The National Register.
London, England, 1811-09-29 00:00:00

BANK TOKENS.

The substitution of Tokens for the coin of the Realm, is not
confined to the Batik of England, or even to private hankers.
lu almost every considerable town, individual merchants and
dealers have begun to issue pieces of this description, of various
value, on their own credit. The Shilling Tokens which are cir-
culated by a. mercantile house in Bristol are very well executed,
but are not vina.la more than 9d.; a value, which it perhaps
would not he prudent much to exceed, lest the Bank-note price
of silver should afford tuo strong a temptation to melt them.
This Bristol home • receives about 601. worth of these Tokens
daily from the Mint of Messrs. Boultem wad Watt. They are
paid on demand. If 20 be presented, a Bristol One Pound
Bank-note is given to the bearer : if less than 20, payment is
made in copper.

Counterfeits of the three-shilling Bank Tokens are in circula-
tion ; they are of the same size and thickness as the true one, but
differ in the following particulars :—The bust and dress a his
Alajesty are much fainter ; the letters are thicker ; the v.?, eath
is badly executed, appearing swelled and indistinct, and to rise
higher than in the true one; the figure 2 is larger ; and the letter
0 in Token, and the figures, 1811, hardly legible, from the flat.
ness of the die. Their appearance is much whiter, and they
sound very dull when rung ; they are of copper, thinly plated,
and worth about a penny. On the whole they are executed
nearly as well as those issued from the Bank ; and it is much to
be lamented that the execution of the Bank Token has admitted
vhom any of them
service by endea-
• first came into

.

1301 W UGH OF SOUTHWARK.

-"•.11.0•••--

MR.. WILLIAM JONES BURDETT AND THE ELEC-
TORS OF SOU 1 FIWARK.

In consequence of the application made to William limo
Burdett, Esq. by Mr. Keinmish, as Chairman of the Committee
of Southwark Freemen, Mr. Jones Burdett has given them the
following Answer:--
• Roehamptcn, Sept. 23, 1811.
GENTLY MEN—Your application to me was wholly unexpect;
ed. It is extremely gratifying to my feelings to receive so
flattering a testimony of the favourable opinion you entertain of
my principles, and I am fully sensible of the honour you do tie
by your handsome offer of proposing me a Candidate for tbe
Borough of Southwark; at the came tirll2. I scruple not to de-
clare, that I take more pleasure in witnessing any honourable
expression of public sewinient, than 1 could derive from any
circumstance, however honourable, to myself alone ; nut be-
cause I estimate lightly public opinion, but because lam fully
convinced that if our country can yet be saved from the
ruin with which it is menaced, its salvation can be effcieted only
by those genuine, independent, constilutiomal•prineJples which
you, Gentlemen, profess yourselves anxious to support.
Yon correctly state my humble opinion, that a Reform is
Parliament is become absolutely necessary. It ap?ears tome
equally essential to the interests of the Crown and ot the People.
I am persuaded it is for the Ihnefit of both, and that the Eaten..
tive should have full possessiunof allthe Constitutional Powers,
unrestrained by the oligarchical influence of a Borough Faction;
but whilst such a power exists I cannot Lip thinking that it
must interfere with, or rather jet, it must command the-e Pre-
rogatives of the Crown with which it is entrusted by ant for the
benefit of the people, and which it, otielit to exercise. according
to the Cons itution, underno odic!' cunt ruel than that of an une
corrupt House of Commons.
To be elected into such a House of Comtrions, seems to me
more gratifying to the feelings of an honest Englishman, than
any distinction in the. power even of.,the King to bestow. 'lb
become a Member of a House of Cot imons that does pot re-
present the people, cannot, in my judgment, be either boning.-
able or useful, could not advance your interests or those lain..
cipies pint entertain; ant: as fur myself, I had. rasher deeinet
aiding the delusion, which I conceive the House of Commons,
not representing the people, is calculated to promote; and had
rather not assist in deceiving you, or practising an impo.itinis
on the public, being fully persuadeti that in a House ot Com-
mons, " col ected by means which it is not lustier necessary
to describe," the most splendid atillities, combined with the
'post unimpeached integrity and virtue, must fail in producing
any lasting benefit to the country, and does appear to me wow
than useless to keep alive such an expectation in tl.e pub&
mind, because it tends to mislead the people, and to divest
their atteetion from the real eource of all their griev.inces,
viz. the now universally acknowledged corrupt state of the re-
presentation.
- -

Entertaining such sentiments, yo..r will not he surptiied at
my declining'the intended 11..tiour of your proposal to besume a
Candidate for the Borough of Southwark.
I beg of you, Gentlemen, to acct t my grateftil tharks for
your handsome conduct. It is with groat satisfaction I receive
this mark of the approbation of mail and respectable Elec-
tors of the Borough of Southwark, and, consider this as a tes-
timony of their _good opinrorienext .to the approbation of my
own mind, as one of the most pleasing circumstances of my
life. I remain, Gentlemen, your obedietu servant,
WM. JONES BURDETT..
--Kemmieh, Esq. Chalrrnam of the Committee, &c.

In consequence of this letter, the Committee have opened
Books for signaturts, and 1000 Freemen have already sub-
scribed their names; and they have come to the following-Reso-
lution
That the circumstances in which our Country is now placed
renders it more necessary, snore urgent, and more insportestt
than ever, that we should recur to the old principles of English
Freedom, and call upon honest, independent men to servals
in Partiansentv. to correct the abuses of Administration, and to
guard the Constitution. That William Jones Burdett, Esq. pos-
sessing these indispuisible qualifications it would be to the Im-
mortal honour of the Borough of Southwark (following the ex-
ample of the City of Westminster), and afford a great and glo-
rious example to the Electors of the United Kingdom, that they
should return him to Parliament free from every sacrifice and
expence to himself, upon independent principles, consonant to
the genuine spirit of the Constitution of England, whick dN
Blares, that Elections shall be free and without corrruption.

•••• I* vs-4 • -itar Aireets.o.4%.,

iIM.L-L .J.

of so earl► and e.►sy a counterfeit. Persons to whom any of these
counterfeits may he presented will do a public service by endea-
vouring to trace the. quarter from whence they first came into
circulation.
Saturday se'nnight, while two men were ramming a 42-
pounder at Sheerness, the gun unfortunately went oft; and blew
them to atoms. Two others who stood near the spot, were
desperately wounded.
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