FREEHOLDERS! HERE'S A CONTRAST. LOOK ON THIS PICTURE BENETT, Supported by a few Landholdersbolstered up by a notorious Quorum; and attempted to be forced upon us. by a Club, whose members wish to tyrannize over the county, and prevent the Freedom of Election. Has a "local" knowledge of the county: viz. knows his way from Pythouse to Salisbury, and back againand is a Captain in the Yeomanry Cavalry. Gave officious evidence in favor of a sweeping Corn Bill, not for the good of the nation;-but as he himself stated, to keep up his own rents, and declared if that were not done, he would leave the kingdom. Unable to pay the expense of an election, he holds out his hand for assistance-lays himself under pecuniary obligations to the freeholdersrenders himself a dependent manand the only chance he has of making it up is if he succeeds,—to accept a Place or a Pension. Makes his own wool into cloth of Pythouse mixture, to undersell the manufacturer-sells spades, hoes, ploughs, &c. to keep down the mechanic keeps a builder's price book to clip the gains of the workmanand sends to Coventry for his own election ribbands, to save himself the profits of the shop-keeper. Employs his talent and his time in farming, printing and publishing Tables to shew how little the poor can live on and that any thing beyond barley bread and potatoes, is a luxury and unnecessary for them! AND ON THAT." WELLESLEY Stands on his own merits-uses no threats-despises undue influencegives the county at large an opportunity to free itself from fetters of a Club, and to exercise its right to Free-dom of Election. Has a general knowledge as a Statesman-has travelled over half the world and has fought by the side of the illustrious Wellington, Voted for a moderated Corn Bill to enable the tenant to deal with the tradesman, and thus support both: and, to prove his sincerity, lowered his rents one quarter, and if that was not enough, offered to burn his tenants" leases. Disdains to accept the freeholders" alms-is sufficiently rich to be independent of every man, and to enable him, as he always has done, nobly to refuse either Place or Pension. Does Wellesley do any thing the least like this?-No! No! Does Wellesley do this? God forbid! "Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed, "And batten on this moor?" I am, your obedient Servant, HAMLET. FREEHOLDERS! HERE IS THE TRUE CONTRAST. LOOK ON THIS PICTURE BENETT, Upheld by the great body of Land holders, Yeomanry, and Tradesmen, on truly independent principles, perfectly unconnected with "Clubs" or "Quorumis;" though gentlemen who sometimes dine together, and Magistrates who attend the Sessions, unite with their poorer brother freeholders in tendering him their voluntary and ardent support. Has a "local knowledge of the county," viz. has attentively studied and made himself thoroughly acquainted with whatever may promote the prosperity of all ranks in that agricultural part of the kingdom of which he is a Native-has constantly resided on the estate of his ancestors, and spent his income in the encouragement of trade and agriculture at home. Gave a mere opinion, at the requisition of the British Legislature, in favour of a Corn Bill. He also asserted the self-evident fact, that if corn were to be as cheap in a country burthened with an enormous load of debt and taxes as in one comparatively free from both, landlords and tenants must be compelled either to leave the kingdom, or to employ their capital in some more advantageous pursuit. He allowed, however, all his tenants who chose it (not excepting the notorious Mr. John Fisher himself) to cancel their leases, and generously took their ruin upon himself. Is reproached by his adversaries for his poverty, and his inability to pay the expenses of an election. He feels this most illiberal insinuation as reflecting disgrace only on those who made it; and (whether or not as able to pay his debts as his opponent) that the examples of a Hampden and a Marvel prove that great wealth is not always necessary to independence. Spends a portion of his time in expeiments in trade and agriculture: on AND ON THAT." Attempted to be foisted on the county by the influence of his wife's family, by a few peers, by a number of little Freeholders, through the influence of the grossest misrepresentation, and, by what all may hear and see on his return from the hustings, through the Market-Place, Salisbury, that most disgraceful spectacle in a large independent county, a ministerial mob. Is stated by his panegyrists to "have a general knowledge as a statesman ;" which, however, has been hitherto confined to himself. It is said he has "travelled over half the world;" that is, he has expended his fortune among foreigners, in sailing over so much water and riding over so much land, as to yield us another proof "How much a Dandy sent abroad to roam Exceeds a Dandy that is bred at home." Voted for the Corn Bill; whether upon a moderated scale or otherwise; on the principle he voted on almost every other occasion-just as it was proposed by Ministers. Boasts of his own contempt for expense, while insulting his opponent for his poverty, and talks of his own noble disdain of place or pension, while a member of a family possessing places and pensions to the amount of eighty thousand pounds per annum ! The creditors of the rich Mr. Wellesley are, doubtless, calculating their gains with the most chuckling anticipation, and perfectly despise the vulgar adage" Don't reckon your chickens before they are hatched." Does Mr. Wellesley do any thing like this? No! No! He employs his time one occasion made his own wool into cloth as his adversaries express it, at a time when wool was unsaleable, and employs a number of mechanics and labourers, paying them by measure, or task work, as an encouragement to ingenuity and industry. Every liberal mind will say, that the pitiful sneer of "clipping the gains of the workmen," renders the author of it worthy of being sent where he charges Mr. B. with sending for his ribbands, viz.-to Coventry. Is much occupied in the consideration of plans for improving the condition of the poor, and drew a scale for their relief, according to their real necessities, designed, certainly, to discourage the idle and dissolute, but to administer more effectual support to the afflicted, the aged, and infirm.-In proof of the absolute falsehood of his wish to reduce their wages, he proposed, as may be seen by his evidence before the Committee on the Poor Laws, to create such a demand for labour that the poor might be paid according to the price of provisions. In short, Mr. B. is constantly directing the powers of his liberal mind in the suggestion of measures for cultivating our own country, and feeding and clothing its augmented population, so as to render us independent as much as possible, if not altogether, of foreign nations. at his toilet, in the lounge of Bond. street, or in the ring of Hyde-Park in the morning; and in Fop's Alley, at the Opera-House, or in votirg away the people's money in the House of Commons, in the evening. Any thought of the great staple commodity of his country, wool, never entered his mind, unless, as remains for the Wiltshire freeholders to shew him, that when he dreamed of carrying their independent County, his "thoughts did indeed go a woolgathering." Does Mr. Wellesley do any thing like this? No! No! Then, till he does, all we have to do is, to tell him to go back to the marshes of Essex or the bogs of Alleyne, according as he chooses to be English or Irish ;—that he has no one thing to recommend him to our notice, but that he is nephew to the Duke of Wellington; and that, even that, is unavailing, since he is "No more like his Uncle "Than I to Hercules." I am, Gentlemen, your obedient Servant, THE freeholders and friends in the interest of MR. LONG WELLESLEY are respectfully informed that his Committee sit daily at their Room in Crane Street, Salisbury, where all communications on the subject of the election, are to be addressed, and where the freeholders are requested to apply for any information they may require. THE friends in the interest of W. LONG WELLESLEY, Esq. in Salisbury and its neighbourhood, are respectfully informed that Carriages are provided at the Regent's Hotel, to convey them daily to and from the Poll. General Committee Rooms, Crane Street, To the Freeholders of the County of Wilts. GENTLEMEN, MR. BENETT'S Troop did go into Devizes in military order, they received the word of command from Captain Calley, who formed them into two lines, leading from the Bear Inn to the Market-place, between which issued from the Bear, according to order, the infantry who attended Mr. Benett. A bludgeon was taken from one of the horsemen, in an affray which took place before either of the Candidates had spoken ;-another bludgeon was sold by a person (a farming servant) who had been enlisted for the day into this aukward squad. Both these weapons may be seen; one at Mr. Morris's, a most respectable gentleman of this town; the other (which was purchased by a friend of mine) at my Committee Room. During the course of my speech, this French guard fre quently brandished their weapons at me, and did infinite honour to their tri-coloured flag. have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your most obedient humble servant, Salisbury, 22nd June, 1818. W. LONG WELLESLEY, To the Freeholders of the County of Wilts, GENTLEMEN, A TROOP of Horse, I understand, entered into the town. of Trowbridge late last night, and as I am informed, Mr. Mortimer, a magistrate, and a partisan of Mr. Benett's, has availed himself of this force to intimidate the voters. Electors-Let me entreat you to conduct yourselves or→ derly-not to resist the troops-to be respectful to the magistrates;-No magistrates, no troops dare interfere with you in the free exercise of your elective franchise. If, however, they venture to do so, I pledge myself to protect your rights. My success is no longer doubtful.-It is for you to ensure me victory, by steady and orderly conduct, and, thus doubly to disappoint our opponents. I am, Gentlemen, your devoted and humble servant, Salisbury, June 22nd, 1818. Freeholders of Wiltshire! GENTLEMEN, I HAVE been spending the last week or two with a friend in the vicinity of Salisbury. Thinking to find some amusement S S in the electioneering humours of John Bull, free and undisguised, but manly and harmless, I rode up to the pollingground in the mornings, and strolled through your principal streets in the evenings. Fond of contemplating the human character in all its gradations, I had anticipated an exhibition of much drollery and of some coarseness. My expected amusement, I regret to say, was soon converted into uneasiness, or rather into serious concern. I am, gentlemen, a Hampshire man, and was present and voted at the last contested election for that county. Our friends in the opposite interest flung a few squibs, but no stones, at our favourite Candidate; pointed a few witticisms, but levelled no bludgeons at our heads; sung a few songs, but uttered no curses deep and loud even against the Candidate most powerfully supported by court influence; made various comparisons in ridicule of our colours, but never dreamed of calling on brother freeholders to strike their colours. This was the way in which we managed these things in Hampshire; but the scenes which I have witnessed here, would (if I had not recollected that the mob is not the county) have made me exult that I was not a Native" of Wiltshire. Why, gentlemen, what is become of the plain good sense of Englishmen in your county? By what magical process is it, that a courtier, the son of a courtier, is metamorphosed into the idol of the populace, and supported even by some from whom a different conduct might have been expected? I am no orator, but had I any right to appear on your hustings, I could not, I think, help asking your vociferators of "No Benett" "Wellesley for ever"-"What was the purport of your "clamour? My good friends, if you could reflect, as well as 66 you can bawl, surely you would soon bawl to another tune. -You are now roaring Wellesley for ever! for he voted to 66 deprive us of our liberties-Wellesley for ever! for he voted "that ministers should do what they please, and never be called "to account for it-Wellesley for ever! for he voted for a "large standing army in a time of profound peace, as the most "expeditious way of easing us of our superfluous cash, and of "stopping our mouths if we presumed to murmur-Wellesley "for ever! for he voted for large grants to different members of "the royal family, as thinking, no doubt, they had not enough, "and his Majesty's loyal subjects a great deal too much"Wellesley for ever! for he voted for the Corn Bill, lest we "should have bread too cheap-and d-n Benett to all eter"nity, because he only gave an opinion about it, and wished to "devise a plan, by which we might always have a good loaf at a fair price, both for the grower and the consumer!" Now, gentlemen, though the immortal Wellington has thrown such a lustre on the name of Wellesley, that I would แ |