20. to appoint Alexander Robertson, Efq; Writer to the Signet, to be one of the Six Ordinary Clerks of Seffion in Scotland, in the room of James Pringle, Efq; decea fed.

27. to confirm to Edward Southwell, of King's Wefton, in the county of Gloucefter, Efq; fole heir of Katharine Viscountess Sondes, elde ft daughter and co-heiress of Thoas late Earl of Thanet and Baron Clifford, and to his lincal heirs, the Barony of Clifford; and a writ of fummons has been made out accordingly.

30. to appoint Sir David Dalrymple, Br, one of the Lords of Seffion in Scotland, to be a Lord of Jufticiary, in the room of George Brown of Coalflon, Efq; who has refigned,

to appoint Francis Garden of Gardenfton, Efq; one of the Lords of Seflion in Scotland, to be a Lord of Jufticiary, in the room of James Ferguson of Pitfour, Efq; who has refigned.

-to order letters patent to be paffed under the great feal of Ireland, conftituting George Hamilton, Efq; to be one of the BaTons of Exchequer in faid kingdom, in the Toom of William Scott, Efq; deceased.

War-office, April 2. 1776.

Royal reg. of horfe-guards: Corn. Henry Watfon is appointed to be Lieutenant, vice William Sotheron.

Ditto Charles Warde, Gent. to be Cornet, vice Henry Watfon.

3d reg. of dragoon guards: Corn. Thomas Cooper Everitt to be Lieutenant, vice John Smith.

ad reg. of dragoons: Enf. Sir Walter Montgomery Cuninghame, of the 51ft reg. to be Cornet, vice John Groffet Muirhead.

17th reg. of dragoons: Corn. James Huffey to be Lieutenant, vice Hamlet Obins. Ditto: Thomas Pattifon, Gent. to be Cornet, vice James Huffey.

ift reg. of foot-guards: Enf. John Turner to be Lieutenant, vice George Hanger.

Royals, ft bat.: Enf. David Anftruther to be Lieutenant, vice Thomas Hobion. Royals, ad bat. : Lieut John Campbell to be Adjutant, vice Peter Hunter.

2d reg. of foot: Chriftopher Sanxay, Gent. to be Enfign, vice Robert Salionstall.

9th reg. of foot: Thomas Balfour, Gent. to be Ensign, vice Atholl Douglas.

31ft reg. of too: George Brickenden, Gent. to be Enfign, vice Charies Gray.

Ditto: Enf. Francis Lord Napier to be Lieutenant, vice Charles Mafon.

37th reg. of foot: -- Papley, Gent. to be Ensign, vice John Willington. Ditto: vice James Pearce,

Miller, Gent. to be Enfign,

42d reg. of foot: Lieut. Charles Grant to be Captain, vice Alexander Earl of Bal, carras,

Ditto: Enf. James Campbell to be Lieutenant, vice Charles Grant.

Ditto: David Crawfurd, Gent. to be Enfign, vice James Campbell.

Ditto Serj.-Maj. Hugh Fraser to be Ad jutant, vice John M'Intosh.

Ditro: Quartermaster Serjeant Colin Smith to be Quartermafter, vice William Graham. 48th rcg of foot: Enf. Atholl Douglas of the 9th, foot, to be Enfiga, viceM'Harg.

soth reg. of foot: Capt. Thomas Bafker. ville to be Major, vice John Gordon.

56th reg. of foot: Lieut. Rice Price to be Captain Lieutenant, vice Peter Part. Ditto: Enf. James Millerd to be Lieute nant, vice Rice Price.

Ditto Robert Johnston, Gent. to be Enfign, vice James Millerd.

65th reg. of foot: James Wentyís, Gent. to be Enfign, vice Zachary Bayly.

69th reg. of foot: Lieut James Campbell to be Captain, vice Henry Irwin.

Ditto Enf. Paul Castleman, to be Lieute nant, vice James Campbell.

Ditto Enf. George Baggs, of the 14th, foor, to be Enfign, vice William Hamilton. Lt. Col. Gabriel Chriftie to be Quarterma fler-General in Canada.

War-office, April 9.

ad troop of horse grenadier-guards: Serj Thomas Ruffell is appointed to be Adjutant, vice William Skyting.

2d reg. of dragoon guards: Lieut. Tho mas Holme to be Captain, vice William Tancred.

Ditto: Corn. Jofeph Hume to be Lieute nant, vice Thomas Holme.

ift reg. of foot-guards: Capt. Albemarle Bertie to be Captain of a Company, vice John Dodd.

Ditto: Enf. Charles Whitworth to be Lieutenant, vice Albemarle Bertie.

Ditto: Richard St George, Gent, to be Enfign, vice John Turner.

Coldftream reg. of foot-guards: George Eld, Gent. to be Ensign, vice William Morfhead.

8th reg of foot: Lieut. Robert Clement to be Captain, vice James Webb.

Ditto Enf. Daniel Mercer to be Lieutenant, vice Robert Clement.

11th reg. of foot: Enf. John Chalmers to be Lieutenant, vice George M'Gill.

Ditto: Adair, Gent. to be Enfign, vice John Chalmers.

13th reg, of foot: Enf. James Johnsion to be Lieutenant, vice Thomas Cox Morgan. Ditto: John Watts, Gent. to be kafiga, vice James Johnston.

1776.

ple ib. The government of the colonies and that of Britain compared 227. Dr Price's principles examined 229. Of infracting reprefentatives ib. In what Britif liberty confifts 230. According to Dr Price, Britons not capable of colonization ib. Of the right of the colonies to independence ib. Taxation effential to fovereign power 231. Dr Price called upon to secant ib.

Mate SANDS's vindication 231.

A method of deftroying WEEVILS 232. PARLIAMENT. Motions, &c in the Houfe of Commons 233. The budget opened 235. A hand-bill concerning the account for extraordinary services 136.

Lords on the late treaties. Earl Temple 236. Ld Townshend 237 Duke of Graf. ton 138, 42. Earls of Suffolk and Shetburne 140. Lords Lyttelton and Camden 241, 1. Lord Weymouth 242. Vote 243.

Open a trade with all countries except thofe fubject to the King of G. Britain 245. A fast 246. All fhips and goods belonging to any inhabitants of Britain declared to be lawful prize 247. Punishments 248. Gov. Wright and the Georgia council and congrefs 248, 9. Gov. Tryon to the New-Yorkers 250. Americans affifted by foreigners 251. American naval armamenta52. Evacuation of Boston 253. &c. Books. A letter to Ld M d, on his charges against the colonies 260. Rafpe on volcanos 261. POETRY. Bp Berkeley on planting arts and learning in America 266. A pastoral on the death of J. Cuningham ib. A robin redbreast to a lady 267. The birthday ode ib. On the American heroes. who fell at Quebec ib. HISTORICAL AFFAIRS. the general affembly 268. &c.

Proceedings of

A general view of the excellence of the
BRITISH CONSTITUTION.
With a bort refutation of Dr PRICE's Re-
publican principles. [101.]

UR prefent unhappy difputes with America, and the open rebellion excited in that part of the British empire, are not only a strong inducement, but render it in fome degree a duty, to examine with more than ordinary attention, the nature and principles of the British conftitution. But the excellence of that conftitution is feldom reprefented in a true light, whilft its admirers, mified by fpecious appearances, have generally overlooked, or mistaken, the true principles, and wife arrangement, of the political fyftem. VOL. XXXVIII.

The fpecious idea of liberty has fo warmed the imaginations even of wellmeaning perfons, as to induce them to think, that the exercife of the British government was in the hands of the people; that with their confent laws were made, and taxes were paid, which fome would reprefent as free gifts of the people.

But nothing can be more remote from the truth than fuch opinions, nor indeed more derogatory to the wifdam and excellence of the conftitution; which will evidently appear from a few reflections upon. the nature and defign of civil government.

It is needless to prove, that in a state of nature men could not be happy, as they could have no fecurity for life, li berty, and property, or any thing elfe upon which their happinofs depended. Ff

To obtain this fecurity, it was therefore neceffary to enter into civil affociations, by means of which we might receive fufficient protection, not only against the injuftice of our fellow-citizens, but alfo of our neighbouring states.

For this purpose it was necessary to give up a great part of our natural liberty, and veft the power of the whole people in one moral person, whether one man, a few men, or the majority of the people, fo far as that was practicable. And this is the fource of the three fimple forms of government, monarchy, ariftocracy, and democracy,

But experience has fully difcovered, that all thefe fimple forms are liable to great abufe: Mouarchy too eafily degenerates into defpotifm; Ariftocracy commonly produces feveral defpots in place of one; Democracy is the most fpecious form, and may therefore perhaps be confidered with more attention.

The Athenian ftate exhibits an example of the pureft democracy which history acquaints us with; for the fenate of Athens had much lefs influence over the people, than either that of Rome or Sparta.

Every thing of moment was done at Athens by an affembly of the people, which fometimes confifted of thirty thoufand perfons. One of majority was fufficient to establish a tax. But furely this could never render the minority greater flaves than the majority; as they were all equally fubjected to one general law, a law prefumed to be founded in the original political contract.

But let us confider what could be expected from fuch a democracy as that of Athens. Was it poffible that the great body of the people could understand the true interefts of the ftate, which often require the profoundet skill of the wifeft politicians? Could we expect from a fickle and inconftant multitude, that confiftency of measures fo neceffary to the fupport of any government? We might as well expect, that a fhip in her voyage fhould teer one right courfe, though during it the winds thould blow from all the quarters of the heavens. Such a confitution was likewife adverse to dispatch; a matter often of the greateft confequence.

Indeed we are fufficiently informed from hiftory, that the Athenians were violent in their proceedings, fickle in their opinions, and rath and imprudent

in their schemes. Eafily influenced by their demagogues, they frequently put to death, or difgraced, their braveft and worthieft citizens. They very often repented, and put to death those by whom they had been milled.

Elated by profperous fuccefs, they engaged in rafh and extravagant schemes. In the midst of the Peloponnefian war, (contrary to the advice of the wife and the confiderate), they sent the strength and flower of their army and fleet to Sicily, a diftant island, in which they had no manner of intereft; and that expedition proving unfortunate, foon brought about the diffolution of the state.

The ftrength of Athens was chiefly owing to its maritime commerce, to which they were impelled by the natural fterility of the foil. Its glory and fupport arose from its happiness in having great numbers of excellent citizens, whofe illuftrious virtues adorn the annals of mankind; many of whom however were moft ungratefully exiled by their oftracism.

The proper expedient to remedy the defects, and prevent the abuses, of the feveral fimple forms of government, could only arife from a happy compofition and juft arrangement of the principles of each.

This is the cafe of the British constitution, whether from the wisdom of our ancestors, or rather the peculiar bleffing of Heaven.

The popular fhare of the legislative power is by the British system taken out of the hands of the people, and vefted entirely in their reprefentatives; and that with the greateft propriety. For the people, with regard to the great affairs of government, are much in the fame cafe as a perfon under age, who must have guardians to manage his eftate, not according to his particular inclinations, but his real intereft. And as the reprefentatives are prefumed to be cho-" fen, as directed by the writ of election. for their fuperior worth and abilities, (of which the electors may be very proper judges), by this means the wisdom and virtue of a few, are put in place of the levity and weakness of the many.

Thus it is certain that British laws are made without the consent of the people. For in the first place, the right of election is placed in a small number of the people, a number, however, fufficient for the fecurity of the whole. And further, the perfons chofen are representa