by the Hanoverian Succession.

ill-timed; but our enemies hope that the time is near at hand, when not only those, but other more considerable articles will be obtained, to complete the ruin of that rich and very powerful body.

There is one main point which the Hanoverian schemes drive at, highly necessary for the British nation to be acquainted with, especially those that are concerned in the public funds. It is an observation, grounded on experience, that no country can subsist long in the payment of taxes, if they exceed what that country gains yearly by its trade; but this is more particularly the case, when most of the money, thus raised, is spent abroad: and therefore His Majesty's Hanoverian Ministry, con sidering that our taxes are at present much superior to the balance of trade gained by Britain, and that no new supply can be raised to answer their calls, but what will soon prove defective, they have determined, in due time, to take public. funds into their own hands, and by this means to enable themselves to support and carry on their several projects and designs, to oblige their friends, and to be a terror to their enemies. This they think will be no hardship upon the people in general, for they will have it in their own power to remit some part, that they may enjoy the rest with greater quiet and safety; and they presume farther, that most of the country gentlemen, and the land,

Historical Account of Britain's advantages

ed men, will rather be pleased than dissatisfied with this proceeding, for it will be an ease to their estates, and will be a prejudice to none, but such as have, for thirty years past, got estates by the public, and which, upon the best computation they could make, do not exceed the number of 40,000 persons; a very trifling number in comparison to the whole body of the people.

Indeed His Majesty's designs seem to be so extravagant, that nothing short of such a seizure can answer all his purposes; particularly, there is a great sum of money likely to be expended, in endeavouring to procure the Duchy of Mecklenburg, much greater than was at first proposed: for His Majesty was in hopes, that by giving that Duke £400,000 English money, he will be willing to resign up his rights to the King; but that Prince could by no means be prevailed upon to part with his territories, which descended to him from his ancestors; and therefore His Majesty has been obliged to expend vast sums, to raise a faction among his subjects, as well as to engage the Imperial Court against him; so that most of the South Sea gettings is already gone this way, and His Majesty is now, or at least will be very soon, under new difficulties to support this enterprize, which may perhaps at last end in an open war; and therefore nothing short of our funds can en

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able His Majesty to carry on his affairs in this, as well as in other instances.

We may imagine, the Act of Settlement, which is by some esteemed the Original Contract between King and People, will be a bar to this undertaking; but if we consider that this Act is already broke through, in several, if not in most articles, we cannot think His Majesty will scruple any thing of this nature, at this time of the day; especially since we find that most of his designs as well to advance his interest abroad, as to enslave us here at home, may easily be brought to bear, even in a Parliamentary way; for the degeneracy of the times is such, that a little present profit is so powerful as to oblige men to forget the future safety of themselves and their posterity: and I have always thought, that whenever Britain is destroyed, the principal agents must be found out among our own people; and there being now so 'little left of what we call a public spirit, I think this, of all others, the most proper juncture to complete our ruin.

The designs of our enemies are too visible to be contradicted, even by the most incredulous Briton; and therefore I shall conclude, with an earnest address to my countrymen, that they would do themselves and their posterity so much justice, as to look a little about them, to consider their present, and what is like to be their future condi

Historical Account of Britain's advantages

tion, before it is out of their own power to save themselves. Our ancestors have made many noble stands in the defence of liberty, when the attempts were neither so certain, so violent, nor yet so dangerous, as they appear to be at present; and shall we, the descendants of such worthy fathers, suffer this sacred depositum, thus handed down for the common benefit of the generations that were to come, to be given up, all at once, without any struggle or efforts made for its preservation. Believe me, my fellow-citizens, if we permit this, we shall be reputed infamous by all succeeding ages, as men of no honour, no love, no concern for the public safety. And, therefore, to use the words of ADDISON,

Remember, O my Friends, the Laws, the Rights,
The generous plan of Power deliver'd down,
From age to age, by your renown'd forefathers,
(So dearly bought, the price of so much blood)
O let it never perish in your hands!
But piously transmit it to your children.
Do thou, great Liberty, inspire our souls,
And make our lives in thy possession happy,
Or our deaths glorious in thy just defence.

N. B. If the Hanoverian Ministry shall think themselves injured by any thing mentioned in this, as well as the foregoing paper, the Author doth not doubt but he shall be able to make the truth

by the Hanoverian Succession.

of what he hath here asserted, appear before a free Parliament, entirely to the satisfaction of his countrymen, provided the Hanoverians will not send to assassinate him, as they did a gentleman in the late reign, that made the like offer.

END OF VOL. I.

J. FRASER & CO. PRINTERS,

STIRLING.