The Virginia Gazette

June 28. On Monday last a very numerous and respectable body of freeholders of the county of Surry met at Epsom, in pursuance of an advertisement in the public papers for that purpose. About half past one, the business of the day was opened (in the garden belonging to the Assembly House) by the Hon. Mr. King, who was appointed Chairman. The principal speakers were Sir Joseph Mawbey, Sir George Colebrooke, Sir --- Clayton, Mr. Webb, jun. Mr. Crepigny, Mr. Evelyn, Dr. Allen, the Rev. Mr. Horne, &c.

The subject of the meeting was to consider of the most proper steps to be taken in the present critical situation of affairs. Several of the Gentlemen were for giving instructions to their Representatives; to endeavour to obtain a redress of those grievances, which not only that country, but the whole nation, at this time, loudly complain of, and particularly respecting the late unprecedented infringement (as they call it) of the right of election, whereby a Gentleman, with only 299 votes, had been suffered to take a seat in the House of Commons against a majority of 1565 legal freeholders. Many and strong objections were made to the proposal of instructing their Representatives; and it was at length agreed to present an humble and dutiful petition to the King, complaining of the many grievances his Majesty's most loyal subjects at this time labour under, by the artful and arbitrary measures adopted by his present Ministers, against the liberties of the subject, and peace and happiness of his Majesty's reign, at the same time imploring his Royal protection, and entreating his Majesty to remove such men from his presence; as the only means of restoring tranquility to his distracted dominions, &c.

Mr. Horne began his speech with an assurance to the company, that he was a freeholder of Surry (lest he should be considered in the light of an intruder) and that he had been so for nine years past; that his freehold consisted of a small farm, and adjoined to the estate of Mr. Budgen. In the course of his speech he expressed himself very severely against one of their present members, who he represented as a man of no honour whatsoever; that his professions or promises to exert himself in behalf of his constituents, if they should determine to instruct their Representatives, he said, were not to be taken: that if he should undertake to observe them he would not keep his word; that he knew this to be true, and that the Representatives knew he could prove it: that he hoped for the satisfaction of seeing him at the then meeting, in which case he came determined to make the same declaration: That respecting what he had said of that Gentleman, he meant to take no advantage of the privilege of his sacred function, and hoped the Gentleman would not have recourse to his own privilege. He therefore was much averse to the proposal for instructions, as one of their members had already declared his sentiments against the interest of his constituents. It was then resolved by the freeholders, that the late address to the throne, as the address of the body of freeholders of the county, had been smuggled, and was not only done without any public notice being given to the freeholders to meet for that purpose, but appeared also to be directly contrary to the sense of the body of them: Sir Joseph Mawbey took notice, that out of twenty who signed the address in the neighbourhood of Clapham, to his certain knowledge, only four of them were freeholders of Surry. After much being said on this subject, he desired one which he had prepared might be read. This was much objected to, but was at length permitted to be read: however it was not altogether approved, but a committee was immediately appointed to draw up another, which was to be ready in two hours for such of the freeholders to sign as could conveniently wait so long for that purpose. After this business was agreed to, a motion was made, that the thanks of the freeholders should be given to Sir Francis Vincent, Bart. their worthy Representative (then present) for his steady and upright conduct on all occasions, which was carried nem. con.