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To the Freeholders of Northumberland
Liddell’s & Beaumont’s Coalition
This odious & unnatural Coalition has roused the just indignation of the whole County. The facts now betraying it are of themselves sufficient to excite & reprobation of every honest man. But much more remains behind the scenes which must be laid bare. It is now quite clear that an understanding between Mrs Beaumont & Lord Ravensworth has long existed & that all pecuniary difficulties have been smoothed by the wealth & lavish expenditure of the Sd Lady. This arrangement, tho’ often suspected, has hitherto been successfully concealed from the public eye, but the mask has at length fallen off & the original deformity of this monster is now presented to the view of all Northumberland.
Men of all parties who wish well to your County’s Independence, & your Country’s Welfare, come forward & prevent the Accomplishment of this scandalous job. What is it we now behold? Ultra Tories & ultra Radicals combined. Clennell, the Marmiot, & Mitchell the Tyne Mercury radical arm in arm & Leaton the Whickham fugitive embracing the Town Moor Chairman, all exchanging their colours & each giving their second vote against their pledged political principles! Well did the pettifogging chairman of the Quarter Sessions deserve the spirited rebuke he met with from the honest & straightforward Matthew Bell, in the booths this morning. That he will repent is not to be expected- that he was filled with shame was evident to all beholders - and that he will be punished by the contempt of his former political friends & the scorn of the honest portion of the community is certain.
Once more I call on all the Freeholders to come forward and vote for the two independent candidates Mr Bell & Lord Howick. If they hesitate the Independence of the County is lost, & Northumberland will be reduced to the rank of a Rotten Borough, the nomination of which will be vested in the Leaden hands of Mrs Beaumont.
Wallace
JGL A40/11. Undated, but allegations of an alliance between the Tory Liddell and claimed radical Beaumont flew during the election campaign in the spring of 1826. Reference to the booths suggests the election was by this time underway, towards the end of June. 25th June used here, a day after Beaumont was thought to be catching Howick after the poll in Hexham.
