Star.
London, England, 1809-12-15 00:00:00

TO THE MEMBERS OF CONVOCATION.

" During the whole of the present contest, the
friends•of Lord Gtt I Lit have studiously abstain-
ed from every 'thing which could be thought offen-
sive or disrespectful- to either of the other candidates.
They have been led to adept this conduct, not only
because it best accorded with Lord Gsesx-ILLE's
wishes and with their own feelings, but because they
were convinced also, that the honour of the Univer-
sity, wh:ch is of more importance than the success of
any candidate, especially required it. At the same
time they are ready to profess their belief, that, among
honourable men, such conduct gave them the fairest
prospect of success.

" Their leading principle of action has been to ap-
peal individually to the good sense and unbiassed 1
judgments of those, who may from their education
be expected to abhor vulgar calumny,' and to be su- 1
perior to vulgar prejudice : and whenever a more
public appeal has been made, it has been extorted ,
from them by the necessity of refuting charges pub- I
licly advanced, or of stopping the circulation of di-'
rect falsehood. In all these proceedings they have
never gone beyond the line of strict defence. They
have never forgotten what was due to the high cha-
racter of the Nobleman whose cause they espoused,
to the digeity of that station which he is desirous of
filling, to the common credit and fair fame of the Uni- ,
versity, and to the established usages of former times.
a But although, in adhering to this principle, their
steadiness has remained unshaken, yet their patience
has not been untried. The provocation to depart
from it has been frequent, deliberate, and systetnatic.
Not only have libels of the meanest sort been disse-
minated by secret agents, but the public prints have
been paid to insert articles, the object of which is to
rnisr?present Lord Gneeviaa.e in the eyes of the
world, and to vilify those who support him ; and
there is reason to apprehend that this practice has re-
ceived the unction of those who ought to have em-
ployed the;r influence in preventing or suppressing it.
" From the various forms which these libels have
assumed, sited f-ern the industry with which they are
spread a'woad, it may be thought by many, who are
inexnerienced in such ways, that they flow from the
spontaneous feelings of men unconnected, and inde-
pendffit of each other. But they all bear the same
stamp. And they may all be referred, as many of
them have been actually traced, to the same source.
It may be necessary, for the sake of those whose votes
are yet andetermined, to warn them of these prac-
tices. Among the supporters of Lord Emcee, it
should seem, by their language, that there are some
who are not so much actuated by attachment to him,
as by hostility to Lord Gneevita.r.
a The motives which are assigned for this hostility
ire the same which have often been successfully em-
ployed to mislead and inflame the populace • but
which, it is hoped, will possess but little influence
with liberal and enlightened minds. There is not an
individual in the kingdom who has evinced a mere
uniform and ardent attachment to the Established
Church than that Nobleman : there is none who has
shown himself more anxious to preserve its rights,
and to provide for its security : and it can scarcely
be believed, that even his enemies entertain at heart the
opinions concerning him which they seek to propagate.
di Whatever then may be the issue of the present
contest, the remembrance of these unwortty acts will
bring their proper punishment to those who used'
them. Their effect must naturally be to embitter de-
feat, and to diminish the satisfaction resulting from
success : while those who have honestly pursued the
right course, and who have dreaded disgrace more
than failure, will retire from the contest with senti-
ments of mutual respect, whether defeated or victo-
rious : and however different their objects of pursuit
may have been, they will equally enjoy the conscious
recollection, that they have laboured, by fair and up-
right means, in no ignoble cause, and that they have
in no instance swerved from the path of honour."
Eaten Nose, Dec. 12, 1809.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

SBERIPFS COURT, DECEMBER 14.