The Sun.
London, England, 1802-07-17 00:00:00

GENERAL. ELECTION.

To the GENTLEMEN, CLERGY and FREEHOLDERS
of the COUNTY of HERTFORD.
GENTLEMEN,
THE. fatigues which I have undergone during the
last Week, will prove my best apology with you for a
shorWelay,- in expressing the gratitude which I can never
cease to feel, for the generous and unbiassed Support I have
received at the late. Election. Success will not always fol-
low the honourable means used to attain it, in opposition to
the pradices of a perverse and crooked policy ; but it is for-
tunate
for me, that I am to be judged by an enlightened and
candid Public, rot by the wretched fabricators of those false-
hoods with which I have been attacked, and; in justifying
my own Condud, I claim the right toexamine theirs. it is
not difficult to-trace the motives of those-who haVe united to•
frustrate my Re-election; hut I have lived too long in the
World, to be surprized at any changes which may arise in
that most capricious of all sentiments—Popular Opinion,
especially when influenced. by the mixed considerations of an
inveterate Party Spirit, inducements of private interest, the
unforgiving remembrance of past defeats, and a System of
Politics which can never be reconciled to the true Principles
of the British Constitution. The summary of the" ChargeS
against me is this, " That I have deserted my Principles ;"
and-it is thus'attempted to be proved; It is said that I was
the'Champion of the Freeholders in the year 1790,. againSt
domineering Aristocracy, and that I am now a Supporter of
the.Measineg-of Government. Whatever I was in the year
1790, I am still the same, nay more ! • II I. was then the op-
poser, I have now a right. to be considered the Sacrifice of
that same Aristocracy, 'confirmed in Power, and rendered
doubly formidable, by the most preposterous Coalition that
ever disgraced the annals •of Election in this or any other
County. In the former instance, I resisted 'the attempt to
Introduce a Member for the County by improper means ; to
the present, I have done the same,' with this additional cir-
cumstance in my favour, that I- have now improved my claim
to your approbation by twelve years of faithful and disinte-
rested service ; and it is for those who were divided before in
opinioa on that point, to account to the World for so hetero-
gencOus a combination of discordant Parti4 as 'we have' this
d4y witnessed.
, I kin charged with haVing abandoned the Cause• of 'the
- Peop,le, by withdrawing myself from the Friends of Parlia-
mentary Reform. On this it is sufficient to say, that, in the
face of the County, and to your petted satisfetion, I shamed
my Accusers in the year 1792.. Who were then most forward
in approving tee ?--This same Aristocracy. Who condemned
me ?—That Party alone with which the Aristocracy, then at
variance, is now shamefully united ; and for this reason only
was I condemned—That I had detededand proclaimed to the
World a strong tendency to jacobinism in those who profess-
ed themselves moderate Reformers.—So mucit for transac-
tions ofd more early date..
Bill to have supported the War is an unpardonable offence.
What ? in the judgment of .those who have themselves sup-
ported it throughout ?—ln the judgment of those (if indeed
they have had any judgment of their own on such momentous
subjects)), who, gorged with places, patronage, and distinc-
tions of every kind, by the bounty of that Government
which had been cruelly forced into the War, have now the
vanity and the weakness to think that they are recommend-
ing themselves to their Paymasters, by opposing me, and,
blind to the precarious situation- in which they stand, seem
wholly to have forgotten, than the breath of the. Court,
which they are thus inconsistently affeding to serve, can an.:
nihilate in an instant all their consequence, and all their
power. It willenot create much surprize, that the other
1 lead of this monstrous Fadion, with all its tongues and all
its venom, should be faise'd against the Supporter of a War,
undertaken in defence of our Sovereign on his Throne, .and
of our happy Establishments in Church and State—that
those, who have exulted in the triumphs of our Enemies,
have palliated Irish Rebellion, and in every instance, where-
public exertion was required, have endeavoured to paralize
the nerves and vigour of the State—have decried the firmness
of our Councils—have undervalued the successes of our
Arms—have attempted to blest the credit of our Finance Shave
have affeCted to consider thew temporary restraints on the
Liberty of the Subjed, which were called for by the com-
bined intrigues of outward Foes and domestic Traitors, as
odious invasions of the Constitution—and finally, have la-
boured; by all the means •in their power, to, reprobate and
discredit every Tax which the vigorons prosecution of such
- a Contest demanded, and, failing in their objed of creating
general confusion, conclude their flimsy rhapsodies against,
the Government under which they live-,--their miserable cant
about the oppressions of the Poor, with a patriotic threat of
seeking moreperfed Freedom inthe blesSed regions of French
despotism. litat men of this description, averse from every
system which accords not with their own visionary idefic of
innovation, should objed to one, who. has knoWn, through
life, no other rule for his Political Condud, than die Laws
and Constitution of his Country, and has never been of Ain,
party, but that of Great Britain, against the Enemies
.of
Great. Britain, of whatever description, or wheresoever
found, can excite no wonder in .the min_ d of any man, nor
prcduce much regret in' him, who has been the object of
their unprincipled persecution : But that such ap Union as
we have .seen, shotild exist for any honest purpose, or with
the least prospel of cordiality or permanence, , can never be
expeeted, without a miracle greater than any which. have
been recorded in this age of strange and anomalous liroduc-

tions. ,
In disapproving the Peace, it- is true, I have diftlired
,equally from both parts of this honourable Association—But
let it be remembered, that those who think the best of it,
lament that it was net preeured-on better terms, express se-
rious doubtS of` its continuance, .and dread the least appear-
ance of jealousy towards an Enemy, insolent at all times in
power, acid aggrandized by our concessions. This was not
the language or the pradice of our Ancestors—but we rriiist
submit to the new ordeei of things, which we cannot con-
trout ! Let it be further recolleded, that in this concurience-
ofsentiment, the motives and reasoning of the Parties are tat
from the same :L-the one submits to the Peace, because it is:
the ad of Government, which they dare riot offend by their
opposition, and because they fancy it may prove
,a lesSer evil
than the Continuance of War; the other, clamorous against
the Ware even before we were engaged in it, and during the
whole time of its continuance, receives the Peace with a
sullen acquiescence, dissatisfied, in both instances, with any
pleasure which might furnish a change to their Country of
curbing the exorbitant premi.;ion, and dangerous
,intrigues
of France.
In regard to the Hostility aa Hell has been pointed against
myselfHthis is the short History of it ; My success in the
year taeo was never forgiven by one. branch of the•presmt
Coalition, nor remembered either with gratitude or approha-
lion by the others froM the, moment when I was tband not to
be a Tool suited to their purposes. The dormant spleen of
twelve years concealment, rankling in the breast 'of disap-
pointed Ambition, was to be brought into activity whenever
the occesion'should occur, and all objedions of inconsistency
were lost in the delightful' contemplation of a sweet revenge,
eaindified by that truly orthodox Article in the Creed of le_
suits and Jacobins, that " Any means may be used to obtain
a favouritcend."
Influence cf various kinds has been pradisedin many Elec.
tions before the present, and whatever is et:am:Live, ceases. to
be noticed. But are there no extraordinary ketures in the
present transaction ? If the conscience of any man tells him
that he has forfeited his promise, solemnly pledged to me, ,
he must find some better palliation of his conduct, than the
miserable plea, " that he has no will 9f his own." But
what shall be said for the liberality and virtuous feelings of
those who can find a gratification in requiring the Sacrifice of
friendship met of honour, at the shrine of their inordinate
ambition ?
I have abstained from saying any thingof the lion. (;entle-
roan who has been opposed' to me : it is sufficient that you
have made him the objet} of your choice. _built -. fair tOob-
6eeve, that hitherto his habits have not been those of a man
of business ; and it you have rejeCted me from 'a disapproba-
tion of Inv conduct(though that is far from proved),
be recollected that you have adopted him, without any ex-
perience of his talents, or knowledge of his principles. In
one particular he w4I find himself under difficulty—His free
and independent mind will revolt 'at the Instructions which
lie will receive from one part of his Constituents, while his
wishes and connexions may lead him forcibly to adopt the
sentiments of the other. - In tiais he will find some embar-
rassment a- an embarrassment necessarily arising' from the
strangely mixed Interests by which he has been sill-Tot-la:A,
From this distress nothing can relieve him, hut the manly
adoption of that sound principle of the Constitutioie " That
the Service of a Member of parliament, is a 'Service of per-
fed Freedom," subject only to-that responSibility which
is imposed by the recurrence of a new. Election, on occasions
like the present.
An attempt has been made to confound my conduct in the
year teen, with that winch has been pursued by' my' pKesent
Opponent. But I can refer to the memory of you all, i in
particular to Mr. Hale, that no two Cases Ivere ever mole
similar. In the year ieea, on the very morning of the Disso-
kmion, I expressed to Mr. Hale my decided disapprobaii-Je of
the manner in which he was introduced to the County, lint,
my sanguine hope that there would 'be foundai poaper spirit
in the Freeholders to resent it. This I repeated more em-
phatically at the Nomination, in the form or Resehhiens,
which the Neetine Vote tett, and declared site a Ceedidete at

the same time. This was five days befOre tte
Mr. Lamb, ctt the contrary, absents himself from the Nomi-
nation, wiwre Mr. Plumer and myself were, unanimously ap-
beproved of, not announcing himstila Candidate till the Day
fore the Eleaion.

Reports are in circulation (I know not how founded), that'
the new Allies begin already to feel some jealousy and un-
easiness in their present connexion. How, indeed, can di be
otherwise ? Or when it was- ever known, that leagues en-
gaged in without some common, and honest bend of union,_
were of long continuance, or prodUelive of any
.public gOod i
Unjustifiable in their motives from the beginning, they can
hardly fail to end in mutual disappointment. Far be it from
the to tiny any thing which , can widen the breach between
then.' But the pride of the Republicans will surely be
mortified when they find, on an inspection of the Poll, that
in the Six Hundreds whereitheir strength was supposed
principally to, lie, their Candidate was completely beaten
and that they owe their majority, in the other two, merely
td. the Coalition, which both being ashamed of, alter to
deny, and to -a secret Canvass actually carried on by the Cour-
tiers, and not explained till it %vas found convenient for them
to unite in opposing me.
By the decision of this day 'you have. indeed, Gentlemen,
contracted very much the sphere or my Public Duties ; but
I have others yet to peiforrn, and I can assure you with truth,
that under no circurnstarce or change of situation, will You
find nit less disposed, than I have hitherto constantly been,
9 attend to your concerns as a Magistrate, a Neighbour, and
Friend. • A shouldbe ashamed of myself, if I could feel re,
..entment against any. Man, for what has passed, .or if such
.:%•:::.,s as these coul`d,
" Stir the constant mood of my calm thoughts,
- “Or put them into tnisbecoinMg plight.'?
I retire to the Walks of Private Life, I trust, with the re-
gard and .apprObatian of the virtuous and the good, there to
enjoy the society of many valuable Friends, whose. fidelity
and attachment, long experienced, .are rendered now far more.
dear to me, by the assurance, that they applaud that very
Condit& and those P iinciples, which prejudicesand Misguid--
'ed zeal on the one hand, at an illiberal resentment on the
other, have charger' ahainst me as a Crime.—ln that Crime
1 shall glory to the list hour of Life,
I remain, with all.due respel, Gentlemen,
Your obedient humble Servant,
W.-BAKER.-
gayfor.ctbury, July is, 1803. . •