The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-02-23 00:00:00

'-..1.1ft....-

There is still not the slightest notice in the French
Papers of any discovery having been made respecting
the assassin who fired at the Duke of WELL'S!
and tbougl there appears to he no went of collier-
Winn at Paris, even the private letters furnish es
with no fresh facts on the subject. Time sothojity.
on which the rumour of the Mustachio Plot reposes
is-altogether so extremely loose and unsupported,
that a variety of doubts seem to have arisen as to the
reality of.the circumstance. If the tale be fabricated,
it most have been fabricated for some specific end.—
The fears of the BOURBONS are evidently the paramount
feelings of their breasts ; and these fears have their
foundation in a perfect and extensive knowledge of the
• opinions of the French People throughout thvempire.
It is materially the interest of others too, that there
should be a plea for the continuance of the Allied
Army in France. It would avail little for os to es-
press an opinion upon this mysterious subject, bet
we can say there ate persons who place the perils
and dangers of the Duke, on the occasion of oiled
to, much upon a par with those of a certain Illustri-
ous Personage in the Park, when the plate glass of
his carriage Was mysteriously starred by a stroke
,from nobody knew where.
The trial of Ban PILAU, calling himself Loos XVII.
was still proceeding at Rouen. The Presideus of
the Court inteiregsted Lice at Areal length on Mon-
tl” List.

•

"„‘f7l"'
a

.

. .
••

~.

.

Th. Diet at Frenktirt are eipbetad' to geatili
SW formation of a Germanic Coecederaey, by
Biting the rmperor of AusTilA to ra-assone his odd .
dignity of Emperor of Germany. Taf- reside the
Germanic Body a sound one, it is not a -hear.Cidef

that is wonted, but a new and effectual Constitution,'
*bleb shall satisfy the enlightened spirit of the age,
and hind its members together by other tiorlimo (be
old attachments to Kings and Emperors. . .
Almost every circonistaoce connected with the re.
tern of Members to Parliament, their coodect jet the;
discherge'of the important truss confided in them,
the claims of independent candidates to represents.
fire honours, and the efforts and condect of their op. I
portents, the supporters of the Ministry, who
bet too often employed in preventing the restoration
'Of the country to independence, are all fit topics for
public consideration. With this impression, and
aware that such subjects are of increasing interest,
we present our Readers with an ample Report
a the proceedings at the Meeting in this City
'on Saturday of the- Friends to the Independence
of the. Geonty of Westmorland, who have • deter-
mined to return Mr. Baouotiast, and thereby
tree that, gwaoty.from the long ostablisksil aerostat
*rid Mlnisteral thraldom of the Loallittefamily.—
The speeches at this assembly will, (we doubt not, be
read with mach interest. They are pleasing mani.
feststions of the.independent spirit of the age, and
the light in which political corruption and the here-
ditary system of lording it ever the rights of the
'People, are regarded. We are pleased to find by the
Intelligence received in town this morning from Car-
lisle, Appleby,&c. that the caoseof independence con.
,tinues to prosper beyond espeetation: on the first
day's canvass it appears that 89. freeholders had de.'
Glared themselves for Mr. Unnuousw, 14 fur the
Lowerlifts, end 15 were undecided.
The Carlisle. Jearnal, in its account of the.olec-
Con proceedings, odds the following curious sperittien-
of the facilities gtveu to elective freedom on this oc-
casion :—" Our Kendal Correspondent, under date
of the 19th inst. says-4 this day a party of the 6th
Dragoon Guards arrived here to support the cause
of the freedom of election.

We fear the Public are not 'efficiently aware of
the nature and importance of the Bill relative to
Elections, which it now rapidly passing through Par-1
liament.—We would earnestly direct the attention
of Electors in psrticplar to its proposed provisions.
The prospect of the elective privilege being speedily
called into exorcise, and the extreme necessity of
every independent vote bring heard and properly es.
erred to defeat the efforts of the interested minions
of,intrigee and oppression, render it of the highest
consequence at present that no legislstive bur may
be raised for selfish convenience against the hitherto
established rights of the privileged part of the Public.
One of the clauses in the Bill under consideration
goes to enact, that the poll shall close et the ead of
two days if foot hundred shall not have voted, after
seven hours voting each day. This number of voters
are not to be found in every place where elections
take place, but where there are twiny more to poll,
and many difficulties in the way of bringing up
♦oters; when it is con.idered that the followers of
the Ministry are always well provided with the means
of securing the presence of their electing friends
at the hosting', within the given time, whilst the si-
tuation of their opponents is generally ♦ery dif..
ferent, their return usually depending on vo.
luntary and expensive exertion to the electing
parties, this limitation of the period of election
to seven hours in two days, must appear a most
important alteration in the constitutional practice.—
The weighty inters/ As clependitig upon the fair, full
and proper collection of the national suffrage, in re-
gard to Representation in Parliament, will at once,
without waiting for their further abuse, suggest, that
such dangerous innovations should not be made
rashly, by a Parliament which professes itself hostile
to great innovations, or be lightly regarded by the
Constituent Body, whose rights they so nearly con-
cern. Another enactment in this Bill "to Alter and
Amend the Laws relative to Elections," is directed
agaltist the use of cockades, ribbons, and the usual,
and certainly very necessary, marks of distinction at
Elections. The plea for abolishing these, is the
espetu:e that has arisen, end the disturbances that
have taken place in consequence of such distinctions.
The ribbon merchants and manufacturers will have
serious objections to this clause. But whether these
external indications of sentiment, harmless enough
in themselves, can be dispensed with altogether; is
a matter of doubt, which the Members may be the
first to solve. The alteration of the polling places is
a point of some consequence to many voters. Major
CARTI6IOIIT has recommended a very convenient
mode of collecting sorteges, but it is only such plans
of Reforraos shall please the Quorum that are to be
adopted.

Safarilay morning the Doke of Yoga transacted
military business with the Putties flacon. at Carl-
ton-bogie.
The Duchess of GLOUCESTZft spent the morning
on Satorday with the Yams Rums.
Saturday Lord STUWART bad an &silicon of the
REGVIT.
Yesterday soon after one o'clock the PENCE RE•
GUT, accompanied by lbo Dattheu of Okoucr.vrhs,
left totto tot Windsor.

*

•