The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-04-26 00:00:00

NORTHUMBERLAND ELECTION.

"!HL TYR, MERCURY,* MARES II.)

the election for the county of Northumberland
took place at Aluswick ou IVetiesday. At eleven
o'clock W. Clark, Esq. High Sheriff. attended by
a large number of the Gentlemen oC the county,
entered the Court, and the usual ceremonies having
been gone through—
Sir J. E. Switenuttatt rose slid said, the last
time lie had the honour of addressing them, he had
the mollification to witness the retirement of a
Noble Friend of hie, who was a credit to North-
umherlantl and an honour to the country, and was
otie of the ablest and best Representatives ever de-
legated by them to the House of Commons.—
( Loud appfanse.)—Many Gentlemen in that Court
would doubtless recollect the feelings of concern
and mortification which were expressed on that oc-
casion, and he 111111C011SCIOUS that any praise from
hint, ay to 11w talents and distinguished character
of his Noble Friend, was altogether unnecessary;
but they had the satisfaction of knowing that his
splendid elognetwe and distinguisheil talents were
still exerted in the defence and support of those
principles which he had always acted upon. and
upon which Ire was confident he would eser act,
and that he is now, what he was then, and what he
ever will he, the champion of the lights and li-
berties of the people.—( Loud ekeering.)--
He bad little expected that those feelings of deep
concern and regret should have so soon recurred,
anti that they should then have a similar loss to de-
plore, and a like cause to regret in the retirement
of Sir Charles Moock.—( Loud applause.)—Every
one must honour and respect the motives which in-
duced the Honourable Baronet to take that step,
and they could not but recollect his able services as
their Representative—his manful stand in defence
of the rights of the people—and they most all feel
sincere regret for so great and serious a loss.—(Ap-
plause. )—And he would assert, without fear of con-
tradiction, that two more honest, two more upright
and independent Members titan Earl Grey and Sir
C. Mouck, never sat in the House of Commons.—
( Loud cheers.)—He knew that perfect and entire
coincidence in political opinions was not to he ex-
pected, and was seldom to he met with ; but when
they agreed upon fundamtnitel principles, they
must overlook their differences oposi minor points.
When he saw a young gentlemen of education and
character dedicate Ii self with zeal and attention
to his duties in Parliament—when' lie saw him
boldly and manfully disengage himself from the
shackles of ministerial depentlaticy—(Applause)—
when he saw him dating to Ilsve an optstion of his
own—(Applause)—when he saw him advocate mea-
sures of retrenchment and ecolionry,uud makes bold
and not altogether unsuccessful stand ag * t the
late enactments, witch he (Sir J.) thought were not
only oppressive lint titiconstitutionnl. and which had
most extensively and materially trenched upon the
liberties of the cutnitry--(sipplriase) —he could
scarcely express the gratification which he felt.
Such had been the conduct, and such the principles
upon which Mr. Beaumont load acted during the
short time he had been in Parliament.—s(Applause.)
It was upon those grounds and upon those princi-
ples that he them, caner forward to recommend Mr.
Beaumont to their sopiport, and in his mind they
were sufficient wounds fir it.—(Applayse.)—fle
had not, to be sure, gone so far as lie (Sir John)
would have gone. but actuated solely by good in-
tentions, he hail not sacrificed himself to party,
and had acted as lie cousidered right. He also
considered that Mr. Brownout hail another claim
of great and serious moment. Short as had been
the time which Mr. Beaumont had burn in Parlia-
ment, he had seen that many abuses existed, and
lie was friendly to the correction of those abuses ;
nay. he would go further and say, that lie (Mr.
Beaumont) was not so short-sighted. nor so blind-
ed, as not to see that those abuses con only be cor-
rected by a reform iu l'aultament.—(Appluirse.)—
Upon that subject lie could shy a great deal, but
as that was not perhaps the proper place, lie would
not detain them at any great length. He had
never come forward on ally public ticrosion with
any private view, or to gratify any feeling of ambi-
tion; but he had always come forward on this
ground, anxious to deserve their good opinion, and
stand forward in defence of tile rights and choreic-
LT/ of the county of N.irtliumberland whenever
they had been attacked, or had been likely to he
an.—(Lord applause.)—The principles lie had held
when lie first entered into public life, remained us,-
altered mush unalterable; eight-and-twenty years ago
be was a reformer, he had continued a reformer,
and he was then • reformer.—(Loud eheers.)—
lie was not the friend nor the advocate of those
weld stud Mischievous theories which bad been so
rife. and se much circulated of late. and which
had been betel forth by men who could have no
object but delusion. He was the friend of tempe-
rate, moderate, and coisstitutionat reform. and that
otily.—( Loud applause.)—He was the friend of
reform, because hr was convinced that if they had
betas listened to 28 years ago. the country would
not have been in the deplorable, distressed and agi-
tated state in which it now is.—(Applause.)—And
he was fully convinced that if a moderate reform
did not speedily take place. for which he believed
nine-tenths of the people of Englaud were solicitous,
nothing could save us from anarchy on the one hand,
or military despotism on the other.—(Lend
please.)-1 take this public opportunity, continued
the worthy Baronet, of mentioning the efforts of
myself and others who have exerted, and shall con-
tinue to exert ourselves to forward that emote, and I
twin the period is fast approaching when the inhabit-
ants of this county will have an opportunity of de-
claring their sentiments, by petition, remonstrance,
or otherwise, upon that great and vital question.
I declare in the face of the county that we court di*.
cussion. we are ready to meet and argue the gift.-
tioil °reedy. No man of candour, no man of coin-
anon intellect, will deny that some reform is neces-
sary ; and provided it be prosecuted with temper
and moderation, it must succeed, It is the cause
of the country, tlie cause of the people. and the
cause of the constitution, which we wish to correct
awl restore. because we love. revere, and respect it
—( dppluuse.)—The worthy Baronet concluded
by swininsting T. W. Brownout, Esq. and said
that nothing but a thorough conviction of the
honest iiitentions and thorough independence of
that gentleman could have intluerd him to nowt-

nate him.—(Load applause.)—J. 111121), of Chip.
case, Esq. seconded the nominetion.
Mr. BEAUMONT then presented himself, and was
received wills great applause. lie commenced by
assuring the meeting that lie had never risen under
greater feelings of difficulty. He had long looked
forward to that day with feelings of deep anxiety,
when lie might come forward to ask in person fur
their support, which it was his highest ambition to
receive. lie should always consider it an honour
to be distinguished by the approbation of his
countrymen, but more especially by the inde-
pendent and high-minded county of Nortliumber-
land.—(dppluase.)—He was aware of the great
caution they should exercise in choosing Repre-
sentatives, who might truly represent their free
spirit iii the Senate. lie was no less erosible of
his own ; but he would yield to tio cont•
petilor for zeal mid sincerity in supporting
the Constitutioss, for maintaining their indepen-
dence, fur shaking ()lithe shackles of party, mini*.
aerial as well as others, and taking one straight.
forward and iodepeudent line of conduct, to serve
the public and the public good, and that alone.—
(dpplumse)—ile was glad to see so full a trieeting,
and lie regretted that the Court was not large
enough to hold every mail in the county, that every
freeholder might hear him vindicate his character,
and it had not been his fault that they had not met
on m he busting,, and opeuly declared their epproba-
tom or censure of 1114 COlKlUCtreiPPlallge.)-1-1e
rejoiced in haviog an opportunity of meeting those
who haul raised an opposition against him, and of
calling upon thetas for all explanetion of the events
of the last two months. lie remembered she pro-
fessirma Iw had matte to them two years ago, mid
lie hid honestly adhered to them ; and lie had
done his utmost in discharging his duty to them,
to himself, and to his couwtry—braving minis-
terial power, braving time fury of a mob ; and
was it not therefore natural for him to be alarm-
ed and astonished to feud, upon his returning to
ask • renewal of their colifitlence, that an oppo-
sition haul been raised against him—an opposi-
tion formidable iii is weight and influence, sup-
ported by rank and patronage, and uniting in it-
self the most inconsistent elements, directed solely
against himself, to wrest from him the prize the
honest pride of his smihition T—(Applaute.)—lt
had liven said that Mr. Brandling had conic for-
ward at the request of his friends, and that, con-
sequently, implied a censure upon him (Mr. B.),
for ell those who requested Mr. Brandliog to come
forward must have disapproved of his cooduct, and
wished to oust Into from the representation.—(4 p-
pluuse.)—lle had certainly been astonished at that
elimpprobaliou, for he had no cause to expect it,
and was not conscious of having given any motive
fur it. He could not think that the freeholders of
Northumberland, who possessed such noble feel-
ing-, would suffer such an advantage to be taken of
him in has absence—he would not believe, that when
he was pile to Inch to discharge his duty to them,
they would encourage any attempt to shut the
dour tryout hint. Such conduct he should not ex-
peel fr Euglishmen, and certainly not from the
freeholders+ of Nortl herland.—(4pplattee.)—He
Wan at first alarmed at that opposition, yet when be
Caine to examitie it a little closer, that phantom
possessing two heads, turned ditiereist ways--
( leap/erectus applause)—when be looked into the
real solidity of that phantom. he found it merely a
gross delusion, without cons?quence, without the
spirit of the people, and his alarm was soon quieted.
—(Loud applause.)—For time restoration of the
trarquillity of the county they were not indebted
to oily renunciation of their errors, hut to the re-
aignation of his late worthy colleague, than whom
lie did not believe that a more upright and barest
Mull had ever existed. It was to the county at large
that lie could confidently appeal sgainst all power,
till patronage. and all influeoce.—(Applakse.)—
It was far from him to disturb the trauquillity of
the county, hut if it would place him ou the proud
eminence which lie then aspired to, lie should wish it
to he disturbed every day. He then proceeded to
state the grounds upon which he considered the op.
petition to him had been founded. lie could nut
think that they were yet tireJ of their independ-
ence, or that they would really blame him for hay-
ing exercised his judgment, mid maintained a
strictly independent line of conduct. He had
always acted from independent motives, and not
f party ones ; and would the Hon. Baronet who
hall nominated him as an independent man, have
done so if lie had considered him to be attached
to a party, even if that party were his own ?
There was no person in the kingdom to whom be
would entire! with more confidence for the excul-
pation of Isis conduct than to Mr. Brundling ; and
be appealed to that gentleman as a man of honour
and honesty, if he had so low an opinion of him as
to think him capable of acting fur party views. He
feared lie had trespassed too long upon their at.
tentiosi, but an apology was not due from him, but
from those who had forced this vindication from !um,
and it was for them, not for himself, that he sincerely
begged their pardon.(/ippietsse.)—ile next re-
ferred to the votes lie had given upon the live
Bills lately carried ihrough Parliament The cir-
cumstances which gave rise to those measures are
too well remembered—are ton deeply fixed to
be soon forgotten ; would they could be more easi-
ly effaced ! All honed men had been anxious that
something should be done to relieve the state of the
couistry, that the cause of the disease should be ex.
*mined, thin caustics should be applied to wounds,
and wholesome medicaments be used to renovate time
system, that the whole might live and enjoy fresh
vigour. The first measure which was brought
forward was a mot' for inquiring into the slate
of the country. That motiun he had supported,
and he believed that its nut coming from the mi-
nisterial side of the House was the only objection
to it. When strong legislative measures were
called for, it was suttly nothing unreasonable, no-
thing extraordinary, oar was it cuistramy to common
sense or good reasuoing,tu examine the accuracy of
the infortuatiou before them. mid procure more if it
could be lied. He asked if that vote, though
against Ministers, could give soy offence to the
county of Northumberland 1--(Applause)--To
softest the rigour of tile Seditious Meetings' 801 l
his elroo ts wei e exerted, but with very little success,
as he felt that it went to prevent meetings of the
people except under such restraints'ilist they scarce-
ly ever could be held, and as lie did slut think they
would hare the desired effect of tranquillizing the
countiy. The bast way to accomplish that would

be, by removing tilt causes of the discontent which
prevailed. He would not believe that any people,
much feu the people of England, would be sediti•
ous for sedition's sake, nor that they would be uu-
quiet merely fur the sake of rebellion. Neither could
he consent permanently to give up an important
part of our constitution to remedy • temporary evil.
In the Bill empowering Magistrates to search fur
arms by day and night, he voted for leaving out
the word night, which he understood was soother
grievous charge against him. He considered that
it was riot requiredo and that it was, therefore, dr-
trimenf al, mid if they looked to the d,•r..rhed dis.
non', tii.v would find that it had never Leen acted
upon. lie had not said that there was no distress,
no discontent in the country, but he contended that
that was not the way to !sot it down; nor had brewer
said, that there were 100,000 men in inns in this
district..•/('beers.)--Amongst the new measures, 1w
had pleasure in mentioning one for expediting the
course of justice, by limiting the time fur
et-
•,fliaio informations. which he considered a great
gain to liberty. The Bill for repre►sing cheap pub-
licatious lie had opposed, because he did not think
it calculated to remedy the evil ; and he was afraid
it might prevent the dissemination of political know-
ledge amongst all classes of people, mud he thought
the more widely it was circulated the better. tie
also condemned in warm terms the blasphemous
publicatioks which of late have been so much circu-
lated. Having thus explained how far lie lied gone
in support of the late nivasures, the grounds upon
which his opposition to them was founded, and the
objects which he had in view, it was for them to say
whether he had departed trams the professions he
made when lie last met with them, and whether fur
such conduct lie ought to have received such treat.
went in the county of Northumberland.—(Loud
applause.j—An attempt hail been made to shew
that he had cancelled the professions of inde-
pendence he formerly gave them, by his taking the
chair at the Pitt d r held in Newcastle ; but no-
thing could be more absurd. It was extremely
ridiculous to infer, from his presiding at that
(limier, that he had pledged himself to support
Ministers through thick and thin. He attended
that dinner for the purpose of celebrating the
birth-day of one of the greatest Statesmen this
country ever saw; and lie was sure the Gen-
tleman who had invited him to preside at it, was
solely actuated by motives of kindness to him, and
had not the slightest intention to seduce him
into • line of conduct contrary to the proles-
. stens of independence be had made to the free-
holders, which he asserted were not cancelled, and
were not to be cancelled. %Viten lie considered
the manner in which the opposition had been
raised against him, he felt that as • public
officer, whatever proceed;:igs were taken fur. or
against him, that they must partly concern those
whom he represented,as it was entirely founded upon
his public conduct. He was not in the least inclined
to discredit any thing coming from so respectable
a quarter, but as Mr. Brandling was stated to have
come forward at the request of Ilia friends, lie
thought he was bound to say who those friends
were. They may be numerous, and yet not re-
present the independence of Northumberland.—
The Honourable Gentleman concluded by observ-
ing, that should lie be again honoured with their
choice, he should endeavour to shew hi% gratitude
by the best amid most independent performance of
his duty.—( Loud applause.)
Sir CRARI.Es LORAINE then nominated C. J.
Brandling, Esq. in a neat speech, in which he paid
u high compliment to the character of that Grim.
ileums, and defended the ground► upon which lie
hail come forward.

C. J. CLAVERING, of Riddlehamloope, Esq.
seconded Mr. Brandling% nomination.
Mr. BRA N DIA NU then rove, but it was a cor.sider-
able tirlit befare he could ohtaill a hearing, in con-
sequence of the great uproar with which he.W:la
sailed. As soon as silence was obtained, he com-
menced by stating dist they had beard onecandidate
with patience. and it was only fair that the little he
had to say should be listened to with the same tem-
per. Mr. Brandin% then went into • justification
of his conduct during the canvass, and threw I • •
self and his cause upon the pod sense of thecounly,
with a perfect confidence in their decision.
After W. Orde, Joins Brandliog, H. Liddell, and
M. Bell, &vs. hail addressed the frerbidiers, the
Sheriff took the sense of the Ileeting, and declared
Mr. Beaumont and Mr. Brandling to be duly
elected, when they severally returned thanks.

The following Resolution was inoveal by C. W.
BILGE, E•q. and se...onded by Sir Ai. W. RID..
LEY, Hart.—
t 4 That the thanks of the county be "riven to our late Re.
presentative, Sir Castles Miles Lumbers Moock, Hart. fur his
able, hottest, soil in.lepetulvtit conduct in Parliainent, for
his assiduous and unremitting attention to his parliagueutify
duties, and to the local interests of his constituents."
al r. BEAUMONT anti Mr. BRANDLINO were
afterwards chaired. The ball iia the evenitsg was
numerously attended, and danciog kept up till a
hate hour.