The Farringdon Controversy. Rewards, your own creatures, have had the infolence to erect themselves into your dicators! But you are all now awake to the calls. of liberty. And it is not doubted that the worthy inhabitants of the ward of Farringdon Without, will unite with the worthy freebolders of Middlesex in manifefting their deteftation of chamber elections. A man who thus folicits a feat in the court of Aldermen, is not likely to defert his conftituents when he shall have attained it. Tho' an Alderman, he will still confider himself as your brother-freeman; and though a member of your upper boufe, he will feorn to conduct himfelf as a city lord. He abhors the idea of an ariftocracy. He will affert the confequence of every individual, and the interests and the freedom of the whole. 267 A few Queries addreffed to the Worthy Inbabi- Is it not a dangerous precedent to chufe them from amongst the poor and profligate, and must it not reflect an everlafting stigma on the city, if they are once appointed from the bankrupts both in fame and fortune? Without mentioning any other part of a eertain candidate's circumstances, does he not at this moment owe near 2000l. in the very ward where he folicits to be elected Alderman; and did he not lately endeavour, to difcharge the debt, by the honourable offer of half a crown in the pound? Is the libeller upon record the most proper Is it not a daring arrogance in a criminal, now fuffering the fentence of the laws, fo afpire at being a magiftrate in the very city, where his guilt is fo univerfally known, and to defire that, from the confines of a prifon, we fhall immediately make him a principal minifter of justice? Would any man, who merits the name of a good citizen, truft the care of the laws, where he would refufe to truft the care of his property; and is there even a ftrenuous advocate for a certain candidate, who would now credit him in a fum of forty-five pounds? Let me add; there never was a period when the critical fituation of this ward (by its ex-guardian of the public peace? Is the blaftent and importance the firft in this great city) phemer convicted, the most likely to fhew an fo particularly called for the fuperintendency example for religious duties to his fellowof an able, an active, a difinterested magi- citizens? Atrate. I fhall touch but one fingle inftance. The opening of the bridge at Black Friars, and the avenues leading to it, muft intimately affect the state of this district. But the fpirit with which this interefting bufinefs is now conducted, is but too vifible from the cruel depredations intended to be made on that royal, venerable, and important foundation of Bridewell Hofpital, fcarcely excepting even the Chapel, for the fake of affording fome fort of accommodation and fplendor to the place in which the Scotch affemble (and which they call a Hall) on the oppofite fide of Fleet Ditch. In a word, Gentlemen, by electing Mr. Wilkes into this refpectable office, you will, in fome measure, defeat the wicked purpofes of an abandoned Adminiftration. Should their unrelenting malice fo far prevail as to deprive him of the feat he holds by the free voices of a glorious county, he will in this city at least (by your favour) have a feat from which he can never be expelled in violation of the laws. He will here exert his genuine fpirit in vindication of the rights and privileges, in redrefs of the grievances, in relief of the diftreffes of his fellow-citizens. And you, Gentlemen, will have the honour of fhewing to the whole world, that the friends of their country, how ever oppreffed, however perfecuted by arbitrary Minifters, will not fail of a certain refuge and reward in the honeft approbation and fupport of the freemen of London. What connection has a certain candidate with, or what intereft had he in the city when he was at large, and able to keep a houfe, was the city the place of his refidence; and is it not well known, that his view in the present election, is more to extricate himself out of difficulties, than to do the city any real fervices? Will it not reflect greatly upon the underftanding of the city, to become the tool of defperate partizan, who fo far from feeling any remorfe for the blood which his inflammatory fpirit has already caufed to be shed, is ftill deftroying the general tranquillity by his feditious publications? If he is elected, and should refide amongst us, after his imprisonment, is it not likely that he will be a perpetual firebrand in the city councils, and if he fhould not, will not the Ward of Farringdon Without, be virtually ceftitute of an Alderman? Who are the people that canvas for him? Are they men of known property in the ward, or men of diftinguish'd reputation out of it? Is not one of them a despicable Bellows, who is inceffantly blowing up the flames of public difcord; and is not another of them a Clerical Clerical Incendiary, who is a difgrace to all religion, and a peft to all focieties? And will theinhabitants of Farringdon Without, fuffer fuch men as thefe to dictate to them? Will they receive an Alderman from thefe hands, and fly to a jail for their magiftrate, when they have fo many men of character and confequence among themselves ?-Forbid it honour-Forbid it fhame-Forbid it every thing that can be dear to good and fpirited citizens.-Public Ledger, Jan. 2. To the Wortby Inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without. GENTLEMEN, YOUR Votes, Intereft, and Poll (if needfull) are requested for CHARLES VERE, Efq; Citizen and Goldfmith (Deputy of this Ward) to be your Alderman, in the room of Sir Francis Gofling, Knight, deceafed; being a gentleman zealously affected to our happy conftitution both in church and ftate, and a fready afferter of the rights and privileges of his fellow citizens. To the Worthy and Independent Inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without. MR. VERE'S poftfcript to his advertisement, on the fifth of February 1767, when he propofed himself a candidate for Cripplegate Ward. N. B. "Mr. Vere generously offers, if the "inhabitants think him worthy of their "choice (at this time of diftrefs) to give "five hundred pounds to be diftributed to "the poor housekeepers of the Ward." REMARKS, If the inhabitants had thought him worthy, they would have chofen him without a bribe. If Mr. Vere had thought worthily of them, he would not have offered a bribe. If Mr. Vere had been generous, or even charitable, knowing the diftrefs of the time, and having five hundred pounds to spare for that purpofe, he would have given it to the poor, without any condition. But the inhabitants of Cripplegate Ward did not think him worthy; and Mr. Vere's generofity and charity did not induce him, in that time of diftrefs, to give his five hundred pounds to that or any other Ward. der of my fervices, fo upon hearing that Mr. Bromwich is propofed by feveral gentlemen, I do now, for the peace of the Ward, refume my firft intentions, with many thanks to thofe friends who thought me in any degree worthy to fucceed fo refpectable a magiftrate. I am, Gentlemen, with great refpect, Fleet-Street, Your humble fervant, Dec. 31, 1768. CHARLES VERE. To the Worthy, Free, and Independent Inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without. GENTLEMEN, IT gives me no fmall mortification to find, that noble, generous-fpirited man Mr.Vere, has refigned ftanding a candidate for Alderman of your Ward; he is a man you all muit acknowledge was treated with contempt at the late election at Cripplegate, and for no other reafon perhaps, but that he appeared too generous, when he humanely proposed to appropriate five hundred pounds to the ufe of the poor, at a time of great diftrefs, if they thought him worthy of their choice; Mr. Vere did not meet with bis defired fuccefs; but undoubtedly that worthy man bestowed the five bundred pounds on the poor, in hopes that God would reward him, though the city refufed him that favour. Now he has humbly refigned (by the defire or order of his betters) in favour of Mr. Bromwich, Paper-hanger to bis majesty, who, undoubtedly will make proper acknowledgment for the mighty favour, and ufe his endeavour to promote his friend to the high office of being Chinaman to the King. Mr. Bromwich is likewife, I am informed, as proper a person for a magiftrate as Mr. Vere, and ought to come doubly recom mended to the city, as being his majesty's farwant, and every inhabitant ought to give, without the leaft hesitation, his vote to a perfon of Mr. Bromwich's confequence. In oppofition to Mr. Bromwich, the renowned John Wilkes, Efq; puts up for that high honour; what has he to recommend him? nothing but his boafted fincerity, and ridiculously ftanding in oppofition to our mot excellent minifters. Can a man in confinement, bound in chains, and threatened with the most fevere punishments, because he would miftakenly advance Truth and Liberty, deferve your favour? O, no! his fufferings can never To the Worthy Inhabitants of the Ward of be an advocate for his advancement in the city. Farringdon Without, The honesty of his principles, the delicacy of his wit, and the foundness of his understanding, will not avail him, when the rich man ftands before him: Who shall complain when his invectives against Bribery and Corruption are merely fictitious, and proceed from a defire of inflaming the paffions of the people? But the people are the beft judges if thofe complaints are groundlefs or no! I am always re joiced The Farringdon Controversy. AT the obliging defire of many refpectable inhabitants of this opulent ward, I have prefumed to offer my felf a candidate to fucceed the late very worthy Sir Francis Golling, as your Alderman; and I take this public manner of foliciting your fuffrages at the wardmote, which is to be he'd this day at St. Bride's Church, for the election of a new magiftrate. Honoured, however, as I am, with the recommendation of fo many confiderable contituents, I should still think it too great a temerity to request the diftinction of your voice, if I was not confcious of a real ambition to deferve it. I have been a member of your ward above thirty years, and I have been your reprefentative in the Common-Council above twelve. During thefe periods, my study has been to discharge the duties of a good citizen and an honest man, to the utmost of my abilities; and I truft that the knowledge you have had of my paft conduct, will give you fome generous impreflions in favour of my future behaviour; I do not, Gentlemen, here addrefs your prejudices, but your reafon; -I do not apply myself to the warmth of your perfons, but to the candour of your hearts;have no object in view but the advancement of your welfare. On this bafis only I build my hopes of fuccefs in the prefent oppofition, and I doubt not but the fame wifdom, which has hitherto directed your proceedings, will, on this occafion, diftinguish between the evident friends, and the manifeft enemies of your profperity. The men who endeavour to blaft your peace can have no regard for your happinefs; nor can thofe entertain a difinterefted zeal for your honour, who officiously obtrude themselves from other wards to dictate what magiftrate you fhall chufe in your own. I Ths reputation of your ward, Gentlemen, was never more at ftake than at this critical period, and the question is fimply, Whether you will be governed by ftrangers, or ruled by yourfelves? Whether you will neglect the recommendation of thofe whofe welfare is immediately blended with your welfare, or listen to the voice of thofe to whom your profperity must be wholly indifferent? Voj. I. 269 Many who have importuned you in favour of the other candidate, fo far from having votes, have not even the privilege of being citizens; yet, with a very extraordinary modefty, they endeavour to force an Alderman : upon you, and, to refcue you from what they call the tyranny of your own inhabitants, they arrogantly claim a right of governing you def-> potically themfelves. Rouze, Gentlemen, to a juft sense of your own importance, and fpurn with indignation the arguments of thofe, who, under the fpecious mark of restoring the liberty of your ward, are really defirous of treading you into flaves. Let it not be recorded, that the inhabitants of fo extenfive a part of this great city,. were made the inftruments of faction, and cheated out of their good fenfe by a few defigning men, who aim at a dishonourable eminence by disturbing the peace of fociety. Be, as you have ever been, Gentlemen, careful of your reputation. This will be a certain criterion for your decifion; and let this decifion either fruftrate or crown my wishes, I fhall eternally remain, with unalterable attachment and regard, Gentlemen, Your faithful friend, And fellow-citizen, THO. BROMWICH.. To the Worthy Inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without. GENTLEMEN, Jan. 2. THE methods taken to oppofe the election of Mr. WIIKES, are of a moft fcandalous nature, and bear that black complexion which is to apparently visible in the faces of all his enemies. The fiff-necked China-man, by his own advertisement, betrays his weakness, and expofes the folly of those who prevailed on him to be a candidate.-A happy infrument of mere infignificancy!-Struck with the phrenzy of pompous pride, he firuts a god in his own dear opinion, while humble men laugh at this Gulliver in Lilliput, and pity him as a token of their charity. Next comes, with lufty ftride, and noble vacancy of look, a Paper-hanger, to offer you his fervices, without one mark of abilities, or any other claim for your notice, than by his being under the royal employment in the way of-hanging-his papers. Thefe two forc'd-meat balls were fent for your choice, but certainly are a great reflec tion on the Court of Aldermen; as every man must think it a difgrace that fuch an amazing number of wife beads in that refpectable Court, fhould ever be difturbed with the nonfente of a fwell'd Deputy, or the more folemn impertinence of the heavy-ey'd Bromzvich. The day is arrived, when you are to give the most glorious proof of your love of LIBERTY, and to grace this city with one of To Mr. THOMAS BROMWICH. the noblest ornaments of the paft and prefent I This moment receive the very extraordinaty age. Let the tongue of clamour roar with difcontent; let Aldermen murmur, Deputies look foolish, poor Common-Council-Men tremble, and ferious Citizens run mad.-Let all thefe direful horrors happen, but never let them shake your firm refolution of electing the man in whom you can confide for the fafety of your rights and liberties.-Pelieve me, there are fome creatures of unforgiving tempers, whofe minds are poifoned with the rancour of prejudice, and whofe implacable. revenge is fixed on eternal hate. I hope, by your aid, to fee Mr. WILKES your Alderman.-I expect, in courfe of time, to behold him chief magiftrate of this great city; and I finally wifh, from my heart, that by His affistance, the feveral Courts of Aldermen and Common-Council-Men, may be cleaned and purified against that happy year when he will be your Lord-Mayor. CICERO. To the Worthy and Independent Inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without. HE inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon TH Without cannot reafonably be angry with Mr. Bromwich for offering himself a candidate, when it is confidered that Mr. Bromwich, as Paper-Hanger to his Majefty, must not refuse to obey the orders of the Board of Works But it is apprehended, that the orders iffued by the Ecard of Works to the inhabitants will not meet with the fame ready compliance to elect him; because the Honeft Freemen are not all Paper-Hangers to his Majesty, and therefore are not under the fame neceflity of electing, as Mr. Bromwich is of being, a candidate. To the Worthy Inhabitants of the Ward GENTLEMEN, of Jan. 2. A Falfe and fcandalous paper having been diftributed by the friends of Mr.WILKES (with their ufual regard to truth) in order to prejudice me in your favour; I do declare that I never had, directly or indirectly, any fort of request or direction from the Board of Works, or other perfon, any ways relating to the election of an Alderman for this refpectable ward, or any other election whatsoever. And if the Reverend Mr. HORNE will enquire of his own brother, who has the honour of ferving the royal family, under the direction of another board, he will be informed, that neither his brother, or his father, who alfo ferved the royal family, ever received any orders or directions refpecting any public elecTHOMAS BROMWICH. tion. appeal with which you honour me, and am moft fincerely forry to be able to contradict you. My father did often in his life receive orders and inftructions about élections which he never obeyed. My brother-in-law, who has fome hundreds a year in the Cuftoms, and fome few more as Librarian to her Majesty, did, las general election, canvafs perfonally with Sir William Beauchamp Proctor. I have answered you, Sir, as I will every man, however infignificant, who calls upon. me in his own name; though I know not what right you have to talk to the public of my family or private connexions; as little, I believe, as I fhould have to rake up the afhes of the dead, or enquire from whose hands you received your firft wife, or examine the domestic arrangement between yourself and your partner. JOHN HORNĖ, To the Wortby Inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without. GENTLEMEN, FINDING the fenfe of the ward to be fo much in favour of JOHN WILKES, Efq; I declined the poll, not being willing to give any unneceflary trouble to my friends; therefore beg you will accept my fincere thanks for the favour intended, and am, Gentlemen, Your moft obliged humble fervant, THOMAS BROMWICH. Jan. 2. To the Worthy Inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without. Gentlemen, Freemen, and Fellow Citizens, IAM truly grateful to you for the honour I this day receive in being elected Alderman Every power I derive from that high office, of this large, opulent, and refpectable ward. fhall be employed in the prefervation of the rights of the livery of London, and of all the freemen of this great metropolis. After the primary duty I owe to the county of Middlefex, I fhall confider the claim which you now have upon me, as demanding the utmost exertion of my poor abilities. I promise you a faithful and zealous attachment to your fervice, a diligent attendance on your business, and a fteady attention to the interefis of our ward. From you, Gentlemen, I entreat on every occafion a full and early communication of whatever you judge of confequence to the profperity of the ward, as well as to the welfare of this free city, and the fupport of its trade and commerce, which are of the utmoft importance to its own greatnefs, and to the whole for the juft exercife of which, I shall think Remarks on the Trial of Thomas Knight for the Murder of Robert Ball. 271 whole kingdom. I will always take a public-eafy accefs, where they have lodged the power, fpirited, decided, and difinterested part; and I doubt not of support and affiftance in all my undertakings, for they fhall be directed folely by a regard to the interefts of the people of England, of this city in general, and our ward in particular. The near relation, in which I now ftand to you, will, I hope, furnish me with frequent opportunities of knowing your fentiments in our common concerns, and every Gentleman of the ward fhall have an To the EDITORS of the As the fighting gentry of this metropolis may conclude from the acquittal of 'Thomas Knight, who was tried at the laft Old Bailey Seffions, for the wilful murder of Robert Ball, in a boxing match, that fuch killing is justifiable, and not murder by the law of England, I beg leave to make fome juridical remarks on that trial, in order to obviate the danger and fallacy of fuch conclufion. The evidence appears to ftand thus in the Seffions Paper. There being a deficiency in a club-reckoning at a public houfe, the landlord complained of it to the chairman of the club, who ought to have feen that it was right; the deceafed faid it was a very bad thing, fo words arofe; the prisoner took the chairman's part; the prifoner bragged and faid, he could lick the deceafed; the deceafed faid, what fignifies what he says? Said one Anderfon to the deceased, I will back you if you will fight him; then another would back the prisoner for half a guinea; they aggravated the deceased, and he faid he would fight a guinea to half a guinea. The bet was made, and they agreed to meet the next day by ten o'clock, or lofe their money; they came and fought the next day. They fought first and laft about two or three and twenty minutes; the first onfet lafted about fix or feven minutes; the prifoner then had the worst of it, in the opinion of the witnefs. They fet to again, and there was a fall; and the deceased could not get up any more, he was left behind; he never spoke after, and died on the fame day the battle was fought. The prifoner being informed of the death of the deceafed, faid, "D-n bis eyes, I fhould not have fought, unless I had thought of killing of him.'" The prifoner faid nothing himself in his own defence, but produced witneffes to prove that the deceased had many offers to make up the quarrel, but refufed; on this evidence the Jury acquitted the prifoner. In every cafe of bomicide upon provocation, how great foever it be, if there is fufficient time for pafion to fubfide, and for reason to interpofe, fuch bomicide will be murder. Upon this principle, deliberate fighting or N. B. On the clofing of the Poll (which did not laft two hours) the numbers were for Mr. Wilkes 255, Mr. Bromwich 69. OXFORD MAGAZINE. boxing, if death enfue, is in the eye of the law murder, for fighting or boxing is generally founded in deep revenge; and though a perfon should be drawn into a boxing match, not upon a motive fo criminal, but meerly upon the punctilio of what the fighting gentry falfely call bonour, it will not excufe; for he who deliberately feeketh the blood of another upon a private quarrel, acteth in defiance of all laws, both human and divin, whatever his motive may be. It will be murder, if the combatants appoint to fight the next day, or even upon the fame day, at fuch an interval, as that the pasfion might have subsided. In every charge of murder, the fact of killing being first proved, all the circumstances of accident, neceffities or infirmity, are to be fatisfactorily proved by the prifoner, unless they arife out of the evidence produced against him; for the law prefumeth the fact to have been founded in malice, until the contrary appeareth: and very right it is, that the law fhould fo prefume. The defendant in this inftance ftandeth upon juft the fame foot that every other defendant doth; the matters tending to justify, excufe, or alleviate, must appear in evidence before he can avail himself of them. In every cafe, where the point turneth upon the queftion, whether the homicide was committed wilfully and maliciously, or under circumftances juftifying, excufing, or alleviating; the matter of fact, viz. whether the facts al ledged by way of juftification, excufe, or alleviation are true, is the proper and only prevince of the jury. But whether upon a suppofition of the truth of facts, fuch homicide be juftified, excufed, or alleviated, must be fubmitted to the judgment of the court. For the conftruction the law putteth upon facts flated and agreed, or found by a jury, is in this, as in all other cafes, undoubted by the proper province of the court. In cafes of doubt and real difficulty, it is commonly recommended to the jury ro ftate facts and circumftances in a fpecial verdict. But where the law is clear, the jury, under the direction. of the court in point of law, matters of fact being fill left to their determination, may, and |