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 950 BURKE. endeavouring to sbake all the works of God, established in beauty and order." In the course of the same session, on a motion by Sir Henry Houghton for the relief of dis- senters, he expressed in strong terms, his opinion of the disqualifications under which they laboured, calling the toleration which they enjoyed by connivance, " a tempo- rary relaxation of slavery;" a sort of liberty "not calculated for the meridian of England. On the dissolution of parliament in 1774, he was re- turned, through the influence of the Marquis of Rocking- ham, for the borough of Malton, in Yorkshire; but when on the point of sitting down to dinner with his friends in that town, after the election, a deputation of merchants arrived from Bristol to request him to stand for that city. By the advice of his constituents at Malton, he con- sented to accompany them, and throwing himself into a post-chaise, proceeded with all possible expedition to Bristol. A large body of the principal mercbants of that city, consisting chiefly of dissenters, had beheld with admiration his splendid talents, and considering him a firin friend to the cause of civil and religious liberty, stood forward in his behalf. The old members for that city were already opposed by Mr. Cruger; and on Burke's appearance on the hustings, which was not until the sixth day of the election, he delivered a most eloquent speech, in which, by his intimate acquaintance with the advantages and principles of commerce, and the local interests of Bristol, he produced so deep an impression on the minds of the electors, as to ensure his final success. He was returned for that city in conjunction with Mr. Cruger; a gentleman, who, it would seem, possessed no great share of that eloquence which so eminently distinguished his colleague. It is even reported, that after Burke had delivered one of his best speeches, at Bristol, Cruger rose up, and exclaimed, " I say ditto to Mr. Burke I say ditlo to Mr. Burke." The meeting of the new parliament displayed a grenter