1708. "places acquired by the allies, or the farther and conti "nued proofs given this last year of their fuperior courage and conduct (which, as to the future part of the war, is "equal to all other advantages) we may, with thanks to "God, and juftice to those he hath been pleased to use as "inftruments in this great work, conclude, that, upon "the whole, we are brought much nearer than we were "laft feffion, to the end of our undertaking this war, "the reducing the dangerous power of France, and settling fuch a peace, as may fecure itself from being vio"lated. "Her majefty therefore commands us to affure you, the hath not the least doubt, but that this parliament will be "of the fame opinion with her laft, as to the vigorous "prosecution of this war, and the ends of it; believing it "impoffible, the reprefentatives of the British nation can "endure to think of lofing the fruits of all our past endea"vours, and the great advantages we have gained (particularly this prefent year) by fubmitting at last to an infecure 66 peace. "And therefore, fince probably nothing can hinder our "fuccefs abroad for the time to come, but misunderstand"ings among ourselves at home; we have it in command, "to conjure you, by your duty to God, and to her ma jefty, your zeal for the protestant religion, your love for "your country, and the regard you cannot but have for "the liberty of Europe in general, to avoid all occafions "of divifion, which are ever hurtful to the public, but will more especially be so at this juncture, when the eyes of "all our neighbours are upon you with a very particular "concern; and your unanimity and good agreement will be the greateft fatisfaction and encouragement to all our allies, Gentlemen of the houfe of commons, "You cannot but be convinced, that the feveral parts of the war, which were provided for by the laft parliament, will require your fupport, at leaft in the fame degree. But, in Flanders, the nature of the war is much altered, by the great advances made there towards entering into France, which hath fo far alarmed our enemies, that they are drawing more troops daily to that fide, for the defence of their own country. And therefore her majefty hopes you will have fo right a fenfe of our prefent ad vantages, vantages, as to enable her majefty to make a confiderable 1708. "augmentation for preferving and improving them, which, "by the continuance of God's bleffing on our arms, muft *foon put a glorious period to this long and expensive war. "As to the condition of the fleet, we have it in command ❝ from her majefty to acquaint you, that the conftant and "remote fervices, in which the fhips have been employed, have made a greater fum than ufual requifite, as well for the extraordinary repairs, as the building of new "fhips. And the taking of Port-Mahon, as it hath afford"the means of having a part of the fleet operate with more "readiness and effect on the enemy, or wherever it may be "ufeful to the common cause in those parts, so the mak"ing such provisions, at fo great a distance, as will be pro"per for that fervice, muft of neceffity cause some extraor"dinary expences. All which her majefty recommends to "your ferious confideration, defiring you to provide timely “ and effectual supplies for those ends; and likewise, for "the carrying on fuch fortifications for the fecurity of our "ports, and extinguishing the enemy's hopes of profiting by difturbances in Scotland, as you fhall think fit. My lords and gentlemen, "The union is efteemed by her majefty to be so happy "and great a part of the fucceffes of her reign; and her "majefty hath fo much at heart the confirming and im"proving it, that she is pleased to command us, to remind "you of preparing fuch bills, and fhall be thought condu"cing to that end; and particularly to make the laws of both parts of Great-Britain again agree, as near as may "be, for the common intereft of both people, especially as to thofe laws, which relate to criminal cafes and proceed"ings, and fettling the militia on the fame foot throughout the united kingdom. "Her majefty is graciously pleafed we should also assure you, that if you can propofe any means for the improvement of our trade or manufactures, or better employment "of the poor, her majesty will take the greatest fatisfaction " in enacting such provifions; there being nothing fhe fo earneftly defires, as that God would blefs her with more. and more opportunities of doing all poffible good to fo "well deferving a people, fo firm and affectionate to her * interests, "And 1708. tions. Burnet, "And as her majefty doth not doubt, by God's blef"fing and your good affections, to continue to defeat the "defigns of the pretender, and his open or fecret abettors; "fo her majefty will always endeavour, on her part, to "make her people happy to fuch a degree, as that none "(except of defperate fortunes) fhall enter into measures "for the difturbance of her government, the union, or the proteftant fucceffion, as by law established, without act"ing at the fame time manifeftly against their own true and lafting intereft, as well as their duty.” 66 Both houfes immediately refolved upon addreffes of condolance upon the death of prince George, and of congratulation for the glorious fucceffes of the laft campaign. Which addreffes were prefented in a private way to the queen, that of the lords by the marquis of Dorchester, and that of the commons by fuch members as were of the privycouncil. Partiality in The proceedings in both houfes this feffion were agreeajudging elec- able to the directions given at court; for, the court being now joined with the whigs, they had a clear majority in every thing: all elections were judged in favour of whigs, and courtiers, but with fo much partiality, that thofe, who had formerly made loud complaints of the injustice of the tories, in determining elections, when they were a majority, were not so much as out of countenance, when they were reproached for the fame thing: they pretended they were in a state of war with the tories, fo that in was reafonable to retaliate this to them, on the account of their former proceedings: but this did not fatisfy just and upright men, who would not do to others, that which they had complained of, when it was done to them, or to their friends (g), (g) It was propofed, that all queftions at the trial of elections fhould (if any member infifted on it) be determined by ballot, but it was carried in the negative. The houfe, having heard the merits of the contefted election for the city of Westminster, fent Huggins, then high-bailiff, to Newgate, for refufing to tender the oaths of abjuration; and The voted Thomas Medlicot, efq; who was fet up by the tories, in oppofition to Sir Henry Dutton Colt, to be duly elected for that city, yeas 154, noes 142. Several accidents happened to Sir Henry's disadvantage in that conteft, in which the whigs, for the moft part, favoured him, though they did not much efteem or love him, otherwife than as he was The chief bufinefs of this feffion was concerning the 1708. fupply, the Scotch elections and invafion, the naturalization of foreign proteftants, and the trials of treafons in Scotland. granted for the year The supplies, that were demanded, were granted very The supplies unanimously in the house of commons, not only for maintaining the force then on foot, but for an augmentation of 1709. ten thousand men more. This was thought neceffary to prefs the war with more strength, as the fureft way to bring on a speedy peace. The ftates agreed to the like augmentation on their fide. The French, according to their ufual vanity, gave out, that they had great defigns in view the next campaign; and it was confidently reported by the jacobites, that a new invafion was defigned both in Scotland and on Ireland. The whole fupply, voted by the commons for the fervice of the year 1709, amounted to above seven millions. The land-tax of four fhillings in the pound, and the duty on malt, were readily agreed to; but it took fome time to find funds for the reft, and it would have proved a very difficult matter, if the bank of England had not of- An enlargefered to circulate two millions five hundred thousand pounds ment of the in exchequer bills for the government, on condition the Pr. H.C. time for their continuance was enlarged twenty-one years from August 1, 1711, and their stock of two millions, two hundred and one thoufand, one hundred and seventy-one pounds was doubled by a new fubfcription. The commons agreed to the proposal, addreffed the queen to issue out a commiffion under the great feal for taking the subscriptions; which being done, the books were opened at Mercers-hall, on the 22d of February, about nine in the morning, and by one o'clock in the afternoon, the whole fum of two millions, two hundred and one thousand, one hundred and feventy-one bank. morning, on the 28th of Janu- 1708. pounds (at the rate of an hundred and fifteen pounds for every hundred pound) was subscribed. Such was the crowd of people, that brought their money to this new fund, that it was believed a million more would have been subscribed before night, if there had been room. This fhewed both the wealth of the nation and their entire confidence in the government. It was obfervable, at this very juncture, the French court had a project for erecting a royal-bank for circulating their mint-bills, but the defign was foon found to be impracticable, becaufe of the great scarcity of money in that kingdom, and the almoft entire ruin of their public credit, By this subscription, and by a further prolongation of the general mortgage of the revenue, the commons created good funds for answering all the money they had voted in the beginning of the feffion. The two third fubfidy was appropriated for the intereft of the money raised by the bankscheme. The peers of The Scotch elections occafioned great debates in both Scotland's houses. The commons, on the 3d of December, took eldest fons into confideration that part of the act of union, which reincapacitated to fit in par- lates to the election of members to ferve in that house for liament. Scotland. The petitions and representations, concerning the incapacity of the eldest fons of Scots peers to fit in the parliament of Great-Britain, were read, and council heard upon it. The fubftance both of these representations and the council's arguments, was, That by an act of the • Scots parliament, intitled, An act for settling the manner of electing fixteen peers and forty-five commoners, to re• present Scotland in the parliament of Great-Britain, which act was ratified by the act for uniting the two kingdoms, it is declared, That none fhall be capable to elect, or be elected, to represent a shire or burgh in the parliament of Great-Britain for this part of the united kingdom, except ⚫ fuch as are now capable to elect, or be elected, as com* miffioners for fhires or burghs to the parliament of Scotland' that from hence it evidently followed, that the Scots peers eldeft fons could not fit in the house of commons of Great-Britain, unless it did appear, that they were capable to be elected, and fit as members of the parliament of Scotland. But, as a proof of the contrary, feveral inftances were alledged of their being always rejected by the parliament of Scotland, and, in particular, the viscount Turbat's eldest fon, in the year 1685, and the lord Levingfton, in the year 1689. That the fundamental law of the union had most expressly referved to the commons of Scot land |