ADVERTISEMENT PREFIXED TO THE TWO FIRST VOLUMES, I have collected the Speeches of Mr. Wilkes in the prefent House of Commons from news-papers and oral tradition for two reafons. The firft is, they contain, in my opinion, many bold truths, especially respecting America, which are of importance, and in this convenient form they will be found more useful. The other reason is, if that gentleman fhould ever fwerve from the great line of public duty, and declared attachment to the people, which he has often pledged himself to purfue through life, the moft general infamy may overtake him, and punish his apostacy. The Protests of the Lords on the fame fubject with fome of the Speeches I thought would be acceptable to the political reader. Some Notes are added, chiefly by way of illuftration, for which I am answerable:: ADVERTISEMENT, Prefixed to the Third Volume. THE Speeches of Mr. Wilkes in the House of Commons are here continued to the end of the last Seffion of Parliament. I have collected them, like the former, from news-papers and oral tradition. I think no apology neceffary either to the public, or to that gentleman, for the freedom which I have used in the notes with fome characters of high rank and dignity, Truth ought to be preferred to every motive and confideration. Administration appear fyftematically to treat the House of Commons with contempt. They fuffered the Lords in the laft Seffion to have the communication of two important papers, Lord Howe's letter to Lord George Germaine, dated Sept. 20, 1776, and likewife another letter from Lord Howe and his brother to the fame Secretary, dated Nov. 30, 1776; both which were refused to the reprefentatives of the people. They have since been given to the public: Mr. Wilkes moved for the Proofs of the marriages of the King's Brothers, of which the Houfe of Peers were in poffeffion. The motion was received very unfavourably.by adminiftration; but as the fubject is highly interesting to every Englishman, they are now first printed with great carę and fidelity in the Appendix, London, July 14, 1778. .... THE EDITOR, Houfe VOTES of January 26, 1775. A motion was made, and the question being propofed, "That the Chaplain to this House do preach be"fore this House, at St. Margaret's Weftminster, upon Monday next, the thirtieth day of this in"ftant January, &c.” THE HE Lord Mayor, Mr. Wilkes, faid, that he was for the obfervance of the day, not in the ufual manner by fafting and prayer to deprecate the pretended wrath of heaven, but in a very different way from what some other gentlemen had propofed; that it fhould be cele brated as a feftival, as a day of triumph, not kept as a faft; that the death of the first Charles, a determined enemy of the liberties of his country, who made war on his people, and murdered inany thousands of his innocent fubjects, a odious, hypocritical tyrant, who was, in the great Milton's words, ipfo Nerone neronior, hould be considered as a facrifice to the public juftice *In another place Milton fays, Eam animi magnitudinem vobis, ô cives, injecit Deus, ut devictum armis veftris et dedititium regem judicio inclyto judicare, et condemnatum punire, primi mortalium non dubitaretis. Poft hoc facinus tam illuftre nihil humile aut anguftum, nihil non magnum atque excelfum, et cogitare et facere debetis....amore libertatis, juftitiæ, honeftatis, patriæ denique caritate accenfos, tyranzum puniisse. Joannis Miltoni, Angli, pro populo Anglicano defenfio of the nation, as highly approved by heaven, and ought to be had in folemn remembrance as the most glorious deed ever done in this, or any country, without which we should at this hour have had no conftitution, degenerated into the most abject slaves on the face of the earth, not governed by the known and equal laws of a limited monarchy, but fubject to the imperious will of an arbitrary fovereign, VOTES of Feb. 1, 1775. A motion was made, and the question being put, "That "leave be given to bring in a bill for fhortening the "duration of parliaments, &c." The Lord Mayor, Mr. Wilkes, faid, that the question now before the house had been fo frequently and fo ably spoken to by the honourable gentleman, who made the motion, and that it was in general fo perfectly well understood, that he fhould trouble the house with few words on that occafion, and that he rofe chiefly to return the worthy member thanks for this truly patriotic endeavour, and his fpirited perfeverance in a business of fuch importance. "He added, Frequent Parliaments, Mr. Speaker, are the ancient conftitution of England, and the right of the people to them arifes from the nature of all delegated power, and the neceffity of a controul: If a reprefentative in the first feffion of a parliament acts contrary to the duty of the truft reposed in him, is it fit that his conftituents fhould be compelled to wait till the end of a tedious period of seven years before they can have an * Mr. Alderman Sawbridge, Member for London. opportunity |