niftration as the present, and of such an oppofition as the prefent, depends upon the continuance of long parliaments.

By the wife conftitution of this country, the executive part of government was entirely vefted in the King. A fixed and permanent fyftem of laws was eftablished as the measure of his government. The forms and ceremonies of legal proceedings were intrufted to the judges. But the folid application of juftice, and the difpofal of their property, remained folely in the people. Of fuch a conftitution an occafional or fhort parliament was a neceffary part; a part of the conftitution, but no part of the government. Parliament was by no means appointed to govern; but merely to be a check upon government, to watch over the King and the courts of juftice, to guard the rights and privileges of the people, and in their name, and by their appointment and direction, to grant occafional national supplies for national purposes.

The natural confequence (which indeed we have experienced) of long parliaments, is to make them forget and neglect the very ends of their inftitution; and to confider themselves no longer as mere delegates and attornies of the people, but as perfons chofen for feven years to be the absolute governors of the country.

Long parliaments are equally injurious to the lawful power of the crown, and to the fecurity of the people. The fole exclufive right of executive government is taken from the one, and the neceffary check is loft to the other. In one word, the parliament, which was appointed to watch over, is become itfelf the adminiftration. The faithful race of Theperds dogs is extinct; and, by an unnatural copulation, a breed of wolves are left to guard the flock.

Sir, I do not attempt by inference and probable conclufions to foretell what will come to pass; I fpeak of what we have feen. I had the honour to second the motion of a learned member of this Houfe (whom I am forry not to fee now prefent) for an inquiry into the conduct of the courts of juftice [xxxiii. 474.]. It was rejected. Notwithstanding an acknowledged ample provifion had before been made for the crown, it is not long fince half a million was voted in this houfe to his Majefty. When an inquiry into the application of it was requested,

that was likewife refufed. Whenever any national fupply is moved for, however enormous the fum, it is readily granted: for the administration, who receive it, fit upon these benches. Whenever an effectual inquiry into the application of money is moved for, it is as readily refused: for the administration, who apply it, fit upon these benches. The proceedings of courts of juftice, and the application of public money, were formerly the great objects of parliamentary inquiry: they feem now to be confidered as a misemployment of the time, and a derogation from the dignity of a British fenate.

Inftead of these trifling confiderations, our attention is now drawn off to more folemn and important fubjects of legiflation and debate. We ftill continue to be a check indeed-a check upon hackney coachmen. Whilft we pass over the common vulgar topics of public justice, and millions of public treafure, the most minute inquiry into their conduct is permitted. An act has lately been paffed to oblige them to hold in their hands the ftrings of their coaches: another was propofed laft feffions to determine how many paffengers they should suffer to ride on the outfide: and the next may poffibly produce another to oblige them to pull off their hats to their customers. Sublime contemplations! which short parliaments would not have time to ripen into laws. Such are the worthy notions of legiflation! fuch the important occupation! fuch the natural confequence of long parliaments!

But, Sir, befides these great advantages of long parliaments-adminiftrationparliaments, the crown is by their means delivered from any humiliating obligation to the people. Does the King want money! Administration will fupply him. Theirs is the grant, and to them only is the obligation; an obligation easily repaid by fuffering those who vote it to fhare largely in the plunder.

Under fuch circumftances as thefe, the gentlemen connected with administration are furely juftified in voting against the prefent queftion; to do otherwife would be an act of fuicide.

The fame confiderations will ferve to juftify the bulk of oppofition who vote against the prefent queftion. They have already been, and it is not improbable to fuppofe that they may again be in office on the fame plan: they have there

fore

Such, Sir, appearing to me the real motives for rejecting the prefent queftion, and the only arguments that can be truly urged againft it, I have acted a fair and candid part, by giving the whole ftrength of the adverfary's defence, and by not fuffering thofe juftifying reafons to lie Concealed, which their modefty might not perhaps permit them to avow.

For my own part, Sir, having no connection, and being determined never to have any, either with thofe who are, or 'have been, or may hereafter be, in adminiftration, I have none of their reafons to reftrain me from following my principle. I abhor a long, abfolute, adminiftration-parliament, because it leads directly and by hafty fteps to the very laft dregs of defpotifm. I think that human fecurity cannot receive, nor human policy devife, a more lafting and efficacious fecurity, than real reprefentatives of the people affembled in a parliament, fhort in its duration and feffion, fovereign in its power of controul, but stripped of every attribute of executive government.

Mr Duntz. Sir, I muft implore the patience of the Houfe for a few minutes, and intreat their indulgence for my defects. I pretend to no excellence as a fpeaker, I am fenfible of my inability, and feel myfelf very unequal to the task of fpeaking before fo refpectable and honourable an affembly. But, Sir, I cannot content myself with giving a fingle (vote upon a fubject like this. I think it highly important, and well worthy the 'attention and debate of this Houfe. I have a very great refpect for the character of the Hon. member who moved this queftion, though I have not the honour of his acquaintance; and I am confident, that he is well perfuaded of the propriety of the motion he has made: and yet, Sir, I own my fentiments differ very widely from his. I cannot think that this plan of a fhort parliament will obtain any of the advantages hoped for, or prevent any of the grievances complained of. On the contrary, it would be attended

we now suffer. I appeal to every gentleman who hears me, what distractions, disturbances, and confufion always attend the prefent elections. If parlia ments were triennial, there would be very little interruption to these disorders; and if they were annual, the difturbances would be perpetual. Befides, Sir, what profpect would there be of a fair election? What gentleman would petition? and if they did petition, how could they be determined? Sir, the parliament would be diffolved before half the petitions would be heard. Sir, we should have nothing but falfe returns, confufion, and difturbance. And therefore, Sir, for the fake of peace, I fhall be against the queftion.

As foon as Mr Duntz had finished, the cry was repeated from every fide of the Houfe-"The queftion! The que ftion!"- Which being put, and a divifion demanded, there appeared to be 133 against the queftion, and only 45 for it.

ON Thursday, Feb. 4. Mr Rofe Puller moved, That the act 120 Ch. II. i. s. the navigation-act, and the 17° Geo. II. intended to explain it, might be read. The motion having been agreed to, and the acts read, Mr Fuller obferved, That it was chiefly to the navigation-act, and the act explaining it, that we owed almost all the advantages we enjoyed as a great commercial nation; that it was one of the prime provifions in that law, that no foreigner fhould have any share or property in any veffel trading with our fettlements in North America, the Weft Indies, Afia, or Africa; for it was fpecially provided, that the produce of our colonies, in thofe feveral places, should be tranfported in British bottoms, folely the property of natural born fubjects; that however falutary this law might be, there were opportunities frequently ta "ken, particularly of late, to employ it to the worft purpofes, by foreigners purchafing at public fales, fhares of veffels employed in those respective trades, and refufing to part with them, unless at an exorttant price; and with those terms the other partners were obliged to comply, of fubmit to an enormous expence; that there was evidence ready to be given at the bar, of a foreigner who had two fhares in a fhip bound to Jamaica, and juft ready to fail, who now actually in fifted that he should have his own prie for those shares, and had, to prevent

their failing, given notice to the boards of Admiralty, Trade, and Cuftoms; that the rest of the partners, refolving to put a stop to fo fraudulent and pernicious a practice, had determined to perfevere, though at the expence of at least 5 1. a day, and apply to the legislature for redrefs; that feeing the urgent neceffity for the immediate interference of parliament in a matter of such a nature, he now ftood up to give notice, that he would on Tuefday next make a motion for bringing in a bill for preventing foreigners from being part-owners in any veffel trading to Afia, Africa, or America." The reason, he said, for ufing the word partowners, was to avoid the hurting a very beneficial trade now carried on, of building fhips in America and the Weft Indies, and difpofing of them to foreigners here and elsewhere.

The Speaker remarked, that this was a new fpecies of villany, and one of the moft extraordinary that had been ever devised, that a man fhould purchase a fhare in a veffel with the fole view of raifing contributions on the reft of the owners; that fuch atrocious offenders merited fignal punishment, and he hoped they would accordingly receive it; at leaft, nothing in his power fhould be wanting to effect it. It was oppofed by fome members, on the ground, that a remedy might be had at law; but this was doubted by others.

Mr Fuller having accordingly made his motion, the Houfe went into a committee upon it Feb. 18. Mr Ald. Oliver in the chair. Meff. Mofs, Alcock, and Simon, were severally examined. The fubftance of their evidence was, That the fhips Ipfwich and Manning were both in the Jamaica trade, and river-built; that the former is of 400 tons burthen, and the latter 305 tons; that Mr Maffon, a Frenchman, and not naturalized, purchafed at a fale an eighth of the fhip Ipfwich, and three fixteenths of the Manning; that notice had been given at the Admiralty to prevent them getting Mediterranean paffes, and at the Cuftomhoufe to prevent their failing, as a foreigner was part-owner; that Mr Maffon, as foon as this impediment was difcovered, on being applied to, to difpofe of thofe fhares, for a reasonable compenfation, abfolutely refufed, unless at an advance much beyond the market-price, qr their real value; that the latter of thofe veffels had been by that means deVOL. XXXV.

tained in the river fince the 20th of January, at a very great expence, and had loft her freight; that the other had been likewife detained, under a fimilar expence, fince the 12th of the fame month; and that the broker who fold one of the fhares to Mr Maffon, having informed him that fuch a purchase would answer no end, as he was precluded from deriving any benefit from it by the laws of this country, Mr Maffon answered, that he was fully apprised of that, but doubted not he fhould nevertheless profit by the tranfaction. Then a perfon who was mafter of a veffel in the fame trade in 1770, informed the House, That being outward bound, at Gravefend, he was prevented from proceeding in his voyage, by order from the Admiralty; the reafon of which was, a foreigner having been discovered to be part-owner; that upon an application to him to fell his fhare, he refufed; and that at length the rest of the owners were obliged to comply with the exorbitant demand of 150l. for his eighth, and a compliment of ten guineas to the attorney, though another eighth which came to be difpofed of at the fame time by death, brought no more than 561. IOS.

When the evidence was finished, Mr Fuller made a motion, That a bill be brought in to prevent abuses in the purchafes made by foreigners of fhares of British veffels which was agreed to; and Meff. Oliver and Fuller were ordered to prepare, and bring it in.-The bill went through, fo as to receive the royal affent April 1. [220.]—Would it not be just to deny Mr Mason the benefit of naturalization, if he should hereafter apply for it?

Reflections on the National Debt. From a view of real grievances, &c. [87.] THE balance of trade is very little in

favour of England, but from the commerce with Portugal, and the clan deftine trade in the West Indies, &c.

To recover our former fuperiority, acquired by the foreign confumption of our manufactures, is not impracticable: but the dearnefs of labour confines them, at prefent, to interior and home confumption; and this dearnefs of labour will fubfift, fo long as the enormous load of the national debt obliges the government to continue the impofts at the excefs-to which they have arrived. This excefs of impofts destroys population, agriculture, PP

and

and manufactures, increases the number of poor, whofe fupport is to England an annual expence of more than two millions.

The fole, the only remedy to these evils, fo great and so real, and the only folid foundation that England can give to its power, muft arife from the extinction of the public debt, &c.

Our fettlements at Senegal, the author of The interefts, &c. apprehends, furnifh us with the means of paying this national debt, by the conqueft of Bambuck, a country whofe mines of gold are infinitely richer than thofe of Brafil, Mexico, or Peru.

We are informed by this writer, that a factor of the French India company, named Campagnon, is the only European known, who has ever arrived at this rich kingdom. He has given a full and exact defcription of it, as well as of its rich mines. Two directors of the India company, M. Depremenial and David, particularly charged with the affairs of Senegal, have vouched for the intelligence, capacity, and fidelity, of this fac tor; which gives great weight to this relation.

But a communication with Bambuck, and the countries bordering upon the Niger, Gambia, and the other great rivers of Africa, would open a paffage to richer and more inexhauftible mines, than the golden ones of Africa, or America. It would procure, by a fair and honourable commerce, without the aids of conqueft and ufurpation, (which are contrary to the laws of nations and humanity, and a difgrace to all civilized countries), an immenfe exclusive trade for our manufactures, and extend the fale and confumption of the various merchandifes of Europe.

Notwithstanding the various fchemes that have been propofed by different writers for paying off the national debt, to extend our trade and commerce feems to be the most rational infallible means of doing it, provided we obferve a proper œconomy in the administration of the various monies that are collected for the ufes of government.

The frugality, œconomy, and morals, of the Swifs, have rendered the canton of Berne very rich, though the foil is barren, and the country without feaports, manufactures, and mines. A Venetian ambaffador once told Cardinal Richelieu, that they wanted nothing to

render France rich and happy, but to know how to lay out with propriety what they fquandered away in diffipation and folly. This obfervation is equally applicable to England.

Now the balance of our trade with Ruffia, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Holland, Flanders, and France, is greatly against us, prudent and benevolent methods should be taken to extend our trade in Africa, from whence we may derive incredible advantages, by exchanging our manufactures at a fair price for the gold, gums, teeth, and other raw materials of that country. By thefe means we fhould not only enrich our felves, without offending any of the powers of Europe, but deliver these unhappy people from tyranny, and bless them with the advantages and happiness of more enlightened communities.

The Portuguese are the only Europeans who have established settlements, and who carry on a commerce, in competition with the Arabians, at Sofala, at Mofambique, and Melinda, upon the eaftern coaft of Africa. This commerce is fo rich, especially at Mofambique, that it is called the Peru and Chili of the Portuguese. They pretend that it was from thence that Solomon, and Hiram the king of Tyre, drew their prodigious riches; and that this port of Africa is the celebrated Ophir. It is there they receive the gold of Monomotapa, in exchange for the filks and ftuffs of Afia and Europe.

The Portuguese first discovered Monomotapa, upon whose monarch they have bettowed the title of the Emperor of Gold. Faria pretends, that at Maffapa they found an ingot of gold of 12,000 ducats, and another of 400,000. It is, however, certain, that they have imported immense quantities of gold from thence, in lieu of their ftuffs, necklaces, beads, and other merchandifes of little value; and they might derive ftill greater advantages, if this branch of commerce was better cultivated.

I will close this article, upon the means of paying off the national debt by opening an extenfive commerce into the interior parts of Africa, with a few reflections upon the piratical states of Barbary; which fo far as they are borrowed from the author of Les Interêts, &c. are juft and striking.

The coafts of Barbary might be cover. ed with flourishing towns by population

and