The Virginia Gazette

October 15. At the Common Council held last Friday, the Lord Mayor took the Chair at eleven, and after the Minutes of the last Court were read and confirmed his Lordship declared "that Nothing particular had happened since the last Court, except his having ordered a Court of Conservancy, in Order to empannel a Jury to inquire into the Encroachments on the River Thames, at Durham Yard."

Mr. Alderman Wilkes then said, "that at the Opening of the last Court of Common Council the Lord Mayor had been so obliging as to state to them what had passed between the Lords of the Admiralty and himself relative to the Press Warrants lately issued, and therefore he hoped that his Lordship would indulge them with the Account of what had since occurred on that Subject, which was certainly of the highest Importance to the personal Liberty of very many Citizens, who were under his Lordship's immediate Protection."

The Lord Mayor replied, "that he had received a Requisition, in Form, from the Privy Council, to give his utmost Assistance in the Service of the Press Warrants; and that in Consequence he had backed those Warrants, and sent to the several Constables, and other Civil Officers, to be assistant to the Military in the Execution of them."

Mr. Alderman Wilkes then regretted "that there was now a Suspension of Magna Charta in the City, by their chief Magistrate; that a Press Warrant was expressly contrary to the Words of the great Charter, and to the first Principles of the English Constitution; that he lamented the unjust and cruel Fate of so many of their Fellow Citizens, torn from their Families, who would be left perhaps destitute of the common Necessaries of Life, &c. That at the Durham Yard Committee, Mr. Alderman Oliver and himself had fully given their Sentiments to the Lord Mayor on the plain Illegality of Press Warrants, and their Hopes that they would never have the Sanction of the Name of the chief Magistrate of that City."

The Lord Mayor then conceded the Illegality of Press Warrants, but declared "that in that Emergency the Fleet must be manned, and he could not risk the Danger of Delay."

Mr. Alderman Wilkes said, "that he wished to see the Fleet speedily manned, but in a Way consistent with Liberty and Humanity; that if, instead of the paltry Sum of thirty Shillings, five Pounds per Man had been offered by Government, we might have had Sailors enough, promising likewise on the publick Faith their Discharge after a certain Number of Years; that this ought to have been done six Months ago; that fifty Thousand Sailors, on this Calculation, would only have cost two Hundred and fifty Thousand Pounds; that above twice that Sum had been squandered away at Kew, Richmond, and for most corrupt Purposes, and voted without any Accounts; that such a Method ought to have been first tried, but that now, in the very Capital, our Fellow Citizens were every Hour the Prey of lawless Ruffians, &c."

My Lord Mayor then said, "he thought the Occasion justified his Conduct, and that it was unfriendly in Mr. Wilkes to mention it; but, however, he avowed having given all the Aid of the Civil to the Military in the City."

Mr. Wilkes replied, "that it was a great publick Concern, that it was friendly to his Country, and that should always have the first Place in his Heart, as well as be the leading Principle of all his Actions."

The Order was then read for resuming the Consideration of Mr. Recorder's Business.