In the meantime Wilkes had been elected an Alderman of the City of London, and the Londoners, always Jealous' of interference by royalty with their privileges, took up' the case of their idol in no mistakeable manner. Subscriptions raised for him, indignation meetings were held, and eventually the citizens of London decided to petition King George. In 1769 they had done so, and had been completely ignored by the King in 1710" they insisted on their right of a personal audience of the King, and sent the Lord Mayor, the sheriffs and two hundred aldermen and liveryman to request the King to restore constitutional ights, and dissolve the Parliament which had undermined them, George of only refused, "but laughed their faces.
Again the Lord Mayor was sent to see the King on the same matter and again the King scoffed at him, the old gentleman dying from lover excitement within a week.
London was so. indignant and three years later Wilkes was made Lord Mayor out of his turn as a protest against the tyranny of Court and Parliament, and inthe same year, Parliament being dissolved, the new' elections saw Wilkes returned again as a member and this time Parliament did not dare turn him out again.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.