The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-05-18 00:00:00

roRK3HIRE AC,IIIN,ITIO.V.

On Wedoei day, came on in t':e Castle•yard, the
Nomination of two Knights of the Shire, to re-
prerert this exteniive aiid populous county in
Pastniment.

Tile candidate; an.l their friends having aisens,
bled, the High Sheriff ( Fountayne Wd
s.in, F.-q ) ripnea the busiriess in a very Appropri-
ate ad.ire.s, cn ti,e

S•r liobsrt 'D'Arcy 4rd, Dart. • thcn nomi-
r it l% I:sq. and w•as seconded
Ia .Lasa cank. L'9.
• •

Lascelles, awl was seconded by John Hardy, Esq.
Recorder of Leeds.
Walter Fawkes, Esq. nominated Lord Milton,
and was seconded by bir Francis Lindley Wood,
Bart.
Mr. Fastens then stepped forward, and spoke
nearly as follows :—Gentlemen, the late very sudden
and unexpected changes in His Majesty's Councils,
changes surprising to most, andealarming to many.
have placed me in circumstances so peculiar, that I
must take the liberty, it you will grant me the in.
dulgence, of trespassing for a few moments upon
your time and your patience.
The motives, Gentlemen, which induced me to
withdraw myself from public lite, and to abandon
all the hope I might entertain, of again being ho-
noured with your countenance and support. were
too convincing to be resisted. I could not consent,
with any sort of prudence, or with justice to my fa-
mily, to meet that powerful opposition, which. a
variety of circumstances, arising out of the present
temper of tl e times, induced me to believe I should
be obliged to encennter ; and this resolution was
strengthened by an honest, but perhaps mistaken
conviction, that after the arts that had been prac-
tised, and the success which had attended them, I
could no longer at.l in the situation to which your
kind partiality so lately elevated me, either with 54.
tisfaetion to myself, or with any prospett of advan-
tage to you.
Gentlemen, I have been accused of having accepted
the representation of the Couuty of York, only that
I might retain it, until my Noble Friend, Lord
Milton, could legally succeed to it. This charge,
Gentlemen, I can vety easily repel. I declare
most solemnly befofe my God. and before you,
that I had not the most distant knowledge of
Lord Milton's intention to offer himself to your no-
tice. This, Gentlemen, I should hope, woLlsl he
suificieetly satisfaerory ; but as prejudices ate vio
lent against me upon this score, I am hippy in be-
ing able to state a fan, which must put the matter
beyond all doubt. A few days previous to the dis-
solution, and when the rumours of a dissolution lied
greatly subsided, I called together a number of my
friends in London, to consult with them upon some
business of the utmost importance to me ; .t was to
announce to them my intention of retiring from Par-
liament; my Fiends took the greatest pains to dis-
suade me from this resolution, under a cmviaion
that such a step would inevitably expose me to the
charge which has now been made against me. I
could not suppose, from the general tenor of any
conduit, that any one would.suspe6t me of so base
and dishonourable a transadkion. I yielded, how-
ever, to the entreaties of my friends, sad promised
them to retain my situation so long as the Parlia-
ment, in which I was then sitting, cone hued in ex-
istence. This statement, Gerelemen, will, I trust,
convince even the most incredulous of my enemies.
I must now notice a most tal=e, maicieus, and
extravagant charge against me, which appeared in
The Leeds Intelltgescer of Monday list. the Edi-
tor of that Paw (still continuing my Wild.'" friend)
accuses me of "having joined iu the nightly orgies
of Mr. Pau:l and Sir Francis Burdett, and of being
in habits ut intimacy with the latter, the avowed
friend and associate of the infamous llespard."—
Now. Gentlemen, what will you think of this ca.
lumniator, when I tell you, tkae, whatever may be
my opinion of the sentiments and public conduct of
three gentlemen, I heifer had the honour of being in
Mr. Paull's company in my life; and that I have
not either seen or spoken to Sir Francis Burdett for
23 years, when we separated as boys at Westmin-
star school ? Now, on which side is to be found
personal abuse, misrepreseutetion, rancour, and
falsehood
In the same publication there are many other
equally groundless refleebons upon my chat-softer,
which I shall not now advert to, as I should con-
ceive it would demean me to !ake any fat thee notice
of the trash and ribaldry of a man, who, when he
affe es to be witty, is only vulgar and contemptible;
and who, when he pretends to be serious, is coarse
and inhumen. I shall leave him, therefore, with
his connedlions, to the honourable task of libelling
private chataaer, for the amusement of the mali-
cious ; and I beg, that in his next week's Paper he
will make what use he can of " his Dumb Orator,"
and of " this last sad effort of expiring imbe-
cility."
Gentlemen, during the sheet time that I have had
the honour of being your representative. I have re.
erted my best abilities in your behalf. My Hon.
Friend and late Colleague, will, I flatter mysnlf,
testify, that 1 have not been an idle set vent, while
my own heart assures me, that 1 have never given
a vote that my conscience did not honestly approve.
Gentlemen, 1 supported the late administration,
because I thought their measures likely to conduce
to the public prosperity. I come not here with the
absurd and idle intention of contending that they
were faultless ; but surely, some plans were adopt-
ed by them for the amelioration of your condition,
and that of your fellow creatures; and whatever
may have been their errors, let it at the same time
never be torgotten—that they were the Detectors of
the NUR- Plunderers—the Deliverers et Africa —the
Friends of the Pose—And the Enemies el Taxation.
l'u accomplish these great ends, I earnestly lent my
little aid : and for the truth of this Assertion, I can
confidently appeal wife the frueal, to Mr. Bid-
deletes motion, and to that celeoreled Commitee
of Public Offices, which, had it been permitted to
proceed in its intoiries, would h eve involved in its
exposure characters perhaps whom you little sus-
pect, as it had already implicated (according to
the received opinion) a butt's friend of those, who
(aided and guided, by a celebrated character, whose
last public appearance was in Westminster Hail,)
have once more kindly charged themselvae with the
management of your Purse and your Liberties—l
can appeal. Gentlemen, with tl.e humane—to the
glorious abolition of the slave 'Trade; and with
the Patriot—in the pledge. I have doue nothing,
with which I have to reproach myself ; and I shall
again sink into obscurity, with the delightful con-
sciousness of having, as far as the circumstances of
the times would permit me, faithfully and honestly
done my duty to you and to myself.
Gentlemen, the great charge against the late Ad-
ministration is, that they made a criminal attempt to
introduce Poetry open intothis kingdom ; end you
are cow appealed to in favour of a set of man, who
are said to have been chosen to save and guard your
--e=l=an"-•-- "eteleliehirleafe- Now this s rosily too

I, ~...

comical I. Will you smile—or will your honest in-
dignation be eicited, when you he from me, an
learn from documents not to be disputed or refuted,
that the most prominent among Close charaders
whom His Majesty has been advised to selea, to
secure you from the introduCtion of Popery, from
monkery and mummery, from the cowl, and the
cope, and the crucifix, from fire and faggot, and
who are, (it I may, on so sea ions a topic, use so ,
light an expression,) to serve as a sort of oil skin
case, to proteft you from the penetrating and
searching quality of Holy Water, are themselves the
rely persons who chiefly encourage.' these Catholic
claims, who fostered them in their idancy, and
who absolutely quitted the service of their Sove-
reign, at a period of imminent danger, because he
would not permit them to carry a measure in favour
of the Catnacs, infinkely more extensive than the
one for which the late Administrati,m has been dip,

carded
Gentlemen, I shall now proceed, with your per-
mission, to analyse that mass of vigour, talent, and
consistency, which has been honoured with the ex-
clusive title of the Protestant Adiatinisontion.
At the head of this body, of course, stands the
Duke of Portland. In times of great difficulty and
danger, the public have a right to expect at least a
consistent and efficient head of their government.
Now let ns examine a few of the public eels of the
Noble Duke, -and see whether his public charaitlec

will stand this test.
When Ltd Lieutenant of Ireland, his Grace
mode but one speech from the Vice•itegal Throne;
but that may be well recommended to the " Pro- '
tesiant Ministrx"-ef the present day. On Saturday.
July the I.7rb, 1782, his Grace was graciously
Pleased to relieve the Members of the !nib Parlia-
ment from their constitutional Lbours; •' earnestly
congratulating thein and their country (in allusion
to the indulgences which bad been extended to the
Catholics) upon the diligence aad ardour with
which they had cherished and enlarged the wise
principles of toleration, and made considerable ad-
vances in abolishing those _fistula-tons which had ton
long divided the country, and impeded the progress
of industry."
H s Grace again stands forward to public notice,
• when its Me Gazette of 1801, his Grace is sta.ed to

have received His Majesty's p. rmisdon " to retire
from office, oar account of his increasing age and in-
firmities."
Now, contrasting the present, with the former
opinions of the Noble Duke, and taking into con-
sideration the reasons which urge/ him to withdraw
himself from pa' hie, 1:-:sv can he escape the
charge c.f inconsistency, and is he not conviaed, even
out of the mouth of his Sovereign, of incapacity ?
Gentlemen, Mr. Canning next presents himself,
who said, in the debate on Mr. Brand's motion,
that he bad never given but one vote upon the Ca-
tholic question, and that in opposition to it. But
what has Mr. Canning said on this subjeft ? On the
7th of February, IBoi, Mr:Canning, in answer to
Lord Castlereagh (who was at that time in power
with Lord Si/month), said, alludiog to my Lord
Redesdale's letters to Lord Fingall, protesting
agaisist the propriety of granting any concessions of
any son to the Catholics: " I allude to the docu-
ments (meaning Lord Redesdale's letters) which I
have 11pol-smith 41,,we eNt indiavetien s and when I
found my Noble Friend, Lora Castlereagh, talk of
the temper and moderation of the Irish Govenment,
I did ewes that their conduit had been such as to
remove tvcry distinftion, to prevent the recurrence
of those differences that have so long disturbed the
peace and tranquillity of that country. If that has
been the policy, as 1 act sun it was the duty of
Government, ill indeed has that end been endea-
voured to be accomplished. Good God, Sir, that
in the nineteenth century there shall be found a man
of great talents, of great learning, but that which
he has lately displayed, I could almost have wished
that no one heard it now ; for I had hoped that it
had been exploded two centuries ago; that this
lea, ned person should fill the office of a great legis-
lator, and that he should be appointed to preside in
the only country in which such antiquated doarines
could do effeaual mischief. Ido not say that it is
a fault; but I do say it is a misfortune, that such a
p4son, with such sentiments, should be placed in
such a station; I cannot argue favourably of any
Government, in which such sentiments prevail, nor
do I think it likely that Ireland can ever be tran-
quillised, so long as they shall be aeted upon."
Now mirk, Gentlemen, how curiously things
have turned out: turd Temple, the other
called the principles on which the present M,; ipess
a'teJ, " principles of the darker ages," &c. &c.
He and his friends have been turned out. Mr. Can-
ning said,' that they were I' principles which ought
to have been exploded two centuries ago," Ste. And
his Protestant brethren slip into the vacant places.
Gentlemen, having tut nished you with this ex-
tra& I leave you to make your own comment, and
to draw your own conclusions from it. No man
admires Mr. Canning's eloquence and talents more
than I do: he may have reasons for his condui,
which I am not acquainted with ; but, as an English
Ele‘tor, I must say, that I can never place my con-
fidence in any man, or set of men, who one chi)* de-
clare a great measure necessary to the salvation of
their country, and who so shortly after accept of
office, when they know they must be under the ne-
cessity of decrying it.
Gentlemen, my Lord Castlereagh is next upon my
list, and his condui is quite inexplicable; for he was
the instrument through which all the blandishments
of hope were held out to the Cathotcs, to induce
them to concur in the measure of the Union. ad
Lord C. think those measures politic at the time he
proposed them? If he did, how can he now charge
the late Administration with being foes to the Pro-
testant church? How can he join his colleague, Mr.
Perceval, in the presumptuous boast, that they are
a ministry formed for the purpose of defending our
religious establishments ?
Bat if it be a sin to propose new privileges to the
Catholics—oh ! how deep is the immortal l'itt in that
guilt? In the following words he speaks to the
Catholics in a note, the authenticity of which was
never questioned. " The Catl.nlic body will there-
fore see how much their future hope must depend
upon their strengthening their cause by goad cau-
dal ; in the mean time, they will prudently con-
sider their proseet% as arcing flora the persons who
now espouse their interests, and compare them with
thou they could look to hem any other quarter.