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arguments were in vain. The Court Lords called for the Question! the Question! and put a negative upon it.

The session ended on the 19th of May.

more equal Representation, by additional Knights of the Shire, seems highly seasonably; and to shorten the duration of Parliament not less so. If your Lordship should approve, could Lord Lyttleton's caution be brought to taste those ideas, we should take possession of strong ground, let who will decline to follow us. One line of men, I am assured, will zealously support, and a respectable weight of law. Si quid novisti rectius istis candidus imperti." Signed by order of the Court.

RIX.

There is another anecdote of Lord Chatham upon this subject which deserves a place here. It is given by the Earl of Buchan, in his character of Thomson, the poet.

"The highest encomium of Thomson is to be given him on account of his attachment to the cause of civil and political liberty. A free Constitution of Government, or what I would beg leave to call the autocracy of the people, is the panacea of moral diseases; and after having been sought for in vain for ages, has been discovered in the bosom of truth, and at the feet of philosophy: the printingpress has been the dispensary, and half the world have been voluntary patients of the healing remedy.

"Eighteen years after Thomson's death, the late Lord Chatham agreed with me in making this remark; and when I said, " But, Sir, what will become of poor England, that doats on the imperfections of her pretended Constitution?' he replied, My dear Lord, the

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Lord Chatham retired into Somersetshire during the summer*.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Thanks of the City of London to Lord Chatham, and his Lordship's Answer-His Speech on the Seizure of Falkland's Islands-Secret and interesting History of that memorable NegotiationResignation of Lord Hawke-Explanatory Note -Double Cabinet.

LORD Chatham's Parliamentary conduct during the last session of Parliament was highly approved by the nation. The testimony of the approbation of the City of London, at this time deserves to be particularly noticed. It was as follows.

On the first day of June, a Committee of the

gout will dispose of me soon enough to prevent me from feeling the consequences of this infatuation. But before the end of this century either the Parliament will reform itself from within, or be reformed with a vengeance from without.'-" Pythonick speech, speedily to be verified.”

* In the month of June the Princess of Wales went to Germany, and returned in October following. At Canterbury, and other places, she met with many insults from the people.

Corporation of the City of London waited on his Lordship in Pall-Mall, when Sir William Stephenson, in the name of the Committee, addressed his Lordship to this effect:

MY LORD,

“We have the pleasing satisfaction to deliver to your Lordship the grateful thanks of the citizens of London, for your Lordship's most eminent public services; and we sincerely congratulate your Lordship on being equally distinguished in the direction of a glorious war, and in your endeavours to restore the principles of our most excellent constitution."

And then he presented the thanks of the Corporation, which are as follow:

BECKFORD, MAYOR.

A Common Council, holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London, on Monday, the 14th of May, 1770.

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A motion was made, and question put, That the grateful thanks of this Court be presented to the Right Hon. William Earl of Chatham, for the zeal he has shewn in support of those most valuable and sacred privileges, the right of election, and ·

the right of petition; and for his wishes and declaration, that his endeavours shall hereafter be used, that Parliaments may be restored to their original purity, by shortening their duration, and introducing a more full and equal representation; an act which will render his name more honoured by posterity, than the memorable successes of the glorious war he conducted.' The same was resolved in the affirmative, and ordered accordingly.

It is ordered, That the said resolution be fairly transcribed, and signed by the Town Clerk, and presented to his Lordship by Sir William Stephenson, Knt. Barlow Trecothick, Brass Crosby, Esqrs. Aldermen, and James Townsend, Esq. Alderman, and one of the Sheriffs of this City; George Bellas, Esq. Mr. Deputy Thomas Cocksedge, Mr. Deputy William Judd, Samuel Freeman, Esq. Mr. Arthur Beardmore, Mr. James Sharp, Mr. Deputy Richard Townsend, and Mr. John Anderson, Com

moners.

HODGES.

To which his Lordship was pleased immediately to reply:

"GENTLEMEN

"It is not easy for me to give expression to all I feel, on the extraordinary honour done to my

public conduct by the City of London; a body so highly respectable on every account; but above all, for their constant assertions of the birth-rights of Englishmen, in every great crisis of the Constitution.

"In our present unhappy situation, my duty shall be on all proper occasions, to add the zealous endeavours of an individual to those legal exertions of Constitutional rights which, to their everlasting honour, the City of London has made in defence of freedom of election, and freedom of petition, and for obtaining effectual reparation to the electors of Great Britain.

"As to one point among the declarations which I am understood to have made, of my wishes for the public, permit me to say there has been some misapprehension; for with all my deference to the sentiments of the City, I am bound to declare, that I cannot recommend triennial Parliaments as a remedy against that canker in the Constitution, venality in elections; ready to submit my opinion to better judgment, if the wish for that measure shall become prevalent in the kingdom.

"Purity of Parliament is the corner-stone in the common-wealth; and as one obvious means

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