If the House by a vote could deprive Wilkes of a right to sit, what legal or constitutional impediment would there be in the way, if the majority were at any time disposed to declare all their most formidable opponents in the minority incapable of sitting?
In the same Parliament, there was another and scarcely less remarkable case of Privilege, "that eldest son of Prerogative," as Burke truly called it, "and inheriting all the vices of its parent." Certain printers were accused of breach of privilege for reporting the debates of the House (March, 1771).

The messenger of the serjeant-at-arms attempted to take one of them into custody in his own shop in the city.

A constable was standing by, designedly, it has been supposed, and Miller, the printer, gave the messenger into his custody for an assault.

The case came on before the Lord Mayor, Alderman Wilkes, and Alderman Oliver, the same evening, and the result was that the messenger of the House was committed.

The city doctrine was, that if the House of Commons had a serjeant-at-arms, they had a serjeant-at-mace.