallucination,” at least so far as Bucks was concerned. Whereupon the latter launched a vigorous counterattack in the pages of this journal. Both scholars defended their conclusions about events in Bucks, as well as the sources upon which they were based. When the final bell rang each stood bloodied but unbowed, still convinced of the validity of his viewpoint. Since then no challengers have come forward to join the battle. The arena has remained empty, the spotlights dimmed, as if mourning a memorable brawl.
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- Copyright © The North American Conference on British Studies, 1983
References
1 D.C. Moore, “The Other Face of Reform”, Victorian Studies, V,1 (1961), 7-34; R.W. Davis, Political Change And Continuity 1760-1885: A Buckinghamshire Study (Newton Abbot, 1972); Moore. “Is ‘The Other Face of Reform’ in Bucks an ‘Hallucination’?”, and Davis. “Yes”, Journal of British Studies, XV, 2 (1976), 150-161; Moore. “Some Thoughts on Thoroughness and Carefulness Suggested by Comparing the Reports of the Ay lesbury Meeting of 24 February 1830 in The Times and the Bucks Gazette, and Davis; “Rebuttal”, Journal of British Studies,” XVII, 1 (1977), 141-144.
2 Moore “Other Face of Reform.“
3 Davis, Political Change, p. 88.
4 Ibid., pp. 85, 88.
5 Davis “Rebuttal”, p. 144.
6 In fact in 1830 none of Cornwall's 20 boroughs could have been termed “open”; Mitchell, Tregony, Penryn, Helston and several others were notoriously venal.
7 See E. Jaggard, “Patrons, Principles And Parties: Cornwall Electoral Politics 1760-1910“; (Ph.D. dissertation, Washington University, St. Louis, 1980), chapter IV.
8 Ibid.
9 |C|ornwall |R|ecord |O|ffice, Rashleigh MSS, DD.R. 5318, Pendarves to William Rashleigh, 24 December 1825.
10 This was openly admitted in June 1826 when more than 1300 freeholders, headed by De Dunstanville, signed a petition asking Tremayne to offer himself again at the coming election. See West Briton, 2.6.1826. p.l.
11 These activities are explained in W.B. Elvins, “The Reform Movement And County Politics In Cornwall 1809-1852”; (M.A. thesis, University of Birmingham 1959), chapter 5, pages 1-2.
12 Royal Cornwall Gazette, 6.12.1828, p.2.
13 West Briton, 2.1.1829, p.2.
14 Colman Rashleigh, William Peter. Reverend Robert Walker, Edward Pendarves, John Trelawney and the other dozen or so who were the principal members of the Whig reformers after 1809. were all lesser gentry. Most were J. P. s, and their political impact (which was considerable) has been analyzed in E. Jaggard, “The Parliamentary Reform Movement in Cornwall, 1805-1826” Parliamentary History Yearbook, (forthcoming).
15 Detailed reports of these meetings appeared in the West Briton. 9.1.1829, p. 3 and 16.1.1829, p.2.
16 Antony House (Cornwall), Carew MSS, CC/N/60, Vyvyan to Carew, 9 March 1827.
17 C.R.O. Rashleigh MSS, DD.R. 5320, Rashleigh to Robins, 23 March 1827.
18 C.R.O. Vyvyan MSS, DD.V. 36/47, Vyvyan to all his election agents, 26 May 1828.
19 Ibid., 47/34, Captain Henry Thomson to Vyvyan, 29 May 1828.
20 Went Briton, 16.5.1828, p.3.
21 Ibid., 23.5.1828, p.2.
22 Moore “Other Face of Reform,” p.17.
23 Ibid., p. 18.
24 West Briton, 17.6.1826, p.2.
25 Archer admitted that he had little idea of the precise causes of distress. West Briton, 26.2.1830, p.2.
26 Ibid. and 13.3.1830, pp.2-3.
27 West Briton, 5.3.1830, p.2.
28 Davis Political Change, p. 85.
29 West Briton, 26.3.1830, p. 2.
30 Ibid.
31 Ibid.
32 Ibid. It was Peter who made this statement in the course of developing his currency arguments at great length.
33 This suggestion provoked the farmers to summon a county meeting in the first place.
34 West Briton, 30.12.1825, p.3.
35 The various phases of this process are discussed in Jaggard, “Patrons, Principles, and Parties”, chapter v.
36 The emergence of the Liskeard reformers was particularly obvious at the Hundred meeting mentioned earlier. See the West Briton 13.3.1830, pp. 2-3. As in Truro they seem to have been particularly active after 1827.
37 Davis, Political Change, p. 87.
38 Royal Cornwall Gazette, 17.6.1826. p.2.
39 Elvins, “Reform Movement and County Politics”, chapter 6, p.l.
40 Ibid.
41 Ibid.
42 The final result was Edward Pendarves 1819 votes, Sir Charles Lemon 1804, Sir Richard Vyvyan 906 and Viscount Valletort 811. Afterwards G.W.F. Gregor, one of the leading Tories, wrote that the party received its death blow at the election, “when we chose to shew our weakness (of which Sir. R.V. was well aware) and that it (the Party) had been on the decline since the Election of 1826.” C.R.O., DD.G, 1935/5, 27 August 1831.
43 Antony (Cornwall) Carew MSS, CC/N/64, Lord Eliot to Pole Carew, 16 November 1831.
44 Ibid., Valletort to Pole Carew, 21 December 1831, and CC/N/65, Falmouth to Pole Crew, 13 January 1832.
45 Ibid., CC/Q/5, Hext to Carew, 8 February 1832.
46 John Cannon in the American Historical Review, 76, 4 (1973), 1460.
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