The National Register.
London, England, 1817-09-29 00:00:00

TO THE ELECTORS OF IVESTIVINSTER,

LETTER 11.

GENTLEMESI,—I address this second letter to you, the
" Electors of Westminster," because I will not deviate from
the title which I inodvertently gave to the first, but it was my
intention to have addressed that, as well as this, to, what
are called the " Independent Electors If Westminster," for it is
with them only, that I have to have no affair With that
body of Electors who are not honoured with the distinctive
appellation of " Indcpedent," and who, we must therefore,
suppose, are dependent, that is, are not free agents, but guided
by the will of others. Looking back to the list of names re-
turned by the voice of these dependents, only within our own
time, I find Rodney, Hood, Gardener, Samuel Hood!—What
Can I say to names like these t They arc as much above my
censure, as they are beyond my praise. But even if this list
were less brilliant thank is, it were unfair to charge any of the
evils which bare at various times befallen yon, upon the de-
pendents —the men of their choice beat your taper, eimenee.s
npou the sea, and returned to combat your secret foes in the
Senate. They never secoded froni their duties at home, but
for the purpose of keeping the enemy from your doors, and,
that duty fulfilled, they returned like the warrior-statesman of
old, to resume their equally important tipmeat:e occupationa.
With men of this character, and with the men who elected
them. I can have nothing to do. It is to you the " Inde-
pendent Electors," I address myself, because it is the objects
Of your choice whose conduct I would arraign.
In any first letter I told you that it was my intention, not
only to investigate how your representatives had fulfilled the
duties of their high stations, but also to enquire what were the
merits of those candidates, who,though unsuccessful, have, at
various times, found favour with thousands of yon. In doing
this, it was not my design to have. gone farther beck into
the history of your clue:ions, than the pericol when you lost
Mr. Fox, who bad so long been the " God of your idolitry :"
but upon a second thought I have &confined to take a
slight review of his conduct, as well as the rest; and if in
stating facts, I am compelled to say anv thing severe of a
man whom you considered immaculate, the faith must not be
charged tome, but to haul, who through is long life,liad Jewry
and consistency contitsually in his mouth, yet übetted a aeries
or the most bloody and oppressive tyrannies, that has ever
stained the annals of any age or country ; and who, in the
very first session in which lie sat in parliament, gave a speci-
men of that inconsistency which afterwards became time
radio istic feature of his political life. Von hove lone been
accustomed to regard Mr. Fox, to Pt rolitical character of the
very first order, infinitely superior to the great MAN to whom
through life he wits opposed, and one of Ilia biographers is
consittei ed to have only spoken the opi.aion of the majority of
you, when lie said in the true spirit of party, that he ap-
peared destined to be the fininder of a political school in
Etiglaud—capable of raising her in the opinion of other na-
tions, it was his ill fate to be opposed by a minister inca-
pable of appreciating his merit, and unwilling to recommend
it to the approbation of his sovereign ; though himself
unfit to be premier, and indeed inadequate to fill any
able department of the Staten." Let us now look at the career
of this '• founder of a political school," this man, as ho, among
others has nese so often held up as an instance of the pub-
lic virtue and splendid talent which would adorn the Bri-
tish Senate, were all parts of the kingdom constituted like
Westminster. In the very onset of his public eat err, lie
lent himself to a Ministry which has been execrated a diem.
sand timea for its total disregard of the rights of the subject ;
he voted against the ;Iliddleacx election, anti the first speech
lie made iii parliament, was against Mr. Wilkes. who, what-
es ea were his tonic,' or his crimes, was In that instance, a
persecuted man; and tinder this Sallie administra.ion he
accepted the office of a Lord Commissioner of the Admit alty.
Disgusted at what he conceived a peisonal offence, lie it-
signed. Vat, Vet, so Intel of place was lie, that lie suou after
accept, d the aituation a second time, and subsequently a
seat at tin 'Treasury Beard, his antlelen removal front Which
by au order comm.-titivated at midnight. is well known to
you alt. These early events in his ife, were perfectly con-
aisteot with what foliovred.—During one whole session he had
supoorted the measures, and couatittitell u part of a weak
and imbecile administration; anal without other cause than
that of twill; turned nut, he, in the next, anal several succeed-
log at snow. beetame one of thuir bitten eat opposers,—So much
for lits political integrity.
WIICI/ the ;towel fel talents of die Rockingham party
had diaiodged Lord Nosh and that ministry wills which Mr.
Fax hail formerly 'acted, he, still eager for place, readily
dCCePICII a seat in the Cabinet, and the situation of a Se-
cretary of State. Soon displaced by the death of the Mar-
quis of Rockingham, be " returned to his vomit," and
formed the celebrated coalition with Loral North,—with tin,
man whom he had chareed a the times with every
ertine, whom he 114:1 de.rrilimi as a monster, with whom,
lie would not trust hiniaelf IN the same room, and whom lie
had promised to bring to the scaffold for his preteaded
iitical crimes. The la e or 11,:it ooion was SLI4II, as it de.
served, and Mr Fox again 101 l the mortification Of m retreat
from office. But the period now ariived, when he was to
give an example of' loam and steady cansisten,:g. No Ammer
dial the Fri-inch Revolution burst forth, than lie let ded it as
the doweling of a brighter day than Europe had yet seen.
Every 111C,1*111.0 of the Revolutionists lie applauded to the
*kits ; he laughed to acorn all those who ye:wired to Mee-
t, II the rimi which would, and did ensue; anal ahem the
scenes of carnage became too horrid even tor recital wtaeu
a virtuous sovereign, and the nearest and dearest to his
heart had perished on the scaffold ; when the prime nobility
and the must virtuous of all ranks had either fallen sacri•
flees to thc: fury of licentious mobs, air had been driven into
exile ; still Mr. Foa could see molting but virtue in Fl ;Met!.
When lIIs political friends fell from him, one by one, hoi rot-
struck at his waist of right feeling, still lie pet aevered Not
a Jacobin Club was establiaited in this country, ole received
hi: sanctiou ; not a measure was adopted to guard against the
furious machinations of ani brutalised enemies abroad, or
furious revoltitionists at home ; but was treated by
lion, with the greatest asperity and ridicule, Bellied in every
ittent to give currency to the creed of a hardened and
moody democracy, deviled in the Commons by every frieud
who woe worthy to be called a friend, and aalloated Jaeger
to ..it empty tat nclies, he seceded from that lonise to
which von had sent him to represent you, and romenied
iioiself with breathing forth at taverns, dinners, and rae-
;mite nem-sings, the most Inner' invectives against every thing
i.e good :elitaireil,and the ilepray..l th•spi•tal.
Thus were you left without any npresentative in the COM'nOnS
douse. Of 11: of them was fighting the hattlea of your count,, 50.,1 the
other haranituring turbulent moh3 fromtavera tablets and seafitrldiaira

• Tott..e. lifc of To .

in Palace-yard. Roused atillgib by a sense of shame, Mr. Fox re-
turned to his seat in the flip elr Commons and shortly after revived"
the same dis!rraceful seine width had taken place in his younger days.
He coalesced with Lord Grenville, and again became& M imsterof Stage:
Never, perhaps was there a man whose panicsl feelings were so tabus-
ted to every sense f honour or propriety as Mr. Fox, Lord Grenville
had not only been loaded with his abuse for years past, but in return
that nobleman bad not seen sparing in arrainging tile conduct of his
antagonist, yet the moment that pleoe was again in view, Mr. Fes
drew a veil over ele past, and united wth him whose measures bad.
mainly thwarted ail lila attempts for the fifteen ymrspreceding. How
far your favourite representative.redeemed the pledge he had so ob.-,
given, fon can bast judge. The swarm or needy men whom he placed
and pensioned, the imp„sition or new and offensive taxes, and tisc
doubling of Vie most oppr,so.ive old ones, are proofs of the worth'avr.
nese of his political prolusions. For the applauseofJacobin clubs hw,
sacrificed the friendships of such men as Portland, Wyndham
Burke, and in his last moments. (aixonling to his eathudasi
et-login) he declined the friendly advances of Sheridan, among
faults, however, rumerous they might be, no man could ever recii.sz
want of patriotism, and whose crime, towards Mr. Fox, to say the
most of it, was of a negative character only.
" In what I have said, I have confined myself to a view of Mr..
Fox as your representative;—as the scholar, as the gentleman, ns tl:4
private friend, when pclitici, did not interfere. he is an object of ad-
miration and esteem. Hat I willput it to your candour now that trey
hour is past, now that you can dispassionably revtew his conduct
reprcsentiag von, and yours 13 eludin4 him, whether he was EUCti sn
representan.,a as you would shoos: again ; and yet how istaiM.tly
perior to taose ulto followed him.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER