proof of a difpofition to confult the

bruary 2, 1784.

At a meeting of the gentlemen, members of the houfe of commons, who affembled from time to time, with a view to conciliate differences,

and to forward an union of the con

tending parties in parliament, the following letters were read:

Feb. 1, 1784, Berkeley-fquare.

Mr. Pitt being fincerely defirous that there fhould not continue any obstacle in the way of fuch an intercourse as has been wished for, regrets that it is not in his power to fuggeft expedients to remove the difficulty felt by the duke of Portland. He does not understand precifely what is the middle way which his grace feems to allude to the events in the two years to which his grace refers, appear to Mr. Pitt to have been only modes of refignation; and fuch a measure, in order to enter into a negotiation, is what the prefent miniftry, as has been already declared, cannot agree to; whenever any expedient is directly ftated, Mr. Pitt will be happy to give every explanation upon it."

as it ftands pledged by the refolution of the 16th of January. This lait is a preliminary, which, as a friend to the fpirit of the conftitu. tion, I muft think myfelf bound invariably to require.

With respect to myfelf, I am willing to hope that I have not been mittaken in the conception I formed of your wishes, by fuppofing that it was with Mr. Pitt that you

were

ere defirous I fhould have a liberal and unreferved intercourse, and not with the head of an adminiftration, to which I was merely_to bring an acceffion of strength. But Mr. Pitt's meilage places him in another character; and your own good fenfe will readily fuggeft to you, that it was impoilible for me to fuppofe that your expectations extended to a confidental conference with him as the reprefenta tive of the prefent adminitiration.

If I had done this, I must have fallen in your eflcem, (which, I azure you, is a very ferious obje& to me) as I fhould have thewn myfelf infenfible of wat is due to the houfe of commons.

I have unrefervedly fubmitted to you my ideas of the extent of your expectations. In conformity with thofe expectations (vir. Pitt having uniformly declined to fuggeft any expedient on his part) I took the liberty of fuggefting an expedicnt, which I thought might put us into a fituation, in which the intercourfe you withed might take place with propriety.

I thould be happy to find that my propofitions have met with your approbation; but in every point I hope that my anxiety to merit the

partiality

partiality you have fhewn me, will entitle me to its continuance.

I have the honour to be,
With great regard and esteem,
Sir,

Your most faithful, and
Obedient fervant,

(Signed)

T. Grosvenor, efq.

PORTLAND."

day.

St. Alban's Tavern. At the meeting of the gentlemen, members of the house of commons, held at the St. Alban's Tavern this day, the following refolution was unanimously come to.

"That whatever may be the iffue of the prefent content between the two parties in the house of commons, we will steadily perfevere in our endeavours to effect the object of this meeting, which has been unanimously approved and adopted by the house of commons, namely, the procuring a firm, efficient, extended, united administration, entitled to the confidence of the people, and fuch as may have a tendency to remove the unfortunate divifions and diftractions of this country.

Adjourned to Monday, twelve o'clock.

Feb. 4, 1784.

Monday, Feb. 9. At twelve o'clock there was another meeting of the independent members of the house of commons, at the St. Alban's Tavern; Mr. Grofvenor, member for the city of Chefter, in the chair. The gentlemen of the committee, after the minutes of the feveral former meetings were read, made report of another conference held with Mr. Pitt on the fubject of an union of parties; but as the duke of

of forwarding fuch an union as feems to be abfolutely neceffary at this particular juncture, and to recommend it in their places in parliament. As the house of commons met at two o'clock, they broke up foon, and went down to Weftminster to attend parliamentary bufinefs. There were about fifty members prefent, including the chairman, and gentlemen of the committee.

St. Alban's Tavern, February 13, 1784.

At a meeting of members of the houfe of commons, defirous of promoting an union of parties, the hon. Charles Marthan, in the chair, (in the abfence of T. Grosvenor, efq. confined by illness) the following refolutions were unanimoufly agreed to:

1. To represent to the right hon. William Pitt, and to the right hon. Charles James Fox the fatisfaction we have received from the manly, candid, and explicit avowal they have respectively made of their public views; and to intimate to them, that in confequence of this mutual explanation, we entertain a moft affured hope, that fuch an adminiftration as the house of commons has unanimously declared to be requifite, may be obtained by an union confiftent with principle and honour.

2. That

2. That the thanks of this meeting be given to the right hon. Frederic lord North, for the public and voluntary declaration he has made of his fincere and earnest defire to promote, as far as depends on him, a cordial and permanent union. C. MARSHAM, chairman.

Feb. 18.

It is with no fmall degree of confidence that we affure the public of his majefty's difpofition to comply with the wishes of the house of commons, in bringing about an union of parties: to this end, on Sunday laft, his majefty fent for his grace of Portland to meet Mr. Pitt, in the hope of fettling an adminiftration to the fatisfaction of the house of commons at least, if not to the nation at large. In anfwer to the meffage, his grace expreifed a readiness to attend his majefty at all times, but declined a meeting with Mr. Pitt. And thus the matter ftands at present.

March 1. There was another meeting of the country gentlemen at the St. Alban's tavern, when the honourable Charles Martham and Mr. Powys ftated to the company the circumftances of the negocia tion, which they had conducted for fome days paft, and which had unhappily concluded with as little fuccefs as the former endeavours of that body. They faid, that when the duke of Portland delivered his final aufwer, that he could not meet Mr. Pitt, until he had fhewn a dif pofition to comply with the withes of the houfe of commons either by an actual or virtual refignation; and Mr. Pitt had peremptorily declared, that he would do neither the one nor the other as a preliminary, to negociation; it was thought

that an expedient might be found to clear the ground, and bring them to an interview, without any conceflion of principle, but only a conceffion of mode. With this view it was, that a meffage was fent from his majefty to the duke of Portland, intimating, "his majefty's earnett defire, that his grace thould have a perfonal conference with Mr. Pitt, for the purpose of forming a new adminiftration on a wide batis, and on a fair and equal terms This meflage was confidered by the duke of Portland as a removal of the previous obftacle, fince, though it was not a declaration on the part of Mr. Pitt, it was tantamount to a virtual refignation. The preliminaries of the conference were next to be confidered; and here an objec tion prefented itfelf which called for the explanation of a term in the meffage. His grace could have no objection to the word fair-it was a general term, and he and Mr. Pitt might, in framing the arrangements, mutually difcufs what they confidered to be far; but the other term in the metfage, the word qual, was a more specific and limited term; it might be conftrued varioutly, and his grace thought it neceffary as a preliminary to negociation, that Mr. Pitt thould explain precifely what he meant by the word equa'. In an answer to this, Mr. Pitt faid, in a meffage, that there was no occafion, in his mind, of entering into an explanation of the term, as it could be best explained in a perfonal conference. The duke of Portland replied to the negociators, that it was impoffible for him to agree to any perfonal conference on a preliminary metfage, the terms of which the author refufed to explain

Mr.

Pitt perfevered in his refolution not to explain the word; and here the negotiation broke off. On this ftatement of the cafe, Mr. Marfham and Mr. Powys delivered their fentiments; and a refolution was prepared and adopted by the meeting to following effect:

"This meeting having heard, with infinite concern, that an interview between the duke of Portland and Mr. Pitt is prevented by a doubt refpecting a fingle word, are unanimously of opinion, that it would be no dishonourable ftep in either of the gentlemen to give way, and might be highly advantageous to the public welfare."

Remarkable Addrefes from particular Perfons to their respective Elec tors, on declaring themselves Candidates at the late General Election.

Addreffes of the Right Honourable Charles James Fox, to the City of Westminster.

To the Worthy and Independent Electors of the City and Liberty of Westminster.

Gentlemen,

His majefty's minifters having thought fit, in contradiction to their own declarations, in defiance of the fenfe of the houfe of commons, and without any public pretence whatever, to fubject the nation to all the inconveniencies which muft infallibly attend a diffolution of Parliament at the prefent moment, I humbly beg leave, once more, to folicit the favour of your votes and intereft, to reprefent this great and refpectable city.

To fecure to the people of this country the weight which belongs to them in the fcale of the conflitu tion, has ever been the principle of my political conduct.

Confcious that in every fituation, (whether in or out of office) I have invariably adhered to this fyftem, I cannot but flatter myself that you will again give your fanction to thofe principles which firft recommended me to your notice, and which induced you, at two fubfequent periods, to honour me with your fuffrages.

I have the honour to be,
Gentlemen,
Your most devoted and grateful
Humble fervant,

St James's-itreet,
March 24.

C. J. Fox.

To the Worthy and Independent Electors of the City and Liberty of Westminster.

Gentlemen,

When the popular delufion in favour of the prefent miniftry was fuppofed to be moft prevalent, I and fteadiness of the electors of was confident that the good fenfe Weftminster would be proof against every art and every temptation.

The unparalleled fuccefs which I have experienced upon my canvass, fully juftifies this confidence, and I have the greateft reason to expect that your partiality towards me will appear to have increafed in proportion to the perfecution of my enemies.

As I have ever flood forth, and am always refolved to continue firm in the caufe of the people, fo it is not to be wondered at that I fhould at all times be the object of the en

mity

mity of that pernicious faction whofe principles are as adverfe to the conttitation as the dark and fecret manner in which they have endeavoured to enforce them.

It would have been my moft earneft wish to have paid my respects in perfon to every individual elector, if the extent of the city had not made it impoffible.

The very flattering reception I bave met with among thofe whom I have had the opportunity of feeing, cannot but add to my regret upon this account.

My public conduct is too well known to you to make any profeffions neceffary; upon that ground I first experienced your partiality; upon that alone I can expect to retain it.

To you who have approved it, I need fay no more, and I will not be guilty of the unbecoming flattery to those who have differed from me, as to pretend that I fhall in any degree deviate from that line of political conduct which firft recom. mended me to your notice.

Upon thefe tried principles, I once more beg leave to folicit your votes, intereft, and poll, at the enfuing election; and I do affure you that no expreffions can do juftice to the fentiments of gratitude and efteem with which

I am, gentlemen,
Your moft obedient, and
Devoted fervant,

St. James's-ftreet,
March 31, 1784.

C. J. Fox.

St. James's-ftreet, April 26, 1784.

To the worthy and independent Electors of the City and Liberties of Westminster.

VOL. XXVII.

Gentlemen,

The prefent fiate of the poll exhibits a glorious example of what may be expected from the períeverance of independent men in the caufe of liberty and the conftitution.

I beg leave moft earnestly to folicit the continuance of your generous exertions in my favour.— The importance of every individual vote is now fufficiently evident; and the number of electors who have affured me that they would come forward whenever it fhould appear that their vote might probably be decifive, leaves me no doubt of fuccefs.

The unprecedented exertions which the fervants of the crown have thought themfelves at liberty to make against me, as well by an indecent proftitution of the most facred names, as by every other fpecies of unconftitutional influence, have produced the effects naturally to be expected from fuch proceedings, by raifing the spirit and awakening the indignation of every honeft and independent elector.

My public life is too well known to you to make any profeflions neceffary. Thofe principles which brought about the glorious revolution, which feated his majefty's illuftrious family upon the throne, and which have preferved the liberty of this conftitution, have ever been the inviolable rule of my political conduct.

Upon thefe grounds I again prefume to request your support; and if I fhould be happy enough to be reelected reprefentative of this great and refpectable city, you may depend upon finding in me a fteady fupporter of the whig caufe, a de[U

termined