pected they would have concurred in the oppofition; and, 327 1706. There were great and long debates managed on the The union fide of the union by the earls of Seafield and Stair for long dethe miniftry, and of the Squadrone by the earls of Rox- bated in burgh and Marchmont; and against it by the dukes of Ha- the Parmilton and Athol, and the marquis of Annandale. The liament of duke of Athol was believed to be in a foreign correfpon- Scotland. dence, and was much fet on violent methods. The duke of Hamilton managed the debate with great vehemence, but was against all defperate notions. He had much to lose, and was refolved not to venture all with thofe, who fuggefted the neceffity of running, in the old Scots way, into extremities. The topics (1) from which the arguments against the union Debates were drawn, were the antiquity and dignity of their kingdom, about the which was offered to be given up, and fold: They were de- union. parting from an independent ftate, and going to fink into Burnet. X 4 (1) The proceedings more at large upon the three firft articles, and fome other particulars, are contained in the following extract: a defult thofe, whom they reprefented. However, after fome debate, these two motions were let fall, and it was agreed, that the firft article fhould be read; but that it fhould be allowed the next fitting to debate, whether the first article fhould be concluded, by approving thereof, or not; or, if the parliament might not, before the concluding thereof, begin with, or conclude any other of the articles; and, accordingly, the first article was read. The next day, there was a debate, The parliament having gone * First article. Whether they should proceed church? When the vote was preffed for giving the preference to the firit article of the union, feveral members urged the un rea. 1706. a dependency on England; what conditions foever might be now fpeciously offered, as a fecurity to them, they could reasonableness of agreeing to an union, till they had gone through the treaty, and found, that the teams thereof were for the interest of Scotland; for if they fhould, in the first place, agree to the fubverting the monarchy, and finking the parliament, which was the purport of the first article of the treaty of union; Who could tell but the royal affent might be given thereto, and the parliament adjourned; and fo the nation be united upon no terms, or, at leaft, upon fuch, as England fhould afterwards pleafe to grant? This argument carry ing a great deal of weight, and the houfe appearing generally inclined to take the terms of the union previously into confideration, the lord register found an expedient to remove the difficulty, by propofing a refolve, That the houfe, in the first place, proceed to take the firft article of the treaty into confideration, with this provifo, that, if all the other articles of the union were not adjusted by the parliament, then the agreeing to and approving the firit article fhould be of no effect And that, immediately after the first article, the parliament fhould proceed to an act for the fecurity of the doctrine, difcipline, worship, and government of the church, · as now by law eftablished.' This being approved by the majority, the lord Belhaven made a long fpeech, wherein he very pathetically lamented the miferable and defpicable not condition, into which Scotland was going to fall by the union. In the next fitting *, after fome debate, the marquis of Annandale prefented a refolve against an incorporating union; and many of the country-party urged, that fuch an union was altogether inconfiftent with the honour of the Scots nation, and deftructive of its intereft and concerns, both civil and military. Some went yet farther, affirming that this scheme would infallibly be an handle to any afpiring prince to attempt the overthrow of the liberties of all Britain; for, if the parliament of Scotland could alter, or rather fubvert its conflitution, it might be made a precedent for the parliament of GreatBritain to do the fame: And that the reprefentatives of Scotland, being reduced to a poor miferable condition, would intirely depend upon those, who had the purfe; and, having fhewn fo little concern for the fupport of their own conftitution, it was not to be expected they would much regard that of any other. The duke of Hamilton faid, What fhall we, in half not expect that they should be adhered to, or religiously main- 1706. tained in a parliament, where fixteen peers and forty-five liol? Where are the Douglaffes and Campbels? Where are the peers; where are the barons, once the bulwark of the nation? Shall we yield up the fovereignty and indepen ⚫dency of the nation, when we are commanded by thofe we reprefent, to preserve the lame, and affured of their affiftance to fupport us?' He urged a great deal more to the fame purpofe; but the court-party called for a vote, which was thus ftated, Approve of the first article of the union, or not. Before the question was put upon it, the duke of Athol gave in a protest against an incorporating union, as contrary to the honour, intereft, fundamental laws and conftitution of the kingdom of Scotland, the birthright of the peers, the rights and privileges of the barons and boroughs, and to the claim of right, property, and liberty of the fubjects: Which proteft being read, his grace took the inftruments thereon, and the fame was adhered to by the Duke of Hamilton, Earl Marefchal, Earl of Wigtoun, Earl of Strathmore, Earl of Selkirk, com The lord Belhaven, The lord Colvil, The lord Duffus, The lord Kinnaird, George Lockhart of Carnwath, Sir James Foulis of Collington, Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun, Sir Robert Sinclair of Longfar macus, Sir Patrick Home of Rentoun, John Sinclair, jun. of Steven fon, John Sharp of Hoddom, Sir Hugh Colquhane of Lufs, John Murray of Strawan, 1706. commoners could not hold the balance, against above an hundred peers and five hundred and thirteen commoners. William Sutherland, Then the vote was put, Approve of the first article of the union in the terms of the motion (beforementioned) yea, or not; and it was carried Approve by a majority of thirty-four voices. Then it was moved, that the lift of all the members of parliament, as they voted pro and con, be printed, which was agreed to. After which an overture for an act for fecurity of the true proteftant religion and government of the church, as by law established, within the kingdom of Scotland, was read, and afterwards paffed by a majority of seventy-four votes. However the lord Belhaven gave in a proteftation, importing, That this act was no valid fecurity to the church, in • cafe of an incorporating union; and that the church could have no real and folid Scotland Two days after, the second article of the union (namely, That the fucceffion to the monarchy of the united kingdom of Great Britain fhall be to the princefs Sophia and her iffue) was read, and a motion was made, That the parliament 'fhould proceed to settle the • fucceffion upon regulations and limitations in the terms of the refolve mentioned in the ⚫ minutes of the 4th of Novem'ber, and not in the terms of the fecond article of the union.' This was warmly oppofed by the court-party, who urged, that the parliament of Great Britain would be more competent judges of what was neceffary for the good of the united kingdoms, than that houfe. To which it was anfwered, That any limitations made by the parliament were alterable by a fubfequent parliament: But if, as was by fome alledged, the articles of union were to be punctually obferved in all future ages, and nothing to be altered in them, without demolishing the whole ftructure; then it fol. proteftation adhered the dukesoufly in the parliament of of Hamilton and Athol, the marquis of Annandale, the earls of Errol, Marefchal, Wigjoun, and others. Great Britain.' In the height of this debate it was moved, To address her majefty to lay * Second article, Nov. 14. ་ be Scotland would be no more confidered as formerly by foreign princes and ftates: Their peers would be precarious and ried, Approve, by fifty-nine en 1706. On the 18th of November, Third ar the third article (namely, that ticle. both kingdoms fhall be reprefented by one and the fame parliament) falling under confideration, the country-party deavoured to fhew the difhonour and prejudice, that would arife to the Scots nation from this fingle article, urging, that thereby they did, in effect, fink their own constitution, when the English would not allow the least alteration in theirs That the members of before her the condition of the nation, and the averfion in many perfons to an incorporating union with England, and to acquaint her with the willingness of the house to fettle the fucceffion in the proteftant line upon limitations; and, in order thereto, that a fhort recefs might be granted.' But this was oppofed, and a vote demanded the fecond article, which upon at laft was stated. But, before voting, the earl Marefchal gave in a proteft for himfelf and all those who should adhere to his proteftation, importing, that no perfon could be defigned a fucceffor to the crown of that realm, after the decease of her majetty, and failing iffue of her body, who was fucceffor to the crown of England, unless that in the prefent feffion of parliament, or any other feffion of this or any enfuing parliament, duringvided among themselves a'bout different parties, would her majefty's reign, there were fuch conditions of government yet unite against the Scots, fettled and enacted, as might to whom they all bore a na⚫tural antipathy. That in all fecure the honour and fovereignty of that crown and king-nations there are fundamendom, the frequency and power of parliament, the religion, liberty, and trade of the nation from any English or any foreign influence. To this proteftation, forty-fix members having adhered, it was agreed, that a lift of the members fhould be printed, as they voted, Approve, or not? And that they who adhered to the protest, fhould likewife be marked. Then the vote was put, Ap-give up the rights and privior not? And it was car- leges of parliament; but that, prove, tals, which admit of no al- ⚫ by |