1776. The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER: honour of your fuffrages for the momentous truft of chamberlain for the year ensuing. "Gentlemen, the fpirit of independency, which has always diftinguished the city of London, will, I am perfuaded, then appear in its full luftre, and triumph over the enemies of our rights and privileges, which have been grofsly violated. This city from its first rife has in all ages ftood the moft folid, unfhaken barrier, which liberty has raised against the attacks of defpotic kings and minifters. I hope its noble foundations are not now treacherously fapped and undermined. I trust the enemies of public liberty are not lodged in the citadel of freedom. If they are, unless your virtue can expel them you are undone, and flavery will be your portion. To this city, in a time of great public virtue, after a glorious ftruggle, the nation was indebted for the Revolution, and for the few privileges now remaining, now alas! daily perifhing. In the late election the various arts of bribery, the moft direct menaces and illegal practices, were employed. Corruption has, I fear, gained not a small part of the livery. I flatter myfelf, however, that the majority are found and uncorrupt, and would fpurn at a bribe. In the late election it was apparent that not a man among all the houshold Iroops of the court, not a clerk in any public office, who was not ordered to exert his whole firength against me. The directors of the Bank too readily affifted a late brother director. I call upon the alderman to deny in explicit terms either of these affertions. The officers of the customs and excife even voted and canvafled against me. 4 "Gentlemen of the livery, the prefent conteft I by no means confider as a difpute, which of two aldermen fhall be your chamberlain. The conteft is of a much more important nature. It is, whether your reprefentatives in Parliament, your mayors, heriffs, and other officers, fhall in future be created by a minifterial mandate, or elected by the free voice of the people. Let me therefore exhort you, if you mean to tranfmit to your children thofe noble franchiles, which your fathers purchased at the price of much blood, to withstand in time every incroachment of minifterial power in this city, and to meet me here on Midfummer-Day, effectually to affert the rights of a free election, as well as your own dignity and independency." Mr. Hopkins then came forward, and addreffed the Livery in the following speech: "Gentlemen of the livery, permit me to return you my unfeigned thanks for the honour you have conferred on me in electing me to the important office of chamberlain of this great city. I am particularly happy on this occafion, as it reflects your approbation of my pat publick conduct; and I do affure 165 you I will devote my whole time to discharge the important truft with diligence and impartiality. The worthy Alderman (Wilkes) has declared his intentions of ftanding a candidate for the said office next Midfummer Day. I likewife pledge myself to ftand also candidate upon this huftings, and hope my conduct will not only entitle me to the fuffrages of my friends, but also of thofe gentlemen who lately voted against me. I do declare that during the course of the election, I never ufed any undue influence; and when I applied to the feveral clerks in the bank for their fuffrages, I never had a director of the Bank with me, for fear their prefence might influence a fingle vote; one gentleman in that department told me he was engaged against me; folicited him no further, nor fhall I mention his name. I now tell you I had the countenance of many gentlemen in the Bank direction, and hope my conduct might ever claim the regard of any fociety I ever did or hereafter may belong to. As I am this year out of the Bank direction, I folemnly declare I do not know any sum of money that they might lend administration ; but this I know, that they, nor any one gentleman, opened a breakfafting house for the entertainment of my friends. "I conclude with returning thanks to our two worthy sheriff's for their impartial and fpirited conduct during this tedious poll." The total number of Livery that polled at the above election, was 5527, which is 1049 lefs than at the contested election, for the fame office, between Meffrs. Bosworth and Selwyn. FRIDAY, MARCH 1. Letters by the Achilles, Wyley, who is arrived from Jamaica at Liverpool, bring an account that there has been an engagement between one of the king's frigates and a Spanish frigate, for having feized a veffel belonging to that ifland on falfe pretences; that the English frigate retook the veffel, and fhattered the Spanish frigate fo much, that it was apprehended the could not reach Cuba, the port the fteered for, having loft all her fails, &c. SATURDAY 2. The committee of Weft-India planters and merchants, who attended Lord George Germaine and Lord North, reported, that they had delivered to each of their lordships feparately a memorial, of which the following is a copy. The memorial, &c. fheweth, "That in confequence of your lordships inclinations, publicly declared to affift and relieve the fugar colonies, your memorialists held a general meeting on the 22d of Decem. ber laft, and another on the 7th instant, the refult whereof has been to lay the following propofitions before your lordships. That it is the opinion of your memo riglifts 166 The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER. sialifts, that during the continuation of this calamitous war, and the interdiction of com merce with the affociated provinces in North America, no adequate confumption can be found but in Great Britain and Ireland, for thofe parts of the produce of the fugar colonies, which used to be given in exchange for Jumber and provifions, and confumed in North America. "That it is the opinion of your memorialifts, that topping the diftillation of grain in Great Britain and Ireland (in like manner as it was stopped in Great-Britain by the acts of parliament paffed in the 30th, 32d, and 33d years of the reign of his late majefty King George the Second) would materially promote fuch confumption, and thereby enable them to purchase fome provifions and lumber wherever they may be found. "That it is the opinion of your memorialifts, that reducing the duty of excife payable upon the importation of rum into GreatBritain and Ireland, and upon fpirits drawn from melaffes in Great Britain and Ireland, fo far as to accommodate its price to the various uses of manufactures and confumption, to which fpiritous liquors are commonly applied, would materially promote fuch confumption. "Your memorialifts having thus fubmitted to your lordships their fentiments of what may afford fome immediate, though inadequate relief to their impending diftrefs, are nevertheless of opinion, that peace only, and only fuch a peace as will reftore the antient intercourfe between the West-India islands and the northern continent of America, to the general harmony and lafting benefit of the whole British empire, can effectually prevent the evils with which they are more than threatened. "That your memorialifts having informed your lordships of their wants, and their propofitions for relief, are anxious to be forthwith enabled to give fuch directions to their agents abroad, for the future management of their property and concerns, as may correfpond with the countenance and encouragenient they hope to receive from adminiftration." The committee further reported, that the anfwer from each of their lordships was verbal, amounting in the whole, that the propofitions cannot at prefent be complied with. JAMES ALLEN, Sec. THURSDAY 7. We hear from Rome, that on Monday the 12th of February, the new born prince, ion of the duke and duchefs of Gloucefter, was baptized by the Rev. Mr. Salter, and called William Frederick, in the prefence of all the English gentlemen who were at Rome. The duke and du chefs of Saxe-Gotha, and the Margrave of Anspach, were the fponfors. MONDAY 11. The officers who are ordered for America March are to wear the fame uniform as the common foldiers, and their hair to be dreffed in the like manner, fo that they may not be diftinguished from them by the riflemen, who aim particularly at the officers. TUESDAY 12. Yesterday morning about two o'clock, nine journeymen taylors, and two women, after having drank very freely at a publick house in Spur-ftreet, Leicefter-Fields, were defired by the landlord to go home, which they refufed, and behaved very ill; the landlord at length called the watch to his affiftance, when the first watchman that entered the room had his skull laid open with an axe, and it is faid, foon expired; the fe cond was wounded very much, and a third, by the blow of a poker, was bruifed in fuch a terrible manner, that he died at eleven o'clock the fame morning. A party of the guards was fent for, who fecured the whole nine. They were examined before Juftice Welch, at the Rotation office, in Litchfield Street,andwere all committed to different gaols, WEDNESDAY 13. As we wish to communicate to our readers every thing that may contribute to their entertainment, we lay before them the following paffage from a Bath paper; fince whether the remarkable fuccefs it exhibits in the practice of phyfic, be confidered as demonftrative of improvements in that science, or merely as affording additional help to the af Alicted, it cannot fail of giving pleasure to the friends of fcience and humanity. "On Sunday last Sir James Jay went from hence to London on his way to Ame rica. This gentleman's departure will be a lofs to this kingdom, as he has undoubtedly made fome capita improvements, in treating difeafes to which the inhabitants of this inland are peculiarly fubject. During his fhort refidence in this city, he performed feveral extraordinary cures in fome cafes; and gave great relief in others, after other physicians, and Bath water, had been tried in vain. We shall just mention a few out of the very many inftances of his fuccefs which have fallen under cur own obfervation, or are related on the beft authority. 1. A lady, aged 74, who had lost her voice many months, and had tried medicines and Bath water in vain, perfectly cured. 2. A woman, with paralytic tremors and weakness in all her limbs, had been twice in the Bath hofpital, fix months one time, three the other, the laft without the leaft benefit, and had long been unable to ftand alone, recovered fo far as to walk comfortably with the help of a cane. 3. A clergyman was paralytic in all his limbs, fo that he could not feed himself, move his legs, nor turn in bed. Every thing he tried had proved ineffectual; yet from this truly deplorable ftate he was restored to theperfect ufe of his limbs. 4. A 1776. The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER. 4. A young woman, after the ineffectual endeavours of another phyfician, was perfect ly cured of a paralytic diforder of one fide, attended with tremors in the lower limbs, and violent pains in the head and breaft. 5. A gentleman had long been afflicted with bilious and gouty complaints of the ftomach. The endeavours of phyficians had proved fruitiefs, and Bath water failed, he daily threw up his food, and was reduced to a mere fkeleton. In a fortnight's time he was in a great meafure freed from all his complaints, and greatly improved in colour, ftrength, and fpirits. 6. A lady, under fimilar circumftances, who had alfo tried medicines and Bath water without benefit, was relieved in the like furprifing manner. 7. A gentleman, about 80, afflicted between four or five years with tremors of the arms and hands, was greatly relieved, and what is very remarkable, his fight, which was much impaired, grew fo much better that he could read finall print without fpectacles. 8. A lady cured of a violent fcorbutic diforder in the face, which had continued many years, and refifted every thing that had been tried. 9. An elderly man, who loft his speech, and was deprived of the ufe of one fide of the body, by a paralytic ftroke, and had found no relief from medicine, was reftored to his fpeech, and enabled to walk without affif tance. 10. A lady, paralytic in all the lower extremities, after two eminent phyficians and Bath water had failed, was perfectly cured. 11. A gentleman, between two and three years paralytic in the lower extremities, after trying many phyficians, fea-bathing, fevere bliftering, and ufing Bath water regularly near a twelvemonth to no purpose, was much relieved, and went from hence in a fair way of being perfectly recovered. 12. A gentleman who had loft all feeling in one arm and hand feven years; had tried many phyficians, and had alfo ufed Bath water two feafons in vain, was cured in fix weeks. One of his eyes, which, from the beginning of his indifpofition, had been drawn into a difagreeable fquint, was restored to its natural ftate. FRIDAY 15. The fame day a Court of Common Council was held, when a motion was made that an humble addrefs and petition be drawn up, agreed to, and prefented to his Majesty, relative to the war in America, and the employment of foreign troops, and affuring his Majefty that should any part of his dominions 5 167 be attacked by any foreign power, that they will fupport him with their lives and fortunes. This motion was agreed to without a debate; a petition was read and approved of unanimously; and the Sheriffs were ordered to go to St. James's, to know when his Ma jefty will be pleafed to permit the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, &c. to wait on him with the faid addrefs and petition. At the above Court a motion was made and carried by a great majority, that the thanks of the Cot be given to Dr. Price for his excellent pamphlet on civil liberty, juft published. Alfo, that the freedom of this city be prefented to him in a gold box of the value of sol. Yesterday Peter Roberts, Efq; was duly elected by the Court of common council, city folicitor in the room of William Huffey, Efq; deceafed. MONDAY 18. At a wardmote held at Drapers Hall, laft Saturday at twelve o'clock, before the Right Hon. John Sawbridge, Efq; Lord Mayor, Richard Clark, Efq; was unanimously elect ed Alderman of the ward of Broad-Street, in the room of Benjamin Hopkins, Efq; lately refigned. WEDNESDAY 20. Yesterday morning the detachments from the three regiments of foot guards were muftered on Wimbledon Common, and formed into regular companies, and his Majefty's ap pointment of the officers thereof made. known, who all took their respective stations, previous to their being reviewed. About half paft nine, his Majesty, attended by General Carpenter, Colonel Matthews, feveral of the nobility, and other officers of the army, came on the Common, when he was received with a royal falute. The foldiers went through their evolutions with great dexterity, first forming themselves into various fquares, and then platoon and circular firing, after which they made a general running fire, in imitation of a purfuit, till they had each expended 32 rounds of powder, with which they were provided before they took the field. His Majefty expreffed great approbation of their performance. The officers and foldiers were dreffed in the fame uniforms. Thefe troops will foon embark on board the tranfports bound to America. SATURDAY 23. Yesterday about one o'clock the Lord Mayor, Aldermen Halifax, Crosby, Oliver, Townsend, Bull, and Lee, the Sheriffs, 62 common council men, the Chamberlain, and other city officers, went in proceffion from Guildhall to St. James's (they were joined by the Recorder in Pall-Mall) and prefented the following addreis and petition to his Majcfty: To the King's most excellent Majefty. "Moft gracious Sovereign, We, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and 168 The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER. Commons of the City of London, in Common Council affembled, beg leave to approach your Throne, and to intreat your Majefty's royal attention, whilft, with the hu mility of dutiful fubjects, we lay before your Majefty, what at prefent most immediately affects us in the fpirit and tendency of the public measures now depending; and the anxiety we feel at the naked and expofed ftate in which this country will be left, by draining it of the national troops, as well as at the danger and difgrace attending the late treaties for foreign mercenaries, whose latitude is fuch, as to provide the means of introducing a foreign army into this realm. "We cannot, Sir, without horror, look forward to that dismemberment of the empire; that increase of the national debt, and of burthenfome taxes; that lofs of our most valuable refources; thofe diftreffes of our merchants and manufacturers; those deficiencies of the revenue; that effufion of the blood of our countrymen and brethren; that failure of public credit, and those dreadful calamities and convulfions which must follow a civil war fo begun and purfued, whofe extent no wisdom can forefer. "We humbly conceive, that no people can be bound to furrender their rights and liberties as a return for protection. The colonies have fought our battles with us; and in the laft war, they fo far exceeded their abilities, that this nation thought it juft and neceffary to make them an annual compenfation; and even now, driven to open hoftilities in their own defence, they are willing (their charters being inviolably fecured) to continue to us all thofe advantages of a regular and exclufive commerce, to which we have long owed our opulence and profperity. And we have every atfurance which men in their fituation can fafely give, that, if asked as freemen, they are willing to go farther, and to afford to the exhaufted ftate of the revenue of this country, fuch reasonable voluntary aid as their abilities permit, provi March ded that their contributions are unalienably applied to relieve that diftrefs, which is the only fair and public foundation of requiring them, and that neither their aids, nor our finking funds, fhall be any longer perverted from a public benefit, and mifapplied to the purpose of corruption, instead of redeeming the debts of the nation, according to the first wife and just institution. "Indulge but, most gracious fovereign, the humanity and benignity of your own royal difpofition, and our prayers will be granted. We implore the extenfion of your Majefty's juftice and mercy towards that continent, which, when arbiter of the terms of peace, it was your Majefty's own determination to prefer to every other compenfation, for all the expences of the laft war "We humbly and earnestly besecch your Majefty, that the moft folemn, clear, dif tinet and unambiguous fpecification of those juft and honourable terms, which your Majefty, with both Houses of Parliament, mean to grant to the colonies, may precede the dreadful operations of your armament. Every colour and fufpicion of injuftice and oppreffion will then be removed from the proceed. ings of the mother country; and, if those juft and honourable terms are not fubmitted to, your Majefty will undoubtedly be enabled to meet, what will then be rebellion, with the zealous hearts and hands of a determined, loyal, and united people." His Majefty was pleased to return an ar fwer to the following purport: "I deplore, with the deepeft concern, the miferies which a great part of my fubjects in America have brought upon themselves by an unjuftifiable refiftance to the conftitutional authority of this kingdom; and I fhall be ready and happy to alleviate thofe miferies by acts of mercy and clemency, whenever that authority shall be established, and the now exifting rebellion at an end: to obtain these falutary purposes, I will invariably pursue the most proper and effectual means.” To our CORRESPONDENTS. THE Birth of Senfibility-Epigrammatifta-Anti-Zoilus, in defence of Mr. Granger-A Request to our Philofophical Readers—and Queries to the Rev. Mr. Jebb, fhall appear in our next. H. L's Poetry-C. F's theological Remarks-Amator virtutis-A Song in Praife of good Punch-and several other Favours are received, which fall be duly noticed. We never faw an Advertisement of the Pamphlet mentioned by E. C. if he will forward one to our Publisher, a proper Regard will be paid to it in our Review. W. D-'s Extempore Lines-and the Obfervations on Gaming and public Credit, are far below Par. The Remarks on Voltaire fhall be attended to-and alfo the Review of the American Measures. E. F-Vicarius-and an Officer are received, but too late for infertion this Month. |