1872 Londonderry City by-election: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|UK Parliamentary by-election}} |
{{Short description|UK Parliamentary by-election}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} |
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{{EngvarB|August 2019}} |
{{EngvarB|date=August 2019}} |
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The '''[[Londonderry City (UK Parliament constituency)|Londonderry City]] by-election of 1872''' was |
The '''[[Londonderry City (UK Parliament constituency)|Londonderry City]] by-election of 1872''' was held on 23 November following the resignation of incumbent [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] member of parliament [[Richard Dowse]] to become a [[Baron of the Exchequer]]. The Liberal vote was split as their candidate, [[Christopher Palles]], was considered by Catholics as a "priest-hunter" for his prosecution of clergy as Attorney-General and denounced by Protestants for his views on education along denominational lines. The election was won by the [[Irish Conservative Party]]'s [[Sir Charles Lewis, 1st Baronet|Charles Lewis]] who secured a 174-vote majority. The election was the first Irish election to the British Parliament to be held by secret ballot. |
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== Background == |
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[[Richard Dowse]] was a [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] politician who was first elected to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom]] for the [[Londonderry City (UK Parliament constituency)|Londonderry City]] constituency at the [[1868 United Kingdom general election|17 November 1868 general election]].<ref name=thompson>{{cite book |last1=Thompson |first1=Frank |title=The End of Liberal Ulster: Land Agitation and Land Reform, 1868-1886 |publisher=Ulster Historical Foundation |isbn=978-1-903688-06-9 |page=143| date=2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kqNVgAVmaZUC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mr Richard Dowse |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-richard-dowse/index.html |website=Hansard |accessdate=14 September 2020}}</ref> A lawyer, Dowse had been appointed [[Solicitor-General for Ireland]] in February 1870, an appointment that, under the law of the time, triggered a [[ministerial by-election]]. Dowse stood in the [[1870 Londonderry City by-election|by-election of 15 February]] and received 680 votes, defeating a challenge from Robert Baxter of the [[Irish Conservative Party]], who received 592.<ref name=thom>{{cite book |title=Thom's Directory of Ireland |date=1876 |publisher=Alexander Thom |location=Dublin |page=749 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o0o9AQAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref name=otte>{{cite book |last1=Otte |first1=Thomas |last2=Readman |first2=Paul |title=By-Elections in British Politics, 1832-1914 |date=2013 |publisher=Boydell Press |isbn=978-1-84383-780-0 |page=74 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fASYFMKoTRIC |language=en}}</ref> This was considered unusual in a time when such by-elections were becoming increasingly uncontested.<ref name=otte/> |
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Dowse later became [[Attorney-General for Ireland]] and on 1 November 1872 Dowse was appointed a [[Baron of the Exchequer]], necessitating his resignation from the House of Commons.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mair |first1=Robert Henry |title=Debrett's Illustrated House of Commons and the Judicial Bench |date=1877 |publisher=Dean & Son |page=393 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1NoNAAAAQAAJ |language=en}}</ref> A by-election was held on 27 November 1872 to select a new member.<ref name=oday>{{cite book |last1=O'Day |first1=Alan |title=Irish Home Rule, 1867-1921 |date=1998 |publisher=Manchester University Press |isbn=978-0-7190-3776-4 |page=35 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g_6EK8JP4y8C |language=en}}</ref> |
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== Candidates == |
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[[File:ChristopherPalles.jpg|thumb|Christopher Palles, pictured later in his career]] |
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[[File:Photograph of Joseph Biggar.jpg|thumb|Joseph Biggar]] |
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The Liberal Party selected [[Christopher Palles]], who had succeeded Dowse as Attorney-General, as their candidate. Palles had previously served as [[Solicitor-General for Ireland]], in which role he had prosecuted Catholic clergy; this upset some of his fellow Catholics who decried him as a "priest-hunter" and a "government hack". He also upset many [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterians]] (Protestants) with his support for segregation of education along denominational lines. The ''[[Ballymoney Free Press]]'' considered that the Liberal Party made a mistake in selecting Palles. The Irish Conservative Party characterised him as the candidate of Irish Catholic Archbishop of Dublin [[Paul Cullen (cardinal)|Paul Cullen]]. Palles eventually received the support of Francis Kelly, the [[Bishop of Derry]], though the church initially chose to remain impartial in the by-election.<ref name=thompson/> |
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The Irish Conservative Party's candidates were [[Sir Charles Lewis, 1st Baronet|Charles Lewis]] and Bartholomew McCorkell. Lewis had been nominated first and as a Presbyterian solicitor had been selected to capitalise on the conflict within the Liberal Party on the education issue.<ref name=thompson/> The local association disagreed with the decision of the Conservative Central Office to select Lewis and chose McCorkell, a local merchant, as their candidate.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Emmet J. |title=The Roman Catholic Church and the Home Rule Movement in Ireland, 1870-1874 |date=1990 |publisher=Gill and Macmillan |isbn=978-0-7171-1760-4 |page=153 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xu1VAAAAYAAJ |language=en}}</ref> |
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The [[Home Rule League]] put up [[Joseph Biggar]] as their candidate.<ref name=thom/> It was clear that Biggar had little chance of winning the seat, but his candidature threatened to further split the Catholic Liberal vote.<ref name=thompson/> |
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== Results == |
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The election seems to have been fought largely on the issue of education.<ref name=thompson/> The election was the first parliamentary election in Ireland to be held as a [[secret ballot]], introduced by the [[Ballot Act 1872]].<ref name=thompson/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=Chris |last2=Stevenson |first2=John |title=A History of British Elections since 1689 |date=2014 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-1-317-69301-7 |page=414 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AeTpAwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> |
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Lewis won the seat for the Conservatives, overturning the 88-seat majority won by Dowse in 1870. Lewis secured 696 votes, Palles 522, Biggar 89, and McCorkall 2.<ref name=thom/> The result was regarded as a major setback for the Liberals in Ulster, who were reduced to two members in that province. It showed evidence that the party was liable to split in areas where Protestants felt their interests were at risk, with some voting with the Conservatives.<ref name=thompson75>{{cite book |last1=Thompson |first1=Frank |title=The End of Liberal Ulster: Land Agitation and Land Reform, 1868-1886 |publisher=Ulster Historical Foundation |isbn=978-1-903688-06-9 |page=144| date=2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kqNVgAVmaZUC |language=en}}</ref> The failure of Biggar to make an impact is considered evidence that, despite the fears of some contemporaries, so-called [[Fenian]] flying columns of voters had little effect.<ref name=oday/> |
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{{Election box begin | |
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|title=By-election, 27 Nov 1872: Londonderry City<ref name="walker">{{cite book|editor1-last=Walker|editor1-first=B.M.|title=Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922|date=1978|publisher=Royal Irish Academy|location=Dublin|isbn=0901714127}}</ref>}} |
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{{Election box winning candidate with party link| |
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|party = Irish Conservative Party |
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|candidate = [[Sir Charles Lewis, 1st Baronet|Charles Lewis]] |
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|votes = 696 |
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|percentage = 53.2 |
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|change = +7.2 |
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}} |
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{{Election box candidate with party link| |
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|party = Liberal Party (UK) |
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|candidate = [[Christopher Palles]] |
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|votes = 522 |
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|percentage = 39.9 |
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|change = −14.1 |
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}} |
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{{Election box candidate with party link| |
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|party = Home Rule League |
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|candidate = [[Joseph Biggar]] |
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|votes = 89 |
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|percentage = 6.8 |
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|change = ''New'' |
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}} |
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{{Election box candidate with party link| |
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|party = Irish Conservative Party |
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|candidate = Bartholomew McCorkell |
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|votes = 2 |
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|percentage = 0.2 |
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|change = ''N/A'' |
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}} |
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{{Election box majority| |
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|votes = 174 |
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|percentage = 13.3 |
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|change = ''N/A'' |
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}} |
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{{Election box turnout| |
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|votes = 1,309 |
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|percentage = 80.7 |
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|change = −7.2 |
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}} |
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{{Election box registered electors| |
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|reg. electors = 1,622 |
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}} |
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{{Election box gain with party link| |
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|winner = Irish Conservative Party |
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|loser = Liberal Party (UK) |
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|swing = +10.7 |
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}} |
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{{Election box end}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:1872 elections in the United Kingdom|Londonderry City by-election]] |
[[Category:1872 elections in the United Kingdom|Londonderry City by-election]] |
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[[Category:1872 in Ireland|Londonderry City by-election]] |
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[[Category:November 1872 events|Londonderry City by-election]] |
[[Category:November 1872 events|Londonderry City by-election]] |
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[[Category:19th century in Derry (city)]] |
[[Category:19th century in Derry (city)]] |
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[[Category:Elections in Derry (city)]] |
[[Category:Elections in Derry (city)]] |
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[[Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in County Londonderry constituencies]] |
[[Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in County Londonderry constituencies]] |
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[[Category:1872 elections in Ireland]] |
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{{Ireland-UK-Parl-by-election-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 17:26, 26 September 2023
The Londonderry City by-election of 1872 was held on 23 November following the resignation of incumbent Liberal Party member of parliament Richard Dowse to become a Baron of the Exchequer. The Liberal vote was split as their candidate, Christopher Palles, was considered by Catholics as a "priest-hunter" for his prosecution of clergy as Attorney-General and denounced by Protestants for his views on education along denominational lines. The election was won by the Irish Conservative Party's Charles Lewis who secured a 174-vote majority. The election was the first Irish election to the British Parliament to be held by secret ballot.
Background
[edit]Richard Dowse was a Liberal Party politician who was first elected to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom for the Londonderry City constituency at the 17 November 1868 general election.[1][2] A lawyer, Dowse had been appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland in February 1870, an appointment that, under the law of the time, triggered a ministerial by-election. Dowse stood in the by-election of 15 February and received 680 votes, defeating a challenge from Robert Baxter of the Irish Conservative Party, who received 592.[3][4] This was considered unusual in a time when such by-elections were becoming increasingly uncontested.[4]
Dowse later became Attorney-General for Ireland and on 1 November 1872 Dowse was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer, necessitating his resignation from the House of Commons.[5] A by-election was held on 27 November 1872 to select a new member.[6]
Candidates
[edit]
The Liberal Party selected Christopher Palles, who had succeeded Dowse as Attorney-General, as their candidate. Palles had previously served as Solicitor-General for Ireland, in which role he had prosecuted Catholic clergy; this upset some of his fellow Catholics who decried him as a "priest-hunter" and a "government hack". He also upset many Presbyterians (Protestants) with his support for segregation of education along denominational lines. The Ballymoney Free Press considered that the Liberal Party made a mistake in selecting Palles. The Irish Conservative Party characterised him as the candidate of Irish Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Paul Cullen. Palles eventually received the support of Francis Kelly, the Bishop of Derry, though the church initially chose to remain impartial in the by-election.[1]
The Irish Conservative Party's candidates were Charles Lewis and Bartholomew McCorkell. Lewis had been nominated first and as a Presbyterian solicitor had been selected to capitalise on the conflict within the Liberal Party on the education issue.[1] The local association disagreed with the decision of the Conservative Central Office to select Lewis and chose McCorkell, a local merchant, as their candidate.[7]
The Home Rule League put up Joseph Biggar as their candidate.[3] It was clear that Biggar had little chance of winning the seat, but his candidature threatened to further split the Catholic Liberal vote.[1]
Results
[edit]The election seems to have been fought largely on the issue of education.[1] The election was the first parliamentary election in Ireland to be held as a secret ballot, introduced by the Ballot Act 1872.[1][8]
Lewis won the seat for the Conservatives, overturning the 88-seat majority won by Dowse in 1870. Lewis secured 696 votes, Palles 522, Biggar 89, and McCorkall 2.[3] The result was regarded as a major setback for the Liberals in Ulster, who were reduced to two members in that province. It showed evidence that the party was liable to split in areas where Protestants felt their interests were at risk, with some voting with the Conservatives.[9] The failure of Biggar to make an impact is considered evidence that, despite the fears of some contemporaries, so-called Fenian flying columns of voters had little effect.[6]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Conservative | Charles Lewis | 696 | 53.2 | +7.2 | |
| Liberal | Christopher Palles | 522 | 39.9 | −14.1 | |
| Home Rule | Joseph Biggar | 89 | 6.8 | New | |
| Irish Conservative | Bartholomew McCorkell | 2 | 0.2 | N/A | |
| Majority | 174 | 13.3 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,309 | 80.7 | −7.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,622 | ||||
| Irish Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +10.7 | |||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Thompson, Frank (2013). The End of Liberal Ulster: Land Agitation and Land Reform, 1868-1886. Ulster Historical Foundation. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-903688-06-9.
- ^ "Mr Richard Dowse". Hansard. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ a b c Thom's Directory of Ireland. Dublin: Alexander Thom. 1876. p. 749.
- ^ a b Otte, Thomas; Readman, Paul (2013). By-Elections in British Politics, 1832-1914. Boydell Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-1-84383-780-0.
- ^ Mair, Robert Henry (1877). Debrett's Illustrated House of Commons and the Judicial Bench. Dean & Son. p. 393.
- ^ a b O'Day, Alan (1998). Irish Home Rule, 1867-1921. Manchester University Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-7190-3776-4.
- ^ Larkin, Emmet J. (1990). The Roman Catholic Church and the Home Rule Movement in Ireland, 1870-1874. Gill and Macmillan. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-7171-1760-4.
- ^ Cook, Chris; Stevenson, John (2014). A History of British Elections since 1689. London: Routledge. p. 414. ISBN 978-1-317-69301-7.
- ^ Thompson, Frank (2013). The End of Liberal Ulster: Land Agitation and Land Reform, 1868-1886. Ulster Historical Foundation. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-903688-06-9.
- ^ Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.