The next day, though Saturday, the House sat, and the debate lasted till two o’clock on Sunday morning, when it was carried to admit Lutterell by only 197 voices to 143—so little was the Court sure of their majority on so violent a measure! Some of their friends quitted them. Harley, the Lord Mayor, fearing for his personal safety in the City, was permitted by the Duke of Grafton to vote against the vote: and several Tory members for counties absented themselves not to offend their constituents,—evidence how little addresses had spoken the real sense of the counties. Burke and James Townshend were severe against the measure; Serjeant Glynn and Grenville[217] temperate, and the latter much applauded. Beckford, on the military procession of the gentlemen, said it put him in mind of Muley Ishmael, King of Morocco, who, when he meditated a murder, put on his yellow sash. When gentlemen in lace appeared, it announced a massacre: and he compared the times to those of Rehoboam, who, rejecting the advice of his father’s counsellors, followed that of the young men, by which he lost ten tribes, and reigned over the two little ones (Scotland). Much complaint was made of the arbitrary doctrines suggested by the writers on the side of the Court. Norton, Lord North, and the Attorney-General De Grey spoke firmly for Lutterell. Stephen Fox indecently and indiscreetly said, Wilkes had been chosen only by the scum of the earth—an expression often retorted on his family, his grandfather’s birth being of the lowest obscurity. Young Payne, in another pompous oration, abused the Supporters of the Bill of Rights, protesting, on his honour, that his speech was not premeditated; but, forgetting part, he inadvertently pulled it out of his pocket in writing! Charles Fox, with infinite superiority in parts, was not inferior to his brother in insolence.[218] Lutterell, the preceding night, had been assaulted by persons unknown, as he quitted the House; and, for some months, did not dare to appear in the streets, or scarce quit his lodging. He was hissed out of one of the theatres; and going afterwards to Dublin, and attending the debates of the House of Commons there, heard himself named with very opprobrious terms, which he resenting, the member answered with a firmness that Lutterell declined encountering.
As the colonies were not less disposed to mutiny than the capital, Governor Pownal, as a step to a repeal of the American duties, which had produced but two hundred and seventy pounds, moved to appoint a Committee to consider the state of America. Conway, who knew it was intended to repeal the new duties the next year, and who, for the sake of peace, wished to give that prospect to the colonies, moved that only those duties should be considered: but Lord North, whether from firmness, pride, or jealousy of Conway, objected strongly, and said, it was below the dignity of the House to hold out any such hopes;[219] and though the confusion increased so fast that the stocks fell, from apprehensions of a rebellion, the obstinacy of the Ministers would not palliate any part of the disorders. Conway would not increase the flame by dividing the House, and the motion was rejected. The session was no sooner at an end, than the Ministers gave assurances of repealing the taxes.
Happily for peace, the Opposition was divided. Wilkes and his friends inclined to riots and tumult. Sawbridge, and the more real patriots, encouraged by Lord Rockingham, were for proceeding more legally and temperately. Yet the aspect was so gloomy, that the town was surrounded by troops, and no officers suffered to be absent without leave.
The Court of Aldermen, in the meantime, heard the opinion of counsel, on the eligibility of Wilkes for alderman. De Grey and Dunning, Attorney and Solicitor-Generals, Yorke, and the Serjeants Glynn and Lee, pronounced in his favour; but Norton, the Recorder and Common-Serjeant, dissenting, ten aldermen to six rejected him.
The Supporters of the Bill of Rights were more propitious, and agreed to pay as far as five thousand pounds of his debts, but compromised with his creditors at five shillings in the pound; yet promising to pay more, if the collection to be made round England in the summer should answer—a fund that produced nothing.
On the 27th, a very numerous meeting of the freeholders of Middlesex was held at Mile-end, when they were informed that the meeting had been so long deferred on account of the number of articles to be inserted in the petition which it was proposed to present to the King against the Administration. It was then read, unanimously approved, signed, by as many as could sign, that night, and ordered to be left at the proper places for other subscriptions; and to be presented to his Majesty by Serjeant Glynn, Sawbridge, Townshend, and several more—Sawbridge desiring that nobody would attend the delivery, that they might not be misrepresented as riotous and rebellious.
Two days after, being the last day for receiving petitions, and the session on the point of concluding, Sir George Saville, in a very thin house, presented a petition, signed by a few freeholders, against Lutterell, and desired to have the consideration postponed to the next session, or to have a call of the House, with orders sent to the sheriffs of counties to inform the members of the intended business; but that proposal was rejected, and the petition was allotted a hearing on the following Monday, by 94 of the Court party to 49. It was accordingly heard on May the 8th. Serjeant Whitaker, one of the late candidates,[220] and Graham, an esteemed Scotch lawyer,[221] were counsel for Lutterell; Serjeant Adair[222] and Mr. Lee[223] for the petitioners. Dr. Blackstone, who argued for the incapacity and expulsion of Wilkes, was severely confuted out of his own Commentaries on the Law;[224] and George Grenville as roughly handled by Norton. Charles Fox, not yet twenty-one, answered Burke with great quickness and parts, but with confidence equally premature. The House sat till half an hour past two in the morning, when Lutterell’s seat was confirmed by 221 against 152.
As the House was now to rise, and Captain Allen would, of course, be discharged, it was apprehended that he would challenge Meredith and Walsingham; to prevent which, the House enjoined them both to accept no challenge from him, but to lay before a justice of peace the information that had been given to the House of his conduct, that he might be bound over to his good behaviour. Captain Walsingham said, he would certainly obey their commands, but hoped they did not expect, if Allen should attack him in the street, that he would not defend himself. Allen was discharged; abused Walsingham the next day in the papers, and then sank into obscurity.
Wedderburne, who had been brought into Parliament by Sir Laurence Dundas, the rich commissary, but, on being disappointed of a bargain with the Court, had voted on the opposite side, now vacated his seat, to leave Sir Laurence at liberty to choose a more compliant, or less interested member.
The turbulent aspect of the times, and the perilous position into which the Court had brought itself by the violent intrusion of Lutterell, naturally pointed out coalition to their several enemies. Accordingly, the Marquis of Rockingham and George Grenville, at the head of their respective factions, dined together at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James’s-street, and agreed to support the cause of Opposition in their several counties during the summer; but the tempers of the leaders were too dissimilar, their object too much the same, and the resentment of Grenville for past offences too implacable, to admit of cordial union.