"The Reformers are united: the disadvantages, therefore, under which they commenced their last struggle, no longer exist. I flatter myself, indeed, that I shall receive the support of every friend of freedom, whatever may be his political creed, as to the best mode of redressing our grievances. With the accomplishment of your first wish, a cordial union among yourselves, the victory is more than half achieved. Nothing can impede the exertions of all the truly independent Electors. They will know their real adherents, and so far from dreading concealed enemies, they will feel they have many well wishers amongst the unwilling ranks of their opponents. United, the issue of their contest cannot be doubtful. Their duty is easy. They will tell their brother Electors, to be true to those principles of Reform, which are derided and decried by the heartless slaves of power, but which the triumphant practice of Westminster has shewn to be not only safe but salutary.

"Electors of Westminster!-You will not leave incomplete the exertions and the success of your last struggle-You will not disfranchise one half of your great City, nor convert the suffrages of freemen into the instruments of despotism.

"As to myself, Gentlemen, you may be assured that I shall be found at the post which your preference has permitted me to occupy. It might, I am well aware, be much better filled; but I shelter myself behind your selection, and the dignity of the cause may add some importance to the advocate.

"I trust, that, previous to the contest, opportunities will be devised, by which I may increase the acquaintance I have had the happiness to form with a large body of the Electors.

"I will never retreat whilst you shall encourage me to proceed: and should I be returned to Parliament by the unbought votes of the Electors of Westminster, I will contribute all the means in my power towards the accomplishment of the purposes for which I conceive the trust will be placed in my hands.

"I am, Gentlemen, your faithful servant,

"JOHN HOBHOUSE.'

The Committee appointed, at the public meeting of the Electors on the 17th, by this time amounted to nearly 350; and this Committee, as usual, appointed a Managing Committee consisting of five persons, to whom the executive part was confided.

On Friday, November 27, the Committee received from Sir Francis Burdett the following letter:

Kirby Park, Nov. 26, 1818. "Dear Sir, I beg leave to transmit a draft for 1000l. for the expenses of Mr. Hobhouse's Election, and to state to the Com

mittee my readiness to attend them in any way they may think useful, for securing the Independence of Westminster.

"I remain, Dear Sir, yours very sincerely,
"FRANCIS BURDETT.

This communication was immediately published and distributed in the different parishes. The Electors recognized the usual munificence of their representative, and were still further encouraged by seeing that Sir Francis Burdett had resolved to lend his powerful personal aid in the threatened contest with Sir Murray Maxwell.

In pursuance of the resolution of the Committee, and of the wishes of Mr. Hobhouse, public meetings were called in the several parishes, for the purpose of bringing the candidate acquainted with the Electors; and of conforming, in every respect, to the truly popular spirit which had prevailed in conducting all the Westminster elections since the triumph of Reform in Westminster, in 1807. The first meeting held was at the Gun Tavern, Pimlico, where a very numerous and respectable portion of the Electors of the out ward of St. George's Parish assembled, and appointed a committee to promote the nomination.-This was on Thursday, November 26. On the following day, the Electors of the Parish of St. James met for the same purpose at the Brewer-street assembly rooms. A similar meeting was convened on Monday, November 30, in the Parish of St. Anne; and on the following day in the Parish of St. Paul, Covent Garden. The meeting of the Parish of Clement Danes took place on December the 7th, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand; and the Parishioners of St. Martin's asembled at the Fives Court in St. Martin's-street, on the following day. The Parish of St. George met the next day. On the 14th the Electors of the united Parishes of St. Margaret and St. John assembled. A second meeting took place in Pimlico, on Monday, December 21; and a second meeting of the Parish of St. James, on the 4th of January. Mr. Hobhouse was present, and addressed the Electors at each of these meetings.

The Resolutions passed at each of these meetings were in unison with those of the Crown and Anchor, as may be seen by those passed by the united Parishioners of St. Clement Danes and St. Mary le Strand, in the following terms :

"At a Public Meeting of the Inhabitants of these Parishes, Friends of PARLIAMENTARY REFORM, held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, on Monday, December 7, 1818,

MR. THOMAS PROUT IN THE CHAIR,

"It was resolved unanimously,

"I. That, including the memorable year 1807, when the Inde

pendence of Westminster was first asserted and triumphantly vindicated, the Electors of this City have, on four occasions, in returning Representatives to Parliament, by their free and unbiassed Votes, set a great and glorious example to their Fellow Countrymen and to the whole world; by which they have practically refuted the calumnies of those who deny the ability of the people to manage their own affairs; and by which they have also proved, that, even under the present system of corruption and terrorism, Purity of Election is compatible only with extensive suffrage.

"II. That, suffering in common with those of our countrymen, who are entirely unrepresented-beneath an enormous and intolerable burthen of Taxation, which has been imposed for the support of despotism abroad, and prevention of Reform at home, this Meeting is convinced that it is particularly incumbent upon the Electors of Westminster, at the present period, to manifest their unaltered sense of the necessity of a Radical Reform of Parliament, by again returning as their Representative, one who is competent and willing to exert himself to the utmost for the attainment of that allimportant object.

"III. That this Meeting, therefore, most cordially concurs in the Resolutions passed at the General Meeting of Electors on the 17th November last: That it is the imperative duty of the Electors, of Westminster to return to Parliament, a man of known integrity, that he may there, by the side of our present excellent Representative, support the just claims of the people to Parliaments of a short duration, and to a Full, Free, and Equal Share in the choice of Representatives;" and "that John Hobhouse, Esq. from his known talents and character, is a fit and proper person to Represent the City of Westminster in Parliament;" and that it will use every fair, honest, open and legal means to insure his return.

"IV. That this Meeting thoroughly detests the mean arts, resorted to at the last Election by the supporters of Sir Murray Maxwell, and thus distinctly expresses its abhorrence of their base practices in the employment of influence, threats, bribery, and perjury, and will, on all future occasions, use its utmost endeavours to expose and punish their iniquitous attempts to pervert the Elective Franchise of the Inhabitants of this great City, into a mere instrument of upholding an extravagant, corrupt, and oppressive system of misgovernment.

"V. That a Committee be now appointed for these Parishes to carry the above Resolutions into effect, with power to add to their number.

"VI. That subscriptions be entered into to defray the expenses of this Election, and books be now opened for that purpose."

In addition to these meetings public dinners were likewise given to Mr. Hobhouse by the Electors of the several parishes. At that to which he and Sir Francis Burdett were invited by the three parishes of St. George, St. Anne's, and St. James, 250 Electors dined together at the great room at the Crown and Anchor Tavern. Thus, no means were omitted by which the Electors might have an opportunity of becoming acquainted with their candidate, and of forming a judgment, as to the propriety of supporting the nomination of the 17th of November.

The effects of this activity on the part of the Reformers were seen in the conduct of the Whig and Tory parties.

Mr. Wishart did not persevere in the nomination of Lord John Russell, and in the Independent Whig of Sunday, November 29, it was announced from authority, that that Nobleman did not intend to come forward. The Whigs, however, seemed to wish for an occasion of quarrelling with the nomination. On Thursday, November 26, appeared in the Chronicle, a letter addressed to Mr. Hobhouse, which sufficiently spoke their feelings.

"TO JOHN HOBHOUSE, ESQ.

London, Nov, 23. "Sir-I have read your Address to the Electors of Westminster of the 18th instant, and feel great satisfaction in learning that the Reformers are united; and that this miraculous union takes place for the purpose of supporting your pretensions, as they are termed, to succeed Sir Samuel Romilly as Representative of that City. As I wish to deal plainly with you, I request to be informed what you mean by the phrase, "The Reformers are united?" Is it because Major Cartwright and Mr. Hunt cease to be Candidates? or am I to consider you to be the organ of that respectable and numerous body of men who are friends to the Constitution; and, though solicitous and eager for the Reform of the House of Commons, are so, because they look upon such Reform as their best security for a good and national Government?

"It is essential to your success, that the people of Westminster should know your real opinions. The Whigs are accused by their enemies of resorting to general terms upon the question of Reform; as I suppose you are no Whig, you will not fall into their errors. I call upon you then to declare, openly and explicitly, in a public address, whether you are or are not friendly to the doctrine of Annual Parliaments and Universal Suffrage? Will you, or will you not, vote for that proposition, when Sir Francis Burdett ventures once more to make that motion in the House of Commons? Is that the Radical Reform which Mr. Kinnaird states you are pledged to effect, and, to further which, he is kind enough to subscribe 100/.? As an Elector of Westminster, I call upon you to say yes

or no to these questions. Do not come among us, wearing false colours. Do not be ashamed of the crown of martyrdom. Let the Electors who have free votes to give, know the real sentiments of the volunteer candidate. Cease to deal in general terms; declare your creed; and when you have done your duty, in scorning dis guises, and tearing off your mask, the Electors of Westminster will do theirs, and the sooner the poll commences, the better.

"AN ELECTOR OF WESTMINSTER."

To this letter, Mr. Hobhouse made no reply. Indeed none was necessary; for that gentleman's opinions as to Reform, were to be found in his conformity with the resolution of the Electors at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, on November 17, which had selected him as a fit person to advocate the JUST CLAIMS OF THE PEOPLE TO PARLIAMENTS OF A SHORT DURATION, AND TO A FULL, FREE, AND EQUAL SHARE IN THE CHOICE OF REPRESEN TATIVES.

The Morning Chronicle for some time afterwards confined itself to taking no notice whatever of the nomination of Mr. Hobhouse. Such of the opposition who were thought not immediately connected with the Whigs, were applied to by the Committee, for assistance; but a civil refusal of co-operation was the general reply. This was the case with respect to Sir Robert Wilson, whose answer was such as to induce the Committee to come to a resolution," to hold no farther communication with that gentleman." Sir Robert having been introduced to the Borough chiefly through Sir F. Burdett and the Westminster Reformers, his neutrality was a decided evidence of the general feeling of the Whigs, with whom he had lately associated, and a candidate from that party was daily expected. In effect, in the Morning Chronicle of Thursday, Decem10, appeared a paragraph, stating: that "for two days there had been a rumour, that a candidate would be started on those principles of rational Reform, which had recommended Sir Samuel Romilly to the Electors." It soon appeared, that the Whigs had some intention of starting young Mr. Samuel Whitbread; and the Honorable Henry Grey Bennet was exceedingly active in taking measures preparatory to the nomination of this gentleman. But, after a meeting or two had been held for this purpose, the intention was dropped, and the Chronicle relapsed into its former silence, so that though the present attack was dropped, it was quite clear that the Whigs resolved to keep the ground open for themselves, and not be committed to any public acquiescence in the nomination of Mr. Hobhouse.

The same silence was observed in all the proceedings of the party at the various Fox Club dinners held at that period, to celebrate the

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