s a subsidy
to the Dane, pursuant to the said treaty, for the service of the ensuing
year. The demand did not meet with immediate compliance. All the leaders
in the opposition exclaimed against the subsidy as unnecessary and
unreasonable. They observed, that as the English had no particular
interest of their own for inducing them to engage in the present war,
but only the danger to which the balance of power might be exposed by
that event; and as all the powers of Europe were as much, if not more,
interested than the English in the preservation of that balance,
should it ever be really endangered, they would certainly engage in
its defence, without receiving any valuable consideration from Great
Britain; but should the English be always the first to take the alarm
upon any rupture, and offer bribes and pensions to all the princes in
Europe, the whole charge of preserving that balance would fall upon
Great Britain; every state would expect a gratification from her,
for doing that which it would otherwise be obliged to do for its own
preservation; even the Dutch might at last refuse to assist in trimming
this balance, unless Britain should submit to make the grand pensionary
of Holland a pensionary of England, and take a number of their forces
into English pay. The debate having had its free course, the question
was put, and the motion approved by the majority. The ministry allowed
a bill to be brought in for limiting the number of officers in the house
of commons; but at the second reading it was rejected upon a division,
after a learned debate, in which it appeared that the opposition had
gained a valuable auxiliary in the person of lord Pol-worth, son to the
earl of Marchmont, a nobleman of elegant parts, keen penetration,
and uncommon vivacity, who spoke with all the fluency and fervour of
elocution.

PETITION OF SOME SCOTTISH NOBLEMEN.

The minority in the house of lords were not less vigilant and resolute
in detecting and opposing every measure which they thought would redound
to the prejudice of their country. But the most remarkable object that
employed their attention during this session, was a very extraordinary
petition subscribed by the dukes of Hamilton, Queensberry, and Montrose,
the earls of Dundonald, Marchmont, and Stair, representing that undue
influence had been used for carrying on the election of the sixteen
peers of Scotland. The duke of Bedford, who delivered their petition to
the house, pro