come to the next candidate for your suffrages, Mr. Sheridan. On the propriety of his being originally a candidate, I have already given my opinion; that opinion is before the public;-I maintain that opinion now upon that subject:but, putting all other observations out of the question, I cannot but think that a Treasurer of the Navy is unfit to represent this great and independent City in parliament.-[bursts of applause.] -Gentlemen, there remains, then, for our choice but one candidate, Mr. Paull; who if he had no other merit, than that of being unconnected with, and independent of the other two, would give him a decided preference to both. He comes forward to afford the Electors of Westminster an opportunity of maintaining the independence of their City; so that, upon that foundation alone, I think you cannot doubt which of the three candidates is best entitled to your support. But, Mr. Paull stands on ground still higher; on ground which, I will be bold to say, not only claims, but deserves, the independent support of every man in the community. I will state, as briefly as I can, the merits of Mr. Paull's conduct; and I am sorry to say that he stands as a singular individual in the present time, on account of his adherence to public principles; of his pursuing oppressors; of his bringing accusations against alledged delinquents; and all this under such singular disadvantages, that I will be bold to say, without compliment to him, few indeed would, under the same circumstances, have adhered to the cause of

public virtue in the same manner as Mr. Paull has done. [Great applause. ]-Every art and trick that could be employed to create obstruction, or to present all sorts of opposition to the object of Mr. Paull, open or underhanded, to prevent him from pursuing that object, were exercised, either to cajole or terrify him from the pursuit of it; but they all proved unavailing. But, what is the strongest recommendation of Mr. Paul to your suffrages is, that it has been a strong motive with ministers, perhaps the strongest, to dissolve the present parliament, in order to stifle his voice in it; for they are well aware, that Mr. Paull cannot come into parliament for money; he is a proscribed person amongst those who have seats at their disposal.

He cannot come in again to perform what he has so nobly begun, by any means but those of the independent exertion, by the uncorrupt and energetic support, of a popular Election, such as yours, and to which I say, he has a right to look for support; nor do I know where he can look with such well-founded confidence of success, as to the public-spirited and independent Electors of this great and enlightened City. I say, therefore, that for these reasons only, being engaged as he is against a great alledged delinquent, and being proscribed from all places except those that are populous and independent, he has a claim upon your integrity: with your assistance he will stand upon a rock, from which he cannot be removed; and this consideration is of the utmost importance, for he alone can do it with effect; nobody but

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himself

himself can effectually carry on the enquiry which he has commenced, and with your assistance he will be a fulcrum, sufficiently powerful, perhaps, to remove even the present broad-bottomed administration. Gentlemen, I shall not detain you any longer, because this is a meeting of business. We should now proceed on the true purpose of it, on which I trust we are agreed unanimously,-that of securing the election of Mr. Paull:-but, before I proceed to drink that gentleman's health, I will read to you certain Resolutions which I shall submit for your approbation, as being descriptive of the fixed principles of Mr. Paull, and upon which he is to be recommended to your notice."He then read the following Resolutions, which were all carried unanimously, viz.

RESOLUTIONS.

I. RESOLVED." That, to be represented in the "legislature by men sent thither by our own. "free choice, is our undoubted right as En

glishmen; is the only security for the pos"session of our property or the enjoyment of our personal freedom; and is, indeed, the only thing which distinguishes us from the subjects of a despot.'

II. "That, duly impressed with the value of this,

our constitutional privilege, and, perceiving "with deep affliction, that, through the in"fluence of corruption and venality, this incs"timable privilege has, in numerous instances, "been undermined and annihilated, it is

"at this critical period, the duty of

"of men having a right to vote,

every body and partir cularly of the Electors of this great and po

pulous City, so to exercise their franchise as "to exhibit to the rest of the kingdom an "example of good sense, of public spirit, of

purity of principle, and of resolution to "maintain or recover those rights, which "when constitutionally enjoyed, have always "proved to be the greatest blessing to the "people, and the securest foundation of the "throne."

III." That we have observed, with unfeigned 66 sorrow, that out of the 658 members of the "late House of Commons, a comparatively very "small portion ever attended their duty: that nearly one half of the whole were Placemen, dependent Officers, and Pensioners; that, it was but too often evident, that the motive of "action was private interest rather than public

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good; and that, amongst those who were "loudest in their professions of devotion to the "King, the chief object was to render Him, as "well as his People, the slaves of faction. IV. That in the parliamentary conduct of Mr.

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Paull, we have observed a constant attention "to his duty, a strict adherence to every "promise made to the public, a virtuous ab"horrence of oppressors and peculators, an in"flexible perseverance in the prosecution of de

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linquency, a rare instance of resistance to "those temptations, by which so many other

"men have been seduced to betray their trust; " and that, upon these grounds, it is incumbent upon us, collectively and individually, to use "all the legal means within our power to secure "his election, and therein to do all that rests " with us to preserve our country from a fate "similar to that of so many European states "which have fallen an easy conquest to the enemy, only because the people had neither property nor liberty to defend."

Sir FRANCIS then drank "the health of Mr Paull, and success to his Election."

Mr. PAULL rose, and said: "Gentlemen, I am almost an entire stranger, and utterly unknown to you as a public character, and I feel greater diffi dence in addressing you, than I felt in addressing that assembly in which I had once, and in which I still seek a seat.-I claim your indulgence, without making many professions. I will not say as some do, I have no words to convey my thanks to you for your kindness; but although I use but few words to express those thanks, I hope I can feel more affection for your interests than a man who can say more-[Bursts of applause.]-I say, I hope I feel more than a man who can say more, the truth and that my conduct will hereafter prove of what I now assert, on the subject of the great national contest, for so I call it, in which we are now engaged-I mean an appeal to you for a seat in parliament. I certainly had no intention to offer myself to the Electors of Westminster before I had some claim; and now I have the greatest, because