Charles Wetherell. The association
of his name with the riots at Bristol a few years before did not add
to his prospects of success in Birmingham. It was thought, however,
that his relationship to Mr. Spooner would give him a chance, but the
poll showed 1,454 votes for Mr. Muntz, and only 915 for Sir Charles.

From the time of his entering the House of Commons, Mr. Muntz's
political and public character seems to have become deteriorated.
Whether increasing riches brought increasing conservatism of thought
can be hardly ascertained now; but there is no doubt that from this
time the hereditary aristocratic tendencies of his mind began to
gather force. The head of the paternal tree had long returned from
exile to the family chateau, and resumed the position of a landed
seigneur; and his son, George Louis Muntz, cousin of George Frederic,
had just been elected a Member of the French Chamber of Deputies. Why
should not the Muntzes become a family of equal position in England?
No doubt this feeling became a ruling passion, and influenced his
every thought.

Still, he was a very vain man, and had always told his friends,
publicly and privately, that at least _he_ was politically honest
and consistent; and he was desirous--spite of his change of views--to
retain this self-given character. Hence all sorts of eccentricities,
inconsistencies, and absurdities. Hence his constant habit of speaking
one way and voting another, and hence his morbid sensitiveness to
anything like adverse criticism. In fact, from this time he became
utterly incomprehensible, and but for the grateful recollection of the
many services of his younger days, would probably have found himself
deserted by his political friends.

At this time, too, the egotism, which in his later years became
more manifest, began to show itself. He evidently thought himself
_somebody_, and did not hesitate to say so on all occasions; until, at
length, it was painful to listen to a speech of his. I remember, about
the time of the Crimean war, when the organisation of the English
army was found to be so lamentably deficient, there was a society
established in Birmingham called by some such name as "The
Administrative Reform Association." A large meeting was held in
Bingley Hall, at which all the leading Liberals of the town were
present. George Dawson made a capital speech, and Muntz had "a long
innings." As we came out, poor Dawson said to me, "They won't be able
to print Mun