The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-01-23 00:00:00

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deniable, the expediency of its exercise may be aid cause ? Is it in any country respecting the tachment to the ca
useu of public freedom, and the :
very questionable. prnciple of humanity and justice, that that cen. independence f County, that had an long
The right of a Court of Law to iotlict punish; sure which ought to be confined to the oppressor, been considered as the mere property of a few
meat is indispntable, but that right would not should belevelled alone at the oppressed ? Will Cosines of two contending parties. The minds
justify the infliction of undeserved pinishment.— it be endured by any description ot persons, to of the Freeholders of the County of Essex em
Sir Richard Strachan or Lord L'hathain might have whose opinion it is possible for a man of conneon anxiously fixed on the result of this Meeting,
had the, right to send me home; but does the ad- honour or common seise to attach any value, that which he trusted would be such as to give a nim
mission of that right tend in any degree to acquit tyranny shell transfer to its Victim that odium I impulse to the energies of the Electors.. The ine
Lord Castlereagh as to the malicious misrepresen. which ought to attach to itself ? Lrity of the representation of the people was
tation of my character, which would prompt these So much, indeed, did even the Viceroy of Ire- [foundation-stone, without which liberty was
?
Officers to exercise it laud (Lord Camden) revolt at the severity with I but a name, and the Coustittitiou a •soune....end
That Lord Castlereagh hates me, Mr. Editor, I which I was treated, that upon a simple remon. to the violation of that purity might be attributed
knowl and lam proud of it. 1 feel that it would strance he, at the moment of his departure floes all the misfortunes under which the country was
1 •
I require a much higher character than [can rice Ireland, ordered my liberation, when not more. now groaning. He could state to thou some facts
hope to profess, to withstand his approbation. It than half the period prescribed in my sentence haul respecting a former contest in the County ut es.
has been the study of my life to deserve the hatred expired. And I cannot pass by this act of Lord sex, between Luther and Conyers, whiele petiole,
.of such a man. Camden's clemency without stating my opinion, might be out of their recollection ; but which, he
But how have I deserved it ?.--not by the breach which is justified by other facts that have come to was certain, would astonish all who heard than,
ef any moral obligation, not by any offence against my knowledge, that no degree of cruelty is fairly 1 In that contest, the place in which the Jail emelt
the principles of justice—Ngehno ! —Lord Castle- attributable to the disposition of that nobleman. be fried, was a subject of one of the most viuteNe.
reagh has become my foe, Mr the very reasons As soon as Lord Camden hail left Ireland, and disputes that ever had agitated any county. The
Why a freteentl a humane people ought to be my not rill then, it was /Lordship's(d to nie that, ()tamest lay between the Whigs ,You,
s but at
friends. as I flatter myself I shall be able to show. notwithstanding his order, I was not length thc %nags prevailed. " shall hare see
It will not, I hope, be deemed impertinent, or to be liberated until bail was procured for my con. Jail where you please," said the 'Tories--<e hut
obtrusive, in me to offer myself on this occasion duct for seven years, to the amount of 20001. for that concession ylirst let us bring in a'fory
to the attention of the Public. I have been most Thus were Castlereagh and Cooke determined Member for the con and a Tory Member wet
foully slandered, and to remain any longer silent to counteract the benevolent intentions of Lord elected. Thus the 'Creche! lets of the county of
*would be. to betray a culpable indifference to the. Camden, and flattered themselves with the pro. Essex were disposed of by a party compromise
preservation of my own character, and to the, spect of complete success, from the intimidation between a few Whet and Tory families. Incredi.
weight of public opinion. Lord Castlereagh has emeant to be employed towards any man. who ef_ ble as the fact might appear, there were 'bun.
1 endeavoured to stigmatise my name; and that chin. feted to become my bail. This intimidation was dant proofs in the possession of the Pro.
;meter, which a :Minister of the Crown has thought indeed actually employed, . and very industriously priotor of the Chelmsford raper. The elec.
'worth attacking, it.will not, I hope, be deemed too, towards-some of those who originally of- ticu was since that time to return a Mho,
' presumpinetis 'in me test think worth defending. fered ; but yet, In despite of theft artifices, bail when the Whig Member died or resigned, amf'
The public have heard of the attack, and let me was entered by two public.spirited. Gentlemen, Tory when the Tory Member died or resigned.
hope that their sense of justice and liberality will who have never bad any reason to regret their The Parties therefore were represented, and not ohs
dispose them to attend to my defence. pledge for my conduct, and I was liberated. Freeholders. This gives the Freeholders no opposer-
Bait before I enter into that defence, I think it After my liberation, 1 found that it was quite (unity of asserting their rights and indeeendetice,
right to state, that Ido not ascribe Lord Castle. impossible for mu to make a settlement in Ireland He next stated, that he had attended the Meg
reagh's PERSEVERING hostility against me to the with any prospect of success, while the frowns of meetieg at Chelmsford, where it was objected to bim
mere difference of political opinion-1 am not dis. such men as Castlereagh and Cooke, who mono. by Mr. Western, of whom he spoke in teens of
posed to give the Noble Lord credit for such a policed the power of the Government, were so the highest respect, that he was not a p.trty non.
degree of attachment to any political principle as decidedly fixed upon me. I therefore determined He had asked, whether he would .consider sap.
would prompt him to become tho particular rue- to quit Ireland, and applied to Lord Castlereagh pert at present as a pledge of future stile
my of its opponents, unkis those opponents cote. e was tem
impedefor a passport, which, according to the older of port ? and he answered ? " No. II
trihuted to his personal views. No—the his Government, was required of any man about asked, whether- lie would give up his pretensions
I'motives of his aversion to me I fully understand. to leave the country. But to this application, after the' present Parliament? a question week
lie is tolerably aware that I have some knowledge twice or thrice repeated, Castlereagh replied, that lie considered as absolutely insulting—as it esti.
of his real character, and that I have not omitted 44 it was not the pleasure of his Excellency the mated that tut might be prevailed upon to be ;
to propagate that knowledge. Besides, lie has Lord Lieutenant to comply with my request"— mere stock or tote. He could not accept the
deeply and frequently injured toe, and therefore, thus prophaning the name of the brave and humane t sepport of that Meeting upon these terms. Ile
according to the old Ailege, hu cannot forgive me. Cornwallis, who, according to the best informa. 1 had avowed it as his opinion, that io times like
But to proceed to the Best cause of my itstroduc-. tion I could collect, knew nettling of my case, to these, it was difficult, if not impoiaible, to ad.
Lion to his notice, with regard to which so much facilitate his own persecuting purpose. here to men oithout dcserting principle.—.
foul calumny has gene abroad in this country.* Nor eat will the public think of Castlereagh's In many respects he should have voted .With
Its the course of Lord Castlereagh's Admini. feelings, when I state, that at the period of which Mr. Western ; in others he should not. ]led
titration of the Government of Ireland, I was per- lam writing I was not 2t yearrof age. lie been in Peliament when a tax of elmer cent.
vented in consequence of a publication which ap- With regard to the calumnies sent into circula. uponlncome `didh prupesed, hue should east
peered in a newspaper (entitled The Press) with tiro against me, in this country, they are lmur- opposed it—bu hee e
had been called upon to.
, which I woe connected. In that publication, the thy of serious notice, particularly considering the vote for the advance of that to 10 per cent. Levied
IGovernment of Lord Castlereagh was censured hose character of those from whom they proceed. the imposition of which at 6e he had voted,
fur the following act te-A. Mr. Orr, who was a The man who resolves to do good, as I have be. would it be an answer to the charge of abotedit
respectable and intelligent farmer of the county It,
fore observed, respecting these calumniators, must to say th tt he lied voted with his pally? His poke
of Antrim, was tried, and a verdict was returned calculate upon the hostility of the bad, and that was his country, and he Was of 140 party bat
that he hail administered an unlawful oath (that that hostility will be virulent in its nature, just in that—ha was nut....nevek had been—nor , met
0f the U..it•il g,i.h) tA, a comsat's, Informer of the proportion to the activity of his exertions, or the would he of any other party. By holeing them'
name of Wheatly, who swore, that having met efficiency of his services. Therefore, so long as that sentimeut4,he knew he lad °fooled the party re,
Mr. Orr, .casually, on the public road, he was hostility vents itself in mere abuse, a man who forms ling themselves Whip. In speaking thus plainly,
taken home by him, and that Mr. Orr at once corn- the resolution I have Mentioned, should look upon it 'he felt that he acted boelly... but he would also
I mitted himself by administering the unlawful oath without pain. Indeed, he should rather consider tell them honestly, that, though thus bold, he
alluded to. 'rho verdict of the Jury, neon such it as a flattering testimony of his exertions to annoy was comparatively a poor man. True it waselte
evidence, was,however,accompanied by a strong rc- bad men, and as the natural expression of their lived within his means —no man could- make au;
commendation of the prisoner to mercy; but soon resentment. But, when any thing is said or dotes . demand on him which he could not satisfy—
after the verdict, three of the Jurymen made a that is calculated to produce a misconception of and he could entertain hie friends and neighbour
solemn affidavit before the Judge who tried the his chiracter and views, or to subject him to a with hospitality—but he could not afford to
cause, that liquor had been conveyed into their persecution which may be repeated upon others, spend anY thing on an election. lb did omelette
room—that they were imposed upon by some of then a sense of duty towards himself and the pub- to say that he wished the Electors to pay his own
their fellow Jurors, and threatened by others, if lic should prompt him to stand forward. Upon personal expences ; but other expences hesouhl
they did not find the prisoner guilty, and that un. that ground I have been urged, on this occasion, pay none. It was ridiculeus fur a man to say Its
der the influence of imposture and threats, and to offer myself to public attention. loves his country, without loving his own fa.
being old men worn down by watching and in. Lord Castlereagh may feel himself justified in mily ; and if a man were not just to bit
toxicatioo, they had given a verdict against him, the entertainment of a personal and political pre- own family, it was absurd to expect that he
althongh they believed him in their own conscience judice against me; but, with regard to the Order should bo so to the public..." I cannot (her*
to be innocent. Affidavits were also made by a Mr. of which I complain, the question is, whether Ise fore, nor will not, spend any money in,*
Elder, a Protestant Clergyman, and a Mr. Mont- be justified in making use of his ministerial power Election." If the Electors chose to assert Iksk
gemety, that Wheatley being indisposed, and 41)- to gratify (bat prejudice, to invite the persecution own independence by bringing him in (reefs( eta
prehending tile approach of death, had stated to of my person, and to fix au imputation upon my pence, he would exert himself to the utmost
them that his conscience was much disturbed in character—whether he be justified in at attempt serve them honestly and faithfully—but he siteldi
consequence of his having been guilty of perjury to establish a most dangerous precedent? This' not think himself under personal obligations 4
and murder. These affidavits, together with the question I will, without further comment, leave his election ; because, if elected at all it mill
s
recommendation to mercy from the Jury, second- to be determined by the justice, the liberality, and Ibe on public grounds ; and the electors would ea
eil by the strongest recommendation of the Judge the good sense of the English people. well to take into consideration, that by inertial
(Lord Yelverton), were transmitted to the govern. P. FINNERTY. a Representative on such grounds, he could nee
Meat of Lord Castlereagh—aed yet Mr. Orr was , be led to consider Isis Constituents as his coen pre
executed.* This, which is matter of undeniable ESSEX FRE 81104118 RS. vase property. He wished now to tern their et.
history, was the proceeding animadverted upon i tendon to a point which demanded explanation:•
in Victimiser I 'nude to, and is it possible that any His name appeared .in the Red-Book—bit whi
also had appeared that of
Newspaper could be fume' in England, even in Mr. Foe—ile, Mr. •
th e must deeenerate state of the press, whihc
te certainly did hold a place of the am; iiat valite of a t .
would no y
,t reprobate such a proceeding ? Yet, for 1 3001. Ile had this w hen aho, and.hadelartaalin
that reprobation, I was arrested and committed • tity to d'eketvelle —l7he wen, iiiirtii Mr. Per
to prison, a while there, -pmetette to my Mal, coal' wow -and throw his • patent .ia his face, i
nal
every effort of intimidation, persecution, 'and Might be MO that this • was 'x • bri be es gain
proffered bribery, was made use of to extract from county. . But he pledged' : him—setf,' :if .fie was
ems the mane of the author' of the article I have teiMed, during the first cieseeond•Seseies, M tas
m'
referred to; twice was I taken from my prison foe the abolition of sinecures-tiot meanies, hi
in the most extrajudicial manner to the office of everoo be rigid as to the trifling. ones,uf Oa '
the Superintendant•Magistrate of Dublin, where,milil
3001. a-year, where the subsistence of families i
surrounded by a group of Police Magistrates and •depend Upon them. if ile, did jot iiicceed in if,
other agents of Lord Castlereaghlegovernment, I object, then be pledged himself eitheetwresign
was threatened with a variety of prosecutions for own place or his scat in Parliament, Inmates
libel, and more rigorous confinement, if I did not should think it indecorous to represent Elul°
betray the author of the article for which I was Pensioner. With these principles .he was Jet°
imprisoned, and also the names of the several
I
mined to persevere in the contest, *eel lw silo
'Gentlemen whom I knew to have written for The have polled the last freeholder wile. would
Press. Threats being found unavailing, I was him. lie had said lie wutild never-be tied tar
offered pecuniary reward, and instantaneous re. party ; lie had, liewever, no liesitatipti ei say'
lease from prison, if I would comply with this. with Mr. Fox, that he li)jkla iii small moose
wishes of this assemblage. But I spurned at their ' •
way to a friend, in order to avoid giving apse
proposition, and for this I was persecuted. Be- thing to an enemy. lie woutil -candidly Mate.
•Icause I would not betray my friends—because I fell opinion, that without the Peeitisidry as,
would not violate confidence--because I would ante of the freeholders themselves, there 0011 Id m
not abandon the cause of liberty, of truth, of he any chance ;—hut it was net fur hi
humanity, and of my country—because I would persuitelly that be asked their supPori—
not be guilty of a breach of professional duty and for themselves-.-for the assertion of t
private hpitour—l was subjected to every degree poll f
own rights, and those 9f the country at Is
of ill treatmeut and injury that 46 rigour beyond lie called on the Freeholders of the Coolie
resist three or four great menl who had late°
the law" could inflict.
Who then, let me ask, ought to be the subject totte4 and the folly to spend them in elcei
of censure for such proceedings ? Is it in the His sentiments were those of an intlependret°
country in which Hampden and Russell acquired he had candidly stated them awl treeing '
. s
immortality by dying for freedom', Belt. censure they must be satisfactory to those whom lus
showlil attach to any tams for suffering% ;thin 114- addressed, he would conrlnde by omen dill
that he would be at no espenee,—for in 'tint!
for their independence, he
.was determined e

Yesterday afternoon, soon after the close efil
the Corn Market, between one and two hundretL
independent Freefielders of the County Of
in the interest of MONTAGU BunGoYNI, Esq.H
LPritiOrl vWcitt, in Le ndanisad its smeighboitsiti
od), assembled in the great room of the Esser
hotel, in IVhitechapel, which had been selected as
the most convenient point of meeting.
The Company waited a considerahle time, in op-
pectatitm of the arrival of GEORGE PETITE, Esq.
who was to have been in the Chair ; but at length
Ms inability to attend, in consequence of a severe
indisposition from cold, being announced, T. IL
WHITE, Esq. was unanimously called to theChaii,
which he declined, on the ground of his not being
a recident Freeholder of the County.:
Mr. WHITE strenuously urged the propriety of
placing in the Chair some one of thu many re-
spectable vonten present, a class of individuals
whose interest, and rights were tto deeply in.
volved in the question of electing a man to re-
present them in Parliament, as, in his opinion, to
tender the selection of an Englisl yeoman for the
Chairman of such a Meeting not only highly pro-
per, but absolutely necessary. No diklll of men
were more impartant in society, sad it was time
that they should begin to feel their real weight and
importance, and
,especially on that of selecting a
Representative in Parliament fur the important
_County of Essex.
Mr. WHITE at length conceded to the general
wish rof the Company, and, haying taken the
chair= • •
Mr: BC RQ9YNE rose to 'trete the grounds en
I
which lie lied con'veited the Meeting. le felt him-
self highly Haltered by the ;Hoene* of many per.
sons whom he had never even seen before,
who hi"was therefore as-nreil could bit brought
there by no other coneideratien than that of at-
.

• A full account of this transactiou may be foaad
Curran'a Speech uportony Trial. •