:MIL HORATIO ROSS AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.
TO THE EDITOR or THE sPE(TATOlt.
Arliroallt,19th Eolmnry t,31.
SIR—ID your last week's Spectator, there appeared an attack on Mr. Ross, the Member for this district of Burghs ; where the smtements
contained in it are not more at variance with filet, than the motives at- tributed to Mr. Ross for the way in which he arranged to meet his electors, are different from those highly honourable ones %%Ilia' really actuated him.
That Mr. Ross huts opponents in the Burghs there can be no ques- tion ; and in a constituency of 1,540, where is the man, be his principles what they may, who will not have opponents ? Many people oppose Mr. Ross front conscientious motives; but many more, I am equally certain, do so from personal feeling, engendered during the heat of a contested election. Mr. Ross, however, stands high iu the opinion of the great body of the electors generally ; and he carried his last election by an overwhelming majority. With the knowledge of this nal staring them in the face, his opponents and the Radical press of the district have continually kept up the hue and cry that Mr. Ross does not repre- sent the opinions of the great majority of the electors. To prove the groundlessness and absurdity of this assertion, Mr. Ross intimated to the Magistrates of the different Burghs his wish to meet the electors, to learn their sentiments regarding his Parliamentary conduct.
By excluding the mon-electors, Mr. Ross meant no disrespect to
them : he considers himself—as every liberal-minded man undoubtedly does—the Representative of the whole body of the People generally. But as the distinct charge had been brought against Mr. Ross, that he did not represent the opinions of his constituents, it was absolutely neces- sary to ascertain the truth or this statement, that the electors alone should be present at the meeting to be held, it being naturally presumed that Mr. Ross's opponents would (to use the Parliamentary phrase) divide the House upon the question. Mr. Ross met the electors, there- fore, in all the different Burghs; answered satisfactorily the few unim- portant questions which were put to him, and manfully and honourably declared, that he should be at all times ready to resign his scat when a ma- jority of the electors should request him.
Whitt more can the disappointed opponents of Mr. Ross, or of any
other man, require ? Do they expect that Mr. Ross shall go from door to door himself begging signatures to a requisition for his resignation ? At the distance at which you are placed, you are unacquainted with the secret springs which actuate this hostile conspiracy on the part of the Radical local press to crush Mr. Ross. The great body of the electors continue to place every confidence in Mr. Ross; and they feel deeply grateful to him for the steady and uncompromising support he has given our present excellent Administration. As I am unconscious of having stated any thing but what is strictly true, I shall put no ficti- tious signature to my letter ; and if any of my statements are challenged, I trust it will be in the same open manner. I have the honour to re-
An Elector who voted for Air. Ross.
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