"tread oppressively upon their necks will be found bumble at their feet.-I cannot, "Gentlemen, go back to my place at the table, without returning my sincere thanks "to the electors of Westminster, for the honour they have conferred upon me; assuring them that my whole life shall "be devoted to their survice." Sir Francis concluded by giving

5. The Electors of Westminster. The chairman then gave

6. The 5134 Electors who so nobly stood forward to assert their own Rights, and to excite the People of England to assert theirs.

7. Those electors of Bristol, who on the 24 of June, with Mr. H. HUNT, at their head, assembled to celebrate the return of Sir Francis Burdett.

"counts, and cavaliers, tumbling into the. "stream; exhibiting strange grimaces "when they come to the top of the water; "calling out to the by standers on the banks "for assistance; whilst the party on the "top of the bridge are rending the air "with shouts of triumph, parading in their "places with all the pride of victory, and "receiving various rewards from the sove"reign, who is looking on from an adjoin→→ "ing-balcony.You cannot conceive, "Gentlemen, the delight which a game of "this kind gave to a court in Italy, and to "those of the populace, who could get a "sight of it as they stood on the banks of "the river. But what you would most ad"mire is the small expence, at which this game is played. For five thousand sequins the expences of both parties are de frayed; their dresses; their poles; their "ribbands; and all their honours and re"wards. Much depends in this game on "the goodness of the leader; on his know "ing his men, and their attachment to him: "To be at the top of the bridge secures to "the leader of one party unbounded ap "plause, whilst the leader of the other band "skulks about at a distance, complaining "most bitterly, sometimes at court, and "sometimes among the populace, just as it "may happen, of unfair play.- -This "beautiful, this delightful game, Gentle "men, is played on the bridge of Pisa, at no greater expence than five thousand "sequins. In another country that sum "would not procure a deputy leader of the "band; and in our own country this beau "tiful, this delightful game is played at the

and I hope meet with some indulgence, notwithstanding the allusions in the excellent song, which we have just heard. If I do allude to the Grecians, "modern times have afforded frequent in"stances of the same example; and the game of ancient days admits of variations. I'mean to speak to you of an old "Greek game, played to the amusement of many of the courts of Italy. There it was not unusual for a splendid court to be seated in grand form, to witness what "was to them a very pleasing and agreeable "kind of combat. Two parties, dressed " out in different colours, took their station at the opposite ends of a bridge: such a one is at Pisa, the last place, I believe, where the game has been played with any great effect. The business of the "parties is to endeavour to get at the top of the bridge, to drive their adversaries be "fore them, and to keep possession in spite of repeated attacks. Each party is armed with poles, stuffed at the end that they may not hurt one another, but sufficiently strong to drive an opponent forwards, and "not unfrequently into the river. Then the ductsats, up a great laugh; the ladies

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"

ecourtiers are delighted. On So any see dukes, marquisses,

expence of as many millions. Yes! "Gentlemen, you are all witnesses to a si"milar game, though it may not afford you "so much amusement, as the bridge of Pisa "does to the noble and royal spectators of "Italy. The Ins and the Outs, Gentlew

"

noon to past six in the morning: it is to "be renewed again, I understand, next "Monday; and notice is given for ano"ther trial of strength in about a fort"night after. The combatants will push "at each other: and throw each other "down; and triumph over each other; and "complain some of them most bitterly; " and what will after all be the result of the "wordy conflict? The defeated combatants "will retire to their country seats, to refresh "themselves after their fatigues, and to pre

pare for another attack; when they will "not fail to put forth all their strength to "drive off their adversaries from the places "they held on the top of the bridge."But this day, Gentlemen, has put a new

face on the game. The nobodys-the "nothings-the men, who according to the apprehension of the rival combatants, "have no stake in the country-the men, who are fit for nothing but to find the poles for the game, or to make their bo"dies steps for a combatant to get to the

bridge without soiling his shoes-these "men are found at last to be something, "Yes, Gentlemen, when we consider the "order and regularity of this day's proces "sion; the myriads that hailed its progress;

"

the blaze of beauty, which from every "window beamed propitiously on the be "loved object of this day's solemnity; we may be assured, that it has read a lesson, "which the rival parties will make the subject of the deepest meditation. A third party is now, they will be persuaded, "formed: and this third party is the Pub"lic. The public cannot be satisfied with

childrens play; the bandying merely of "words; the idle contest of which is to be 66 at the top of the bridge.- -It is time, "Gentlemen, to get rid of words and "terms, which have too long been bandied

about in our history. Whigs and Tories have had their day: they are gone by: may they both be forgotten forever! "For, though I acknowledge, that the prin

"

ciples of the Whigs are deeply fixed in my breast; yet the persons professing them, have been so mixed with those of "the other party, and have so frittered "down those principles, that the name only "remains; the substance is lost. But, if "the name of Whig is to be retained, and

we are to be classed under that denomination, a distinction should be made, and "the high and the low Whigs should be separated from each other. Let the high class, the aristocratical Whig, aim at a past on the top of the bridge: we, the "low Whigs, will be contented with our

stations at the foot: g, we demand,

"and shall not rest till our demands are complied with, that the public may be at. "tended to, and that to the public its just " and legal rights be restored.-Gentle"men, the Aristocratical Whig may, if he

pleases, stigmatize us with the name of "Democrats: he may upbraid us in any "manner he pleases, because we are for

measures no! for men.. The man of our "choice is he, who will pursue those mea"sures only, which are founded on the con. "stitution of our country: who will not "make thein the stalking horse to get into " power, but will steadily pursue the strait

path, which is pointed out by the good of "the country, and the constitutional land, "marks fixed by our ancestors. The pub

lic demands, and has a right to demand, "that such men only should deliver their "sentiments in parliament, and for this "reason the claim is just, and reasonable,

and must be approved of by all honest men, that the House of Commons be "purged of its placemen and pensioners;

that its members be the representatives of "the public, not the choice of a few private

individuals; that parliaments be frequent, "" so that the members may not lose sight of "their duty to their constituents; and thus,

that all parties may co-operate in a zea lous attachment to the true interest of "their king and their country. Gentle "men, I will detain you no longer. This

day will be long remembered; and, "when you reflect on the nature of the "election, which has been crowned with so

noble a triumph, you will, I am convin"ced, always bear in mind the exertions of "the committee, by which it was so well

conducted, and applaud the choice they "made of my worthy friend in the chair, to "speak their sentiments on the Hustings. "The manuer in which he performed that "task, will ever be glorious to him. It "commanded the admiration of his ene"mies, and secured to him that approba<tion from the public, which he had long "enjoyed among those to whom he was "more intimately known. I am sure that "the toast I am to give will be received

"

with universal applause, and for that purpose I need only name to you the health "of Mr. Jennings, our worthy chairman,"

This speech of MR. FREND was received with applause proportioned to its excellence, The company, as he proceeded, applied every part of his description, and the battles of the bridge will now serve as an apt figure, whereby to point out battles, in which we are much more nearly concerned.— -Mr. Frend gave

9. Mr. Jennings, our worthy chairman.

Mr. Jennings, whose modesty appears to be equal to his merit, expressed his satisfaction at being thought worthy of a mark of respect from the electors of Westminster, but added, that that satisfaction would be greatly diminished, were he not convinced that the success, this day celebrated, was the effect of no talents or exertions on his part, but purely that of the public spirit of the people. He then gave, as the last toast,

10. The election committee. Which being drunk, Mr. Stirch, one of the committee, rose, and in a very sensible and even elegant speech, returned thanks in the name of the committee, and made some observations relating to the business of the day, which produced not the less effect because they came from an honest, plain tradesman. Indeed, the conduct of the whole of this committee, from the beginning to the end, has been such as to merit the praise of every good man in the city. They have, in all their proceedings, been at once resolute and mild. There has no where, amongst them, appeared any thing like selfishness or vanity; and, what is particularly commendable, they have acted towards Sir Francis Burdett personally with as much respect and deference as if they had had no hand whatever in causing him to be elected. They have, in no case, attempted to dictate to him, or to intrude their advice upon him; but, like the people at large, for whom, in this instance, they have acted, they have taken his character as ample security for his conduct.

This day, so glorious to Westminster, and so auspicious an omen for the people of England in general, was, however, a day of cruel disappointment to our enemies, who were anticipating hitherto unheard-of follies and acts of violence. Here and there, during our procession, one of their half-hidden faces was seen scowling upon us, with a grip like that which Milton gives to the devil, when, from behind a thicket, he beheld the yet unbittered happiness of our first parents. They seemed to wet their fangs against the hour of vengeance, and to exult in the idea of seeing the streets stream with our blood. But, as if Satan himself had deserted them, there was not to be found one single man, woman, or child so to act as to afford gratification to their diabolical malice, or to give countenance to the slanderous assertion, that Sir Francis Burdett had been chosen by a rabble. Yes, to the great disappointment and mortification, to the utter confusion of these base and malignant slaves, who hate us only because they have robbed and are robbing us, not a single act of violence was commit.d; not a single attempt to excite

an uproar was made, there was no mob at any time or anywhere assembled, and not even a single accident occurred. The vile hireling Morning Post, though it had done all in its power to provoke popular fury; though it had so basely and outrageously calumniated Sir Francis Burdett and the people of Westminster, though it had sought to inflame the people by hiring men at three shillings a day to write " down with the Morning Post" against the walls; notwithstanding all these endeavours to become an object of popular vengeance, it was not able to obtain the breaking of one of its windows; nor was there, in the whole city, a single pane of glass broken. Those who chose to illuminate their houses, did so, those who did not choose to do it, remained undisturbed in the gloom of their discontent. There was no gin-treated rabble, headed by official ruffians, conscious of impunity, to demolish people's houses unless they put on the face of joy. It was the triumph of the real people of Westminster, resolved to be free themselves, and scorning the thought of violating the freedom of others. This being the case, there was, of course, no great necessity for troops and artillery. Yet did the unparalleled foresight and precaution of our royal Commander in Chief make ample provision of both. The different guards about the palace and also about the offices at Whitehall were doubled, and supplied well with ball-cartridges. The several regiments were drawn out in the morning and kept under arms. A great body of the horse artillery corps was kept ready harnessed in St James's park, to draw the caupons, if, unhappily, it should be found requisite. The volunteer corps were summoned to muster, and for what purpose may be gathered from the following orders of two of the corps, of which I have obtained a copy.

St. James Westminster, Loyal Vo"lunteers. Regimental Orders, 27th June, "1807--You are requested to attend "parade at Dufour's Place, in uniform, un Monday evening next, at six o'clock" and to hold yourself in readiness to at"tend, if summoned for that purpose,

from four o'clock.-AMHERST, Colonel."

-The other is an order in terms rather more explicit. It shews us, also, that those vigilant persons, the police magistrates, were not idle, though they, doubtless to their great satisfaction, were not, upon this occasion, called forth to make any extraordinary exertions for the most ample salaries that the people pay them." A. G. V." (These are, I suppose, the initials of the name of the corps.) Having received a

upon an occasion when its services may "be of REAL utility, no member will on 66 any account absent himself.- -W. READER, L. C. C.-Orderly Room, June 26, "1807."--So, this is the REAL utility of the volunteer corps, is it? It is well enough to be apprized of this. It must have been a source of great gratification to William Reader, Lieutenant Colonel Commandant, to find that his

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"FLINTS" were not necessary, and that, upon this occasion, there was no need of putting the honour of the corps to the test. And, how happy, how beyond measure happy, must volunteer colonel Lord Amherst have been on Monday night to find, that his precaution was super-abundant, and that the people, from the fruit of whose labour he annually receives a very large pension, could chair their representative, legally and virtuously chosen, and return to their houses, without requiring to be shot at !- -But, how great, how exquisite, mist then have been the happiness of the Duke of York, whose tender, whose almost more than motherly care of the lives of all the king's subjects, has, upon every occasion of danger, been so conspicuous! The ground, in which my habitation stands, consists of about three acres, the greater part of which is in grass. In this grass, and at about forty yards from my door, a skylark chose as the place to build her

nest.

Never having before seen one of these naturally shy birds fix its breeding place so near to a house, and having been so much delighted with the singing of the old bird, we delayed the mowing of the grass a little longer than we otherwise should have done, in order to give the young birds time to get fledged. When we saw them out of the nest, the mower was set to work; but, not without some fear as to the fate of the brood, I requested him to begin at the part most distant from the nest; but, (and the fact is a very curious one) my fears were soon completely removed; for he had not cut the third swarth, when the old larks, skimming up in the air, taking a turn over his head, and

perceiving whereunto his operations tended, flew back in great haste, carefully collected their young ones all together upon a little mound, and, having so done, they gave me a farewell chirrup, and away they flew into my neighbour's field." There!" said I to myself," is an instance of tenderness and of foresight of danger, equalled only by our consummate Commander in Chief!-How happy, then, must that royal person have felt on Monday night, upon finding that there was no need for those precautions, which he had so laudably taken, and that the several corps of troops had nothing to do but to go back quietly to their barracks, and return their ammunition into the magazines, there to be kept until wanted to kill those bloody-minded villains, the French, who, were they to become masters of our country, would, doubtless, establish an accursed military despotism, in order to be able to plunder us with impunity!-No. There was no need of troops. When the king used to go to the House of Lords, there were an abundance of troops, of constables, and of thief-takers. The same were seen at the proclaiming of the peace of Amiens. Troops are, it seems, sometimes called in at the Opera-House. Troops, we are told, were stationed, the other evening, at the Marquis of Abercorn's ball, in order to preserve tranquillity. Muskets and bayonets are become of great vogue; but, they were not wanted on Monday. Two thousand people. could dine with Sir Francis Burdett without muskets and bayonets to preserve tranquillity, and I saw, on Monday last, what it must have grated the hearts of our enemies to have seen, half a million of English people assembled, and I saw not so much as a constable's staff! And yet our miscreant eremies call us Jacobins and Levellers, leading a deluded mob!It is useless to say more upon this subject at present than mere ly this, that these our enemies, and the enemies of our country will be convinced, in due time, that all their calumnies, their curses, and their infamous endeavours of another sort, will avail them nothing.

Ob

SIR HENRY MILDMAY. -To begin recording the Proceedings in Parliament I shall not be able in the present sheet. servations, therefore, upon the king's speech, and upon the two famous quarrelling debates about places, pensions, and jobs, as also upon the motion of Col. Cochrane Johnstone, relative to the situation of the soldiers in the West Indies, and the notified motion of Lord Cochrane, respecting places, sinecures, and pensions, held by members of the House of Commons, must be postponed till my next. But, I cannot put

off what I think it proper to say about the Moulsham contract. On Monday last, on the very day, and at the very hour, when the people were chairing the man whom they so much look up to as the enemy of a wasteful expenditure of the public money, Sir Henry Mildmay and Mr. Sturges, were endeavouring to defend themselves in the House of Commons. Sir Henry moved for the producing before the House of a memorial, which, it seems, he, since the exposure of the affair, has presented to the Military Commissioners, upon whose report, it will be recollected, the newspaper exposures were founded. What was his real reason for so long a delay in making this memorial I shall leave the reader to judge, and I will take the Baronet's defence, just as I find it reported most at length in the newspapers.

"Sir H. Mildmay rose, to give an explanation of some circumstances, which had caused much unmerited obloquy to be cast upon him. He did not wish to conceal the state of anxiety in which he was. "But that anxiety arose from a fear, lest his "abilities should not be sufficiently ade

quate to the task; and lest the feelings of one, little accustomed to calumny, 'should render him incapable of giving a full explanation. That transaction was the only one he had ever had with government, or ever would have if he could help it.

This fourth report (he had his hand on it) had been perverted for the purpose of casting aspersions on him; and it had been "said, that he had received undue favours from government, and had taken an undue

66

advantage of the public. That charge was most false and unfounded; but he did not "think himself called upon to answer nonymous aspersions, and had therefore waited with patience till the meeting of parliament gave him an opportunity of justifying himself. He felt that this explanation was due to the house, to himself, and to the constitution, but particularly to the "administration of Mr. Addington (Lord Sidmouth), during which the transaction. had commenced; and more particularly ❝still to one of the lords of the Treasury (Mr. S. Bourne), who at one period of "the affair had been secretary of the Trea66 sury, which had exposed him, as well as himself, to a great deal of unjust calumny.In 1795, he had come into the possession of a large estate in Essex, on which he was obliged to reside three months in the year. The works began "to be erected in 1803. During the time "he resided there about 1500 people were

engaged in them, which certainly did not "render the residence the most desirable.

footpad robberies were committed in the "fields near his house. He then thought. "that he had some claim to relief by law "from the residence, and applied to Mr.

Addington's administration for that purpose. He then was directed to apply to "Mr. Vansittart, and obtained what he "wanted. But the bill went only to relieve "him for four years, and he was actually " obliged to return to the place with all its "inconveniences on the 24th of June next. "If this was a job, it was singular that the "administration should have jobbed against "themselves, for he never gave them a vote "in his life. He made the proposal of the "house as a residence for the General of "the district, to Mr. Gordon, who told him "that he could do nothing without a report " from the barrack board. Their report was favourable, and he had à meeting "with Mr. Dundas, the Secretary at War, "who said that it would be necessary to "send a surveyor to examine the premises. "Mr. Johnstone, the surveyor to the board, "was then sent. He was totally uncon"nected with Mr. Johnstone, whom he had never seen in his life, and who had his own way in the whole affair. He made a report that 400. was a fair rent for the "house and 20 acres about it. The house " was furnished, as he had not removed one "article. The house had cost 70,000l. He "had received 2001. for repairs and 4001. a

66

year for rent. On the 24th of June, "1804, the bargain was made, but the "lease was not signed as General Delancey " left the board. The rent was, however, "due from that period. As to the letters "from one department to another, he had nothing to do with them, and never saw "them till they appeared in the report. By "the General residing in it, the government "would save money. For their repairs he

66

was not obliged to them, as he wished to "have the house pulled down. But he had "received no atom of compensation for be"ing turned out of doors. On the 18th "of August a jury was impannelled-one "would think from the report that it was " in 1803; but it was in 1804, which made

a very material difference. On that occa"sion he employed the agent that generally "acted for the gentlemen in that part of "the country. The agent employed coún"sel; but he had given him no instructions "to do so, and knew nothing of it. The jury was one of the most respectable that' ever sat, and did not give a rush or hasty

66