The Virginia Gazette

LONDON, July 22. A letter from Mr. Wilkes to Mr. John Churchill, brother of the celebrated Mr. Charles Churchill, on occasion of the supposed vacancy at the city of Westminster.

King's Bench prison, Thursday evening, July 21. I beg the favour of you, my dear Sir, to return my best thanks to the friends of liberty in Westminster, who have so handsomely offered me their service on the present vacancy for that city. I wish you to be quite explicit on the occasion, and to declare, in my name, that I think it my duty to decline the honour intended me. I am now as much a legal member of the House of Commons as our Speaker himself. The only difference I can find out is, I represent the first county in England, he a small borough in Lincolnshire. I am a Knight of the shire; he is a simple Burgess. At this time I am actually supporting, as far as I can, the right of representation of my worthy constituents, and of every elector in the island, which is violated in my pretended expulsion. I will pursue, with unwearied zeal, so great a cause. I hold myself still the colleague of Mr. Sergeant Glynn, because we were both chosen by a majority of the freeholders of the county of Middlesex. I am, besides, determined not to vacate my seat in Parliament; and therefore I cannot be in the capacity of receiving such obliging marks of regard from our Westminster friends, whom I much esteem, but cannot represent. I have taken my resolution, which you know is always very decisive. I will never sit in Parliament but by the favour and free choice of the freeholders of Middlesex. No political changes, nor any considerations whatever, shall induce me to quit the particular service of my present worthy constituents. They have, under the most trying circumstances, supported me with unparallelled firmness and generosity. I am theirs for life, from every principle of honour and gratitude. Believe me ever your most affectionate and obliged humble servant, JOHN WILKES.