The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-06-27 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX ELECTION.

'Yesterday being the day appointed for the Elec-
tion of two Knights of the Shire for the C y of
Aliddlesen, and public expectation having been a
good .le.ll excited by rtlmour, that the two late
Members were to be opposed by two other Gentle-
men of considerable celebrity, the road to Brent lord
was, at all early hour in the morning. crowded by
vehicles of various descriptions—the riders being
decorated wi,lll the eniblems of the Candidates, and
received with strong demonstrations of favour or
censure as they were in the interests of the popular
Candidates or otherwise.

Before ten o'clock the hustings were surrounded
by a large body of carriages and pedestrians, and
the windows of the houses adjacent displayed a bril-
liant a.seniblage of beauty mid fashion. At ten the
Sheriffs arrived upon the hustings.. The poinVirce
immediately became very clamorous in their abuse
of Mr. W. Mellish, and called out for his personal
appearatier on the hustings. That Gentleman tom-
plied, a,.(1 did skew himself, hut was assailed with
such a volley or abuse that he instantly retired.
After the accus:omed formalities, the Sheriffs
called upon the Freeholders to elect Iwo tit and pro-
per persona to represent the County of Middlesex iii
the ensuing Parliament.
Mr. WftrrattEsD came forward, and his name
bring anonuueed to the crowd by Mr. T. W.
t% is received with reiterated shoots of ip-
plaiisr. When silence hail in sonic measure hien
restored, lie said, that the Freeholder, of Middle-
sex Were on that occasion aosestiltled to t °.ercuse one
of the highest privileges of Englishmen. They
were called noon to elect two fit rod proper persons
to represent them in the ensuing Parliament—it
was moat obvious that such an election ought
not to he made lightly.—(Great npplarse.)-
1n n► 'king the election, it was their duty to look
but for men of free pr * inks and independent
elmol4-01ppirra,e)—veitls 11% might he depended
tow] for the lanliful di.cliarge of the important
duties they should confide to them. They should
look out for uncut who would not he deterred front
the rerforinunee of their dirties by motives of self-
interest, or personal considerations. For the pur-
prow of proposing such a character as he had de-
scribed, lie had at prownt ',resented liiiiivelf before
them—and in nominating George Byrig. Esq. as
one Candidate to represent them in Parliament,
he should name a mail in whose hands their
rights, privileges, and interests might be lodged
with perfect securits .--(elpp/aNse.)-- Of the
hollow, the integrity, and lustily spirit with which
lie had come forward on every occasion, where the
common interests of the Count► were at stake, am
exiwrwrice of V 8 years hail furnished ample proof.
Hr had, during that period, been the vigilant and
uniform guardian of their rights, rod never on
any occasion neglected their interests, with a view
to advance his own.—(Applause.) —Such :is lie

had ever been, guilt the Electors of Middlesex I
would Alai find bun, should they again confer on
hint so strong a mark of their coisfidesire as to re-
turn him for one of their Representatives, He
would not he thus confident, who was himself per-
sonally unknown to the Electors of Middlesex,
Bud whose sole claim to the favourable reception
he had exiwrienced Ives iris name; iir would not,
he repeated, be thus confident in proposing Mr.
Byng as one of their Representative., lied hr (Mr.
Byng) riot been for a long period the friend of him
to whom lie was boond by all the ties of natural dirty
mod att-ction (alluding to his Esther) and whole
steps it should ever be his ambition to tread is,
though at en humble distance.—( leepeated bursts
of appliuse.)—Mr. Byng had, for the space of
nearly thirty years, gone hand-in-band, and been
co.oprratinic with his father iu unholding the
Cause .if civil awl religious liberty—and he would
still lie found imoinveahle in supporting that cause
so dear to Englislimen.—(l.ood applause.)—W oh •
'inch a mail their dearest interest* would he secure,
and he felt highly honoured in proposing him to
their choice.—/"/'his address was received with the
must flattering ',larks of apprabation and applause.)
M. 'ERA PAOD then advsuiced and said, he had
appeared to second the nomination of that man,
sho had inv..riall'y been the 2-noses and steady
advocate of civil and religious hherty—the sop-
, porter of those invaluable rights that had descended
to them from the courage mind independence of
their forefathers—the men who had by their spi-
rited and noble efforts bequeathed to thew Mope
Charts—hr breathed the spirit of that charter
of our liberties, which had bresi recognised at the
Revolution or 1688. Rod strengthened and guaran-
teed by the Act of Setilsonetat. Those liberties,
deservedly dear to every Englishmen, Mr. Ilyng
haul on all occusious supported, and would con-
"tautly twroevere in supporting. It was, therefore,
with c.... arable pleasure he appeared to second
the no ttt i tt ation.—(elpplarese.)
The Officer havolg again called upon the Free-
holders to ttttt nitrate two tit and proper peraoits to
represent them Us Parliament,
Mr. Woon, of ',vitriol), came forward and ad-
dressed the Electors, but when it was perceived
that he intended to rionsitiate Mr. Mellish, he was
received with violent clamour and strong marks of
disapprobation, mixed with a small portion of ap-
plause, which lasted for a considerable time.
When permitted to spent', he could not, he said,
prevent the sin of being old, but he should struggle
to make himself as audible Hs possible. He had
come there to nominate William Mellish, Eq.—
[An uproar here ensued so strong and continued, as
to baffle all his exertions to make liiniself heard.]
Sheriff DEsANGE3 intetfered, and entreated that
I:relent hearing should be granted to every Gen-
tleman. They should hear first, and decide after :
that would be the fair way to proceed.
The appeal, however, bud no perceptible effect ;
for on Mr. Wood's attempting to resume, he re-
ceived a repetition of the foriner treatment. All
we could hear was, 1. Gentlemen, I stand here to
nominate your late worthy and indepeirdent Re-
presentative, William Mellish, E.q."—The con-
clusions of his address was marksd by a storm of
hisses, and a volley of abuse, intermixed with a
little applause. •
Mr. IR•ING (one of the !Members for Bramber)
stood for...ird to second the monination, and met
the same reception the preceding speaker lied ex-
perienced; after a little time, the tumult having
!partially subsided, Mr. Irving proceeded. He en.
tirrly concurred with the Hon. Gentleman who
had first addressed them, and whom, on 'recount of
the respect he entertained for the memory of his
father, he rejoiced to see conic forward on the
present occasion, and exhibit such an early presage
of talent—talent honourahle to him at present,
rind likely to be still more creditable to him at
a snore mature age, Ile fully coincided in the
opinion expressed by that Gentleman, that a
Castilla:ate for the honour of representing their
Comity in Parliament ought to be a man of liberal
•iples and independent nil o num that
would conscientiously guard the rights and 'nisi-
lege+ of Ina constituents, and never prefer his own
interests to theirs. Impelled by the convic of
the truth of that, he If ffle forward to second the
nomination of Mr. 31ellish.—(flisses, with some
applause.)—lle hail meted in All feimght and ho.
'mumble mi Cries if
lie insisted lie had, and that not im instance
could lie aildured of his meting from city other •
live thin a desire of cooseterstionsly discharging
his duty. Hints had been thrown out against Ins
indrpendence—(//car)—but the friends of ilid.-
pendence were of Oaf...relit tleseript. ; and he
considered that man fully entitled to the charecter
arm iudependent man, who, having adopted certain
principles, conacieutiously adhered to them, with-
out suffering himself to be inflisenced by party Nan
on any occasion.—(.4pplouse and disapprobation.)
••-4t wee long since lie had the honour of addresing
his Fellow.elector.. When last lie had that honour,
the country was etigaged in an expensive contest.
We were then struggling for our safety and the in-
dependence of Europe. We had been triumphantly
enteemdia—we were enjoying the fruits of a victory
as illustrious es any on the records of tune. It
might with truth be eaid, that that victory was
Mainly owing to the exert. rif our brave army
and navy—but allowing them every credit, the
victory most in great ineasure be attributed to the
conduct of a Government that had dented itself,
and studied the interests of the people.,-(lllsich
hissing, and a little applause.)
Mr. T. W. CL A Rit F. then came forward to return
Isis thaiiki to thaw gentlemen who had conferred
on him the high and distinguished honour of invit-
ing him to offer himself as a fit and proper person
to represent the great end populous County of
Middlesex in Parliament. No man among them
was more conscious that it was not on account of
any merit of his own lie had received so high 41 die-
tinction•—(" You are right, Clarke;' and a luud
burst of laughter.)—lle w.ts quite aware that he
, owed it all to that !wood question of Reform in
whiCh the mentism of his ts.'ine had first originates!.
•WLen lie looked sit himself, and reflected who hr
was, lie was tempted to think that Reform, elated
I by the success :.he had obtained in sending such
men into Parliament for the City as Alderman
Wood, A Merin:so Thor'', and Mr. Waitlimass, rod
by the triumph about to crown her efforts iu the
return of her child and champion, Sir F. Burdett,
for Westminster, bad grown humorous, and, in a

•

freak, proposed to bring in so humble a man as
poor 'rum Clarke, for Middlesex--(4pplause.).—
At present he had only to thank them for their
kind exertions in his behalf, or 'rather in the cause
of Reform, for lie was proud to call himself a re-
former.—(ipptrasc.)—He should now beg to make
it kw observations on the merits of the Candidates
proposed to them. From what he had seen and
heard, Mr. Mellish appeared to hasie arrived at the
acme of unpopularity.—(‘, No.; ao—Yea."l—Two
men could nut by possibility differ more llt their
opinions thins did that respectable Gentleman►
ai.d the humble individual addressing then'. He
dial tint think that in his parliamentary life Mr.
Mellish hail given a single vote be would have
given; on the contrary, by sincerely believed lie
would on II uses*ion• have taken a course directly
the reverse of what that Gentleman had thought it
his duty to follow. Mr. Mellish was, in fact, a
thick and thin man for the Government ; and,
being so, he must, characterised ■s the present
Government lied been, de iiiiiii imite him a thick
and thin mail against the people.—(Appluase.)—
Its stating that, it was not to be supposed he meant
to say that he would have beets ffff &mini y right, and
Mr. Mellish invariably wrong. lie should tint pre-
'mine to assert that ; he should Ise ashamed of ►uch
dogmatism. lie did not mean to assert that he,
in that course, should have always acted conscien-
tiously, and Mr. Mellish always unemiscientiously.
Heaven defend him from such ishomiliable bigotry !
Men were the creatures of habit and circumstances,
and, therefore, it was not astonishing that Mr.
Mellish should he surprised how a poor uneducated
Catholic could be disaffected, because lie waisted
emancipation ; and its the honesty and simplicity of
his heart, he might be struck with wonder that a
person who saw his all taken from him by a tax-
githerer, should manifest, whit lie would call, an
ig unit', tieipat once of taxation." Mr. Mellish
was off under Government, which might ae-
countfor his wishing to be 'cell its with Govt. eeeeee eist.

For Mr. Bytig, he belmiged to tlt .t Groom or party
—he slid wit wish to use °Kosice language—and
should 'here-fine sec to that great body is die coon.
try that went I.y the MO' Or Whigs. Tie name
was not in good odour with the people of E .gland
at present, winch lie regretted, for he should say he
that eVrty urin in the Country was n Wltig,
and such a Wing 4. Mr. By-:g—and that under the
&nominal Ol Wllige were to he (mood as many
true friends to civ I rights and liberties is any
country in the ii..iverse could boast of. But the
Whigs agreed with the Reformers rather to the object
of Reforin than tire weans by wit ch it was to he at-
tained. They thought that the best reform would 1*
effected, if they could mice mist the Tories front the
Treasury Bench, and ;place themselves oil it. That
thus all the emilitry could desire would be at once
ticcumpl.shed ; and it was upon this point that they
and the Reformers were at issue. Ile was of opi-
id.m with the illustrious Jacobin of former times,
Mr. l'itt, that, us the- !louse of Commons wis nova
constituted, no honest Mule could be a Minister.
At the nine lie (1I r. Cl Ate) had written an answer
to the Gentleman who had called upon him to stand
as a Candidate, he was rather i.. low spirits, hut since
that lie had seen w work done in the good cause of
lit firm, that so far from desponding, be would
rather encourage the most enthusiastic exiihatrons
in the prosrect. He hoped the people of England
would plant Reformers as thick as 111011} in the
I I o u se of Commons.—(4ppiaase.) —Let but twenty
such he opposed to that nest of Borough- gars,
and he would engage that the latter should he
beaten on their own dunghill. If in that case the
ill-constructed fabric did not tumble down about
their own ear., let them never trust the Reformers
of Englund :again.—(leepeated shouts nfopplastse )
Mr. BY NG then canoe forward and said, that ac-
cording to the principl. • lie had always held, lie
was happy to inert the Freeholders of Middlesex.
It afforded him the highest gratifiemion to see so
many of his braids at lirriitforil really to !dace him
in the high und distinguished situation lie had filled
for so many years. It had been highly satisfactory
to I • iii the emir*e of a long and aOIIUOUS canvusa
to hod that Ins conduct had hero every where ale.
proved of. lie Iti:etv that that chiefly proceeded
from the limiest and consistent conduct lie had
pursued while he was in 4pplanse.)
common with the true friends of freedom. he
should persevi.re in maiiitaiiiipg those principles
that had bet ti asserted at the Revolionoti of Itit4ll—
which, although not alivavii in fashion
in this country. a Gentleman beeiire him had
justly remarked (,Ir. Clarke), would yet be found
to wear the best, and he most conducive to the
happiness of the people.— ((Great applause.) —At
the same lime he could consciention,ly Affiim to
them, that it it had 'wen his fate la pass 8 great
part of his life in opposition to Ministers, lie had
never given a single sole from factious or disloyal
utollvert—(Applause.)—lle had always thought
that the liberties of the people were inseparably
connected will, the stolidity of the Crown, and that
the people, as long as their rights and liberties
were respected, would be ever prepared to guard
the Constitution of King. Lords, and Commons.
—(l(apfaraus wad reiterated applause.)—The peo-
ple were sincerely tettscheet to the cause in
which their foiefailiers bled—to the Constitution
miller which their forefathers had been happy at
1 and respected abroad—to the well.bulaiieed
frame of Government, which had rendered this
country, comparatively small and insignificant,
great and glorious hey 1 all example.—(Ap-
plause.)—But if this country 'Mould he stripped
of its liberties. it would soon sick hobo its
rrigiaal insigiiiticanct.— (Great applause)—Let
who would be Minister. if ever lie made a on.
entice of their nit'r'ate to his own dirty ambi-
lion, lie would tweet and merit their abhorrence
and execration—but while lie faithfully and honestly
discharged his duty, he was sure to live not only in
their voices, but their hearts.-.-(iippliture)—Sfunsid
he ever desert them, he knew that they would forsake
him, and treat him with the contempt arid abhor-
relive lie should peculiarly merit. He said peer.-
hor/o, because he had, from his earliest years, at
Ins lather's fire-side, heard the people spoken of
with reverence and affection.---(" Hear that,
Mellish !")—He had only further to offer hie cor-
dial thanks for their support and suffragra.—(Load
and long applause.)
Mr. Mal.o.tsii then appeared, but the confusion
anal tumult were so excessive during the time he
.poke, that we were able to hear him hat imper-
fectly. Ile repieted a hearing, and
-called upon

the Meeting lie addressed, as Englishmen, to allow
hint an opportunity of speaking for himself. His
conduct and motives had been traduced—it was ap-
proved of by his friends, but he was desirous to
in rke some exiilmations to them.—(Violent up-
roar.)—He had never, iii Ins life, had a contract f
Government. lie had acted from upright motives,
and did not fear to be asked any questions. As•
Inns; as they confided such a trust to him, he should
never abuse it. —(Mr. Niel/ash then retired amidst
a mixtrere of all sort of expressions of dislike and
disapprobation.)
The Officer having then asked whether the Elec.
tors had any other person to promise to represent
them, and nn oilier nomination being made, de
clared, that George Byng, and William Mellish,
E•grs. were doily elected to ►erve in the ensuing
Parliament.

A vote of thanks was proposed and agreed to.
to Sir F. Desanges and Sir G. Alderson, the She-
riffs, for their proper and impartial conduct during
the Election.
Shortly afterwards the two new Members were
chaired through the town. Mr. Byng being re-
ceived with shouts of applause, and every demon-
stration of respect and attachment, from the popu-
lace; while Mr. Mellish experienced a repetition
of the greetings with which he had been saluted on
the hustings; the mob, %till unsatisfied, bestowed
showers of mud on every vehicle or person bearing
his colours, as they left the town.

GENERAL ELACTION.