they would be corrected by the maturity of years and experience. In this hope and expectation he was completely disappointed. So far from recovering from his first errors, he appeared advancing with accelerated velocity as he grew older. His laft Address was such as to forfeit for him any claim to the support of honourable men of any party. It seemed as if all hope of success had left him, and that his Address was merely the struggle of despair. There appeared now to be a system hoftile to every thing that was respectable in the conftitution or in the Country. Sir Francis had libelled "the best of Kings," and, as we would repeat, "the best of Patriots;" he could not view this conduct without horror, as it came from a man who profeffed himself to be a friend of Mr. Fox while he was living, but a posthumous libeller on his character when he was dead. It was now said, that Sir Francis disclaimed even what the law allowed; that he was to solicit no votes nor furnish carriages to the Electors. This was, indeed, a strange alteration in Sir Francis, who, in his former contests, employed, or at least was connected with those who employed, the most bominable system of corruption, bribery, and fraud hat was ever practised upon any Election. When his strange alteration was spoken of he would advise he independent Electors to take care that there was lot some artifice concealed under this simplicity. He thought that they should bring forth every energy that loyalty, love of their country, and respect for themselves and their children could inspire, in order to succeed triumphantly in this contest.

They

They should fhew, that in the present times there is no prevailing political principles but the Constitution; no party but the Country. He concluded by moving Resolutions expreffive of disapprobation of the principles of Sir Francis Burdett's Advertisement. (See the next page.)

Mr. REDHEAD YORKE expreffed a hope that a complete victory would now be obtained over those principles which Sir F. Burdett and his friends dared to avow-principles that had overturned the thrones of princes, and desolated the countries in which they had unfortunately been acted upon. In order to infure this triumph, it would not be sufficient barely to return Mr. Mellish to the Houfe of Commonsto eftablish him by a numeral majority. The Electors of this Royal County should exert themselves with activity and perseverance-the portals of the House of Commons should be thrown open, and the man of their unbiaffed choice borne into it in triumph. It had been said, that several of the old friends of Sir Francis would now abandon him. Whether that circumftance was true or false, the Independent Electors of Middlesex should act as if the fact were not certain. This was not a conteft merely personal: it was a conteft of principles, and upon the iffue of it would depend the extinction of those diffentions that had so long diftracted the County. At such a crifis as the present, when the last King, that maintained independence on the Continent, was finking under the arms of the ferocious despoiler of nations, when England was the only remaining bulwark for the liberty of the world, it was peculiarly

neceffary

neceffary that this Royal County fhould be represented by an honeft and independent man. Mr. Mellifh would prove that Representative for them, and it was their bufiness to enable him to place himself in that fituation in a triumphant manner.

The following Refolutions were then put and carried, viz. "Resolved unanimously, That in the opinion of this Meeting the Thanks of the County are due to G. B. Mainwaring, Esq. for having ftood forward at the laft Election for the County, in oppofition to Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. for the firmness with which he maintained so arduous a contest, and for the affiduity, ability, and patriotism with which he has suftained the character of a Member of Parliament. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to W. Mainwaring, Esq. for his long, unwearied and active public services, and for his uniform attention to the interefts of the County of Middlesex. That it is the opinion of this Meeting that William Mellish, Esq. is a fit and proper person to represent the County of Middlesex in Parliament.— That the original pretensions and uniform conduct of Sir F. Burdett, have been invariably offenfive to the majority of the Freeholders of this County; but that if the paft could have been forgiven, the sentiments contained in his laft Address to the Freeholders of Middlesex muft irritate the most tranquil mind; every honourable man, of every party; prove him to be disloyal to the beft of Kings, inimical to the true interefts and glory of the beft of countries, and totally unworthy to become our Representative in Parliament. That this Meeting will, therefore, ftrenuously

2 R

-strenuously oppose his Election to that fituation, and invite the immediate, active and unremitting affiftance of every man loyal to his King, devoted to the support of rational and conftitutional liberty, and detefting revolutionary principles, perjury, bribery and guilt. That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to Sir W. Gibbons, Bart. for his upright, able and impartial conduct in the Chair."

"WILLIAM GIBBONS, Chairman"

Mr. Mellish's First Address to the Freeholders of Middlesex.

Your late worthy Member, Mr. G. B. Mainwaring having withdrawn himself on the present occafion, I am emboldened to offer myself to your notice, as your Representative, in consequence of the very flattering affurances of support which I have this day received.-Having actively exerted myself during the last four years, in the vindication of your Rights and the preservation of your Independance, and having a lively feeling for the prosperity of the County of Middlesex, in which I have been a refident the whole of my life, I humbly fubmit my claim to your attention.-I know the futility of profeffions, I make none-I come forward to refift Him, of whose profeffions you know too muchinviolably attached to the beft of Kings, solicitous for the maintenance of the best of Conftitutions, I pledge myself to that line of conduct, which an ardent zeal for my Country's welfare cannot fail to inspire. I have sat in Parliament during the last

ten

ten years, the experience of my paft, must be the pledge of my future, conduct. And as I then acted, so shall I continue to act-honeftly and independently-with the additional impulse to exertion, which the representation of the first county in the kingdom affords, and with the fulleft determination to execute, with diligence and fidelity, the manifold. duties its interests require.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Bush-hill Park.

WM. MELLISH.

Resolutions passed at a Meeting of the Middlesex Freeholders' Club, held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Oct. 30, 1806.

At a numerous and most respectable Meeting of the Middlesex Freeholders Club, held this day in pursuance of the unanimous Resolution, passed at the last Meeting of the Annual Committee, for the purpose of taking into consideration the most efficacious plan to fupport the Independence of the County, Christopher Hull, Esq. in the Chair.

Resolved unanimously, That the manly, plain, and undisguised principles of Sir Francis Burdett are such as do honour to his virtuous and patriotic mind; and ought to endear him and all those representatives who may act and think with him, not only to every free and independent elector of Middlesex, but also to every subject in the united kingdoms.-That this Club do invite Sir F. Burdett to ftand forward again as the Champion of the Liberties of the Subject, and engage, at their individual expence, to attend on the first day of the Election at Brentford, to