Broadside entitled 'Whiggery's Withered Trunk Put Forth a Leaf'

Transcription

WHIGGERY'S

Withered Trunk put forth a Leaf.

THE County of Roxburgh was already tired with the foolish, bom-
bastic, and unmeaning offusions of sciolistic and shallow witted Politicians;
the walls had been covered with Placards containing recitals and re-recitals
of circumstances which had no existence, save in the imaginations of their
authors ; and every body was anxiously longing for the cessation of such
bare faced effrontery, when the public was again troubled with the Letter
of a fellow Elector, setting forth the brilliant and extraordinary success
of the Honourable Captain G. ELLIOT, in a style of language, in pompo-
sity and bombast far exceeding any former production of the kind, and
alike destitute of any thing that is to be found in sound argument, as it is
of common sense.

Let it be observed that the Captain's return to Parliament is by no
means yet ascertained to be so sure as this Elector would fain make it to
be believed; but that there yet exists some doubt as to the certain occur-
rence of this event even in his mind, is very evident, from the strenuous
efforts he makes to forward his cause ; nay more, it is positively affirmed
that the brilliant and triumphant success of CAPTAIN ELLIOT exists only
in the minds of his hired and blustering braggadocios.

Notwithstanding of all that has been said and sung of CAPTAIN
ELLIOT'S Claims upon this County, I would ask, WHAT ARE THEY ?
His story may be made plain and simple, and told in a very few words, -
He was a Naval Captain for about 26 years, he has been a Secretary to
the Admiralty for one year, and during all that time, (having nothing
worthy of credit to the contrary) it may be concluded that he drew his
pay, and acted just like any other person under similar circumstances.
But oh ! how amusing it is to see how his exploits are wrought up so as
to approach almost to the marvellous: we are told he was at the siege of
this, and assisted at the blockade of that; was at the demolishing of this
fortress, and the storming of that citadel; and, in short, his exploits are
made nearly to match With those of Jack the Giant Killer, or the Adven-
tures of Robinson Crusoe; and when these are credited and admired,
CAPTAIN ELLIOT'S Claims for praise may then be given in.

The two Competitors in the field of Roxburgh do in some respects
resemble each other; neither of them has one fur of land in the County ;
they are both already in the service of their Country; they are both per-
sonally respectable, and scions of respectable and noble families; they are
both alike untutored in parliamentary business; in these things they re-
semble : in others, there is less similitude; in the number of their years
they differ widely; and lastly, they differ wider far in their oratorial and
intellectual endowments, - the one talks like a clown, the other like a
thorough bred orator, - the one appears a giant in intellect, the other only
a schoolboy.            

One word regarding this person who calls himself a Fellow Elector ;
what a kindly fellow feeling he seems to have with the Honourable CAP-
TAIN, how cruse he is ! but oh, methinks, how he will quake and tremble
when the subject of unmerited Pensions is brought before a Reformed
Parliament; and his services to his country will have to be brought out
in array, and the question will be asked, WHAT WERE THEY ?

And one word to my good Electors ! be not swayed by the fulsome
stuff that is offered to you, but let your own judgment direct you in your
choice ; come and examine the Candidates for your suffrages, and when
you do this bring with you the scales of candour, cleansed from the rust
of prejudice by the hands of intelligent modesty.

Wishing you much joy in your new privileges,
I am yours,

A LOOKER ON.
5th Sept. 1832.

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