Star.
London, England, 1808-11-12 00:00:00

kIhDLESLX MM7IWC.

Mi. t metier said, that hs arty thing &lin of Oat.:
liamentary inquiry, the cotmtry would be most miser
rably disappointed.
Mr. Mutant addressed the AsseMbly, but was a
good deal interrupted by hisses in the course of his,
speech. He supported generally the amendment and
the arguments of Mr. Yorke, and thought the proposed
Address a mere work of supererogation. Noman the
denied the right to petition and address his Majesty.
His Majesty, hcwevet, had already promised a full in-
quiry into the Convention, and a Court cftnquiry was
actually appointed under his Majesty's sign manual,
which was even sent down to the Secretary at War in
Scotland. He understood and believed it would com-
mence its deliberations next Monday. He was sure it
was so, for he saw it this day in a Newspaper.---[Lavg&
ter] He could not now repeat the names of its Men:but
but there was one of them at least of whosehigh honeur,
integrity, and impartiality he believed no man had A ,
doubt, namely the Earl of Moira. If the Court of
Inquiry should not do its duty, it would be ems
enough to arraign its constitution and to censure its
I proceedings, which he should be as ready to do as any
man, if they should appear to be wrong. He said,
that in all the speeches he had ever heard or read from
the promoters of this and similar Addresses on the
same subject, the constant profession was, they had
no party motives, and did not desire to prejudge any
man's conduct ; and yet, the Address proposed did
in many instances prejudge the conduct, not only of
the Officers concerned, but even of the Court which
was to investigate that conduct. He was convinced
that this measure originated in party motives. He
concluded by voting for Mr. Yorke's amendment.
Mr. Witt, itmAN disclaimed all party motives dif-
ferent from those of fair inquiry into public abuses,
but he could never support men who were for reviving
the good old time: of Charles 11.
Mr. &NO said, that as the Frecl:olders were as-
sembled this day to petition his Majesty upon a great
public topic, be felt it his duty to express his opinion.
He hoped the Freeholders of Middlesex would always
remember, that they possessed constitutional rights,
and knew how to value them. He had taken nolead
here to direct the opinion of the county. He wished
rather to listen, and be directed by their opinion ;
but he had no hesitation to state broadly, that he
approved of the Address as moved by Mr. Clifford,
in tote. With respect to the Convent ion of Cintra,
der all its circumst.tuces lie considered it as disgraceful
to the country, and offensive and injurious to those al-
lies for whose cause we should have fought as zealously
as if the enemy were on British ground : and when he
considered the rank and character of this great metro-
politan county, he felt ashamed that it did not meet at a
much eariier day to express its sentiments on this sub-
ject. But he could not withhold his astonishrnent at
the rebuke the Corporation of London received in
answer to their Adtire-* their Sovereign. If there
were no other occasion tur calling the county together,
that of itself was a sufficient cause ; for, inglorious and
disgraceful as the Convention was, he should deem it
much more inglorious and disgraceful to shevr a tame
and tacit submission.to that rebuke; and if the County
of Middlesex, on this occasion, did not express its opi-
nion and assert its right, our. bertieswere goneforever.
fur the Trial by Jury and the right to petition were
the foundation of those liberties, for which our an-
cestors had fought and bled, and therefore the people
of England should not for one moment cease to ex.
ercise them. It would behove the people of this
country always to be as active in maintaining their
rights and privileges, as the Ministers of the Crown
were to increase its power. These were his tirm opi-
nions, and without further Ltaining the assembly, he
would give his hearty to the original Address.
The question was then pat on Mr. York's amend-
ment; that part which related to thanks for the re.
buke heingwithdrawn, and k vras negatived bya large
majority.
The questie • on the Address was then put and car-
ried by a similar majr;rity.
Mr. WELLS then rnovcai for a division, but with.
drew his motion hefere the Sheriffs decided upon it. '
Mr. CLIFVORD then moved that the A.diress signed
by the Sheriffs be presented to the Secretary of State,
and that they do, at the same time, ask wh•li it will
be laid before his Majesty, and that they do pu:3i
the Secretary's answer, together with the Address, in
the Newspapers.—Agreed to.
The usual thanks to the Sheriffs were voted, on the
motion of Dr. Glasse, for their manly, firm, and im-
partial conduct in the Chair, for which they "scress-•
cd their thanks in return, and the meeting adjourned.

,~ ::

UttSere was a very numerous and respea-
talA ' Meeting of the Freeholders of Middlesex, at
'hackney, to uke into consideration the late transac:
tions in Portugal, and to consider an Address to his
Misty, praying him to convene his Parliament
he Sheriffs having opened the business, by reading
t.tse requisition,
Mr. CL:IFFORD said, the Freeholders who had sign-
ed tie requisition, had deputed him to explain the ob-
jects they had in view. He then read the Address,
which he meant to propose, and observed that parti-
I
cular care was taken to steer as clear as possible of
party eotitielerations, as well as every thing which
' could appear to prejudge the guilt or innocence of
any individual, but in expressing their deep regret
for this great failure and disappointment of the hopes
of the nation, they had adopted what they had ccn-
ceived a proper, decorous, and loyal language, with-
out assuming the tone of fulsome adulation, unwor-
thy of Englishmen, exercising. a right wherewith they
were invested by the Constitution. Such was the
character of the Address he was deputed to propose,
land which lie conceived to express in a loyal and
Constitutional manner, what he conceived were the
sentiments of the Freeholders of Middlesex, as well
1
as of the whole British Nation. He should antici-
pate no ohiections to it, but if any should be made,
he hoped to be indulged in the right of replying. He
then read as follows :

" TO THE KING'S NtO.ST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,
" We your Majesty's loyal suLjects, the Freeholders of the
County of hiidtlksex, feeling, in common with the rest of our
countrymen, deep regret and indignation at th :late events in Por-
tugal, which have disappointed our most sanguine hopes, and
our best tOunded expectation, pray your Majesty to take into
your c eish!eration this our m.,st loyal state neat and petition.
" We prejudge the cause of no man ; bat we feel, tinier such
circumstances of national disappointment, ato demand a strict,
a vigorous, aril impartial Inquiry into, all its causes, is not only
an immutable principle of justice, but has been the invariable
practice of our ancestor...
" Without such an inquiry the guilty cannot be fairly brought
to punishment, nor can the character of the innocent, 'who may be
suspected, be eff.ntually vindicated and restored,
" When we reflect, that our armies ant! our flacts are compo-
sed of men of the same description, and drawn from the same
sources, that our engagements at sea always shed new lustre on
tke navy, and always add to the national security, while our vic-
tories on land are generally unavailing, and often lead to disgrace,
we cannot persuade ourselves th a the whole blame, in the Lite
transactions, is attributable to our Co.r:manders.

a We suspect that it may be au ing either to some Tracheal &-
feet in our military system, or to the incapacity, or misconduct of
those by whose councils the efforts of your Majesty's land forces
are directed, and to whose judgment and discretion the army is
entrnsted ; that such defect, incapacity, or misconduct, cannot be
remedied by a court Martial,or hy any Military Court of Enquiry.
" We, therefore, pray your Majesty, not only to order Courts
Martial to be held on the conduct of all the officers who advised
or signed the Armistice or Convention in Portugal, but to recom-
mend to the Parliament to institute such a public and effectual
investigation into all the causes and circumstances of these trans-
actions, as may lead to the adoption of such measures and salutary
reforms, as may secure the punishment of the guilty, however
high their station, and prevent the recurrence of similar calamities.
14 And we assure your Majesty, that whoever advised you to
rebuke the Lord Mayor and Corporation of the City of London,
tor their late loyal petition, acted in defiance of the principles
which seated your Majesty's family on tho Throne, and in con-
tempt aad violation of the undoubted rights and liberties of your
people, asserted at all times by our ancestors, and finally secured
to us at the Revolution by the Bill of Rights."
Mr. HOLDEN seconded the motion.
Mr. REDHEAD YORKE opposed the Address ; not
because he differed in opinion from those who main- 1
tained the right of petition, nor in abhorring the Con-
vention of Cintra ; but because the Address exceeded 1
the avowed object of the Meeting, and proposed to
dictate to his Majesty a total change in the Military
System of the country. Mr. Yorke concluded, by
moving an Amendment, proposing to supersede the
whole of the Address, and to offer in its place an Ad-
dress to his Majesty, thanking him for his gracious
Declaration, of causing immediate enquiry into
the Convention of Cintra ; thanking him also for the
blessings the, country enjoyed under his auspicious
reign ; and also for his mild and gentle rebuke to the
City of London, for their late interference, to advise
his Majesty to that enquiry which he had already
avowed his intention to adopt. i
Mr. WILLS seconded the Amendment.
Mr. Warn:luau supported the original Address,
and vindicated on historic ground the right of the
subject to petition the throne, as founded on the Bill of
Rights. He said, he knew no. precedent for such a
rebuke as that which the Corporation of London re-
ceived, since the Revolution ; and he expressed strong
doubts that anyeffectual inquiry would take place,
under the proposed mode, nor could any thing but a
Parliamentary investigation produce the desired oh- • --,—______
ject, or satisfy the Country.
A Requisition to the Mayor of Rochester has been
Major CARTWRIGHT considered the proposed mode signed by a number of Freevm and Inhabitants of
of a Board of Inquiry, rather as a measure to screen
than to punish delinquency wherever it might ap- that City, requesting that a Common Hall may be
-called to consider the propriety of addressing his MA-
: pear. It was beside, a jurisdiction unknown to the ,
;Constitution, in support milt, praying that he will he graciously pleased to
of which he quoted Black-
stone. S'r John Mordatint, for whose protection it ,
! assemble Parliament,. to enquire into the: causes that
led to the disgraceful Convention of Cintra. We
I had been once adopted, denied its authority to cite
I
him, but said he came before it voluntarily. It had '
understand that Monday next has been appointed by
the Mayor for the Common Hall.
not been adopted in the case of Admiral Koppel, who The Seatonian Prize is this year adjudged to the
I was tried after having conquered the enemy, nor in ;
1 the case of Sir Robert Calder, who was tried after a Rev. Mr. emit, Fellow of Magdalen College, Cam-
bridge, for his Poem- on " The Holy Wars.
victory. Neither of these officers could influence a 1 Earl CHESTERFIELD attained, on Thursday, his 321
dozen votes in Parliament, nor had they friends in
power. Such was not the case with the officers .
• year. His Lordship, who is at Bradley HaU, in
Derbyshire, cheered the hearts. of his domestics, by
now in question. The difference, he said,
, .
be- !.permitting.thtm to have a ball and supper on the
tween a Grand Jury and a Board of Inquiry was
joyful occasion, when the health of their noble master
'this, that the former was instituted to protect inno- , and mistress was drank with three times three.
cence, the latter to screen guilt. 1 PEDESTRIANISM.—A publican at Towcester, Somer.
1 Mr. CLIFFORD expressed some astonishment at the •
1 amendment proposed by Mr. Yorke, who found no , set, having for a wager of 100 guineas engaged to go
500 miles in seven days, on chosen ground, and to
! fault with a single word in the Address ; and he was
equally astonished, that man who was himself smar- I take leis
1 rest as he thought proper, started on Thurs-
ting rangier the znalAdministration of justice should I day se'nnigbt, and finished the distance in Hampshire,
at three o'clock onWednesr'ay afternoon; having taken
: be the first to move an encomium upon this Admini- •
I stration us mild and impartial. He had been himself . his course through Becks, Wilts, Somerset, Hereford-
shire, and part of Devonshire: The pedestrian is a
convicted in York for arraigning that very Govern-
) mint, who had sent him to the distant jail of Glou- 'stout made man, not more than five feet four-inches
in height, and a native of Merionethshire.
!
tester to suffer the imprisonment consequent upon his The present Lottery consists of only Twenty Thou-
,
sentence. He agreed in the observation of Mr. '
Watchman, that the rebuke to the -City of London sand Tickets, one Thousand of which the Contractor
has permission to make into two Extra Prizes of Five
• was unprecedented since the Revolution. There was, 'Hundred Tickets each ; of course there are but nine-
however, a precedent in 1676, -during the reign of
teen thbusand for sale, and as there are greater ad-
! Charles 11. when Jeffries was /Recorder of London,
and•the City went up with an Address to his hfa- vantages than in any former Lottery, it is highly
probable every Ticket may be sold before the draw-
jest'', for which they received a similar tebuke ; but ing begins. At present, Tickets and Shares are to
the House of Coromoosea few days after, passed are- ' be had, in great variety, at the old-established offices
solution declaring the right of the subject to petition 'of T. BIM, 4, Cornhill, and 9, Charing-cross, where
the Throne and it was attetwards embodied in the '
Bill of Rig;its. the last ns,ooo, and the two last ,e 2,0,000 prizes
Mr. You explaiaed. I ever drawn, were sold in Shares, and where all prizes
are paid on demand.