The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-02-14 00:00:00

HAMPSHIRE PETITION.

Mr. ASHTu,d StA 11'Hrose, in pursuance of his
notite, to submit a Motion upon this subjea. Be-
fore doing so, he should request that the Clerk of
the House should read the Petition which he had
formerly presented, complaining of the undue Elec-
tion for Hanshire.
[Here the Petition. the purport of which we for-
merlr stated. was read ; and also. upon the lion.
Member's subsequent suggestion, the Resolu-
tions of the House, in 1779. relative to the Crimi.
nality of Ministers, or any Servant under the Crown
of Great Britain. direaly, or indirealy, using their
influencz iu the Elation of Members of Parliament ;
it being. at all times, considered by the House, as
aimed against its liberties an .1 independence, and
injuring udr free end happy Constitution.]
The Hon. Gentleman then rose, and • made a
speech upon this exertion. but in such a low tone of
voice, as to be almost pertealy inaudible to the
Gallery. He trusted the House would believe,
that he would be the last man that would bring
forward any charge, such as that contained in the
Psuition which had been read, from ally personal ani-
mosity against the Right lion. Gentleman oppo-
site (Mr. Freemantlel. He cauld assure that
Right Hon. Mem e'r And the Huse, that he enter-
lathed none, and that he was only actuated by a
sense of public dory. in bringing this matter before
them, as he deemed it highly worthy of their most
serious consideration. It was a matter of notoriety,
tba: that Gentleman (Mr. Freer:Montle), had 1114.1 C
as of all that extensive interest. which his publi:
offi:ial situation afforded him, in the county of
Hants, for the purpose of supporting the two
persons who had been returned. to the exclusion of
the Gentlemen who had served that county for the
period of sixteen years. He should, therefore, can-
chide by moving—" That the Petition, complaining
of the undue influence in the Eledion of Members
for Hampshire, he referred to the consideration of
the Committee of Privileges, to examine the nacid
thereof, a to report the same, with their op
r
thereon, to the House."
This motion was seconded by
Sir HENRY MILLMAN. who said, he felt
considerable dif&ulty in taking any share in this
lousiness, because any observations he might make,
might naturally be considered as the result of his
own knowledge. He felt it his duty not to allow
the privileges of the House to be invaded, upon a
4.ihjea which so materially interested tile public,
and the Constitution of the country. His motives

}stance in hit power, to trace, detea. anti
regular itnerference of Milosters en Elec.
was consitont h;s own experlance
rreteut occasion, that their influence had
col in a meaner the moat unprecedented
roue that ever came under tie notice of
In :carolling the lourhals of the House, •
Mend any ;Titmice exettly similar to
At 'he time the Petition Seas presedited, a
Noble Lord (Viscount Howick) oppcoit.- had stated,
tkat many misrepresentations hadbeen made, aid
pr. judices created in the public mind, upon this
subje.O. This he (Sir H. Mildmay) believed to
have been the c.ase; but then these prej }dices had
be o melted by Alin:sr :rs themselves, for eke pur-
psse of foeour mg their ',bleat. rej iced that tLis •
Petition had bent ongat forwerJ, and he agreed
with tile Noble Lord, o at if the Petitioners nailed s;
in adducing proof of what they asserted had t••k• a
place in the county of Haut., such [shut sr
,ought to fall uptia the heads of those who seg.:este.
ed and brought it b 'fore the House He, for one,
submitted to thalt prolosition But if it sh.eld so
happen, thole they were not only able to m eke ouc •
what they had ajeged, bat even• a room-et case
than what wonder:rained in the Petirioo, foe should
call upon thp fuse to redeem the, solemn pledge,
which they hodgiven in the year 1779 • o the public.
He trusted, that •V-te Noble Lord soul not suffer
tech flagrant atewes of p-wer and infl•ience so seek .
proreaion under his strung 1,111 Ilq w.y of es..
planation, he shou state. that the county of South-
ampton had terra • '' 'ties belistging to it;
there ate variou. description proporty, which do
not auntie the proprietors to v., at the EleChon.
such as Collegiate Property, Cnio; rop r
and others, so that there were prop:Jr-nor:oh rc
voters in that county than in aoy other, althengio
equally opulent. There were upwards of 4Oof
the freeholders of the county constantly employed
by the Executive Government for the time
There was also an infinite variety of persons tbelreg
who were indirenly under the controul of Gnvern-
silent ; he meant. that there were whole shoals of those
who were called Contraaors. lle only awed this
by way of expLtnetion of what he m.ant afterwards
to allude to ; and what he meant to infer was, that
in addition ti this long-esteli'ished influence on the
past of Government, which must increase in pre.
portion to our naval force, the whole Barrack De.
pertinent was employed as their agents. So long
A'. this was the We, it was utterly tosposhOle for
any indeorndent man to grapple with Government,
or to be ssccessful in what was called a popular
Election. He could read certain papers, for vie
purpose of spewing, that the undue interfnence he
anoded to. did not originate solely with the Seem.-
tory of the Treasury or the 3arrack Master of that.
County ; hut that it was a dig toted plan, genet ally
concerted on the part of His Majesty's Mini ions, to
excludelriarn Election an Hon. tk.er•desnan who had
served that County tor It; yeart,a.ad who bad iislfilled
his duty in the most honourable and independent
manner. On the 11th of August, Lai lemple
called upon Sir William Ileanicote, and said, Le
was commissioned by Lord G•enville to say, that
Government were entitled to 66,1 forward such
gentlemen As were not in the Opposition ; but that
it he would stand alone, he should nos be or I
subsequent to which, an explanation had taken piece
between the NOhle Lard and that H m. Baronet ---
[Here Sir Henry Mildrisry read various copies of
letters, for the purpose of proving his assertions.
These letters were dated from the Barrack Office.
upon His Majesty's service, and related to the mode
of conduaing and defraying the ezpence of Vie
eleaion alluded to.] The cooclusions he w from
them. he trusted would be rendered more evident in
the Committee which had been proposed. This was
a question which was not confined to Hampshire s
it was one which be thought materially involved
the spirit of the Constitution. It was a dare& inva-
sion, by Government, upon the privileges of every
individual in that Hou.e. Nu person et-told op-
pose such a sort of influence ; and if Parliament
admitted it, it would be forfeiting a great pore
Lion of its own honour and dignity. He, sin-
cerely lamented that the matter tied not been
brought forward earlier ; hut the reasons of delay,
he trusted. had been already sufficiently explained.
He next read a letter from the Duke of Chandos,
is 1779. which was the foundation of the Rests-
lotion which the House had passed in that year.
and he sinceraly wished that the House would con-
cur with the sentiments contained therein, and com-
pare them with those letters which were now upon
the table.
Mr. FREEMA.NTLE--" I have heard, Sir,
the nature of the charge which has been made,
and I now feel myself called upon to rise, in order
to persuade yon, the House, and those who have
brought it forward, that I ant not so far cul-
pable as they have been pleased to allege. I
feel a considerable degree of difficulty and em-
barrassment, not from any fear arising (rota
guilt, but from that diffidence which must
na-
turally occur to one untccastomei to discussion;
the more especially, when the subjea of it Alarms
my charalter and reputation. as well as the credit.
and even the ezistence, of that Government. with
whom I att. Sir. with these impressi ins upon my
mind; I throw myself upon the indulgence of too
House. (Hear brat! Hear hint I) Rumours have
been most industriously circulated upon the tubjea
of the undue, unconstitutional. and improper Inter-
ference, on the part of Government, upon tl.e
Hampshire Eleaioa ; rumours, which. although
they have been m ignifled aid etaggerated. its.
utmost extent, I trust. I shall he sole to expl.in to
the House, have been entirely withou: a jest and
proper thuadetion. It is nu wonder that nose ru-
moors should, to a certain degree, have had their
effea ; and it is nto. surprising, that Govetamet
should have conceived themselves inte-ested. Siva
when the Petition was press fired to the Hogue, I
had, surel.tiryst
so_ • • - -