we shall not quarrel about a difference of opinion. I shall say a few words to-morrow on this subject, under the signature of Philo-Junius.The letters under that name have been hastily drawn up, but the principles are tenable. I thought your letter about the military very proper and well drawn'.

I

JUNIUS.

Shortly previous to Messrs. Wilkes and Bull entering upon their office of sheriffs of London, they addressed a short letter to the livery, containing a paragraph respecting the military, of which the following is a copy :

"We have observed with the deepest concern, that a military force has, on several late occasions, been employed by an unprincipled administration, under the pretence of assisting the civil power in carrying the sentence of the laws into execution. The conduct of the present sheriffs, in the remarkable case of the two unhappy men who suffered in July, near Bethnal Green, was truly patriotic. We are determined to follow so meritorious an example, and as that melancholy part of our office will commence in a very few days, we take this opportunity of declaring, that as the constitution has entrusted us with the whole power of the county, we will not, during our sheriffalty, suffer any part of the army to interfere, or even to attend, as on many former occasions, on the pretence of aiding or assisting the civil magistrate. This resolution we declare to the public, and to administration, to prevent during our continuance in office, the sending of any detachments from the regular forces on such a service, and the possibility of all future alarining disputes. The civil power this country we are sure is able to support itself and a good government. The magistrate, with the assistance of those in his jurisdiction, is by experience known to be strong enough

of

to

SIR,

N° 76.

Oct. 17, 1771.

I AM not yet recovered, and to-day have been harassed with complaints against the greatest villains out of hell, the bailiffs; but so very polite and friendly a letter as JUNIUS's of yesterday demands my earliest and warmest acknowledgments. I only take up the pen to say that I think myself happy in his approbation, that a line of applause from him gives the same brisk circulation to my spirits, as a kiss from Chloe, and that I mean soon to communicate to him a project of importance.-I will skirmish with the great almost every day in some way or other. Does JUNIUS approve the following ma

to enforce all legal commands, without the aid of a standing army. Where that is not the case, a nation must sink into an absolute military government, and every thing valuable to the subject be at the mercy of the soldiery and their commander. We leave to our brave countrymen of the army the glory of conquering our foreign enemies. We pledge ourselves to the public for the faithful and exact discharge of our duty in every emergency without their assistance. We desire to save them a service we know they detest, and we take on ourselves the painful task of those unpleasing scenes, which our office calls upon us to superintend. The laws of our country shall, in all instances during our sheriffàlty, be solely enforced by the authority and vigour of the civil magistrate."

nœuvre, instead of going in a gingerbread chariot to yawn through a dull sermon at St. Paul's. Old Bailey, Oct. 24th, 1771.

“ MR. Sheriff Wilkes presents his duty to the Lord Mayor, and asks his Lordship's leave to prefer the real service of his country to-morrow in the administration of justice here, to the vain parade on the anniversary of the accession of a prince, under whose inauspicious government an universal discontent prevails among the people, and who still leaves the most intolerable grievances of his subjects unredressed."-This card to be published at length. Will JUNIUS suggest any alteration or addition? It is a bold step. The sessions will not be ended on the 25th, and it is the duty of the sheriff to attend. I will follow all your hints about Mr. Sawbridge. -I am sorry to differ so much from you, about Press Warrants. I own that I have warmly gone through that opposition upon the clear conviction that every argument alledged for the legality of the Press Warrant would do equally well for ship money. I believe JUNIUS as sincere as myself, I will therefore be so far from quarrelling with him for any difference of opinion, that when I find we disagree I will act with double caution, and some distrust of the certainty of my being clearly in the right.

I hope the Sheriff's letter to Mr. Akerman has your approbation. Does JUNIUS wish for any dinner or ball tickets for the lord mayor's day, for himself, or friends, or a favourite, or Junia? The day will be worth observation. Whether cretá an carbone notandus, I do not know; but the people, Sir, the people are the sight. How happy should I be to see my Portia here dance a graceful minuet with JUNIUS BRUTUS! but JUNIUS is inexorable and I submit. I would send your tickets to Woodfall.

To-morrow I go with the Lord Mayor and my brother sheriff to Rochester to take up our freedoms. We return on Sunday night.

I entreat of JUNIUS to favour me with every idea, which occurs to him for the common cause, in every particular relative to my conduct. He shall find me no less grateful than ductile.

N° 77.

JOHN WILKES.

London, 21 October, 1771.

MANY thanks for your obliging offer; -but alas! my age and figure would do but little credit to my partner.-I acknowledge the relation between Cato and Portia, but in truth I see no connexion between JUNIUS and a minuet.

You shall have my opinion whenever you think proper to ask it, freely, honestly, and heartily. If I were only a party man I should naturally concur in any enterprize, likely to create a bustle without risque or trouble to myself. But I love the cause independent of persons, and I wish well to Mr. Wilkes independent of the cause. Feeling, as I really do, for others where my own safety is provided for, the danger to which I expose a simple printer, afflicts and distresses me. It lowers me to myself to draw another into a hazardous situation which I cannot partake of with him. This consideration will account for my abstaining from * * ** ***** so long, and for the undeserved moderation with which I have treated him. I know my ground thoroughly when I affirm that he alone is the mark. It is not Bute, nor even the Princess Dowager. It is * * *

* whom every honest

man should detest, and every brave man should attack. Some measures of dignity and prudence must nevertheless be preserved for our own sakes. I think your intended message to the lord mayor is more spirited than judicious, and that it may be attended with consequences which (compared with the single purpose of ***) are not worth hazarding-non est tanti-consider it is not