1904, 
ment in perfon; and the royal family, 
after a fhort refidence at Windfor, are 
now at Weymouth. 
A domeltic national event, which has 
produced a fenfation in the public mind 
as profound, perhaps, as any of thofe cir 
cumftances that have moft agitated our 
political hiftory, is the RETURN made 
by the Suerirrs of MippdLesex to the 
writ for elefting a member to ferve in 
arliament for that county. The eleétion 
had been contefled with great vehemence, 
and with much equality of fuccefs, by 
the friends of the refpe€tive candidates. 
One of the pradlices of the Committee of 
the court candidate had been, to object 
indifcriminately to all votes tendered for 
Sir Francis Burdett in the afternoon of 
each day’s poll; and every day produced 
votes tendered for the popular candidate, 
but deferred by the Sheriffs for coniidera- 
tion. The very la& three hours of the 
poll produced between go and §0 of fuch 
deferred votes. The counfel- for Sir 
Francis Burdett had previoufly called 
upon the Sheriffs for a categorical anfwer 
as to the conduct they would pur.ue with 
thefe deferred votes ; and upon this requi- 
fition, the Sheriffs made a public declara- 
tion, ** that the votes actually tendered on 
the poll-books for the one or the other can- 
didate Jheuld be examined and decided on 
before the declaration of the fixal numbers, 
provided they came round in perfon to 
their box to fubflantiate their claims.” 
With this declaration Sir Francis Bur- 
cett’s counfel were, very properly, fatis- 
fied. After the clofe of the poll, at three 
o'clock, a board announced to the impa- 
tient muliirude, that Sir Francis Burdett 
had a majority of ten; but this notice 
proved to be premature and erroneous. 
The Sheriffs, according to their folema 
engagement, and in purfuance of their in- 
difpenhble duty, proceeded to examine and 
determine upon the rights of all perfons 
then prefent, who fhould anfwer to their 
names, and whofe votes had been actually 
tendered and put upon the books. Nineteen 
were thus decided on io the following 
‘manner :— 
1 was rejected ; 
3 whofe names had been put down, 
were allowed to tender, fo as to en- 
title them to petition, but whofe votes 
they could not reckon. 
Of thefe, 
2 tendered for Sir F. Burdett, 
1 -———= for Mr. Mainwaring. 
rx were declared good tenders for Sir 
F. Burdett; and of thefe, 10 haying 
taken the oath, were put by the She- 
State of Pubhc Affairs in Auguft, 1804. 
163 
riffs on the poll.—One, after being 
declared a good vote, went away, 
by miftake, without taking the oath, 
and, therefore, he was not put on 
the poll. 
4. were allowed to poll for Mr. Main- 
waring, and were put on the poll. 
19 « 
In confequence of thefe decifions, on 
Wednefday evening, at three o’clock, the 
numbers on the Sheriffs’ poll ffood— 
For Sir Francis Burdett . . 2823 
Added, on examination by the 
eum Sere ay aut 
aan Die) 
28332 
For Mr. Mainwaring 2828 
Added by the Sheriffs 4—2842 
Majority for Sir F. Burdett 1 
At feven o’clock on Wednefday even- 
ing, the further proceeding was adjourn- 
ed till nine o'clock on Yhurlday morn- 
Ing. 
On that day, a novel and a moft inde- 
cent fcene took place. A requifition, in 
writing, was prefented to the Sheriffs, 
figned by Mr. Mainwaring, Sir William 
Gibbons, Mr. Rae, Mr. Mellifh, and Mr. 
John Bowles, demanding that they fhould 
declare the numbers as they ftood on the 
poll at three o’clock on Wednefday lait, 
without regarding the d ferred votes, and 
fhould make their return accordingly. 
Mr. Pigott, as counfel for Mr. Mainwar- 
ing, contended that they had no difcre- 
tion, and that nothing could be adved to 
the poll after the hour of three on the 
fifteenth day of the poll. 
This was oppofed by Sir Francis Bur- 
dett’s counfel; and, after a long argu. 
ment, all the parties were ordered to 1e- 
tire from the Sheriff’s box, leaving the 
Sheriffs and their afieffor to deliberate on 
this ftrange requifition, The refult was, 
that, notwithftanding the proteft of Sir 
Francis Burdett’s counfel, the U der- 
Sheriff, in the prefince and in the name 
of the Sheriffs, on the huflings, declared 
the numbeis to be, at the clofe of the 
poll, at thrze o’clock on WeJnefday— 
. For Sir Francis Burdett . 2823 
For Mr. Mainwaring , . 2828 
Majority for Mr. Mainwaring 5 
The Under-Sheriff then announced, ia 
the ufual form, that Gecrge Bovlion 
Mainwaring, Efg. was duly elected to 
ferve in Parhament as Kynight ef the 
Shire for the county, 
Whea 
