The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-08-24 00:00:00

MIDDLE-SEX' ET.ECTION.

"iNk.:RAS NUTTING.
A Meeting was held on Wednesday, pursuant to
Advertisement, at the Southampton Arms, Camden
Town, of the Freeholders of the palish of Pancras,
avowedly 4. To consider of the most effalual means
of vindicating the Rights of Eleftion, outraged hy
the conduß of the Sheriffs, at the late Elution for
Middlesex." About one o'clock, the husincs.: com-
menced, when the MY. Mr. likows Lxv was called

to the Chair.
The Rev. Chairman explained the ohjeft of the
Meeting, in a neat anal appr-priate Speech. He
felt himself against his desire, in the situation
to which he had been celled, he:.i'ise there were
many gentlemen present more competent to till it
with ability than himself, yet as he found himself
in the situation, in compliance with their wishes, he
should endeavour to discharge the duties of it in
the best manner he could. They were all acquaint-
ed with the purpose for which the Meeting had
been convened ; but, as the attendance was not as
numerous as m•ght have been expelled, which arose
from the circirmstance of its being inconvenient to
many gentlemen hearty in the cause, to attend at
that particular time, he should propose, that after
the discussion, a Committee should he appointed,
to be composed of tem or three gentlemen in each
distriet, to go round and canes those who could
not conveniently attend in the present instance. They
were all sensible of the outrage that had been com-
mitted nit the eleaive franchise by the Sheriffs at the
late eleetion, and they were then met to enter into
measures for asserting their rights. This was the
cause of the whole penple, because every man had
as much interest in the preservation of stile elenive
franchise as the Freeholders, as any injury to that
right would tend to do away all the benefite result-
ing from the exercise of it. If a ret tinting officer was
to have the power of giving an undue advantage
to any one candidice over another, it wotild be
subversive of the frcedcm of elelion, and in the
progress of time, end in the total destniCtion of that
system of representation which was the breast and
glory cf their ancestors. They had now only to
take the cause into their own hands. The question
had changed its ground. It was not at present
a question between the Sheriffs and Sir Fraecis
Burdett, but between the elenois and these who
had grossly violated their franchises ; and he had
no doubt, but as men, they would join with the
rest of their fellow reeholders, if they valued
their rights, and, as wise men, that they would shew,
that not only the renirning effirer should not with
impunity invade their franchises, bur that no per-
son should, in any instance, offer vielencie to their
constitutional rights, without incurring he severe
penalties by law provided. With respell to the
worthy Batonet, he observed, that there was no
situation in the county, on which he had fairer
clajms for peculiar regard. He laid, at the request
of an infinite majority of the parishioners, unaer.
taken the prntenion of their franchises, in a manner
consistent with his charader, and because he looked
upon it as the cause of freedom : and he had con-
duCted the business with such coolness and temper,
as enable] thinn to affirm, that a more deftly
constitutional mind acres intimated an: pudic man.
From fist-view communications with the worthy
Baronet on the* othieft. he conid declare, without
fear of cantrasnction, sod his statement %eels] be
confirm. d by other Gentlemen, that nothing could
iniuce him, however advantageous a proposition
might be to the. parish, to deviate from the line of
the Cnnssitution, or to do violence to public princi.
pies. This haf been *Pried by a vete of four
hundred parishioners, assembled in that very room,
which was a satisfedory evidence :,1 7:is constitu-
tional mind. That Parish, then. was particti-
lady called on to come fore .„ tit!. cause. They
owed it to the glorious stand he had made in assert-
ing the lode; eaden e of the county, unequall-d in
the annals of our history. There twit been as .ny
instances of great expences ;marred in ,iipnortin::
the independeice of counties or dirria., bar fey-,
indeed, of an individual corning 1 vwdrd, with his
private property, to rescue the independence of A
Minty, without a view to family interest, or local
ohjets. They all knew that long before the
time of John Wilkes, the. representation of the
county was at the disposal of. certain interest+,
from which it had been wrested by that Gentleman,
and the worthies that surrounded him. ‘Vhen they,
however, sunk into their graces, the county fell a
prey to Justices, at the ditletlen of an individual at
the bead of the Magistrates, who ass himself at
the &Elation of the individual at the head of the
Executive Government. That was the situation in
which Sir Francis Burdett has found the county;
and in asserting this independence he had made a
glorious stand, and during the progress of a tedious
and expensive scrutiny, had set many things right
which had before interfered with the purity of elec-
tion. Put he had been since put to further trouble
and expence, and his opt:cunt, threatened still
metre to invade that splendid property which it
was his lot t.' inherit, and of which no man could be
more worthy. It behoved all therefore to contribute
in such a cause in pronee tint: to their means, for
which purpose he should *Ely a bock the table to
enter the subscriptions of those pies atter which
he should take the sense of the nwesieg with respell
to the gentlemen he proposed to constinite a Com-
mittee. The Reverend Gentleman then observed,
that the sum subscribed was not a matter of consi-
deration. Every gentleman might subsciihe in pro-
portion to his means.
The speech was received with warm epplauses.

The following Gentlemen were then unanimously
voted :. Committee
Southern Dollsien.—Rev. Ileownlev,Hergoni street,
tzro)-inue )PUOIIIIO4 Esq. Tuttenha.a.c nin-
ents4

Western Division rchthald Hunter, Esq. Wenn street,
EmPoy-squAr.; 1 Braithwaite, Fry. New Email.
Nortlitrn Se,aliton, Ens (print-pleeis
John railer., Esq Town; Cia•kwiti, Esq.
Hercatoek Hilt ; John Gialidwin, Eq. Kentish 'resit.
E.miervi .r—Town Carkir, 44. n. Egy.
r. up, Esq —john Braithwaite, EA to be G:neiai Irressurer.
A liberal subscription was then entered into by
the gentlemen present ; after which the thanks of
the Meeting were voted to the Chairman for his
very proper condua in the chair.

The Arrisaso, of ti 4 guns, is ordercl to be fitted
is as hospital ship at Chatham.