The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-29 00:00:00

TO THE FREEHOLDERS OP. NORTHUMBERLAND.
GENTLIMIN, St. James's-place, May 15, 182t1.
ANewspaper has just reached me with a report of
Lord Howick's speech at Alnwick, on Wednesday. .As
feelings are there imputed to me which I should be ashamed of
entertaining, and conduct has been erroneously ascribed to me by
his Lordship which must have been misrepresented to him, but
!'which, if consistent with the fact, would derogate from my public
character, I think myself called upon to lay before you a statement
and explanation, which I am sure will be satisfactory to every
candid miud, and must carry conviction even to my enemies. It
is my intention to invert the order of his Lordship's remarks, and
to answer them point by point.
Lord Howick has been misinformed of the manner in which I
cauvasaed, or he would not have accused me of preferriug either of the
other two candidates to himself. It is well known to those gentle-
men to whom I have unreservedly declared my views, that at the
time of the late contest, and during the greater pia of my canvass,
I hoped that the two anti-ministerial candidates might succeed,
and that, as far as circumstances would allow me, I endeavoured
to effect this object. It was only lately that I have entirely aban-
doned this purpose, and I must add, that I wail in some measure
induced to give it up by bearing, upon 'authority which I could
not doubt, that Lord Howick frequently expressed himself con-
cerning me, in a way that my conduct towards his Lordship was
far from deserving. There cannot be one freeholder in the coun-
ty whom I requested not to vote fur Lord Howick, and there are
many who asked me, if I considered his Lordship as my opponent,
to whom I answered, " I believe he looks upon the in that light,
but I do not consider him so."
I will tell Lord Howick and yourselves why I applied for the
Chiltern Hundreds, and can assure him and you, that private
animosity had no part whatever in the sudden change of my in-
tention, when I determined to maintain my seat against all oppo-
sition. Does his Lordship suppose that I changed my intention,
because I understood that he was prepared to offer himself for the
County if I had retired? My friends know that it was immate-
rial to me who succeeded me in the representation of the County,
provided he were one who would vote with the Opposition.
But as that circumstance has been brought publicly forward, I
shall enter into a short account of it. In the spring of 1823, 1
was so disgusted with the conduct of some persons whom I had
considered my friends, and saw so little prospect of my ever find-
ing happiness in England, that I resolved to quit a country where
painful recollections were constantly springing up. With this
view I made application for the Chiltern Hundreds, when two
friends called upon me, and after much entreaty, persuaded me to
relinquish this intention; and one in particular pressed upon me,
that time would not fail to heal any wound, however sorely it
might be felt at that time. I changed my determination. I have
found his opinion as correct as his advice was friendly ; and the
conduct of my Constituents during the last few weeks has given
me the greatest reason to be satisfied with the resolution which I
then took, to use his Lordship's words, "of maintaining my seat
against all opposition."
I never accused Lord Howick of having been induced to come
forward by any other motive than that of an honourable ambi-
tion, and hie Lordship only can know whether he is more anxious
to turn out myself or the Tory Member. That the greater part of
my speech was an attack on many of his Lordship's supporters,' is
quite true ; and as I can prove by the returns of the canvassing
books, that wherever the influence of certain Whig Gentlemen is
known to be paramount, all the splits are upon Lord Howick and
Mr. Bell, I must continue to call their conduct unprincipled and
disgraceful. Having neither included, nor intended to include his
Lordship in my reproaches against the Whigs, and having no
reason to suppose that his Lordship was satisfied with their con-
duct towards himself, I insist own that I have read the speech of
his Lordship with the greatest surprise. The absence of the lead-
ing Gentlemen of the Whig party from the dinner that his poli-
tical friends lately gave to him, left an impression upon my mind
that he had not received from them that cordiality of support to
which be appeared entitled. However, I leave this question be-
tween them to be settled by his Lordship anti themselves, and I
am confident that they must feel much gratitude to him for the
manly way in which he has stood forward in their defence.
Before I conclude this address, I cannot refrain from expressing
• my astonishment that his Lordship should have listened for a mo-
ment to the report of my being hostile to him, for lie must be
aware that it was my intention to have promoted his return at the
last election by every means in my power, and that I did nut pro-
mime any assistance to Mr. Liddell until his Lordship had declined
a contest. If he were more cautious in believing reports which
abure, brought to him, he would undoubtedly fall into fewer error*
when I was of his age I had not seen enough of the world to
know that there are men in it whn, in gratification of private
hatred, will stoop to any falsehood : and experience shows that the
most honourable minds are the slowest to entertain such suepi-
ciente I have no feeling of anger on account of any thing which
has fallen from him ; And I shall take my leave of you with offer-
ing to you my warmest thanks for your great kindness towards
me, and repeating my assurance that, at the day of election, -
shall come forward totally unconnected with any other candidate
when I trust that the majority by which I shall be returned wi
secure your independence for ever.
I have the honour to he, Gentlemen,
Your grateful and devoted servant,
T. W. BEAUMONT.