35G ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



* in evil report and good report,* 

 we are eager to express the senti- 

 ments of gratitude and attachment 

 to you with which we are irnpress- 

 ed,andwe are convinced that those 

 sentiments are not only felt by the 

 inhabitants of this city, but by 

 every person throughout the land, 

 who is not interested in the con- 

 tinuance of public abuses." 



(Signed) &c. 

 The above letter was signed by 

 twenty-five inhabitant household- 

 ers, electors of Westminster, in 

 the name of the meeting held in 

 Palace- Yard on the Hth inst.; 

 and was presented to Sir Francis 

 Burdett by the high bailiff. 



Thejblloxuing is the Baronet's Re- 

 ply to the Letter in question, 



" Totoer, April 20, 1810. 

 *• Sir Francis Burdett presents 

 his respectful compliments to the 

 high bailiff of Westminster, and 

 transmits to him his answer to the 

 letter of the electors of that city, 

 which he did him the honour to 

 present to him this morning. 

 "Arthur Morris, Esq. high bai- 

 liff for the city and liberties 

 of Westminster. 



" Gentlemen, — If any thing 

 could increase or confirm the con- 

 stant resolution of my life, never 

 to betray the confidence you have 

 placed in me, it is the kindness 

 and affection which your letter of 

 the 17th inst. testifies to me, and 

 the wisdom and propriety of your 

 conduct at the late meeting. 



•'A scrupulous adherence to the 

 common law of this land, and the 

 wise provisions of the ancient sta- 

 tutes declaratory of that law, 

 which together form what I un- 

 derstand by the constitution, raised 

 our country to an unexampled 

 height of happinessand prosperity; 



and in an exact proportion to the 

 invasion and neglect of them has 

 the country declined. 



" In defence of these laws and 

 this constitution, I smileat any pri- 

 vation to which, personally, 1 may 

 be subjected, thinking, as 1 do, that 

 life cannot so well and so happily, 

 because it cannot be so honourably 

 and usefully, expended, as in de- 

 fence of this our best inheritance, 

 and in the maintenance of the good 

 old cause for which Hampden 

 died in the field, and Sidney and 

 Russell on the scaffold. 



«' Laws,tobe entitled to respect 

 and willing obedience, must be 

 pure — must come from a pure 

 source — that is, from common con- 

 sent; and through an uncorrupt 

 channel — that is, a Houseof Com- 

 mons freely elected by the people. 

 Moreover, they who pay the rec- 

 koning ought to examine and con- 

 troul the account; and the only 

 controul the people can have, is by 

 a fair representation in parliament. 

 The necessity of obtaining this 

 check by constitutional reform, is 

 now acknowledged by all, except 

 those who, contrary to law, have 

 possessed themselves of a pro- 

 perty, in the House of Commons, 

 by whom this land, this England — 



. this dear, dear land, 



Dear for her reputation through the 

 world, 



Ir now leas'd out 



Like to a tenement, or pelting farm ; 



England, bound in with the triumphant 

 sea, 



'\\'hose rocky shore beats back the envi- 

 ous surge 



Of watery Neptune, is now bound in witb 

 shame, 



With inky blots and rotten parchment 

 bonds.' 



<• From this foul and traitorous 

 traffic our borough-monger sove- 



