vote for lopping off so valuable a branch
of the prerogative, which enabled the king to reward merit and virtuous
actions. The debate was adjourned to the second day of March, when earl
Stanhope delivered a message from the king, intimating, that as they had
under consideration the state of the British peerage, he had so much at
heart the settling it upon such a foundation as might secure the freedom
and constitution of parliaments in till future ages, that he was willing
his prerogative should not stand in the way of so great and necessary
a work. Another violent debate ensued between the two factions. The
question here, as in almost every other dispute, was not whether the
measure proposed was advantageous to the nation? but, whether the tory
or the whig interest should predominate in parliament? Earl Cowper
affirmed, that the part of the bill relating to the Scottish peerage,
was a manifest violation of the treaty of union, as well as a flagrant
piece of injustice, as it would deprive persons of their right, without
being heard, and without any pretence or forfeiture on their part.
He observed, that the Scottish peers excluded from the number of the
twenty-five, would be in a worse condition than any other subjects in
the kingdom; for they would be neither electing nor elected, neither
representing nor represented. These objections were overruled; several
resolutions were taken agreeably to the motion, and the judges were
ordered to prepare and bring in the bill. This measure alarmed the
generality of Scottish peers, as well as many English commoners, who saw
in the bill the avenues of dignity and title shut up against them; and
they did not fail to exclaim against it as an encroachment upon the
fundamental maxims of the constitution. Treaties were written and
published on both sides of the question; and a national clamour began to
arise, when earl Stanhope observed, in the house, that as the bill had
raised strange apprehensions, he thought it advisable to postpone the
further consideration of it till a more proper opportunity. It was
accordingly dropped, and the parliament prorogued on the eighteenth
day of April, on which occasion his majesty told both houses that the
Spanish king had acknowledged the pretender.

{1719}

COUNT MERCI ASSUMES THE COMMAND OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY

The king having appointed lords-justices to rule the kingdom in his
absence, embarked in May for Holland, from whence he proceeded to