lives and fortunes in the maintenance of the true honour and dignity of
your crown. We do therefore, with the greatest humility and submission,
most earnestly supplicate your majesty that you will not dismiss us
from your presence, without expressing a more favourable opinion of your
faithful citizens, and without some comfort, or at least some prospect
of redress." Had the remonstrance stopped here, Beckford might have
obtained the smiles of the king; but he continued: "Permit me, sire, to
observe, that whoever has already dared, or shall hereafter endeavour by
false insinuations and suggestions to alienate your majesty's affections
from your loyal subjects in general, and from the city of London in
particular, is an enemy to your majesty's person and family; a violator
of the public peace, and a betrayer of our happy constitution, as it was
established at the glorious Revolution." Beckford prayed for a reply,
but none being given, the deputation withdrew. The king appears, indeed,
to have been too angry to reply with courtesy, for he immediately issued
orders, through the medium of the lord chamberlain, that lord mayors
should in future confine themselves to delivering their papers, and not
presume to make speeches. But if Beckford did not please the king, he
gained great credit with the people for his conduct. The Earl of Chatham
warmly applauded him for asserting the rights of the city with weight
and spirit. On the other hand, the king increased his unpopularity by
his conduct towards the deputation. The common council were so incensed,
that they demurred about voting an address of congratulation on the
birth of the Princess Elizabeth, which happened about this time. Wilkes
in particular, who was made an alderman even while in the King's Bench,
and who now wore the civic gown, opposed such an address, and when the
good feelings of the citizens prevailed over their anger, and they voted
an address, he did what he could to render it unpopular. The address,
however, was presented in the usual form, and his majesty observed in
reply, "that the city of London, entertaining such loyal sentiments,
might always feel assured of his protection." A few days after this
Beckford died, and the city voted that he should be honoured with a
statue in Guildhall, and that the speech he had delivered to the king
should be engraved on the pedestal. His death was considered a serious
blow to the opposition, as no one could be found possess