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View of Public Affairs...Great Britain...Middlesex Eléction. [August,

The only measures of consequence adopted in parliament before its prorogation, which have not been already noticed, were an Act for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors, by which the persons of imprisoned debtors are liberated, but their future estate is still subjected to the demands of their creditors, unless they should have paid fifteen shillings in the pound: And the Corn Regulation Bill, the object of which is to encourage the growth of corn, by permitting its exportation when the price falls below a certain rate. siderable clamour has been excited against Conthis last measure, but, we conceive, without any just ground.

MIDDLESEX ELECTION.

The Middlesex Election is the subject which has chiefly interested the feelings, and occupied the conversation, of the metropolis during the last month. last general election, Sir Francis Burdett At the offered himself as a candidate for the county, professedly on the ground of Mr. Mainwaring, one of the old members, being the protector of Mr. Aris, keeper of the prison in Cold Bath Fields, which Sir Francis denominated the Bastile; and of Mr. Aris being guilty of much cruelty towards the prisoners. In our review for 1802, p. 594, we noticed a little pamphlet, containing authentic extracts from the report of the commissioners appointed by the king to inspect this prison, from which it appeared, that though Mr. Aris had been faulty in some respects, "his character for humanity," to use the words of the commissioners, 66 was unimpeached," his very "deviations from the rules" he was charged with violating, being stated "to have been uniformly on the side of indulgence to his prisoners."

The cry raised by Sir Francis Burdett nevertheless prevailed. The populace readily believe tales of misery and torture: their passions are quickly roused, and the first impression is not to be effaced by a subsequent answer, containing a long detail of the facts which ought to decide the question. The democratic violence of Sir Francis, however, raised against him many enemies among the middling and higher classes, and therefore, although the voices of the multitude seemed unanimous, in his favour, the election was likely to turn against him, when, by the introduction at the end of the poll of three hundred and seventy fictitious, voters claiming a right to vote, on the ground of having a share in a mill at Isleworth, which was not yet built, a majority of two hundred and se

* For au account of these mill voters, see the review of the above pamphlet, entitled, "Considerations ou the late Elections for Westminster and Middlesex," printed for Hatchard. Christ. Observ. for September 1899, p. 595,

expectedly procured. These voters, though yenty-one over Mr. Mainwaring was unwithout the shadow of a right to vote, were advised by Mr. Clifford, counsel for Sir Francis, to take the usual oath of qualifi cation.

of Commons against the return of Sir FranMr. Mainwaring petitioned the House cis Burdett, 'and he also charged the sheriffs with partiality in admitting these and a multitude of other fictitious voters, and in tolerating various outrages during the ed to try the merits of the petition decidpoll at Brentford. The committee appointed, that the majority of votes was in favour of Mr. Mainwaring, and that he ought to have been returned. Of Mr. twenty were disqualified, chiefly owing to Mainwaring's voters nine hundred and inaccuracies in taking down' their names, qualifications, and places of residence, and found to be without freeholds in the counof these it is affirmed, that not ten were ty. About one thousand three hundred of the voters for Sir Francis were disqualified, and it is supposed that had it been necessary to pursue the investigation many more would have been struck off the poll. It is almost unnecessary to observe, that all thus particular in stating the enormous the mill voters were set aside. We are quantity of bad votes on the side of Sir Francis, because the principal contention in the late election has a reference to this subject.

competitor on another unexpected ground, Sir Francis Burdett then attacked his that of his having violated the law against treating. The party of Sir Francis, it is acknowledged, had carried the system of treating even to a far greater length than the friends of Mr. Mainwaring; but no We by no means regret that a violation of delicacy was observed on this account. posed, and followed by its just consethe law has, in this instance, been exquences: but we do not think that this lesfrom Sir Francis Burdett. We should be son of virtue comes with the best grace glad to know what he would have said if a member, for example, of the Society for the Suppression of Vice had turned informer against any one who had committed a crime, only the same in kind, and somewhat less in degree than had been perpenot Sir Francis and his friends have been trated by the informer himself. Would very ready to exclaim in language, which may as justly be applied to Sir Francis,

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should not steal, dost thou steal?" Thou
Thou, therefore, that preachest a man
that accusest another of treating, dost thou
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advocates of Sir Francis endeavoured to
+ During the late election, some of the
stigmatize this society as hypocritical and
puritanical.

ever, it was now too late for Mr. Mainwaring to retaliate, as his case was closed. The decision of the committee, by which the election of Middlesex was declared void, and Mr. Mainwaring rendered incligible during the present parliament; and by which also the sheriffs were declared to have admitted persons having no right to poll, and to have given the greatest encouragement to perjury, was stated in our number for July, p. 448.

Sir Francis having again announced himself a candidate, some difficulty arose in finding a champion boid enough to enter the lists against him. Near a week was lost in hesitation. A considerable subscription having at length been raised, Mr. Mainwaring, Jun. declared himself his opponent, and another poll protracted through fifteen days (the whole of the period allowed by law) has been the consequence.

Nothing could well exceed the violence of the language which has been used on this occasion. The prison in Cold Bath fields was, indeed, not often adverted to by Sir Francis, though it was occasionally mentioned. The corruption and servility of all the persons who supported Mr Mainwaring were his daily topics. They were all placemen, contractors, and loanjobbers. And the impropriety and even illegality of supporting a candidate by a subscription was strongly insisted on*. Mr. Mainwaring, on the other hand, was not disposed to spare Sir Francis, and in his first speech, which through the clamour of the mob was most indistinctly heard, he denominated him "the eulogist of traitor's " After the first day every effort to reply from the hustings to the assertions of Sir Francis proved wholly in vain. Much use was, however, made in print of a speech delivered by Sir Francis last year at Hackney, in which the newspapers reported him to have said, that the country, as now governed, was not worth defending, And his intimacy with O'Connor, who is understood to be assisting Bonaparte to plan his expedition against these kingdoms, and with Despard who was executed for treason; as well as his employing, as the principal agents in his election,

By the multitude Sir Francis was styled the friend of the people, the enemy of corruption, the man of virtue and independence: his opponent was termed the begging candidate. Bread was to be sixpence a loaf, if Sir Francis was returned, The late rise in the price of that article was attributed to the Corn Bill recently passed. That bill was called Mr. Pitt's bill, and young Mr. Mainwaring a tool of Mr. Pitt. And yet the bill in question was brought in by Mr. Western, an oppotition, member, and was supported by the landed interest on both sides of the House.

Bonney, the secretary to the corresponding society, and Frost the delegate at the bar of the French Convention, who was sentenced to the pillory, were proclaimed by numerous hand-bills through the streets of London.

During the progress of the poll, violent complaints were urged by Sir Francis Burdett of a plan, on the part of his oppohent, of making frivolous objections in the case of persons offering to poll for him. On the other hand, strong assurances were given to the public by Mr. Mainwaring of the existence of a systematic design, adopted by the agents of Sir Francis, for again carrying the election by perjured voters. As the election drew to a close the contest respecting dubious votes grew still more violent. The friends of Sir Francis Burdett were in the habit of coming to the hustings late, and in crowds, in the hope, as was alleged by Mr. Mainwaring's Inspectors, of escaping examination. Objections were, therefore, taken against them somewhat generally, and a number of tendered votes was usually reserved for examination on each succeeding morning.

At three o'clock on the fifteenth day, when the law requires that the poil shall be closed, the votes admitted by the sheriffs on the poll were, for Mr. Mainwaring 2828, for Sir Francis Burdett 2823. Between 30 and 40 votes however which before three o'clock had been tendered for Sir F. but objected to; as well as eight tendered for Mr. M, remained unexamined. A question therefore arose whether the validity of these votes should be enquired into after three o'clock. The point was argued by counsel, and the sheriffs proceeded, amidst the impatient clamours of an immense multitude to investigate, as well as they were able, the title of the voters; and they added, the same evening, such a num. ber to the poll as produced a majority of one in favour of Sir Francis. On the next morning the point was again argued, and the sheriffs, being convinced that the law did not allow of their adding any votes to the poll after three o'clock on the fifteenth day, erased the votes which had been so added, and on the evening of the sixteenth day made a return in favour of Mr. Mainwaring.

This proceeding excited, as may nat rally be supposed, the strongest sensations of disappointment among the friends of Sir Francis; and a subseription has been entered into by them for the purpose of prosecuting what they consider as their rights before the proper tribunals: the surplus being applicable to defraying the ex pences incurred by Sir Francis in the contest. It thus appears, that to subscribe to support a candidate at an election is not deemed by the party of Sir Francis to be so illegal as he had represented it

With respect to the law in this interest

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ing case, the friends of Mr. Mainwaring say, that the sheriffs acted erroneously in adding votes to the poll after three o'clock on the fifteenth day, and that they were therefore bound to cure their own error. The friends of Sir Francis Burdett, on the other hand, contend, that the conduct adopted by the sheriffs amounted to the granting of a scrutiny, in which case they are empowered to administer oaths and investigate votes. But almost every requisite, which the law inakes essential to a scrutiny, was wanting in this case. No scru tiny was demanded; nor did the sheriffs investigate votes already on the poll, which is the object of a scrutiny; neither did they proceed as the law directs in examining a vote of each side alternately. Sir F., if he pleased, might have demanded a scrutiny. But this he did not do. So confident, we are told, was Mr. M. of his having a real majority, that had the return, been favourable to Sir F. it was his fixed determination to demand one.

It is asserted on the one side, and not denied by the other, that the sheriffs made every possible exertion to prevent frivolous objections, and to decide on the validity of the tendered votes before three o'clock. It is also affirmed by Mr. Mainwaring, that had all the tendered votes been examined, so many on the side of Sir Francis were bad, that he would still have retained his majority. All these facts however remain to be substantiated before the proper tribunals. We are sorry to add, that many violences were committed by the populace on the last day of the election. These were, probably, diminished by the suspense in which they so long remained as to the final issue of the poli; but it required the utmost activity of the police, and the presence of some volunteers to prevent farther outrages.

We have given a more than usual share of attention to this subject, because we consider it to be not so much a question of common party politics, as the case of a young man, of a good family, and of a large fortune, openly availing himself of whatever spirit of jacobinism may subsist in the metropolis: profusely spending his patrimony in pursuing the favourite object of representing Middlesex: strengthening himself, it is true, by the names of Mr. Fox and other persons, who were nominally stewards at his dinner; but taking counsel of Mr. Horne Tooke, Mr. Bonney, and Mr. Frost, and appealing like them to the lowest passions of the people. We doubt not that many well meaning persons, and, we have heard with surprise, that some even of a religious cast joined his standard. For our own part we think it our duty, as the friends of truth and virtue, while we allow of a great latitude of political opinion, to mark our abhorrence of disloyalty, and to expose popular delusion; and we think that we cannot better

close our observations than by the following quotation from the pamphlet to which we have already alluded.

"It is not, therefore, because Sir Francis Burdett ranks on the side of opposition that we deprecate his success. As human nature is imperfect, and as we must on this account submit to take some good with its proportion of evil, it may be of public advantage that there should be an opposition as a rallying point for conscientions men, who vigilantly superintend the interests of their country, and watch with jealousy the exercise of power and the conduct of those in office. But we would watch with tenfold suspicion the march of those who aim at acquiring popularity by flattering the prejudices and inflaming the passions, of the people. To declaim against the government, institutions, and authoritics, of the kingdom may be only the ebullition of intemperate zeal and a weak judgment; but it is also the most efficacious inode of sowing the seeds of revolutionary principles. The progress from discontent to disaffection is natural and rapid. But gross misrepresentation and çalumny admit of no excuse; and when by such means the popular prejudice and indignation are inflamed, every honest man should expose them, every prudent man take alarm.

"Patriotism without judgment is dan gerous, in proportion to its activity. In its auxiety to attain its ends, it blindly overleaps those prudential considerations which cannot be neglected without hazard to the public safety and hence it has sometimes happened, that some few men, of the first rank, property, and talents in a nation, are seen coalescing with those of the lowest class and worst principles."

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NAVAL OCCURRENCES.

The naval intelligence of the present month affords many grounds of satisfaction and thankfulness.

In the course of one week the following fleets arrived safe in this country, viz. 15 sail of Chinamen, 5 South Sea Whalers, 150 Jamaica ships, 225 from the Leeward Islands, and a small fleet from Portugal, and one from Newfoundland. One vessel only, belonging to these valuable convoys, a Demarara ship, has been captured. None have been lost. The Baltic fleet has also arrived.

The report mentioned in our last of the defeat of Linois squadron by our China ships is fully verified. The defeat of a squadron of men of war, consisting of an eighty gun-ship, two frigates, and a sloop, by a fleet of heavy laden merchantmen unattended by a single man of war, affords a very striking proof of our naval superiority. Five of our ships only were engaged, and after a few broadsides the enemy sheered off Our loss was one man killed and one wounded. The

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court of directors of the East India Com. pany have bestowed most munificent rewards, amounting altogether to £.50,000. on the different persons concerned in this brilliant exploit. Captain Dance, the commodore of the fleet, who has also received from his Majesty the honour of knighthood, has been presented with 2000 guineas, and a piece of plate of the value of 200 guineas. His steady valour and eminent skill contributed greatly to the success of the day. Captain Timins, who led the attack in a very bold and animated manner, has received a present of half that amount. The other captains have received £.500. each, and a piece of plate of correspondent value. All the officers, petty officers, and seamen, have had proportionate rewards. Each seaman's share was £.6.

Some alarm was excited early in the month, by a report that a considerable part of the Brest squadron had eluded the vigilance of our blockading ships, and put to sea. It appeared, however, that they had only gone a few miles and returned again to their station.

Two attacks have been made by our ships on the town of Havre de Grace, and the vessels within and without the pier. The bombardment is said to have been attended with considerable damage to the town and shipping, but with little injury to our ships, and with no loss of lives.

It is said that Lord Nelson has taken

possession of the largest of the Hieres Islands to the southward of Toulon, and fortified it.

The blockade of the French harbours has been extended from the mouth of the Seine to the mouth of the Rhine, a measure which will oblige Bonaparte to have recourse to land carriage for the provisioning of his army, and will also deprive him of any aid in the conveyance of his troops, which he might derive from neutral vessels lying in any of his harbours.

Two French national corvettes have been destroyed near Bourdeaux by the Aigle frigate: but an attempt to cut out a French lugger from Boulogne roads failed after a terrible conflict, in which we lost a boat, and twenty-four out of thirty-eight men. Government are said to be building at Newcastle, Leith, and other places, a number of gunboats of about 200 tons burthen, and of an easy draft of water, to carry twenty-four to forty-two pound carronades, and to be employed on the enemy's coast.

REV.

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The Rev. Dr. CHRISTOPHER BETSON, Dean of Waterford, has been promoted to the Bishoprics of Clonfeit and Kilmacduagh in Ireland.

An Estimate of the Duty on Property, due and outstanding on the 5th of April, 1804, so far as the same can be made up. An estimate of the produce of

the property tax, from re-
turns received at this Office £4,123,745

Ditto from twenty-eight dis-
tricts in England, and the
whole duty from Scotland,
not returned to this office;
estimated proportionally to
the produce of the income
tax in the same districts......

Deduct, probable charges at 64d. in the pound......................

Paid into the Exchequer up to the 5th of April, 1804

836,565

4,960,310

134,342 4,825,968

338,877

Due and outstanding £.4,487,091 The heads of the different synagogues in London, and opulent Jews, have addressed to their sect a strong exhortation to obey the laws; not to carry on any trade on the christian sabbath; not to keep houses of ill-fame, or commit other irregularities, under their high censure, and forfeiture of the privileges attached to them as belonging to their community.

The unfavourable weather which occurred about the middle of the month bad the effect of considerably raising the price of grain, and the quartern loaf, on the 21st, was fixed at one shilling. Wheat, however, we are happy to say, has again fallen to nearly its former price.

ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS.

Moore, third son of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lachingdon R. Essex, vice Jones, deceased.

Mr. John Mansfield, B. A. of Trinity College, Cambridge, elected to one of the CHRIST. OBSERV, No. 32.

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Rev. William Manning, M. A. Weeting All Saints and St. Mary R. Norfolk, vice Holden, deceased.

Rev. Phineas Pett, D. D. principal of St. Mary's Hall, Oxford, appointed archdeacon of Carlisle, vice Paley, resigned.

Rev. James Carlos, M. A. Drinkstone R. co. Norfolk.

Rev. Henry Sill, M. A. Dean Living, co. Cumberland.

Rev. P. N. Jodrell, B. A. Porchester V. in Hampshire.

Rev. Thomas Brown Simpson, Keynsham V. co. Wilts.

Rev. P. Egerton, M. A. Malpas R. in Cheshire, vice Heber, deceased.

Rev. George Glover, B. A. South Repps R. Norfolk.

Rev. John Artcott, Rame R. co. Cornwall, vice Baron, deceased.

Rev. Wm. Sadler, M. A. Clare V. and Posingford V. Suffolk.

Vicar of Wormingford and Boxted, in Essex.

Aug. 6. Aged seventy, the Rev. Thomas Twining, Rector of St. Mary's, Colchester. May 24. At Hillhouse, near Edinburgh, in his eighty-fourth year, Colonel ROBERT RICKART HEPBURNE, of Rickarton.

June 3. Mr. SLATER, the senior State Messenger.

June 2. At Egremont House, Piccadilly, RICHARD SLATER RICH, Esq. of Frystone, Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, in his fiftyfourth year. He was representative of the City of York in the three last parlia

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Rev. James Foulkes, B. A. Crostwick R. jesty's Receivers General of Taxes for the củ. Norfolk.

Rev. Edward Rogers, to a prebendal stall in Salisbury cathedral.

Rev. Richard Yates, Essa alias Ashen R. Essex, vice Charles Stewart.

Rev. Charles-Augustus Stuart, M. A. Edmondthorpe R. co. Leicester.

Rev. Edward Turner, Noke R. co. Oxford.

Rev. John Smith, M. A. rector of Silkstone, co. York, and one of the Ushers of Westminster School, St. Nicholas V. in Newcastle, vice Carlyle, deceased.

Rev. Jonathan Cope, son of Sir Jonathan Cope, Bart, N. Wraxall R. Wilts, vice Still, deceased.

DEATHS.

A short time since, at Orton-on-theHill, Leicestershire, the Rev. WILLIAM CHURCHILL, rector of that parish, and youngest brother to the Poet.

Lately, at Offchurch, Warwickshire, aged seventy-two, the Reverend GILES KNIGHTLEY, rector of Charwelton, in Northamptonshire, and Vicar of Exhall, near Coventry.

June 29. At Bath, the Rev. THOMAS COLLINS, late second master of Winchester College.

A few days ago, the Rev. Mr. HawKINS, rector of Halstead, and Vicar of Willinghall Spain, in Essex, and a magistrate for that county.

July 7. In Hatton Garden, the Rev. JAMES DAVIES, Minister of Clerkenwell Church, and of Pentonville Chapel, Islington.

July 10. At Hurstperpoint, the Rev. THOMAS MARCHANT, rector of Patcham, Sussex.

Lately, in Maddox-street, London, the Rev. B. F. Wood, late of Diss, in Norfolk.

A few days ago, the Rev. R. Ingram,

Western District, and Clerk of the Peace for Somersetshire.

In Upper Brook-street, Mrs. ELLERKER, mother of the late Countess of Leicester.

June 2. Mrs. CHADWICK, wife of Charles Chadwick, Esq. of New Hall, Warwickshire.

June 6. Mrs. WILSON, wife of Robert. Wilson, Esq. of Bedford-row.

May 8. At Verdun, in France, the Marchioness of Tweedale.

May 28. At Ladyburn, in the parish of Galston, Scotland, in child-bed, Mrs. HELEN NISBET, spouse of Mr. W. Wardrope, of Ladyburn. On the 29th, MARGARET, his daughter; the mother and daughter were laid in one grave. And on the 1st of June, NISBET WARDROPE, his infant son.

June 7. At Capenoch, Scotland, Sir JAMES KIRKPATRICK, Bart. of Clozeburn. Last week, Mr. KENNETT DIXON, of Trinity-square, Tower-hill, aged eightyfour years.

June 13. At Bath, General CONWAY.

Same day, at the Seat of Lord Frederick Campbell, Coombank, Kent, the Viscountess CURZON.

June 18. At the Marquis's house in Arlington-street, Lord W. L. Gower, youngest son of the Marquis of Stafford.

On Thursday evening the 21st. inst. at St. Alban's, in the 83d year of his age, Mr. ALDERMAN BASKERFIELD, the father of that Corporation; he had been fiftyeight years a member of the same, and twice served the office of mayor.

June 21. In Leadenhall-street, JOSEPA THACKERAY, Esq. many years of the Receiver General's Office, Custom-house.

June 23. At Bourn-Hall, Cambridgeshire, where he had arrived only a few days before, with an intention of residing there, GEORGE WEBB, Esq. an opulent West India merchant.

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