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ing, been at Sir FRANCIS BUR-" people of Westminster from DEFT', that Mr. BROOKS had this Rump of a Committee. I come there, and that in my pre- am no house-holder in Westsence, Sir FRANCIS, had said "minster now, and I cannot stay that he thought there ought to be" in town after to-morrow; but a Meeting. You returned to" (turning to you), if Hunt will BROOKS upon this, who told you" go and take a house, if it be that he had been with Sir FRAN- only for a week, there shall be CIS afterwards, and that he would" a Meeting in spite of all the give no countenance to a Meeting." Rumps of Committees that ever Now, whether Mr. BROOKS made" existed." I pointed out to you a little free with matter of fact a good and worthy man, who was here; or whether Sir FRANCIS, like Sir HARRY CLINTON, had been unable to decide between the two holes, must be matter of conjecture; but, away we went to Major CARTWRIGHT, and we found, that the worthy old veteran, who never sleeps on his post, and who never stands ballancing a moment, had been endeavouring to work the Rump into motion, but that he had been unable to make it move an inch, or even to work it into so much as a wriggle. Upon hearing his account of his application to the Rump, and of the answer he had got, I felt so much indignation, that I could no longer restrain myself; and I said: "it is too much, Sir, to be "borne, to think that you, with "all your talents and experience, and with all the deservedly "high reputation that you possess, should be compelled to go from your home and dance attendance upon this fag-end of Committee, as if they carried "in their pockets the proxies of "all the free and independent "men in this great City. How "ever, if you will suffer yourself "to be thus treated; if your kind"ness and condescension carry you thus far, by. if Hunt is "of my mind, they shall not treat

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us in this manner. We will have "a Meeting, in spite of their "teeth. We will appeal to the

ready to let you the house. You instantly resolved to do what was necessary, and, in a few minutes, every thing was settled, leaving the Resolutions and the Petition to be drawn up by that able hand which has carried on so long a war against Corruption. I never shall forget the pleasure which beamed on the Major's countenance, when you told him to rely upon you for the Meeting, and that you would answer for it with your life. From Major Cartwright's we both went to Brooks's to enquire, whether the Rump would lend us the hustings, usually employed at the Meetings. Mr. Brooks was not at home. You told his son that you would purchase the hustings of him; when, to our great astonishment, we found, after a good deal of haggling, that these hustings belonged to the citizens of Westminster, having been bought, as the little snug dinners of the Rump had been, out of the public subscription money! This was a famous discovery. It put an end to all negociation, and you simply gave them notice, that you should want the hustings in a short time. The Rump were dreadfully disconcerted at this; and long before the Meeting actually took place, and before your return from the country, they had become over officious in offers of service of all

ness.

the custom to hold a Previous Meeting; that is to say, a Select Meeting, at the Crown and Anchor or some other place, in order to discuss and settle, before-band, what shall be proposed to the Meeting out of doors. I for my part, have always been so much an enemy to these previous meetings, and to

every thing bearing the shape of a Club, or petty Council, that I never attended one in my life, except the one before mentioned at the Crown and Anchor, when Sir

Francis was in the Tower. It always appeared to me best to leave the thing to some one man of good talent and

kinds, in order to make preparations for the Meeting. They saw, that, if once the thing went out of their hands, it never would return to them. Therefore, during your absence, the worthy old Major had nothing to do but to give them directions. In place of soliciting them, they had to solicit him. It happened just as I had told him it would happen. When, therefore, you came back from the country, every thing was in a state of readiOur venerable Leader pro posed that which he had prepared, you seconded him, Sir Francis was there and made a very fine speech, and to a larger Meeting than he had ever before addressed in Palace Yard in his life. But, though the Rump had thus wriggled themselves in again, you did not let them depart without a blow.the French call it, was held upon this You moved, that there should be a Committee now appointed by the people, to be changed or renewed, annually. Twenty-one names were proposed, and the persons chosen, of which persons you were one. However, the effect of this was merely to terrify the Rump for the time, the persons named being too much scattered about, and too much occupied with business to attend.

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sound judgment, and for him to submit his propositions frankly and hofor the Meeting to amend the proposinestly to the people, and, if necessary, tions in the open air. However, a previous Mee ing, or Conciliabule, as

occasion. Major Cartwright was in-
vited to this Conciliabule. It would
not have been safe to leave him out,
and, as we shall presently see, taking
him in did not answer the purpose.
The Major found, at this Conciliabule,
Mr. BROUGHAM, Mr. BRAND, Mr.
BENNET and Mr. LAMBTON. I think
I am right as to the names; but all
beyond Mr. Brougham are of little
consequence. These gentlemen, in
conjunction with the Rump, had pre-
pared certain Resolutions, one of
which was a resolution of thanks to

the Whig faction in Parliament, and
in that Resolution, or in another,
there was particularly, Mr. Brougham
by name. Upon this occasion, too,
Mr. WISMART was one of the Con-
ciliabule, a person as notoriously at-
tached to the Whig Boroughmongers
as is the hack, PERRY himself; the
former from antiquated folly, and the
latter from dirty selfishness.
curious Assembly had strung together
most artfully a set of Resolutions

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which were intended to make the citizens of Westminster once more the mere bawlers of the Whig Aristocracy. Not a word to purpose, had they said about a Reform of the Parliament. But, they had, in the brave

an attempt had been made to parry
this most unexpected coming blow.
The Rump, in
The Rump, in order to guard
themselves against your opposition,
very politely applied to you to se-
cond their Resolutions. Admirable po-.
liteness! Amiable sincerity! "No",
said you, "Major Cartwright does
me the honour to permit me to se-
"cond his Resolutions".

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This was a pretty good warning of what was to follow. However, up went the whole posse upon the hustings, except Mr. Brougham and the gentlemen whigs. These soon fol

old Major Cartwright, a man to contend with that was more than a match for them all put together. They were well aware of his power; and they had invited him in the hope of being able to wheedle him over, and by some loose and general expressions about Reform, with great warmth of language and sincerity of manner, to obtain his consent, beforehand, to Well, the thing of their hatching; so that, then, Sir, do second both sets of when the came to the lustings, they "Resolutions"- No, I cannot might have no opposition to dread. "second yours, for there is not time Never was a scheme more deeply laid, now for me to read them"but they over-rated their powers when Why, you have not read Major they thought of wheedling Major Cartwright's"—ff "Aye! but that Cartwright. Gentle as a child. Mild "is a very different thing, indeed. I. in his voice and in his manner. Mo-"know what Major Cartwright will dest to the last degree. 66 Reluctant to propose; but God knows what you offend any human being, however may propose". worthless. But, he is no more to be wheedled or bullied, or lied or cheated out of one jot of principle, than he is to be defrauded of his heart's blood. They kept him half the night with their vain endea-lowed, and, contrary to all custom, vours to bring him over. But, not were regularly introduced to the one inch did they move him. At last Meeting, by name, one by one. it was agreed, that they should bring Then followed the Resolutions in their forward their set of Resolutions touch- praise, and now began the fight, or, ing the Property Tax and the good rather the rout; for, you, in oppcsconduct of the Whigs, and that he ing these 'Resolutions, laid on upon should bring forward his motion for the heroes with so much force as well Reform. This was the best they as with so much truth, that they all could make of it; and, as it proved fairly ran away down from the hustin the end, bad was the best. Their ings and out of the house, before you intention was to give their Resolutions had half concluded your speech, The the priority at the Meeting, and, hav-mover of the Resolutions begged ing, after long and noisy harangues, You ingot them passed, to hurry things on sisted upon their being put, and they. so as not to suffer his Resolutions to were negatived without a single disbe put at all. Full of this intention, senting voice. After this the Major's away they all bustled on the day ap- Resolutions were put, and the business pointed, to the house in Palace Yard, of the day proceeded and terminated from the windows of which the speak-in a manner worthy of the citizens of ers go upon the hustings. But when Westminster. the Conciliabule re-assembled here, they found, as I remember to have read in an old Ghost story-book, that they had got one more than their number. My story-book related to a pack of thieves, and they found that they had got the devil amongst them; and a devil you certainly were upon this occasion, to the Rump and their new allies. Up, however, you all went upon the hustings; but not before

leave to withdraw them.

Now, this was so palpable a scheme to defraud the people of Westminster into the hands of this lawyer, Brougham, that no man could misunderstand it; and yet, it is impossible to believe that it was not attempted with the connivance of Sir Francis Burdett. Indeed, I know the fact; and I trust that I shall, to his face, be able to prove that fact, if it ever shall become necessary.

thanked them very sincerely for their invitation, and particularly for the great credit which they appeared to give me for promptitude and activity. But that I was sorry to say that they had, in this case, over-rated the degree of those qualities in me; for that, though my heart would certainly be with the company, I found, to my

for the conveyance of my person, nothing swifter than horses' legs, though they seemed to suppose me possessed of the wings of a bird. They did not wish for a repetition of this polite strain, and, therefore, the next year, they sent me an invitation in due time. When the day came, I was there. I had had only one day's grace, or I should have sent across the country to you to meet me at the dinner; for I suspected that they would not invite

After this routing, one would have thought that the lawyer would have given up the pursuit. But such a man does not easily give up such valuable game. The intrigue in his favour still went on. And, at the Anniversary dinner of 1816, another attempt was made to thrust him forward upon the city of Westminster. The Rump appear, upon this occa-sorrow, that I had, at my command, sion, to have been aware of defeat and to have done their best to guard against it. As there was to have been a vote in his favour at Palace Yard; so, at the dinner, there was to be a toast in his favour. His health was to be drunk, as "the en"lightened friend of the liberties of "the people," and his name was to stand next after those of the two Members for the City. His seat at the table was to have been on the left of the Chairman, Sir Francis Burdett, while that of Lord Coch-you. And I also suspected, that now rane, of course, was to be on the right of the Chairman. Thus had the Rump given him the post of honour; thus was he to have an opportunity of brawling forth an harangue full of false professions, but calculated to open his way into the seat which might become vacant by the death of my Lord CocuRANE'S father, or by any other accident; and, what was really infamous, and is never to be pardoned, the name of MAJOR CARTWRIGHT, the toast in honour of him, was put down almost to the bottom of a list twenty inches long, from which circumstance, it was certain, that his health could not have been drunk till nine tenths of the company had been gone away. This base attempt, however, was defeated, and the manner of the defeat was asion, it was at the Free-mason's suitable punishment for its authors. Tavern; but, the order of proceedThe Rump, amongst the numerous ing is just the same at both places. invitations, which they sent out upon In this room, round, a table coverthis occasion, appear to have thought ed with papers, sat the Rump, and it prudent not wholly to over-look me. other persous their assistants upon The year before they had so nicely this occasion. I sat opposite the door, calculated their time, that I received which opened into a long passage, and the invitation, at the distance of between me and the door, at the end, seventy miles from London, about of the table, sat Mr. Brooks and Mr. an hour or an hour and a half before M'Claurin. They, as well as I, could company were sitting down to din-see, at the distance of several yards, I wrote them back, that along a passage which led to the door,

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again would be put in motion, some scheme for selling the freedom of the City. So thoroughly was I convinced of this latter, that, as I was going up to town, I drew up a paper which I resolved to read to the company, and the object of which paper was explicitly to declare it to be my opinion, at least, that if, by any accident, a seat in Westminster should become vacant, Major Cartwright ought to fill it. In that immense building, the Crown and Anchor Tavern, there is, upon such occasions, a room which is called the steward's room, and in which room the managers of the dinner are assembled. To this room' also, go the persons specially invited; and, therefore, to this room I went. I believe, upon this occa

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every person that approached. When "will say to it." This had a much you appeared in the passage, Mr. more terrific effect on them than my Brooks, who sat nearest to me, having storming had had. They retired; caught you in his eye, turned his consulted; and came back and told mouth up towards the ear of M'Clau- us that the List should be altered. rin and said in a sort of whisper: "by M-Claurin went so far in meanness as here is Hunt oo!" This "too" to ask me where I thought Mr. was a very small word, but it had a Brougham ought to be put. I said, great deal in it. It confirmed me in "I do not care what you do with the all my suspicions. I was convinced "lawyer. Put the lawyer where you that the Rump had some dirty work in "like, so that you put Major Carthand; and I thought that they were 66 wright the very first upon the List convinced that their dirty work would "after the two Members." Mr. be exposed. You came and took M Claurin might have saved himself seat by me; and their grimaces in the trouble of enquiring after a situa showing you a seat, were like those tion for Mr. Brougham; for that genwhich the devil is said to practice, tleman, who had been speedily inwhen he crosses himself with holy wa- formed of your arrival, took special ter. I told you my suspicions, which good care not to come near the place. precisely coincided with your own, He sent a paltry excuse in a letter to and you, with more presence of mind the Chairman, saying that he was dethan I had had, asked to see their tained in the House of Commons by a List of Toasts. The rage which I motion of Sir Samuel Romilly, though, flew into at seeing the posts assigned as soon as the letter had been read, to Brougham and to the venerable Mr. ADAMS, who was one of the Major, rendered it impossible for me Stewards, told you and me, in the to hold my tongue; and thus, by a hearing of several persons that I could premature bursting forth on my part, now name, that Mr. Brougham had the Rump and their Protegé escaped left word with Mr. Brooks to send him more than half the castigation, which word immediately, if you came to the they would have received, if I had dinner; that Brooks had sent him had the patience to follow your ad-such word, accordingly, and that then vice, and wait to oppose the toast in the excuse came. "the full room when it should have been put from the Chair. I demanded to know, who it was that had dared to propose to insult the citizens of Westminster, in that audacious manner. Brooks told me that it had been set-of opinions deliberately formed. This tled by the Committee. I told him to unsettle it, then, as soon as possible, for that I never would sit silent in the room and be insulted by such a proceeding. He then told me, that Sir Francis had seen the list of toasts, and that he had approved of it. Very well, then, said I, put the toasts in that way if you dare. You kept on endeavouring to pacify me, in this "don't be in such a rage! don't "be in such a rage about it.

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Let them alone. Let them alone, I say! They have a right, you know, to propose what they please; and you "have a right to object to what you C( please. There is no harm done yet. "We shall hear what the company

The history of this base intrigue is of vast importance, trifling as are the circumstances in themselves; for, we know very well that toasts, upon such occasions, are the promulgation

dinner was for the celebration of the purity of election in Westminster. And here was this Mr. Brougham; this noisy lawyer; this Member for a rotten Borough; this slave of a Boroughmonger, held up as the next in excellence after the two Members for the City, while Major Cartwright was placed almost at the botton of the List after a long string of tag-rag politicians, including CURWEN, Sir ROBERT WILSON, and God knows who be sides! Was not this a shame? Is there a single independent man in all Westmi ster who will not cry shame on this? and yet, the very Chairman of the Rump informed us that Sir Francis Burdett had seen and approved of this List of

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