has characterifed your former exertions, there is no doubt, but that, under the providence of heaven, you will fecure to yourfelves and your pofterity a portion of natural felicity-of domeftic - peace-of external honour, far tranfcending what have hitherto been exhibited or enjoyed in any age or clime.

The matter before you may be confidered with refpect to the point of expediency, and the point of right.

With refpect to the latter, my opinion is decided. By the conftitution, a certain portion of the legislative power is referved to the Commons, who, from the circumftance of their numbers, are obliged to exercife their important function by delegation.

This power of delegation appears to me to be as extenfive as the obligation of bearing arms for the common defence; and I have long confidered every reftriction of the right of fuffrage as an infringement of the law of nature, as well as fubverfive of the conftitution . of my country.

I am of opinion alfo, that political truth and political expediency are terms fynonimous; and, therefore, am difpofed to think that the only advice I could with propriety offer to a body of men who have conducted themfelves with fo much magnanimity, public fpirit, and moderation, is GO ON as you have begun; inveftigate the rights of freemen-affert them-eftablish them in their full extent. I cannot believe that the accomplishment of any meafure, founded in political truth, can be impoffible to fuch exalted virtue.

However, as many expedients have been fuggefted, upon the idea, that on account of prejudices, what is strictly right cannot be put in practice, it may not be improper to enquire how far thefe expedients are likely to anfwer the intended purpose.

It has been conceived, that the addition of a certain number in county members would affift in balancing the corrupt reprefentation in the boroughs; a meafure, in my idea, as inexpedient as it is partial and unjuft.

Firft, Becaufe if it fail in effectually overbalancing the powers of corruption, it encreafes the grievance, by

enhancing the national expence: as a minifter in fuch circumstances must employ more of the public treasure in gaining a majority than before. In Lord North's opinion, fuch measure would have nothing in it formidable to an adminiftration determined to govern by court influence. On the decision of the great debate on this queftion, he was heard to declare, that the friends of the propofed reform would have been wortted, had the hundred knights been prefent; the majority that day far exceeding that number.

Secondly, The propofed addition would render the Houfe of Commons too numerous. In Ireland fuch an encrease of the county members as would be neceffary to form an effectual balance to the borough intereft would be greater in proportion than in England.

Thirdly, The feats for counties would be difpofed of abfolutely at the pleafure of a few great landholders; while the great body of freeholders would enjoy lefs of the elective power than they do at prefent.

Laftly, The expences of contefted elections, efpecially in the larger counties, would be moft enormously encreafed.

It has alfo been fuggefted, that it might be expedient to disfranchife fome of the boroughs in thofe counties where they are most numerous, efpecially fuch whofe conftitution is molt exceptionable, and to make compenfation at the public expence.

Nothing can be urged against this meafure, in my idea; fo far as it goes, it is both equitable and expedient. The transferring the right of elections to townships or districts, which form the greater number of inhabitants, and other circumstances, appear more likely to preferve their independence, and would be an improvement upon this idea.

The generous principles you have adopted refpecting Roman Catholics have been attended with effects very different from what were expected by perfons of lefs enlarged fentiments. There are few, perhaps, who would not be alarmed at the idea of conceding to them the power of electing reprefenta

tives of their own perfuafion. Very many, perhaps, would think it imprudent to allow them the exercife of the right of fuffrage, were even their choice reftricted to the choice of Proteftants. Local difficulties must be beft known to perfons of the spot. I can only reafon from general principles. If men are allowed to hold property, to poffefs rights, to bear arms, I cannot fee any fubftantial reafon why they fhould not alfo be allowed a fhare in the appointment of thofe who make the laws. By fuch generous confidence, I fhould conceive thefe prejudices would be foftened, and their attachment encreased to the public, of which they then would become a component part. At any rate, fo far as it regards Proteftants, the right of fuffrage may fafely be extended far beyond its prefent limits.

Sethional parliaments (i. e. parliaments of a fingle feffion) are the only parliaments that can be deemed conftitutional; the nearer you approach to right and ancient ufage, the nearer will be your approach to the point of true political expedience.

With respect to the mode of effe&ting the reform in queftion, I own I feel strong objections to the idea of applying to the Houfe of Commons by petition.

If the prefent mode of delegation anfwers not the purpofe of its inititution, it is the proper office of the perfons interefted (i.e. the conftitutional body) to form a plan for amendment.

Permit me, without imputation of prefumption, to hint my idea without referve.

After paffing refolutions expreffive of

the right of the people to review the whole fytem of delegation, and decla

ratory of the principles upon which a true and proper representation ought to be conftructed, let a committee from yourselves be appointed to draw the outline of a plan which you shall judge to be effectual, the most extenfive and liberal the times will bear, and propofe it to the Houfe of Commons; at the fame time fpecifying a certain period in which you conceive the wisdom of that Houfe may finally complete the plan you fhall offer to their confideration. Let your meeting be adjourned to a reasonable time beyond the period in which the plan may be conceived to be offered for affent to the other branches of the legislature. The intervening conduct of parliament will fuggeft the proper mcafures to be adopted at fuch adjourned meeting.

Petition implies a power in the Houfe of Commons to refufe your fuit. It transfers the authority from the fenders to the fent. It fuppofes in the majority of the Houfe a dignity and independence which the very nature of the petition proves they do not poffefs. It calls upon them to reform themfelves, which a corrupt body of men never did, nor can do.

Thus, with an undifguifed heart, I have unfolded my idea upon this important fubject. May confittency, public fpirit, and magnanimity, with truc widom, continue to prefide in your aflemblies! Though abfent in perfon, yet" in fpirit," and moft fervent withes for your fuccefs, I fhall be prefent with you.”

I remain, with great refpect for the Committee and yourfelf,

Your obedient fervant,
JOHN JEEB.

Parliament-fireet, London,
13th Aug. 1783.

his greateft difpleafure, finds himself of late unexpectedly engaged in a contest with the city of Danzig, which has attracted the attention of Europe. The public, generally in

clined to think the moft powerful to be the aggreffor of the weakeft, and to be actuated by extenfive and occult defigns, is apt to conceive mistaken ideas of an affair of this nature, if it is not fulficiently acquainted therewith.

The

The following account of the origin, progrefs, and actual ftate of this conteft, its circumftances, and the reafons alledged on either fide, will fuffice to convince every impartial individual, that no fuch defigns have any influence in the prefent cafe; that the city of Danzig has not the leaft fhadow of reafon on her fide, but that, guided by a miftaken policy, the has drawn his Majefty into a quarrel which he could not have expected from a much more powerful ftate, and that his Majefty has acted, on this occafion, with that moderation and attachment to juftice, of which he has at all times given the moit convincing proofs:

When, by the treaty concluded at Warfaw the 18th of September, 1773, the republic of Poland ceded to his Majelly the King of Prufix the whole of rolith Prutia, only the toas of Danzig and Thorn, with their territories, were exempted from this ceffion; and, besides this, nothing was ftipulated in favour of the city of Danzig. His Majefly received, therefore, by this cellion, the places called Langführ, Alt, and Neu Schotland, Schieldlitz, and Stolzenberg, which were, before that time, dependencies of the crown of Poland, and which are ufually called the fuburbs of Danzig, on account of proximity to that city.

The inhabitants of thefe places, when they were till, with the city of Danzig, under the fame dominion of the Grown of Poland, exercifed a free trade upon the Viftula in palling Danzig, and they went to provide theinfelves with their commodities in the Prusian country fituated on the other ide when they did not chufe to purchafe then at Danzig.

This free commerce and navigation, as far as it is known, has continued to be carried on as before, after the Polish Pruffia, and with it the towns abovementioned, had been ceded to his Majelty, and feparated from Danzig. It was not till the month of April, in the prefent year, that the magistrate of Danzig would not allow the inhabitants of the Pruffian towns, on this fide of Danzig, to fetch their wheat and other sommodities directly from the Pruilian

territory fituated on the other fide; but infifted upon it, that the cargoes bought in that territory fhould be fold at the market of Danzig, at the price fixed by the inhabitants of that city; and that the Pruffians who inhabit the beforementioned towns, fhould buy of them fuch articles as they might have occafion for, at a price equally arbitrary. In confequence hereof, the veffels of his Majefty's fubjects coming from the Pruflian territories were ftopped by the militia pofted in the blockhoufe, and, by a violent and infulting manner of proceeding, were forced to unload at Danzig.

This violent and unwarrantable innovation deprived the Prufian fubjects of a trade and free navigation, which, from time immemorial, they had carried on upon a river, which, at its mouth, and for its greatet extent, belongs to their fovereign. But not fatisfied with putting a top to this navigation, they prevented the Pruffians living on either fide of Danzig from having any communication with each other, and from exchanging their respective commodities by land.

The King's fubjects, thus oppreffed by the arbitrary and felfifh proceedings of the Danzig merchants, addreffed their moft grievous complaints to his Majeity. The King at firft only reprefented the cafe to the magiftrate, by Sieur Lindenowfky, his refident at Danzig, verbally and in writing; but to thefe reprefentations they either did not make any reply, or their anfwer was not at all fatisfactory.

His Majefty's minifters of the cabinet wrote to the magiftrate of Danzig the 20th of June, and 24th of July, in terms as full of moderation as his motives were juít; but the answers he received were vague, evafive, obfcure, and founded upon frivolous pretexts, which of themfelves fell to the ground.

The impartial public, on perufing thefe papers, as they have been annexed to the itate of the cafe publifhed in German, the contents whereof_will furnith them with the detail of this difcuffion, will foon difcover the evident injuftice of the pretenfions of the maghirate of Danzig, and clearly per

ceive the equity of what his Majefty requires of them. The refident, by order of the miniftry, joined to the letters his verbal reprefentations, and fummoned the magiftrate to explain the reafon of his proceedings.

It was propofed to have the cafe examined by commiffioners appointed on either fide, in order to fettle it amicably; they were affured, whatever pretenfions on their fide might prove well founded would not be objected to, and they were only defired to fuffer the Pruffian fubjects to continue their navigation and inland trade as before, until the matter could be properly arranged; but the city of Danzig declined thefe propofals. The only way now left to his Majefty to fupport the rights of his fubjects, was to ufe reprifals, which, however, were exercited with great moderation, though till now without elect.

The King, in Auguft laft, ordered Colonel de Pirch to poft a fmall detachment in the Ifle of Holm, being Pruffian territory, fecuring by this means the paffage upon the Viftula, and to fend back, without any violence, all Danzig veffels coming from thence to go into the Baltic, and from the Paltic to go to Danzig; but to fuffer the veffels of all other nations to pafs unmolested. This ftep had no effect neither; on the contrary, the whole affair feemed to become lefs the concern of a wife and enlightened magiftrate, than that of a lawlefs populace; no Pruffian fubject, nor any body in his Majefty's employ, could appear with fafety on the Danzig territory. Colonel de Pirch endeavouring to make a Pruffian veffel pafs the Viftula, was infulted with his troops in the groffeft manner by a mob, nor did the garrifon in the blockhoufe, though near at hand, make the least attempt to prevent them. The Counfellor of the Regency, Mr. Meyer, was attacked in Danzig, and his life put in danger. The magiftrates excufed themfelves with not being able to reftrain the impetuofity of the people; and, indeed, through the whole of this bufinefs, the magiftrate always appealed to the will and refolutions of the citizens, and of what

they call the third order, by which they pretended to be controuled in a manner which did not leave it in their power to act otherwife. This determined obftinacy obliged his Majefty to ufe reprifals more rigorous. Their trade by land was interrupted, and their veffels were stopped at Neufahrwafter. But thefe few measures proved likewife ineffectual; the magiftrate thought now to get clear of the bufinefs by the plaufible declaration, that they had left the whole affair to be fettled by their fovereign the King of Poland. The faid magiftrate having, on other occafions, when it did not anfwer his views, refufed to acknowledge the fovereignty of the King of Poland: for inftance, when they rejected the treaty between Pruffia and Poland, for abolishing the customs, the mediation of a diftant court with refpect to a pretenfion fo extraordinary and unjuft might have been with propriety refused.

However, the King waited the iffue of the exertions made by the Count de Unrich, whom his Majefty the King of Poland had fent to Danzig; but all the reprefentations of this minifter effected no more than the final declaration of the city, that they would reftore the liberty of commerce and navigation to the King's fubjects but falvo jure, and only till the end of this year, and for no other articles than provifions, upon condition that all reprifals fhould ceafe immediately. Such an infidious propofition it was impoffible to agree to, because it would have been acknowledging indirectly the claim of the city, and they would have freed themfelves from the reprifals, which, when once ftopped, are not eafily recommenced; on the other fide, the Pruffian fubjects would only have obtained liberty to carry on a navigation and trade during a couple of months in the winter, when nature herself renders it impracticable, which at all times they have freely enjoyed, and which the people of Danzig would foon have difputed again. The King therefore feeing no hopes of obtaining by reprefentations and negociations, nor even by moderate reprifals, that

natural