The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-10 00:00:00

IVESTMLNSTER EL EC VON.

Yesterday being the day appointed for the Election of Members
to nerve is Parliament for the city of Westrniostei, at so early no
hour as seven o'clock in the morning a number of persons, chiefly
of the lowest class, collected around the hustings, which were
erected on the preceding day, in the front of St. Paul's Church,
C ,sent-ga-dert. The de...tree of public interest and curiosity which
would have attended this Election under other eircumstai.cea. was
greatly diminished on the present occasion ; as it was very generally
code/stood that Mr. Canning, whose character as a wit, an orator,
and a siateemart, pointed him out, in the minds of many, as the lit
a tree.. sor of a Fox and a Sheridan, had declined the proffered ho-
nour of being put in nomination, upon the ground that the rem-
Natation of SCestminster would interfere with the discharges of hie
other public duties. and therefore that the late Members, Sir F.
Burdett and Mr. J. C. Hoblinuse, would come in without opposi.
tion. Nines o'clock was the hour fixed upon in the High
advertisement for holding the Election, but, for some reason which
was not explained, the candidates did not appear upon the hustings
until a few minutes before twelve o'clock. In the interval oces-
'tinned by this protracted delay, the multitude evinced no symptoms
of impatience or turbulence, but diverted themselves by playing off
practical jokes upon each other. Mr. Lee (the High Constable of
Westminster), assisted by a large prose of constables, was in at-
tendance, sod every enkavour was made to prevent the crowd from
taking possession of the hustings, which were reserved for the High
littliffand his officers, the Candidates and their Committee, and
the reporters of the public press. Before the Candidates arrived,
the number of persona present had greatly increased, and many
wh t could afford to pay for the accommodation, procured standing
atom on the top of the stalls and sheds in Covent-garden Market :
amongst these we noticed a few well-dressed females.
About eleven o'clock Sir Francis Butdett palmed the hustings in
his carriage. and was received with loud cheers. He proceeded to
the Committee-room. at the Rainbow Coffee-house. A few minutes

o'clock Mr. Morris, the High Bailiff; with his
Dortntr. both of whom bad been in attendance since nine o'clock,
cook their places on the hustings. Shortly after Sir F. Barlett,
John C. Hobhouae, J. Halls, Esq. (the Magistrate), Mensrs.
Richardson, sen. and jun., Mr. Peers, Mr. Adams, Mr. Derear,
Mr. Wiltari, Mr. I.yodon, and several other friends of the candi.
dates appeared. and were vceived with acclamation.
The HIGH Bttt.trr then came to the front of the hunting% and
said, it had long been a favourite saying of Sir F. Burdett's—
•• Oise us a dear stage and nu favour." lie could not Wait meek
of thr former (the hustings were excessively crowded), but he had
mon" confidence that be could rely on the latter. (Cheers).
Proclamation having been made by the Crier, the precept of the
Sheriff's of Middlesex VA read, and Mr. Hann administered the
usual oath to the High (Whit by which he bound himself to
make a fair return. The Act of George the Second, known as the
Bribery Act, wee then read, rather than heard, through the con.
(union caused by the pressure of the crowd towards the buntings,
which obliged the constables in many instances to make use of their
staves._ _ . . .

Mr. 1.1'ml:ow then came forwent, saying. that he had been de.
puted by the Committee to propose Sir F. Burdett as a fit and
proper person to represent the citizens of Westminster in Parha.
ment. It would only be loss of time for him to enter at length into
the merits of Sir Francis, aud he should therefore content himself
with pmposint hint to the electors.
Mr. PLEas seconded the nomination without observation.
Mr. Dtreaa said., that at the last election he had the honour of
seconding the nominst:on of John C. Holihouse, Esq. Since that
period Mr. 111. had been theable and indefatigable friend of reform,
Meth in end out of Parliament. The city of Westminster, there.
tore, had no reason to regret the choice made by the &centre. For
his own part he felt it was his duty to assist in procuring Mr.
Hobhouse's return. Of his qualifications it wu unnecessary for
him to speak ; he was the friend of civil and religious I.beity ;
his eligibility was well known 'o the electors cf Wes:mins:et. ; h:
wee there to speak for himself; and be (Mr. Derear) should, there-
fore, content himself with concluding by proposing John Cant
Ilobhouse u a lit and proper person to represent them in Par.
l'ament.

Mr. meow seconded the nomination of Mr. Hobhouse,
u;m the broad .ground. that he was a friend to the rights of the
people, and the advocate of civil and religious liberty.
The DEPUTY BAILIFF then mule proclamation three times,
that if any one had any other person to propose they must come
f,oward, or Sir Francis Burdett, Bart., and John Cam llob-
house, Esq.. who had been proposed, would be re:omit! as
totally to acme in Parliament fur the city and liberties of West-
minster.

No perinn appearing to answer this call,
A RTUrn Illoa ars. Eq. the High Bailiff, declared Sir Francis
Burdett and John Can) Hobhouse, Esq. duly elected Itepresentatives
of the city and'llberties of Westminster. _ _

.--...-- .......
Sir F. 1%110E7 T then came forward. and was received with loud
and continued cheers. He said, the period had arrived when it be-
anie his ditty to address a few words to than, returning thanks for
the distinguished honour they had conferred on hint, and congas.
totaling them on the successful struggles which they had made in
a variety of contests, until they had at length placed the principles
of public liberty, in •Vestminster, upon grounds which were not
only immovable, but it appeared by the proceedings that day un.
ausekatle. (Laughter and applause). But he could not only con.
gratulate the electors of this great and enlightened city up eti their
own suavest but upon the beneficial effect of their exaMple, in
rousing the people in other parts of the country to assert their just
rights--tights so well understood by the people of Westminster,
and to back this great and enlightened city in what they justly
clamed as the tirth.right of Englishmen. the privilege of appoint-
ing their own Representatives in Parliament. (Cheers.) IS was a
road eor eider:titan forthe electors of Westminster to reflect that at
length In Corebt.garden, where the battles of corruption were so often
fought, corruption now did not dare even to 'hen its nose. (Cheers).
This was a moral lesson to ibis great and enlightened country. It
proved what the result would be, if the people of England obtained
their just rights. It chewed practically the justice of that great
principle of Reform for which heand they hail so lung contended. It
was this principle which lie advocated from the first day of his pul
lie life, and to this principle he trusted the end of his life weedid be
entirely devoted. But, whilst the present system of rotten boroughs
continued so complete and extensive, it was little better than a farce
to pass the Act against Bribery, which they had just heard read;
it was little better than a farce to declaim against corruption in the
House of Commons ; and little better than a farce to pa.s reisolu.
lions against it in that House, whilst every one knew here and there,
and throughout the country, that. as Parliament was at present
constituted. • great majority of the Members of the House of Com-
mons obtained their seats by proceedings more or less corrupt.
(Bravo, and cheers.) It oak therefore, that the people should
drop all minor considermionx. Experieoge proved how ineffectual
were ail attempts at what were called infltur reforms. All partial
attempts of an economical nature, or for a retrenchment of the pub.
lie expenditure, were found to have been attended with little good, '
and must continue to be so whilst the interests of the great body of
the 'Members of (net House were directly opposed to the interests of
the public. If they did not openly tolerate corrupt practices, there-
fore, they upheld them by all the means in their power. These
sentiments were so well expressed in a paper which he had seen
yesterday, that he had made an extract from it which he would read
to the electors of Westminater. (Hear, hear.) It was taken from
the Times newspaper of yesterday, and the point was so very well
put, that he felt he could not express it in better words. The writer
said :—" Scotland feels ro portion of the warmth or @pick which
animates all the rest of the United Kingdom at the set ratalint 111. •
general election. Such an event is not, in that self.estisiti veil=
an appeal to any popular sentiment, cr to any r prladple
of the Constitution ; it is but • new registry of an old a fresh
triumph of monopoly over national right. The mat rotten of
English or Irish boroughs exhibits nothing more dosser minim.
provable than the humbug of representation throughout the whole
of Swilled. Virtual representation' is there in a state, to
which nothing can be compared for simple excellence but the
two Councils under Bonaparte, or the manner In which the
interests of our former Colonies in North America were
' represented' In the British Parliament." Now, this was
exceedingly well put; but neither the North American
States when they were colonies of ours, tier any other of our

•
colonies, were lens represented than the great hulk of the people of
England were by the Parliament nf England, an at present comet- I
toted. It was only bleutieg ourselves to think that partial reforms
were of asie use. Nothing could effect good but the expression of
public minciele, without a fair representation in Perhansent.
Without thin re m, no good could result horn attempts to in-
troduce a *poem of economy, or even a fair system of adminietta-
tints. But to continue his mime—the writer said, " the Search
Oligarchy was the snuggest thing an earth." Rut whilst we salted
of Scotch Oligarchies, did we recollect that we had Oligarchies and
Corporations, and Bodies in England, whir, interests were op-
posed to the intt rest of the people of England, and whose vdhw
wee more effectual in influencing the Cevernment than the voice of
the people of England, browse the latter had not organs in the
House of Commons. (Sir Francis then teemed reading.) " The
Scotch oligarchy we take to he the entiggest thing on milli. The
Scotch banking oligarchy a few weeks ago, by dint of cohesion said
resolute maereueritg, contrived to baffle the Minieters, the Reuse
of Commons, and :he public mind of England, in a measure of tits
highest importance to the nation ; while the electing oligerchy has.
in twenty instances, made an equally daring and successful stand
against the v:ry slightest infusion of liberty into the constitution of
that power by which Scotch Members of Parliament are created.
And England,"—now here was the drift of the observation, which
was most true, and nothing multi be better aed more Leidy and
fairly stated.--" and England, which tnlerates thin VICIOUS frame of
representation in the northern part of the island, fares accord.
ingly ; she is ruled by its servility to the Conn—she is preyed
upon by its rapacity—she is defeated in most attempts to
correct her own internal abuses by the votes of these strangers,
and their antipathy to all precedents of reform." :low nothitig
could be better calculated than this was to (thew the advantage
of turning the public attention from partial abuses to that great
master-abuse, the parent of all the rest—the corrupt system of
rotten boroughs. If such a statement, appearing as it did in a
public print, was not sufficient to mew the people of England. he
knew not what would. Rut he believed the people of England
began fa feel the value of those rights of which they were deprived I
and he was confirmed in thin belief by the manner in which the
elector. of Westminster sustained their independence and evinced
their feelings on the question of Reform. Ile hoped this question
would be so pressed upon the house of corruption, that it would one
day be compelled to yield to public feeling, by remedying those
abuses, which weakened, if they did not destroy. the rights and
liberties of the people of England. (Cheers.) The principles of
liberty, however, it way impossible to destroy. Tram principles
were so firmly rooted in the hearts of Englishmen, that they could
never be eradicated. lie thought there was a rational prospect of the
advancement of those principles ; he knew they must ever continue
alive, and this was the foundation of his most sanguine hope. He
was happy to end that the spark which wan kindled in Westmin-
ster had lighted up into a flame in Southwark. The principles of
liberty were spreading their roots in the Borough as well as else-
where. The people of Southwark seemed anxious to sympathize
with generosity, courage, and humanity ; anti civil and religious
liberty was triumphing in that borough over bigotry and narrow
prejudice. The cause of Reform was triumphing, and the electors
of Southwark were determined to prove it. by carrying triumph-
antly the election of that great and energetic friend of Reform. Sir
R. iVilson. This was another triumph for the electors of West-
minster. It was another beacon to direct the attention of the
people of England to those enlightened principles which the citi-
e‘nt of Westminster advocated, the spread of which now proved that
their example was not thrown away on the rest of the country.
There was another place where the voice of the people began to be
heard. It was formerly one of the rottenest of the rotten boroughs
(laughter); and by the aid of that severity which one boroughmonger
was so found of exercising against another it was disfranchised.
lie alluded to Aylesbury, where the electors had imitated the great
example of Westminster. The borough was now thrown open,
and the electors were so fully impressed with the true principle of
public liberty, that they only asked their candidate not to cajole
them by a canvass, and not to spend one penny en his election.
(Cries of bravo.) This success of the principle of public liberty
was a source of hope to him, and of pride and satisfaction to them.
Returning to the extract to which he before alltulcii, it went on to
say, " It is irksome to be tied to such a dead carcase as this."
(A laugh.) It certainly was irksome, but the forty Scotch Mem-
bers to which the writer alluded were only a small part of the dead
carcase. The 300 rotten boroughmongers were the real dead carnage
and dead weight, as lie might call it. (Cheers.) If these English bo-
rough:l:longer' were got rid of. their Scotch dependents would soon
follow. In fart the 40 Scotch Members could be easily purged off;
if it were not for that phalanx of boroughmongers which had taken
root so deeply, that until of late years no man who did not wish to
be thought insane, had scarcely the temerity to propose that they
should be got rid of. There was one part of the extract he
had read from which he greatly dissented. Ile wondered that any
man, having the good sense to think and write so accurately, could
tome to so lame and impotent a conclusion. The writer said—
" There seems one rational hope of release, via. that its
awn corruption will at length dissolve its tenacity, and that
some more health; substance will, by the course of nat'tre, if
DOS any efforts of human culture, one day grow up instead of it."
Now this scented the most irrational of all possible hopes.
,Corruption was more likely to gala strength than to &stay itself.
That was its tendency, which had been proved by the experience
of a century and a half: so that nothing could be more preposterous
than such a doctrine. In fact, there was no analogy between na-
tural bodies and political bodies : the former might be destroyed by
its own corruption, but the latter would not. No rational man
could expect improvement to come in such a way. In fact this was
" that pale cast of thought" which made men depend on every-
thing but their own exertions. It was the certain means of Wait-
ing and preventing public exertion, and was calculated only to
keep the system of corruption complete in all its parts. Ile might
say of it now, with the lady in the play. who when asked by a gen-
tleman,for which of his evil parts she liked him, replted,for all his
evil parts together, which kept him in such a politic state oh evil that
no good could pass to him. (Laughter.) He might apply this to
the Gov miment, than which no Government ever possessed such
means of perverting in its sources, and opposing in its results,pub-
lie feeling. To this, however, was operated the great and enlight-
ened public mind, the necessity which was felt for exercising
the tight to choose a free government, and the augmenting know-
ledge of the country, which was proved in every instance where-
ever there was an opportunity of displaying it. On this increasing
knowledge he founded his hope of success in the cause which he
advocated, and which recommended him to their notice. Ile op-
posed this to the patronage of the East and of the li'est, and to an
unconstitutional standir g army, kept from all intercourse with the
people by barracks. These were the aids and means of corruption ;
out he depended on the knowledge, patriotism, principle,and gene-
ral constitutional feeling of the people of England. Trusting in
these, his advocacy of the cause of Reform would be more ardent
than ever; and he hoped not only to live to see the land of promise,
but to have the happiness of arriving at it. In conclusion, he as.
surest the Electoreehat as they had again confided in him thechmrees
of representing them, that trust should not be abused, but his abi-
lities should be exerted to the utmost of his power to promote the
public interest. If at one time he exerted himself more than an-
other, It was because that at one time he thought exertion would
be worse than useless, and that at another he conceived it might
promote the cause of public liberty. W'ith these sentiments he
would take leave of the electors, only a dding that he felt proud of
the manner in which they received him, as well as of the trust they
had confided in him. The lion. Baronet concluded sonidw: loud
sad continued applause.
Mr. iiOI3IIOI,SE then proceeded to address the assembly. H.
assured the gentlemen present that he did not yield to nis lion.
Colleague, who had been deservedly honoured with their et:
in his sentiments of gratitude—sentiments with wletch their

condescension. in electing hint at. their Represe:itative, very nato.
rally inspired him. Every one who was honwared with their appro.
button had just reason to be proud; but r.,enuips he had more rea-
son than any one else could have to b. proud of their support and
their suffrages, because, when he was elected the first time, as one
who was willing to maintain art; advocate the rights of the people,
he was elected without sty of those pretensions or advantages with
which the greater number of candidates are surrounded ; on the
contrary. the electort of Westminster. in electing him, went where
the English people were apt to go—they went to one oppressed by
the arm of power. He had nothing to recommend him hut a true
inclination to do his duty in their eyes, and he clamed beyond
their approbatien r,o notice or reward. They, however, elected him
at a time when lie was under the arm of power; they took him
from a place t which he had been sent by an unjust and corrupt
Parliament. and sent him to that Parliament to tell It what he
thought of it. (Great applause.) He hoped that he had been sue-
cesaft.l in his endtsvours to lift his voice in the cause of Reform, and
dna he had sheavn, by his conduct in Parliament, his knowledge
of the principles in support-of whichshe had been tent,here; Imbed
attempted at least, he would venture to say, to do hie duty in every
particular. lie was convinced that their triumph was connected
with his-conduct ; and he hada right to say, that he was not con.
mlous of having been wanting either to the came of the people°,
to the interests of his constituents. (Applause.) Of course he had
constantly looked to that which was called " the mirror of the
times"—he meant the periodical, or, rather, the daily, history at
the country, in order to find what complaints the country, or
AVestminater, had to make against him ; but he had the happiness
to say, that he could find nothing recorded to his prejudice. 115
had made no speech, he had given no vote, which should make
him ashamed ot -appearing before them. (Applause.) He knew
of only two complamts which were made by respectable persons:
for he presumed they were respectable, although he knew nothing
of them ; the one was maleby a writer in a newspaper, who feeder.
mended that none bet dunces should be refereed to serve In he.
!lament, and who thought that ignorant wens would et Mee
competent to parliamentary duties thin time ohs wan eleasseL
The same ether said, that Sir Francis likaalettalienetioses Ink
pretty speeches, and, he was sorry to say, n. Iliebbsess was Islr
lowing in the same steps. To the lame pest et dm charge be
eoulA not plead guilty • but he thought Net allensiise was to be
desired in the Member; of the Senate. The ales atilt was,
that Westminster wanted talent, and' that hl Wes woes
without ability. But those complaints fetes so opposite coma
other, and 10 contradictory, that they mild am be bids ten. Re
hoped that the truth lay in the medium, see that do er
Westminster found their Representativea se& removed bee law
rance on the one side, and from love of display on the others este
give them complete satisfaction. (Applause.) He agreed astir*
with the opinion of his colleague. that it was ImpsealliAt.
permanent good could be done, without that graMilad.
tarp Reform. Some things had been doesloy slillalPadkiealf
in the way of Reform; among others, the Sem ef=bed s.
come to Resolutions against bribery at Amami&
hesitation in saying, that he thought such Ree=lldJ ear
had the effect of making the people think than meow
mons could correct the evils of a vicious syst=lol.olllooßd Aar asbet halot
at the root itself. lie did not wish to detain
been said by his colleague. ilia future conduct shield be pee as