John Glynn - Politician

Politician

On a by-vacancy in the representation of Middlesex in 1768, Glynn was named by Wilkes, at the request of the majority of its freeholders, as the candidate in the "Wilkes and liberty" interest; John Horne Tooke was active in raising subscriptions to defray the election expenses. The ministerial candidate was Sir William Beauchamp Proctor, who had been ousted from the representation by Wilkes in March 1768.

On the first day of polling (8 December) armed ruffians with "Liberty" and "Proctor" in their hats stormed the polling-booth at Brentford, and one man was killed. This affair was the subject popular engravings. After six days' polling Glynn won by 1,542 votes to 1,278. When 1,565 freeholders of Middlesex addressed George III against the illegal act of the majority in the House of Commons, Glynn presented their petition, and in three cartoons at least he is represented on his knees presenting their address to the monarch (24 May 1769). At the dissolution in 1774 he was re-elected without opposition.

In the winter of 1770 Glynn, influenced by Lord Shelburne, moved for a committee to inquire into the administration of justice in cases relating to the press, and to settle the power of juries. He argued the question with John Dunning and Alexander Wedderburne. About the same time he was associated with Charles James Fox, Sir William Meredith, and others, in a committee on the modification of the criminal law. They deliberated for two years, and on their report a bill was introduced for the repeal of eight or ten statutes, but it was thrown out in the Lords.

Glynn was one of the leading members of the Society of the Bill of Rights, which at the end of 1770 addressed a provocative letter to the American colonies. On 17 November 1772 Glynn was elected Recorder of London to replace James Eyre.