The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-02-10 00:00:00

WEiT)IINSTLR ELECTION.

; Yeatetday, in pursuance of public wotiee, a
Ilona numerwis and respectably Meeting iif the
. Electors of Westminster took place at the Crown
and Anchor Tavern, to receive the Report tl the
General Committee of the Electors of Westminster,
appointed (..t public Mertins.c,, held nu the I7th
la•it November', to conduct the Eltctiou ut John
Cain Flobhotise, Etg.
The following hand-bill was distributed at the
door :
" Citizens of Westminster, choose this (lily an impartial
Chairman, and call upon Sir Francis Burdett to explain the
extraordotaiy assertion that he wade at the la‘t Mretioc—
namely, r That it was trapos.iihle to return the veto fable
Major (*.iris/right Sea rerrestist4tive fur the City of West-
minster'.'

The Great Room was crowded to excess, mid
there could rod have been less than fourteen hundred
persons preselit.
At one o'clock Sir Francis Burdett entered, ac.
compstited by Mr. flirbhouse, Mr. Bruins, and a
number of the Gentlemen who compose toe West.
mitister Committee. Sir Charles Wolselev entered
soon lifter. Mr. Hunt mid Mr. Gale Jones took
their assts at the tali!( rally in the day.
Sir Ft:As:cis BURDFAT took the Chair amid loud
cheers, lie stated, that at the request of several
indeilendent Electorsof Westminster lie came among
theist this day to take tile Chair, for the purpose, as
lie understood, of teceiving a Report from the Com-
mittee appointed to condos., the election of a Gem le-
snail to till the vacancy which hail lately occurred in
their representation. He had cheerfully obeyed this
60101110ns of his Constituents, and be congratrihited
HIM Kraut noel respectable Meeting on the, prospect
of success which they now had for the election of
the Gentleman wlo they had put lit nomination
at their former Meeting.—/Lurid applarse.)—The
worthy Baronet concluded by reading the advertise-
ment, its pursuance of which the Meeting was cots-
vetted, awl ca!ling on Mr. itICHTLR to read the
Report of the Committee.
Mr. IttcHttlw t ion read the Report, which was
of considemble length. The following mete its
most prominent purls:—
THE GENERAL commirrEE REPORT,
" That a Committee of Electors has been formed and is
in a state of activity, in each a the seven parishes, winds
compose the City and Liberty of Wesinunster, and ass nit.
JO 1 Com ttt dire has also been formed in Inc Out Waiii
of the Parish of St George.
" Thai the number of Electors eortiousiug their Com-
mittees is more than twice as lame as it was no any former
ocras ttttt ; that the z and intelligence of she M. mbera
have never been surpassed ; and that the favourable result
of their canvass IsaUogrtlur intpreceilenteil,
" That each of the Parish Cummiltics list eonvetiiil one,
and some sit them have convened two Public Meetings of
the Parisbumera, and it affords great aalisfactimi to your
Committee to report, that all those Meetings have been vet y
numerously attended; that 11w hnsiness has been wholly
transacted by Tradesmen, in their respective Parishes, nod
that in no instance has there beet any want of ability for all
the purposes of such Meetings ; but that. on the contras y, the
conduct of those Meetings has been so jiidicaios and exein-
piary, and the speeches of the Eli <wls who addressed
them have bein so excellent, as to excite the applause of
the Freud., and to command the respect of the Enemies of
the People.
" Mr. Hoblimise has been invited to, and has attended
all these Meetiugs; he has beats recessed with CW114.114,111,
and in his sperm lies lie has Avis his intimate knowledge of,
and exposed the system win:lied by the Gusernment, and
has declared liiinaelf a Radical Reformer.
" At all those Nlectitigs the tautest unanimity has pre-
vailed, and a...3)(er desire to iirotnute the return of Mr.
141.11111015 f has beets manifested. A toanifestatiou founded
on the eiiiivirtion of the necessity of such a Reform, in slit
Rouse of Commons, as shall restore those short Parlia-
ments, which, for as viral centuries (awl until they wise
destroyed by the arbitrary power of the King anal Aristo-
era.: y) were bulb the law awl inactice of she country—of
such a Reform as strati make the eight of suffrage so eaten.
sive, sus quad, and so secure, that the House of
sissy he—what the law requires it should be—anal what iii
reason it ought to real Represeutation of die *hole
People: so then by the extent and equality of suffrage, it
should be iinpussible to corrupt the people out uf the
House, and by the frequent veer...se of that suffrage, it
should be matte the interest of the Representative to act
with good faith towards his Conalituent% sod thus prevent
the currnidion of the Members within.
" In the present proceedings there has been, in one re-
aper% a deviation hoist the plan hitherto pursued by the
Electors of Westminster. Neither Sir Francis Hamlett,
nor Lord Cuchraue, were expected to do any act which
might subject thrill to the ;tribunal expense which the law
very unjustly makes Calldiallielt liable to limy. Sir Francia
Burdett and Lord CUCllratte were out
It has, all along, been conaidered that a seat. ..Smut in a
House of Commons which really repreionted the whole
people, while it was undoubtedly the greatest ho any
man could receive, would still be an 'Alice of great trouble
and difficult s.
" In the best slate of things it would be just for the
people to piy, suit no degradation 1111 their Kepre‘entatives
to tamer compensatiou for • due performance of arduous
dittos. In the present aisle of thing% burileit gh is
placed upon the shoulders of an lioneet Member of Parlia-
ment, without hia being compelled to spend his money,
touch less to beg votes, ft um dour to door, to oblaiu the
seat,
" This deviation was occasioned by the great body of the
Elecluis not bring personally acquaiotid with Mr. Hob-
house, a1..1 haul his opinions on the •iltal flotation of Reform
being known to theirs 'Ally frosts general reputati 00000 and
his •pireclies, during the last Election. Hester it breeine
so.ceesary for Mr. 1101)111allsr ni attend the Parish Meeting.,
that the Electors might Isar, firm himself, the opin be
entertained, anal be (stabled to judge fur theniselees, as to
his eligibility to represent theist in Parliament.
"The preparatory measures for an Election content have,
in the present case, been uansoalty prolonged, and knee con-
sequently been attended with unusual exiwisse, mid she time
which must still elapse before the Election can be deter-
al, cannot tail considerably to augment that expense.
" The accounts, oli.o suilited, will be published, and the
books and &winsome will also, as usual, be opts. to the Au-
spection of every subset lb. r.
" The Electots of Westminster coosider the hnsiness of
electing their Rcpresentatises to be their you proper busi-
ness; they well know bow to mintage it for themselves;
and, in calling your attention to the present and former
state uf our city, the contrast it exhibits will, it is tittiod,
demolish ate to the nation the great advantages which would
result from a conviction, in the uuods of the people at
huge, that they are cumpeteul to manage their owls affairs,
without the assistance of :toy party au the State, or of great
and autiuding nausea, usurping the place of intellect and
iintegrity.
"At the General Election 1807, by your spontaneous
exertions, your must excellent Repres‘ntatiwe, Sir Francis
' Hurtle It, was first pent to Pailtaitient, his