Junius was an anonymous polemicist. He authored a series of letters published in London between 1769 and 1772 in the Public Advertiser. The Letters of Junius were bold, courageous and unrelenting criticisms. They attacked the ministries of both the Duke of Grafton and Lord North. And King George, himself. Junius’ elegant invective challenged the powers of both Parliament and the King.
His first letter: “If . . . it were possible for us to escape a crisis so full of terror and despair, posterity will not believe the history of the present times. They will either conclude that our distresses were imaginary, or that we had the good fortune to be governed by men of acknowledged integrity and wisdom. They will not believe it possible that their ancestors could have survived or recovered from so desperate a condition while a Duke of Grafton was Prime Minister . . .”
His challenges to Parliament were profound. For one: “They who would carry the privileges of Parliament father than Junius, either do not mean well to the public, or know not what they are doing. The Government of England is a government of law. We betray ourselves, we contradict the spirit of our laws, and we shake the hole system of English jurisprudence, whenever we entrust a discretionary power over the life, liberty or fortune of the subject, to any man, or act of men, whatsoever, upon a presumption that it will not be abused.”