James Paull (MP)

[1] Paull was involved in a duel with Michael George Prendergast in 1795;[2] he was wounded, and in later life lost the use of his right arm.

He was a follower of the Prince of Wales; he was elected Member of Parliament for the borough of Newtown, Isle of Wight, on 5 June 1805, and before the month was out proceeded to move for papers relating to the dealings of Lord Wellesley with the Nawab of Awadh.

[3] The friends of Lord Wellesley tried in July 1806 to force his hand, but, through the interposition of Sir Samuel Romilly, were prevented from carrying out their purpose.

[1] Paull widened his parliamentary interests, and succeeded to a limited extent in getting extra-parliamentary support from the direction of the East India Company.

[1] Paull, having been disappointed in his expectation of obtaining a seat for one of the prince's boroughs, stood for Westminster against Sheridan and Sir Samuel Hood (November).

Burdett had himself been asked to stand for Westminster, but declined in favour of Paull, supporting him with all his influence and subscribing £1,000 towards the expenses of the contest.

On one occasion, when the candidates were on the hustings, a stage was brought from Drury Lane, with four tailors seated at work, a live goose, and several cabbages.

[1] Burdett had been advertised by Paull as having agreed to take the chair at a dinner at the Crown and Anchor at an early stage in the election proceedings, but he repudiated the alleged engagement, and a duel ensued at Coombe Wood, near Wimbledon, on 2 May 1807.

Gillray produced a caricature of the duel, and some ridicule was expressed over the circumstance that, through the absence of a medical officer and the lack of proper arrangements for carriages, both combatants were brought back to London in the same vehicle.

[1] As a consequence of the duel, Francis Place and his radical supporters switched to backing the wounded Burdett (who did not appear on the hustings).

In 1808 there came out A Letter from Mr. Paull to Samuel Whitbread, in which he attributed the loss of his election for Westminster to the influence of another politician.