argument for opening the courts in Westminster-hall operates with equal or greater force upon us. We are a popular affembly.-There is nothing fecret in the nature of our business.-By publishing our votes we admit that the nation has a right to be informed of our proceedings.-But above all, it is of the highest importance to the people to know the fentiments and conduct of each particular member, that they may be able to form a juft judgment of our integrity and ability, and in what manner we fupport the interefts of our conftituents. And fhall motives fuch as these have no weight with us? fhall our inhofpitable doors be closed, because one member is afraid of being mifreprefented? I wish the noble ford were as cautious of what he writes in other places, as of what he fays here. But in that refpect he has taken care to be perfectly fafe. The military manifefto, which he has thought proper to give under his hand, is too plain to be mifunderstood, and too bad to be mifreprefented.

For the POLITICAL REGISTER.

SIR,

THE

HE great Mr. Locke, in his treatise on Government, well obferves, that if the executive power shall ever prefume to interfere in matters of election, and to make use of thofe very offices, and revenues, with which it was originally vefted for the reward of merit, to operate upon the minds of timid electors of reprefentatives in parliament, then and in that case the executive power muft overwhelm the legiflative, and be foon buried in the ruins of both.

If the name and power of the executive part of government be made use of by a minifter or his agents, in elections, it alters not the cafe, and is a high affront offered to the facred majesty of the conftitution of a free country.

If boroughs will difpofe of their power of electing two reprefentatives to the highest bidders, this only fhews a total diffolution of virtue and morals in fuch boroughs; and they need not wonder at their reprefentatives felling themselves to fucceffive adm.niftrations, when they must remember how dear their favours coft them. But if the executive power fhall presume to give a fanction to fuch proceedings, and not demonftrate a worthy refentment, at fuch proftitutions of authority, then indeed that fatal period, foretold by Montefquieu, will arrive, when (writes that great author) the

executive part fhall, by the immenfity of its wealth and power, be able to fecure at all times a majority in parliament; and, that no remedy can be found for this, by reafon of the venality of the individuals; then the conítitution of fuch a country must be entirely changed, as the balance will then be loft in the ftate, and all means to reftore it rendered fruitless.

In the reign of queen Anne, an attempt was made to, operate in a most unufual way on the freedom of parliaments, by the fudden introduction of twelve peers into the upper house, to ferve a particular jobb; this violent exertion of prerogative was disagreeable to the whole nation; but then it could not be alledged that it was illegal. Now fixteen peers are created, as it may well be faid, at the beginning of every parliament; and yet so callous and fo ftupid are people in general, that they do not perceive it, though it is one of the most dangerous invafions that ever was made, and is now fettled by a long prescription. What puts me on this train of argument to-day, is a letter fent me by a correfpondent yesterday, which, for the amufement of your readers, you may infert as follows:

"SIR,

AS you have a great gufto for fresh intelligence of a political nature, I have taken the earliest opportunity of tranfmitting to you, an account of the proceedings of, what is commonly called, the election of fixteen of the Scottish peerage at Edinburgh, to reprefent that community; (in other words the Congé d'Elire, pour Ecoffe,) I happened to be in Scotland at the time, and as I write the fhort hand as well, I believe, as any of that poffé who came down to Edinburgh, on the occafion of the Douglas caufe, I am enabled to give you a defcription authentic enough of the bufinefs, and of the earl of Buchan's proteft, which, for the honour of Scotland, I beg leave juft to obferve, was neither figned nor feconded by one of that illuftrious fraternity, nor did one peer adventure to vote for lord Buchan in preference to lord Je, although that lord was totally unknown, and that the earl had offered himfelf, above fix weeks before, on the bafis of a free election; but I add no more: "Let the ftricken deer go weep."

When it came to the vote of the earl of Buchan, his lordfhip ftood up, and faid, "My lords, Without the least deference to the minifter or his agents, I vote for the following peers:

1. The

1. The Duke of Gordon.
2. The duke of Argyl.
3. The duke of Atholl.
4. The earl of Morton.
5. The earl of Buchan.
6. The earl of Eglington.
7. The earl of Strathmore..
8. The earl of Abercorn.
9. The earl of Loudon.
10. The earl of March.
II. The earl of Marchmont.
12. The earl of Dunmore.
13. The earl of Roseberry.
14. The earl of Bute.

15. Lord viscount Stormont.
16. The lord Cathcart."

After the election his lordship entered the following proteft, which they had the m

minutes.

I

-fs to refufe to put in the

PROTEST.

David, earl of Buchan, being unwilling that my name, or the names of fuch peers of Scotland, as may think proper to adhere to this my proteft, fhould be handed down to posterity, as joining or acquiefcing in a ministerial and unconftitutional nomination of fixteen peers to reprefent the peerage of Scotland in parliament, do proteft, in my own name, and in the names of all those who shall adhere to this my protestation, That, whereas a lift of fixteen peers for Scotland has been framed, long before the time of this election, by perfons in high truft under the crown, and that fuch lifts have been in a most scandalous manner called by the most facred name of the King's Lift, to the prostitution of that most venerable authority, which it is well known cannot be used conftitutionally in matters of election, declared to be free by the most important charters of British liberty. And, likewise, when we confider, that this lift has been daringly fhewn by the minister to several peers now prefent in this aflembly, and the contents of it fupported and conveyed, by still more daring agents, to other peers likewife now prefent, to the fubverfion of the freedom of election, by intimidating thofe who were to give their fuffrages for fixteen men, who are to be vested with the depofit of the liberties of the order, and capable of operating, in a most remarkable manner, upon the

liberties.

liberties of the and of the nation in general, when we confider these matters, we cannot but be filled with the highest indignation, at the attempts, which have been but too fuccessfully made, to reduce the election of the fixteen peers for Scotland to a mere minifterial nomination, at once difgraceful to the community, and fubverfive of the freedom of parliaments.

BUCHAN."

I fhall make no comment on what is gone before, and fhall only add, that I am your conftant reader

JOHN BULL.

To the EDITOR of the POLITICAL REGISTER.

SIR,

HE following is an authentic paper, and very well wor

thy the attention of the public, who must be curious to fee the ftate of population in the countries of our natural enemies. In a work like the Political Regifter, calculated to promote political enquiry of every kind, it certainly merits a place; and though in this country it is impoffible to come at an account of the fame kind, it may induce some of refpondents to enquire in their refpective counties, what the numbers are (and what the age of every individual) of those between fixteen and forty-five, who are returned as being able to serve their country in the militia.

I am, SIR,

your cor

A Well-Wifher to your Work.

Denom

920652 934872 1855524

Nombre des vivans au deffus de 20 Ans & au deffous de 25 Ans

Entre 25 & 30 Ans

858525

Entre 30 & 35 Ans

3918194 4401187 8319381

445383 506183

de 55 à 60 Ans

387064

1189362 1496611

Totaux

9906665

10887692 9906665

10887692

20794357

Totaux réunis

20794357

20794359