crowns in the fame perfon, seemed to promife a Union of laws, privileges, and interests, which fhould destroy all, former animofity, and establish the tranquillity and domeftick happinefs of the whole island for ever. To effect fo excellent a purpofe, an incorporated Union was earnestly fought, and in the parliament of England even propofed, in the reign of James the firft; but national prejudices fruftrated the conciliating and wholefome plan. The two kingdoms therefore, until then perfectly feparate and independent, were to travel on together, connected fimply by the identity of perfon in whom the crowns were vefted. That compleat independence should be preferved in a connexion of this nature, was impoffible; and accordingly Mr. Hume fays, it might easily have been forefeen, that the independence of Scotland would be loft, and that, if both ftates perfevered in maintaining feparate laws and parliaments, the weaker muft fenfibly fuffer fubjection. The confequences were exactly fuch as might have been forefeen. The interefts of the two countries being diftinct, and antient prejudice continuing to operate, the influence of the fuperiour country was employed in depreffing a dangerous rival rather than in elevating an infeparable friend; and except on occafións when England was involved in difficulties and difafters, we find that the influence of the fuperiour country prevailed. In a ftate of political Union fo flight and defective, England was naturally led to watch with a jealous eye, and to guard against an increase of power in Scotland, which might be employed in fchemes, dangerous to the conftitution of the more profperous kingdom. The part which the Scotch had acted during the civil war in England, furnished an instructive proof, of the effects to be dreaded

from

from the interference of Scotland in times of publick commotion; and accordingly, it is to be remarked, that after the reftoration, means were used to reftrain the trade, to prevent the refources, and to deprefs the power of Scotland. This fyftem continued during the reign of Charles the fecond and of James the fecond. In the reign of William, however, advances were made in the Scotch parliament, by political leaders fupported by powerful parties, which not only aimed at and afferted the compleat independence of Scotland, but tended to endanger and even totally deftroy the connexion with England. For, when the convention of eftates in Scotland conferred the crown of that kingdom upon William, he received it attended with conditions, which tended to strengthen their authority, and to weaken confiderably that of the crown. These were taken full advantage of, as well as the peculiar difpofition and fituation of the king, who, having accomplished a revolution in the cause of liberty, and being furrounded with dan ger from the partifans of the abdicated monarch, was not prepared to refift the plaufible but dangerous claims of national enthufiafm and party fpirit. Some of thefe demands were at first fo palpably dangerous (among others, that of the right in parliament to appoint the judges) that they were evaded for a time. But new difficulties arofe, dangers accumulated, and it was found that a confiderable degree of conceffion was neceffary to enfure the peace and ftability of government in Scotland. Among other, conceffions, the king's fupremacy in matters of religion was furrendered, whereby the Prefbyterians became eftablished in the fullness of their claims; and the inftitution of the lords of articles was completely abolished. These conceffions composed

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the nation for a fhort time, but foon opened new fources of disorder. The Prefbyterians inflamed by the recollection of their fufferings and by the furious zeal of their intolerant teachers, now became in their turn perfecutors of all who adhered to Epifcopacy. Thefe latter, though by no means fo numerous, yet being compofed of confiderably more of the nobility and higher gentry, and of the whole of the old tory party, were nearly as powerful; but the former having accomplished the revolution in Scotland and conferred the crown on William, gained an afcendency which they were little fitted to use with moderation; and confequently the nation became torn by all the violence of party. The preparations of France in favour of James, and the machinations of his numerous partifans, rendered the authority of William precarious; and finding it impoffible to gain both parties, he was forced to yield too far to the prejudices of the ruling party, who, peevish, headstrong, felf-fufficient, and always ready to take advantage of the king's fituation, urged him occafionally to fanction meafures which inflamed the publick diforders. Meantime, the abolition of the lords of articles had given fullfcope to the influence and zeal of active leaders in the parliament, who, step by step, fo far inflamed the nation, and excited the parliament in pursuit of popular meafures favourable to diftinctnefs and independence, that the power of the crown became weakened to inefficiency, and a fpirit was created and fostered, which haftened to diffolve the connexion between the two kingdoms. The inftitution of the lords of articles, as it was modified in the reign of James the firft of England, as it was revived after the restoration (having been abolished in the troublesome reign of Charles the firft) and as it

continued

continued till the reign of William, confifted of eight bishops chofen by the temporal lords, eight temporal lords chofen by the bishops, fixteen knights and bur geffes chofen by the elected bishops and temporal lords, and eight officers of state appointed by the crown. Without the previous consent of this body, the formation of which refted ultimately in the power of the crown, no motion could be made in parliament. It is evident therefore, that fo long as this inftitution remained in force, the dependence of the legislature was perfectly fecured; and Scotland could be confidered as only a dependent province, with a fubordinate legislature acting under the controul of the cabinet of England; in like manner as Ireland and the parliament of Ireland were to be confidered, while the law of Poyning's continued to operate. But the fame spirit which feized the opportunity of abolishing the lords of articles, foon abufed the liberty that had been acquired; and the king was actually forced to concur in acts of the Scotch parliament, which alarmed the parliament of England, and which brought on inquiries and contests nearly fatal to both kingdoms. The repugnant interefts and mutually invidious fentiments of the two nations and parliaments, continued to embarrass and endanger the reign of William during his whole life; and that fagacious prince, forefeeing the deftruction which in time muft have neceffarily followed from the unnatural and precarious fituation of the two kingdoms, earnestly recommended, in one of the last acts of his life, an incorporating Union, as effential to the fafety and happiness of both.

In the fucceeding reign, the violence of parliamenta ry leaders, the contentions of difcordant parties in the nation,

nation, and the enthufiafin in favour of diftinét national authority and independence, foon precipitated the difagreements between the two kingdoms to a compleat crifis. Any concurrence in, or fanction of, the regulation of the fucceffion to the crown, which had been established by the parliament of England, was obstinately refufed, until fuch measures should be carried, as tended not only to the feparation of the kingdoms, but to the fubverfion of all regular or ftable government. It was demanded that an act or acts fhould be paffed to the following effect;-that it should be high treason to adminifter the coronation oath, but by the appointment of the eftates, or to own any perfon as king or queen until they should accept fuch terms as should be fettled in parliament: that elections should be made, every Michaelmas for a new parliament every year, to fit the firft of November next following, and adjourn themselves from time to time until next Michaelmas: that the king should give the royal affent to all laws offered by the eftates: that a committee chofen by parliament out of their own members, fhould under the king have the administration of the government, be his council, and accountable to the parliament, with power on extraordinary occafions to call the parlia ment together; that the king without confent of parliament fhould not have the power of making peace and war, or that of concluding any treaty with any other ftate or potentate: that all places and offices both civil and military formerly conferred by the crown, fhould ever after be given by parliament: that no regiment or company of horfe, foot, or dragoons fhould be kept on foot in peace or war, but by confent of parliament that no pardon for any tranfgreffion fhould

be