John Wilkes: The Hero of Liberty Who King George III Arrested for ‘Sedition’

When Wilkes died in 1797, British liberty was more robust than it was in the year of his birth—in part because of him and his 'radicalism'

Born in 1725, John Wilkes spent his career in politics pushing for the reduction of concentrated power. Engraving based on a painting by R.E. Pine. Archive Photos/Getty Images

In the long history of memorably scintillating exchanges between British parliamentarians, one ranks as my personal favorite. Though attribution is sometimes disputed, it seems most likely that the principals were John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, and the member from Middlesex, John Wilkes.

Montagu: Sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox.