CLXXXIV. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. London, January 25th, 1707-6. My laft was of the 17th, and your's of the 16th. I had, too, those of 241 (Tweeddale) and 243 (Roxburgh) of the 14th and 16th, the former of which was kept up a poft. They should not write under covers. I fhall speak as 243 (Roxburgh) defires to 20 (the Lord Treasurer) of his concerns, but my speaking will fignifie little. I think 244 (Roxburgh) and yourself should come hither as foon as conveniently you can; otherwife your concerns of all forts will goe wrong, and if 60 (the Union) take a wrong turn at firft, it will not come right in haft; and if nobody come, 225 (Queenfberry), &c. will get all that is to be given, and do what they please, whereas 31 (the Whig Lords), now that the great job is done, will yield to what is reasonable, if they be well informed, particularly for gaining a majority to their own fide. 24 (The Court) is positive that they will make a promotion, and that 243 (Roxburgh) fhall be one. They have been told that he will not be less than They answer'd nothing to that. It was not I that told them fo. I think your own illness should bring you to goe to the Bath, for it all comes from your ftomack, which is the part that the Bath waters certainly help; and I am ftill for your bringing your daughter hither, if you be not for marrying her quickly, which usually makes both a fickly wife and fickly children. I believe my Lord William's regiment will come to nothing, and the other new levies here, the Dutch are so preffing to have the Saxon troops taken into pay; and King Charles writes that they can raise two or three regiments in Spain for the charge of one from England. Farewell. CLXXXV. TO SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. I HAVE your's of the 17th and 25th. Since my laft of the 21ft, the House has been upon the representation, and agreed that the 16 Peers should be named by ane open election; of the 45 Commoners, the Barons have got 30, and the Burrows 15. This was by paction between the two Eftates, upon * Sic in orig.-the blank should probably be supplied Duke. promise of mutual concurrance to exclude noblemen's eldest fons from reprefenting either. Accordinglie ane overture was given in about the divifion, with a clause of exclufion, but that of the numbers having been first voted, many of the Burrows failed; and, upon a question, the exclufion was rejected. Seperating the overture upon the question loft it, and three members at least, the Barons might have had by ftipulation with the Peers. You may remember that in mine of the 11th, I told you of a motion had been made upon the debate about the protefts, and wherein the House acquiefced. Jervifwood did it to keep thofe against the Union from leaving the House, which they would have then done if the queftion had been put, whereby the New Partie would have been at the mercie of the Old as to their share of the reprefentation, which was then defigned to be of this Parliament. Since concluding the Union, the Ministrie have not dealt by the New Partie as formerly, for, without acquainting them, ane Act anent the representation was given in, in termes which feem to make a fummonds or writ neceffary even before the election by the Parliament, and if not explained will put off the election till after commencement of the Union, and confequentlie give a go-by both to the former vote, and to the New Partie; for if the election proceeds now, Barons and Burrows they cannot get, (Peers they may,) without the New Partie, unless they choose of those who have been against the Union, which perhaps they would not venture on at present. Therefore, I hear it is defigned to throw off the election till September, when thofe now of the Parliament shall be appointed to meet by feperate Estates for chufing; betwixt and which, ways and means more plaufible, may be found to exclude the New Partie, for it is faid that Duke Hamilton and Queensberrie met frequentlie together of late; that Argile boafts the New Partie fhall not be chofen; and that he will expofe them at Court. On Wednesday Argile gave in a refolve for an allowance to the Treaters of £1000 to each nobleman, and £500 to each of the reft, payable out of the equivalent after the African Companie, and pari passu with the other debts. The Houfe did not then conclude any thing upon it; but yesterday, after debate upon a queftion, Approve, or Alter? the firft carried by a great majority; for they who were against the Union did not vote, but feveralls of them fpoke favourablie of it, and [none] oppofed but the Squadrone, and Justice-Clerk who faid, verie frankly, he could not be for payment out of the equivalent, and that £300 would reimburse his charges. The arguments against it were, That it was irregularlie tabled in the middle of ane A&t to which it had no relation; that the quota was too high; that the equivalent seemed already appropriat to other uses; that the creditors upon it had a jus quæsitum by the Act, the which could not be taken from them. Therefore, Jervifwood propofed, that a Nobleman fhould have £500, a Baron £300, and a Burrow £200, which was more than was given formerlie on fuch occafions, and was what was usually given to subjects of the like quality when called up by their Sovereign; that if this were not acceptable, and because fome were infifting for ane allowance to the Commiffioners of the former Treaty, he likewife proposed that £1000 should be given to each Nobleman who had been on both, and £500 to those under that degree, with a proportionall allowance to those who had been on the one onlie; but none of them were received. Therefore, after voting the refolve, there was an allowance given of £500, £300, and £200 to the Lords, Barons, and Burrows, who had been Commiffioners in the former Treaty. The New Partie knew nothing of the motion till it was made in the House. The Ministrie lay it at Argile's door, and denie their knowledge of the quota and timing of it; and indeed he does ride them. However, I hear it was defigned by fome, especially Argile, who makes no bones of it, to make a German quarrell. They could not but know the New Partie would not be for the allowance demanded; for nothing could at first have fweetened the Union fo much as the payment of the nation's juft debts; but if, by diverting so much of the money, the disbanded officers, whereof many are starving, should get into their heads that they are not to be payed, I know not what confequences it might have in the prefent ferment. This was the New Partie's chief motive against it. Montrofe, and one or two more, went off in this. Jervifwood always feared the New Partie would be dup'd; therefore infifted much that Roxburgh and others should have demanded particular and pofitive affurances for their share of the reprefentation, which would not be a third of the whole; the rest he would have left to the Ministrie, but they rested upon generalls. I fhall not fay what the Ministrie will doe, but the New Partie are at mercie, and the more that Argile is gone this morning to London: how his giving bad impreffions may be prevented I know not, for none of us can leave this fo long as the Parliament fits, without giving jealoufie to Queensberry, which, in the prefent juncture, would be most inconvenient; fo I pray beftir yourself to 2 A obviate mifrepresentation. I have wrote what I hear; my next may give more light. February 1ft, 1707. CLXXXVI. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. February 4th, [1707]. YOUR laft was of the 17th; mine of the 25th. 15 (The Lord Treasurer) has been ill. I have not [feen] him, and I am not well myself. The Commons this day have paffed the first five Articles without a divifion; nay, the heads of the Oppofition were absent; but both there and among the Lords there have been pretty rough speeches. My Lord Scarborough went back to Glencow, and Darien, and the famine, and the failing of the Succeffion, &c.; of almost all which he made the fame Ministry accountable, and that King William knew nothing of the matter. He feems to take the late Marquis of Tweeddale and this to be the fame, and intimated that the Darien Miniftry had not acted honeftly in the business of the Succeffion, tho the Ministry here had omitted nothing to make them do it. It's thought the Union here will be got done before the end of the month. As to what your Lady writes, I like him well enough. It's a pity his father will give him no education; but I never knew good come of marrying children together; befides, this Union will make all things new, and you cannot yet judge what fupport or allyance you'll need, or where these will be to be had; this gives you none. Befides, I know not what money you'll give down, but I have ground to think a good deal is wanting. Farewell. CLXXXVII. TO SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. My laft was of the 1ft. The Act about the reprefentation was concluded yesterday, as your friend wished. The Ministrie were enclined to have put off the election till after commencement of the Union, and did endeavour to perfuade the New Partie to come into it. Their fecret reasons I know not : they onlie mentioned their willingness to have all of the New Partie chosen ; that if the election were during the feffion, they should be ftraitened how to please them, Argile, and other pretenders, fome whereof, they said, had recommendations from above; that a delay might bring about promotions, which would make more room, and leave them at greater libertie. To which it was anfwer'd, That the inconveniencies alledged were only perfonall, and not to be put in the ballance with those that were nationall; as to the firft, the Commiffioner had it in his power to choose whom he pleased, and might do therein as he thought good, for the New Partie would not rifque a nationall concern for any interest of their own; as to the other, no man, confidering the prefent ferment, could foresee the confequences of a meeting of the Estates after the Union, tho called to meet separatelie, and at different times, as was projected; that it might defeat the defign of a Whig election, for the men might change much in fix or seven months; yea, that it was an equall lay, if there fhould be any election at all; at beft, it would be tumultuary. The Ministrie, after advifing, thought fit to yield, (Leven, as I hear, onlie differing,) that the election fhould be this feffion ; and fo it is fixed by the A&t. When they'l proceed to it I know not; nor what share the New Partie fhall have, for the Ministrie are masters, and overawed by Argile, who pretends not onlie to a good fhare, but to exclude others. He is no friend to the New Partie, and no doubt will afcribe all to himself, and do what he can to undervalue the New Partie at Court and with the Whig Lords; but without them the Union could not have done, nor this laft job, the failing whereof might have ruined the Whig Lords, and perhaps the Union itself, for tho' the New [Partie] fhould have a small fhare in the representation, yet the Ministrie will not dare venture on a Torie election at prefent, which perhaps they might have found their interest, had it been put off till after the Seffion. The allowance given the Treaters makes a noise in the countrey. February 6th, 1707. CLXXXVIII. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. London, February 8th, [1707.] I HAVE your's and your friend's of the 1ft. I hope 38 (Scotland) will get by 59 (the Union), but I never thought 48 (the New Party) would, at least in hafte; which made me at first not against 60 (an Union), but against 6rq omqqoh fdywmrq 47's (the New Party's) going on with fo little caution. You had 198 zdw frppmwwmrqhu (Argyll) at mercy when he was Commiffioner, and you knew 272's (John phu7fb9 |