yourselves with equal alacrity and steadiness in pursuing every measure that could contribute to the maintenance of the pub

FIRST SESSION

OF THE

OF

GREAT BRITAIN.

lic safety and tranquillity, which you well THIRTEENTH PARLIAMENT understood could no otherwise be preserved than by establishing, on a respectable foundation, the strength, the credit, and the commerce of the nation. The large supplies you have from time to time granted, and the wise regulations you have made for these important purposes, will, I am persuaded, be found to have been productive of the most beneficial consequences.

"In the approaching election of representatives, I doubt not but my people will give me fresh proofs of their attachment to the true interest of their country, which I shall ever receive as the most acceptable mark of their affection to me. The welfare of all my subjects is my first object. Nothing therefore has ever given me more real concern, than to see any of them, in any part of my dominions, attempting to loosen those bonds of constitutional subordination, so essential to the welfare of the whole. But it is with much satisfaction that I now see them returning to a more just sense of what their own interest, no less than their duty, indispensably requires of them, and thereby giving me the prospect of continuing to reign over an happy, because an united people."

The Parliament was then prorogued, and on the 12th instant was dissolved.*

*"December 19, 1767. In one of our conversations, I desired lord Chatham to secure you a seat in the New Parliament; he assured me he would; and, I am convinced, very sincerely he said even that he would make it his own affair; and desired I would give myself no more trouble about it. Since that, I have heard no more of it; which made me look out for some venal borough; and I spoke to a borough-jobber, and offered five-and-twentyhundred pounds for a secure seat in parliament; but he laughed at my offer, and said, that there was no such a thing as a borough to be had now, for the rich East and West Indians had secured them all, at the rate of three thousand pounds at least; but many at four thousand; and two or three, that he knew, at five thousand.

Meeting of the New Parliament.]* May 10, 1768. This day the New Par

if I can find one, I promise you I will bid like a chapman for it, as I should be very sorry that you were not in the next parliament.

"March 12, 1768. You will not be in this parliament, at least not at the beginning of it. I relied too much upon lord Chatham's promise above a year ago at Bath. He desired that I would leave it to him; that he would make it his own affair, and give it in charge to the duke of Grafton, whose province it was to make the parliamentary arrangement. This! since that, lord Chatham has neither seen nor depended upon, and I think with reason; but spoken to any body, and has been in the oddest way in the world. I sent to the duke of Grafton to know if lord Chatham had either spoken or sent to him about it; but he assured me that he had done neither: that all was full, or rather running over at present; but that, if he could crowd you in upon a vacancy, he would do it this accident; for I am of a very different opi with great pleasure. I am extremely sorry for nion from you, about being in parliament, as no man can be of consequence in this country, who is not in it; and though one may not speak like a lord Mansfield or a lord Chatham, one may make a very good figure in a second rank. Locus est et pluribus umbris.” Lørd Chesterfield to his Son.

*All England was agitated by the tu mults incident to a general election, but parti cularly London and Middlesex, on account ef the re-appearance of John Wilkes: he quitted England under circumstances so disgraceful, that his offer to represent the metropolis, or the county which includes the metropolis, was an incalculable effort of impudence, while the support he received seems to have flowed from an unprecedented source of popular delusion.

of

"When Mr. Wilkes found it necessary to leave his native country, he repaired to France; on his arrival, he asserted that he was deputed ambassador to Constantinople, but he soon relinquished that pretence, and professed an inclination to reconcile himself with the ministry, "January 29, 1768. Lord Chatham is at and return to England. The appointment his house at Hayes, but sees no mortal. Some the Rockingham administration flattering him say that he has a fit of the gout, which would with hopes of success, he repaired to London do him good; but many think that his worst in May 1766, and opened a negociation with complaint is in his head, which I am afraid is the friends of the Marquis; but as he could too true. Were he well, I am very sure he not obtain protection from them, nor place his would realize the promise he made me concern-outlawry in a train of reversal till November, ing you; but however, in that uncertainty, I he again went to France. In the course of that am looking out for any chance borough; and summer lord Chatham's administration was

Who being come; the Lord Chancellor

said:

liament met at Westminster. It was opened by Commission. The Lord Chancellor commanded the gentleman usher of the black rod to let the Commons know "The Lords Commissioners desire their immediate attendance in this House to hear the commission read."

"My Lords, and Gentlemen of the House of Commons;

"By virtue of his Majesty's commission now read, and in obedience to his

utlagatum was at length issued, and as no precedent could be found of a person in his circumstances being delivered to bail, he was or

formed, and Mr. Wilkes conceiving new hopes, solicited, in earnest and abject terms, the duke of Grafton's interference with the King. This application being rejected, Mr. Wilkes, neg-dered into custody. The populace, however, lected and forgotten, remained an exile, till the approaching dissolution of parliament drew him to England.

"In his retirement he reflected with anger on his repeated mortifications, and his spirit was inflamed to that degree of virulence which made him brave every danger, and defy every appearance of decency, in declaring himself a candidate to represent the city of London. In bis address to the livery, he claimed credit for his attachment to liberty, and presented his contests with government on the two questions respecting general warrants, and the seizure of papers, as titles to protection and encouragement. As the outlawry was still in full force, to prevent his being apprehended he wrote to the solicitor and deputy solicitor of the treasury, pledging his honour as a gentleman, that he would personally appear in the court of King's bench on the first day of the ensuing term.

reversed the decree of the Court; they stopped the coach in which he was proceeding, took off the horses, and dragged him through the city to a public house in Spitalfields, where they kept him till eleven at night, when he made his escape, and surrendered himself to the marshal of the King's-bench. The next day a mob assembled near the prison, pulled up the rails which inclosed the foot-way, and made a bonfire. At night they compelled the inhabitants of the Borough to illuminate; but at midnight were dispersed by a detachment from the guards.

"From this period, a tumultuous meeting was daily held at the King's-bench prison, and many outrages were committed in various parts of the town. These proceedings alarmed government, and they were properly on their guard against the prevalence of the riotous disposition so forcibly displayed.

"Mr. Wilkes was not chosen for London; "On the day of the opening of parliament, but the populace, sympathizing in his disap- an immense multitude assembled in St. pointment, and anxious to show their zeal in George's Fields, expecting that, by virtue of his cause, took the horses from his carriage, his privilege, their favourite would be liberated, and drew it through the city. He immediately and take his seat in the House. They depresented himself a candidate for the county of manded him at the prison with loud outcries, Middlesex, and was returned by a large majo- and soon grew extremely tumultuous. The rity. His friends, the populace, on this occa-justices, attempting to read the Riot Act, were sion testified not only their joy, but their resentment, by breaking the windows of lord Bute's house, and of the Mansion house; the air resounded with the cry of Wilkes and Liberty,' and those who refused to join in it were beat and insulted.

"The new parliament met according to the return of the writs of summons, and sir John Cust was again chosen Speaker. The only business transacted was a continuation of the statutes respecting grain; and a motion that the proper crown officer might report to the House why the laws were not immediately put in force against John Wilkes, an outlaw, when he returned to England in February.

assailed with stones and bricks; great pains were taken to induce the people to disperse, but in vain the drums beat to arms, and the military assembled in great numbers, but the rabble persevered in their riotous behaviour, and even assaulted them. Some soldiers pursued a man who had been forward in maltreating them to some distance, and shot him dead in an out-house belonging to his father. The youth's name was Allen, and it was alleged, that he was a mere spectator of the transactions of the day, and had, by mistake, been singled out instead of some other person. Meanwhile, the riot increasing, and every effort to restore tranquillity proving ineffectual, the soldiers received the word of command, and fired; five or six persons were killed, and fifteen wounded.

"Mr. Wilkes was at this period already in custody. He appeared in the court of King's bench, according to his promise, and in a long speech complained of all the transactions in his "The mob was dispersed, but inexpressible case, but left the discussion of points of law to rage prevailed against the soldiery. The regi his counsel. The attorney-general moved for ment happened, unfortunately, to be princihis commitment; cause was shown against it, pally composed of Scotchmen, which gave adand a writ of error prayed. The judges cen-ditional violence to the popular resentment. sured both motions, as Mr. Wilkes was not properly before the court, and refused to commit, or admit him to bail. A writ of capias

The coroner's inquest brought in a verdict of wilful murder against the soldier who shot Allen, and implicated another private, and

commands, we let you know, That his Majesty doth not think fit that we should declare the causes of your present meeting until there be a Speaker of the House of Commons; and therefore it is his Majesty's pleasure, that you, gentlemen of the House of Commons, do immediately repair to the place where the Commons usually sit, and there chuse a fit person to be your Speaker, and that you present the person who shall be so chosen to his Majesty's commissioners here, for his royal approbation by the said commissioners to-morrow at twelve of the clock at noon."

Then the Commons withdrew;

Alex. Murray, esq. the commanding officer, as accessaries. The principal, Donald Mac. lean, was conveyed to prison, and the populace were with difficulty restrained from tearing him to pieces. The King, with great propriety, protected and sanctioned the proceedings which gave a timely check to this daring spirit of licentiousness, and returned thanks to the commanding officer for his prudence and resolution.

BERKSHIRE. Arthur Vansittart.--Thomas Craven; brother to lord Craven, and a rearadmiral of the blue squadron of his majesty's fleet; died, a new writ ordered, December 21, 1772.--John Elwes. Windsor. Augustus Keppel; made a groom of his majesty's bedchamber, in 1762 made a rear-admiral of the blue squadron of his majesty's fleet. Made a commissioner of the admiralty, a new writ ordered, December 1765, he was re-chosen.---Lord George Beauclerk; uncle to the duke of St. Albans, colonel of a regiment of foot, governor of Landguard-fort, and a lieutenant general;

died, a new writ ordered, May 13,

"Nothing could exceed the frenzy of indignation which prevailed in the public mind; riots of the most dangerous nature were daily excited. Harley, the lord mayor, being already obnoxious to Wilkes's party, for his conduct while sheriff, in burning the North Briton, the Mansion house was frequently assailed by mobs, and at length it was found requisite that a guard should be constantly stationed there. A most audacious and treasonable paper was stuck on the walls of St. James's pa-jesty's command, to the justices for Surry, lace, and another of similar purport found on the back stairs. All was terror, confusion, and alarm." Adolphus.

for suppressing tumults and unlawful assem blies. Both Houses of parliament thanked his Majesty for this measure, and united in expressing their approbation of the magistrates who had been active in quelling the disturbances: and lord Weymouth wrote a letter, by his Ma

which testified the utmost satisfaction with the conduct both of the magistrates and the troops in suppressing lawless disturbances. Samuel Gillam, esq. one of the justices, was tried on a "On the day on which the parliament charge of having murdered William Redburn, met, great numbers of persons assembled in by having ordered the soldiers to fire; in con St. George's Fields, expecting to see Mr. sequence of which, Redburn had been killed. Wilkes go from prison to the House of Com- The jury, seeing the absurdity and the injus mons. The mob becoming very outrageous, tice of such a prosecution, would not suffer the the Surry magistrates, when unable to pre- accused to take the trouble of entering upon bis serve the public peace, were obliged to read defence; but, when the prosecutor's evidence the Riot Act, and call in the military to assist the was closed, pronounced a verdict of acquittal. civil power. Instead of separating, the popu- Donald Maclean, a soldier, was tried for the lace insulted and attacked the soldiers: the murder of Allen; but being proved to have legal time for dispersion being elapsed, force acted only in discharge of his duty, he was was found absolutely necessary; the soldiers acquitted. The mob was very much displeased were ordered to fire; and, as in a mob it is with this sentence; and, as Maclean was either impossible to distinguish active outrage from known, or from his name presumed to be, a idle curiosity, a man who had not been riotous Scotch highlander (and consequently the counwas unfortunately killed: this was Allen, who, tryman of lord Bute), the clamour was the more though humble and obscure in life, was from loud and outrageous. Mr. Wilkes applied to his death consecrated to perpetual remembrance the court of King's-bench for a reversal of his by the pen of elegant invective, poignant acri- outlawry, as irregular and illegal; and, after mony, and impressive misrepresentation [See many learned arguments on both sides, the Junius, passim.]: several others also were un-judges unanimously delivered their opinion, avoidably killed. On the 17th of May, a pro- that the sentence was illegal, and must be reelamation was issued, by order of the council, versed." Bisset.