376 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1797. 
Carhampton, as the fitting member 
for Middlefex, although Mr. Wilkes 
was duly returned by the fheriffs, 
and fairly eleéted by an immenfe 
majority. 
If he was excluded, however, 
from parliamentary,—civic honours 
oured thick upon him. While 
immured within the walls of a pri- 
fon (in 1769) he was elected alder- 
man of Farringdon Without : the 
mott confiderable and patriotic ward 
in the metropolis. Two years. af- 
terwards, he afpired to and obtain- 
ed the dignity of the fhrievalty, and 
in 1774 he was elevated to the city 
chair. In all thefe different rela- 
tions he exercifed the magifterial 
functions with great fpirit and inte- 
grity, and in the laft of them he in- 
curred frefh * debts, by fupporting 
the honour of his ftation. 
While af pl by the accufa- 
tion of minifters, the gale of popu- 
Jar attachment fet in ftrongly in his 
favour, and he was never fo great, 
or perhaps fo happy, as when af- 
flicted by the perfecution of the 
court. His caufe was fupported by 
the beft and ablef men in the king- 
dom; his debts were more than once 
paid by the generous care of his 
friends, and every immediate want 
was anticipated by the ardour of 
their bounty+. But this was not 
all: they were determined to pro- 
cure him a more permanent provi- 
fion, and accordingly ftarted him as 
a candidate for the lucrative offic’ 
of chamberlain of the city of Lon- 
don. Mr. Hopkins however pre- 
vailed, notwithftanding his charac- 
ter was tainted refpeéting fome mo- 
ney negotiations with a minor; 
and an annual conteft took place 
until his death, which occurred in 
1779, fince which period Mr. Wilkes 
occupied that fituation for the re- 
mainder of his life. 
During the whole of the Ameri- 
can war, he was a {trenuous oppofer 
of Lord North’s adminiftration, and 
heartily joined his own perfonal 
enemies in oppofing the meafures, 
and difplaying the guilt of that juft- 
ly odious ftatefman. No fooner 
was the noble Lord hunted into the 
toils, and brought within the reach 
of a punifhment, from which he ef- 
caped in confequence of the eager- 
nefs difplayed in dividing the fpoils 
of the delinquent, than Mr. Wilkes 
feized that opportunity of procur- “ 
ing juftice to the public and to him- 
felf, refpecting the Middlefex, elec- 
tion. The day this fcandalous de- 
cifion was refcinded from the jour- 
nals of the Houfe of Commons, 
may be faid to be the laft of his po- 
litical career. . Indeed, ‘from that 
moment, he feems to have fuppofed 
his miffion af an end, and in hisown 
exprefs words, to have confidered 
himfelf as “ an extinguifhed vol- 
cano !” 
In his perfon, Mr. Wilkes was 
* Thefe were the only debts incurred in the public fervice; and I underftand that 
they have been all liquidated. 
+ Among other prefents receiyed by him was a cup of sool. valuc, made by 
Mr. Stephenfon, of Ludgate-hill, on which he caufed the following lines to bg, 
engraved ; 
“ Proud Buckingham, for law too mighty grown, 
«* A patriot dagger prob’d, and from the throne 
«© Sever’d its minion. 
In fucceeding times, 
“6 May all thofe fav’rites who adopt his crimes 
‘¢ Partake his fate, and ev’ry Villars feel 
¢$ The keen deep tearchings of a Felton’s ftee!.”” 
tall, 
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