Otificerfantoutt.

Sir Roger Gresley has addressed, through the advertising columns of the Standard, the following letter to his South Derbyshire consti- tuents, in explanation of his vote to retain the Malt-tax. We preserve it as a literary curiosity. Since the days of Llarebones there has been

nothing like it.

" Gentlemen—The course which I have invariably adopted since I first bad the honour of appearing before you in a public capacity, has been one of openness and candour upon all occasions, and I think it is now fitting that I should act upon the same principle, and explain to you my reasons fur my vote yesterday in the Hume of Commons. - " It was not until Sunday evening that any idea occurred to me of voting against Lord Chaudos's motion, but from what I le.-ard that evening. I began to suspect that by the faction in the House of Commons, not by the noble Martinis himself, Ins motion was intended as a vehicle to renew the attacks which on two previous occasions roil been made successfully on his Majesty's Government, and I had reason to know, that if that plot had succeeded, the Prime Minister could not, consistently with his honour as a public man, continue in office, but must resign. It he resigned, I knew the inevi- table result—time formation of a democratic cabal, whose first nwasurei would be— annual Parliaments, universal suffrage, vote by ballot. secularisation of Church pro- perty, the alienation of the Church from the State, confiscation of private property, the abolition of the hereditary peerage. national bankruptcy, and civil war. " After a sleepless night of deep and anxious reflection, in which I foresaw with a kind of inspiration, which I cannot explain, but which has before occurred to me, the awful dilemma in which we should be placed if the Government were beaten, I made up my mind on the course I would pursue, and resolved that all the sneers and sar- casms (of which I knew there were plenty in store for me), and no personal or Killian consideration, should deter rue from my object—that I would run the risk, if need were. of incurring your di-pleasure and forfeiting your good opinion and confidence, and my seat for Derbyshire, rattier than abandon what, in my conscience, I believe to be n.y bounden duty to my country and to you. " The first step I took was to write a very strong letter to Lord Chandos, imploring hint most earnestly, and urging him by all the argesments I could use to postrale- only to poSI PONE —his niol ion till the Chancellor of the Exchequer had bail au oppor- tunity of presenting his Budget, and the sense of the people as to his measures had de- velop_ed itself. In vain. I then resolved to go to the meeting at Sir Robert Peel's at the Treasury, here I was the first to announce my opinion plainly, and to express my determination to vete with the Government. The impulse given carried every thing before it, and ten or twelve of the most influential. intelligeut. wealthy Members for counties, stanch friends to the agticultural interest, placed in the same position as myself, and has ing voted fur the repeal of the Malt.tax in the last session, avowed a similar determination to mine, and from the result or the eivisiou, it is but fair to slap' pose that a great number of ethers who could not express their intentions, resolved the same. " Gentlemen—The result has proved the wisdom of our policy, and I exult in the reflection that I was mainly the humble instrument of producing this triumphant ma. jority, which will consolidate the permanency of the present Cubinet, and in the eonfl• dent hove that you will sy nmathize with me in this feeling, and give me credit fur having honestly and conscientiously, and to the best of my judgment, done my duty to the country and to you, I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, your very gratefully obliged, a nil most laith nil friend and servant. " ROGER URESLEY." II, Upper Cresrellor Street, 11th March 1s35."

Last Vreek, we mentioned that Mr. Henry Lytton Btihvcr had been written to by a body of his constituents of the parish of St. l'alieras, respecting Ins neglect to oppose the motion for granting a Supply. Mr. Buhver thought proper to seed the following answer to this corn- tuttnication ; which was published in the Times and Cliraniek of Tues- day. Ilia street, Berkeley Square, !Oh March 1935.

"Gentlemen—I beg to aekuotvIlelge the liar, wish which you I 'moored me, and v hieh I find has ale, Leon tieesanifted to the daily join:lats. Iu respect to the surprise which you is anifest at the piddle money having blYla FO rca.lily cute', that surprise, nu Omile, a ill disio, pear as ;lull, as you leant that no vote of the public money has vet 1,11 given. When arty out idiot' relative to the Supplies is brought before the !louse, I shall he guided, a, I have hitherto been on other questions submitted to it, by the view a Milt I take of the general interest, holding myself ready to give the fullest ex- planation us to the causes IX env cundnet. But the rioolittion to is Melt I now reply (1 son bound to say this in frankim,$), received by me with fibliugs of respect, occasioned me at the sianic time mush n.,.ret. The sentiment in which it is framed corresponds, I firmly beliele iris it feelings. It was il•it, I am sme, dictated by at patt:etic zeal, mini Ibffeellt 10 ,egress---f m the honour of the body to which you lieloog, as well as Mr the Loniair iM those by is hem but} is 0 prrsealcd. Still 1 must observe,

Ilia; I Cal: 1.0 ColINc cal, ;dated ••, that is lit-!t t on thus took both to lesson my utility and to tlipriciam reharael utclligene'. ire t iu.es like these. it is nat mat that you should be extlemaly- alive to tin, canduet or 'mu Roimesentatives; loll in times 1: ke these, you shush( lor been, for this very reason, pet tiliarly cautitals in choosing 1 !luso Representatives. Either I am salt 6oura mall, and to Ic trusted ; Or at diS11011Ctit 111.11, ill that rase, ye us ass',14, o of to horn o5rfrel. In the course of my canvass I stated, most tulle ..ml Iiequ u. ly, I he pa inciples I enteitained, and the course I should a.lopt. NI y ie. II nd any ill tai 120111;lie; at violence with those principles, or oppo,ite to that 1....ieluet, it sr li last only be your right, it will be your duty, to inform toe or it. I reel isysom toy, st er, now called upon to say, that as the opinions a Lich placed tee in Parliament w ere g he result of toy own calm deliberation. so the manner in v. Melt I asst upon thine opinions in Parliament will be the result of my own inde-

perulent judgment. 1 have only bather to obseive, that the honour pal have conferred unit me leaseur of e ;dell I ant deeply sensible—will will make no' still more :to:slims. if piosible, Horan lieletofore, to prey cut me deeis'ons being giiided by any feeling a Ideh .lees not imme.liately spring hum a cutncientious desire to advance our country's aelene.

." 1 have the le ran ra bo, Gen. kitten, yours very faithfully anti respectfully,

'so 3lessrs. Fisher and licaire, " IIENRY 1.E1-10N PULWER." " l'otnntittemt sumo, Edward !sheet, 11,111T:dead Read."

but Mr. Iltilwer's constituents of St. l'ancras were not to he awed by this grandiose epistle of their Representative ; and on the same day that his letter app011Eed in the newspapers, they held a meeting, and after passing a resolution that it was " highly important at the present crisis that the clef. to, s should watch the conduct of their Representa- tives," agreed to semi the following rejoinder to Mr. Henry Lytton 13ulwer.

"11, Edward Sir,,et, I lampstead Road. 11111 March. " Sir —In eomplimay w hit the etichn.si resolution, welueve to reply to the letter signed with y our name, and inserted in Ilse elf, ring Chronhle and the Times of the 10th item:/ti! ; Il•Itt is w nitten 1111ill.s. a great inisis inception, 111141 ill an aristocratic spirit tlis- f.sreilitable in a epee-eela! ive or a free :toil independent constituency.

" must piymise, that all the meetings of the Reformers in St. Pancras arc held in promises ages, ills to reporters, :Li le' (I(II 'no are never closed while bilsilieSS is being nor w led—is :deli a ill acc. • unt for the laildication of the proCeedings. NI r cannot 'nit feel sorpiisal that the resolution, sent to von by the Secretaries, couched in la ligtia;,, so piniu !why lopleistood, should not have been intelligible to you. On refers-lice ygaiu to it. visa m ill !hid that we did not complain of any vote of public ineliey:' but that "the lion, of Commons had gone iti'm at Committee of Supply with- out first exactim; m'ason's to redress gricvatmes." We have nu confidence in the pre- sent Tory AtIministrati,,11. We thought you telt With its. Such want of confidence reedit naturally imply a refu,a1 to place in their hands the means of carrying on their

measures in despot. the fin ling :mil wishes of the People, so loudly expressed at the Last general election. 'rho going into a (7iiinntit tee of Supply withoutopposition„ was an admission that some motley would be hoded iu the hands of the Tories. !fere, we con- tent, should have been lbe trial of prilicipli--here the great struggle between the People's friends and the People's cramraiw. Hall the result been victorious. the Tories nest hare been driven from office loran% int ; if the contrary, the eyes of all the con. stituencies would have recognized the recreants. The details, to a great extent, would be left to your discretion and judgment; bearing in mind that standing armies are uneonsdt,tionml in thne ofpoace, and that the links of corruption should be broken.

" It' it be your opinion, that to receive instructions openly from the constituency

would lessen your ability, we fear that it arises from nut sufficiently reflecting on the character of a Representative, who ought to feel, want, and speak, as do the consti. tnency ; and if he do not, he should resign. As to your opinion that it would " dere. elate our character fur intelligence," tie must admit that such opinion is as much beyond our comprehension as our former resolution seems to have been beyond yours, To show a knowledge of our rights, and a determination to demand them, can be no d•preriation if diameter for intelligence ; neither can the evincing on our parts that we strut "alive to the emiduct of our Representatives," and ready with reproof when our interests arc neglected, at all " depreciate our chum:der for intelligence." What were our chief complaints against Sir William Iforuc? That lie neglected the interests and turned a deaf` ear to the instructions and complaints of the consti- tuency. All cant i011 s,as used in seleeting a successor. All classes and parties united to secure a fried man, who would use every energy of his mind in destroying the com- mon enemy of all, viz. the Tory fiection. Chance fell tin yotl—it was but a chance: though you had no connexion with the lenough of Marylebone, and were only known to the electors by your public conduct dining two sessions of Parliament, we worked day and night to secure your return. We did so with the impression that you were honest and tenrthy of trust. We have us yet seen no cause to think other% use; nor a as there in the resolution before referred to, any thing which the most captious wenld in- terpret into a want of confulenee. All have not been .linnid honest that seemed so: in the Metropolitan representation you will find an illustration. The proud and the cor- rupt cannot brook what they call dicheion, but the honest Representative courts what he would call the instreetiois of his coustit rency.

We regret this correspottlence equalls with yourself; for a bile we shall feel it oat

duty to watch vie:lantly the conduct of oar Itepreseutatives we shall praise where praise is due. and blame where (arise or blame exists, heedless of the assumed im- portance which corruption leis given to Members of Parliament. Should our Berme. emit mires be taunted while spa asking ova opinions, let the answer be—' I represent a borough containing a population or 270,000, unruly attached to their country's in- terests; when I rooms to speak, feel, and wish as they do, I will. as a gentleman and a man of honour, re_ gn the trust into their hands.' Language like this, _livid!, spok. a, will soon give the Representative value with the People, eml importance ere:a in the ilonse of Commons. The manly and proper way would he to try nor strength on it question involving some public principle. The Amendmeut to the Address was puerile, and contained nothing. Why, if they wished to strike a blow, did they not tiring forward some bold proposition? The. Amendtnent was even worse than the imposition to Sir Chitties Sutton. will De Vear—" Your constituents assert you are going to support the Tories ; nor ant my assurances to the contrary pacify them." Sir Francis Burdett —" Do they ? Well, let them wait till a questiou involviug some puddle principle collies before the House, and they shall then see that I can both speak and vote, Take, for instance, the Irish Chinch, or sonic such question of real im- portance."

Mr. De Vear—" I wish you would state as !WWII in eating, as it would Fat an end to the ill feeling engendering :outing your constituency." Sir Francis—" No, there can be no necessity for my so doing; for plenty of oppor- tinntie.-; will soon occur, when they will learn that ray sent inn las continue need."

Mr. Do Vear mentioned that Mr. Puny had called on him, upon the subject of getting up a public meeting to request Sir Francis to resign.

Sir FraliciS—" If they did, I should not resign. If my' opinions were altered. I should tell the electors so. I will not deceive them. 'There are really so many parties. or I may say sections of parties, among the Opposition, that they actually strengthen the Tories by their speeches and conduct."

NIL De rear—" If at meeting should be Called, 111111 attend, and explain what you now state; but it was the impies,ion of Mr. Pouncey, Mr. Denison, anal myself, pre- vious to the last election. that you would oppose t he 'reties."

Sir Francis—" NV! uit I said was, that I aoi.141 accept of good measures from any party of men ; mid although I expressed at want of conlidetwe in the Tory NI inistry, I would net give a factious et party vote on the occasion. 1 think I shall vote against the Tories ; although I hardly like to say ,o, from the manner in a Vell the question islet to me."

Mr. De Veer —" It plans me in an unpleasant situation with the eleetors, as papers, I understand, are handing about for signatures calling on you to resign." Sir Francis-- Well, they can do so; it will not be at tow names that will cumrrise a majority ante Westminster electors. The tin:es:arc so crit ;cal, t hat one does not hardly know what to do Mr the best. I a Eh to keep ;ilea Iron] all parties. I a ill do nay duty,

tIl`14.1211 1111011 it. The electors have not the least reason to fear Me. They soon have reason enuugh to satisfy themselves.'

[ This treatment is exactly what the Westminster electors had a right to expect from Sir Francis, who despises their puny efforts to unseat him. There is no chance of his becoming a Liberal again, until the Liberals regain (dike.]

Mr. Scott, one of the :Weathers for North Hants, has published a letter to his constituents in explanation of his late vote for the Address. He still claims to be a Reformer ; and Ints no hesitation in confessing that, whatever may be his opinion of Sir Robert Peel, in his govern. ment, "constituted as it now is," he cannot place any confidence. Mr. Scott, adds, that he is determined not to offer a blind and undiscri- minating opposition to the present Government ; that he considers Ile shall best consult the interests of the country lay waiting for their measures, more particularly when he recollects of what discordant materials the present Opposition is composed. [In other words, Mr. Scott is waiting to see from what quarter the wind sets in strongest.] The constituents of several of the Waverers, who voted with Minis- ters On the Address, threz;ten to send these gentlemen a requisition to resign their seats. Among the persons who are likely to be so called upon are Mr. Barclay, Mr. P. M. Stewart, Mr. Richards, and Mr. George Sinclair.

A strong indication, if any were wanting, of the political bias of the noble families whose heads compose the House of Peers, is to be found in the circumstance that in the recent divisions on the election of Speaker, and on the Address, in the House of Commons, the numbers of Peers' sorts who supported the Conservative or Ministerial party was as two to one comparatively to those who took the other side of the question ; there having been above sixty of the former and only about thirty of the latter.-3/orniny Post. [There is no question whatever as to which side the Aristocracy takes in the struggle between the Liberals and the Tories but does the Post think it prudent to boast of the still powerful influence of the Oligarchy in what ought to be.the People's House ? Does it wish to furnish arguments to- those who demaud further organic changes?]

Angerstein, of Greenwich, has sent to the Greenwich Gazette a denial of the statement that be was prompted by the Duke of Cum- berland, on the night of the Speaker's election, to ask Air. Aber- cromby whether he was in favour of the Ballot. He admits that he sat next to the Duke of Cumberland, but avers that the question was " the spontaneous impulse" of his own mind.