The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-10-17 00:00:00

STATE MA

r---
BRISTOL ELECTION, Ocr. 14.
—.is..
This contest, as far as it relates to one of the Can.
dates, it may he seen below, has drawn to a con-
usion. It would be superfluous, nay ridiculous,
us to add one word to the excellent Speech deli.
red this day in the Guildhall, by Sir Samuel Re-
illy ; it embraces so large and so clear a view of
e subject, and elevates in so high a degree the cha-
nter of that eminent Statesman, aod made so deep
impression on those who heard him, that all our
her feelings are lost in regret at his failure. It ma-
ring from the mutt of each day's poll, that his op-
'tents increased in their majority, Sir Samuel, by the
vice of his Committee, repaired this morning to the
uildhall, and addressed the Meeting to the follow.
g effect :
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY said, that as long as there
ained any prospect of success, however faint it
ight be, he had thought it a duty which he owed to
e Gentlemen at whose invitatation he had offered
imself as a Candidate, and to those who had given
im their zealous support, to persevere in the con-
eat ; but that upon considering the state of yester-
ay's poll, and making the most accurate and anxious
nquiries respecting the Electors who had not yet
oted, he was sensible that he had now no hope
hatever of success ; and that though the out-voters ;
ight undoubtedly greatly diminish the majority
inst him, there was no chance of their overcoming
; and he therefore thought it right to declare, that
did not wish any further exertions to be made in
his favour. That he had once intended tepersevere
the contest as long as any of the voters would ho-
ur him so far as to add their names to the long list
those who had declared in his favour, but upon
flection he thought he should not be justified in
[
ing so, since it would only be to gain honour for
a mself at the expellee of trouble and inconvenience,
nd perhaps most serious loss to the families of those
rho were desirous to serve him. That as far as he
;as concerned, therefore, he considered the Election
s an end, and that he retired from the contest de-
ted but not humiliated, disappointed but in no
ree mortified, with gratitude to thousands of the
habitants who had shewn their warm attachment to
'm, and without resentment to a single individual.
hat he was far from questioning that the Gentle- 1
en who were likely to be returned would discharge
e duties of a Member of Parliament with much
ore ability than he could, but he would not admit
at they would discharge them more zealously or
ore honestly than he should have done.
tag
I That it was now, perhaps, of little consequence to
a Electors of Bristol, what his political opinions i
ere, but yet he could not refrain from making a '
ngle observation, upon doctrines which he had heard
draticed, within the last four-and-tnenty hours in
at Hall, as those which recommended a Candidate
the Electors. If they really were approved by
etn, it was fortunate that he was not to be their
ember ; because in that case the opinions of the
lectors and their Representative would be corn-
letely at variance with each oth 1. It might indeed
appen, and often did happen, in cases of contested
lections, that the two successful candidates were of I
irectly opposite political principles ; but that such ,
Pondidates should be chosen for that very reason, 1
ind by a regular system, such as it had been said, i
lad long prevailed, and ought to continue to prevail
it Bristol, was a doctrine to which he never could
übscribe. It was one by which, upon all great and '
momentous questions, such as p ,ace and war—an en-
pity into the conduct of Ministers—an investiga.
,ion into political abuses—Parliamentary Reform—
ir any important alteration in the Constitution, this
reat city was at once to say Yes and No : the voice
f one of its Members was always to controul the
pther :—it was to avoid doing wrong, by taking care
Over to do what was right; and was, in effect, to
Strike Bristol altogether out of the popular represen. ,
tenon. In a system so absurd as this, he never could
poncur ; he should dwell, however, no longer on it,
'
for the reason he had already given.
Though be was unsuccessful in the contest he was
proud of the support which he had received, and he I
!considered It as a most distinguished honour that at i
that moment he had more than 700 single votes. lie '
hail to return his most grateful thanks to those who !
had voted for him, be had to thank the numerous free-

. •
the same line of conduct to tho end. He would ely
more than that, he hoped, he earnestly entreated
them to pprseverc-

. tops
If he had gained (and what had passed iiriWed
that he had) any place in their affectioni, he most
earnestly entreated them to considef what might be
the consequence to themselves of disturbance and tu-
mult. It is true that tumults were often provoked by
the conduct of the opposite party, but they shOtild
be more cautious not to yield to such provocatiOns,
or to take upon themselves to be theavengers of their
own wrongs. It were persons in the humble mulct
of life who were, in truth. always the greatest suffer;
erg by tumult. The injury' done to the property of
the wealthy was rsstnall calamity compared with what
was endured by the imprisonment of men, who had
their wives and their children depending upon them
for support, and who drew down such calamities on
themselves by their intemperate zeal. Riot and po-
pular outrages had often been the cause, but much
oftener the pretext, for invading the liberties of the
people, and in every light it was the persons who
themselves were the authors of such violations of the
peace, who were the greatest sufferers by them. He
concluded by again expressing the warm sentiments
bf gratitude and attachment with which he took
leave of the city.
Mr. PROTREROE felt a difficulty in addressing the
Meeting after so eloquent and impressive a speaker,
but bore his testimony of approbation to the public
and private chaarcter of his rival, and felt regret, ra- I
ther than triumph, at hi, defeat : assuring the
Meeting, that had Sir Samuel been brought for-1
ward by the voice of the people, instead at the sug-
gestion of a few individuals, he would not have op. i
posed him ; and wished to see him returned for some
other'plece.
Mr. Dsvis had not opposed either Gentlemen— /
Sir Samuel's conduct had been liberal throughout,
and he hoped that the peaceable behaviour exhibited
during the contest, would be followed through the
kingdom.
Mr. HUNT, after making some observations on Sir
Samuel's having pledged himself, a few days since,
to continue the poll, which pledge was now considered i
figuratively, assured the Meeting that he would fal-
fil his promise literally, and remain there till the last
hour. He then stated that the Election would hive
had a different result if improper means had not
been used to intimidate voters; that such improper
means had been used by all parties, and expresseda
just surprise that such should have been done by the
Friends of Sir Samuel Remaly. Mr. Hunt then ad-
verted to the method of taking votes in America, end
pledged himself that he would never cease his exer-
tions, whether in or out of Parliament, to procure
a Reform in the Representation, as that no man
should be taxed, who had not a voice in the choice
of a Representative. - __ _

Sir SAMUEL Rout tam informed Mr. Hunt, that he
had given no pledge to continue the poll; that he
had stated that it was his intention so to do, but
that intention was now removed, from reasons which
he had already stated.
Sir Samuel then left the Hall, amidst the cheers
even of his opponents, who appeared to be carried
away by the enthusiasm around them, and having
reached the Bush Tavern, addressed the people from
the window, who afterwards took the horses from
his carriage, and drew him to the Mayor's—thou-
sands following and cheering as he went, and as he
stepped out of the carriage, every one presse.l to
shake by the hand a man whom all were constrained
to love and venerate.

It should be mentioned that a person got up in the
Hall, after the Candidates had ceased addressing the
Meeting, and said that the poll should be
continued open, and that a gentleman would thank
every voter who should give his voice for Sir Samuel.
The friends of Sir Samuel having abstained, dur-
ing the contest, from answering any of the squibs,
equivocines, &c. issued against them, and from pub.
lishing any hand-bills which might tend to irritate
the feelings of their fellow-citizens, must be our
apology for the omission of a number of coaseatteicaa
tions, with which we had been favoured. Recrimi-
nation is useless new opposition has ceased, and the
struggle, though sever!, having been hitherto con.
ducted with temper, will, we trust, be allowed to
pass off with good humour.

then who had assured him that he had their best wishes
nd their hearts, though their votes must be given
gainct him ; he had to thank those too who had told
im that he vhould have not their wishes only hut,
their votes, but who afterwards found it impossible, I SIR,—To prevent the rumoured act of the New
otrithout ruin to themselves, to perform the promise Parliament to disfranchise his MAJESTY of his King-
they had given ; he had to thank those various'
iy prerogative, an ENGLISHMAN, in your Paper of
sects a•id denominations of Christians who had'
Monday last, recommends first, a Reform in the
united in his support ; he had to thank those nu-
ii
tnerons Friends, n nose quiet habit of life arid . time of Commons; secondly, the re-issuing of
Whose love of peace and tranquillity made them specie; and thirdly, the withdrawing of our troops
iverse to mingle in the hustling and tumultuous from the Peninsula.
scenes which contested Elections generally pre., That these three remedies would be effectual,
tent, but who had nevertheless submitted to the Ares- there can be no doubt, I imagine; bat I would beg
sure, ant! noise and uproar of the crowded hall, to
. leave to ask an ENGLISHMAN, how they are to be pro.
give a public testimony of their honourable and va-
luable approbation of his conduct ; he had to thank cured? To expect that the House of Commons will
the City of Bristol for the warm and generous man- reform itself, would be, to use an appropriate simile
ter in which it had declared itself in his favour.— of Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, to expect a highwayman
Though he should not have the honour of represent- to throw away his pistol; and to require the people.
ing Bristol in Parliament, he should always have in to do it, is to require au almost impossibility. For
grateful remembrance the kindness and attachment
which had been ahewn him. He should always take though thousands would be happy to return reform.
the deepest interest in its success, that it might always ing Members to the Commons, they cannot act
flourish; that it might increase in prosperity, in pub- agreeably to their wishes, as the support of them-
lie spirit, in virtue, and in happiness, would he his selves and their families depend OR their voting for
fervent prayer; he would lose no opportunity that' particular men. To desire the Bank to give us
might present itself of serving them, and though be-
twenty shillings for their one-pound notes, would be
fore the Election, and while he was a Candidate, he
had made no promises ; now that the Election likewise to require what was impossible, there not
might be cnnsidered as at an end, and that nothing being gold enough, I conceive, in their coffers, for
could be gait. d by his promises, he assured them that one-third part of the notes now in circulation ; and,
be should b • always atuious to promotetheiriuterests as to recalling our troops from the Peninsula, that
and to advance their prosperity. I would be to demand of Ministers to prefer the good
There was one topic more to which before he con- .
eluded he wished to advert. The Election had of their country to themselves a like impossibility.
hitherto been conducted with uncommon order, rep- i Blackfriars, Oct. IS, 181?. AN OLD WHIG.
lenity an' tranquillity, *and notwithstanding the I - -
noise and the shouts which were unavoidable on ; &meas.—The match between Poser and Carter
such occasions lie could say, that Bristol had set a ' was made on Thursday evening, on the follow ing
most laudable example to other places, and he doubt- terms :—They deposit 201. each, to fight for 1001.
ed, whether at this, or at the last General Election,: en Monday, Nov. 16; the money to be made good
there had been in any large and populous town any . an the 2d November, or the deposit to be forfeited.
contested Election carried on .with more tranquillity 1 A stand op fight, in a twenty feet roped ring, and to
'than this. He hoped that they salad persevere is: be wit* 26 mile* or London.

To ris EDITOR or TiIE irATESMIN.

MR. CANNING AND NO-POPERY.

The following character (when he Was British Sc.;
cretary) is extracted from the witty letters of Peter
Plymley, a work which has gone through a great
nuthber of editions, and hai been attributed to almost
all the first writers of the present age ; though it is
generally believed to be the production of the Rev.
Sydney Smith :
LVV:ft VIT.
gg &tit ABRAHAM.—In the correspondence which
has passed between us, you are perpetually alluding
to the Foreign Secretary, and in answer to the dan-
gers of Ireland which I am now pressiag upon your
notice, you have nothing to urge but the confidence
you repose in the discretion and sound sense of this
gentleman. 1 can only say, that I have listened to
him long and Soften, with the greatest attention: I
I have used every exertion in my pmaeer to take a fair
I measure of him, and it appears to me to be int-
! possible to hear him on any arduous topic, Without
perceiving that he is eminently deficient in those
solid and serious qualities, upon which alone the
confidence of a great country can properly re-
pose. He sweats and labours and works for dense,
and Mr. Ellis seems always to think it coming but
it does not come; the machine can't draw up what
is not found in the spring. Providence has made
him a light, jesting, paragraph-writing man, and
that he will remain to his dying day. When he is
jocular he is strong, when he is serious he is like
Samson in a wig; any ordinary person is a match
for him.—A song, an ironical letter, a burlesque
pde, an attack upon Nicholl's eye, a smart spied j
of twenty minutes, full of gross misrepresentationi
and clever turns, excellent language, a spirited an-
swer, lucky quotations, success in provoking dull I
men, some half information picked up in Pall Malt
in the morning; these are your friend's natural
weapons • all these things he can do • here I allow I
him to be truly great; nay, I will be jue, and go
still further, if he would confine himself to consider
these things, and consider the facetious and the play-
ful to be the basis •f his character, he would for that
species of man be universally regarded to be a
person of very good understanding; call him a le-
gislator, a reasoner, and the conductor of the affairs
of a great nation, and it seems to me as absurd as if
a butterfly were to teach bees to make honey. That
he is an extraordinary writer of small poetry, and a!
diner-out of the highest lustre, Ido most readily '
admit. After George Selwyn, and perhaps Ticket!,
there has been no such man for thit half century.--
The Foreign Secretary is a gentleman., a respectable
as well as highly agreeable man in- private life; but ,
you may as well feed one with decayed potatoes as
console me for the miseries of Ireland, by the re-
sources of his sense and his discretion. It is only
the public situation which this gentleman holds, which
induces me to say so much about him. He is a fly in
amber—nobody cares about the fly; the only ques-
tion is, how the devil did it get there? nor do I at-
tack him for the love of glory, but for the love of
utility, as the burgomaster hunts a rat in a DJtch
dyke, for fear it should flood a province.
" This is the secretary whose genius, in the esti-
mation of brother Abraham, is to extinguish the ge., !
taus of Bonaparte. Pompey was killed by a slave, /
Goliah smitten by a stripling. Pyrrhus died by the •
hands of a woman. Tremble ! thou great Gaol,
from whose head an armed Minerva leaps forth in
the hour of danger: Tremble! thou scourge of God,
a pleasant man is come out against thee, and thou
shalt be laid low by a joker of jokes, and he shall
talk his pleasant talk against thee; and thou shalt be
no more."

Soon after this Gentleman game into office as one
of the " No-Popery Ministry," he made a long
speech,
.replete with inuendo, concerning the places
created by the Whigs.—" It is truly curious," says
Cohbett, in his Political Register, July 18, 1807,
44 I. observe, how witty a man becomes the moment
'heis in place. Mr. Canning made a great many
long speeches while he was out of place, and nobody
laughed. The laughing was, however, of short du-
ration; for Mr. Curwen rose next after him, and put
to him this simple question:—' Have not you a
PENSION P—Whercupon the Right lion. Secretary,
6 with great dignity and feeling,' said, that 4 when
he left the Foreign Office, a Noble Lord in another
House, and a Hight Hon. Gentleman, now, unhap-
pily no more, had PRESSED him to take a* PEN-
SION, one half of which, be had requested him to
settle upon two very near and dear relations, who
were dependant upon his labours for support ; and
whether he merited this or not, he must leave to be
decided by the Noble Lord in the other House.'—
This answer in plain language, (continues Mr. Cob-
belt) was True, i have a pension, and so have
my two sisters; but it was granted by Lord Gren-
ville, who is one of your party, Red by Mr. Pitt.
whom you are constantly praising; therefore, talk
to Lord Grenville, or shot your mouth.' But
though this might be a very good answer, to the
Gentlemen " oppotitei' was it an answer to ;the
stritoseLn AND COMPLAININE PEOPLE! was, it
in answer to the WIDOW, WhO, out et a
slegav offt
hundred pounds pays in DIRECT TAXES, SO Merl
as to reduce the hundred to eighty-one pounds it
year 2—He takes half himself, and gives half to his
sisters; that is to say, the Cannings get .three
'pen-
sions instead of one. And. roe wilas? Why, be-
cause he had been three orient years' aalinder-Se=
cretary of State, at &solid salary
.of iwo eIIOUS AND
s: •
a year, besides off-cuts and slabs.', Out of 'this salary
he might have given his sisters what he pleased; but,
what reason was there for sfasteqing them, for life,
upon the people of this countro.o-4‘ Thu were do-
pendant upon his labeur for aqbeistence.'"t—Very
1, well :—but, bad OA reeeirine of ta), thousand a
year, for some year's, from the public, disqualified
; him for labour? What was hebefore? Had he earned
more? Had he lost any thing by being Ileder-Secre-
tary of State ?—Why then are we to Work for the I
maintenance of his sisters, any more than for the
sisters of any other man ? Oh I it is very easy to be
kind to one's relations in this wriv. 41 Twomey pear
and very dear relations !" Ili! hi !—hkkup !
Aye, one may force out a sort of half-blubber at it ;
but, where is the reason and justice of the thing ?
Where, too, is the kindness ? The PUBLIC purse, at
this rate, the 1.3/1008 of the mime, becomes a
source of paternal, fraternal, and filial affection. of
personal Iriendshqs, sad rif Cluistiaa charity. Br''