a meeting for the purpose; and therefore, with the consent of the company he would move for one, and then it would be seen whether his right honourable friend's conduct was fuch as his enemies were daily infinuating. The Earl of Surrey, Earl of Derby, Mr. Burke, and several others spoke; the meeting broke up, after coming to the following Resolutions: Refolved unanimoufly, "That it is the opinion of this meeting, that any Address, assuming fignatures with" out the express consent of the parties, attained by private folicitation without public " notice, is contrary to the usual-open, and constitutional mode of addressing the Throne, " and is an imposition on the country. Refolved unanimoufly, "That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the parliamentary conduct of the Right "Honourable Charles James Fox has been confonant to the practice and principles of "the Conftitution, as established at the glorious Revolution; and fuch as to entitle him 66 to the continuance of the perfect esteem and confidence of his conftituents." Thomas Byron, Eiq. having taken the Chair, it was refolved unanimously, "That a General Meeting of the Electors of the City of Westminster be called by " public advertisement in all the papers, to be held in Westminster Hall, on Tnesday 66 next, at twelve o'clock, in order to confider of an humble Address to his Majesty, upon the present state of public affairs." They chose the following gentlemen as Stewards for the next meeting: 4 General Burgoyne, Mr. Harrope, Colonel Stanhope, Mr. Kendall, Jervoise Clerk Jervoife Mr. Auftin. ADVERTISEMENT. At a numerous and respectable meeting of the Electors of Westminster, affeinbled at the Shakespeare Tavern, Covent Garden, on Thursday February 5, 1784, THOMAS BYRON, Efq. in the Chair, The following Resolutions were proposed, and paffed unanimoufly. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this meeting, that any Address, assuming fignatures without the express consent of the parties, or obtained by private folicitation without public notice, is contrary to the usual, open, and conftitutional mode of addressing the Crown, and an impofition on the country. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the parliamentary conduct of the Right Honourable Charles James Fox has been confonant to the practice and principles as established at the glorious Revolution, and fuch as to entitle him to the continuance and perfect esteem and confidence of his constituents. THOMAS BYRON, Chairman, ADVERTISEMENT. At a meeting of the Independent Electors of Westminster, on Thursday night, the 5th of February, at the Shakespeare Tavern, Covent Garden, THOMAS BYRON, Esq. in the Chair, It was, among various other motions, unanimously refolved, That a general meeting of the Electors of the city of Westminster, be called by public advertisement in all the newspapers, to be held at Westminster Hall, on Tuesday next, at twelve o'clock, in order to confider of an humble Address to his Majefty, upon the present state of public affairs. H 2 THOMAS BYRON, Chairman. ADVERTISEMENT. It being found, on enquiry, that it is absolutely impoffible to have the Hall on the day above mentioned, or for fome days afterwards, the Chairman finds himself under the neceffity of fixing on fome other place, or on a later day, of which due notice shall be given in the public papers. February 6th, 1784. THOMAS BYRON, Chairman.. ADVERTISEMENT. General Meeting of the Electors of Westminster. The futings of the courts of justice having made it neceffary to postpone the meeting of the Electors of Westminster, as originally proposed, for Tuesday the 10th instant, notice is hereby given, that the said meeting will be heid on Saturday next, the 14th, at twelve o'clock, being the first day in which the Hall will be disengaged, when the Independent Electors are requested to attend, in order to confider of an humble Address to his Majesty, on the prefent critical fituation of public affairs. ADVERTISEMENT. To the Worthy and Independent Electors of Westminster. Gentlemen, The moment the resolves of the meeting at the Shakespeare, on Thursday night laft, were made known, many Electors of Westminster, who had taken an active part in the late Address to his Majesty, determined to attend the meeting called for on Tuesday next, in Westminster Hall, in order to avow and justify every step they had taken in that business. In confequence of a mistake being discovered, the Chairman of the Shakespeare meeting has revoked the invitation for Tuesday, intending to fix on some other place, or to put it off to a later day. This it is trusted, will not prevent the Electors of Westminster from meeting in the Court of Requests, Westminster Hall, to-morrow, the 10th instant, by half after eleven, in order publicly and temperately to confider of measures proper to be taken in the present unhappy situation of affairs. MANY ELECTORS OF WESTMINSTER. ADVERTISEMENT. To the Worthy Electors of the City of Westminster. As it appears to be the determination of the friends of the general meeting of the Electors of Westminster, to be held fairly and openly in Westminster Hall, on Saturday next, at twelve o'clock, to take no notice of the scurrilous and inflammatory hand-bills, circulated by the supporters of the late Address from the High Steward and Court of Burgesses, an impartial Elector defires only to draw the attention of the candid and independent inhabitants of this city to the different conduct of the two parties. By one fide, a general and public meeting, agreeable to the ufage and practice in this city, is appealed to, and the first day on which Westminster Hall can be had (the only proper place for fuch a meeting) is fixed on. By the other fide, a new and extraordinary device is practifed, of privately voting an Address from the High Steward of Westminster, the Dean, and a certain Court of Burgeffes, who or what they are no man knows! On one fide again we hear of no violence in the proceeding, but, on the contrary, a decent and and respectful advertisement, calling impartially on all the Electors, is put forth, and every thing is done, at the meeting where it originates, to discourage tumult, and to protect from insult those who differ in opinion from that meeting. On the other side, a partial and anonymous meeting is attempted to be obtained by a trick in the Court of Requests; the most abusive and inflammatory hand-bills are sent about, and the declared object is, that a smuggled Address, obtained by private management, shall be supported by direct and open tumult. It would be an affront to the good sense of the Electors of Westminster to ask which party proceeds in the fairest manner, or on which side there feems a confciousness of a rotten cause? February 10th, 1784. AN IMPARTIAL ELECTOR. ADVERTISEMENT. At a very numerous and most respectable public meeting of the Electors of the City and Liberties of Westminster, holden (in pursuance of a public advertisement) this 10th day of February, 1784, in the Court of Requests in Westminster Hall, Sir CECIL WRAY, Bart. in the Chair, 1st. Resolved (with less than ten dissentients) "That the following Address to his Majesty, (moved by Lord Viscount Mahon, and "seconded by Sir Robert Smythe, Bart.) be approved of by the meeting: To the KING's Moft Excellent Majefty, The humble Address of the Electors of the City and Liberties of Westminster. Moft gracious Sovereign, "We your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Electors of the City and "Liberty of Westmister, beg leave to approach your Throne with the most zealous "affurances of loyalty to your perfon, family, and government. " It was with the utmost concern that we beheld an attempt made by your Majesty's " late Minifters to deprive a great commercial company of their chartered rights, by the"bill brought into Parliament; which, had it passed into a law, would have been a dangerous precedent, and created a new executive power unknown to the Constitution of "this country. "We most fincerely thank your Majesty for the dismission of those Ministers from " their employments, and affure your Majesty, that we have great confidence in the " principles of the present Administration; and that whilst they pursue measures con"ducive to the honour of the Crown, and the true interests of their country, they may " safely rely on the fupport of the people." 2d. Resolved (with less than ten diffentients) "That the cordial thanks of this meeting be given to Sir Cecil Wray, Bart. our "worthy Representative, for his steady, uniform, upright, and patriotic conduct in "Parliament; and that he be requested to present the Address of the Electors of West" minster to his Majesty. 3d. Refolved (with less than ten diffentients) "That the Westminster Committee be continued, and have full power to make all " regulations relative to the fame; and that the following perfons be added to the faid "Committee: [The names of one hundred perfons were then read, and unanimously approved of.] 4th. Resolved (unanimoufly) " That we will unremittingly persevere in our exertions to procure an effectual and " fub 166 fubitantial reform of Parliament, in order that the Commons House of Parliament may have a common interest with, and may speak the voice of the people. 5th. Resolved (unanimoufly) "That this meeting be adjourned (to Westminster Hall) to Saturday morning next." CECIL WRAY, Chairman. WESTMINSTER MEETING. February 10.] By an anonymous call on the inhabitants, to assemble in the Court of Requests, the place was filled, at eleven o'clock yesterday, by those who were faid to fupport the House of Lords against the House of Commons. Perhaps the annals of all the meetings that ever were held in England, did not produce fo motley a groupe---fo noify an affembly---or one less refpectable for its company. There were perfons of every defcription, Lords, Chandlers, Baronets, Glaziers, Knights, Shoe-boys, Pickpockets, &c. &c. &c. mixed among a confiderable number of the Electors. Lord Mahon opened the business, by a speech which was not heard with patience, fo that it was impoffible to difcover what the noble Lord faid. He fprung with amazing agility from the Huftings, fomewhat in imitation, but not with quite so much grace as the younger Veftris. He roared as loud as his lungs would perinit, and they are none of the weakest, yet not a Tentence could diftinctly reach the ears of his auditors. Indeed the majority appeared to be fo much prepoffefied against the meeting, that the noble Lord's articulation was drowned in hiffies, groans, and that emphatic fyllable of difapprobation, off! off! `off! Those who were immediately next the huftings, infifted, after the meeting broke up, that his Lordship did make a speech---that it was a fine one----and that all was tolerable concord, three deep from the Speaker; but every perfon elfe in the Court of Requests were of a different opinion, and could plainly hear and fee that the sense of the perfons present, though folicited by the friends of the fecret influence party, was against this minifterial meeting; for minifterial it certainly was, and not conftitutional, or else the Lords of the Bedchamber, and the Northumberland intereft, who supported it, could have prevailed on fome perfon to stand forward with his name, and take away that stigma of anonymous, which marked the notice by which the people were called together. The noble Lord, in the warmth of his fraternal zeal for the adminiftration of his brother-inlaw, had the misfortune, in one of his oratorial springs from the Huftings, to break a Jamp which was above his head; and the found which the two globular balloons made together, echoed through the Hall. Lord Mountmorres met with as little success in his attempt to gain the attention of the auditors, though he laid the root to the ax, to use his own expreffion, moft forcibly indeed. But, all would not do; he was hooted and hissed, even more than his predeceffor, and given to understand, that in cafe of a vacancy, there are not the flighteft hopes of his fucceeding to the honour of fitting in Parliament for the city of Weft minster. Sir Cecil Wray followed the noble Lord; but the tumult, by this time, had fo much encreased, and the word off was fo loudly founded, that it was not poffible to hear what excuse the honourable gentleman had to offer for taking part with the fecret influence, and deferting the patriotic majority in the House of Commons. Mr. Keith Stewart and Mr. Pultney severally attempted to gain fome attention, but the people would not hear them; and, therefore, to put an end to the clamour, a voice came forward, which faid adjourn to Saturday; and the meeting was therefore adjourned to Saturday, being the day on which the Electors are to meet by an authenticated, not an anonymous, call from Mr. Byron. The friends of this heterogenous assembly, after it broke up, gave out that an addrefs was unanimously voted, and that it lay at certain houses to be figned; but the fact is Hterally as above, and it is neceessary to tell the inhabitants the true state of the matter, left they might be deceived into fignatures, of which they would afterwards be afhamed. It is hoped, for the honour of this populous part of the empire, that there will be no more fuch attempts to miflead the judgment of the populace, and create riots through the metropolis, in calling the inhabitants together by anonymous advertisements. It is necessary to mention, that the heads of the meeting adjourned to a finall chamber in an adjacent Coffee-house, where they paffed the address (which was hooted out of the Hall) almost nemine contradicente; and in that concordant shape it will be offered to the public. ADVERTISEMENT. To the Independent Electors of Westminster. The very numerous and refpectable public meeting, on Tuesday last, at the Court of public Request, having come to feveral important refolutions, (which have fince ap-. peared in the public papers) and having adjourned to Saturday next, the 14th day of February in Westininster Hall. The Électors are earnestly requested to attend at Westminfler Hall early in the forenoon To-mortow, in order to fupport the true and genuine sense of the people, expreffed in thofe proceedings, with firmness and moderation. As your worthy Representative, Sir Cecil Wray, was called to the chair in the Court of Requests, would it not be highly proper to call him again to the chair in Westminster Hall? To the Independent Electors of Westminster.* You are called upon to assemble next Saturday in Westminster Hall, to confider of an Address to his Majesty upon the present state of public affairs. A fellow citizen begs leave to address upon this occafion a few lines to your good fenfe, to your cool difpaffionate judgment. Of all the features which mark the political character of the English nation, the most striking and remarkable is, a perpetual jealousy of prerogative. In all the variety of civil struggles in which this country has been engaged, the present is the first moment that even the colour of a pretext has been afforded for afferting, that the people of England are leagued with the Crown and the Lords in favour of prerogative, in direct oppotion to their own Representatives, who are legally and moderately exerting themselves to bring about a reasonable, a temperate, and a conftitutional exercise of it. The fears of the nation upon this score are even grown into a proverb. Aik an Englishman what fort of Judge, of Crown Lawyer, of Minister he most dreads; his uniform answer is, a prerogative Judge, a prerogative Lawyer, a prerogative Minifter. Is then a prerogative King of so little danger to us, that we are all at once to forget those jealoufies which feemed to have been twisted with our existence, and to fall into a miraculous fondness for that prerogative which our ancestors have shed their dearest blood to check and to limit? Let the people of England once confederate with the Crown and the Lords in fuch a conflict, and who is the man that will answer for one hour of legal liberty afterwards? Can the people confide in his Majesty's secret advisers ? I fay no. And I demand one inftance in the twenty-three years of this wretched reign, where a regard to the liberty of the people can be traced in any measure of the secret system. On the contrary I afarm, that every act of that system has been pointedly hoftile to public freedom, and * This hand-bill was distributed throughout Westminster previous to the General Mecting. : demonftrates |