To the Gentlemen, Clergy, Freemen, & Freeholders, of the City of Exeter. GENTLEMEN, The expected dissolution of Parliament calls on me again to repeat how highly flattered I feel by those strong and repeated assurances of support which I have uniformly received from the moment of my first canvass and which cannot fail of placing me again in that honorable situation to which your former kindness so distinguishedly raised me. Feeling, as I do, that a strict adherence to my parliamentary duties should, at all times, claim my first consideration, I will remain at my post until the present expectation be realized, when I shall hasten to pay my personal respects to you. I have the honor to remain, With the utmost respect, GENTLEMEN, Your obliged and faithful humble servant, W. COURTENAY. London, 30th May, 1818. Address and Remonstrance to His Supreme Majesty, The People. We, your majesty's sedate and sober-minded subjects, taking into our serious consideration the many excellent qualities heretofore displayed in your majesty's conduct, beg leave to approach your throne, to express our firm conviction that your majesty's intellects have lately been a little deranged. BECAUSE, we conceive that your majesty's ravings against despotism and arbitrary power, are repugnant to, and inconsistent with yourself, whilst any part of your majesty's liege subjects are condemned and punished unheard:---And we have no hesitation in declaring, that if your majesty means this as a semblance of future freedom, your majesty absolutely deserves the STRAIT JACKET. BECAUSE, your majesty, in your more sober moments, must be thoroughly persuaded, that the most clamourous part of your majesty's subjects, think the least,---just as those instruments make the greatest noise that are hollow and empty. BECAUSE, we know from experience, that in all the hasty and inconsiderate political alliances formed by your majesty with various parties, your majesty has always been completely duped.---That after the numberless promissory notes in your possession, protested and returned with disappointment, we do most seriously remonstrate against the stupidity of your majesty's again lending your most gracious shoulders, just to enable crafty partisans to reach the fruit that hangs on the walls of your majesty's garden. true BECAUSE, we are convinced that while freedom exists in your majesty's dominions, there must always be a difference of opinion; but we cannot help expressing our doubts, that your majesty's affairs will not be so faithfully transacted by a delegate predetermined to adhere to one party, as by men of tried worth, distinguished merit, and unprejudiced minds, who will well adjust the balance of both;---and we appeal to your majesty's cooler reflection, to know whether it be the essence of your majesty's liberty, to insult and crack the skulls of any such as offer to differ from your majesty's sentiments. We remain, most puissant Sire, With the most profound respect for your RATIONAL LIBERTY, & COMMON SENSE. Electors of Exeter, The present parliament is about to end. You will soon be called upon to perform that part which belongs to you in forming another. It is no D trifling business you have on hand.-Review what the last parliament has done, and then judge what you would have to expect from a similar one. If it has indeed done much to spare your property, and to preserve the liberty of Englishmen,---then by all means make the next as much like it as you can— return the same most honorubie members. But if on the contrary, under the sanction of this parliament, the government has assimilated itself to the despotic governments of Europe: if it has adopted their systems if it has set political spies and informers at work among you; if it has done more than this, and despotism has already had its victims, will you sign the death warrant of British liberty? Will you return any man who sat in the House of Commons, when such things were determined upon, and did not pour forth that indignation which filled the breast of every uncorrupted Englishman? I can say no more upon this head-you will judge of the future by the example of the past. The facts I have referred to would have been sufficient to have determined your fore-fathers to chuse new representatives in parliament.---Your forefathers! who shed their blood to obtain that constitution which has been thus shamefully violated. But long and distressing wars have somewhat changed the feelings of Englishmen; circumstances oblige too many of you to think more upon present wants than upon future fears; and such will naturally ask, who were they, that when so many were wanting bread, "ave their support to a bill, the object of which was to increase that want? Enquire of those who are now going, or will in a few days go, smiling to your doors to beg the honor of representing you in parliament, and their answers or their looks will tell you, who had a hand in that business, and how far such men are likely to be indeed your representatives.. The care that is taken to cast into oblivion the extraordinary and fearful acts of of ministers during the last two years, by those who took part with them speaks enough for itself.-Englishmen, so long as they deserve the name, will blush to read the record that gives the history of these transactions to posterity. You are now called upon, fellow-citizens, virtually to declare your approval of those disgraceful measures, and your willingness to see your country degraded in the scale of nations, and yourselves in the scale of men; or to shew, by changing your representatives, that you still value your once boasted privileges,-the command of your own persons and your property. There is no middle road open for you.---On your one hand stands a gentleman whose public character is that of servant of this ill-favored and uncontroled administration ;---on your other stands a fellowcitizen, invited by a body of his brother freemen, to maintain, as their representative, those rights and constitutional principles, for which he has been for so many years an able and an invincible advocate. You must chuse between them; and the name which each individual of you pronounces at the hustings, will be his individual declaration---constitutional liberty---the privileges of Englishmen---and NORTHMORE,---or unrestricted government---liberty only at the will of a minister---and COURTENAY. Think of these things, fellow-citizens, and guide your determinations for the future, by your recollections of the past. Need I, after all I have said, descend to the minor considerations that point out Mr. NORTHMORE as the man most proper for your choice? I need n't. You know them---general opinion is too much in his favor to render necessary my mentioning them. I cannot close this address without congratulating that part of the Electors of Exeter, who have declared themselves supporters of Mr. NORTHMORE, in the first place, upon the constancy with which they have adhered to those principles, which must be the foundation of every efficient reform---contempt of undue influence on one hand, and of debasing temptations on the other. Whatever be the event of the election, your triumph, as men of principle, and as uncorrupted citizens, will be lasting; but I have to congra tulate you, in the second place, upon a fair prospect of success. You have at present a majority, and fol lowed by the success which has hitherto attended the cause, your exertions will be crowned with victory. ONE OF THE COMMITTEE. Exeter, June 2, 1818. To the Gentlemen, Clergy, Freemen & Freeholders, of the City of Exeter. GENTLEMEN, Having concluded my general canvass of the city, I take the earliest opportunity of expressing to you my warmest thanks for the very kind and flattering manner in which I have been universally received. Of my ultimate success there appears to be no doubt; it only remains for you to realize it by your appearance in my favor on the day of election. I have the honor to be, With the sincerest sentiments of gratitude and respect GENTLEMEN, Your most faithful and obedient servant, ROBERT WILLIAM NEWMAN. Exeter, June 6, 1818 To those enlightened Electors of the City of Exeter, in whom the ancient spirit of English Liberty still survives, unpera verted by Sophistry, unintimidated by Power, uncontaminated by Corruption. FELLOW CITIZENS! There is no single expression which has excited great er alarm among, or given more offence to the tools of arbitrary power, than this very word ENLIGHTENED; they cannot bear the thought that you should know any thing of the constitution or the laws; their bible societies, their missionaries, and their schools of education. never mention one tittle of the rights and liberties of the people: the only political instruction which they give is comprised in one word-OBEDIENCE, and the same in |