or renovate the claim of right
or any article thereof. This last clause was strenuously opposed; but
at last the bill passed with the concurrence of all the ministry, except
the marquis of Athol and the viscount Tarbat, who began at this period
to correspond with the opposite party.

THE COMMISSIONER IS ABANDONED BY THE CAVALIERS.

The cavaliers thinking themselves betrayed by the duke of Queensberry,
who had assented to these acts, first expostulated with him on his
breach of promise, and then renounced his interest, resolving to
separate themselves from the court, and jointly pursue such measures as
might be for the interest of their party. But of all the bills that were
produced in the course of this remarkable session, that which produced
the most violent altercation was the act of security, calculated to
abridge the prerogative of the crown, limit the successor, and throw
a vast additional power into the hands of the parliament. It was
considered paragraph by paragraph; many additions and alterations were
proposed, and some adopted; inflammatory speeches were uttered; bitter
sarcasms retorted from party to party; and different votes passed on
different clauses. At length, in spite of the most obstinate opposition
from the ministry and the cavaliers, it was passed by a majority of
fifty-nine voices. The commissioner was importuned to give it the royal
assent; but declined answering their entreaties till the tenth day
of September. Then he made a speech in parliament, giving them to
understand that he had received the queen's pleasure, and was empowered
to give the royal assent to all the acts voted in this session, except
the act for the security of the kingdom. A motion was made to solicit
the royal assent in an address to her majesty; but the question being
put, it was carried in the negative by a small majority. On the sixth
day of the same month, the earl of Marchmont had produced a bill to
settle the succession on the house of Hanover. At first the import of it
was not known; but when the clerk in reading it mentioned the princess
Sophia, the whole house was kindled into a flame. Some proposed that
the overture should be burned; others moved that the earl might be sent
prisoner to the castle; and a general dissatisfaction appeared in the
whole assembly. Not that the majority in parliament were averse to
the succession in the house of Hanover; but they resolved to avoid
a nomination without stipulating co