Phillips, John, Esq., Mere Rogers, Mr. John, Tisbury Tylee, John, Esq., Devizes Yetbury, J. W. Esq., Belcomb Brook, Young, John, Esq., Chirton To the Printers of the Salisbury and Winchester GENTLEMEN, Journal. WHEN Mr. Benett first offered himself as a Candidate to represent this county, some peculiar circumstances induced me to inform him of the injurious reports concerning his religious principles. To which I received a very satisfactory reply, both as to his own faith and his liberality towards that of others. The following words are part of Mr. Benett's answer :"I believe in God and in his revealed Will, and endeavour to make that will the rule of my faith and practice." "As a Protestant Christian in a Protestant Country I will ever uphold the Rights of Conscience and religious Liberty to all." The present malicious propagation of those reports calls for this justice from me. Devizes, June 13, 1818. C. LUCAS. To the Freeholders of the County of Wilts. GENTLEMEN, I WAS last week induced to present to you my view of the pretensions of the Candidates for the county, solely by its appearing to me that one of them (Mr. Benett) had been most unfairly treated by a host of public writers, whose pens must surely have been hired, as the Candidate whom they recommended could not have been known to them, even personally, before the commencement of the present contest; and these prudent scribblers had carefully abstained from all discussion upon his public character and upon his merits as a represen tative for this county,-points which in fact were all we had to consider. They only way I can account for our total ignorance of how Mr. Wellesley has voted in Parliament is, that the newspapers have not room for lists of those vast majorities which vote away the public money, and which but too often abridge the freedom of Englishmen. He may certainly possess those virtues which adorn and endear a man in private life; his partisans on the present occasion say he does, and I am willing to concede that point to them; but it still remains to be proved that in the House of Commons Mr. Wellesley is not one of those numerous dumb puppets, whose motions are under the control of a member emphatically called the Manager. If Mr. W. be one of those unworthy members, he cannot surely now have the excuse of poverty to plead, an excuse which it appears he himself deems sufficient, but which I certainly do not*. Although, gentlemen, I deem it highly improper in any public writer to descant upon the private character of our Candidates, I have yet thought it my duty to make inquiries into that of Mr. Wellesley, (being previously acquainted with those of Mr. Methuen and Mr. Benett;) and I have now great pleasure in saying, that I am certain Mr. W. is incapable of countenancing the gross attacks that have been made upon the private character of Mr. Benett, more especially those published within the last few days by a person signing himself Titus Trueman, who has the audacity now to pretend, at the close of so long a contest, that he has discovered, shocking to say, that Mr. Benett is an atheist, and has not attended church since he was Sheriff of the county, being ten years ago. The falsehood of this atrocious libel (the author of which I am informed is well known in the city of Salisbury) could most easily be disproved by myself and hundreds of others; but, thank God, such disproof is totally unnecessary; it is only to mention such a charge, and I am sure it will soon be scouted and spurned at by the generous freeholders of Wiltshire, who will the more readily rally round and support their well known friend and countryman. Indeed it is not to be doubted but that the infamous accusation will defeat its own object, and create friends for Mr. Benett where he had none before. That generous spirit, which ever incites Englishmen to take the part of those whom they suppose in a contest to be wronged and oppressed, and which spirit, to the honour of Englishmen, is their peculiar characteristic, *In his speech at the Marlborough dinner, Mr. W. expressed it as his opinion, that the circumstances of a poor man rendered it almost imperative in him to accept the favour and patronage of Ministers, i. e. to become their menial and parliamentary puppet. would, I doubt not, on the present occasion secure Mr. Benett's election, were not even his pretensions as a candidate far superior, as they unquestionably are, to those of his opponent Mr. Wellesley. I cannot for a moment entertain a doubt of Mr. Benett's election, when I see that some of the most respectable gentlemen of the county have announced their intention to bring voters for him to poll, free of expense, from the populous hundreds of Dunworth, Mere, Warminster, Heytesbury, Branch and Dole, and Chalk; from the parish of Westbury, and its environs; from the town of Devizes and its vicinity; from the district of Downton, from Chilton, &c. &c. June 13, 1818. WILTSHIRE ELECTION. A. B. Nomination at Devizes, on the 18th of JUNE instant, It is no less extraordinary than gratifying that the Day on which the illustrious DUKE OF WELLINGTON Obtained his most splendid Titles should be commemorated in this great and independent County by the NOMINATION OF HIS NEPHEW WILLIAM LONG WELLESLEY, Esq. To be one of our Representatives in Parliament. We cannot err in supporting the Man who has fought with that hero in the midst of some of those Battles which have saved our Country from Perdition. We surely shall do right in electing this near Relative of the Noble Duke to be our Representative, who now nobly steps forward to rescue our Country from Tyranny. Stick close to the Question:-Wellesley and Independence! Hereafter for your Children's Children, or the disgraceful Slavery of Clubs and Quorum. Let us then rally around him on the Day of Nomination, when it is earnestly hoped that the Friends of Mr. Long Wellesley will convince the World of their Loyalty and Independence by appearing in his Favour. 1o the Freeholders of the County of Wilts. IN THE COUNTY COURT. FISHER V. BENETT. "And the dirt came out."-Judges, ch. 3, v. 22. GENTLEMEN, In a few days you will be called to witness something new indeed in "the Chronicles of Wiltshire;" you will be called to witness a scene, which most of you have never beheld, and which but few of you remember. The era which has dawned upon your county, is fast approaching its meridian; increasing in interest as it advances, acquiring additional lustre as it proceeds. The day star of freedom has arisen upon you, giand, gradual, but irresistible in its approach hail its appearance, cherish its influence, nor let the vapours of malignant dispositions, nor the clouds of tumult interrupt its rays, or obscure its brilliance. Let no man's person become the object of insult from his attachments-let his house be sacred as your fire side. Go to the contest like freemen, exert your every nerve to acquire, to secure it; but remember that the struggle is with men, therefore act rationally; it is with brethren-contend without animosity. Do not let the glorious achievement be sullied by the way in which it is accomplished or recorded, otherwise what you hail as a blessing, will be justly regarded hereafter as a curse. I cannot help saying that I never took up my pen, with such feelings of exultation as I do at present.-Your kind and candid approval of those observations I have from time to time addressed to you, your expression of that approval, have, as you might naturally suppose, excited the envy of some, and the malevolence of others. While hosts of persons, who like myself find writing an amusement, and the communication of truth a pleasure, are passed by, Titus Trueman is selected as the only obstacle to the completion of the wishes of your enemies, aware that could they but silence him, their point is gained, their object is effected; they are too wise to spend their time and labour, on those of whom they do not stand in fear; with what success they have done it, you, gentlemen, shall be the judges. You will think it no doubt very strange on perusing some of the papers in the Salisbury Journal of Sunday, (and you have a most abundant choice) to see how much the minds of men are changed with regard to Mr. Wellesley. The other day nothing but infamy attended his name, and folly his pretensions! Now they have become so tremblingly alive to his renown, so alarmed about his welfare, so anxious for his success, that they are really afraid he will sustain an injury, should Titus Trueman continue to write, or you, gentlemen, to believe. But were this even the case, what has Mr. Wellesley to do with it? How is he to prevent me from writing? I know nothing of him but what I bave heard, and I owe him no favour. I defy the world to prove the contrary. He never sent to me, wrote to me, or spoke to me in his life; and I know my strength too well to become the How do you do of any agent. I write for my own amusement, and for your information; I am no hireling, I never come with the whining cant," I won't see my poor gentleman run down," in order that I may run a bill up,-I despise the motive, and laugh at the attempt. What would they give, would Mr. Wellesley only say that he hires Titus Trueman to write? What would they give would he himself say so! How they would chuckle! There would be no passing the Canal! And yet, gentlemen, were this really the case, is it any more than they do themselves? Have they the exclusive privilege of exercising talent; is no other person to wield the pen but them? Must no man reason, or reflect but them?-Certainly not! this is the state of vassalage in which you have been kept, and they grieve that it is not universal. Were the gallant uncle of the man whose cause I take delight in pleading, at the head of his troops to attempt the conquest of my propensity to writing he would fail. From some of the communications in the papers, it would appear that other "propensities" stimulate some people, much more inimical to the character, the peace, and the happiness of society than mine. I do not disturb them in their pursuits, why should they interrupt me in mine? To prevent me is impossible; to answer me is not in their power. From the first address I made to you to the present, I stand unconvicted of uttering one falsehood, or of misrepresenting one fact. This, and this alone, has rendered me a formidable opponent; this, and this alone, will secure my triumph. Were I to cease to write, their lies would remain unanswered, their calumnies go unpunished, their fears of exposure would be at an end. Veritas, jun. the Clothier, Candidus, all but the Native may write 'till they're tired, and then go to (I won't say where, it may hurt Mr. Lucas's, Mr. Benett's religious propensities") for what they care! Only get Titus manacled, that's the job, secure him, tie him down, then sing “O be joyful." Gentlemen, when an animal cannot be got near enough to knock him down, we then try to run him down. This is the way they are trying to do with me, at present. Don't you laugh at them? I'll make you laugh by and bye; I have a treat in store for you. Don't you remember the Wiltshire Freeholder," whom I drove out of the field ten weeks ago? He is come back again, he's changed his name, he has assumed that of "Veteran!" Aha! what a bold "fellow !" capers and jumps for half an hour, brandishing his edgeless weapon in defiance of Titus, and then most marvellously courageous, retires at quick time, declaring that he'll never renew the engagement. But, gentlemen, I'll contrive to make him do that, I'll bring him back to your view; or should conscience prevent him, I'll make him ashamed of his own. He Gentlemen, I felt it my duty in the course of our correspondence to allude frequently, to animadvert severely on the con |
