COUNTY OF HUNTINGDON. At a Meeting of the Freeholders of the said county, held at the Shire Hall in Huntingdon, in the said county, on Friday, the 5th day of May, 1809, pursuant to a Requisition to the High Sheriff for that purpose. RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, That it is the opinion of this meet ing that the late investigation by the honourable house of commons into the conduct of the late commander in chief, is a matter of infinite importance to this country, inasmuch as it has furnished a strong incitement to that honourable house to exert themselves to defend the throne and the people from the destructive effects of corruption in every department of the state. Resolved Unanimously-That the thanks of this meeting be given to G. L. Wardle, Esq. for his courage, candour, and perseverance in conducting the said investigation. Resolved Unanimously-That this Meeting have seen with much satis faction the steps taken by the wisdóm of parliament for the suppression of any abuses that may exist in the state, and hope and trust they will continue their exertions until the same shall be effectually reformed. JOHN HEATHCOATE, Sheriff. BOROUGH OF BOSTON. At a numerous and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of this borough, convened by advertisement, at the White Hart Inn, May 9, for the purpose of considering of the propriety of voting an address of thanks to G. L. Wardle, Esq. for his recent conduct in parliament,-Abraham Sheath, Esq. in the chair:The following reso lutions were carried with only one dissenting voice: RESOLVED: 1. That the thanks of this meeting be given to G. L. Wardle, Esq. for his manly and independent conduct in parliament during the recent investigation of the charges brought against the commander in chief, and thereby exposing various abuses in the military department in the state. 2. That the thanks of this meeting be given to the patriotic minority of 125, who supported Col. Wardle, in his arduous undertaking in the house of Commons, shewing them selves at once the friends of the peo ple, and the enemies of corruption. 3. That the thanks of this meeting are due to W. A. Madocks, Esq. one of the representatives of this borough, and to the Hon. C. A. Pelham, one of the representatives of this county, for their votes on this important question. 4. That it is the opinion of this meeting, that it will be highly expedient that the strictest inquiries into the several departments of the state be still farther prosecuted by the house of Commons, being fully con vinced that no change of ministers, unless accompanied by an entire change of system, can be of any essential service to the interests and welfare of the country. COUNTY OF HERTFORD. At a Meeting of the Gentlemen, Clergy, and Freeholders of the County of Hertford, held at the Shire Hall, at Hertford, in the same county, May 13, convened by the High Sheriff, in consequence of a requisition addressed to him for the purpose of expressing their sense of the conduct of their representatives in parliament with respect to the charges against his royal highness the late commander in chief, and their sentiments upon the corrupt practices which have been brought to light by the evidence which have been given in the house of Commons upon the investigation of those charges, The High Sheriff in the Chair: RESOLVED, That the parlia mentary investigation into the conduct of the late commander in chief," and the result of other parliamentary inquiries, have fully satisfied this meeting of the existence of great abuses in several departments of the executive government of the country. That G. L. Wardle, Esq. by his unexampled intrepidity, integrity, and ability in originating and persevering in that inquiry, unsupported by party interests, and opposed by power, has faithfully discharged his duty as an honest member of parliament, rendered an important service to his country, and merited the warmest thanks and approbation of this meeting. That the hon. T. Brand and Sir J. S. Sebright, Bart. the representatives in parliament for this county, by the disposition they have manifested to inquire into and check abuses and corruption, by the support they uniformly gave to the appointment of an efficient finance committee, and particularly by the active support they gave to Mr. Wardle's motion, and to the rendering effective the inquiry, have, in a high degree, merited the approbation and confidence of their constituents; and that it is the earnest hope of this meeting that they will persevere in inquiring into every abuse till the public confidence in the administration of national affairs is fully re'stored. That the thanks of this meeting be given to Sir F. Burdett, Bart. who seconded Mr. Wardle's motion; to Lord Folkestone, and S. Whitbread, Esq. who unremittingly promoted the inquiry, and to Lord J. Towns hend, J. Halsey, Esq. and S. Smith, Esq. members residing in this county, and to Sir S. Romilly, Gen. Ferguson, Adm. Markham, J.C. Curwen, Esq. Lord Althorpe, C. W. Wynne, T. W. Coke, Esq. and the rest of the 125 members who divided in favour of Mr. Wardle's motion for an address to his Majesty. That the thanks of this meeting be also given to N. Calvert, Esq. D. Giles, Esq. and the Hon. W. Lamb, members, residing in this county, and to all those other members of the house of Commons who composed the numerous respectable, and eventually successful, minorities. Resolved Unanimously-That the increasing influence of the crown is an evil progressively undermining the constitutional rights of the people, and that the late prodigious and rapid increase of our national debt, with that of our military and colonial esta blishment, have created an influence, the force of which, acting upon a great body of electors, has driven the liberties of this country from the firm basis of popular representation, to a dependence upon the moderation and forbearance of the crown. Resolved Unanimously-That, although it is the duty of the great officers of the crown to bring to light delinquency and abuses in office, yet we have seen with extreme regret the members of administration exerting their influence to screen delinquency, and to prevent the discovery of mal-practices in several recent instances, and while we earnestly deprecate all unconstitutional attempts at reformation out of the house of Commons, we think it necessary to express our earnest hope that the independent and patriotic members of that honourable house will exert themselves in obtaining that reform, as also in discovering and prosecuting all corrupt abuses in every department of the state, and in applying such constitutional checks as may secure the people against a recurrence of the same. Resolved Unanimously-That this meeting has perceived with regret that the majorities of the house of Commons upon this and some other recent occasions, have differed essentially from the sense of the people, thereby affording them a convincing proof that a reform in the represen tation of the people is indispensibly Duke of York, upon which the house necessary to the expression of the "of Commons divided. public sentiments. Resolved Unanimously-That the thanks of this meeting be given to W. Plumer, Esq. our late worthy and independent representative, who signed the requisition and brought forward the resolutions, as the steady friend of reform and enemy of corruption; and for his patriotic and disinterested conduct on all occasions in support of the independence of this county, and the general rights and liberties of the people. COUNTY OF CORNWALL. At a numerous and respectable meeting of Gentlemen, Clergy, Freeholders, and other Inhabitants of the County of Cornwall, held at Bodmin, in the said county, May 15, in pursuance of public notice given for that purpose, Edward Coode, Gent. Under Sheriff (in the absence of the High Sheriff) in the Chair: -- RESOLVED 1st. That the thanks of this meeting be given to G. L. Wardle, Esq. for his manly and patriotic exertions in bringing forward his charges against the Duke of York, and for instituting an inquiry in the course of which the evil practices that have prevailed in the corrupt disposal of promotions in the army, have been exposed, and by which the Duke of York has been compelled to resign. 2. That the thanks of this meeting are particularly due to those members of parliament, who by their personal exertions, or by voting in the minority of 125, afforded unqualified and efficient support to Mr. Wardle in these laudable undertakings. 3. That the thanks of this meeting be given to the representatives of the county, and to all those members who voted in the minorities upon the other questions relative to the VOL. V. 4. That in the opinion of this meeting, the decision of the house of Commons, "that there was no "ground to charge his royal high"ness with any connivance at the "corrupt and infamous practices "disclosed in the evidence," is contrary to the general sense of the nation. 5. That corruptions notoriously exist in other departments of the state, as brought to light by dif ferent committees of the house of Commons. 6. That the state of the public mind, the example and fate of the nations on the continent (particularly of France) and the critical situation of the country with respect to foreign powers, imperiously demand a system of constitutional reformation. 7. That in the opinion of this meeting the corruptions which have been suffered to accumulate to so grievous an extent in this country, are to be traced to the defective state of the representation. 8. That it is therefore the firm conviction of this meeting that a reform in the representation of the people in the Commons' house of parliament is the only effective corrective of existing abuses, and that the only security against future corruptions will be the restoring to the people that share of the elective franchise which the public good requires, and to which they are entitled by the principles of the British constitution. Protest against the Resolutions. We the undersigned, do hereby solemnly enter our protest against the resolutions relating to a reform in parliament entered into at the county meeting held at Bodmin, on Monday, May 15. as tending in our opinion to results the most mischievous to the existing constitution and the safety of the country.Eliot, De Dunstanville &c.-F. 3 P Gregor, F. Glanville, F. H., Rodd, W. Cory, W. Morshed, E. Rodd T. Graham, C. Mayson, W. S. Gully, S. Gurney, W. Paul, P. H. Carlyon, C. T. Kempe, J. Baron, W. Baker, J. Pomeroy, J. Edyean, P. S. Pomeroy, H. Rogers, W. Rashleigh, D. Giddy, J. Row, J. A. Norway, J. Arthur, F. O'Dogherty, N. Norway, W. Ball, E. Gilbert, T. Hichens, J. Rickard, J. Hawkey, C. Rashleigh, W. Reynolds, J. Hext, J. J. Keigwin, J. Rogers, jun. W. Greger, J. Every, J. W. Colenso, R. Flamank, T. Robins, R. K. Frost, J. Wallis, T, Penwarne, E. Hobling, W. Pye, L. Marshall, W. Burrows, E. Cartheu. BOROUGH OF WARWICK. At a respectable Meeting of the Burgesses and Inhabitants of the Borough of Warwick, held at the Court-House, May 16, pursuant to a Requisition presented to the Mayor for that purpose :-T. Collins, Esq. Mayor in the Chair: It was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, 1. That the inquiry in the house of Commons, relative to the conduct of his royal highness the late commander in chief, has proved, to the conviction of the whole country, the existence of flagrant abuses in the administration of public affairsmost disgraceful in themselves to the British name, and most injurious in their effects to the prosperity of the British nation. 2. That the thanks of this meeting be presented to G. L. Wardle, Esq. for his intrepidity in commencing, and his firmness and moderation in conducting that investigation, which has eventually turned the attention of an indignant people towards a system of corruption, which no plea of prescription can justify-no sophistry can pallate-no intrigues of party can long shelter from detection and disgrace. 3. That the thanks of this meeting are due to the 125 members of the house of Commons, who by their conduct in the progress, and by their vote at the conclusion of the late inquiry, have proved themselves the wise and faithful friends, both of the sovereign and of the people. 4. That the late decision of the house of Commons, standing in direct opposition to the clear and decided opinion, and offering the grossest violence to all the best feelings of the nation, exhibits a most striking and melancholy proof of the present imperfect representation of the people in parliament. 5. That in the opinion of this meeting, a timely, temperate, and well-conducted plan of parliamen tary reform can alone afford an effectual security against all great and dangerous abuses in the various departments of government-and that by restoring to the house of Commons its constitutional and rightful character of being a fair and faithful representation of the people, such reform would render that body amiable and venerable in the estimation of their constituents-would contribute essentially to the happiness and true glory of the Sovereign would give their due weight to property, talent, and virtue in the senate-and promote the collective interest of a free, enlightened, and generous nation. 6. That these resolutions be signed by the chairman in behalf of the meeting, and a copy thereof transmitted to G. L. Wardle, Esq. TOWN OF BLACKBURN. An Address of Thanks from the Inhabitants of the Town and Neighbourhood of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, to G. L. Wardle Esq. M. P. for his late Proceedings in the hon. house of Commons. SIR. The wisdom of ages has been employed in foriping and arranging the principles of the British constitution. By the provision of formidable checks to the progress of corruption, those principles are intended to operate in preserving at once the liberty of the subject and the stability of the throne. But individual interests and designs are too often in opposition to their legitimate influence; and it requires a rare combination of talents and virtues to give to that influence, energy and direction. In you, Sir, we contemplate such a combination; and are desirous of uniting our testimony with the voice of the kingdom in the public and cordial expression of our thanks and congratulations. -While we regret and reprobate those abuses of power and patronage which have for a series of years so notoriously existed in the appointments to military offices, we sincerely rejoice in the disclosure of those improper transactions, during a recent inquiry at the bar of the house of Commons. For that inquiry, and all its important consequences, we are, Sir, indebted to you; and we gratefully acknowledge and highly applaud the independence, and patriotism with which your investigations were commenced and concluded. We trust that the success which has rewarded your exertions, and the spirit of constitutional in quiry which now pervades the nation, will be felt by you as powerful motives to an uniform and courageous resistance of corruption, with whatever authority and splendour it may be invested. Deeply convinced of the necessity of an immediate and general reform of all the abuses of the executive government, we be hold with lively interest the results of other inquiries, and the proceedings of those best friends to the permanent welfare of the empire, with whom you are associated, and under whose auspices we look forward to a purer administration of affairs. We cannot, Sir, close our congratulations, without the further ex pression of our thanks to those noble and honourable members, by whom you were supported in your late proceedings. And we would parti cularly express our approbation of the conduct of the representatives of the neighbouring borough of Preston (Lord Stanley and Mr. Horrocks), because they appear to have been the only members in the county of Lancaster whose votes accorded with the evidence of facts and the opinions of the nation.-With the sincerest wishes that you may enjoy a long protracted life of usefulness and honour, we subscribe ourselves, SIR, Yours, &c. COUNTY OF WILTS. At a Meeting of the Freeholders, Landholders, and other Inbabitants of the County of Wilts, convened by the High Sheriff, and holden at the Council Chamber, in the City of New Sarum, May 17, 1809;-Sir C. W. Malet, in the chair,-It was RESOLVED, That the thanks of this meeting be given to G. L. Wardle Esq. for having instituted the recent inquiry in the house of Commons, relative to the conduct of the Duke of York, as commander in chief; for having, unconnected with, and unsupported by, any party or faction, prosecuted that laudable undertaking with unexampled magnanimity, talent, zeal, temper, and perseverance, and especially for having had the resolution to discharge his duty, in defiance of the threats and prejudices excited against him by the king's ministers, and by many of the leaders of the opposite party. That the thanks of this meeting be given. to Sir F. Burdett, bart. who seconded Mr. Wardle's motion, and also to Lord Folkestone, for the active and able assistance he afforded to Mr. Wardle during the whole of the inquiry. That the thanks of this meeting be given to Lords Visc. Milton and |