Star.
London, England, 1831-05-18 00:00:00

259 Retinas received ...
9 Returns yet to be made

268 total.

Total numbers ... 513

TO THE FREEHOLDERS OF THE COUNTY OF

NORTHAMPTON.

An ankle in the John Bull newspaper, partly copied from the
Albion, has just been brought under my notice, which makes a 1
and I admit, a plausible attack upon my conduct. I feel it therefore
due to my character to state the facts of the case as far as I am con-
cerned, leaving it to the public to judge whether I am liable to the im-
putations contained in this attack.

The first fact stated is, that I wrote to Mr. Cartwright a letter,
which is quoted ; this fact is true. The second fact stated is, that
Lord Spencer's Tenants have been canvassing for more than there
weeks previous to last Wednesday or Thursday for Lord Milton and
myself. This is not true. I defy any man to prove that any of Lord
Spencer's tenants did canvas (or Lord Milton and myself previous to
the 6th of May. It may be true, though Ido not know that it is, that
two of Lord Spencer's tenants without my knowledge or authority
asked some persons in their respective neighbourhoods to reserve their
second votes, but in no instance did any tenant of Lord Spencer men-
tion the name of Lord Milton previous to the Ith of May, the day on
which he was proposed. The third fact stated is, that Lord Milton
and myself are bosom friends. This is perfectly true, but it does not
follow that we are in the daily habit of communication and corres-
pondence, and it does happen that at the time just about the Dissolu-
tion of Parliament I had no communication with Lord Milton, and lie
never mentioned to me any thing that be was doing respecting the
Election for this County. I was therefore entirely ignorant that he
was using any means to produce a contest in the county which I re-
presented.

The fourth fact stated is, that a card was issued on the 4th of May
in my name, canvassing for myself, and stating that Lord Milton was
to be put in nomination ; of this card I never heard till Sir Charles
Knightley showed it me on the day of election; it was printed at
Peterborough, forty miles from where I was, without my authority
and without my knowledge.
I will now state the different steps which I have taken on this occa-
sion. On Friday the 22d of April, the day of the prorogation, or possi-
bly the day previous, I wrote to Captain Spencer, who was in Nor-
thamptonshire, to desire him to tell Sir Wm. Wake, Mr. Bouverie,
and Mr. Hanbury, that a dissolution of Parliament would immediately
take place ; in this letter I said nothing more whatever. I received
an answer from Sir Wm. Wake by return of post, to say that this
county was so equally divided in political opinion, that he did not think
another Whig candidate could be proposed with any probability of
success, and that we were also all living on such terms of intimacy
with Mr. Cartwright, that it would be very disagreeable to do any
thing hostile to him. He stated, also, that Mr. Bouvet*, and Mr.
Hanbury entirely agreed in this, and that Mr. Hanbury had been ap-
plied to to stand, but had refused. I answered him immediately, th t
I entirely agreed with them in opinion as to the state of parties in this
county, and that I bad no wish whatever to disturb Mr. Cartwright.
It was on the receipt of this letter from Sir Wm. Wake, and in an-
swer to a note from Mr. Cartwright, proposing, when the days of no
mination and election should take place, that on Monday, the 25th of
April, I wrote the note to Mr. Cartwright, which has been referred to
as forming the grounds of a charge of duplicity against me. I have
always considered Sir Win. Wake, Mr. Bouverie, and Mr. Hanbury,
as my principal friends and supporters ; and although, undoubt-
edly, Lord Milton is so also, It never occurred to me that he had been
doing any thing for the purpose of producing an opposition to Mr.
Cartwright, excepting, perhaps, the application to Mr. Hanbury,
which, by Sir Wm. Wake's letter 1 knew would not have any effect.
In the meantime, the freeholders of Wellingborough signed a
paper, stating their Resolution to support me, and any other Candi-
date, of my political opinions, free from expense. filr. Hill seat me
these Resolutions, which were signed on the 25th or 26th, and which
were published in the Northampton Paper, and I think I received them
on the 27th. I wrote to Mr. Hill in reply, that I had no right or wish
to interfere in the selection of a Colleague to myself; that all I asked
for was, that :he Freeholders should re-elect me. I afterwards received
similar applications from Kettering, Long Buckby, and I believe
Toweester, to which I gave similar answers. At the end of that week,
the day before I left Town, I heard a report that Sir James Longhorn
was ready to offer himself for the County. I immediately stated that
I did not think he would succeed if he did ; and that I knew my
principal friends did not wish for soy opposition to Mr. Cartwright.
As soon as I came Into the country, 1 found a strong feeling of ex-
citement prevailing, and a great wish that some candidate should be
brought forward ; under these circumstances, thinking it very possible
that some one would be proposed on the day of nomination, and that a
contest would consequently arise very suddenly, I wrote to Lord Mil.
ton, on Monday the 2d of May, to ask him to whom I ought to apply
at Peterborough, in order to bring up the freeholders in my interest in
that part of the county, in ease a contest should suddenly arise. But I
did not ask him to take any one single step towards a mews, or prepa-
rations in any way for a contest. Lord Milton, however, besides giving
me the answer to the question which I asked him, told me, that upon
the receipt of my letter he had written to Dr. Skrimshire, of Peterbo-
rough, to form a committee, and this committee I find again exceeded
his instructions, and printed, and perhaps circulated the card on the 4th
to which allusion has been made.

On the day of nomination, the 4th of May, I found that there was
a resolution to propose Lord Milton as a candidate. I used every
effort in my power to prevent this being done, and succeeded in my en-
deavours ; but in doing this I offended many rimy most zealous sup-
porters so much, that several of them who usually have honoured me
with their company at my election dinners, absented themselves from
my dinner on this occasion. After the County Meeting for the Nomi-
nation had ended thus, I concluded that there would be no contest; and
on the next day was surprised to find, on my return home from riding,
that a letter, not indeed of a very encouraging description, had been
received from Lord Milton, and that it was determined by some of the
Freeholders, over whom I had no control whatever, to propose him.

These are all the circumstances of the case in which I am concerned.
When the contest arose, and when a great political principle was thus
put at issue, I had no choice but to contend as eagerly as I could.
I said I admitted the statement against me in the " John Bull " to
be a plausible one t but if any one thinks that there is any impro-
bability in the statement which I have now made, I ask him does he
not think it much more improbable that, with the opinion as to the

state of parties iu this cotinty.whith I expressed In my private lv ttr
Sir Wm. Wake, with the knowledge that my principal .upror tr.
wished that no opposition should be made to ?Ir. Cartwright, 1 could
have any denim to provoke a contest, to Itut my own Eat in
degree of hazard, and certainly to involve mys If in a great and some-
cessary expense.

I have the ho.-our to be,
Gtntlemen,
Your most obedient and humble Servant,
Northampton. May 16, 1&31. ALTIIOIIP.

NORTIIA M PTON SII• E ELECTION (Tuesday The polling, we regret to state, still continues in favour of
Mr. Cartwright, who within the last four days has succeeded
in striking off 104 from the majority of Lord Milton. Still
it is true Lord Milton remains 121 a-bead of him, but as the
Tories have declared their intention of fturliling.; the battle to
the last, and are sparing neither money nor exertions to
bring up voters, it becomes imperative on all lovers of free-
dom, who have votes for this county, to hurry dmi it and
assist in defeating their efforts. At the close of the poll
this evening, the numbers were announced to he,
Al. horpc. 2,322—Milton,l,993—Cartwright, 1.874 Knightlq. 1,333.
Lord A u-ritoneE said he had but little to say to them.
1-le hoped and trusted that he might consider his election as
perfectly secured, and that it had been so several days 'tie-
fore. He apprehended from the present state of the poll.
he should have to meet them for several days lonpat- ; ho
thanked them for their support, and had only to express his
hope they would continue him in his present gratifying situ-
ation on the poll.
Mr. CA RTIV RIG HT said, he felt pleasure in announcing
to them, that he hid again gained on that day's poll, and
wt.ile such continued to be the case, he felt himself justifir
in continuing the contest. There were many undecided
votes, respecting which he looked with confidence to the de-
cision
of the assessor, and he was justified in so doing, fur
that very day in the Biackley division alone 27 had been
given for, and only five against him. He mentioned this'
circumstance, as he argued from it a similar result in the
remaining cases : even as the poll now stood, if the Peter-i
boro' voters were deducted, almost all of whom were against
him, he should have a considerable majta-ity over Lord Mil-
ton. He understood that Ministers by their new bill pro-
posed dividing the counties, and he hoped therefore they
would make a separate district of Peterboro' : he saw no
reason why they should not, for it was a very populous part.
That was another sulject to which, in consequence of a pub-
lication made by his noble friend, Lord Althorpe, he felt
called upon to allude to. In what lie had before said, he'
certainly never intended to accuse the noble lord of any de-
liberate intention of deceiving him ; lie wholly acquitted
him of any such intention ; he only complained of
the injury which it had done to him ; it was very
unpleasant to recur to the subject at all, particularly as
Led Milton w.-s present, and ho would therefore merely
add, that he thought, under all the circumstances, Lord
Milton ought not to have consented to appear before them
as a candidate. He had only further to thank them, a.d to
declare, in continuing the contest, he did so with considera-
ble hope of success.
Sir C. knightley said, that as the present contest was for
the bill, and the whole bill, he would make a few remarks
upon the subject, and tell them what his opinion was of the
bill. He believed it would deprive him of all which he was
possessed of (laughter) : that was his firm opinion. He ob-1
jected to the division of the counties, till they were made
to resemble so many French provinces, especially as this
WAS to be done by Ministers. He would not trust any Mi-
nisters to do this, and least of all the present. Then again,
where a borough did not contain 300 voters, the Commis-
sioners were to make up the deficiency in the neighbour-
hood. Now, suppose a borough happened to lay half way
between his and Earl Spencer's estates, it was easy to sup-
pose which way they would go to make up the requited
number. On the whole, he thought the bill the most arbi-
trary and impolitic measure ever proposed by any Go-
vernment.

The honourable Mr. Wentworth Fitzwilliam said he had
again to thank them. With respect to the small advantage
gained that day by Mr. Cartwright, it would go but a little
way toward pulling down the majority which stood against
him. Mr. Cartwright had said that he fully acquitted Lord
Althorp, and he trusted, when that gentleman came to con-
sider all the circumstances, he would also include his father
in that acquittal. With respect to Peterborough, he was
willing to admit, that the great proportion of its free-
holders had polled for his father; but if their votes were to
be deducted, he thought it would be but fair that those from
Brackley should also be deducted. (Cries of " What say
you to that, Cartwright ?") He thanked them for having
gained the present majority for his father—he sincerely
thanked them, and hoped they would not relax in their
efforts.

Some public-spirited inhabitants of Birmingham having.
held a meeting, for the purpose of assisting in the return of
Captain Spencer, for Worcestershire, a committee was
formed, and about one hunched and twenty pounds sub-
scribed by various individuals, to defray the expense of for-
warding voters. A few days since, the committee received
the following letter, which, if properly published, and we
transfer it to our columns, ns a noble example of libetality
and public virtue which cannot be too extensively known
and honoured:
To Captain Spencer's Birmingham Committee.

I never meet an anti-Reformer but what in common parlance is doing
well, and indulging himself in that selfish and unmanly feeling, sets no
necessity for a change ; whilst, in the same breath, he Admits that the
many are doing otherwise ; but I believe that feeling is fast giving way,
and that a more generous, more English-like feeling will prevail, and
shortly that there will be but one unanimous opinion upon the great
question of Moira.
I have just arrived fmm Bridgninth, after seeing and supporting. as
far as my limited means extended, tao Gentlemen returned best ac-
quainted with the local interests of that borough, pledged to vo:c ffir
Reform. The day before I was at Stafford: and iam happy to say
that the feeble and perfectly insignificant rppoaition offered to the
return of our late Members, who beth voird on the right aide, was
met in the manner it invited and really deserved,—ridicule and con-
tempt.

I am sorry to learn (1 hope untruly) that the return of Capt. Spenctr
for the county of Worcester may be prejudiced for want of Funds to
carry many Freemen, who live at a considetable distance front Wor.
crater, to the poll, and from whom, in these hard times, it would he un.
reasonable to expect more than a sacrifice of their time. I earnestly hope
the Worcestershire men have more spirit than to be beholden to a Siaf.
fordahire man for assistar.ce at such a time; but I freely give, if re-
quired, 1001. towards the fair expenses of hi• election, and'if met as it
ought to be by the Worcestershire men, however inconvenient it may
be, I will increase that sum to 5001. As for the 1001. if not wanted
for that purpose, my Bankers, Messrs. C. Forster and Sons, of Walsall
hold the cheque to the uses of the General Hospital, Birmingham.
I do not mean to say, in thus subscribing my mite for electioneering
purposes, that it ought to have the preference to charitabhle purposes ;
but as I thoroughly believe that the general benefit which the country
will derive from that most necessary and salutary measure being carried
into full effect, will enable the public to contribute more largely to so
Chriatian.like an Institution, at the same time the independence (which
a nourishing state of circumstances will give to that class row claimants
upon those funds) will render it the less necessary.
THOMAS PRICE, Irontr.aster.
West Bromwich, Way 3, 1831.
A country containing such men as Mr. Price, and others
like him, who could be named in the same vicinity, cannot
be otherwise than great and free.