The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-03-31 00:00:00

TU ELF fII DAT.-.41NA4 CLOSE Of THE rni.L.

This important contest for the representation of the
metropolitan county, has terminated in a manner no
less honourable to the majority of the electoiss, than
gratifying to every friend of the Constitution. The
languid state of the poll during. the first five hours after
it was opened, plainly showed that the strength of the
county had been nearly exhausted, and that few, if anv
resources, were at the disposal of Mr. Mellish. Accord-
ingly'j, at three o'clock, that Gentleman, we understand,
resolved to relinquish a contest where he saw that not
the shadow of a hope in his favour remained.
At four o'clock the pull closed ; and an intimation
having been mole by the friends of Mr. Mellish, that he
intended to decline a further contest,
Mr. Sheriff i'anutxs stepped forward to the front of
the hustings to announce this circumstance to the elect-
ors. He had, however, scarcely reached the platform in
frost of the hustings, before a most improper attempt
mon.naade by Mr. Huth well to exclude Mr. Parkins from
his position. Mr. Sheriff Parkins resisted this unpre-
cedented conduct, with a warmth and spirit highly gre.
tifying to those who witnessed it.: and Mr. Sheriff Huth-
will finding the sense of the people to be decidedly
against hits,, at length thought proper to withdraw.
Mr. Sheriff l'Attaixa then informed the freeholders,
that, owing to the tesiguation of Mr. Mellish, the elec-
tion was now at an end. He begged of them, in this
closing seem- of a contest, unusually severe, to display
the seine order ami good behaviour whirl, hail through-
out distinguished them, and to give Mr. Mellish a fair
and impartial bearing.
Mr. Hoyt! w then alluileil to the domestic affliction'
which lie had lately sic:rained, and said, that he had
hoped that this circumstance would have in some de-,
gree moderated the asperity of his colleague.
Mr. Sheriff PARKINS indignantly repelled the impu-
tation which the expression of his junior colleague had
endeavoured to cast upon him. lie called upon the
freeholders to recollect the disgraceful attempt which
had been made to re ))))) re I from a situation which he
bad occupied every day since the commencement of the
election. To that place lie considered himself entitled. nut
only from a knowledge of its duties, but also by priority
of election as senior Sheriff of the city of London. lle
maintained that the assumption of his colleague as se-
nior Sheriff was not only contrary to law and equity,
but also totally at variance with the chartered rights of
the city. lie was determined to support his cause by
every means in Isis power, and scorned to lie put down
by the paltry artifices which hail been used to subdue
him. 'limy hail now roused the lion from his den, and
he would not deidst until lie had unveiled the corrup-
tion of that most corrupt of all places, the corporation
of London.—(Lund cheering.)—They would bear in re-
collection the wicked and infamous charge which had
been brought against him of conspiring to excite a riot
on the election of the Lord Mayor, with persons to whom
he was an utter stranger, and whose names and persons
he was before a total stranger to. That charge had
been brought against hint by a set of men, who, from
the whole tenour of their comfort, lie could denominate
no better than a set of cs.taviraluni against him and the
liberties of the city.—(Applause.)—He felt convinced
that almost every person who, now heard hint would be-
lieve that the offence imputed to him was not only to-
tally impossible, hut also directly contrary to his general
feeling, Whit, and disposition. The cliarge had been
preferred on the deposition of a number of perjnred per-
sons, whom he now solemnly pledged himself, before he
left the country, to bring to condign punishment. The
conduct of his colleague during the present day evinced
his intention of committing that riot which bail been so
unjustly charged upon himself. At the very time when
this riot was said to have taken place, his colleague had
requested him to retire, and agree in preferrinz a com-
plaint against those who were joined with him in the in-
dictmeut. Vet, because he had refused to concur in this
design—because be had refused to prefer acharge contrary
to his conscience, and contrary to truth—because he had
done his duty as an honest and independent man, they had
been reduced to the necessity of making him a conspira-
tor also.—(lanttl eheerieg.)--But he was now in the
hands of the freeholders of Middleiex, who would not
be disgraced, by lending themselves to the vile purposes
of a City cabal. Ile begged the freeholders to recal to
mind the eirentustaners limier which he was first elected
to the office of Sheriff. This took place in an open hall,
with the unanimous approbation of upwards of 2,000 of
his fellow-citizens. at a moment when he was dtg miles
from the metropolis. It was doubtless imagined by
many of the City managers, that he would have been
the dupe of their artifices. and evaded the office, by the
payment of a tine. They load, however, fallen into
tbeir own snare ;—and now, that he had undertaken
the office, he pledged 'aims& to discharge his duty faith-