jo^ PatUdmentary Proceedings. Nov. r, 



what report they were to make to the Houfe of Commons. 

 He anfwered, that he had nothing more to ftate. 



Mr Partridge, as counfel for Lord Hood, and Mr Douglas 

 as counfel for Mr Fox, then fcverally ftated, that as there was 

 no complaint againfl the returning officer for impropriety of 

 condu<ft, nor any complaint againft either of the candidates 

 for impropriety of condudt, fiibftantiated even by a fliadow of 

 evidence, they trufted that the committee would decide this 

 petition to be vexatious in the extreme, as well as frivolous 

 and oppreflive. 



Mr Home Tooke faid, amongft the ftrange incidents of big 

 life, it would be not the leaft extraordinary, if, on account of 

 his petition, he was declared to be an opprelfor. He fpoke a 

 fiiort time, and played a trood deal upon the words frivolous 

 ?.nd vexatious. He faid he had no doubt the committee 

 might call it, with fome degree of juftice, vexatious. It was 

 vexatious to the Houfe when prefented, and it had, he faw, 

 been vexatious to the committee who had fat upon it, and 

 were no do'^bt vexed at fitting fo long ; but how it could be 

 vexatious to the candidates, or to the ele<5tors of Weftminfter, 

 it would puzzl; moft men's ingenuity to point out. 



The room was cleared, and the Committee having deliberat- 

 ed about ail hour, Mr Home Tooke was called ^n, when Mr 

 Powys, the chairman, read to him that the Committee had de- 

 termined, 



"That the Riijht Honourable Lord Hood was duly elefted 

 a citizen to reprefent the city of Weftminfter in Parliament. 



" That the Right Honourable Charles James Fox wa% duly 

 elefled a citizen to i eprefent the city of Weftminfter in Parlia- 

 ment. 



That the petition prefented by John Home Tooke, Efq*; i« 

 frivolous. 



" That the petition prefented by John Home Tooke, Efq; 

 is vexatious. 



" That the oppofition of Lord Hood to that petition is not 

 frivolous. 



" That the oppofition of the Right Honourable Charles ' 

 James Fox to that petition is not frivolous." 

 Tuefday, February 8. 



Mr Poauys, chairman of the committee, brought up the above 

 report to the Houfe of Coir.mons. 



Mr Burke faid, the bufinefs of this petition carried in it 

 fomething ferious and alarming. The proceedings before the 

 committee, were the fubje<5t of public notoriety. He thought 

 it incumbent on the Houfe to enter into the difcufTion of a 

 matter that might be lo dangerous in its confequences. He 

 then animr.dvcrted with warmth on Mr Tooke's proceedings, 

 before the committee, contending, that though the committee 



