Sheriff being signed by mety-two Freeholders and other Landholders.---This is the manner in which such things ought to be done. It shows, that the people take an interest in public matters. There is nothing of party in it. The voice of a set of men aiming at the possession of power and emolument does not go forth to the world as the voice of a county. My intention of inserting, at full length, all the Resolutions, &c. passed at the several Meetings, will, I am afraid, be frus thodism; and our electors, those who, for the 17th instant, the requisition to the have the nominal choosing of the far greater part of the members, are of exactly the same description as the most numerous part of the electors in America. There is nothing to alarm; nothing to disturb; nothing to confuse; nothing to obstruct the government, in any one of its functions; there is nothing of this to be apprehended from such a Reform as I have been speaking of; but, on the contrary, every thing to tranquillize the minds of the people; to inspire respect for, and confidence in, the parliament; and to in-trated by the numerousness of them. At sure, against the attempts of all their enemies, durability to all the establishments of the kingdom.But, as to an oath! what is an oath? An oath tendered to those, who are disposed to be dishonest? I really cannot, in spite of all my respect for Mr. Curwen, help expressing my sur prize that any friend of his country should have thought of it. any rate, I will insert a List of them; and, if any County or Place should be omitted, I shall be obliged to any gentleman, who will take the trouble to inform me of such omission. I have great satisfaction, that the editors of the Portsmouth Telegraph, of the Orford University and City Herald, and of Bell's Weekly Messenger, have intimated to me their readiness to insert the letters, which I -Letter I. which appeared in the last Register, will be published in the PortsmouthTelegraph.If any other County, or Weekly Paper, shall choose to publish these letters, I will take care to have copies forwarded to them in time. The editors have only to signify their wish by letter, addressed to Mr. Wright, No. 5, Panton Square, London.If any of these gentlemen shall differ from me in opinion, they will, of course, state it to their readers. All that I am anxious about is the triumph of truth; and, in order to secure that triumph, we need nothing but open and free discussion.I look upon it as a very great compliment from those who have thus expressed their readiness to insert my observations; and I shall esteem it not the less so, if it should appear that these gentlemen do not agree with me in opinion. MR. H. MARTYN'S motion about places and pensions I have not time to notice at any length. Another opportunity will ofler. But, it is quite good to see, that Mr. Perceval seems to agree, that there is much of waste and abuse in this way; a thing that he does not appear to have seen before. Oh! this Mr. Wardle is a wonder-working man! And, are we still to be told, that he does not merit our thanks. -My labours, too, in this way, have, it seems, been right, notwithstanding all the abuse, which has been heaped upon them? ~—I, for years, complained of the sale of places under the government. An act is now passing for the avowed purpose of preventing such practices; and yet the hirelings continue to assault me as a jacobin, who wishes to overturn the government. -One must not mind this. One must keep on; never caring what they write or what they say. The country itself is so good, and there are so many good people in it, that one must not be disgusted into supineness by the abuse of the corrupt, the venal, and the ignorant.When I N. B. Owing to a mistake in the printer am accused of democratical principles, I or the copyist, the Resolution, passed at console myself by reflecting, that Dr. the Hampshire Meeting, thanking those O'Meara obtained, through the means of who signed the requisition, the Sixty-mine Mrs. Clarke, the occasion of preaching were omitted, leaving nobody to be thankbefore the king a sermon against democrati-ed but Mr. Powlett and myself. I am cal principles; and that his worthy fellow-sure, that no one will suppose that this labourer, John Boules, was the first man omission was intentional, and, therefore, I that moulded Anti Jacobinism into a trade. merely state the omission. Botley, 11th May, 1809. It is with great pleasure, that I see a Meeting of the County of Wilts advertised PROCEEDINGS In COUNTIES, CITIES, BOROUGHS, &c. relative to the recent INQUIRY in the House of Commons, respecting the Conduct of the DUKE OF YORK. (Continued from p.704.) COUNTY OF BERKS. At a Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County of Berks, held, at the Town Hail in Reading, in the sante County, on Monday, the 17th day of April, 1809, convened by the ligh Sheriff, in pursuance of a Requisition addressed to him for that purpose. Resolved, 1. That the recent Investigation into the Conduct of the Commander in Chief, and the result of other late Inquires, fully satisfy this Meeting of the existence of the most scandalous Abuses in the several Departments of the Executive Government of the Country, 2. That Gwyilim Lloyd Wardle, esq. by his unexampled courage, ability and perseverance in the Inquiry into the Conduct of the Duke of York, has faithfully dis harged his duty as a Member of Parliament, and has in a high degree merited the Thanas and Approbation of his Coun try. 3. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to ir Fras. Burdett, who seconded Mr. Wardie's Motion; to lord viscount Folkestone, for the active, uniform and able support which he afforded to Mr. War lle during the whole of the above Inquiry; to Charles Shaw Lefevre, William Levis Hughes, and George Knapp, esqrs. Members representing Boroughs within this County); and to the remainder of the 125 Members who divided with Mr. Wardie on his Motion for an Address to his Majesty-in full confidence that they will persevere in the investigation and reform of abuses, till corruption be fully rooted out, and the people have the satisfaction of knowing that the sacrifices they make for the public good are not perverted to base and improper purposes. 4. That this Meeting is convinced, that the abuses which we lament would not so long have existed, without that culpable negligence and dereliction of duty which the late Majorities in the House of Commons have evinced. 5. That in order to secure in future a due vigilance and attention to the rights and interests of the people, so essential to the welfare of a free Government, it is requisite that the duration of Parliaments should be shortened, and that no Parliament should have any continuance longer than for three years, as enacted by a law passed in the reign of king William the Third. 6. That George Vansittart, esq. Repre sentative of this County, has by his conduct on the late Inquiry, proved himself unworthy of the confidence of his Consti tuents. 7. That the conduct of Charles Dundas, esq. Representative of this County, on the late Inquiry, has not in this instance met with the approbation of his Constituents. 8. That from the part which Ministers have taken on the late Inquiry, no hope can be reasonably entertained of any effectual reformation of evils so generally and loudly complained of, until the Executive Department of the State shall be entrusted to men, who will honestly endeavour to detect, not shield abuses, and to whom the people may look up as the avengers, not the abettors of corruption. 9. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to sir John Throckmorton, bart. Wilham Hallet, esq. and the other Gentlemen who have brought forward these Resolutions, and for their able support of the same. TOWN OF NORTHAMPTON. The Mayor having declined to accede to a Requisition, signed by seventeen respectable Householders, to call a Meeting of the Inhabitants of this Town, to take into consideration the propriety of Thanking Gwyllin Lloyd Wardle, esq, M. P. for his recent patriotic exertions in Parliament respecting the conduct of the late Commander in Chief, a numerous and respectable Meeting of the Inhabitants was held April 17th, pursuant to public advertisement, at the Angel Inn, when, for want of room, the company adjourned to the Yard, and the following Resolutions were then proposed and agreed to, viz. 1. Resolved unanimously,-That the sincere and cordial Thanks of this Meeting be given to G. L. Wardle, esq., M. P. for Oakhampton, in the county of Devon, for his manly, independent and patriotic exertions, in instituting and conducting the Charges against the late Commander in Chief. 2. Resolved unanimously,-That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to sir Francis Burdett, bart., for having seconded the Motion of Mr. Wardle. 3. Resolved unanimously,-That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to lord visc. Althorp, one of the Representatives of this County, for his public-spirited conduct during the late Investigation, and particularly for his Constitutional Speech with which he prefaced the Amendment to Mr. Bragge Bathurst's Motion. 4. Resolved unanimously,-That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the 125 Independent Members, who decided in favour of Mr. Wardle's Motion for an Address to the King on the subject of the late Inquiry. 5. Resolved (with only six dissentients), That it is the opinion of this Meeting, that the gross and scandalous Abuses that have recently been exposed and detected, call loudly for Constitutional Redress and Correction as the only means left to convince the People, that the heavy Sacrifices they are called upon to make are not perverted to base and improper purposes. 6. Resolved unanimously,-That the Proceedings of this Meeting be signed by the Chairman, and that copies thereof be sent to G. L. Wardle, esq.; sir Francis Burdett, bart.; and lord visc. Althorp; and that the same be published in the Northampton Mercury, the County Press, the Morning Chronicle, the Courier, and the Star newspapers. BOROUGH OF DERBY. At a General Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Derby, at the Town Hall, on the 18th April, convened by the Mayor, pursuant to a Requisition, "to consider the propriety of returning Thanks to Gwyllim Lloyd Wardie, esq., "for having instituted and prosecuted "the late Inquiry into the Conduct of his "Royal Highness the Duke of York," H. BROWNE, esq., Mayor, in the Chair, The following Resolutions were almost unanimously adopted, viz. House of Commons, this Meeting trusts that the fatal consequences to which such corruption and abuse must inevitably lead, will be averted by the united efforts of all good men, and of such Representatives of the People in particular, as with abilities equal to the task, shall have the courage, probity, and independence, to step forwards on an occasion so pregnant with honour to themselves and safety to their country. That a Copy of these Resolutions be signed by the Chairman, and transmitted by him to G. L. Wardle, esq. BOROUGH OF LEWES. At a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the said Borough, holden at the Town Hall, in Lewes, on Tuesday the 18th day of April, 1809, in conformity to a Requisi tion signed by a great number of the Inhabitants,-Mr. HENRY PAWSON, Senior Constable, in the Chair, Resolved unanimously, That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to G. L. Wardle, esq., for his patriotic and firm conduct in preferring and prosecuting certain Charges of corrupt practices against his Royal Highness the Duke of York, in his Office of Commander in Chief. Resolved unanimously, That in the opinion of this Meeting the evidence adduced before the House of Commons, fully proved abuses to have existed with the knowledge of his Royal Highness, to the great detriment of the Army, and which must, if persevered in, have been ultimately in jurious to the best and dearest interests of the nation at large. Resolved, That this Meeting feels great mortification that the House of Commons (notwithstanding the Resignation of his Royal Highnesse Commander in Chief), did not place upon their Journals some Resolution that should have recorded their sense of his misconduct, and which might have been handed down to posterity as valuable lesson of reproof; and that this Meeting cannot fail to observe, that the conduct of the Majority of the House of Commons during the whole of the late That this Meeting, actuated by the purest motives, is desirous of expressing to G. L. Wardle, esq., its grateful Thanks for the firm and independent manner in which, unconnected with party, he instituted, and the temper and perseverance which he displayed, in the prosecution of the late arduous Inquiry into the Conduct of his Royal Highness the Duke of York. That this Meeting, believing that gross abuses and shameful corruption have been fully proved to exist in various depart-proceedings, has but added one more to ments of the State, and in the general administration of public affairs, is thoroughly convinced of the necessity of timely and temperate, but strict and effectual inquiry and correction. That after the distinguished proof which has been given by Mr. Wardle, of what under the forms of our excellent Constitution may be accomplished by the honest exertions of an individual Member of the the many instances that might be adduced, in which similar Majorities appear to have acted under an influence directly opposed to the feelings and opinions of the People Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Meeting, that the Representatives who cease to feel a common interest with the people on the subject of abuses, can afford no security to the people against the increase of those abuses; and that therefore the only effectual remedy which can be, applied to so great and alarming an evil, is such a Reform in the Election of Representatives as will enable them sufficiently to speak the sentiments of the people. Resolved unanimously, That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to Thomas Kemp and Henry Shelley, esquires, the Independent Representatives of this Independent Borough, for their steady and uniform conduct in voting in the Minority upon each motion, that tended to censure his Royal Highness the Commander in Chief. Resolved unanimously, That the Thanks of this Meeting be also given to sir F. Burdett, bart., the Seconder; to lord Folkestone, Mr. Whitbread, sir S. Romilly, adm. Markham, gen. Ferguson, Mr. II. Martin, Mr. Coke, and Mr. C. W. Wynne, who so ably supported it; to those Members who represent places in this county, and the rest of the 125 Representatives who formed the Independent Minority on the important question produced by Mr. Wardle's motion. Resolved unanimously, That the Constables be requested to transmit a copy of these Resolutions to G. L. Wardle, Thos. Kemp, and Henry Shelley, esquires. BOROUGH OF READING. At a very numerous and respectable Meeting of the Inhabitants of this Borough, convened by the Worshipful THOMAS GLEED, esq., Mayor of the said Borough, in pursuance of a Requisition to consider of the corrupt practices lately proved in the House of Commons, and holden in the Town-hall the 19th instant, the twelve following Resolutions having been moved by J. B. Monck, esq., and seconded by H. Marsh, esq., were carried as follows: 1st, Resolved unanimously, That corrupt practices have been found to exist in the grant of Commissions and Appointments in the Army, no less disgraceful to the character of the late Commander in Chief as a Soldier, than ruinous to the Public Service. 2ndly, Unanimously, That G. L. Wardle, esq., is entitled to the Thanks of his Country, for the zeal, integrity and intrepidity, with which he maintained the Charges of Corruption brought against his Royal Highness the Duke of York, in spite of the luke-warmness of the leading Membets of Opposition, and the open hostility and direct menaces of Ministers. 3rdly, (With only one Dissentient), That Charles Shaw Lefevre, esq., one of the Representatives for this Borough, has deserved well of his Constituents, and conferred honour on their choice, by the plain, intelligible, independent, consistent, decisive manner in which he acted and voted during the whole course of the late Inquiry. 4th, Unanimously, That our Thanks are due to sir F. Burdett, bart., who seconded Mr. Wardle; lord vise. Folkestone; sir S. Romilly, knt. ; S. Whitbread, esq.; adm. Markham; the gallant gen. Ferguson, and the remainder of the 125 Members who supported Mr. Wardle's Motion. 5th, (With only three Dissentients), That the Vote of the House of Commons. upon the Motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the Acquittal of his Royal Highness the Dake of York, from all knowledge of the corrupt practices proved, hath done violence both to the understanding and feelings of Englishmen, and affords a prominent and striking example of the very imperfect Representation of the People. 6th, Unanimously, That the only effactual barrier against the inroads of Corruption is to be found in the constitutional resort to obtain a fair an faithful Representation of the People in their House of Commons. 7th, (With only one Dissentient), That the number of Placemen and Pensioners having seats in the House of Commons is a growing evil, contrary to an antient Resolution of that House, destructive of the Independence of Parliament, and that the number ought to be restricted to certain Officers of State, whose presence may be expedient in the House of Commons. 8th, Unanimously, That the state of the decayed Boroughs in the United Kingdom, returning Members to Parliament, and which have become by lapse of time the private property of individuals, is one great cause of the present wide extending deplorable Corruption, and demands the serious attention of Parliament, as a mockery of Representation. 9th, (With only three Dissentients), That the restoration of triennial Parliaments agreeable to the Statute 6th William and Mary, would greatly check Corrup tion, and in the words of the Preamble to that memorable Act, would "tend very "much to the happy union and good "agreement of the King and People." 10th, Unanimously, That the only way to have independent men in Parliament, is to send them independent there, and that the example set by Westminster in the manner of electing sir F. Burdett, dity in preferring charges of corruption cannot be too highly commended, and is against his Royal Highness the late Comworthy to be imitated by all the free Bo-mander-in-Chief, and by his ability and roughs throughout the Kingdom. 11th, (With only three Dissentients), That during the present reign every successive Ada ni tration ins yicided either to the force or to the temptation of the present syste.n of Corruption, and the result of every change has been to hold the People in delusion, and not to remove, but perpetuate Abuses. 12th, (With only five Dissentients), That we have no hopes that his Majesty's present Ministers will ever seriously and earnestly take in hand the work of Reformation, as the late proceedings in Parliament have fully proved them to be the Ministers of the Crown only, and not of the People-the Stiflers of Inquiry and the Abettors of Corruption. A Resolution being then put by the Rev. Dr. Valpy, and seconded by Rob. Harris, esq.; that the vote of John Simeon, esq.; one of the Representatives of this Borough, in favour of Mr. Bankes's Motion, is highly deserving of the thanks of his Constituents -was négatived by a great Majority. A Resolution was then proposed by the rev. Dr. Valpy, and seconded by Thomas Ring, esq., "That in order to set the example of Purity of Representation, it is unfit for any Elector of this Borough to accept a Public Dinner or any other Gratuity, directly or indirectly, from his Representatives," which was carried without opposition. perseverance in establishing the same, is eminently entitied to the Thanks of this Meeting, and to the everlasting gratitude of his country. That the Thanks of this Meeting are also due to lord visc. Mahon and John Staniforth, esq. our Representatives in Parliament, to Tho. Thompson, esq. our fellow towns an, and to lord visc. Milton, and William Wuberforce, esq. the Repre sentatives for the County of York, toge ther with the rest of the Independent Minority, for their votes and exertions on this occasion. That this Meeting, secing the shameful venality that prevails in the different departments of the State, and also as has been recently evinced, in the disposal of East India patronage, feels it a duty to state their conviction of the necessity of a complete Change of public measures, of the Abolition of Reversionary Grants and unmerited Pensions and Sinecure Places, and of the Restoration of the Purity of Parliament, according to the genuine principies of the Constitution. That the Chairman be requested to sign these Resolutions as the act of this Meeting, and to transmit copies thereof to Mr. Wardle, lord Mahon, Mr. Staniforth, Mr. Thompson, lord Milton, and Mr. Wilberforce. BOROUGH OF STAFFORD. At a General Meeting of the Inhabitants TOWN OF KINGSTON-UPON HULL. of this Borough, convened by public a At a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the vertisement, April 20th, the following AdTown and Neighbourhood of Kingston-dress was unanimously voted to G. L. upon Hull, held at the Guild-hall there on Wardle, esq. Wednesday, the 19th instant, for the purpose of expressing their public Opinion of the Transactions which have recently passed in the House of Commons, and to consider of a Vote of Thanks to Mr. Wardle, (along with the other Members who supported him) for the manly intrepidity and perseverance displayed by him in instituting and prosecuting his charges against the conduct of the Ex-Commander in Chief.-Andrew Hollingworth, esq. Mayor, in the chair. Resolved unanimously, To G. L. Wardle, esq.--We the Inhabitants of the Borough of Stafford, have witnessed with sentiments of admiration and gratitude, the firm but temperate manner, in which you have prosecuted a long and laborious inquiry into the conduct of the late Commander in ChiefThe victory which you have obtained over the abuses disclosed in that high official situation, is a noble instance of the self-renovating power of our glorious constitu tion. You have shewn, that any virtuous and independent Member of the House of Commons, unconnected with party, supported by the public voice, is enabled to promote the cause of truth and the real interests of the nation.-Estimating your services therefore as the efforts of an ho but That it is the duty of this Meeting to express their detestation of the corrupt practices proved to exist in the Military Administration of the country, and in various other departments of Government. That G. L. Wardle, esq. by his intrepi-nest and courageous mind, we offer to you |