A. C.

1708.

joying, by themselves, fo many valuable Priviledges and Immunities, which could not be enCroach'd upon, or fubjected to a Houfe of Peers, without endangering the whole Conftitution of the Houfe of Commons? And, in the last Place, that England and Scotland being now United, and their Interests infeparably join'd, it ought to be a Maxim with all true Britains, that the Liberty of the Commons of Scotland, will always be an Advantage to thofe of England; and that the Slavery of the First cannot fail ending in the De'ftruction of the Latter. Little was offer'd, on the other Side, against these Arguments; fo that the Question being put, That the Eldeft Sons of the The Peers Peers of Scotland were capable by the Laws of Scot- of Scotland, at the Time of the Union, to elect or be elected land eldest as Commiffioners of Shire's or Boroughs to the Parlia Sons dement of Scotland; and therefore, by the Treaty of clar'd incaclar'dincaUnion, were capable to elect or be elected, to reprefent able to fit any Shire or Borough in Scotland, to fit in the House of Com of Commons of Great Britain: It pafs'd in the Ne- mons. gative; to the great furprize of fome Courtiers, Dec. 3. who had ftirr'd very much for the Affirmative; and the no lefs Mortification of the Scotch Peers, whofe eldest Sons had thereby a degrading Mark of Diftinction put upon them, from the English.* Dec. 6. Three Days* after, the Commons order'd their Speaker to Iffue out his Warrants to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out new Writs for the E'lecting Commiffioners to ferve in this prefent Par6 liament, for the Shire of Aberdeen, in the Room of William Lord Haddo; and for the Shire of Linlithgow, in the Room of James Lord Johnftown, who being Eldeft Sons of Peers of Scotland, were declared to be incapable to fit in that 'House.

On the 7th of December, the Houfe of Commons took into Confideration the New Commiffion, conftituting the Commiffioners of the Navy, and the Return of the faid Commiflioners, with the Names of the Commiffioners imploy'd in the Out-Ports, and the Warrants for their Imployments, with the

Ac

A. G. Account of the Allowances made to them: As alfo 1708. the Copy of the Commiflion, and the Returns from the Commiffioners of the Navy, and Accounts from Proceedings the Treafurer of the Navy, and the Copy of his about the late Royal Highness's Warrant, appointing BenjaCommiffio- min Timewell, and Anthony Hamond, Efes, Two of ners of the the principal Officers and Commiffioners of her Navy.

Majefty's Navy, to infpect the Regifter-Office: As likewfe the Claufe in the Act of the Sixth Year of her Majefty's Reign, intituled, an Act for the Secu-rity of Her Majesty's Perfon and Government, and of the Succeffion to the Crown of Great Britain, in the Proteftant Line, difabling feveral Officers to fit in that Houfe: And the Queftion being put, That the 'Commissioners of the Navy, as conftituted by the prefent Commiffion, were Commiffioners imploy'd in the Out-Ports, within the Intent of the faid Act; it pafs'd in the Negative: But, at the fame Time, it was refolv'd, That Anthony Hamond, Efq; "being a Commiffioner of the Navy, and im. ploy'd in the Out-Ports, was thereby incapable of being elected, or Voting as a Member of that 'Houfe.

The Houfe was mostly taken up the reft of that Week, by the controverted Election for the Bo*Dec. 11. rough of Reading, which, at laft, was decided in favour of Anthony Blagrave, Efq; the fitting Member; and, on Monday the 13th of December, Sir Thomas Hanmore made a Motion, That the Thanks of the House be given to Major General Webb, for the great and eminent Services perform'd by him, at the Battle of Wynnendale; which was unaThe Thanks nimously carried in the Affimative. Major General of the Com- Webb being then in the Houfe, Mr. Speaker, gave mons given him, in his Place, the Thanks of the House, accorto Major- dingly; which he acknowledg'd in a very handfome and modeft Speech; faying, among other Things, That he valued that Honour above the greatest Rewards: Dec. 13. This gave occafion to another Member to fay, 'He did not difapprove the Method of Returning Thanks to fuch Generals as perform'd their

General
Webb,

Duty

6 Duty, which, however, had been more frequently done of late, than heretofore: But that he could not but take Notice, That not only the Thanks of Both Houfes, but also great Rewards had been beftow'd on another Commander. Then the Houfe took into confideration, the Borrowing Claufe in the Land-Tax Bill, in which Debate Sir Gilbert Heathcot faid, 'It was Matter of Wonder, that no ftricter inquiry had yet been made into the intended Invafion of Sootland, by which the Credit of the City of London < was then almoft Sunk, and was not yet fully re'cover'd.

A. C.

1708.

On Wednesday the Fifteenth of December,the Com- Refolution mons, in a Committee of the whole Houfe, went about the upon the further Confideration of the Supply, and Supply. Refolv'd, That Twelve Hundred and Twenty

6

Thousand Pounds be granted to Her Majefty,

as Her Proportion for Augmenting the Troops, that were to act in Conjunction with her Allies in Flanders, for the Service of the Year One Thoufand Seven Hundred and Nine. Which Refolution was, the next * Day, reported and agreed * Dec. 16. to by the Houfe. The fame Day, the Houfe Proceedings proceeded to the Hearing the Merits of the E about the lection for the City of Westminster; And afeer Election of the Council on both fides were heard, and feveral Westmin Witnefles examin'd, in relation to the Proceedings fter. of Mr. John Huggins, the High Bailiff of Westminfter, who prefided at the faid Election, it was refolv'd, That the faid Mr. Huggins, had, in Defiance of the Law, arbitrarily and illegally refufed to tender the Oaths of Abjuration, when required fo to do, and thereby was guilty of high Crime and Mifdemeanour: For which Of fence he was order'd to be committed to her Majefty's Prifon of Newgate.

6

6

a

The 17th of the fame Month, the Commons read the Third Time, and pafs'd the Bill for a Land-Tax in Great Britain, which was ordered to

be

Mr. Huggins com mitted to Newgate.

Addrefs to engage the

Allies to

6

A. C. be fent up to the Lords for their Concurrence 1708. The next Day it was unanimously refolv'd, "That an Addrefs be prefented to Her Majefty, That Dec. 18. fhe would be pleased to use Her utmoft Endeavours with Her Allies, to engage them to furnish their Proportion towards the Augmentation of the Forces for the Service of the Year 1709. Affurnish ter which the Houfe proceeded to the further their Pro- hearing of the Merits of the Election for the portion of City of Westminster, and the Council on both the Aug fides having been heard, and feveral Witneffes mentation. examin'd, it was refolv'd, That Thomas Medlycott Efq; was duly elected for the faid City, by a Majority of 154 Voices against 142: About elected for Five and thirty Members, who in all probability Weftmin- would have given their Votes for Sir Henry Dutton fter, Dec. Colt the Petitioner, against Mr. Medlycott, being

Mr. Med

lycott de

clared duly

18.

*Dec. 21.

gone out of the Houfe, moft of them upon an Opinion, that the further Confideration of that intricate Election would have been put off to the next Monday. It is alfo to be obferv'd, That Sir Henry Dutton Colt having denied the Writing of a Letter to Mr. Huggins, whereby he confented to a Scrutiny of the Poll, and which a Member of the House averr'd to be his Hand; his Prevarication loft him a great many Voices.

6

Three Days* after Mr. Secretary Boyle acquainted the Commons, That purfuant to their Addrefs, Her Majefty would ufe Her utmost Endeavours with Her Allies, to engage them to furnish their Proportions towards the Augmentations of the Forces: And the 22d, the House in a Grand Committee, confider'd further of Methods for raifing Recruits, and refolv'd, That for the fpeedy and effectual Recruiting of Her Majesty's Land-Forces and Marines, Encouragement be given to the feveral Parishes of this Kingdom, for Raifing a fufficient number of Men for the Service of the Year 1709. Which Refolution was *Dec. 13. unanimoufly agreed to the next* Day, and a Bill ordered to be brought in thereupon. The fame

Refolution

and Bill

about Recruits.

6

Day

1708,

Day the Queen having granted a Commiffion un- A. C. der the Great Seal, for paffing the Royal Affent to a Bill which had been agreed to by both Houfes; the Lords Commiffion'd by Her Majefty, fent the Land-Tax Deputy Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, to de- Act past. fire the Commons to come up, with their Speaker, Both Houses to the House of Lords, which they did according Adjourn. ly; and the Lords Commiffioners having given the Royal Affent to the Bill, Entituled, An Act for Granting an Aid to Her Majefty, to be raised by a Land-Tax in Great Britain, for the Service of the Year. 1709. Both Houfes adjourn'd to the 10th of January next. In the Afternoon the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker of the Commons, by Order of the refpective Houfes, prefented to the Queen the Addrefs which they had agreed upon in the Morning, and was as follows:

6

WE E Your Majefties moft Dutiful and Loyal Their AdSubjects, the Lords Spiritual and Tempo- drefs of ❝ral, and Commons, in Parliament Affembled, do Congratu moft humbly Congratulate Your Majefty upon lation to the Reduction of Ghent, the laft great Effort of this the Queen. 'Glorious Year; a Year that will be ever Famous in Hiftory, as well for the entire Disappointment of all the Attempts and Hopes of Your Enemies, as for the many wonderful Succeffes, with which "God has Bleffed the Arms of Your Majefty and Your Allies. The unufual Length of the Campaign, the Variety of Events, and the Difficulty and Importance of the Actions, have given many Opportunities to Your Majefties General, the * Duke of Marlborough, to fhew his Confummate Ability, and all the Great Qualities neceffary for fo high a Truft, whereby, in Conjunction with the Renowned Prince Eugene of Savoy, fuch confiderable Progrefs has been Made, and Your Con quefts fo far Advanced, that We have reason to hope the Enemy, in fpight of all their Prefumption, will foon find themfelves under an abfolute Neceffity of Submitting to a Safe and Honour able Peace.

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