The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-10-14 00:00:00

TO THE INDEPEN DENT*I VERY OF LONDON.
GENTLEMEN,
lIA V E redeemed my Ploilge--the Poll has closed
it —.in Wednesday the numbers will he declared, and I shall
net have the honour to be included natal,.. the Attar citisens woo
will be returned as Nom Representatives in Parlitteame. The
.respected and unanimous riven of a Meeting. numerous and
respectable, induced me in come forward as a Candidate tor
year supp.irt. My compliance was not, however, accompanied
by an., snnguine expertailoos °Nieces:.
Painfully acquainted with the situation of the country, I
knew, that if success depended an your real sentiment., it must
be ntesitteil. That situation I knew mutt appal and direct sue.
Thousands of yourlcountretnen ninstinliv periA,unkiiiiwa and an-
lamented, in hopeless expeditions and on distant shores. In
supp irt of this sanguinary and protracted war, daring the nine
first years, endlig on the Rfah of January last, SEVEN HUN-
DRED and nowt a LuoNS.TWO MUNDIBD nod PIETY-FIVE
THOUSAND POUNDS have been wrung from your reluctant
bands. A funded and unfunded debt of 670 millions remains an
unsupportable burden 4111 yonrselves and your posterity. Durbin;
the present year, rho expenditure for Great Brunie alone will
exceed the enormons amount of 95 millions sterling. That es-
tridker, is annually itagmeetel, met oar revenues decrease.
e deprecintiimef our palter praeerd, in a radio fearfully pre-
*revolve. Famine bar alarmed us, and oar starving manufac-
turers are aiinnst impelled to rebellion by despair ; set is war
wish our brethren in America, descendants from the same pro-
gen' ,is ta consummate our folly—te augment our distress—
and to wither oar last hope by depriving us of a market for our
manufactures, exceeding 15.000,9001. per annum. To these fear-
ful circumstances I was persuaded that you could nut be insen-
sible. I knew that you could riot wish that inquisitions into
your property should lie more vexatious—that the ballot tar the
army Afield he more strict—that not only your profits, but even
your CAPITAL. should be assailed—dint pros isimis should he-
come quite inaccessible to the poor—that sinecures should be
perpetuated—that war should be eternid—that Amin iris should
not be propitiated—and thin from Innr-fifths of the ;mind:Hien
of Irel.rn.l conciliation should be withheld. At 3UCII could uol
be year seettments, I knew that it was only by force, by fatal
and destructive influence, that you could be induced ibri elet t
your Representatives Tell a 110 will mitintlin the very ulna-sires
you now deprecate, awl must pi i'innnenthe deplore.
But I knew that such for. • wooed tar displayed—that the
personal influence of the three Candidates si ould be directed in
aid the.r mutual triumph, and that tee lodia House, and Al
the public bodies dependent for bring on the smiles of Gowns. '
meat, mid the obnoxious s :stem which 111,', ujihaal, would
concentrate all their power- is crush you- .1 ign and oserstliclin
Nll4ll' hiiper. And I pine •isred that, dent lute of lists, ignorant of
your re.itence, resolved to abstain from personal applirati.ms,
precluded ft inn effective arrange- nem, and dependon.; ..my en
de:4llbn), though generous laliaurs, I could not, in the de-
graded state of the public mind, v,ctorintedy centrist, against
caineetitors powerful, opsi sit, exptlienced, and combined.
Thew Nei. eltsisions a •ve been real ta.d. Friends, whose Ap-
p.,01,„11,„ of eb-ersati in were correct, asaure me, mai all my
predictions Is ,se horn exceeded. and that experience alone
could have misused them to believe that such varied and power-
ful engities could have been ernoloyed.
Against influence so unworthy. but so powerful, I did not
succeed. But, although my fears were sealised. I rejoi, e that
I nereteei the invitation which .on gave. That Alderman
Combe,whte for twenty years, has beau the consistent advocate
of Pence, Liberty, and Reform. tmid, in censequence of this
mutest, have been placed so far above the other Caitidates,
mutt demonstrate yaw real sentiments—meat fill your enemies
will. dismay, and iseimate, me with sincere delight. That
amidst :all the diradvnidages which 1 have detailed, Tun Thou-
sand Three Hundred and Seventy-three Independent, romest
Fell r w-citizens snoted have bestowed Oil me their enperchaaegg
voluntary vines, is a proof that the love of freedom Net
sively prev-si,s, and has conferred on me a distinctio sof which
monarchs might he proud. And ►assure yier, that lam re
content tube defeated w ith such support, than I should have been
haul 1 ohtained a triumph by ten thousand suffrages solicited,
extened, reluctantly ciniferreil, from victims dragged up un-
willing to the Pull.
But, disgusted with such deeds, I must pefarin the more
pleasing duties w hid* I have now to fulfil. During ire progress
of the CillatiSt I have experienced detniinstranoth re esteem
wit ch 1 can never forget. My Committee, for their graiil4oll.•
list. fat ,gable efforts, deserve my pre-eminent praise. Toe en-
thibiabliv ana, hinent of the irhabiuous of the extensive Willits
riser which 1 mogistertally preside. I 11111 most happy to lies (vote
and to record— be.aase that kindness must eviller that my tiaras-
ter it bighis esterinted by those wito‘e opportunities of W.W.I-
AM/bill (save urea long, emihviot, and correct. To my friends w hie
not accorduig with all my political opinion:, have, froai per-
sonal esteem, enuferred on me their aid, I present my most
grateful thrusts. And I would attempt to offer adequate ac-
knowledgments to all the independent men who, from principle
almw, have otlarded me t.sir aid, but that they do not require
such frown—Mrs are ..bore my praise—they are exalted by
virtue even in this degenerate age. The ispitrotbilion of their
consciences will be their ieward. They have aleorded an ex-
ample which even their antagonists re4PtCle nail which Poste-
rity may imitate, and n.ust applaud. If the etainale on their
future efforts should he attended With future success, they a ill
beeriest the Hansedens of lager tines ; anti if they mad myself
slimildate destined to weep over the rain: of our (-motors, we
shell derive some eraiwitaiiim funs the knowledge that we bane
not aceekeratee her don atilt, but have eildeamlnired to pre-
serve anti its restore the institutious of our fathers stud the glory
of our native land. _ . - .

Sanctioned by the di.tingui,hed favour I have received, and
unwilling in abandon inv country in despair, I shall again pre-
sent my :elf for your suttrctre, a believer another vacancy in your
repreientatios, nr antsileer election, shall occur ; and 1 doubt
not but that even gucater obstacles, if they can be collected,
will then be prostrated hy your renovated eeuri,, and by sour
pre-arranged exertions, rudest by well-directed zeal.
In the mean time, I ,hall continue the conduct which has re.
commended me to your ',ocelot. To my magisterial dories,
sh4l continue faithfully devoted. Your municipal ri4htv 1 will
defend. Your local iinproveineno4 I will promote. 'nonuniots
for the instruction of the ignurom, and for the diiii ihu• ion of
Bibles to she poor. 1 %Via uusiou-ly suppoit. Oppression stool
find in ins a steady foe, and rellipons and civil litmus n devoted
ft iend :--and avoillag myself of every opportunity st bich my si-
ination teat so 'lightish tile public evils we lauseul, I
wi!? elokivetir to jnnify site conelenee you hove disphyed. and
loot, perfectly to demonstrate the unutterable gratitude which
aintuates my heart.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obliged and faithful servant,
MATTHEW WOOD.
Falcomsqoare, Monday, Oct. 12, ISM