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The Duchess of Devonshire's canvafs commencing in St. Martin's-le-grand, and finishing in the parish of St. Margaret's, has been compared to the course of the fun, which rifes in the East, and fets in the Weft;-the fimile may be improved upon by obferving, that in going down her fplendor was increased, and that all beholders became Perfians, and bowed their heads in adoration.

TESTS to which the fignatures of Watkin L-s, Jofeph My, and Cecil W-y ought to be annexed.

"I do folemnly declare, from a confcioufnefs of inability to determine any question "requiring fenfe or judgment, that I will immediately convene my conftituents and "receive their inftructions how to act, which I pledge myfelf to conveyto the fenate, either by the ufe of my lungs or on paper; and I will ever wholly devote my cranium vacuum to their use and service, and fhall always confider myfelf as the paffive vehicle of nonsense, confufion, and inconfiftency."

Notwithstanding the apparent majority in favour of Sir Cecil Wray, the friends of Mr. Fox are confident that the exertions of the independent Electors of Westminster will be finally fuccefsful; the miferable arts to which their opponents are reduced, evidently prove that they have exhaufted the whole of their ftrength. Mr. Fox would certainly have had a majority on the poll of yesterday, had not a very unfair and illiberal manœuvre been practifed to prevent it towards the latter end of the day; the friends of the Court Candidates obferving feveral perfons in the intereft of the popular Candidate to be coming up to poll, for the purpofe of protracting it, infifted that the teft oath should be given to all perfons indifcriminately, although there was no reafon whatever to fuppofe any of them to be Roman Catholicks; among the number, were two gentlemen, Members of Parliament, one an Officer in the Army, and one the High Sheriff of a County, who certainly could not be fuppofed to be within that defcription. By this illiberal artifice near twenty of Mr. Fox's friends were prevented from polling, which would have given him the majority of the day. It is hoped, however, that the Electors will not fubmit to fuch treatment, nor allow themselves to be cheated out of the exercife, of their franchifes by tricks which the lowest pettifogging attorney would be ashamed to practise.

A certain General's appearance at the Huftings at Covent Garden, with upwards of three hundred votes from the firft regiment of Guards, in favour of the Court Candidates, was, perhaps, as indecent and as grofs a violation of the freedom of Election as ever was remembered to have been practiced: this proceeding may, perhaps, prove the General an excellent Courtier; but it does not much exalt his military reputation. The General, no doubt, conceives himself more likely to obtain a regiment for fervices of this nature, than for any which he can boast to have atchieved elsewhere against the enemies of his King and country.

Lord Surrey yesterday joined his forces with Mr. Fox on the Huftings at Covent Garden.

In the greatest of the great contefts for Weftminster, that between Sir George Vandeput and Lord Trentham (the prefent Lord Gower) the event of the fcrutiny was to vitiate near 1000 votes on both fides!

It is remarkable enough, that the firft promotion of Lord Hood, from a Lieutenancy to the rank of Poft Captain, was obtained chiefly by an electioneering intereft, which he got by his marriage with a lady of Portfmouth.

It must excite the indignation, fays a correfpondent, of every lover of goodness, beauty, and virtue, when he perufes fome of the daily papers (poor perifhable commodities!) at finding the Duchefs of Devonshire handled, fo illiberally, to use a very le

nient phrafe. There is furely no immodefty in one of the amiable fex's taking upon herself to ferve her friends, but there is much generofity. If her Grace has the generofity to undergo the fatigue of canvaffing for her acquaintance, her conduct is laudable; but if a paltry garretteer happens to prove of different principles, to envy excellence in the other fex, let him either keep filence, or difdain the mean arts of abuse, provided he would not incur the just chastisement and contempt of her Grace's well withers.

It is not furprising that determined fpirits of oppofition fhould appear in Westminster againft Sir Cecil Wray, which even the exertions of the Court cannot conquer. There is fomething in the nature of an Englishman which fhuns and abhors ingratitude. It is on this fcore, independent of all politics, that the modern Judas is fo univerfally execrated!

That the Court party is now reduced to the very last extremity in Westminster, is apparent from the circumftance of their having yesterday obliged two of the King's meffengers to poll for Sir Cecil Wray, who were actually appointed by Mr. Fox himfelf when Secretary of State. One of those unfortunate men, not being fo callous and void of every feeling of gratitude as the candidate for whom he was compelled to vote, was obferved to have tears in his eyes, while in obedience to the tyrannical dictates of his fuperiors, he gave his voice againft his benefactor.

The ftory is now out.-The Seals it feems were pawned at the three golden ballsKing, Lords, and Commons, where, according to the old proverb, it was two to one they were not redeemed from the arbitrary fhop of Prerogative ufury.

Nine thoufand feven hundred and thirty feven names ftood on Monday on the poll. books, as having voted at the prefent Election for Westminster. This is a greater number by three hundred than appeared during the famous conteft between Lord Trentham. and Sir George Vandeput.

April 15.] Mr. Fox's majority on the poll yesterday was the remarkable number 45— Mr. Wilkes polled against him the day before.

Fox and 45 will now become a fashionable combination with all the lovers of political freedom and the true friends to the conftitution of Great Britain. This glorious Number, which once raifed an honeft enthufiafm in the heart of every Englishman, has lately funk into a general oblivion or difrefpect, in confequence of the univerfal contempt which has covered the individual who firft gave rife to it. But it will now recover itself with an invigorated reputation, when it is confidered as the fymptom of defeated Ariftocracy and Court Influence, and the certain prefage of fuccefs to that man who has devoted his life to the service of his country, and is alone able to restore her in her humility and exigence.

We prefaged fome days ago, that when the venal combination of military or mercenary voters was once fairly exhaufted, Mr. Fox would again recover that decided fuperiority in the poll for Weftminfter, which he undoubtedly poffeffes in a genereral estimate of the Electors. The firft ftep towards the final accomplishment of this prediction was difplayed in yesterday's majority, and the Indpendent Electors may reft firmly affured, that their caufe is certain of fuccefs, and that the Court and Ariftocratic Junto must wait for fome other opportunity for again enflaving the freedom of the city of Weftminster, and reducing it to that ftate of fubjection and obedience, from which the late Reprefentatives fo honourably emancipated this great and respectable city.

The independent fpirit of the Electors of this free city is now rouzed. The detection of the fyftem of polling falfe votes for the Court, has decided thofe who had intended to be neuter, to take a part and affert their own rights..

That

That Lord Hood wifhed to infinuate himfelf upon the public as the gallant captor of the lille de Paris, was pretty evident from the modeft difplay of De Graffe's flag under that of the Barfleur, the firft day of the Election, headed by fome of his Lordship's own officers! The writer of this article has no wish to arraign Lord Hood's profeffional merit, in averring that he had as little to do with the captor of the Ville de Paris as his friend the High Bailiff of Wefiminfler; for when that flip ftruck to the Formidable and Namur, the Barfluer was more than a mile off, not even within random fhot, and the Canada, commanded by the brave Cornwallis, lying immediately between them!

A real friend to the glorious caufe of freedom, who thinks a true Englishman ought not to be fhackled by any human confideration, much lefs by fo idle a fuperftition as gratitude, begs leave to intimate to the worthy Baronet, Sir Cecil Wray, that there are yet feveral expedients untried by which his drooping hopes may be revived, and his Election fecured for the city of Westminster. The following hints are therefore fubmitted to his confideration:

1. He has good reason to believe that thofe 500 guards, and the 200 Electors in the Savoy, who have already voted once for Sir Cecil, may very eafily, by proper application from the Weft End of the Town, and the fame fort of appeal to their feelings as before, be induced to vote a fecond time for the fame good caufe-and why not?-all the world knows both votes would be given with equal propriety.

2. The City Affociation might furely be made very useful. The new-dubbed Sugarbaker, the worlhipful Sir Bernard, has great influence with them; and he certainly could not refufe fo trifling a return for fo very extraordinary a distinction as that which the Court (probably with an eye to fome fuch fervice as the present) has lately conferred upon him.

3. By the help of Mr. Jackson, Mr., Mr., and the Earl of, might it not be poffible to marshal a refpectable number of worthy Liverymen (not of the city) and by a temporary direlection of the Shoulder-knot, to convert them into found and good votes for Westminster. They may be furnished with fnug brown coats in Monmouth-ftreet, and it will be very easy to convince that modern Minos, our returning officer, that they are all "honourable men!"

4. Could not Mr., the apothecary, be employed to vifit fome of Mr. Fox's voters in his profeffional character, and thereby incapacitate them from a probable attendance at the Huftings. He need not go far out of the line of his general practice, for producing this effect!

5. Has Wapping been properly canvaffed?-Sailors may furely be used for other and better fervices than either fighting or rioting ?-Every body knows they are not likely to ftick at an oath, and that good-natured humour about them will equally fatisfy the Bailiff and ferve you, Sir Cecil, most effentially.

One of the failors, who was in the late plot of cutting the Irifhmens chairs, having received feveral violent blows on his head from the enraged proprietors; being asked by the Surgeon, while he was dreffing, how he liked the polling? The tar humourfly replied,By he that made poop-lanterns, I never curtfey'd fo quick to a French twentyfour pounder, as I did to the Irish poles."

Another, a companion of the above and in a fimilar fituation, fwore, "d-n my eyes "I would fooner go in buff all my life without a fig-leaf, than wear blue again, and be beat all the other colours."

Although it is almoft unneceffary to take any notice of the miferable Election device of giving out that Lord Holland is dangerously ill, we have undoubted

authority

authority to say, that he is in perfect health, nor has he had any illness what

ever.

The number of the votes for Westminster has in all former contests been found to fall fhort of 10,000. In refpect to the occurrences that have come to pafs fince the famous Poll of Vandeput and Trentham, these are the fuppofeable alterations, that the number of votes in St. George's, Hanover-fquare, in St. Margaret's, and St. Martin's, have fince that time increafed,-that fince that time alfo, there has been nearly an equivalent decrease of votes from the difqualifications of different Revenue Officers, who in the various parts of Westminster obviously must be very numerous.

However the dependants of Royalty may interfere in behalf of the Court Candidates, we cannot give credit to the many rumous that fay "a Great Perfonage exerts all his influence to oppofe Mr. Fox; for although Lord Temple whispered a tale at midnight, which was too much attended to by a midnight EAR; yet we cannot admit that Shakespeare was entirely prophetic, when he wrote,

"If thou wert the FOX, the LION would fufpect thee; when, peradventure, thou "wert accufed by the ASS!"

Eminent women, that have been distinguished as bustling and fuccefsful canvaffers at Elections. The prefent Ladies of Westminster are too well known to be repeated.——— The Duchefs of Argyle, Lady Coventry, Mrs. Thrale, Old old Sarah, Duchefs of Marlborough, Duchefs of Queensbury, Lady M. W. Mountague, Mrs. Masham,

&c. &c.

The interference of the Duchefs of Devonshire in behalf of Mr. Fox, is but a counter part of the conduct of thofe Roman Ladies who fued to Coriolanus for the welfare of the city of Rome; for fo much is the honour of Westminster concerned in choofing for a Representative the firft fenator in Engiand, that eternal difgrace would follow were he thrown out. We may fay to the Dutchefs and her lovely colleagues, in the words of our favourite bard ::

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A chimney-fweeper in a certain borough town, being one of the laft voters at a violently contefted Election, was ftrongly preffed by each Candidate to honour him with his vote. The fellow, who was for fome time at a lofs to tell which fine Gentleman moft merited his fuffrage, at laft recollecting that he had often heard of kiffing hands among the great folks, declared that he would not vote for either, unless they would kifs his hand. One of them accordingly came forward; and, having vainly endeavoured to perfuade the fweep to difpenfe with fo difagreeable a ceremony, actually faluted his footy fingers. After which, confidently claiming the expected reward, "No, no!" fays the chimney-fweeper, "I fhan't vote for you; for I'm very fure he that would "kifs my hand, would kifs any Ministers a-.

That poor tool of state, whom an act of courtesy has made a Percy, but whofe nature partakes in no degree of the independent qualities which fhould diftinguifh the race of Hotfpur, has tried every means that oppreffion could dictate, to force his tenants to withdraw their fupport from Mr. Fox, without being able to fucceed?

Mr. Prater, the Linen-draper, and Mr. Hughes, the Mercer, in the neighbourhoodof Northumberland Houfe, have had the fpirit to vote in fupport of Mr. Fox, in de-fiance of the means ufed by Selby, the Premier Runner to the houfe of Percy!

Poor Sir Cecil is quite creft fallen, and even the impudence of his ingenious Merry Andrew J-k-n, the D-e of N-wc-ft-e's Tom Fool, is not equal to bear the re

peated.

peated victories gained over them for thefe two days paft. The countenance of the former yesterday feemed lengthened into a fixed state of amazement and chagrin, while the ridiculous contortions of the latter were converted into a look of rage and despair, at the defeat which the hopes of his mafter were likely to receive.

The book of the generations of Parliament !Charles Fox begat the India Bill, and the India Bill begat Oppofition; Oppofition begat Lord Temple, and Lord Temple begat Secret Advice; Secret Advice begat the Back-ftairs, and the Back-ftairs begat the Difmiffion; the Difmiffion begat a new Miniftry, and a new Miniftry begat a Diffolution; a Diffolution begat a General Election, and a General Election begat D-n-d Lies; D-n-d Lies begat a Majority, and a Majority will beget what they please. All these generations are twelve generations.

The Court influence, in favour of the two Ministerial Candidates for Westminster, is now evidently on the decline; and from the number of unpolled votes, there is not a doubt but Mr. Fox will have a decided majority, notwithstanding the trifling advantage his opponents have gained by pouring in fuch a number of bad votes.

WONDER S.

The prefent day teems with events moft wonderful! Nothing but wonders

Wonderful Politics,
Wonderful Religions,
Wonderful Fashions,
Wonderful Men, and
Wonderful Women.

POLITICS.

In Politics, the ins gravely affure you, that the nation was wonderfully misreprefented in the laft Parliament, and therefore the diffolution became neceffary. On the other fide the outs fwear, that the people being well reprefented, their Reprefentatives were mifreprefented to the nation by the Ministry, who diffolved the Parliament for the purpofe of procuring a mifreprefentation.

The Candidates, though most of them tried men and known, with wonderful modefty affure the Electors, that if fo happy as to be the object of their choice, they will neither accept of penfion or place.

They form ftock-purfes to return independent members-Wonderful generosity! They bribe in the caufe of freedom-Wonderful patriotifm!

A Duchefs, or a Countefs, flips into the fhop of a hatter and hofier, and gives five guineas for a pair of ftockings-the tradefman votes for her Ladyfhip's friend-and where is the wonder? What is all this, but what Sir Pertinax M'Sycophant has defined: "Generofity on one fide, and gratitude on the other."

It is given out by the friends of Ministry, that on account of the largeness of their expected majority, they will be totally left to themselves in the enfuing feffion, for that oppofition, to conceal their weakness, mean to fecede. We do not believe, that there is any fuch intention. It is not the principle of the Rockingham party to defert the interefts of their country; and they will no doubt adhere clofely to the discharge of their duty, although they may not be able to accomplish the measures which they may think neceffary to our deliverance.

The reception of the friends of the Coalition in the country is held out as a proof that the voice of the public is against them. It is not a conclufive proof-it only shows us, that the length of the treasury purfe is greater than that of the oppofition purfe. Examine the facts. Would Sir Richard Hotham have lost the Borough, if he

had

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