Wesley Corpus

By the best information I can gain, I believe it stands just thus: About that time the mob had been very turbulent. On that day they were likely to be more insolent than ever. It was therefore judged proper *o send a party of soldiers to prevent or repress their violence. Their presence did not prevent it; the mob went so far as to throw stones at the soldiers themselves. One of them hit and wounded a soldier; two or three pursued him; and fired -at one whom, being in the same dress, they supposed to be the same man. But it was not; it was Mr. Allen. Now, "though this cannot be excused, yet, was it the most horrid villany that ever was perpetrated? Surely, no. Notwith standing all the tragical exclamations which have been made concerning it, what is this to the killing a man in cool blood? And was this never heard of in England? I do not defend the measures which have been taken relative to the Middlesex election. But let it be remembered, First, that there was full as much violence on the one side as on the other. Secondly, that a right of expulsion, of putting a member out of the House, manifestly implies a right of exclusion, of keeping him out; otherwise that right amounts to just nothing at all. Thirdly, that consequently, a member “expelled is incapable of being re-elected, at least during that session; as incapable as one that is disqualified any other way. It follows, Fourthly, that the votes given for this disqualified person are null and void, being, in effect, given for nobody. Therefore, Fifthly, if the other candidate had two hundred votes, he had a majority of two hundred. Let it be observed farther, if the electors had the liberty of choosing any qualified person, it is absolute nonsense to talk of their being deprived of the liberty of choosing, because they were not permitted to choose a person utterly unqualified. But suppose a single borough or county were deprived of this in a single instance; (which undoubtedly is the case, whenever a person duly elected does not sit in the House;) how is this depriving the good people of England, the nation, of their birthright? What an insult upon common sense is this wild way of talking !