of imputation on him as a man of humanity, all the world knows that the public business was so ill managed during the short period it was entrusted to his care, that he was superseded as soon as possible, and has never been employed since. His next assertion is that he comes forward as a country gentleman (not as a Wiltshire country gentleman surely, for he has not a drop of Wiltshire blood in his veins), and I am at a loss to conceive how a residence at a villa in the imme. diate environs of London in a style of luxury and dissipation wholly incompatible with any thing like habits of business, can give him any right to the style and title which he here assumes: but "he is not heir to a seat in the upper house;" he is however heir presumptive to an Irish earldom, he must in the course of moral probability become Earl of Mornington, if he is son of Mr. Wellesley Pole. "He is no place-man," but his father holds a lucrative one, and I have yet to learn that he has ever refused any; this is a boast which every man without talent or interest might venture to make without fear of con tradiction then as to his independence, he will, I suppose, be as independent as the son of a cabinet minister can be. He denies using Treasury influence; but will Mr. L. W. unequivocally assert that he never directly or indirectly applied for it to Mr. Arbuthnot? One thing I happen to know-that ministers are most provokingly indifferent as to his success. Of Mr. Benett I hear-that he has always lived in the county, an active magistrate and an independent country gentleman; unattached to any party, yet consistent in his principles; a proud boast if it be true: that he assisted Mr. Methuen to destroy the preponderating influence of certain oligarchical clubs that had been established among you; that he is the man who by a happy combination of talent and daring, at a county meeting at Devizes, exiled that turbulent fellow Hunt from your confines; this is the story of his friends. I am a stranger in my native county, and wish to be set right in these particulars, as my desire is to give the unbiassed and unprejudiced vote of A CONSCIENTIOUS FREEHOLDER. To the Freeholders of the County of Wilts. GENTLEMEN, You will perceive that the Clothier is a very choleric gentleman-quite a crab! He cares not who represents the county; he is only anxious to gratify a malignant temper, which he constantly betrays by "spitting venom" at his "betters." I lament that he should not have read my former address to you with more attention; or that, having read it with attention, he should not have given me credit for being personally unknown to the Candidates for the representation of the county: for then he might have been spared the disgrace, and, I may add, too, the painful reflection (if he is an honest man) of having made an almost personal attack on one of Mr. Benett's professional agents, who had as little to do with my letter as our worthy vicar; and in a way that does but little credit to his head, and none to his heart : "He did, as folks are apt to do, "Who reason in the dark and in confusion; "That is," whilst nodding o'er his pipe," he drew 66 I abhor the idea of wantonly wounding the feelings of innocent persons, by calling names, and spitting venom" at them, under an assumed character; it is unchristian-like, ungentlemanly, and unmanly. Mine was (upon the honour of a Wiltshire man) a random squib; and yet, somehow, I think I hit this Clothier on a sore place; perhaps three Latin words would explain the cause of all the ill humour he has shewn on this occasion; his son will translate them to him: -figulus odit figulum. But, gentlemen, to the point. I am no scribbler of parch ments-no Marplot "in the secrets of the Quorum;" I am an independent man, who attempted to discharge his duty to his neighbours to uphold the freedom and independence of the county. The Clothier professes the same honourable intention, and I do not wish to doubt his integrity; but I object to the means by which he is endeavouring to accomplish his object. The plain question before us is, whether we shall elect our Parliament men from amongst our own gentry, or whether we shall suffer a stranger, a person from the Devil's Arse a Peak, who happens to have a Long purse, to step forward and fill that situation. Brother freeholders, we are no so "sleek headed" as to be amused by such trash as the stories of the "Tub" and the "Cornish Borough." I trust we have too much common sense and independence left amongst us to hesitate for one moment in our choice. We must now, return Benett;—and a Wiltshire man for ever! Trowbridge, June 4, 1818. A SCRIBBLER. To the Printers of the Salisbury and Winchester Journal. GENTLEMEN, YOUR correspondent, "The Old Moon-Raker," in his second luminous epistle, preferred two charges against me. It was impossible that they could be true, which I proved at the time. In his next letter he offered no explanation of his error; but objected to an expression which I had used, and thought fit to insinuate, that I was affected by "the contemplation of Mr. Long Wellesley's redundant wealth;" this was a liberal return for my courtesy. He has now been pleased to revert to that same expression. I am always ready to explain or defend whatever I may have said or written. In private life I bear neither hatred nor enmity towards any man; and it would be well if every one concerned in this election had resorted no more to private scandal than I have done. Public conduct is open to public inspection, to animadversion, and reproof. I cannot see much to admire in clubs of any description: but political clubs are detestable. Even when instituted for laudable purposes, they are usually found to subvert in the end the very principles for which they were established.The clubs named by your correspondent, are composed of respectable individuals; with some of whom I am acquainted, and I know them to be estimable: but private worth cannot change the nature of public conduct. Combinations of even the most estimable persons, when entered into for the purpose of usurping political power, form, in my opinion, a species of petty tyranny, which ought to be strenuously resisted. Whether Mr. Benett has been an advocate for those clubs I know not; but time and chance have thrown him within their vortex, and into the hands of their chief supporters, If Mr. L. Wellesley had not offered himself for the county, we should have had no choice; we must have taken Mr. Benett; and the appointment of county members would have reverted to the old channel. For this opportunity of re-asserting our freedom, we are indebted to Mr. Wellesley. That Mr. Benett is a very respectable man, I should be one of the last persons in the county to dispute. That he is particularly adapted to be a county member, I must be permitted to doubt; and I say from my own knowledge, that some of his leading advocates have, not long since, expressed similar doubts, in much louder and stronger terms than I have done. So much has been said and insinuated against Mr. L. Wellesley, that his friends have felt themselves bound to defend him-not to set him up for an idol, as his opponents insinuate. They ask for him common courtesy only; if they cannot obtain it, they must continue to expose devices of his enemies. The "Old Moon-Raker" has imputed to Mr. L. Wellesley's remarks on the subject of local interests, and to his wish for making this the "county of his adoption;" a meaning which he must know that gentleman never contemplated :—this is a paltry trick, unworthy "the good sense, the erudition, the taste, the liberality, or the honour," of so candid an opponent. The representative of a county in Parliament ought to be in the possession of such a property as will allow him to be strictly independent; any thing beyond this, would with me be no recommendation; nor am I overpowered by "the contemplation of Mr. L. Wellesley's redundant wealth." I do not feel flattered by the attentions of any man who is canvassing for a seat in Parliament; nor am I to be duped by smooth words, by shakings of the hand, or salutations in the market-place; I know their value, and estimate them ac cordingly. From all that I have seen of Mr. L. Wellesley, I believe he has too much sincerity to treat any man with consideration for an hour or two, whilst he finds him useful, and afterwards with marked contempt; but on this point I shall not put his sincerity to the test.-Unequal friendships are seldom productive of good. When the election is over, Mr. Wellesley will return to Draycot or Wanstead, and I to my original obscurity. "Give me again my hollow tree, A crust of bread and liberty." I am not seeking for a place; if I were, he has not the power to obtain it for me. He might, perhaps, have influence to get me made an Exciseman; but for that I am not qualified; so that I have no hopes of preferment: nor shall I gain any thing by the contest, but the possible advantage of having a good dinner for five shillings. Your correspondent, I am informed, is a professional gentleman, an agent for Mr. Benett; I dare say, now, that he will contrive to get something by this business, besides a few good dinners, for attending at which he will most probably be paid: "Light is the dance, and doubly sweet the lays, When for the dear delight another pays." After it is all over, I should like to have a peep at his bill. When his fortunate employer has it presented to him, he will be ready to cry out with Mungo-"Adod it's a tumper!" I bear no ill-will towards your correspondent; but shall be happy to meet him in good humour on the day of election. Meanwhile, let me advise him to be busy; or, in spite of all boastings, he will find himself behind. I am, Gentlemen, yours, A NATIVE. I thank your reverend correspondent, C. L. for his courteous and liberal notice; he has the last word, and is happy-I am content. H H To the Freeholders of the County of Wilts. ALLOW a farmer, who knows he possesses but a plain and common understanding, to offer you a few observations upon the pretensions of those gentlemen who now offer themselves as candidates to represent the county of Wilts in Parliament. I have investigated the public conduct of these gentlemen in a strict but most impartial manner; and I doubt not but I shall now prove to you, most satisfactorily, that Mr. Benett is far more worthy of your choice than either of his rivals. This I will prove by incontrovertible facts. In the first place, Mr. Benett is a distinguished member of a society which has been long established for the purpose of promoting the improvement of the agriculture, arts, manufactures, and commerce of the country: and from this society, which consists almost entirely of scientific men, whose talents reflect honour on the age we live in, has Mr. Benett repeatedly received honorary rewards. He is also, as you know, President of the Agricultural Society of this county. A man who thus possesses, in so high a degree, the estimation of such societies, would surely be a valuable acquisition to the House of Commons. It has been strongly objected to Mr. Benett that he wrote in recommendation of the Corn Bill; but let it be recollected that when that bill was passed, in March 1815, wheat sold as low as between 30s and 40s. per quarter; and 44s. was the highest price returned in some of the markets in this county. Is it not apparent then, that, if during these prices, a protecting law had not been passed, prohibiting the importation of foreign corn, certain ruin must have ensued to nearly every farmer in the country: the ultimate consequences to the consumer of corn I will not attempt to describe. Mr. Benett, you well know, is not simply a theoretical or experimental agriculturist; he is himself an extensive practical farmer; and no better proof can be adduced that he is a most judicious one, than that the improvements in agriculture exhibited on his estates are edopted by all who see them, as are also his excellent methods of feeding and improving live farming stock of every description. In times of peace, like the present, did Mr. Benett possess no other knowledge than this, I would maintain that he is a most fit man to be returned to Parliament; but, gentlemen, his knowledge is not confined to agriculture; this is amply proved by his controversy on the subject of tythes with the Rev. Archdeacon Coxe. I beg to recommend to your perusal the pamphlets written by these gentlemen, as you will there find that, in the contest with his eminent literary antagonist, Mr. Benett has acquitted himself in a manner highly creditable |