Proceedings in an action for debt, between the Right Honourable Charles James Fox, plaintiff, and John Horne Tooke, Esq. defendant / published by the defendant.

  • Tooke, John Horne, 1736-1812.
Date:
1792
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Proceedings in an action for debt, between the Right Honourable Charles James Fox, plaintiff, and John Horne Tooke, Esq. defendant / published by the defendant. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    You are, upon this occafion, the Country: and fo you ■ are well called: you, the Jury, are on this occafion the i j-eprefentatives of the whole Land, and Ihould aft accord- ingly. I was telling you, gentlemen, when I was interrupted, ithe manner in which fome part of the expence was paid on ;the minifterial fide of the difpute: and I have Hated, I be- ilieve, that upwards of 20,oool. of the expences for the lEleftion in 1788, were paid by perfons moft of them in < office. Of the higher orders, the Duke of Richmond paid five Ihundred pounds : the Duke of Newcaftle five hundred ]pounds: &c. Thofe in the next degree of office paid three ihundred pounds each: The Lords of the Treafury two ihundred pounds each: and the Lords of the Admiralty one Ihundred and fifty pounds each: but there were fome few (exceptions: I could take the lift out of my pocket and read ithem to you. They may have their Actions or Informa- itions againft me, if they pleafe; and I have no objection to a trial on the queftion. I can prove the fact.— As the reft of the money was furnilhed by the Secretary ■ of the Treafury, he belt can tell from whence it came. I ftated to you that the Country at large, you and I a- imongft others, are finally to pay that monftrous fum of imoney laid out on both fides on this one borough. We iknow indeed perfeftly well, that the gentlemen on the 0- ither fide, on the oppofition fidp, could not pay this money <out of the offices which they are very forry they do not pof- ifefs: but they are merchant adventurers; they advance i their money on fpeculation, on promifes and expectations (of the good things to come hereafter; when their leaders ifliall diftribute the national plunder. Then they are to be imade amends. And for as many of thefe promifes and ex- jpeftations as may be fulfilled, the nation at large muft pay. I took myfelf a part, and a very ftrenuous part, in the .Eleftion of 1788; and I too was bribed: for promifes are i bribes; and I was promifed two important things by per- ifons who, from their ftations and fituations, were well able 1 to fulfil their promifes. And I will tell you what the bribes were to me. I was allured that two things Ihould moft un, . doubtedly follow—Profecution and punilhment upon the of. fenders to deter men in future from the commiflion of fuch outrages, fuch perjury and fubordination of perjury; and an Aft of parliament, parliamentary regulations, to make ' the repetition of fuch infamous praftices impoffible in fu~ • turc: and thus to reftore a fair and quiet and real eleftion !'to the people of Weftminfter.—I received the promifes, but * never received any thing like a fulfilment of them: for in- B