Star.
London, England, 1806-09-19 00:00:00

IrE37MIIvSTER MEETING.

Yefterday, purfnant to requifition, a very flume.
roue and relpellable Meeting of the Eleltors of
We%idler took place at the Crown and /anchor
Tavern. The room was quite crowded- by/ twelve
o'clock. In the orcheflra there were come, ladies,
among whom, we underttand, was Mrs. SHIRIDAN.
About half after twelve, Mr. SH ERIDAN, accompanied
by: feveral of his friends, was announced at the door,
and he was received with loud applaufes, which con-
tinued until he had taken his feat.
After lime preparatory arrangements at the upper
table,
Mr. WISHART was called to the Chair, and ad-
dreffed the company to the following effect
" Gentlemen—l feel truly fenfible of the honour
you have done me ih calling me to the Chair upon
the prefent occafinn. It is the firft time in my life in
which it is with forrow and reluctance that I have
obeyed your commands; but yon would deem me
unworthy of the honour of Inch a diflintlion among
the Independent Eleflors of the City of Weflminfter,
if I did not participate in the general grief of the irre-
parable tors which we have fuftained by the death of
our late venerated friend and member—a lots not
merely to the City of Weflminfter, not merely to this
kingdom. but to the whole world—and that at a
momentous cribs, which will, for a long time, be
confidered as a national calamity. You have been
called together- by Public Advertifement, to confider
of a proper perfon tu be put in nomination as your
Reprefentative in Parliament, in the room of that
tried Patriot—that pre eminent Statefman—that
Friend of Liberty, and that lover of his Country,
whom you fo long favoured with your fupport,
who fo long honoured you with his attachment,
and who, for a (cries of years, fupported your Li-
berties, and defended your Rights—the Era wilt of
whole heart was to ameliorate the condition of the
unfortunate every where, to replace this country, in
its former late of freedom, and to preferve what re.
"pained of the freedom of Europe from the grafp
of a daring aed ambitious Defpot. His great objed
was to fee his country rife in fplendour, and to
prefer., its liberty; and his brilliant and matchlefs
talents were exerted for that purple ; while the
urbanity of his manners in his intercourfe with Fo.
reign Courts, and the means he took to preferve what
was left to them of their liberties or independence,
made him the admiration of furrounding nations.—
In the nomination and fupport of another Candidate
to reprefent yen in Parliament, to fucceed that Mut.-
trims Charaßer, we muff not look for his equal, be-
canfe that it would be impofbble to find ; bust the
perfoa whom I apprehend you will fupport, will be
a man of honour and independent principles, whole
conduß will be modelled on the principles of Mr.
Fox—true Englifh principles, which endeared him to
every honourable man in the kingdom ; principles
which will thew that your Reprefentative is warthy
of being re-dated by you on a future oceafion—
Gentlemen, I !ball endeavour to thew an impartiality
in my conduß ; and I troll you will preferve that
decency, order, decorum, and filence, which the me-
lancholy event that is the occafinn of our meeting, as
well as your preterit feelings, diltate to you. I hope
you will thew that refpeß for the memory of our
lately departed illutlrious Statefman which it merits;
and that cannot be done by (bouts, and can only be
aided by oblerving se folemn and profound (Hence.
I have now only to die, whether any one of the Gen-
tlemen who figned the Requifition, upon which this
Meeting has been convened, has any thing to offer ?
hi has, I will thank him to come forward and to
flare it."
-'Mr. GRAHAM—"That appears to me to be un-
sreeeffary ; the reading of the Requifition will to&
ictently explain the purpofe of our meeting."
The CHAIRMAN—" I took the Chair at the ex-
peels &fire of Mr. Sheridan. I underhand it to be
theeonilant cuflorn, notwithflanding that the adver-
tikment (peaks the purpofe of every meeting of this
kind, for fume one of the Gentlemen who figned the
Requifition to corns forward and hate his fentiments
to the meeting. I will, however, now read the Re
quituton, and any Gentleman may come forward
and put ',horn he &cafes in nomination."—Here be
read the R eqtrific ion.
Mr. bENNIS O'BRIEN.—" As my courfe, on
this occafinsis is extremely clear, my fpcech hall be
extremely fort. I had been led to think that my
Lord Percy was ineligible to reprefent this city in
Parliament.. Corrected in that mifionception, as I
apr, I have to fay, that I might as well contend with
my Lord Percy for the honour of reprefenting in
Parliament the City of Wettminfler, as I would have
contelled in the art of war with his heroic and illuf-
trions anceflor, Harry Hntfpur, as a General in the
fifld of battle to command an army. As the Noble
Lord is nr t ineligible, I take the liberty of propofing
for your choice, as your Reprefentative in Parliament,
(and I do not conceive that any one can be more eh.
gible) Lord Perey."—(6borscr of applauji.)
The CHAIRMAN.—" Gentlemen, yon have
heard my Lord Percy propofed—Has any other Gen.
denten any other candidate to nominate ?"
Mr. COCKER.—'' After what has been fpnkcn of
my late Right Honourable Friend and our ma wor-
thy Reprefentative in Parliament, it will not be ne.
neffary for me to take up much of your time to
add panegyrics on the talents and the virtues of 2
wan who is shove all praife. Gentlemen, although
ftoen my earliefi youth I have had the honour of ,
bring known to the Flcaors of the CI. y of Weflmin. I
tier—for, from ,he &II inundation of Mr. For to your
notice, 1 wes an active, zealous, and, I will add, hap-
pened to lie a firecefsful advocate of his cattle—yet I
with not to boall of my labours—Although for 20
years my at:achinent to him was uniform and unfha.
ken,and my !Arius were as great as I had the power
of exerting, yet that only which you are called upon
to remember with gratitude is the exertion of Mr.
Fox, in a carafe in which your independence was at
filled, and your Liberty threatened; but from my
Wiens', attachment to and regard for Mr. Fox, I
ihall be exculed from offering to you filch fentiments as
occur to my mind. Gentlemen, the object of this
Fleeting, as I conceive ir, is not merely to nnrninate
a person to Jiweeed Mr. Fox as a Reprefentative in
Parliament, trot to nominate a perfori who isfir, that
it, uie perfoi, who is mhl adapted to the talk of being'
his fuceeffor—(Hear Isar! awl great applaufe.)—l
hive not the honour of being known to my Lord
Ileicy74 bay, so dotibthe writs the applaufe which

' his friends bellow upon him t but no man can be cnn
vinced that he is themeft tit,perfott to reprefent you]
(.firawo 1 bravo 1 and a 64 °Tapp/sole !mot fewest
parts of the room, eahile others cried ma for •Lord`Porry)
—At the fame time. I do not mean to uttef y fen-
Montt in his difpraife. He is a yonng moo, rung
ns
alp
Iron. a Noble Anceftty, of a family of pro igious
wealth, and of a prepondersting,influence, by phich,
contlituted as matters are, they may, at will, place
him in Parliament, without corning to yea, Lto the
excitation of a petfon who, in my opinion, is Wore fit
to be returned by you. Gentlemen, I have re'mark-
ed to you, that for 30 years my attachment to Mr.
Fox has been uniform and conftant. I never have
before obtruded on your notice, and probably never i
fball again, for my purfuits are in private life; 'Mit
in refpea to the memory of your departed Reprefen-
tative, that illuttrious Stater-man, that genuine lover
of Freedom and of his Country, Mr. Fox, I will tell
you who I think is fit to reprefent you in Parlia-
ment. Gentlemen, in looking for fuch a perfon, we
mull look among thofe who were in habits of friend•
!hip with Mr. Fox, during the whole of his molt bril-
liant political career, in which he has fought the battles
of Freedom and Independence, againft calumny
and detradion, and againft every fpecies of difcon•
ragement which could be thrown in his way by
wealth and cotroption—and, above •all, againft a
fydematic Inifreprefentation of his aCtions and his ore-
tore,, more unfair' than any thing which is to be found
in tilt annals of our hiftory (loud applauji.)..-Gem
Omen, I have looked for a perfon who, with Mr.
Fox, and by his fide, has fought his battles-..gorkA
on with him ftep by flep, through the whole .of his
unparalleled political career—has fuffered with him
in his political perfecution—rentained 'with hit* in
his exclufion from political power—who has proved
himfelf true to Mr. Fox upon al) occafione, many of
which wete the molt trying to which he could be ex-
poled—a man whole talents, whenever they have been
exerted, have claimed and have received, the appro-
bation, not only of this enlightened and diftinguilhed
city, but silo of the world at large—a -mien *ho
has nppofed the Sufpenfion of the Habeas Corpus Aa,
and all the means which were tiled to imprifon Brl-
tifli (Labials without the chance of trial or liberation,
during the continuance of an Adminitlration, which,
thank Gno, I never had the bafencfs to fupportool
have looked for a perfon en whole future conduft we
can rely, from a knowledge of the pall—a man who
never has difgraced the choice which has fallen on
him, and who, I am confident, never will, but will
do it honour—l fay, I look for loch a man; and I
need not look long, nor afar off, for he is now near
me—l therefore beg leave to nominate RICH• 11.1)
BIINSLIY SHARMAN, E(q. to reprefent you in Parlia-
ment.—(A great 144 of applensfs, and lord hatcat )
Mr. SHERIDAN rt ie, and (poke to the follow-
ing effeft :
" Gentlemen, Elettors of Wellminfter—ln addref-
flog you upon this occafion, I am afraid that before
I proceed to the few obfervations which I feel it my
duty to fubmit to you, I (hall be obliged to com-
mence with a requeft which I am almoft a(hamed to
make—for your indulgence, if in confequence of a
Ihort but (harp indifpofition, from which I am juft
recovering, my voice timid not be arong enough to
be clearly audible to the full extent of this large Al-
fembly (off/as/fix). Upon that fubjeCt which muff
h fill all your minds—upon the merits of that illuftrious
man, whole death has occafioned the prefent meeting,
I (ball, I can fay but little. There mull be foam in-
terval between the heavy blow that has been Area,
and the confideratien of its effeft, before any one
(and how many are there of thofel) who have revered
and loved Mr. Fox as I have done, can (peak of his
death with the feeling but manly compofure which
becomes the dignified regret it ought to infpire (op
idaufss ). To you, however, Gentlemen, it cannot
be neceffary to defcribe him—for you mull have
known him well. To fay any thing to you at this
moment, in the firft hours of your unborthened for-
rows, sorsa be unneceffary, and almoft infulting.—
His image is Rill prefent before you—hisvirtue lives in
your hearts—his lola in your defpair(feedapflarofis).
" I have teen in one of the Morning Papers, (and
theftatement is a correCtone ) the laft words of this great
man—" I die happy ;" then, turning to the deareft
objeCts of his affeition, " I pity you." But had an-
other moment been allowed him, and had the inn
delly of his great mind permitted it, well might he
have expreffed his compatfien, not for his private
friends only, but Tor the world—well might he have
(aid " I pity you, I pity England, I pity Europe. I
pity the human race!" (fasididua(tr.) Fur, to man-
kind at large his death mutt be a fource of regret,
whole liPe was employed to promote their benefit.—
He died in the 444 of peace, ftruggling to extend
it to the world. Tranquil in his own mind, he ohm
tithed to the raft, with a parental folicitude, the con-
feting hope to give tranquillity to nations. Let us
truft that that Itroke of death which has borne him
from us, may not have left peace, and the dignified
charities of human nature, ash were, orphans upon
the world (aNdarier). From this afflifting confider-
ation, I pals to one comparatively infignificant, yet
it is the queftion we are met this day to confider,
namely, the pretenfions of thofe who have the pre.
fumption to afpire to fucceed him. An Honourable
Friend has propofed me as a petfon worthy of that
proud dittinetion. 1 cannot deny but that it is an
obit& of ambition, unmixed, I think, with one un•
worthy motive, very near to my heart. I have re-
ceived a friendly, though public, caution, that I may
rills the confidence and attachment of my friends at
I Stafford by loch a purfuit. I thank my monitor for
his anxiety on that account, but he may tell shored
that I know my Conitituents better. I have befn,e
declined an offer of (wort for this city upon a ge-
neral elettion. My gratitude and devotion to my
friends at Stafford bind me to leek nn other. I have
been fix times choral by them, which is a proof, at
lea% that when once elated I am not quarrelfome
a ith my Conntment, To attend to their wifhes mutt
of coolie be an object of my peculiar folicitude, and
to continue to repo fent them, the favourite purfuit
of my ambition, even more, perhaps, than that of
the reprelentation of Weliminfter. But it is not in-
confiftent with that fentionent, nor can it be olfennve
to the feelings of my Conftituents, that I Ihoold have
offered my (elf to your notice upon this oecation. For
my Con II ititents mull feel, that it is one thing to be the
Reorefentative of Wellminfter, and another to OS the
fucceffor of Mr. Fox. That I own, I cannot but
confide/ as an objet of the highell itisportance, of
which, if I were alet,tuiebitiotisr I mßft be inCeniblc

(41/arfer). Upon the Indent amid toccsfion, with
fuels feelings as T know are clinging. tozaktr minds,
hoping at mnft to palliate a lofs trreparable—yet
I (catching with affeCtionate diligence how belt 'to do
fo, to have been the objefl of your deliberate filea
tion,, would, I feel, have been to me an infpiring moo
ti,ssa,, beyond all erdiniry encouragement, to have
myfelf not unworthy of the proud preference
you had bellowed upon me. I fear not but that my
friend, at Stafford would have fully entered into this
I feeling, and not have confidered my elevation by 7ou
as • defertion of them.
.1 Having thus avowed my ambition, or my pre-
fumption, as Come have been heard to call it, I have
now to (peak of my pretences. Egotifm is always
offenfive, and I am happy that my Learned Friend
has left me little or nothing to fay on this head.—
He has Hated, and I avow and adopt his ftatement,
that my claim to your favour fells on the fait that I
have, flee by Rep, followed Mr. Fox'through the
whole (nude of his pclitical career, and to the heft
of my poor abilities, fupported him in every one of
thofe meafures, and in the maintenance of every one
of thofe principles which originally recommended
him to, and Co long continued him in your confidence
and elleem. It is true there have been mations up-
onwehich I have differed with him—painful recollec
tion of the molt painful moments of my political life
Nor were'there wanting thofe who endeavoured to
reprefent thole differences 42 a departure from the
homage which his fuperior mind, though unclaimed
by him, was entitled to, and the allegianpe of friend-
' thip which our hearts all (wore to him; but never
*as the genuine and confiding texture of his foul
more manifeft than on fuch oecaftons ; he knew that
nothing on earth could feparate or detach me from
him ; and he relented infinuations againfl the (ince-
rity and, integrity of a friend, which he would not
have noticed had they been pointed againtl
With fuch a man to have battled in the caufe of ge-
nuine liberty—with fuch a man to have firuggled
againft the inroads of oppreffion and corruption—
with fuch an example before me, to have to boaß that
I never in my life gave one vote in Parliament that
was not on the fide of freedom, is the congratulation
that attends the retrofpeft of my public life. His
friendfbip was the pride and honour of my days. I
never, for one moment, regretted to (hare with him
the difficulties, the calumnies, and fometimcs even
the dangers that attended an hrinnurable comics—
And now reviewing my pan political life, were the
option pnflible that I fbould retread the path, I fo.
lemnly and deliberately declare, that I would pre-
fer to putfue the fame courfe—to bear up under the
fame preffure—to abide by the fame principles—and
remain by his fide, an exile from power, dittinClion,
and emolument, rather then be, in this moment, a
fplendid example of fuccefsful fervility, nr prnfperous
apollacy—though clothed with powers, honnurs,
titles, and gorged with finecures and wealth obtained
from the plunder of the people (a tumult of applaafe).
Grateful as I am for the manner in which you are
pleafed to receive my fentiments and to efpoufe my
mire. I think it mull have been obvious that I have
in my mind an eager defire that contell and &lien.
don fhould be avoided on the occalion of the prelent
vacancy. How is this to be effeEted but by one of
the candidates retiring ? A man's pride may be
piqued without his mind being induced to fwerve
from the caufe in which he ought to perfevcre. Illi-
beral warnings have been held nut—moft fcanda-
Willy I know—that by perfeveting in the prelent
conteft I may rick my official fituatson ; and if 1 re-
tire I am aware that minds as coerce and illiberal,
may affign the dread of that as my motive. To
fuch infinuations I (ball (corn to make any other re-
ly, than a reference to the whole of my part politi-
cal life. I confider it as no boars to fay, that any
one who has ftruggled through filch a portion of life
as I have, without acquiring an office, is not likely to
abandnn his principles to retain one when acquired.
To be at all capable of sitting upon principle, it is tie-
ceffary that a man (hall be independent, and to lode
pendence, the next bell thing to that of being very
rich, is to have been ufed to have been very poor (load
aioplaaft,). Independence, however, is not allied to
wealth, to birth, to rank, to power, to titles, or to
honours. Independence is in the mind of a man, or
it is nn where. On this ground were Ito decline the
conteft, I thould (corn the imputation, that Ibould
bring the purity of my purpole into doubt. No
Milliner can tape& to find in me a fervile vaffal. No
Miniller can expel from me the abandonment of
any principle I have avowed, or any pledge I have
given. I know not that I have hitherto fhrunk in
place from opinions that I have maintained while in
oppofition. Did there appear a Minifter of different
call from any I know exilting—were he to attempt to
tuft from me a different conduit, my office Ihould
be at his fervice to mortow. Such a Minifter might
Trip me of a fituation, in Come refpeet of confiderahle
emolument— but he could nor flrip me of the proud
convietion that I was right—he could not ftrip me of
my own Pelf efteem —he could not (trip me, I think,
of fume portion of the confidence and good opinien
of the people. But I am noticing the calumnious
threat I have alluded to mote than it del . There
can be no peril, I venture to affert, under the prelent
Government, in the free exercife of a difcretinn, loch
as belongs to the relent queltion ; I therefore dif-
claim the merit of putting any thing to hazard.
1. If I have miffed the opportunity of obtaining all
Ole fupport I might, perhaps, have had on the re-
lent occafion, from a very fcrupulous delicacy, which
I think became and was incumbent upon me, but
which I by no means conceive to have been a fit rule
for others, I cannot repent it. While the !lighten.
afpiration of breath remained on thole lips, fo often
the channel of eloquence and virtue—while one drop
of life's blood beat in that noble heart, which is now
no more, I would not Inner any friend of mine, in
articipatinn of the melancholy event that has occur.
red, to inflitute a canvas. I could not, I ought not
to have acted otherwife than as I have done.

_ -
II Now, Gentlemen, I come, with a very embar-
raffed feeling, to that declaration which I yet think
you muh have expiated from me, but which I make
with reluaance, becaofe, from the marked appmba-
tion I have experienced from you, I fear with reluc-
tance you will receive it. feel myfty wider tit Aral:
fry of retie* from tkit towel. [Here Mr. Sheridan
was interrupted for many minutes by louJ cries of
No, no, no.] bet-etch you, refumed the Right
Honourable Gentleman, to hear me with patience,
and in lie temper with which I addrefs you. there
ix in trot fricatilhio this advantage. The inferior

mind looks to the erendiTlß
intellect as its guide and
landmark while living, and to the engraver'. memory
of he principles, as a rule of condud, after his deed'.
Yet further, (till unmixed with idle fuperftition, there
may be gained a falutary teflon from cnntemplating
what would be grateful to the mind of the departed,
were he confcions of what is palling here. I folemnly
belieVe, that could Inch a sonfideration have entered
into Mr. Fox's laft moments, there is nothing his
Wafted fpirits would fo have deprecated, as a conteft
of the nature which I now difclalm and relinquifh.
" It was never afcertained to me until Monday
laft, after this Meeting had been fixed, that Lord
Percy would certainly be a candidate. My friends
hefitated in the hope that it might be left to arbitra-
tion which candidate fhould withdraw. That hope
has failed. I claim the privilege of neareft and
deareft friendfhip, to let the example of a facrifice—w
comparatively how (malt to what it demands...no-
thing could ever have induced me to have proceeded
to a dlfputed poll on this (Iceman°. The hour is not „,
far aliftent when an awful knell dell tell you that the s
unburied remains of your revered patriot are paffing
through the ftreets to that fepulchral home, where
your kings—your heroes—your (ages—and your
poets lie, and where they are to be honoured by the
affoeiation of his noble remains ; that hour when,
however the fplendid gaudinefs of public pageantry
may be avoidef, you—you—all of you, will be fell-
marl:balled in reverential forrow, mute and reßeeing
on your mighty lots. At that moment Sall the dit-
gufting cornea of an elation wrangle; break the fo-
lenanity of the !tens? Is it Atria/ that any man thould
overlook the crifis, and rilk the rode and monftrous
conteft i is it fitting that I fhould be that man ?
Allow me to hope from the manner in which yon
have received the little I have Paid on this fabled,
that I need add no more. Yet fill would my.pur-
, pore be incomplete and my remonßrance inetrdffftent,
if I did not, at thefame time that j withdraw myfelf,
urge you to take the mentalts 'molt propitious to •
prevent the tranquillity we propofe from being do-
firoyed by others. To me there teems no mode fo
obvious and decifive as adding your fafFrages to the
.‘
countenance given to the Noble Earl 'who has the
fuppoit of thofe Minifters with whom your late illuf-
trious Reprefentative lived and died in the moll per.
fed confidence and amity. I turn to him, rejoicing
that I Otall not be his antagonifl-r-I turn to him with
refpea due to an early char:air of the bighell pro-
mile—with the Ikon affurance of thofe qualities
which engage affection and command refpeet--on
theta ground, I, for one, Mall give him any cordial
faPPorl•
" Gentlemen, I have now executed a difficult and
painful tacit—yet on; duty more remains—not a
painful but a grateful one—yet one more difficult,
perhaps, than that which I have left—it is to endea-
vour to exciters to you thole fentiments of fioeere and
eager gratitude. for your voluntary proffered tip-
port, and your indulgent acceptance 0 what I have
this day fubmitted fo you, and whitif is indelibly
imprinted on a heart not formed ro be unthankful.—
As a public man, I feel that your appeobation re-
wards my pall efforts, and it than be the animation
of my future endeavours."
Mr. MADDOCK (a Barrifter of Lincoln's Inn) de-
precated the reagnation of Mr. Sheridan,for which the
region. dated in theeloquent (pooh which the meeting
bait loft heard,appeaved to him to be very inadequate.
With regard to the idea of a populareleetion interfering
with the fad and folemn thence which ought to prevail
upon the funeral of Mr. Fox, he was perfuatted that
Inch an interference was not at ell likely to wife ;
for fore he was that wherever the remains of Mr.
Fox (hoard appear, faction wonld be dumb. The
Learned Gentleman firongly advocated the charac-
ter of Mr. Sheridan, who, from his connection with
Mr. Fox, with whole fentiments he was faturated,
was decidedly the molt eligible perfon to fucceed
him. Upon the melancholy event of Mr. Fox's death,
the Learned Gentleman dwelt at Come length, and
alto upon the happy refult which malt bore arilan
from even his fhort connection with Government, as
it gave to that great man an opportunity of making
his real mind and views univerfally known, and thus
refuting the calumnies which prejudice and ignorance
had propagated refpeeing his character. The elec-
tion of Mr. Sheridan he particolarly recommended,
from the independence of his charader, manifefted fq
often to the country, but particularly in hi. (peech of
this day. It was his wifb too that Weilminfler Mould
rather be reprefented by a man of talents than by
any nobleman whatever. If Weftminfler were to
become, as it ought to be, a cradle for independence
and talents, perans dillinguitbed for thole qualities
would never be wanting to offer themfelyes to the
attention of the electors.

Mr. GRAHAM thought it proper and necefary,';
with a view to give full effedt and impreffion to the
°Nett of this meeting, that the opinion of the Elec-
tors lhould be teilified as to the merits of Mr. She-
ridan, and therefore that his nomination fhould be
put to the vote.
A gentleman fuggefled that Mr. Sheridan having
withdrawn his pretenfinns, the objeft of the meeting
was accomplifised, and therefore the proplAtton
the la@ fpeeker was fuperfluous. •
Mr. W ISHART exhorted the meeting to preferre '
order and decorum, and to avoid any thin which
might lead to divifion or difnrder. Lord Percy,. 4
could not help repeating, was the moll eligible per,.
fon to fupply the vacancy created by the death of
Mr. Fox.

Mr. SHERIDAN exprefled his furprife that, altho'
the Honourable Chairman had fn ftrnngly exhorted
the Meeting to preferve order, he Mould have thought
proper fo foon to forget his own precept, by becoming
at once both advocate and judge. With regard to .
the propofition for a (hew of hands, having already
declined to (land forward upon this oecalion, hp de-
precated any proceeding which might produce a col-
lifion of fentiments, or lead to ditcord.
Mr. GRAHAM thought if there was no other
reafon for the appeal to the voice of the Meeting,
which be recommended, the partial condo& of the
Chairtnpa called for it.
A Gentlemaq fuggelied the propriety of coming
to a refolution declaratory of the approbation of the
Meeting as to the modem which induced Mr. 844-
dan to refs n.
Mr. GIBBONS, as one of thofe who tigned
requititioo, came forward to Rate the reafons which
induced him to do lb. He had heard, no doubt,
before he Biped it, that Mr. Sheridan was to be pro-
ps* 84 a Mr! ca11414144* and that operated Ouch

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ea Ma Wed is II year of the regulation. Ike etas
sow, however, equally furprikd and lorry to find
that Mr. Sheridan reigned r bun he fropperfed here
were tome particular motives for his reignatirm.
Mr. SHERIDAN thought it right t . take stoke
of the infinuarion, with regard to particular motives.
He related the imputation of any thing that was not
veiledly fair, maply. and honourable, and he could
affure the Meeting that his condo Ct was influenced by
no other motives whatever than thole which he had
frankly fined.
Mr. WISHART defended his conduel, adding,
that he fhould feel himftlf bound to fubteribe, and
publifts any thing which might be decided upon by
the Meeting, while he Should have the honour to
occupy the Chair.
Mr. O'BRIEN Slated, that he fhould beg leave to
poftpone his prr pc:lfni= refpeCting Lord Percy, until
the ;copied appeal to the Meeting, relative to Mr.
Sheridan, Should be decided. That done, and Mr.
Sheridan hiving declined, he hoped that nothing
could arife to prevent the unanimous acceptance of
Lord Percy, to the ionize of whole pretenfion. Mr.
Sheridan himfelf had borne fuch ample testimony.
Mr. P. SMITH (the Barrifter) (aid, he had long
been in the habit of looking up to Mr. Fox, Mr. Pitt,
and Mr. Sheridan, as the three great connellations
who adorned the political horizon, and formed the
main hopes of the country. The two former being
glow no more. the eyes of the people were naturally
turned towards Mr. Sheridan, with whom to compare
any other candidata that could flare againft him kr
Wellrninfter, would be an infult to the common fettle
and feeling of the public.. As to the Noble Youth
erho ftood forth in competition with him—he did not
=can to difparage his pretenfions—but it was to be
Confidered. that nothing was known of him which
could infpire confidence, or even excite expels.; n.
He might be a very promifing young matt; but he
did n• t l;k. . ire idea ni the count', having, particu•
lade in the peek* e flu to look f.r countel or flip
port from voluical Rosciuffes (a largh).
Mr. COCKER propoted a retolorion topreffise of
the deep regret of the meeting that Mr. Sheridan
► A.'uld have refigned
The refolut ion being carried. as the Chair decided,
1" almoit sinartimoufly,"
Mr: O'BRIEN rote to repeat his prow-rhino that
Lord Percy Should be put in nomination. He trolled
the motion would have the unanimous agent of the
=teflon. In reply to the Gentleman who objrdted
the Noble Lord, OVVOIC tore of his Lrrdlhip's youth
arid 'inexperience, Mr. O'Brien obferved. that it was
an 'objettion to the cootie and condition of human
=Rae, not to Lord Percy. Lord Percy. young as
as he was, was older than Mr. Foe when Mr. Fox
began to dilplay the wonders of his mind, in the
lloufe of Commons. Lord Percy was as old as Mr.
Pitt when Mr. Pitt entered the Houk of Commons.
The molt brilliant cat ter mull have a beginning s—
and the objedion, to be of any validity, would go
egainit the brighten men that ever adorned the world.
For his own part, Mr. O'Brien (aid, he had nevet
beheld the face of Lord Percy before that day, nor
bad he ever the (lighten intercoutfe with the Noble
Lord's family. excepting the interchange of two or
' three letters, about two or three years fence, with the
Noble Duke, his father. Hi. Cole motive in propof.
ing and fupporting Lord Percy, was a perfudion that
his Loran', was not only a perfeftly unexceptionable
iondidate, but one in whole favour a general feeling
prevailed at the prefent moment in the City of Weft-
=inner. He exhorted the meeting not to attempt to
difgrace Lord Percy, under a pretence of fupporting
him ;—but to deal plainly and direBly with the
Noble Lord.
Mr. P. SMITH complained of a mlfreprefentarion
of his fentiments by the left Speaker, and called to
the recollettioh of the Meeting, that even Mr. Fox
!fidgetf did not attempt, in the days of his youth, to
offer himielf for Wellminfter. No, he was tried—
the fame of his talents and virtue+ was eftablithed
before he was introduced to that feat, which ought
peculiarly to form the reward of talent and virtue.
Mr. TATHAM (poke strongly in favour of the
pretenfinne of Lard Percy, and of the high aurae.
ter, the emotive beneficence, and conllitutional
Sh-
/nes of his illultrious family.
The Chairman put the queftion as to the nomina•
tion of Lord Percy; and leveret hands were held up
in his favour.
A gentleman remarked that, to his great aflonifh-
nent, two of the cam:4l4les entirely retired from the
conteft, and threw all their weight into the kale of
the third candidate.
•To this obferstation Mr. O'BRIEN replied, that
if, after the eligibility of Lord Percy had been admit-
ted, he (Mr. 01. B.) had continued a contelt with
Lord Percy, the very perfon who now found fault
with his relinquifhing a vain and fruidek purfuit,
would, in all probability, be one of the firft to laugh
at him and to stunk him mad.
Mr. GRAHAM obferved, that the Chairman had
pat the motion on the one Side, but had declined,
through forgetfulacfs, he fuppufed, to put it on the
contrary.
The queflion being pot on the contrary, the Chair.
man decided that a majority of handsappear ed againft
the Noble Lord.
Mr. GIBBONS obferved, that an opinion feemed
to prevail hr the minds of fume perfons, that becaufe
Mr. She r'ian thought proper to rcfign, the eledion
. of Lorti Percy mull follow of courfc. He trolled that
no fuel; coniequence would follow, But, in order to
afford time to the Eleltors to look out for an eligible
perfon, he would propnfe that the Meeting fhould
adjourn to fume future day.
Mr. FROST (poke in favour of an adjournment,
and expiated his hope that thole feelings of indepen-
dence which the great example of Mr. Fox encou-
raged, were not fo entirely extinguifhed in Wctimin-
fler that a tit Candidate could not be found.
4fter a very long and defultory converfation, in
the `courfe of which many perfons expretied their with
that the Eleenrs Should perlift in elating Mr. Sheri-
dan, notwithltanding his resignation, the meeting
adjourned to this day fe'nnight.
uring the harangues of Meffrs•Sheridan,O'Brier,
Sharp, Counfellor Smith, Mr. Graham, and Mr.
Willart,Mrs. R. and Mrs. Thomas Sheridan, with
three private Gentlemen, were in the Mufic Gallery,
at the Crown and Anchor; among thole at the upper
end of the table we noticed Earl Barrymnre, Lord
G. H. Cavendifh, Earl Cowper, Lord Melbourne,
Colonel Greville. Samuel Whitbread, Efq. General
Tarletop, Honourable Mr. Barry, Lords Yarmouth
and Peterborough, &c.