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BIOGRAPHY CP JOHN WILKES.
( Concluded.)
Petitions were succeeded by remonstrances,
some of which were comjKised in language
sufficiently intemperate : but tbc flame, which
the ministers had incautiously raised, iltey pos
sessed not the courage to extinguish. They
believed, probably it would of itself in time
consume and die away: thev stand therefore
wholly on the defensive, rejecting the pro
positions made in parliament to rescind the
resolution, but carefully avoiding to punish
those, without doors, who complaining, how
ever rudely, of its injustice. Mr. W ilkes m
the mean while, within the walls of the king’s
bench prison, continued to pass a not inglorious
confinement. From the time of his first elec
tion for Middlesex, in March 1768, through
the wholejof the year 1769, and even far into
1772, he was the sole and unrivalled political
idol of the people, whb Uvislicd upon him all
in the ir power to bestow, :<s if willing to prove
that i'i England it was pos .ibic for an individual
to he great and important through them alone.
A subscription was opened for the payment of
kis debts, and 20,0001. arc said in a few weeks
to have been raised for that purpose, and for
the discharging his fine. The society for the
support of the bill of rights, presented him
w,ith 3001. Gifts of plate, of wine, of house
hold goods, were daily heaped upon him. .An
unknown pati iot conveyed to him, in a hand
somely embroidered purse, five hundred gui
neas. An honest chandler enriched him with
a box containing of .candles, the magic number
of dozens, forty-five. High and low contended
with each other who most should serve and ce
lebrate hint. Devices and emblems of all des
criptions ornamented the liiiikets conveyed to
his person : the most usual was the cap of li
berty placed over his crest: upon others was
i\ bird with expanded wings, hovering over a
cage, beneath, a motto, “ 1 love liberty.” live
ry wall bore his name, and every window his
portrait. In China, in bronze,or in marble, lie
stood upon the chimney-piece of half the hous
es of the metropolis : lie swung upon the sign
post of every village, of every great road
throughout the country. He was accustomed
himself to tell with much glee of a monarchi
cal old lady, behind whom he accidentally wal
ked—looking up, she murmured, within his
healing, in much spleen—“lie swings every
where but where he ought—He passed her,
and, turning round, politely bowed. But the
voice of disapprobation, whether of old women
or young, of men or of youths, was the voice of
one amidst a thousand. The most grateful of
all harmony, says Balzac, arises from the dis
senting voice o! a single individual, when mix
ed in the general concert of public applause :
the appetite for popularity is not often distin
guishing ; it loves to number rather than se
lect.
*• Piaife from the rivelVl lips of toothless, fold
Decrepitude ; and in the looks of lean
And craving poverty ; and in the flow
Rcfpcetful ol the Imutch’d artificer :
Is oft too welcome, and may much diftnib
The biui of the purpofu.”
What wonder then, if, accompanied hv the
praise also of she splendid, the polished and the
wealthy, it invigorate and confirm the purpose /
Amongst the public bodies that testified their
approbation of his spirit, the city of London
took the lead. As early as the 2d of January,
1769, lie was elected alderman of the ward of
Furingdon without : by a mistake in closing
the pool books, the election however was pro
nounced void ; but on the 27th of the same
month In; wa i declared duly elected.
In November, 1769, he brought his action
against lord 1 Fail Lx, for false imprisonment,
and the seizure of his papers: hi: obtained a
verdict ot -UKh)/. On the lVth of April, 1770,
lie was discharged from his imprisonment. On
the 24tli tie was sworn as alderman.
In 1771, be seized tile advantage afforded
by l:;s maje- terial situation, to make teprisals
on the House of Commons. A messenger
having orders from the House to command the
attendance of a printer, (against whom com
plaint was made that, contrary to the privileges
of parliament, he had published the debates of
t ie house), attempted in v..ir. to execute what
w as required.
After several fruitless visitations, the norjeam
a’ arms reported that the printer was not to be
mot with. An address to the soverei ;n was
drawn up, in pursuance of which a proclama
tion was issued, ollering for the apprehension
of the printer a considerable reward, lie was
apprehended and the reward claimed. Mr.
aldornian Wilkes discharged him, apprehen
ded under an illegal warrant, and bound over
die printer to prosecute the party apprehend
ing him for an assault, lie at the same time
wrote a letter to lord Halifax, the secretary of
state, acquainting him with what had hee.n
done. The same conduct was adopted b? Mr.
Oliver, and the lord mayor, Brass Crosby,with
relation to other panics similarly situated : nor
did they stop here ; in one instance the magis
trates of the city not only discharged the per
son again*! whom the house of Commons had
directed their orders, but, as thou- joint act,
committed the messenger who endeavored to
put them in force. The Commons, fired at
this contempt of their authority, proceeded to
command the attendance of the magistrates.
The lord mayor and Mr. alderman Oliver, as
members of the house, attended in their places,
and justified the part which they had acted.
They were committed to the lower ; and
though brought up bv habeas corpus to the
court of common pleas, where their case was
argued at length, were remanded thither, and
oontinued there till the close of the sessions,
‘lick- being, however, as mem’-vs, within the
iurisuict’en o’ the house, was r.ot applicable to
Mr. Wilkes. In a letter to the speaker, he
peremptorily refused to comply with the older
of attendance, except as representative of the
conn”, of Middlesex. The order was renew
ed, and renewed again, but it was not obeyed.
At length he was ordered to be present on the
Bth of April, and an adjournment, was then
made to the 3th, and thus, to use the words of
Junius, ‘ by this mean, pitiful evasion,’ was the
point given up. The wretchedness of this shilt
became still more apparent from the house
having previously erased out of the Guildhall
rota book an entry taken by the magistrates of
their examination of the printer, for answering
of whose charge they bound over the messen
ger to give security. These minutes were at
the command of the house expunged by the
lord mayor's clerk at the speaker’s table.
If the power erf the commons in pailiamcnt
was such as to justify this interposition, it seems
to follow as a necessary consequence, that it
was such as to justify the commitment of Mr.
V* ilkes, who with his colleagues had signed
the minutes. If their jurisdiction were cir
cumscribed, and extended only to that which
was immediately a part of their body, it became
difficult to say, what controul they possessed
over the judicial papers of the city magistracy.
Lord Chatham, in the house of peers, denomi
nated this interference; the act, not of a parlia
ment, but of a mob : and the metropolis at the
time approved so much of the conduct of their
magisterial officers, that at a court of common
council thanks were voted to them, for having
supported the privileges and franchises of the
city, and having so firmly defended the British
constitution. Mr. V* ilkes triumphantly ob
served, that it was now evident the house, 1 had
had enough of him.’ His victory was decisive :
and all that a well wisher to the country could
regret was, that it was a victory gained over
the elected representatives of the nation, and
that those representatives had, in part, merited
their defeat.
From this period, Mr. Wilke’s career was a
course of good fortune. On the 3d of July,
1771, he was chosen sheriff ; in October 1771,
he was elected lord mayor ; and parliament 5
being suddenly dissolved in its sixth session, |
lie was elected one of the new representatives fj
of Middlesex and took his seat unmolested in
the December of the same year. lie had er
ring the whole of tee lust parliament publicly
termed himself’the real and icgai representa
tive of that county : its sheriffs too had, at two |
distinct calls of tin; house, returned him its 1
such. In 1774, he actually attended to be
sworn, but the tender ot the oath was refused,
without a certificate from the clerk of the
crown ; which, naturally enough, was ref used
also. lii:> election- secure, lie had now the
privilege “of calling names,” and me slid
more important privilege of pressing upon the
house, in person, and on repeated motion lor
rescinding the resolution of 1763. This lot
several years was not accompanied with com
plete success, though it was, at almost each at
tempt, attended with an augmentation in num
ber of those who voted v ita him. In April,
i 775, lie presented, us lord mayor, a remon
strance to tlie sovereign, from the city of Lon
don ; and in July, a petition : both of them ro
tating, not to his own peculiar case, but to tlie
state of public affairs ; both, however, Hostile
to the conduct of ministers. Having several
times stood candidate tor the clianibcrlainship
of London, against alderman Hopkins, he, in
1773, upon the death ot Ins opponent, obtained
that, not dishonorable, and very lucrative office.
He obtained it by a most decided majority, ant;
held it, without interruption, for file. Amid
these more substantial benefits, it is scarcely
worth relating, that a Mr. Temple left Km, by
will, 300/. “ lor his streanuous endeavors in the
cause of freedom, and his noble defence of the
constitution against a series of despots and
wicked ministers anti that t o city ot London
presented him with a valuable silver cup, em
bossed with the death of Caesar in the capital.
In 1782, upon the dismission from otlieo of
the ministers who conducted the war against
America, the obnoxious resolution v as, at
length, upon his own motion, expunged Irani
t c journals, t Ins was tlie crown ot those po
litical labors, which mure immediately concer
ned his own personal actions. lie thencefor
ward deemed himseif “ a lire burnt out.”
Such are the main and more important inci
dents of th : life of John Wilkes, a man, about
whom, even w ere n unwilling, posterity neces
sarily must make enquiries ; since the circum
stances of his nlc ars interwoven with the his
tory ol nis time, and with the history of the
constitution ol ..is country. His alter life was
passed m the punctual and fi.iihlul discharge of
the duties attached to his office of chamberlain ;
in a temperate attention, as a senator, to nati
onal affairs, and tbe proceedings of parliament ;
and in the cultivation of letters and the fine
arts; As treasurer of the city of London,
(such is the Chamberlain) his accounts were
kept with exactness, and his personal atten
dance was most legular. No officer subordi
nate to him, no person in any way concerned
w ith his office, ever had occasion to wait one
moment beyond the appointed time of daily
business.
lie died on the ‘26th, aged seventy. lie was
interred in Grosvenor chapel, south Audley
street. According to the directions of his will,
eight laboring men, dressed in new mourning,
bore his coffin from tlie door of the chapel to
the vault. The bearers, by Ins will, received,
in addition to their clothes, a guinea each. A
tablet, its inscription written by himself, has
this memorial :
THE REMAINS
of JOHN WILKES,
a ntiESD ro LifiEurr ;
Bora at London, Oct. 17, 1727, O. S. Died
in this Parish,
LONDON, March 23.
Tlie rage and ravings of the unfortunate Tr.i
ntaters, v. ho, like pigs swimming, have cut
their own throats, become greater and louder.
Mr. Perceval, with the chancellorship of the
exchequer, is to hav e the chancellotship of the
duchy of Lancaster conferred upon him for
file, and upon this they raise the most violent
cry. The first act of the new military is, say
thev, to be a job. Have they forgotten that
the first act of their military was a job ‘■ It was
to bring in a bill to prevent Loid Grcnvfile
from being forced to give up tbe auditorslnp
exchequer. He would not relinquish that lu
crative post, though it was incompatible with
the post ot first lord of the treasury-—he w ould
not engage “in the sen ice of government for
a limited period of service, without a swinging
allowance of Chelsea, when ho chooses to re
tire, or should be turned out of the regiment.”
Yet lord Grenville could not plead, that he had
given up any profession, or that he had not an
ample private fortune. Lord Grenville at the
time he w ould not accept the office of first lord
of the treasury, without having the auditorslnp
of the exchequer, secured to him, had a pr i
vate fortune of about 20,000/. a year. Mr. Per
ceval gives up a lucrative profession with the
prospects of the seals before him, to take the
post of chancellor of the exchequer, and lie has
a large family, with little or omprivale fortune.
It is quite indecent in him, say the ministers,
to accept of any place for life, though it was
perfectly dccorus in lord Grenville, with an
immense private fortune, not to accept the of
fice of first lord of the treasury, without the
sinecure post of auditor of the exchequer be
ing secured to him 1 But it is not true that the
chancellorship of the duchy of Lancaster was
never before given to any person for fife. Lord
Lansdovvwe gave it to lord Ashburton for file.
To be sure it (toes amuse us to hear the Gren
villes raising such an outcry against any man for
accepting a lucrative office, they would have a
mongst them, upwards of 30,000/. a year of the
public money for doing nothing.
It would have been well if the Grenvilles and
the Foxites had compared notes, and arranged
their plans of invective before they made
them public. We discern in their different
vehicles that they are each pursuing a differ
ent scent. The Grenville gazette, in speaking
of the duke of Portland, says, that “in the
prime of his manhood he was deemed unfit
by all mankind for the post of first lord of
the treasury.”'—llow will the Foxites relish
this who placed him at their heads as the most
fit man to be their leader, and the head of any
ministry that might be formed out of their
party ?
The last lay of the expiring ministry is still
that they have been the victims of intrigue—
that their “ real crime is their having been the
enemies of jobbers in whatever situation, and
their being determined to suppress extrava
gance by whomsoever practised, and to check
abuses by whomsoever ptotcctcd—-that it is
not the Catholic question.” To be sure it is
curious to hear, the Grenvilles and Foxites com
pluin of intrigue, whose whole lives have been
a course of intrigue; who daily and nightly
have been intriguing, patching up Coalitions,
sacrificing principles, bestowing places, pen
sions and honors on borough-mongers-and par
liamentary harranguers ; getting over this
one, and getting over that one, intriguing day
and night, and night and day, to strengthen
their party in parliament, and stooping to the
mcanc A acts to secure a vote They complan
of intrigue ! They ! whose wholt* ait and mys
tery consists in intrigue, and whose daily and
nightly occupation it is. They, whose whole
lives have been one intrigue, to shake govern
ment and overturn it; to turn out every one
unless they got in. Take any one of the three
or four parties composing the cabinet, and it
will be found each laboured hard to turn out or
keep out the rest. Their whole lives have been
a scene of turbulence, endeavoring to distract
the king’s councils when they were notin them;
and yet they complain that intrigues are prac
tised, that changes take place, and the govern
ment is unsteady.
15ut they know that no intrigues have been
practised against them, and that the Catholic j
question is the sole cause of their dismissal.—*-
They know- that the first attempt to exact con
ditions was not made by his majesty, but bv
them, that in consenting to withdraw the
Catholic bill, (the Catholics will not fail to see
how willing the ministers were to give up
their principles, that they might keep their
places) they stated to his majesty that they
trusted his “ majesty would seethe indispen
sible necessity of their expressing, on with
drawing the lull, the strong persuasion they
felt of the benefits which would result from a
different course of policy to the Catholics of
Ireland; and'they further stated, that it was
indispensible to- their characters, that they
should openly avow these sentiments, not onlv
on the present occasion, hut in the event of
the Catholic petition coming forward ; and they
further insisted, that their present deference
to his majesty, might not be understood
as restraining them from submitting, from
time to time', such measures as circum
stances might require respecting the state of
Ireland.”
They know that this demand was delivered
in writing to his majesty on the 12th instant.
Was it natural or extraordinary that his ma
jesty should, after this demand, exact conditions
from his ministers, that they would not again
harrass his mind by proposing a measure to
which they knew he had the most insuperable
objections ?
Our readers, in referring to what took place
last night, will not fail to remark the anxiety
which ministers, now that they are going out
feel against granting any reversions, or places
or pensions for life. It is curious to hoar the
fexitex soiiii c hty angry ot tnc system of> Ta
ing reversions, who recollect ‘hat their late
leader possessed one which lie sold. We are
rather surprised too, that Mi. hhe rid an sheuid
be presented as having said, that the appoint-’
merits possessed by a distinguished Lh.i.v, the
Grenvilles, we:e the rccompence of great ser
vices actually peiformed. iNowrealiv it would
puzzle any one to point out the great scrcices
which derive from the marquis ot Buckingham
the tellership of the exchequer, worth 20.000/.
a year and upwards. Was it that service winch
was so efficacious in throwing out Mr. Fox’s
India bill? It would be curious to hear arox
ite assert that, that sen ice merited such a re
com pence.— Courier.
CATUO L I C HI L L.
The following is a copy of a Bill introduced
into the British Parliament by the late minis
try, which eventuated in their dismissal from,
office.
A HILL for enabling his Majesty to avail him
se/f of the services of all his Liege Subjects
in his naval and military force , in the manner*
therein mentioned.
WHEIIEAS it is expedient that his majesty
should be enabled to avail himself of the ser
vices of all his liege subjects, in his naval and
military forces, for the maintairiance of the>
rights of his crown, and of the interests, honor
and independence of the British Empire :
lie it therefore enacted, idc. That it shall and
may be lavrii.i for his majesty to grant or con
fer, or by his royol sign manual to empower
the proper officer or officers to grant cr confer
any military commission, warrant, or appoint
ment, whatever, either in His majesty’s sea or
naval forces, or in any of his majesty’s land or
military forces whatsoever, to or upon any of
his majesty’s liege subjects, without excep
tions ; and that every such commission, war
rant or appointment, so granted or conferred,,
shall and may tic lawfully exercised by such,
his majesty s subjects, in all places within or -
without his majesty’s dominions, any law
statute, or usage to the contrary notwithstand
ing ; pro\ filed that every such person shall,
within months after his accepting
the said commission, warrant, or appointment,
take, make, and subscribe the declaration and
oath hereinafter mentioned, which declaration
and oath shall be engrossed on the back or at
the foot of the commission or appointment so
granted or conferred, and shall be there attest
ed by the signature of the magistrate or officer
iu whose presence the same shall have been
subscribed, and by whom the said oath shall
have been administered.
And be it farther enacted, That the said
oath and declaration to he so taken, shall be in
tbe words following, viz:
“ I A. B. being by this commission appoint
ed to be (here set fourth the affiointmcnt)
hereby solemnly promise and swear, in the pre
sence of Almighty God, that I will be faithful
and bear true allegiance to his majesty king
George the third, and that 1 will do my utmost
to maintain and riclend him against all treasons
and traitorous conspiracies, and against all at
tempts whatever that shall be made against his
person, crown, or dignity ; and that 1 will to the
utmost of my power, resist all such treasons,
conspiracies, or attempts, and will also dis
close and make known the same as soon as
they shall come to my knowledge ; and I do
also promise and swear in the presence of the
Almighty God, that I will do to the utmost of
my power, maintain and support the establish
ed constitution and government of the United
Kingdom against all attempts whatever that
shall be made against the same.”
And whereas it is expedient that his majes
ty’s subject, however employed in any of his
majesty’s sea,or naval forces whatsoever, should
be allowed the free exercise of such religious
opinions as they may respectively profess ; be
it enacted, 1 hat- no person employed in his
majesty s sea or naval forces, or land nr milita
ry forces, and having, previously signified
writing, signed by himself, to his commanding
officer, his dissent from the doctrine or worship
of the church of England, as by law establish
ed, shall under any pretence, or by any means*
be prevented from attending, or be subject or
liable to any pains, penalties-or disabilities for
attending such divine worship or religious ser
vice as may be consistent with and accordinp
to his religious persuation or opinions, at pro
per and seasonable times, and such as shall be
consistent with the due and full discharge of
his naval or military duties ; nor shall any
such person be compelled or compellable tf>
attend the worship or service of the said estab
lished church j and that any commissioned
officer acting in violation of, or contrary to this
provision, shall upon conviction thereof before
a general court-martial, be liable to be suspend
ed or dismissed from his majesty’s service, or
to such other punishment, not extending to life
or limb, as the said court-martial shall award a
and that any warrant or none commissioned
officer so offending, shall be liable to such rfu—
nishment, not extending to life or limb, as sfiall
be awarded by a general or regimental court
martial.
And be it farther enacted, That this act
shall continue in force from the
in the year of our Lord until the
in year of
LIVERPOOL, March 26.
esterday arrived here the American ship
Lalona, captain Alden, in 32 days from New-
York, Having on board the following passengers*
who arc come to England as witnesses on the
trial of captain Whitby, of his majesty’s ship
Leander, for the murder of Pierce, viz. Capt,
Brewster, of an American revenue cutter ; Jo
nathan L. Brewster, his son ; Robert Mitchell
and John V Lite, pilots, and captain Pierce*
brother of the deceased.