DARTMOUTH.

POLITICAL CHARACTER.-This is another inftance, like Tiverton, in this county, of a large and populous town suffering the most invaluable privilege of man to be affumed and exercifed by a corporation, confifting of forty freemen, or, as they ought with juftice and propriety to be ftyled, bondmen! These forty felect gentry conftituted to legiflate for a community, are again circumfcribed, by the operation of Mr. Crewe's bill, to lefs than half of even that num→ ber. The governor of Dartmouth, the collector, comptroller, and all the officers of the cuftomhoufe, are taken from this immaculate body; and the remainder are moftly under the employment of government, as gunners, and other officers, which Mr. Crewe's bill cannot difqualify.

This is one of thofe hopeful places termed government-boroughs, from the Treasury and Admiralty taking to themfelves the exercife of that influence which might, with more cafe, and equal propriety, be exercifed by the clerks at the

defk

desk, in either of thofe offices. One of the members recommended by government to this borough, is generally a neighbouring gentleman; the other is always a ftranger, who appears to have no other intereft with the voters, than that of completely intoxicating them at an election.

ANCIENT REPRESENTATION.-This borough. fent only once to parliament, viz. 26 Edward I. before 24 Edward III.

CORPORATION was granted by Edward III. It confifts of a mayor, recorder, two bailiffs, and twelve common-councilmen. They keep a court of feffions, and a water-bailiwick court.

RIGHT OF ELECTION. - Nov. 21, 1689 I. The committee reported, that it appeared the right of election for the borough of Dartmouth, alias Clifton Dartmouth Hardness, in Com. Devon. was in the freemen of the faid borough.

II. Refolved, nemine contradicente - "That "twenty-five new freemen, made after the

"writ bore tefte, were not duly nor legally
made.-Agreed to by this houfe."

III. Ordered-" That Mr. Whitrow, the late

mayor, be taken into cuftody, for his "misdeameanours in making the faid free

POLITICAL CHARACTER.-This being a burgage-tenure borough, was the joint property of the late Earl of Orford and Sir Robert Palke; but, by the decease of the former, his fhare of it defcends to Lord Say and Clinton.

ANCIENT REPRESENTATION.-Afhburton fent 'members to parliament the 26th of Edward I.

and again the 8th of Henry IV. fince which time. it never made any more returns before the 15th of Charles I. anno 1640, when it was reftored with other boroughs.

CORPORATION-None. It is however governed by a portreve, annually chosen at the court of the lord of the manor.

RIGHT OF ELECTION. -Brown Willis obferves, that all the housekeepers voted in this borough until the year 1707, and that the_number upon the poll were 196; fo that its perfonal property in representation has not been of more than 85 years duration. The members are chofen in a place that is now used as a school-house, and which was formerly a chapel dedicated to St. Lawrence.

Feb. 26, 1707, Refolved-" That the right of "election of members to ferve in parlia"ment for the borough of Ashburton, in "the county of Devon, is in the free"holders having lands or tenements holden "of the faid borough only."

March

March 17, 1701, Refolved-" That the free"holders of the lands and tenements called Halfhanger and Holwell lands, lying within "the borough of Afhburton, and fubject to pay a borough-rent, have a right to vote "for members to ferve in parliament for "the faid borough of Ashburton.

NUMBER OF VOTERS.-This is of very little confequence, from the majority of the freeholds, which give a right of fuffrage, being the joint property of Lord Say and Clinton and Sir Robert Palke; and as the freeholds are only divided at their difcretion, for the purpose of complying with the forms of an election, the number of voters is virtually only two, although they have been reckoned by Willis and others to be 200.

RETURNING OFFICER-the portreve.

PATRONS- Lord Say and Clinton, and Sir Robert Palke, bart.

OAKHAMPTON, or OKEHAMPTON.

POLITICAL CHARACTER-The ftate of this borough is fingular: its conftitution is partly feudal,