MONTHLY REGISTER. SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER. JULY 15, 1809. PROCEEDINGS IN COUNTIES, CITIES, BOROUGHS, &c. RELATIVE TO THE RECENT INQUIRY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, RESPECTING THE CONDUCT OF THE DUKE OF YORK &c. 1 CITY OF GLASGOW. The extraordinary circumstances at- given to this measure the above adThat necessary publicity might be tending the 'Address from Glasgow, have vertisement was sent to the publishinduced us to give the following extract from the Proceedings of the Committee.]tern Star, which, to the surprise of ers of the Herald, Courier, and WesJUST TRIBUTE TO COL. WARDLE. As a wish has been very generally expressed by the inhabitants of this city and its neighbourhood, that Col. G. L. WARDLE, M. P. should be pu blicly acknowledged for his presert arduous undertaking; an oppo rtunity will be afforded them of doing so, by subscribing an Address to that independent member of the British parliament, of which the te nor follows: "We, hereunto subscribing, iuhabitants of the city and suburbs of Glasgow, hereby testify our unbiassed and unprejudiced opinion, "That COL.WARDLE,by first stepping forward, and by his conduct throughout the whole of the investiga tion now pending in the honourable the house of commons relative to his royal highness the Duke of York, has proved himself to the world, to be one of the most magnanimous, patriotic, firm, and candid men in his Majesty's dominions." All those who wish to mark and distinguish the conduct of this intrepid and persevering representative of the people, and who concur in the plain and obvious sentiment contained in the above address, will have an opportunity of joining in express ing it, by signing subscription-pa pers, which will be opened for that purpose on Thursday next. Glasgow, March 15. the committee, was refused admission into all these newspapers, under various pretexts. the most general sentiments which GLASGOW NEWSPAPERS, AND formed, that the committee con- The committee have, therefore, through the medium of this bill, inno choice, but to address the public The committee think it necessary to observe, that although the editor of the Glasgow Courier agreed to insert and granted a receipt for the money the advertisement, took payment for it, on the 15th. instant, yet on the 16th, be returned the money, intimating, that he was not at liberty to publish it. 3 L timating, that the subscription will finally close on Monday, the 20th. current. 86 It is expected, therefore, that all those who believe that " Righteous66 ness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people," and wish to avert those public calamities, with which nations for their crimes are always visited, will not neglect this opportunity of endeavouring to stem the torrent of corruption and public vice, which just now threatens to overwhelm the land, by testifying their approbation of a British senator, who has stood forward almost alone and unassisted, to grapple with immorality in the plenitude of its power, and in its most hideous and degrading form. Glasgow, March 18, 1809. However great the disadvantages were, under which the committee laboured, from the newspapers refusing the advertisements, and many other discouragements thrown in the way, by officious, ignorant, and contemptible individuals, in six days, 4500 persons subscribed the Address! It may, at the same time, be remarked, that the subscription was closed on the night previous to the account of the Duke of York's resignation being known in Glasgow; so that the knowledge of this event could not operate in bringing forward a single subscriber; for it is not to be doubted, had it continued longer open, there were many, who previously thought light of this manly expression of the public sentiment, that would sneakingly have taken this opportunity of having a "kick" at fallen greatness! No time lost in getting it forwarded to London, where it was sent to the charge of the right hon. Lord Viscount Folkstone, with a request that his lordship would have the goodness to present it to Colonel Wardle. A letter, of which the following is a copy, accompanied the address. was GWILLIM LLOYD WARDLE ESQ. SIR, I have the honour to forward to you of the inhabitants of this city and suban address from a considerable portion urbs, who, animated with a spark of that independence of mind which shines so conspicuously in your character, felt themselves called upon to give this public testimony of the high estimation in which they hold your parliamentary conduct, and their unequivocal appro bation of the constitutional, manly, and candid manner, in which you brought forward, and carried on the investiga tion relative to his royal highness the Duke of York. We hesitate not to express it as our opinion, that you have in every respect, shewn yourself worthy of the honourable appellation of an independent British senator, an appellation, sir, that will be coupled with your name, and that of your noble supporters in this inquiry, while the annals of Britain remain. To you, sir, who have so nobly struck corruption at its source, and in spite of every difficulty and prejudice, so firmly stood forward to stem its torrent; to your honourable friends, Lord Folke stone, Sir F. Burdett, S. Whitbread, Esq. and to the other worthy and independent representatives of the people sion, we are indebted for having shewn who have supported you on this occa us, that we have a constitution worthy of being preserved; the latent energies of which, when called into action by a faithful representative, can shake power however great, and subject to investi gation the official conduct and administration of the highest officer of the state. Great as the difficulties may have been, which you had to encounter in your arduous undertaking, we think it necessary to state, that in conducting this address, we also have had our share of these to overcome, as the following brief narrative of facts will shew. A public meeting was proposed among a few of our citizens for the pur pose of moving this address, and a de putation was appointed to wait on the Lord Provost to obtain his consent to the measure. A decided negative, how ever, was given to our proposal. Being thus disappointed, we determined to persevere, but were compelled to adopt the more silent, but no less efficacious mode, of opening subscription-papers in different parts of the city. Even this was attempted to be rendered as ineffectual as possible, by the publishers of the newspapers here, refusing to insert our advertisement, affording a melancholy proof of the undue influence exercised over that palladium of our liberties-the press, and leaving to us the alternative only, of calling forth the public attention, by a liberal distribution of posting and hand-bills. In the face of all these impediments, and many more little indirect tricks which have been played off, and no small share even of obloquy and reproach, nay, of democracy and sedition, the committee conducting this address, are proud to say, that in six days, at least 4000 inhabitants have voluntarily annexed their signatures. This address, Sir, we now beg leave to present to you through the medium of that worthy nobleman Lord Folkestone, as the voluntary and unbiassed conviction of our minds; under the impression, that the approbation of 4000 of your fellow subjects will not be rejected. It contains, sir, the genuine signatures of those whose hands are unsullied with the public plunder; and to such, headed by patriots like you, our much-abused country must look for its safety, in the hour of danger. Though you, sir, have already done much, and we are induced to believe, from your bright example, that yet there is hope, that the corruption and abuses which have so long existed, and preyed on the vitals of our country, will be checked and removed; and that vice and immorality, will as ashamed, be made to hide their heads-yet much remains to be done. Persevere, then, sir, in the glorious course you have begun, and that you may long remain an ornament to your country, and a blessing to generations yet unborn, is the sincere wish of, most respectfully, In name, and by order of the committee, SIR, SIR, COL: WARDLE'S ANSWER. I this day am honoured with the address of the inhabitants of the city and suburbs of Glasgow, by the hands of Lord Folkestone; an address, as grateful to my feelings as honourable to my character; and however unworthy I may feel myself of those strong and marked expressions of approbation therein attached to my name, still, I ac-, cept the honour done me with every sentiment of respect, and beg, sir, through you, to offer my warmest thanks and acknowledgements. The active interest that you, and the other gentlemen of the committee, have taken upon the occasion, has conferred a lasting obligation upon me. I beg to assure you, that the ambition of my heart is fully gratified in the possession of the confidence of the true friends to their country, the steady and decided enemies of corruption. That I may continue to enjoy that confidence, shall be the study of my life. I have the honour to be, Your most obliged James Street, March 30. NOTE BY THE EDITOR. The Glasgow Committee in their Report remark-" It is much to be regret ted that an impartial newspaper, does "not exist in that city, and that the in"stances above stated it is humbly ap prehended, clearly shew how much "such a paper is wanted." Since the publication of the Report, we are happy to find that a newspaper, THE GLASGOW SENTINEL, has been started, and continues to be published three times a week, which from the Prospectus, and the papers we have read,promises to rescue the Scots press from that state of servility into which it has long sunk. The proprictors profess their "warm attachment to and very humble servant, "the British constitution of government, ROBERT HASTIE." and a deep reverence for the princi Your most obedient Glasgow, March 24. Lord Folkestone very readily complied with the request of the committee, and did them the honour of presenting the Address, as will be seen from the following copy of the the colonel's answer. "ples recognised and established by our "patriotic and enlightened ancestors, "at the ever memorable period of the "Revolution..... The SENTINEL," it is added, “ will advance to its post di"vested of all hostility to those in "power, and equally free of all partiali ty to those out of it; for it disclaims ating the collected and dignified manner he conducted himself throughout the arduous and critical investigation; beg leave to offer him their best and most grateful acknowledg ments for his manly, zealous, and patriotic exertions. CITY OF CANTERBURY, AND his resignation; and highly appreci COUNTY OF THE SAME CITY. At a Court of Burghmote, holden at the Guildhall of the said City, the 21st day of March, 1809: RESOLVED That this court duly considering the very laudable and patriotic conduct of G. L. Wardle, Esq. M. P. in calling the attention of the house of commons to the conduct of the commander in chief, do return him their grateful and sincere thanks; and in testimony of the high approbation this court entertain of the able, manly, and spirited manner, in which he conducted the proceedings, that the FREEDOM of this ancient and loyal city be granted to him. And it is ordered by this court, that the city seal be affixed to the above resolution. By the Court, HAMMOND, Town Clerk. CITY OF ROCHESTER. At a Common Hall held at Roches ter, March 27, 1809, to consider the propriety of passing a vote of thanks to Mr. Wardle, and the other members of the house of Commons who assisted in the late Investigation into the Conduct of the Duke of York : RESOLVED That this meeting, duly sensible of the advantages the country will derive, from the charges produced by G. L. Wardle, Esq. M. P. in the honourable house of Commons, against the late commander in chief, the same having, as this meeting conceives, occasioned Resolved-That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the conduct of John Calcraft, Esq. our worthy representative, has, by the aid he af forded the honourable mover of the charges, and, the ability he evinced on the occasion, entitled himself to the gratitude and support of every citizen who wishes well to bis country, and the independence of this city. Resolved-That the best thanks of this meeting be given to Lord Folkestone, Sir F. Burdett, and S. Whitbread, Esq. M. P. and those other members of the house of Commons, who supported Mr. Wardle, on the late momentous question. TOWN OF GODALMING. At a meeting of the corporation and principal inhabitants of the town of Godalming, held at the Town Hall, in pursuance of a requisi tion for that purpose, to the Warden of the town, on Monday, the 27th day of March, 1809. It was (with the exception of two only) unanimously resolved, That an address from the corporation and inhabitants of this town be forthwith prepared and presented to G. L Wardle, Esq. M. P. thanking him for the manly and patriotic spirit by which he so peculiarly distinguished himself as a member of parliament, in bringing forward and prosecuting the inquiry in the house of Commons into the conduct of the late com mander in chief his royal highness the Duke of York, That Mr. Weale the warden, and Mr. Haydon, a member of the said such address, and that they do forth corporation, be deputed to present with consult Mr. Wardle as to the most convenient time for his receiving the same. That these resolutions be entered on the records of the said corporation, as a lasting memorial of the opinion entertained by the corporation and inhabitants of this town of Mr. Wardle's parliamentary services, and as a tribute of their grateful acknowledgments to him. THE ADDRESS. To G. L. Wardle, Esq. M. P. Godalming, 27th March, 1809. SIR-We the undersigned memhers of the corporation, and principal inhabitants of the town of Godalming, this day assembled at the Town Hall, in pursuance of a requisition for that purpose to the warden of the town, feeling convinced that corruption in any government must necessarily tend to weaken its own just authority, and admiring that manly and patriotic spirit by which you so peculiarly distinguished yourself as a member in parliament, in bringing forward and prosecuting the inquiry in the house of Commons, into the conduct of the late Commander in Chief, desire to offer you our most sincere and hearty thanks, and as a lasting memorial of the opinion we entertain of your parliamentary services, we have caused this tribute of acknow. ledgment to be entered on the records of the said corporation. [Here follow the signatures.] CITY OF WESTMINSTER. At a Meeting of the Inhabitant House-holders of the city and lis berty of Westminster, beld in Westminster-hall, by appointment of Arthur Morris, Esq. HighBailiff, March 29, 1809; it was RESOLVED Unanimously, 1st. That the inhabitants of this city, from the means of information which their local situation affords them, have long been aware of the existence of scandalous and corrupt practices in various departments of the state, and by the late investigation in the hon, the house of commons, the fact has been made manifest to every part of the united kingdom, 2nd. That G. L. Wardle Esq. by his singular intrepidity and integrity in instituting an inquiry into the conduct of his royal highness the Duke of York, and by persevering in that inquiry, in spite of the greatest difficulties and the most formidable discouragements, has rendered an important service to his country, and merits the grateful thanks and warmest approbation of this meeung, 3d. That the thanks of this meeting be given to our worthy representative, Sir F. Burdett, bart. for the independent manner in which, at a very important moment, and un der very critical circumstances, be seconded the motion for inquiry; for the assistance which, as far as his health permitted, he afforded during its progress, and for the able and patriotic speech which, under great bodily pain, he delivered on the result of the investigation; thus adding one more to the many proofs he has already given, that he is the faithful steward of that body, by whose free and spontaneous voice he was so honourably elected. 4th. That the thanks of this meeting be given to Lord Viscount Folkstone, for the active, judicious, and firm support he afforded to Col, Wardle during the investigation; and for his manly, able, and perspicuous speech on the conduct of the commander-in-chief. 5th. That the thanks of this meeting are particularly due to S. Whitbread, Esq. Sir S. Romilly, Knt. Major-Gen. Ferguson, H. Martin, Esq. Sir T. Turton, Bt. T. W.Coke, Esq. J. C. Curwen, Esq. the Hon. T. Brand, the Hon. H. W. Lyttleton, Lord Viscount Milton, Lord Vis count Althorpe, C. W. W. Wynne, Esq. Lord Stanley, and the minori ty of 125, who divided in favour of col. Wardle's motion for an address |