certainty, to a scene of uproar, violence, and confusion, greater than I could expect or can describe. Almost every principle of natural and civil justice, as far at least as regards the rules of judicial proceedings, I conceive, were overborne by an by an ungenerous and an unmanly superiority of numbers. It seemed as if Mr. Wilkes, having given up himself, the order and course of things were altered, and that every one ought or would give up the constitution. The whole business lasted till past five o'clock in the morning. It ought to have been the debate of five days, from the variety of evidence and the delicacy of the questions arising at every step in the course of the whole affair. (')

The pendente lite and the parole evidence, either possibly against or possibly prejudicating evidence on oath, was strongly pressed and well enforced by serjeant Hewit (2); who proved that proceeding to be likewise unauthorised even by a single precedent. I must do justice to both the Lord

(1) On the 19th of January, the House of Commons met after the recess; and the order of the day being read, for the attendance of Wilkes, the Speaker produced a letter from him, inclosing a certificate of one of the French King's physicians, and an army surgeon, importing that he could not, without danger, leave Paris. This certificate not being duly authenticated, the House proceeded to the hearing of evidence. The examinations occupied it till three in the morning; when it was resolved, that Wilkes was guilty of writing and publishing the North Briton, No. 45, and that he should, for his said offence, be expelled.

(2) At this time, member for Coventry; in 1766, made one of the judges of the court of king's-bench; in 1767, lord chancellor of Ireland; and in 1768, created baron Lifford, of that kingdom. He died in 1789.

Cavendishes on this head; especially Lord John, who spoke with sense and spirit. The late attorneygeneral, Mr. Yorke, and Mr. Charles Townshend entertained different legal sentiments from us, and voted, upon the division, against us. I took upon me to make that division: we were but 70 against 272. I was blamed for exposing the nakedness of our situation in point of numbers.

The objection of examining witnesses to accuse themselves was likewise overborne, and the exercise of that wrong carried to an excess I never saw before. I am shocked when I recollect the manner in which the written evidence was first produced to the House, and the manner in which it was proceeded upon afterwards: in truth, I think myself well warranted to assure you, that, after all, those papers were inconclusive. If Mr. Pitt's health could have allowed the public liberties of this devoted country to have enjoyed one chance more for making a decent stand against open violence and wrong, I do verily believe the consideration of his character and abilities would have greatly diminished the disgrace and misfortune of the times.

I must not forget to mention your friend, Sir John Griffin(), who voted on the question about the pendente lite, &c., against us; but not without such

(1) Sir John Griffin Griffin, major-general and colonel of the thirty-third regiment. He was at this time member for Andover. In 1784, he established a claim to the barony of Howard de Walden, and in 1788, was created baron Braybrook. He died in 1797.

an explanation of his situation as an officer, and such manly and spirited observations upon the late removals in the army (1), that he was much more an intimidating, than an intimidated voice, on the side of the ministry; but the effect was not the less important against us. He did not affirm, that officers had been removed for their conduct in parliament; but if they had, or if twenty more such removals were intended, the ministry would be still disappointed in their expectations. Mr. Conway voted with us; several new faces were among our small numbers.

About three o'clock in the morning I left this scene, to which I went with a mind truly disabled to do even the little I can at any time perform, I reflect with concern that, in the tumult of things, the affair of papers illegally taken, and as illegally pro

(1) The removals here spoken of, are thus noticed by Horace Walpole, in a letter to Lord Hertford: - "The measure of turning out the officers in general, who oppose the government, has been much pressed, and, what is still sillier, openly threatened by one set-but they dare not do it; and, having notified it without effect, are ridiculed by the whole town, as well as by the persons threatened, particularly by Lord Albemarle, who has treated their menaces with the utmost contempt and spirit. This mighty storm has vented itself on Lord Shelburne and Colonel Barré, who were yesterday turned out; the first from aide-de-camp to the King, the latter from adjutant-general, and governor of Stirling. My present expectation is an oration from Barré, in honour of Mr. Pitt; for these are scenes that make the world so entertaining! After that, I shall demand a satire on Mr. Pitt from Wilkes; and I do not believe I shall be balked, for Wilkes has already expressed his resentment on being given up by Pitt; who, says Wilkes, ought to be expelled for an impostor."

duced, was not sufficiently, nor in any reasonable degree for such a point, enforced.

Votes of compliment to the King, Queen, Princess of Wales, Prince of Brunswick and Princess Augusta, upon the marriage, preceded this gloomy transaction. The address movers, in my opinion, performed their part in a good style. The Brunswick family was praised, if not equally to their merits, yet becomingly; and the topics of the war handled liberally, and not dashed with the usual ingredients; the glories and the astonishing success of it attributed to the heroism and amazing abilities of the nephew and uncle; the desperate situation of affairs, and the danger which hung over all Europe at the time when the stand was made by the Brunswick family, well enough touched; the change produced to this nation, and to the whole Protestant cause, amply enlarged upon. Mr. George Townshend moved for the hereditary Prince and Princess, and did justice, for once, to the cause trusted to him, even with some elegance in parts. Present my affectionate respects to Mr. Pitt, and with them every sentiment which he deserves most from me, but as I think from all the world; and believe me to be,

Ever

yours most faithfully,

JAMES GRENVILLE.

The Club() goes on with new vigour. I am

(1) The Opposition club, in Albemarle-street; the origin of which is thus stated in the "History of the Minority":

infinitely perplexed by the pressing of many quarters to be of it. The acclamations of the theatre, at the appearance of the Prince of Brunswick, exceeded any thing that ever happened. The royal family were present. The ministry were to a man silent, on the day of the votes of compliment.

MR. PITT TO M. DE FE'RONCE. (1)

[From a draught in Mr. Pitt's handwriting.]

MONSIEUR,

Hayes, ce 23 Janvier, 1764.

J'AI l'esprit si rempli, et le cœur si touché, de l'honneur qui me fut accordé hier, qu'il m'est

"Early in the winter, some gentlemen of weight and character proposed to the party a scheme of association, the purpose of which was to keep their friends together, and to give them the pleasure of meeting and conversing with each other; the idea was approved of by a great part, though not all the minority; and a tavern in Albemarle-street, kept by Mr. Wildman, was fixed upon for the place of meeting. No political business was meant to be transacted at any of the meetings. The intention was simply to preserve union." Of the Ministerial club, at the Cocoa-tree, Gibbon, in his journal for November, 1762, gives the following description: -"That respectable body, of which I have the honour of being a member, affords every evening a sight truly English. Twenty or thirty, perhaps, of the first men in the kingdom, in point of fashion and fortune, supping at little tables covered with a napkin, in the middle of a coffee. room, upon a bit of cold meat, or a sandwich, and drinking a glass of punch. At present we are full of king's counsellors, and lords of the bed-chamber; who, having jumped into the ministry, make a very singular medley of their old principles. and language with their modern ones."

(1) Chief secretary of Prince Charles of Brunswick.