tor of Hanover, to take upon themselves respectively the regal government of the said kingdoms and dominions, without referring to the sense and interest of the subjects of the said kingdoms). And in another part thereof, according to the tenour and effect following; (that is to say,) "The history of "the Edwards and Henries" (meaning Edwards and Henries, heretofore Kings of England)," and "up to the commencement of the Stuarts" (meaning Stuarts, heretofore Kings of England), "exhi"bits as many instances of tyranny as could be acted "within the limits to which the nation had restricted "it. The Stuarts" (meaning Stuarts, heretofore Kings of England) " endeavoured to pass those limits, "and their fate is well known. In all those instances, "we see nothing of a constitution, but only of re"strictions on assumed power. After this, another "William" (meaning the said William Prince of Orangé, afterwards King of England), "descended

from the same stock, and claiming from the same "origin, gained possession" (meaning possession of the crown of England); " and of the two evils, James " and William" (meaning James the Second, heretofore King of England, and the said William Prince of Orange, afterwards King of England), “ the na"tion preferred what it thought the least; since from "circumstances it must take one. The act called "the Bill of Rights" (meaning the said act of Parliament, intituled, " An Act declaring the Rights and "Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succes

"sion of the Crown")" comes here into view; what "is it" (meaning the said act of Parliament last mentioned)" but a bargain which the parts of the

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government made with each other to divide powers, "profits, and privileges?" (meaning that the said lastmentioned act of Parliament was a bargain which the parts of the government in England made with each other to divide powers, profits, and privileges.) "You "shall have so much, and I will have the rest; and "with respect to the nation it said, For your share you shall have the right of petitioning. This being the case, the Bill of Rights" (meaning the said last-mentioned act of Parliament) " is more pro"perly a Bill of Wrongs and of insult. As to what " is called the Convention Parliament, it" (meaning the said Convention of Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, herein before mentioned) "was a thing that made itself, and then made the au"thority by which it acted. A few persons got to"gether, and called themselves by that name; se"veral of them had never been elected, and none of "them for the purpose. From the time of William” (meaning the said King William the Third), "a "species of government arose, issuing out of thi "coalition Bill of Rights" (meaning the said act, intituled, "An Act, declaring the Rights and Liberties "of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the "Crown"), "and more so since the corruption intro"duced at the Hanover succession" (meaning the succession of the heirs of the Princess Sophia, Electress

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and Duchess Dowager of Hanover, to the crown and dignity of this kingdom)" by the agency of Walpole, "that" (meaning the said species of government)

can be described by no other name than a despotic legislation. Though the parts may embarrass each "other, the whole has no bounds; and the only right "it acknowledges out of itself is the right of peti"tioning. Where then is the constitution either that gives or that restrains power? It is not because

το

a part of the government" (meaning the government of this kingdom)" is elective, that makes it "less a despotism, if the persons so elected possess

afterwards, as a Parliament, unlimited powers; "election in this case becomes separated from repre"sentation, and the candidates are candidates for "despotism." And in another part thereof, according to the tenour and effect following; (that is to say,) "The attention of the government of England (for "I rather choose to call it by this name than the "English government) appears, since its political "connexion with Germany, to have been so com

pletely engrossed and absorbed by foreign affairs, "and the means of raising taxes, that it seems to "exist for no other purposes. Domestic concerns

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are neglected; and with respect to regular law, "there is scarcely such a thing." And in another part thereof, according to the tenour and effect following; (that is to say,)" With respect to the two "Houses of which the English Parliament” (meaning the Parliament of this kingdom) "is composed,

"they appear to be effectually influenced into one ; "and, as a legislature, to have no temper of its own. "The minister" (meaning the minister employed by the King of this realm in the administration of the government thereof)," whoever he at any time

may be, touches it" (meaning the two Houses of Parliament of this kingdom) "as with an opium "wand; and it" (meaning the two Houses of Parliament of this kingdom) "sleeps obedience. But "if we look at the distinct abilities of the two Houses" (meaning the two Houses of Parliament of this kingdom), "the difference will appear so great, as to "show the inconsistency of placing power where there

can be no certainty of the judgment to use it. "Wretched as the state of representation is in Eng"land" (meaning the state of representation of the Commons of this kingdom), "it is manhood com"pared with what is called the House of Lords (meaning the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled); " and so little is this nick-named "House" (meaning the House of Lords) "re"garded, that the people scarcely inquire at any time "what it is doing. It" (meaning the said House of Lords)" appears also to be most under influence, and "the furthest removed from the general interest of "the nation." And in another part thereof, according to the tenour and effect following, viz. "Having thus glanced at some of the defects of the two "Houses of Parliament" (meaning the Parliament of this kingdom), "I proceed to what is called the

"Crown" (meaning the crown of this kingdom),

upon which I shall be very concise. It" (meaning the crown of this kingdom) "signifies a nominal "office of a million sterling a year, the business of "which consists in receiving the money. Whether the "person" (meaning the King of this realm) "be "wise or foolish, sane or insane, a native or a fo"reigner, matters not. Every ministry" (meaning the ministry employed by the King of this realm in the administration of the government thereof) "acts upon the same idea that Mr. Burke writes; "namely, that the people (meaning the subjects of this kingdom) "must be hoodwinked and held in su"perstitious ignorance by some bugbear or other; and "what is called the Crown" (meaning the crown of this kingdom)" answers this purpose, and therefore "it answers all the purposes to be expected from it. "This is more than can be said of the other two "branches. The hazard to which this office" (meaning, amongst others, the office of King of this realm) "is exposed in all countries" (meaning, amongst others, this kingdom), "is not from any thing that "can happen to the man" (meaning the King), "but "from what may happen to the nation" (meaning, amongst others, this kingdom); "the danger of its "coming to its senses." And in another part thereof, according to the tenour and effect following; (that is to say,)" I happened to be in Eng "land at the celebration of the centenary of the "Revolution of 1688. The characters of William