the present dearth of Candidates, look rather again to Corsham, to your old representative, who has given you proofs of his zeal in upholding your rights, and defending your pockets from the grasp of profusion. And if you can think that Mr. Benett's zealous endeavours for the welfare of his native county, as a magistrate and an agriculturist, give him any title to your favourable consideration out of Parliament, it will surely not be deemed too much to put his professions for a while to the test in the honourable, nay laborious and painful anxiety which he has displayed to serve you in it. And, recollect, that should be even fall short of your expectations in the high trust reposed in him, the staff of power will, in human probability, soon again revert to yourselves, at the death of our very aged and venerable Monarch. A WELL-WISHER TO THE COUNTY. To the Freeholders of the County of Wilts. I BELIEVE your feelings in general are so perfectly in harmony with my own on the subject of returning our members, that any further observations on the propriety, the absolute necessity of upholding the respectability and honour of the county, by electing Mr. Benett, would be a work of supererogation-yet, as that" honest" fellow the Clothier has laboured, with all the bombast of a village school-master, to mislead you, I beg leave to call your attention to his last precious production, which will prove that his labours are founded in malice and uncharitableness. After stating to you, by way of swelling his own importance, that he had sent off" large orders," which, by the bye, can be but little connected with the Wiltshire election, he palavers in an ungrammatical and almost unintelligible jargon about the respect in which he holds the magistrates of the county; and in his next paragraph he belies his assertion by grossly insulting them, accusing them of an attempt to barter the right of election and the independence of the county to secure themselves private advantage-" Oh, proh prudor!" Shame, where is thy blush? A pretty specimen this of the "honest" fellow's respect for them! I think old Dactyle then let out more than was consistent with his assumed character. The truth is, that Mr. Benett enjoys the friendship, and has the support of the great body of our magistrates and gentlemen-all men of high character, but amongst whom this "honest fellow," the Clothier, finds no footing--he feels mortified at a consciousness of his own insignificance, and he endeavours to vilify his betters and debase them to his own level-he, like a fretful pedagogue, would flog us all who think differently from himself; but, thank God, he is a toothless cur, who has nothing left him but the power to growl, and the will to bite. I should like to know what hand he has had in that "notorious" production, Mr. Pik's letter. The time draws near when the breast of every Wiltshire elector should beat high with honest independence. I believe there is not a man among us who, on sober reflection, would proclaim to the world his own disgrace, by admitting that in point of morals and talents, we rank so low that no native of Wiltshire can be found fit to represent us in Parliament. It would be a waste of time to reply to this writer's rhapsody about Cornish boroughs, but it may be some consolation to him to recollect that Mr. Wellesley has represented a Cornish borough, and his senatorial services may be again obtained through the same honourable channel, should they be required, or his vanity determine him to have a seat in the House of Commons. Trowbridge, June 18, 1818. A SCRIBBLER. Independence.-Extraordinary Red Book. THE undermentioned gentlemen, relatives of W. L. Wellesley, Esq. one of the present Candidates for Wiltshire, receive the following sums annually from the pockets of the people, according to the Extraordinary Red Book, published in 1815: Mr. Wellesley Pole (father of Mr. Long Wellesley, as Master Marquis of Wellesley (his uncle), as Chief Remembrancer in Sir H. Wellesley (another uncle) Ambassador at Madrid 10,603 0 6,500 0 Lord Burghersh (who married Priscilla) a Minister Plenipoten- 1,500 0 Lord Fitzroy Somerset (who married Emily Harriet) Secretary Gerrard Valerian Wellesley (another uncle) Chaplain to the 536 10 £33,690 10 Brother freeholders-judge for yourselves, who is most likely to prove himself an independent member of Parliament, Mr. Long Wellesley, of Wanstead House, in Essex, or John Benett, Esq. of Pythouse, within your own county? CALCULATOR. N. B. I have not noticed any sum received by the immortal Duke of Wellington, because no pecuniary reward can sufficiently testify our gratitude to him for his eminent ser vices. To the Freeholders of Wiltshire. It was to be expected, that whilst Mr. Benett's glorious victory at Devizes, on Thursday last, would screw up to the highest pitch of joy and exultation the hopes of his friends, it would, on the other hand, strike pale more than one glowing countenance, which had beamed with malicious anticipation. Hence every hope of ultimate success on the part of one of our opponents having vanished, a system of intimidation has been resorted to (as a forlorn hope) for the purpose of endeavouring to deter the friends of Mr. Benett from exercising their free and unbiassed suffrages. Foolish and mistaken men!-how ignorant of the pith and marrow of a real Wiltshireman! Let Wednesday next teach them how we will conquer. "He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, "But they'll remember, with advantages, "What feats they did that day; then shall our names Should sentiments such as these animate my brother Wiltshiremen (and he who doubts must sin), let us rally around our country's friend, unawed by threats, and not intimidated by terror. Let us join, and numerously attend the poll, and not in the smallest degree relax in our efforts, until our triumph be complete. "Now on, you noble Wiltshiremen, "Whose blood is fetched from fathers of good proof- "That those whom you called fathers did beget you. "Be copy now to men of grosser blood, "And teach them how to vote. And you, good yeomen, "Whose limbs were made in Wiltshire, shew us here "The metal of your pasture; let us swear "That you are worth your breeding, which I doubt not; "That hath not noble lustre in your eyes: "I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, "Cry, "Benett for ever," England and St. George. A WILTSHIREMAN. Corn Bill-Waterloo! THE 18th of June instant was certainly the glorious anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo! But remember, it is no less extraordinary than true, that Willjam Long Wellesley, Esq. although nephew of the Duke of Wellington, forsook his uncle at the beginning of his glorious career-came home -married a rich heiress (prudently, perhaps, for himself, thinking that glory should yield to love)-got into Parliament for the notorious borough of St. Ives-voted for the Corn Bill also for the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act!also for the indemnity of his Majesty's Ministers (his father being one)!—also for the grant of large sums of money, whereby taxes were increased!-also for the keeping up a large Standing Army in time of profound peace, at an enormous expense!-and only upon one occasion voted for economy, namely, for the abolition of the Property Tax !whereby, however, recollect, he himself saved four or five thousand pounds a year!—and now dares to stand for this independent county, and disturbs its peace and quiet without the least chance of success! CORN BILL. Be it Known, and let it not be Forgotten, that One of the present Candidates for the representation of the county, For the passing of the CORN BILL, Being then a Member of the House of Commons. CORN BILL. Be it Known, and let it not be Forgotten, that Would never have been thought of but for BY WHOSE HARD SWEARING Parliament was deceived into the Measure. To the Printers of the Salisbury and Winchester Journal. GENTLEMEN,-In a hand-bill circulated this evening, and signed W. Long Wellesley, it is stated, "I protest most solemnly against the unconstitutional proceeding of permitting the assemblage, in military order, of troops of yeomanry cavalry (though not in uniform), armed with heavy sticks." As a member (however humble) of the corps above alluded to, I cannot suffer such a libel to pass uncontradicted; and I most solemnly assert that the friends of Mr. Benett who were on horseback at Devizes, did not assemble in military order, were not principally composed of members of the regiment, though no doubt amongst the freeholders, there assembled, in the interest of Mr. Benett; many of them may have belonged to different troops; nor were they armed with heavy sticks while in the market-place and during the nomination. But, on quitting the town, some of Mr. Benett's friends were compelled to arm themselves with sticks, not for purposes of offence, but to guard themselves from the attacks of a desperate mob (unauthorised no doubt) wearing the colours of Mr. Wellesley. I am perfectly aware that many other parts of this handbill are worthy of comment, but that I leave to abler hands than mine; nor would I have now intruded myself on the public, but from a sense of the duty which I owe to the regiment thus stigmatized. I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant, Salisbury, June 29, 1818. J. PENISTON. To the Freeholders of the County of Wilts. GENTLEMEN, I beg most heartily to congratulate you on the numerous assemblage of gentlemen who appeared at Devizes on Thursday last, for the purpose of supporting the nomination of Mr. Benett.-The fact of so large a body of respectable freeholders assembling in his favour at so very short a notice, is, in my opinion, decisive as to the question of his election; and, from the observations I have made, I am equally decided in my opinion, that the ground which Mr. Benett has lately gained in the good-will of the county at large, is in no inconsiderable degree attributable to the extreme malignity which has marked the character of the opposition made to him; for generous minds will always spurn at such unparalleled arts as have been resorted to, to calumniate him in the present contest. What can be more horrid than the charge of atheism insinuated by the "indescribable" Titus Trueman? What can be more base than the wilful misrepresentation of Mr. Benett's evidence in the House of Peers? I am ready to allow, and I do it with great pleasure, that I think Mr. Wellesley incapable of countenancing the base arts which I have alluded to. He is a gay, dashing, fashionable man, who, I understand, has always moved in the higher ranks of life, and who, I dare say, when huzzaed after by boys and rabble, marvels much how it is that he has acquired such popularity amongst them. |