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The Pitt Clubs of Great Britain.

canton of Vaud, who emigrated in 1801, when Buonaparte forced upon Switzerland what he terme 1 his act of mediation. A letter from Louisville, in Kentucky, states, that a valuable discovery has lately been made in the Indiana territory, 12 miles from the Ohio river, and the same distance westward of New Albany. It is a cave containing an inexhaustible quantity of Glauber salt, or sulphate of potash. It was first discovered by a hunter, who went in, found the salt, and brought a specimen of it to an apothecary at Louisville. Dr. Adams, a physician of that place, to whom it was also shown, immediately set off to examine the cave, and finding it to be a section of land not taken out of the land-office of the United States, he entered it for himself, and is now preparing to dig it for exportation. The section, of 160 acres, cost him 320 dollars per acre. In the neighbourhood are several caves containing saltpetre.

The following elegant appeal will serve to prove the rancorous spirit which still prevails among a certain class of the people of the United States against England and every thing that is English. It is extracted from the Boston Patriot of April 10, 1816.

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DARTMOOR MASSACRE! "Hark! hark! ye tars of Columbialisten to the sound of the voices of the departed spirits of your brave but murdered countrymen, which calls aloud from their graves, in that tyrannic and blood-stained island whose sons have twice cowered to Columbian freemen in battle. Hark! I say, and hear them ask if they, by their beloved countrymen, are so soon forgotten, and their memories consigned to oblivion, as their bodies were to the cold and silent tomb, by the hands of the bloody SHORTLAND and his myrmidons. No, my brave and gallant Countrymen! those heroes are not forgotten, nor never shall be, so long as the purple li quid continues to circulate through their veins, and reason holds her empire in their minds. The 6th of April is the anniversary of that bloody deed committed in Dartmoor prison, which will stain the page of history to the latest date of time, and England shall tremble to its base, when she remembers the day that freemen bled by their unhal. lowed hands, whilst prisoners, unarmed and incapable of defence. It has been said, and truly said, that cowards are cruel; but the brave love mercy and delight to save. We will not forget those brave men, but on the 6th April will remember them.

PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

Among

NEPTUNE."

a tribute to the merits of the great states-
man from whom they emanated, we shall
be forgiven for introducing the inscrip-
tion upon his monument erected in the
Guildhall of the city of London, in which
they are thus justly and emphatically
recorded:

WILLIAM PITT,
Son of WILLIAM PITT, Earl of Chatham,
Inheriting the genius, and formed by the
precepts of his Father,
Devoted himself from his early years to the

service of the state.

THE PITT CLUBS OF GREAT BRITAIN. THERE is perhaps no feature in the national character of Englishmen that more strongly distinguishes them from the people of other countries than the numerous associations established for the purpose of promoting some particular political opinion, providing relief for every species of distress that can befal humanity, or perpetuating those local attachments which are the sources of the most agreeable recollections. the first class we know of none whose object is so important-whether we consider the person commemorated, or the influence which his principles have exercised over the state of the whole civifized world, as the societies formed in almost all the principal towns of the British empire in honour of the late Rt. Hon. WILLIAM PITT-a statesman whose name our remotest posterity will pronounce with reverence. Though we are confident that the nature of those principles is so well known to all the readers of this work as to render any elucidation of them here unnecessary, yet in an article professedly designed as

Called to the chief conduct of the Admini

stration, after the close of a disastrous war, He repaired the exhausted Revenues, he re vived and invigorated the Commerce and

Prosperity of the Country,
And he had re-established the Public Credit

on deep and sure foundations, When a new War was kindled in EUROPE, more formidable than any preceding War

from the peculiar character of its dangers. To resist the arms of FRANCE, which were directed against the Independence of every Government and People, To animate other nations by the example of GREAT BRITAIN,

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To check the contagion of opinions which tended to dissolve the frame of Civil Society, To array the loyal, the sober-minded, and the good, in defence of the venerable Constitution of the BRITISH MONARCHY, Were the duties which, at that awful crisis, devolved upon the British Minister, And which he discharged with transcendent zeal, intrepidity, and perseverance. He upheld the National Honour abroad; he maintained at home the blessings of Order and of true Liberty;

And, in the midst of difficulties and perils, He united and consolidated the strength, power, and resources of the Empire.

For these high purposes, He was gifted by DIVINE PROVIDENCE with endowments,

Rare in their separate excellence, wonderful in their combination :

Judgment; imagination; memory; wit; force and acuteness of reasoning; Eloquence, copious and accurate, com

manding and persuasive, And suited, from its splendour, to the dignity of his mind and to the authority of his station;

A lofty spirit; a mild and ingenuous temper. Warm and stedfast in friendship, towards enemies he was forbearing and forgiving; His industry was not relaxed by confidence. in his great abilities;

His indulgence to others was not abated by the consciousness of his own superiority; His ambition was pure from all selfish mo

tives;

The love of power and the passion for fame were in him subordinate to views of public utility;

Dispensing for near twenty years the favours of the Crown, He lived without ostentation, and he died

poor.

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NIEL ATCHESON, esq., who at that time resided in the Middle Temple. Its meetings were held on the birthdays of the King and Queen, but after Mr. Pitt's brated meeting of 1802, at which upretirement from office, and the celewards of 900 persons were present and Earl Spencer presided, the members of this association met on Mr. Pitt's birthday, until 1808, when it was thought that a more extensive society might be formed to perpetuate the principles of the illus trious statesman. Mr. Atcheson accordingly made a proposition to several persons of congenial sentiments, which was adopted, and in 1808 this club was established, of which Mr. Atcheson enjoys the high honour of being the founder.

Prior to Mr. Pitt's death, a subscription was raised for erecting a statue of him, but which he requested might not be carried into effect. The money subscribed for that purpose was considerable, and by its judicious management in the hands of Mr. Angerstein, it now amounts to so large a sum that after paying Mr. Westmacott, who is at present engaged upon the work, a surplus of more than 7,000l. will be left unappropriated.

tution have uniformly manifested a deThe members of this patriotic insti sire to promote other objects of public utility. In this spirit their assistance has been extended, to the Society of Schoolmasters; they have likewise presented 5001. to the University of Cambridge in aid of the fund for endowing a Pitt scholarship there; and feeling the importance of impressing on the rising generation a due reverence for ciples of their illustrious model, they the name, the virtues, and the prin have conceived the design of found

We regret to be obliged to state that though we have spared no pains, by personal application and by letter, to obtaining exhibitions at the eight principal accounts of the state of each individual club, in the hope of presenting to our readers a complete view of these institutions, yet in various instances our endea vours have proved unsuccessful. shall therefore proceed to fulfil our intention as far as we are enabled by the materials with which we have been favoured.

THE LONDON PITT CLUB.

We

The origin of this club proceeds from a Society of respectable private individuals who in 1793 associated themselves for the purpose of endeavouring to counter act the principles disseminated by the partisans of the French Revolution. This society owes its origin to NATHA

public schools of the kingdom: Winthe Charter House, Merchant Taylors, chester, Westminster, Eton, Harrow, and Rugby, for boys not on the foundations of those schools, nor otherwise pro

This fund consisted of 1,000l, part of the surplus of a subscription raised for the monu ment erected at Cambridge to Mr. Pitt. The first election took place in January, 1814, when this honourable distinction was ob

tained under circumstances that reflected peculiar credit on the successful candidate College, who has this year added to his acaMr. MARMADUKE LAWSON, of Magdalen demic laurels by gaining one of the Chan cellor's gold medals, as is recorded in out last number, p. 323.

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vided for at either of the universities. These exhibitions it is proposed to denominate, PITT Exhibitions, and to endow them with not less than one thousand pounds cach.

The admission fee paid by all persons elected members of the LONDON PITT CLUB has been increased from three to four guineas; the previous members having also contributed the additional guinea These fees have been for some time appropriated to the fund destined for the endowment of exhibitions, and already amount to a considerable sum. As, however, several years would be required to carry this laudable measure into complete ffect, if the support were confined to the mother club, it were much to be wished that the members of the provincial clubs may be induced to lend their assistance, as the subscription of a single guinea from each would at once raise an adequate fund. Though all the schools embraced in this proposal are English, yet to the honour of Scotland the DUNDEE CLUB has adopted the plan here recommended, and we trust that it requires only to be publicly known to receive the aid of every friend to PITT

[June 1,

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The Wooden Walls of Old England.
Ships, Colonies, and Commerce.

It was for one of these celebrations, during the life-time of Mr. PITT that the pen of the Right Hon GEORGE CANNING produced the popular song of "The Pilot that weather'd the Storm" We trust that we need not apologize for introducing it here as altered since the death of that great statesman;

"THE PILOT THAT WEATHER'D THE STORM."

Again, while around us the whirlwind is raging,

The fair face of Heav'n while fresh tempests deform;

We remember THE PILOT that weather'd

the Storm.

At the footstool of power let flattery fawn,

principles throughout the kingdom. It With couragt undaunted new perils engaging, has also been suggested that the surplus of the fund for a statue could not be more judiciously applied than to this purpose; as it cannot fail to be productive of the most beneficial consequences to the country to identify the name, character, and principles of WILLIAM PITT with the education of future generations.

The LONDON PITT CLUB which was not established on a permanent basis till 1808, and now numbers about 1,300 members, embraces characters the most distinguished for rank, official situation, wealth, and talents. It is, certain that no other anniversary whatever brings together so respectable an assemblage as the celebration of the birthday of Mr. PITT, which is uniformly attended by most of his Majesty's ministers. The standing toasts on this occasion serve to illustrate the principles which animate not only the London but likewise the provincial clubs:

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Let faction her idols exalt to the skies:

To PITT, from our wishes untimely with-
drawn,

Unblam'd may the accents of gratitude rise.
And shall not His mem'ry to Britons be dear,
Whose example all nations with envy be

hold?

A Statesman unbiass'd by interest or fear,

By power uncorrupted, untainted by gold: Who, when terror and doubt through the universe reign'd, [unfurl'd; While rapine and treason their standard The heart and the hope of His country sustained, [wreck of a world,

And one kingdom preserv'd, 'midst the

blaze,

Unheeding, unthankful, we bask in the
[jesty shine;
While the beams of the sun in full ma-
When He sinks into twilight, how pensive.
we gaze,

And mourn o'er the darkness that marks
His decline!

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1816.]

Pitt Club of Scotland.

Accept, then, for dangers by wisdom repell'd, For evils with courage and constancy brav'd;

Accept for a throne by thy counsels upheld,
The regret of a people thy firmness has
sav'd.

And still 'midst new perils and struggles un-
tried,
[form;
Though fortune may vary her changeable
While THY NAME shall inspire us, THY
SPIRIT shall guide,

We'll remember THE PILOT that wea-
ther'd the Storm.

The first officers of this club were:
President.

The Duke of RICHMOND.

Vice-Presidents.

The LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR.
The Marquis of HUNTLEY.

The Rt. Hon. GEORGE ROSE, M. P.
Lord LASCELLES, M. P.

Sir ROBERT PEEL, Bart. M. P.

Sir ROBERT WIGRAM, Bart.

433

the principles of the late Right Hon. WM. PITT. The Duke of ATHOL was unanimously called to the chair; and ALEX. MACONOCHIE, esq. the younger, of Meadowbank, his Majesty's solicitorgeneral of Scotland, addressed the meeting in a short speech, in which he pointed out the incalculable benefits which the civilized world had obtained by Great, Britain firmly adhering, during a period of unexampled peril, to the principles of that great statesman and virtuous minister, and the obligation which was incumbent upon the persons then assembled, and upon every British subject, not only to testify their gratitude to his memory, but to perpetuate those principles which had been the rule of his government, and upon which the existence of the constitution, and of the glory and independence of the country, so essentially depended. He concluded by moving that an association, to be known by the name of the PITT CLUB OF SCOT

JOHN BLACKBURN, Esq. Preston Can- LAND, should be immediately formed.

dover.

JOHN INGLIS, Esq. and

THOMAS REID, Esq.

Founder.

NATHANIEL ATCHESON, Esq.

Honorary Chaplain.

The Very Rev. the DEAN of CHester.
Treasurer.

JOHN BENJAMIN MORGAN, Esq.

Honorary Secretary.
JOHN GIFFORD, Esq.

On the recent death of the Dean of Chester, that most eminent divine the Rev. Dr. Thos. Rennel, Dean of Winchester and Master of the Temple, was unanimously chosen Honorary Chaplain of this club. There are, besides the anniversary on the 28th of May, three spring meetings held in February, March, and April, and which are always numerously attended; they afford opportunities for the members of the country clubs who are not in town on the anniversary, to become acquainted with their associates in principles of loyalty; and, as it is an object of the club to encourage NATIVE TALENT, persons of the highest emineuce in the musical world are engaged to attend these meetings, and every exertion is made by the members of this club to support the ENGLISH professors of

music.

THE PITT CLUB OF SCOTLAND. On the 12th of April, 1814, there was held in Edinburgh a numerous meeting of noblemen and gentlemen attached to NEW MONTHLY MAG,-No. 29.

The motion of the Solicitor-general was seconded by the Earl of GLASGOW; and a committee was thereafter appointed to carry the resolution into effect. An association was accordingly formed, comprehending a great number of Scotch peers, and of the most distinguished characters in the country. In about five weeks the number amounted to upwards of 640, which has since been increased to more than 900. At the first meeting the Duke of BUCCLEUCH and QUEENSBERRY was unanimously elected President.

Vice-Presidents.

The Duke of ATHOL,

The Marquis of QUEENSBERRY,
The Earl of MORAY,
The Earl of GLASGOW,
Lord GRAY,

The Rt. Hon. ROB. DUNDAS, of Arnis-
ton, lord chief baron of Scotland.
ALEX. MACONOCHIE, esq. younger, of
Meadowbank,

Rear-adm. Sir WM. JOHNSTONE HOPE,
K. C. B. and M. P.

The club assembles annually at din-
ner, either upon
birth-day of Mr. PITT, or upon some
the anniversary of the
other day appointed by the Committee
the commemoration of the birth of that
of Management; but every third year
statesman being publicly celebrated in
Edinburgh, the association unite with.
their fellow-citizens upon that occasion,
in testifying their gratitude to the me
mory of that illustrious minister.
VOL. V.
3 K

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434 Pitt Clubs of Birmingham—Blackburn-Bolton-Bristol. [June 1,

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The BLACKBURN PITT CLUB dates its commencement form 1812, though not permanently established till 1814. It consists of 137 members, who meet nually on the 28th of May; each wearing a silver medal, with the likeness of Mr. PITT on one side, and BLACKBURN PITT CLUB, 1812, with suitable devices, on the other. Each member pays half-aguinea at the time of election, and the same sum annually towards the incidental expenses. The president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, and committee, consisting of five menbers in addition to those officers, are elected at a meeting held yearly for the purpose on the second Tuesday in May. EDWARD CHIPPINDALL, esq. is the present treasurer, and Mr. ROGERT DEWHURST secretary to the club.

BOLTON.

The BOLTON PITT CLUB was institututed on the 5th April, 1810, by 48 of the most respectable gentlemen of the

town and neighbourhood, and on the 28th of May following, the first anniver sary of the Club was held.-MATTHEW FLETCHER and THOS. RIDGWAY jun. esq. two gentlemen who had been amongs the most zealous advocates for its insti tution, were the stewards of this meeting. The number of the members at present is about 85.-Exclusive of the geneing of the Committee is held on the first ral anniversary meeting, an annual meetMonday in May, for the purpose of electing a President, Vice President and Committee for the ensuing year. All elec tions of fresh members are made by ballot and by a majority of at least two thirds of the members then present. Each member on his admission pays one pound towards defraying the incidental expences of the Club.

One of the original articles of the Club provides that no candidate should become a member who is not well known to be firmly attached to our good old constitution, and to its late great pillar, that excellent minister- who gives the name to a society founded in honour of his virtues and his memory.

BRISTOL.

In this city there are two clubs-the tional Club, established on principles Stedfast Society and the Loyal Constituwhich they have been in the habit of ce corresponding with those of Mr. PITT, and lebrating together the anniversary of the birth of that great statesman ever since 1802. As there is no society under the appellation of the PITT CLUB, the annual meeting is not attended by any regular number of members, but is considered as an open one. The officers appointed for the present anniversary are: Sir RICHARD VAUGHAN, in the chair. Vice-Presidents.

THOMAS DANIEL, esq. alderman, PONSONBY TOTTENHAM, esq. JOHN GORDON, esq., and W. B. ELWYN, esq. Stewards. Thomas Hellicar, esq. Edward Sampson, esq. James Russell, esq. Joseph Guest, esq. John Gardiner, esq. George Daubeny, esq. Benjamin Bickley, esq. John Vaughan, esq. Francis Savage, esq. Joseph Hellicar, esq. J. M. Hilhouse, esq., and The Rev. Richard Bedford, A.M. Secretary-RICH. COLSTON, esq.

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