The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-01-15 00:00:00

NORFOLK ELEGIORs' PETITION.

ACCOCNT OT THZ PROCELDINnS OT THE MEETING
HLLD AT SoLV/ILH, urn Lit ELIIDAT, THL 10TH

lASI A r•T.

The Meeting was numerously and most respea-
ably attend •d.— fhe business of it was opened by
Tope s+ Ta arrest 13ar N cv, E•q the principal Peti-
tioner, who st iced, that a mea•ure of the greatest
moment, not only to this county, ►ut to the king-
dom in general, }wing been undertaken in the
names of a few individuals, he trusted it would
not he deemed presumptuous in one of those indivi-
duals, to offs:. A few words in explanation, befoie
the business of the Meeting should be entered upon.
That as many persons might be present, who were
not perfelly acquainted with the tempi, of the Peti-
tion, he would beg permission to have it read.
The Petition being then read, Mr. &aver pro-
ceeded to observe, that the reports which represented
it as grounded solely upon offences against the
Treating Act, would now evidently appear to be
false, inasmuch as it was found to embrace all those
points in which Ministerial influence, and othe►
legal and unconstitutional practices, to an extent
before unheard of, hail been employed as the means
of procuring the return of the sitting Members, at
the sate Election; that another misrepresentation had
also been circulated, with great industry, of his hav-
ing been actuated to the part he had taken in the
business, solely by motives of private pique and re-
sentment. He appealed, with great force and pro-
priety. to the feelings of all present, for the sen-
sations which must have been excited in his mind,
by the unmanly and disgraceful insult offered to his
family i• that the taking upon himself to have re-
course to public measures. involving such import-
ant consequences as the means of revenging a pri-
v.rte affront, could not but hare been disapproved.
Ile then declared, that he had come forward to
support the rights, the privileges, and the independ-
ence, of the county. Mr. Berney further pro-
ceeded to make some observations on the mischiev-
ous tendency of the measures adopted by Mr. ‘N ind.
ham, and Mr. Coke, to procure their election ; and.
stared, that he bad been induced to relinquish
original design of supporting Mr. Coke, from the
di gust which he had conceived, in common with all
these who had an, pretensions to the character of

• Alioding to an uertttr.ace as the Ele:lion, which excited
gearral orri,anat aad Mrl.lCll there wa. east reason to sap.
pni*. c.nimail, Had et Laws hews approved ut by Mr.
W .141 Alt. Cu.t tweasaelves.

freemen, in consequence of M►. Coke's, buld at-
tempt to bring forward Mr. Windham, in defiance
of the known will of the greater part of the independ-
sot interest; of the county that he had declared
to that gentleman, his determination to strain every
nerve to oppose him ; that he had acted, and would
continue to act, resolutely, upon that determination ;
Mr. Coke had found, and he was persuaded would
still continue to find, that there were spirits in the
County of Norfolk, who would not be trampled
upon. Mr. Berney then apologized for not having
brought this matter before the public at an earlier
period, v'hich he accounted for most satisfactorily,
by stating the necessity of preserving secrecy at the
outset of such proceedings ; but more particularly,
by the necessity of keeping Colonel Wodel.ouse in
total ignorance of the design, in order that he might
not, in the smallest degree, be implicated in it.
An opinion of three very eminent Counsel was
now read, which purported, that the strong body
of evidence already collected in support of Cie Pe.
tit ion, justified every teasnnable prospeit of success.
Mr. Berney then concluded a very animated
speech, which was received throughout with the
most marked approbation, by saying, that he had
undertaken the measure, in the firm persuasion, that
as it deserved, so it would receive, the public sup-
port, as soon as the proper time should come for
submitting it to the public approbation ; an opinion
which he did not, however, presume to ail upon,
without having first consulted with some of his wore
experienced and judicious friends.
His conduCt was now before the public, and he
was content to tea the propriety of it upon the
judgment of that meeting.
After some observations from several leading
Gentlemen present, highly approving Mr. Berney's
spirited and patriotic conduit, the Resolutions
were unanimously agreed to, and a Subscription,
to a considerable amount, was collected before the
Meeting broke up.
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