800 honest and industrious tradesmen, who, notwithstanding the threats of these Court Candidates, and notwithstanding the loss of the custom of those who are connected with Carleton House, and supplying the aristocracy, have given me their pledges, that, as honest men, they will come and support me on Monday. I believe the last efforts of this coalition have been made to-day; and, I believe, that on Monday, I shall have an infinitely larger majority over the Treasurer of the Navy, than he now has over me. But if, unfortunately, for the want of numbers, I should not ultimately succeed in this contest, it will be made known, that I have procured more fair and independent votes, than both of the Candidates put together, notwithstanding the subscription of Mr. Whitbread and others, whose assistance has been implored against me. I trust that Mr. Whitbread will have the honour and honesty to come and make an apology to the people of England. Notwithstanding the assertion of the Member for Coventry, who has again made his appearance before you, I will be found here to the last hour of the contest. After the Poll Books have closed, the contest itself shall not close. I hope that my zeal and perseverance (which, I trust, are not inferior to those of Mr. Whitbread) will prevent those scandalous scenes of fraud and dishonesty from being ultimately successful in deciding this question. I do aver that I never gave a single promise or a single bribe to induce any Elector to come forward to support me; but I can state to you, that that I have affidavits to produce, to prove scenes of perjury, the most infamous, on behalf of the other candidates. Those scenes will all be exposed to the indignation of the people of England: and if Mr. Whitbread can then come forward to shew his face, as he once did, I shall believe, that human nature is more unblushing, and more degra ded, than I thought it was." Mr. FINNERTY then addressed the meeting.He stated, that immediately after his receipt of Mr. Paull's letter, and his conversation with him and Mr. Cobbett, he mentioned generally to Mr. Sheridan's friends that Mr. Paull was friendly to him; in consequence of which, several gave their second votes to Mr. Paull, on the first days of the Election, who would have revolted at the idea of doing so, had they supposed him hostile to the interests of Mr. Sheridan. Upon his return, therefore, from Stafford, he (Mr. F.) found that many of these voters complained of having been misled by his sanguine assurances as to Mr. Paull's disposition, and some even expressed a doubt as to the possibility of Mr. Paul having made the declaration contained in the letter alluded to. These complaints were frequently made to the Committee and repeated to himself. Under such circumstances, he appealed to any candid man whether, in his own vindication, he was not justified in transmitting to Mr. Moore the statement which had appeared in the papers, (see p. 187,) and requesting him to shew it for his justification. The declaration, however, of Mr. Paull's friendly disposition towards Mr. Sheridan, Sheridan, was not only communicated to him, but to many others. For, Mr. Paull's friends, in the course of their canvass, made it a rule almost ge neral, wherever they found a prepossession in favour of Mr. Sheridan, to profess a similar sentiment, in order to obtain the second votes; while, on the contrary, wherever calumny was afloat, or prejudice prevailed against Mr. Sheridan, they concurred in the calumny, and endeavoured to inflame the prejudice, disclaiming, at the same time, just as it suited the party to whom they applied, any degree of hostility to sir Samuel Hood-[Name, name, exclaimed Mr. Gibbons and others, the persons who have done so. "I name you, Gibbons," said a gentleman from the Hustings.] I could name many, said Mr. Finnerty.-Such then, continued he, is the game of trick and duplicity which the friends of Mr. Paull have been playing, notwithstanding the reprobation of inconsistency, and the lofty professions of purity which you daily hear repeated from these Hustings. [Hisses and laughter.] MR. SHERIDAN AND THE DUKE OF NORTHUM BERLAND. The Friends of the Duke of Northumberland will, it is hoped, to a man, come forward in favour of Mr. Paull; in order more effectually to defeat Mr. Sheridan, who (in addition to his other wicked deeds) has, upon the Hustings of Covent-Garden, uttered the most false and malicious expressions against that virtuous and patriotic Nobleman, whom he there called a wretched old cripple, and a dotard,-in revenge for the letter, written by the Duke, to the several vestries of the City of Westminster, in which letter his Grace distinctly stated, that rather than allow Earl Percy to be contaminated, by standing for Westminster with "the abandoned profligate," he would sooner choose to withdraw his connections from that City. great FLAGITIOUS FALSEHOOD. Mr. Sheridan's Letter to Mr. Morris, Agent to the Duke of Northumberland. SIR; Somerset-Place, Sunday Evening, The impudent libel posted about the town this day, accusing me of having uttered on the Hustings yesterday, the most foul and illiberal abuse of the Duke of Northumberland, and charging his Grace with having previously, by circular letters, done the same towards me, is really such a wretched expedient of despairing profligacy, that I can scarcely bring myself to condescend to notice it. There must have been, at least, a thousand auditors who heard every word I said yesterday on the Hustings, and who know that I did not then speak, as I never have in any other place, or any other occasion, spoken one disrespectful word of the Duke of Northumberland. I was happy to have it corroborated from you today, that the assertion of the Duke having sent round round such letters to the vestries as are described in this atrocious libel, or of his Grace's friends having for a moment thought of supporting Mr. Paull, was an audacious falsehood. I find your communication supported by the testimony of the respectable persons to whom you referred me, and whose averments, as far as time may allow, will, I understand, be published to-morrow; but really it is painful to be called on to answer such trash, of to approach to any degree of collision with the cowardly miscreants who deal in it. SIR; I am, Sir, &c. R. B. SHERIDAN. Spring-Garden Coffee-House, In answer to your communication, by Mr. Alexander Johnston, we beg leave to declare, that no kind of influence has been made use of, either directly, or indirectly, by the Duke of Northumberland, or any person in his name, in this parish, on the part of Mr. Paull; nor did we ever hear of any letter being sent to the vestry, as is mentioned in the bills posted about the streets last night: nor is it possible such a letter could have been received, without our knowledge. We have the honour to be, Sir, &c. Sir Samuel Hood's Committee. Right Hon. R. B. Sheridan. 5 Letter |