Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1806-12-08
LORD PERCY.

LORD PERCY.
There appears to have been a sort of
conspiracy 10 England to secure the e.
lection to Parliament of Lord Percy, as
the successor of Mr.. Fox. He was
among the Electors Of West
minister and was rejected by every
9 caucus" at which he was proposed.
Many other candidates were nominal
ed and successfully declined 50 that
the Electors were obliged to have Per-
cy for their Representative, or have
|none-and at thin neglected meeting
he was chosen. Among the candidates
who declined were Messrs. Sheridan,
O'Brien, PAUL, BOurdett, Curran, Mad
docks, Goblet, and NVhithead. No
enc would stand in opposition to my
Lord Percy. The popularity of the
aforementioned gentlemen was some
what affected by their conduct. The
following is an extract from a speech
made at one OF the g caucussea," by a
Mr.. Howins
+" AS to Lord Percy, he thought that
no man could be mere unfit. He had
attended the meeting at Willis's
Rooms, and had heard the Noble Lord
attempt to speak. The matter Of his
speech, and the manner of its delivery,
was only worthy of on idiot. A per-
son who had made no greater prof
cheney at twcnty-One, could never be
expected to be fit Member for West
minister. As, however, he had heard
50 much about the great family Of Per-
Cy, and their hereditary principles, he
should observe, that all he had ever
read-or heard Of the family was, that
I they we're IN ambitious family, always
grasPing at their own private advan-
tage instead Of the public good. If he
were forced to 60 bach to the time of
Go.spur, he would ask what was the
House OF Northumberland then An
ambitious House, who, to CRAFTY their
lpriyate purposes, rebellcd against their
King, Richard ii. and put Bollingbroke
in his place. After having dethroned
one King, they rcbelled again against
the one that they had set up, and not
from the slightest pretence Of public
good, but merely for private ambition.
They divided the kingdom among
themselves before they had conquered
| il f; and these were the famous Percys
and Northumberland that were 81
much spoken Of in ancient story 1t
would be said, o but the Percys now
are a very different race That might
be very true, as the blood Of the Percys
had been crossed and mixed as much as
any other family in the kingdom. But,
he should ask, what was the patriotism
Of the present Duke Gather of the can
didate) He had supported Mr.. Pitts
Administration, until he was Disguised
! ny not being appointed Lord Lieuten-
ant OF Middlesex : then he went over
into Opposition, and was afterwards
considereda Foxite. So much for the
hereditary principles Of the House Of
| Northumberland -
On the other hand Mr.. Whitehead
made the following observations at
meeting Of the Electors Of Wcstmin-
ster, when Earl Percy was nominated:
Mr.. Whitehead rose to propose
lord Percy. He prefacod his speech
with just eulogium on Mr.. Fox, as
the landmark and safeguard Of the con-
sututlon and the bnlwark OF the world
1t would be idle, added Re, TO talk Of
suocessary to that great man, whose
seat IN council and in the senate viii
ever be vacant. lie who dwclt on the
hereditary virtues Of the honor of Percy
and the fair prospects from the educa-
ton OF the noble lord he was about TO
propose and with these examples in
ms view, that he would tread IN the
footsteps which his ancestors and Mr..
fox had trodden before him. To speak
OF that young nobleman, at present, as
calculated to fill the vacant seat for