f all
precautions; the populace took possession of all the turnpikes and
avenues leading to the hustings by break of day, and would suffer no
man to pass who did not wear in his hat a blue cockade, with "Wilkes
and Number 45," on a written paper. Riots took place in the streets,
and the carriage of Sir William Proctor, the opposing candidate, was
demolished. The first day's poll for Wilkes was 1200, for Proctor 700,
for Cooke 300. It must be remembered, that in these times the
elections were capable of being prolonged from week to week, and that
the first day was regarded as scarcely more than a formality. At night
the West-end was in an uproar. It was not safe to pass through
Piccadilly. Every house was compelled to illuminate; the windows of
all which did not exhibit lights were broken; the coach-glasses of
such as did not huzza for "Wilkes and liberty" were broken; and the
panels of the carriages were scratched with 45! Lord Weymouth, the
secretary of state, wrote to Justice Fielding for constables. Fielding
answered, that they were all gone to Brentford. On this, the guards
were drawn out. The mob then attacked Lord Bute's house and Lord
Egmont's, but without being able to force an entrance. They compelled
the Duke of Northumberland to give them liquor to drink Wilkes's
health. Ladies of rank were taken out of their sedan-chairs, and
ordered to join the popular cry. The lord-mayor was an anti-Wilkite--the
mob attacked the Mansion-house, and broke the windows. He ordered out
the trained bands; they had no effect. Six thousand weavers had risen
under the Wilkite banner, and defied all resistance. Even some of the
regimental drummers beat their drums for Wilkes! His force at the
election was evidently to be resisted no longer. The ministerial
candidate was beaten, Wilkes threw in his remaining votes for Cooke,
and they came in together. The election was thus over on the second
day, but the mob paraded the metropolis at night, insisting on a
general illumination. The handsome Duchess of Hamilton, one of the
Gunnings, who had now become quite a Butite, was determined not to
illuminate. The result was, that the mob grew outrageous, broke down
the outward gates with iron-crows, tore up the pavement of the street,
and battered the doors and shutters for three hours; fortunately
without being able to get in. The Count de Sollein, the Austrian
ambassador, the most stately and ceremonious of men, was taken out of
his coach by