BRITAIN. 



637 



however, wero not prepared to accept his services, 

 ' and his enemies were rejoicing in his defeat, when, 

 ' to their surprise, he carried his election for the coun- 

 ty of Middlesex, against the whole influence of great 

 landed property, and the whole strength of govern- 

 ment. His success was the signal for riot, and every 

 species of tumult. A mob assembled round the 

 King's Bench prison, to which Mr Wiikes was sen- 

 tenced for two years ; and the riot act being read in 

 vain, the military tired upon the people, several of 

 whom were killed and wounded. This served only 

 to increase the popular rage, and tended ultimately 

 to weaken the influence of administration. When, 

 on the death of Mr Cooke, the other member for 

 Middlesex, Mr Serjeant Glyn offered himself on the 

 popular side, he carried his election against the 

 whole interest of the court. At this election, a riot 

 took place, in which some of the populace were kill- 

 ed. The murderers, though tried and convicted, 

 found means to escape. 



Wiikes had not yet taken his seat, when he pub- 

 lished a letter, that fell into his hands, from Lord 

 Weymouth to the chairman of the Surrey quarter 

 sessions. This he chose to consider as the cause of 

 the massacre committed in St George's Fields. A 

 charge that so nearly affected the nobleman's cha- 

 racter, was not passed unnoticed. Mr Wiikes was 

 adjudged guilty of a breach of privilege, and expel- 

 led the House of Commons. The Middlesex elec- 

 tors again chose him ; but the House of Commons 

 declared his election void, and made out a new writ. 

 To prevent him, if possible, from again succeeding, 

 Mr Luttrel vacated his seat, and stood candidate 

 for Middlesex. This gentleman, although he had 

 not a fourth part of the votes which Mr Wiikes had, 

 and was not returned by the sheriffs, was declared, 

 by the House of Commons, to be duly elected. It 

 was argued, that Mr Wiikes, having been once ex- 

 pelled, could not again be elected ; and that as a 

 vote for a man not eligible is not a legal vote, it fol- 

 lowed, that Mr Luttrel had the majority of votes. 

 The freeholders of Middlesex petitioned against a re- 

 solution which they deemed so unconstitutional ; but 

 the house voted, that, according to the law of par- 

 liament, a resolution once passed, could not be re- 

 versed in the same session. 



These proceedings were considered so important 

 to the nation, as to draw their attention from affairs 

 which afterwards appeared to be more important. 

 The parliament engaged in warm debates on the po- 

 licy of taxing America, while the natives in the new 

 world continued more refractory. A special com- 

 mission, which was issued for trying American de- 

 linquents in England, did not pass without a vehe- 

 ment, but unsuccessful opposition, on constitutional 

 grounds. 



For more than two years, the subject of the Mid- 

 dlesex election engaged and agitated the public 

 jnind. In parliament, the eloquence of Chatham 

 and of Camden were exerted in vain, to obtain a re- 

 versal of its proceedings. Lord Chatham declared, 

 that the people had no confidence in the existing par- 

 liament, and proposed petitioning his majesty to dis- 

 solve it. On this, Lord Camden having' divided 

 With the opposition, he was immediately deprived of 



1770. 



the great seal. The dismission of Lord Camden was Britain. 

 speedily followed by the resignation of the Duke of 

 Grafton, who, though far from joining the standard 



r I'll '11 



ot opposition as a decided partizan, had, on one oc- 

 casion, voted in support of Lord Rockingliam's mo- 

 tion against his majesty's secret advisers. The Duk' 1 

 of Grafton's place, as first commissioner of the trea- 

 sury, was immediately filled by Lord North, who 

 had been for two years chancellor of the exchequer. 

 Thus was unfortunately formed an administration, 

 which exercised the powers of government .for 12 

 successive years j and, by its vindictive spirit, and its 

 obstinacy in error, shook the British empire to its 

 foundation. 



During this year a part of MrTownsend's stamp act MrTowns- 

 was repealed ; but that part of it which regarded the end'nump 

 imposition on tea was continued ; and unfortunately the * ct ""'di- 

 spirit of the act still remained. In vain was it urged, that ' 

 the repeal of our most obnoxious impositions had pro- 

 duced all the happiest effects predicted by the advo- 

 cates for that repeal; that lenity on our partjhad pro- 

 duced moderation on the part of America ; and that 

 the recent discontents had arisen from fresh provoca- 

 tions. 



Wearied at last with fruitless contest against the 

 ministry, the nation seemed prepared to fix its re- 

 gard on any new object of political interest which 

 should present itself. In the year 1761, Lord Eg- 

 mont being then at the head of the admiralty, a set- 

 tlement had been projected on the Malouine or Falk- The p.^ 

 land Islands, and Commodore Byron was sent out to land Is- 

 take possession of them. It happened that, about lands taken 

 the same time, a settlement had been made, and a ky Bvr 9"- 

 fortress erected, by the French navigator M. Bou- 

 gainville, on one of these islands to the east of the 

 English settlement, under the name of St Louie. 

 But, in consequence of the representations of the 

 court of Madrid to the court of Versailles, this was 

 soon yielded up to the Spaniards, who gave it the 

 name of Pori Solidad. It was well known, that 

 (Brazil and Surinam ex cepted) Spain pretended to 

 the absolute sovereignty of the whole southern con- 

 tinent of America, and the islands belonging to it. 

 The English settlement, therefore, excited at the 

 court of Madrid the highest alarm and uneasiness, 

 not merely as an encroachment on the right of domi- 

 nion, but because it was evident, that the principal 

 inducement of England to form this settlement, was 

 the facility which it would give to an attack upon 

 the Spanish territories bordering on the great South 

 Seas. Spain remonstrated without effect, and, dread- Spain re- 

 ing the power of England, might have probably sub- mo ^ strat(; . s 

 P oj ," i i r r against thi<> 



mitted to the aggression, had not the loss ot reputa- procecd- 

 tion sustained by England, from her tame acquies- j,, g . 

 cence in the cession of Corsica to France, embolden- 

 ed the court of Madrid to second her remonstrance 

 by vigorous preparations. Towards the close of the 

 year 1769, Captain Hunt of the Tamer frigate, crui- 

 sing off the islands, fell in with a Spanish schooner 

 belonging to Port Solidad, and commanded the Spa- 

 niard to leave the coast. The captain of the schooner 

 obeyed ; but returned with a letter from the go- 

 vernor of Buenos Ayres, warning Captain Hunt, i|i 

 his turn, to quit the Malouine coast. Atu-r some 

 altercation, Captain Hunt returned to England, lea- 



