The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-02-17 00:00:00

NOTTINGH AU 13 LEMON.

eta. 16.
The Committne appointed by the House of Con.-
mons, to try the Merits of the late eleftion for Not-
tingham, this day assembled for that popese in the
Court of Chancery.
Mr. PICOT, as Counsel for Darn kt. PA RKE&
COKE, against Mr. llaacu, the Member returned,
addressed the Committee in a speech, the delivery
of which occupied near three hours. It was a most
brilliant dispLiy of eloquence and argament, and
developed the whole cf the proceedings, which chi-
raderised the late extraordinary manner orezere.sing
the franchise of the town and borough of Not.t.ing-
ham. The Learned Counsel contended, that theCorn-
raittee were not bound to determine this election a
void one ; but they were called upon to declare Mr.
Coke duly elected, and this proposition he establish-
ed upon the petition of above 500 of the electors,
stating in the most express terms, that they would
have voted in faiour of Mr:Coke, but were pre-
Yente..i from doing so by the violence of the parti-
zans of the adverse party. He Observed, that a
numerous body of the friends of Mr. Birch posted
themselves in an elevated booth near the hustings,
and denominating themselves the teleg aph,announced
to the mob those friends of Mr. Coke *ho Were on
their warto the hustings to poll ; the immediate
consequence of this livtag telegraphic commun;catios
was, that either those who were proceeding to
exercise their franchise in favour of the unpo-
pular candidate, were either prevented from ap-
proaching the hustings, or were severely hustled
in their retreat. The learned Counsel further stated,
that in addition to these interruptions to the business
of the eleaion, the military were frequently called
in at the instance of Mr. Balguay, the Recorder of
the town and borough. The moment the military
retired, the same scenes of tumult and disorder
were renewed. The inn in which Mr. Coke's Com-
mittee condueed the business of the eledion, was at-
tacked by the mob, and the candidate himself, after
having been repeatedly assaulted and pelted by the
populace, t: as compelled, for his own suety, :o retie.
On the day of the election, only two candidates were
put in nomination, namely, Mr. Coke'and Sir John
Borlase Warren. Mr. Allen, the Mayor, tePeated-
ly made proclametica for .sabre candidates to co-ale
forward—He exclaimed, " Gentlemen, if you. do
not send another candidate, I must necessarily sign
the return." The Mayor kept the poll cpen for se-
veral hours ; when at Last Mr. Birch was proposed,
and four voters polled for him. The Learned Coun-
sel, after enlarging with great force and ability upon
these various infringements upon the right of elec-
tion, entered into a statement of the republican pro-
cessioa,which had terminated a scene of such unusual
tumult.
It was preceded by a female, habited as 4g the God-
dess of Reason," followed by twenty-four girls, each
arrayed in the garb, invested with the insignia and
attributes of "the Goddess of Liberty;" these fe-
males, disgracing the modesty of their sex, were
accompanied by others, displaying tri-colciured fla s,
similar to the banners of the French Republic. The
motley group made the air resound, not with the
good old English songs which were formerly used
upon such occasions, but with the Jacobinical airs
which had urged the French to those excesses which
distinguished the most sanguinary period of the Re-.
relation ; they were " Millions be free," " Ca Ira,"
Marsellois Hymn," dec. and of all the days in the
year, the lath of July was the day pitched upon for
this imitative representation of French l'..epublic-

anism. •
The learned Counsel having advanced these and
many other topics, which our limits will riot allow
us to detail, concluded a speech, which was heard
with admiration, and universally allowed to be
first-rate piece of eloquence.
Our readers mint be aware that it reold be very
improper to touch upon the evidence, or any other
part of the case, that might by possibility Cleft the
decision, until the whole shall have been
throttb.. We, therefore, s tail confine Ovselves to
the opening speech of Counsel, as beiLs nothing
mere than a statement of the petition presentee to
the House of Commons. -

LOVE 4ND MADNESS.

On Monday evening 'a young man, ferrncrlv
footraan to General fox, and who had also setvea
as a soldier under him, but is now in tEe service of
Capt. Green, the General's Aid-de-eamp, attempt-
ed suicide. He had been for some time so much
attached to a fair Cyprian, that nothing less. than
matrimony would content him, which the lady de-
clined, alledging, that as a general admirer of his
sex she was determined not to confine her love to one.
Repeated refusals .had so operated aoon his mind,
that they at last drove him 10 Inadars s, and he
was heard to declare frequeatly in comp, ny, that he
would put a period, to his existence. This resolu-
tion he attempted to carry into Aet on Monday.
lie had been just visi:ing his frail flaii-etne, and his
mind being more than usually disturbed, he broke
thrcc ale-glass.-. 5 with his teeth at the Sliepllerd and
riock public-house, at the corner of S'a!pherci-strew,
Bond-street. After this feat he exc_.,lstrtned " Good
b'yr. all, I'm going to cut. my throaq' tr-. 1 rushing
out {->f the house, he aftually cut.his throat a
penknife. He was immediately taken up, welitrins
in Wood, and exclaimed " Betty, take. tr.y ring,
whip l got at Malta." He was conveyed to Mici-
Hospital ; and is now in a fair viy of re-
.