Horace Twiss was born in Bath in 1787. He
became a student at the Inner Temple in 1806 and was called to the
bar on 28th June 1811. Twiss was a staunch Tory
and in 1820 was selected as Lord Clarendon's candidate for Wooton
Basset in Wiltshire. He continued to pursue his legal career and
in 1827 became a king's counsel.
Twiss was considered to be one of the best orators in the House
of Commons. However, he was criticised for his unconventional
speeches in debates. Lord Campbell observed that Twiss "though
inexhaustibly fluent, his manner certainly was very flippant, factitious,
and unbusinesslike". In 1825 Lord Liverpool
appointed Twiss as counsel to the admiralty and in the government
of the Duke of Wellington was under-secretary
of war.
Twiss was one of the leading opponents of Earl Grey's proposals for
parliamentary reform. As a result of the 1832
Reform Act Wooton Basset lost its right to be represented in the
House of Commons. Twiss was out of Parliament until he won the seat
of Bridport for the Tories in 1835. In 1837 he switched to Nottingham
but was badly beaten. He was also defeated at Bury St Edmunds in 1841.
After his failure to return to the House of
Commons, Twiss concentrated on journalism. He wrote accounts of
parliamentary debates and editorials for The
Times. His daughter, Fanny Twiss, married John Thaddeus Delane,
the editor of The Times. Horace Twiss
continued to be active in politics and died while making a speech
at Radley's Hotel, Blackfriars, on 4th May, 1849.
John
Doyle, drawing showing
three new MPs, William Cobbett, John
Gully and Joseph Pease (the first Quaker
elected to Parliament) arriving
in March 1833. An angry Horace Twiss can be seen third from the
right.
(1)
Thomas Macaulay, letter to Thomas Flower
Ellis on the vote in the House of Commons on the Reform
Act (30th March, 1831)
Such a scene as the division of last Tuesday I never saw, and never
expect to see again. If I should live fifty years the impression of
it will be as fresh and sharp in my mind as if it had just taken place.
It was like seeing Caesar stabbed in the Senate House, or seeing Oliver
taking the mace from the table, a sight to be seen only once and never
to be forgotten. The crowd overflowed the House in every part. When
the doors were locked we had six hundred and eight members present,
more than fifty five than were ever in a division before.
When Charles Wood who stood near the door jumped up on a bench and
cried out. 'They are only three hundred and one.' We set up a shout
that you might have heard to Charing Cross - waving our hats - stamping
against the floor and clapping our hands. The tellers scarcely got
through the crowd. But you might have heard a pin drop as Duncannon
read the numbers. Then again the shouts broke out - and many of us
shed tears - I could scarcely refrain. And the jaw of Peel fell; and
the face of Twiss was as the face of a damned soul. We shook hands
and clapped each other on the back, and went out laughing, crying,
and huzzaing into the lobby.
(2)
Horace Twiss told E. J. Littleton his opinion on Robert
Peel (20th November, 1831)
Peel was the best man of business and the best debater in England
- but always thinking of his reputation and his outward character
- never decided and courageous - thinking more of getting well through
a business into which he had been led by circumstances, than bold
and decided in his pursuit and assertion of great principles and worthy
objects.
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