with a fuperiority of powers, admitted by all the world, has not, after fixteen years experience, ever yet afpired to?

What does Mr. Pitt want? The late Miniftry have feverally difclaimed the idea of profcribing him from a share in Adminiftration. Many of the moft respectable of thofe Meinbers, who now oppofe him, declared they were ready to receive him with open arms, if he would defcend from his prefent dangerous fituation, and come in like his father through the open road of the Conftitution, and not by the crooked paths of fecret influence. Why does he not? I will tell you my opinion upon it, and leave you to form your own. Proud men are unwilling to acknowledge a fuperior. Mr. Pitt, conscious of himself, perhaps feels that at the beft he would make only a fecondary figure in the fame cabinet with Mr. Fox; and, therefore, like the man, who faid he had rather be the first man in a village than the fecond in Rome, he facrifices the nation to his own extravagant conceit. His vanity will not permit him to fee that he is debauched by a fet of lycophants, who deprive him of the use of his own understanding. Every reafonable object is within his reach by legal honeft means; and why fhould he wish for more? Does any man think him a greater man than his father? Certainly not. Is any man abfurd and bigotted enough to fay, that an office, filled by the Earl of Chatham at the age of fifty, is beneath Mr. Pitt at the age of twenty-five? So grofs a mockery of the common fenfe of mankind will not, I am fatisfied, be attempted by any man. What then is the fact? That Mr. Pitt, by a pertinacious with of being the chief ruler, wantonly, if not wickedly, prolongs the diftractions of this unfortunate country. To fome men, perhaps, this may feem a towering ambition; in my mind it is a miferable ambition. That it is fatal and ruinous to the country, is beyond all queftion.

Never fure did men stoop to fuch defpicable fhifts to blacken an adverfary, and force themselves into temporary eclat, as the prefent Miniftry. No fiction, however grofs; no device, however mean, has efcaped their induftry. Circulating the most wretched fophiftries all over the kingdom. Difperfing the most low defamatory hand-bills through all parts of the town. Pofting up the moft fcandalous libels upon the firft characters in the nation. And---as if it were neceffary to tell the public that the prefent Government was a fyftem of political empyricifm---they have fhewn fomething new even in the History of Folly.---A First Lord of the Treafury plaiftering up his pretended merits, and propagating his fame with all the pomp and redundancy of a common quack upon the corner of every ftreet. Upon all thefe illiberal expedients, I doubt not, your own good fenfe has formed a right opinion.

You are not unapprized that feveral of Mr. Pitt's best friends have lately deferted him, and it is but juftice to fay, that the perfons alluded to are of the moft refpectable men in England. Why have they deferted him? Not because they difliked him perfonally, but because they think his prefent fituation dangerous to the Conftitution. Yet he continues unmoved, and as a means of prolonging his power, the Houfe of Lords (flavifhly devoted, as you know it is, to the will, even to the whim of the Court) have come to a Refolution laft Wednefday, which I conceive to be a grofs libel upon the House of Commons. It attributes to that House what it has not affumed---an attempt to fufpend a pofitive law, when it only interpofed its advice upon the use of a difcretionary power in a branch of executive Government, relative to the money of the public, of which the Commons are the legal guardians; a practice never before doubted, never queftioned till the prefent moment.

All these are objects neceffary for your confideration before the meeting of next Saturday.

What I humbly recommend to you is to feel your real weight and value. Open your eyes, confult your understanding, be guided by your own good fenfe, and do not become the victims of the artifice, or the inftruments of the vile policy of the Court cabal.

I 2

Vindicate

dicate your City from the audacious impofition of thofe who have proftituted your name upon the late Addrefs. Speak to the Crown in refpectful but manly terms. Tell the fupporters of fecret influence, that whatever difcontents fome of you may feel against your Reprefentative, you do not require their advice (the common enemies of both Contituent and Reprefentative) to direct you. Tell them by your conduct that their fhallow and fcandalous efforts fhall not obliterate the fenfe of a long feries of public fervices. in your public trustee. Do you think that in the nation, perhaps in the world, you can find a man more capable of ferving you than Mr. Fox? If not then, let us be careful how we risk the lofs of fuch a man. Your attachment to him has been the greatest wound you could give the clofet junto; your desertion of him would be the greatest triumph that faction could enjoy. You have heretofore given memorable proofs of fpirit in oppofition to the Court; more, much more depends upon your conduct now than many of you are aware of. If the prefent Miniftry, rather than refign a. fituation which they have obtained by frauds and dark ftratagems, in a palpable violation of the fpirit of the Conftitution, are defperately determined to force an open breach between the Commons and the Lords, you cannot hesitate for one moment what fide to take.

Make not fo bafe a return to the Houfe of Commons for a fpirit of independence, which indeed is not very common; as to defert them at the very moment they most challenge your applaufe. In abandoning them you would abandon yourfelves, and all would then lay at the mercy of the common enemy of our liberties. The fooner your fentiments are known the better. The delufion which the labours of the Court faction. have forced upon the public is vanishing every hour, every day leffens it, and a few days' more will entirely difpel it. Let the City of Weftminster fet a wife and fpirited example, and that example will I am fatisfied be followed by every fenfible, unbiaffed, body of men in England. February 11, 1784.

AN ELECTOR OF WESTMINSTER

General Meeting of the Electors of Weftminfter..

In confequence of advertisements for calling together all the Electors of the above city and liberty in Westminster all, on Saturday the 14th of March, at twelve o'clock, to collect the fenfe of the Electors refpecting an humble Addrefs to be prefented to his Majefty on the state of public affairs, the Committee appointed for the above purpose, met at the King's Arms Tavern, Palace Yard, which confifted of Mr. Fox, Mr. Byron, Mr. Byng, Mr. Burke, Mr. Sheridan, General Burgoyne, Lord Derby, Lord Surrey, Lord Foley, Colonel Fitzpatrick, and several other noblemen and gentlemen, and refpectable Electors.

It must be remembered, that as this General Meeting of all the Electors was called in oppofition to a meeting of a number of Electors held in the Court of Requests, on Tuefday laft, Sir Cecil Wray in the Chair, when an Addrefs was agreed on to be prefented to the Throne, thanking his Majefty for exerciting his prerogative, and difmiffing his late Ministers, (which meeting and Addrefs was firft adopted by the High Bailiff of Westminster and Court of Burgeffes,) and alfo in oppofition to that Addrefs, and to confider of another of a direct contrary tendency. The leading men on each fide the question met at different places; and therefore Sir Cecil Wray, Mr. Wilkes, Lord, Mountmorres, Lord Mahon, Mr. Selby, and feveral other gentlemen, affembled at Alice's Coffee-houfe. Mr. Fox and his friends had advertifed the meeting at twelve o'clock, and, in order to get the fenfe of the manner, the Committee had determined among call either of their Reprefentatives to the Chair.

meeting collected in a fair and impartial themfelves that it would be improper to On the other hand, advertisements had

appeared

appeared from the other party, for eleven o'clock, advifing them to call Sir Cecil Wray to the Chair, manifeftly with an attention to jockey the purport of this meeting, and thereby put a rider upon it.

The Hall was moft prodigioufly crouded, and at half past eleven, Sir Cecil Wray and his party came from Alice's Coffee-houfe to the huftings, erected in the front of the Court of Common Pleas; foon after, Mr. Fox and his friends came from the King's Arm's Tavern, whereby the huftings were crouded in a manner that made it almost impoffible to ftand on thein. The Chair was furrounded by Sir Cecil Wray's party, and foon laid hold of; in confequence of which Mr. Fox's friends interfered, and claimed the Chair, till a Chairman was nominated, and in this ftruggle the Chair was totally demohifhed. The confufion and uproar this occafioned is hardly to be conceived. In this ftate of things the huftings broke in, and several noblemen and gentlemen were thrown down and trampled on. The preffure of the populace foon overthrew the front of the huftings, by which means fcarcely a place was for a moment tenable, and every body was in imminent danger, in a conteft on the huftings which Member fhould be brought forward; but Mr. Fox's friends being too numerous, he was fupported in the front, amidst the most violent noifes, acclamations, and huzzas, we ever remember to have heard. The cry of Chair! Chair! Chair! refounded from every quarter of the Hall, when the huftings gave way a fecond time, and in the confufion Mr. Fox fell. In this fituation fome wretch, for man we cannot call him, threw a leather bag, filled with affa foetida *, in the face of Mr. Fox. To this public injury, we may add one of a more private but more horrid nature, an anonymous letter threatening his life, to which he paid the proper attention, by taking no notice of it. At laft Mr. Byron, the Committee Chairman, endeavoured to appeafe the tumult and filence the noise. He fhortly addreffed the Electors, telling them the purport of the meeting, explaining the measures of the Court of Requests meeting, and moved an Addrefs to his Majefty, defiring to collect their fenfe of it by a fhew of hands. Hats were held up, accompanied with vociferous fhouts of approbation, and the majority in favour of the Addrefs was fo very confpicuous, as not to leave the leaft doubt; for it may be fairly faid, that although it was a manifeft meeting of all the Electors, the majority appeared as 100 to one. Mr. Fox then endeavoured to addrefs the Electors, but noife immediately prevented him, and this he attempted feveral times with the like effect. At half past twelve the meeting was adjourned, and Mr. Fox was carried on the fhoulders of feveral Electors from Weftminster Hall to the King's Arms Tavern, when he came into the Committee Room, almost overpowered with heat and fatigue. The Electors, who had accompanied him from the Hall to the Tavern, waited in Palace-yard, and foon after

Mr. Fox came forward to the front bow window of the Tavern, in Palace-yard, which being taken out, in order to give him room and conveniency, after long and continued fhouts of approbation, he addreffed the Electors as follows:

Gentlemen,

"Nothing can be more flattering to me, or give me greater happinefs, than this, "public opportunity of addreffing this aftonishingly numerous and refpectable body of my, "conftituents, the Electors of Westminster.

"I fhould have been happy if I could have fucceeded in my intentions of addreffing. "you in the Public Hall. I fhould there have explained the motives of my conduc "to my conftituents; but the clamours of a hired noify party prevented my "defign.

"Gentlemen, You are all able to judge of the goodnefs of that caufe, when thofe "who efpoufe it are afraid of their opponents being heard.

* It was afterwards difcovered to be Euphorbium.

"Let

"Let me repeat it, that it gives me inexpreffible happiness to explain my conduct to You will find I have never deferted your caufe: I fhall find likewife that you you. "have not deferted me. The former is impoffible---was you even > defert yourfelves, I never would defert you.

"Gentlemen, The very noble, the very difinterefted, and the very magnanimous manner in which you honoured me with your choice of reprefentative, claimed all "my attention, affiduity, and adherence; and I truft you have found by my conduct I have neither deferted the caufe of my conftituents, nor my own principles. To "do either, I must defert myfelf and them too. If you defert me, you erect Court Influence, because it is Court Influence I oppofe.

"Gentlemen, You called me to Parliament to ftem the torrent of corruption, to "reform the abufes of your Conflitution, and, above all, to oppofe the deftructive "principle of Court Influence.

If purging the Houfe of Commons of a number of venal contractors; if reforming "feveral abufes in the expenditure of public monies; if fetting myfelf up as the oppo"fer of Court Influence, and being turned out of office becaufe I did oppofe it, difcovers

a change of fentiment, I then have changed my fentiments. But I flatter myfelf you "have feen, and know enough of yourfelves, to be well affured, that by maintaining "the dignity of the Houfe of Commons against the fecret advisers, and the influence "of the Crown, I have maintained your caufe; and that by that maintenance I fhall ftill have your fupport.

"Gentlemen, I have maintained the dignity of the Houfe of Commons against the "corrupt and unconftitutional proceedings of the Houfe of Lords---because the Houfe "of Commons are your Reprefentatives, and not the Houfe of Lords.

"If you defert the Reprefentatives, who thus fupport your dignity against Court "Influence, you elect the Houfe of Lords for your reprefentatives, and then you can "be no longer faid to reprefent yourfelves. Will you then have a House of Lords or "a Houfe of Commons to reprefent you? If you fupport my adverfaries, who fet you "at defiance, and who trample the greateft of all your privileges, the fpirit, the authority, and the dignity of the Houfe of Commons, under their feet, you are no "longer reprefented. The Houfe of Lords then betrays you, and the Crown nominates "what Minifter it pleafes, to deprive the people of England of all that remains dear to "them, the freedom of their choice in Parliament, and their fhare in the government "of the nation.

"It is upon thefe principles the prefent Minifter is come into power, and upon thefe "principles he fupports himfelf. He flands fupported by the fecret influence of the "Crown, and the unconftitutional interference of the Houfe of Lords, which fets your "freedom and power at defiance.

"Gentlemen, I need not tell you that the prefent Administration were the greatest "enemies to the reform of abufes, nor that they fupported the American war---you, "who live near the fcene of action, who furround the Court, and who daily fee and "know the reality of parliamentary proceedings, are not to be duped by the arts and "duplicity of Court adherents, and the fupporters of Court Influence. You will "know a man before you elect him, and when elected, you can fee him, hear him, "and prove him. When proved, it is neither the Minifter of the Crown, the paltry "efforts of Peers, nor the fecret influence of the Crown, which will make you aban

❝don him.

"Gentlemen, I have been twice called to the office of Secretary of State, fince first "I had the honour of your difinterested approbation. When I found your caufe deserted "in the Cabinet, your measures mifcarry, and my principles overpowered, I refigned--"I refigned, becaufe, if I had continued in office, I should have deferted my principles--

"I fhould

"I fhould have deferted you---I gave up office, I gave up honours, and I gave up emolu❝ment, rather than forfeit your confidence. This was the firft time I proved my at"tachment to you---did it look like betraying you? could I have any other ground for "my refignation than your confidence, and the good opinion of the public, which is in❝feparably connected with my own honour and confcience?

"I was again called into office, and for what purpofe? To bring forward a burthen "of taxes; fome of them unpopular, that I, and thofe who acted with me, might have the odium of the meafure, and bear all the weight which it unpopularity might oc"cafion---I mean the Receipt Tax.

A refpectable gentleman ftanding in the yard, then addreffed Mr. Fox, and told him, that he was defired by a great numer of Elettors to ask Mr. Fox, "WHETHER Mr. PITT DID NOT GIVE HIS CONSENT TO THE RECEIPT TAX" To which Mr. Fox replied, "HE DID;" on which a general exclamation took place, of "No Pitt! No Pitt!" and then Mr. Fox went on.

"When thofe unhappy measures had been carried, an oppofition to those very mea"fures took place, by thofe very men who had fupported them, merely for the purpose "of getting themfelves into power by the unconftitutional exercife of the Houfe of "Lords and the fecret influence of the Crown. Are you, gentlemen, to be duped "then by fuch men and fuch means? What was the confequence of the exercife of "Court influence, and prerogative of the Crown, in oppofition to the fense of the "people of England? I oppofed it. By oppofing it, I fupported you---by fupporting you, I loft the confidence of the Crown---I was defired to refign; I would not refign, and for this reafon, because I had the people of England to fupport me. I need no "other, I want no other fupport. Being fupported by you, and on that refufing to re"fign, I was turned out---1 was turned out because I opposed the Houfe of Lords and "the Crown, combined together against the people---againft you. Did this, gentlemen, "look like betraying your intereits? Has it the face of changing my opinions, of de"viating from my principles, of deferting my propofitions when called into power as "my enemies would invidioufly infinuate?

6.6

"Gentlemen, In the fituation I now am, I have an opportunity of feeing more,. "ftanding fo high above you, than you can poffibly have beneath---I see a far more numerous body here than that affembled in the Hall, multitudinous as even that was, "but in the Hall I could not be heard---Here I am honoured with a filence that reflects. "the greatest honour to me, and the highest credit on yourfelves. The obfervation I "make is, that my opponents prevented by clamour and an hired mob, what they were afraid to hear, and that the more numerous the Electors, the more attention I "am heard with. One obvious truth deducible from which is, that I am happy in the "approbation of a very large majority of my conftituents.

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"Gentlemen, I have only one word more to fay to you. The true fimple question "of the prefent difpute is, whether the Houfe of Lords and Court Influence fhall pre"dominate over the House of Commons, and annihilate its exiftence? or, whether the "Houfe of Commons, whom you elected, fhall have a power to maintain the privi-"leges of the people, to fupport its liberties, and check the unconftitutional proceed-"ings of a Houfe of Lords, whom you never elected; and regulate the prerogative of the "Crown, which was ever too ready to feize upon the freedom of the Electors of this: country? The question is thort: It is you, who are to determine it, and to you "whom I appeal; to my conftituents I flial! always appeal; and no longer with "them to fupport me, than I fupport the principles on which they fent me to Par

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❝liament.

"Gentlemen, I again return you my fincere thanks for your very candida hearing