him by repeated blows on his head, wounded his right hand, and ftruck him in several parts of his body; a large ftone thrown into the houfe and hitting him on the ftomach occafioned a prodigious vomiting of blood, which continued for a confiderable time. To the preceding inftances the following names of perfons who were feverely wounded in different parts of their bodies may be added, viz. Edward Watkins, Thomas Rennifen, John York, Robert Nichols, and John Johnston.

By this detail it appears, that the fuffering parties were not, as falfely ftated in the published account, the innocent adherents of Mr. Fox; nor is it true, that "a body of "ruffians iffued from Wood's Hotel, armed with cutlaffes and piftols." The ruffians were. engaged on the other fide of the question; that jewel of a bruifer, Peter Cockran, was their leader, and he is confeffedly too much of a Swifs to fight for any thing but pay. The ruffians having thus fignalized themselves in the caufe of Mr. Fox, and proceeding ftill in the commiffion of greater outrages, it was judged neceffary to fend for a party of the guards, and they reached the Hotel with Sir Sampfon Wright. The mob had difperfed previous to their arrival; and it being propofed to vifit the houses of their refort, feveral of the ringleaders were taken into cuftody, among whom was Peter Cockran. The fellows thus fecured, had all bludgeons, and it appeared they had been ufed to fome purpose, as they were in general stained with blood.

The next day (Sunday) a gentleman belonging to the Sub-committee of Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray, received a meffage from Sir Samplon Wright to attend an examination of the ruffians in cuftody.

At the public Office he found Mr. Sheridan, and feveral other Gentlemen, who be nevolently offered to bail the culprits at the bar. The Gentleman was afked, "Whe"ther a profecution of the offenders was seriously intended?" And having replied in the affirmative, it was intimated, "That the waiters of Mr. Wood must expect a fimilar treatment." The Gentleman on this declared, "That if any of the Waiters could be "proved guilty of offences equal to thofe committed by the men at the bar, it would be per"fectly right to profecute them." Mr. Wood heartily concurred in this opinion; and "the Gentleman added, "That the ruffians now in cuftody ought to be punished, as from "the frequent liberation of fuch men they had only become more daringly outrageous." The Magiftrate propofed, that the fellows fhould be feverely reprimanded and difcharged, as a ferious profecution might only create ill blood, and widen differences. The gentleman pratefted against the meafure; alledging, That he was not authorized by his Committee to confent to any fuch compromife; and he concluded by faying, "That could he have conceived that an examination of the kind would have been entered "on that day, being Sunday, the witneffes against the prifoners fhould have attended." In conformity, therefore, to the plan recommended by Sir Sampfon Wright, thefe defperadoes were reprimanded, and turned, as before, loofe on fociety, to the fingular honour of the police of this country.

Thefe are the facts; and they will be attefted, if neceffary, by feveral Gentlemen of unimpeachable veracity. On fuch facts the Public will make their own comments;, while every man of honour and of feeling who hears of the perpetration of bloody minded villainy by a set of mifcreants, whofe exiftence difgraces huinan nature, will with, in the language of the late Serjeant Glynn, That the punishment may be brought home to "the hirers and the hired."

AN ELECTOR

May 5, 1784.] The Committee for conducting the intended fcrutiny in favour of Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray, take this opportunity of informing the public, that the undermentioned banking houfes are opened to receive fubfcriptions for fupporting the faid fcrutiny:

Meff. Drummonds, Charing-crofs;

Meff. Couts and Co. in the Strand;
Meff. Crofts and Co. Pall-mall;

Meff. Hodfoll and Michell, in the Strand;

Meff. Pybus and Co. Bond-ftreet;

Meff. Ranfom, Morland, and Hammerfley, Pall-mall;
Meff. Biddulph and Cocks, Charing-crofs.

The Committee wish to recommend, in the ftrongest manner, to thofe Gentlemen who have not yet polled, the neceffity of coming forward immediately, and giving their fuffrages to Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray; and this Committee once more declare their determination not only to demand a fcrutiny, but to fupport it throughout with a spirit becoming Englishmen, feeling themselves effentially injured in their franchife.

JOHN CHURCHILL, Chairman.

ADVERTISEMENT.

To the Worthy and Independent Electors of the City of Weftminster.

Gentlemen,

The present state of the Poll exhibits a mournful example of the fuccefs with which the exertions of the worft men in the worst cause may be temporarily attended.

But in order to render their interested malice vain, to blaft their imaginary triumphs, and to cover them with the infamy they deferve, the real friends to virtue, to the conftitution, and to their country, are requested to unite in one laft effort, which cannot fail to be attended with fuccefs.

The prefent conteft is an awful appeal to the understanding and generofity of the Electors of Westminster: they muft determine whether they will fupport the cause of those who have uniformly afferted the public rights and intereft, or whether they will transfer the rewards which are due to their integrity, to the profeffed enemies of the country and conftitution. Whatever, therefore, may be the perfonal feelings of Sir Cecil Wray, fhould he be ultimately difappointed, they will be little, in comparison. with the more weighty concern which he will feel for the degraded ftate of one of the nobleft, and hitherto the most independent cities in the world.

Mr. Fox, indeed, fhelters himself under general names and general profeffions; but thefe profeffions, however graceful they might formerly have been, are now ridicu lous; fince they afford a glaring inftance, that no name is so revered, no cause so facred, as not to be proftituted to the vileft purposes of intereft and party.

But

But these pretexts have now no longer power to impofe, even upon the meaneft understanding. The glorious agents in the Revolution fixed their oppofition upon the firm bafis of private right and public liberty. One King was brought to public exe cution for invading the property of his fubjects, even in the moft trifling article; another was driven from his throne for arbitrary purpofes, and ill-concealed ambition. Our great deliverer is immortal in the memory of this nation, for fixing public right and private property upon a firm and lasting bafís; and for taking up arms to fecure both from the proud attempts of foreign enemies.

But these modern Revolutionists have turned the irrefiftible force of British arms upon British bofoms: their triumphs are recorded at Saratoga, York Town, and every difaftrous fpot which is marked by our misfortunes and difgrace. Does Mr. Fox deny the imputation? Let him first deny his infamous coalition with the author of all these calami ties, who comes into power reeking with the blood of millions, profeffedly unchanged in any of his principles, and ready to light up new wars, the inftant the guardian genius of Britain fhall flumber over his charge.

In refpect to private property, thefe genuine Revolutionists have fufficiently explained their principles. Their daring and unprecedented attempts upon all the property of the Eaft India Company, may convince every difcerning mind, that nothing was fufficiently fenced against their rapacity; and puts every man, that has any thing to lofe, under the neceffity of voting against them, upon the fame fimple principle that he would oppose a thief or a housebreaker.

As to the interference of the Court, the friends of Sir Cecil Wray will make no retort. They give Mr. Fox leave to blazon all their difcoveries in the most pompous ftrains of his energetic eloquence; nor will they even condescend to retaliate upon that aristocracy which have wished to lead in chains both Sovereign and people, and to divide their spoils. There are fome transactions fo offenfive to public decency, that even the violence of an Election may pafs them over in filence, and rather wifh, for the public honour, to have them forgotten than punished.

But as to the odious name of "Secret Influence," the Electors are reminded, that the foremost figure in Mr. Fox's phalanx, is the open and avowed patron of all its exceffes; nor can the Sovereign himself give a proof more unequivocal, how totally he abjures it, than by diffolving a corrupt and venal Parliament, to appeal to the unbiaffed fuffrages of a free and generous people.

Roufe then, ye independent Electors of this ancient and refpected city! Shew yourfelves to be equal in virtue, equal in difcernment, to the rest of your countrymen, whofe almoft unanimous voice has driven these public robbers from the fpoils which they have grafped, and has configned them to fcorn and infamy. Remember, that any King may become a tyrant, who will fhare the plunder of his people, with an intereited ariftocracy; but that a Sovereign who appeals to a free people, for the defence of their common privileges, cannot be deferted, without involving public liberty in the ruin which is meditated against himself,

A WARNING VOICE.

May 8.] This Committee most earnestly request the independent Electors of Weftminfter to reft affured that the fcrutiny will not be demanded on weak or chimerical

Q 2

grounds,

grounds, nor profecuted, on vexatious or vindictive principles, but will owe its exiftence to information obtained by the unremitting activity of the Parochial Committees, who daily inveftigate the votes in their refpective districts.

This Committee are no less anxious to have the fcrutiny conducted with temper and candour, in order to reftore peace to this divided city, than they are determined to fupport it throughout with alacrity and firmnefs, in juftice to the injured Electors. JOHN CHURCHILL, Chairman.

May 10.] The daring outrage committed this day in Covent Garden by a banditti of ruffians, who, there is every reafon to believe, were hired for the purpose by fome of Mr. Fox's party, may poffibly be mifreprefented in the newspapers devoted to his intereft, the public are therefore cautioned not to pay any regard to accounts that may be fabricated for the purpose of impofition, as an authentic detail of the whole proceedings will be immediately fubmitted to their impartial judgment.

Tuesday Evening, Eleven o'Clock, May 11.. The Coroner's Inqueft being yet fitting on the body of the unfortunate conftable, who died this morning in confequence of the wounds he received in the riot that happened yesterday in Covent Garden; and to avoid prejudicing the public in their opinion of that extraordinary affair, it is thought proper to poftpone the promised account of it for the prefent.

Whereas, on Monday laft, between the hours of three and four o'clock, a molt violent affault was made in Covent Garden, at the clofe of the poll, on several persons, by men armed with bludgeons, cleavers, and other offenfive weapons; in confequence of which Nicholas Caffon, a peace officer, received several wounds on his head and other parts of his body, which occafioned his death, and the Coroner's Inqueft have fince found, that the faid Nicholas Caffon was wilfully murdered, by fome perfon or persons un

known.

And whereas there is the ftrongest reason to believe, that the ruffians, fo armed with bludgeons and cleavers, who committed this daring outrage, have been daily hired from the commencement of the Election, to the prefent period..

The

The Committee appointed to conduct the Election of Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray, thinking it a duty which they owe to the Public in general, and to the Electors of Weftminfter in particular, to bring every offender to juftice, who have been concerned in this inhuman and bloody tranfaction, do hereby offer a reward of Fifty Pounds to any perfon or perfons, who fhall difcover the Murderers, or the Parties who hired or employed them. The reward to be paid, on conviction, by Mr. Samuel Wood, of the Piazza, Covent Garden.

Woods Hotel, Covent Garden, 12th May, 1784.

J. P. ATKINSON, Secretary.

CHARLEY'S

CONFESSION.

C. F--x's compliments to the worthy and independent Electors of the City and Liberties of Westminster: having nothing to fay for himself, he hopes they will excufe the many grofs invectives that have been thrown out against Sir Cecil Wray; and he is the more encouraged to expect their forgiveness, as he is now convinced, that however malevolent the defign may have been, the effect has been totally harmlefs; his opponent, Sir Cecil Wray, gaining more of the public esteem, in proportion as Mr. Charles Fox attempts to depreciate his character.

Englishmen,

Alfaffination and Murder by a hired Mob.

If you were not witneffes, you now may have authentic teftimony (from the Coroner's Inqueft) of a Murder, committed in Covent Garden, on Monday the 10th inftant. The perfon murdered was Nicholas Caffon, a peace-officer, and in obedience to legal fummons attending his duty. Obferve, the military were not prefent, not a foldier near; the peace-officers alone were endeavouring, at the hazard of their lives, to preserve inviolate the Freedom of Election. Mr. F's Committee are called upon to deny these facts :--they dare not; they know they cannot. Infamous, therefore, are the declarations of those who attempt to infult your understanding, by afferting that the peace-officers, acting under legal authority, were like thofe hired ruffians who produced the riot, and by whom the murder was committed.

No Club Law, no Butchers Law, no Petticoat Government! The worthy Electors of Westminster, who are neither intimidated by marrow-bones and cleavers, nor influenced by Peers or Peereffes, are called upon to exert their native privileges as Britons and citizens. It is yet in their power to vindicate their liberties, and by a speedy and earneft fupport of Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray, to pour contempt upon the bafeft exertion of open bribery, that ever difgraced the English 'nation. May 12, 1784.

Proceedings