1826. ] 
Nottirighamshire militia, and was in reality 
aeting commander for years ; neither Colo- 
nel nor Lieutenant-Colonel being much 
with the regiment. Three times were his 
just claims to the Colonelcy defeated, and 
in 1792 he was dismissed by the Duke of 
‘Neweastle, for attending the celebration of 
the fall of the Bastille. He was the per- 
son who first introduced great-coats among 
the soldiers. — 
_ In 1778 he was invited as a candidate 
for Nottingham, and was actually nomi- 
‘nated for the county. He failed, as he did 
on subsequent occasions, and again at Bos- 
fori) deatist the struggle of family interest ; 
and finally at Westminster against the in- 
fluence of more popular and flexible candi- 
dates, 
._ We, must quote his letter on one of 
those occasions to, the Duke of Portland, 
in, 1778. 
“ My Lord :—I was duly honoured with your 
Grace's two letters of the 6th and 12th of last month. 
As I think, my Lord, you must imagine they would 
not. be entirely satisfactory to me; and as I like 
frankness on such occasions, I take the liberty of 
communicating to your Grace my sentiments on the 
subject of them. Your Grace has mentioned the 
respect you bear Mr. Meadows’ private character, 
and’ an/alliance between your families, as the mo- 
tives’ to “your determination in his favour. It is 
probable enough that; in the private character of 
that gentleman, there were motives sufficient to a 
preference; but as far as family alliances were con- 
cerned,,I am told I have the honour to be a nearer 
elation to your Grace, and to your Duchess, by 
two.or three degrees, than Mr. Meadows is; but I 
did not think of seeking into my pedigree for my 
prétensions to a’ seat “in Parliament. Nor shall I 
think ‘you wrong‘in’ opposing either Mr. Meadows 
or myself, on atiy future occasion, in favour of an 
enitire strangetin blood, so long as you shall act 
underithe persuasion of doing the best for the pub- 
lie, goods, on the conttary, I shall hold it to be the 
only rule to, be followed in every case.” 
(Major, Cartwright then proceeds to state his rea- 
spt Br Bag the support of the Whig interest, 
ang, bd continues ; , 
D eated, indeed, I have been on a late occa- 
sion} ‘but while I breathe, I will never be dis- 
quieted; ‘or desert what I think my duty to the 
publics! shall keep’ my word with the town of 
Nottinghain} "in offering myself at the next va- 
cancy;/and shall‘stand a poll at all events. When 
your Grace warned me against a second disap- 
. pointment,,I hope the word did not include the 
ideas_of, personal mortification and repentance; 
for. on, both occasions I had ample amends made 
me for all that I hazarded, and it is with truth I 
can declare, that, when I left the Moot Hall at 
Mansfield, I Would not have exchanged feelings 
with any'man there, if I might have had his estate 
into'the bargains 
** ‘By the freedom of my expostulations on this 
- and former oceasions, you will perceive, my Lord, 
that I am) far from flattering any man with insinua- 
_tions,.that their political conduct must always be 
right because they are whigs, and opposed to a set 
of vel _ bad ministers, So nearly concerned as I 
have _in the event on the late occasion, I feel 
“myself justified in ‘ ; 
sincere ‘opinions, I hope I have done it as be- 
FFI IG 2016 i! 7 t 
Domestic and Foreign. 
having given your Grace my 
vv 
comes me, to a man I have always esteemed and 
respected independent of his rank. That I have 
my own political errors, I doubt not; but I know 
I wish to be informed of them; for to injure one’s 
country while one endeavours to serve it, must be 
equally distressing and humiliating ‘to a man of 
principle. 
“« Anxiously hoping that no such fatal etrors 
may continue to-mislead either of us, 
“«T have the honour to be, &c. J. CARTWRIGHT.” 
On his father’s death, he purchased the 
family estate of his eldest brother, chiefly 
by borrowing a considerable sum, and con- 
tinued to reside upon it till 1805, when he 
Jet the property, and removed to Enfield, 
to be nearer to his work, as he phrased it; 
and for the same reason, becoming more 
enfeebled, in 1819, to Burton-Crescent, 
where he remained till his death. 
From the first starting of the question of 
Reform, Cartwright was chief engineer; 
eternally writing, stirring, impelling; at- 
tending every meeting and dinner, and in- 
volved more or less in every untoward oc- 
currence, that arose out of the attempt to 
give effect to his views; from the trial of 
Horne Tooke, to his own prosecution for 
being present at the Birmingham meeting, 
appointing Sir Charles Wolsley legislatural 
attorney. 
When a boy he lived a good deal with 
Lord Tyrconnel, who had married his aunt. 
“This nobleman was a whig of the old 
school ; and his godson, says Miss Cart- 
wright, meaning the Major, used to relate 
many amusing anecdotes of his political 
zeal ; among others, that when divine ser- 
vice was performing in the chapel at Bel- 
ton, the old Lord was observed to be 
greatly agitated during the reading of the 
prayer for the Parliament, stirring the fire 
violently, and muttering impatiently to him- 
self, nothing but a miracle can mend them.” 
The necessity for reform was thus one of 
the first subjects suggested to his youthful 
thoughts, 
On the subject of the Slave-Trade, he 
zealously co-operated with Clarkson and 
Granville Sharp, in all their proceedings, 
Of the societies instituted in the early 
part of the French Revolution, he was an 
active member; but though no doubt a re- 
publican theoretically, and ready to realize 
republicanism in a new government he Ja- 
boured hard and inflexibly to oppose Mr. 
Paine in his revolutionary views, and in 
1792, at a meeting of the Friends of. the 
People, in spite of all opposition, carried 
a resolution in fayor of King, Lords and 
Commons. 
To the last hour, public events were the 
interests nearest his heart; we find him 
actiye and influential in the cause of the: 
Queen, the Greeks, the Spaniards—manu-"- 
facturing constitutions, promoting subserip- 
_tions, and spurring on younger but more 
.indolent patriots.to exertion. 
Even: after 
death, he wished .to be useful; and directed 
