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The Life and Times of John Wilkes M.p. Lord Mayor of London and Chamberlain, 2
The Life and Times of John Wilkes Mp Lord Mayor of London and Chamberlain 2 Author:Percy Hetherington Fitzgerald General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1888 Original Publisher: Ward and Downey Subjects: History / Europe / Great Britain Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free tri... more »al access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER III. THE LUTTEELL CANDIDATURE. We are now arrived at one of the most interesting episodes in Parliamentary history, in which Wilkes displayed his spirit, good sense, and versatility in the most extraordinary degree. Yet, who would have believed him, had he prophesied that, within a few years, the House of Commons would receive him, and at his demand order to be cancelled all records of angry resolutions and offensive epithets, and consent to eat humble pie in the most humiliating way! The contest began at once. On February 16th he was re-elected, Alderman Townshend being chaired in his place. On learning which, the House promptly, on February 17th, re-expelled him, declaring that, as he had been expelled, ' he was, and is, incapableof being elected a member.' Next day Wilkes issued an address to the electors, and on March 16th a fresh election of this extending series was held. On this occasion the Government found a candidate -- but, with their usual luck, one of a singular sort -- to oppose him. It was one Dingley, an unhappy, nervous personage -- the ' miserable Dingley ' of Junius -- and who, indeed, required some courage to present himself amid all the violence that raged. Something farcical or grotesque seemed always destined to attend the scenes of momentous interest with which Wilkes was connected. This wretched Dingley was to be exhibited as a victim to his own fantastic devotion to the Court, and furnished the populace with a welcome subject to bait. His first attempts at canvassing were disastrous enou...« less