Item 17: Political Cartoon by Unknown, titled, “Midas: or the Surry Justice", 1768 May 10

Item — Box: 6, Folder: 17

Staff Only

Political Cartoon by Unknown, titled, “Midas: or the Surry Justice,” 1768 May 10

Dates

Created: 1768 May 10

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

1 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Type of Material:

Political Cartoon

Condition Note:

Good.

Title:

Midas: or the Surry Justice

Description:

The following item depicts a work of satire on Samuel Gillam and John Wilkes, by an unknown creator, and dated May 10, 1768. The cartoon is in response to an officer being acquitted for charges for killing civilians. The civilians were pro-Wilkes citizens that were protesting John Wilkes’ arrest. The cartoon responds by giving the magistrate, Samuel Gillam donkey ears and makes him seem illiterate. “Gillam is represented as illiterate, shown with ass's ears sitting at a table writing a letter asking for a copy of the Act relating to Justices of Peace ("Sir Send me the ax ReLatin to Gustus [Justice] of Pease [Peace]"), a volume of "Fenning's Spelling" lies beside the letter together with papers lettered "Warrants" and "Commitments" and a long-barrelled gun lettered "the present practice of a Justice of the peace"; beneath the table, a cat sleeps on two volumes of "the Statues (sic) [Statutes] at Large". John Wilkes stands behind Gillam saying, "Not satisfied with the Murder of the English he must also Murder the English Language". On the wall hangs a picture of a fox in the role of Justice holding a sword and scales in which are weighed a hen and a duck” (British Museum). The British Museum offers a brief history of the relations of the men and the tension of the piece: “Samuel Gillam, the magistrate responsible for the actions of the military on 10 May 1768 during the riots concerning John Wilkes imprisonment; he was tried for murder, and acquitted, after William Allen was killed by soldiers (see BM Satires 4196). Illustration to the Oxford Magazine, 1768,page 253.” There is an accompanying exhibition caption.

Transcription:

John Wilkes Speaking:

“Not satisfied with the Murder of the English he must also Murder the English Language.”

Samuel Gillam writing:

“Sir Send me the ax ReLatin to Gustus [Justice] of Pease (sic) [Peace]”