eep
its proceedings from the public, the house ordered the printers, Wheble
and Thompson, to attend at the bar. The serjeant-at-arms failed to find
them, and was jeered at by their workmen. A proclamation was then issued
for their arrest. While this affair was pending several newspapers
commented on the proceedings of the house, and attacked various members,
and specially Onslow, describing him as "a paltry insignificant insect"
and so on. On March 12 he moved to proceed against six other printers.
The opposition, led by Dowdeswell, Burke, and Barre, made a determined
stand. They divided the house twenty-three times, and it sat till 5 A.M.
"Posterity," said Burke, "will bless the pertinaciousness of that day."
Onslow's motion was carried; some of the printers were reprimanded, one,
Miller, refused to attend.

The city reformers seized the opportunity of renewing their quarrel with
the house. Wheble and Thompson were collusively arrested and were
discharged, Wheble by alderman Wilkes and Thompson by alderman Oliver,
as not being accused of any crime. Worse was to come. Miller was
arrested by a messenger of the house, and gave the messenger in charge
for assaulting him. Both were brought before Brass Crosby, the lord
mayor, Wilkes, and Oliver; Miller was discharged, the messenger held to
bail. The house ordered Crosby and Oliver, who were both members of it,
to attend in their places, and Wilkes, who was at the bottom of the
affair, at the bar. Wilkes refused to attend unless as member for
Middlesex, and the house, with more discretion than valour, shrank from
another conflict with him. The king, who was deeply interested in the
quarrel, approved; he would, he said, "have nothing more to do with that
devil Wilkes". Crosby and Oliver defended their conduct, and were
committed to the Tower. During the proceedings an angry crowd
interrupted the business of the house, pelted several members, roughly
handled North and Charles Fox, who was conspicuous as a defender of
privilege, and broke their carriages. The lord mayor and Oliver were
visited in the Tower by Rockingham, Burke, and other members of the
opposition. On their release, at the end of the session, on May 8, they
were saluted by the cannon of the artillery company and by vociferous
applause, and the city was illuminated. Proceedings against the
messenger were stopped by the attorney-general. Though the house was
victorious, its dignity suffered so greatly in the confl