our united endeavours, in all the ways of found argument from reason and fcripture. And let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I fail, in my particular sphere, to labour in so good a work. Suffice it to fay, on the fecond point, That, befides that I can never fuftain ecclefiaftical courts good judges in matters of civil legislation, I can hardly think it of our department to trouble ourselves about them. To judge in fuch matters is the proper province of the eftates of the kingdom affembled in parliament; and to dictate to them becomes not us. At the fame time, as perfons of all denomina tions will ever be forming an opinion on every thing almoft that occurs, I frankly own, I allo, as an individual, did this with regard to the bill for repealing the penal ftatutes against Papists. On the one hand, I liked the indulgence it propofed, as friendly to liberty of conscience, and the rights of private judgement: on the other hand, I apprehended fome danger from an indifcreet ufe of that indulgence. Thus I think of Popery itself, and thus I thought of the projected repeal of the penal statutes against Papists, before the oppofition of my countrymen to fuch repeal took place; nor did that, when it appeared, alter my opinion. But what this oppofition could not do in respect of my fentiments, it did most effectually in refpect of my wishes. In the prefent divided ftate of this great empire, I did not wish to fee a measure followed out that was likely to divide it yet more: I earneftly wifhed, on the contrary, that, for the fake of better preferving that u nion on which the ftrength of kingdoms fo much depends, the legislature might drop all thoughts of extending the bill in favour of Papifts to Scotland. But while I profefs myself to have been thus chiefly led by the oppofition of the country, to with the penal statutes against Papifts might not be repealed, let it not be imagined I approve, either of all the ine. thods of raifing that oppofition, or of all the modes of carrying it on. Some of the former I call unhallowed; fome of the latter I pronounce difgraceful. And I truft this House shall teftify to-day, in a fpirited manner, their abhorrence of fuch proceedings. And, truly, for any oppofition at all from us to the repeal of the penal ftatutes against Papifts, however legal, there is no real occafion now. His Majefty's own refolution, fo fully expreffed in his gracious letter, to maintain the church of Scotland in all her rights and privileges, a by law established, and the repeated affu rances of his minifters, received through so many respectable hands, that they ha no intention of repealing thofe ftatutes, are abundantly fufficient to quiet our prefent fears and alarms from the fide of Popery; and I fhould indeed deem him grofsly in delicate, who fhould rife up here, and yet require more fatisfaction on this head for himfelt. But will what fatisfies us in this houfe, fatisfy our people at home? for, even to their prejudices themselves, in this in stance, I think a refpect is due. It will not, I am afraid, unless too we, as the general affembly of the church of Scotland, do fomething. To fatisfy them, therefore, fhall we appoint the ftanding committee overtured by fundry fynods a committee, with powers to subdivide itself into committees all over the count try, for watching over the Proteftant intereft! The idea of fuch a committee reprobate, as unconftitutional; for this church knows no ftanding committees, except in cafes of general utility, or ur gent neceffity. But what good end is to be ferved by the appointment of the com mittee in queftion? Think not, with these synods, it will extinguish the flame now unhappily among us: it will, be lieve me, but make it blaze the more. And how again is this committee necef fary, when we have annually the Com mittee of the Royal Bounty, and the Commiffion of the General Affembly, to anfwer its every purpofe? for the former have it in particular charge, to prevent the growth of Popery in those parts where is most apt to prevail; and to the latter is even specially recommended, ta fat that the penal flatutes against Papifts be ex ecuted. To publish only to our people, then, thefe annual provifions of the general af fembly of this church against the further spread of Popery, might well almoft, one fhould think, convince them of her un remitted attention to the Proteftant caule. But as, by reafon of no execution having followed thereon for fo long a time, fome of them may now, perhaps, conftder the recommendation to the commif fion I just now mentioned, as merely a piece of form without any meaning; what I would humbly move, for their farther fatisfaction, is this, That you now TCfolve on inftructing your commiffion, that that if any bill for repealing the penal statutes against Papifts in this part of the united kingdom, fhall be brought into parliament, they fhall take the firft op. portunity of representing to the legiflaare the inexpediency of fuch a repeal." This is the very utmost length, I think, we can go with any propriety. And if ny Reverend Fathers and Brethren here rill but go home, and honestly tell their arishioners fo much; and tell them, at he same time, all the circumstances of he cafe as it now ftands, I make no bubt of feeing the quiet, even of the soft illiterate mind, immediately refto ed. Rev. Dr Carlyle at Inveresk began by ying, That while the debate was on merits of the cause, viz. Whether was right or not to repeal the penal atutes? he could take no part, as that donged to the legislature: but now that me of the laft fpeakers had confined eir deliberations to the bufinefs before e affembly, which was the overtures om feveral fynods, propofing the apintment of a standing committee on e affair, he could now give his opion, having never delivered it in any urch-court before. I declare myself, (faid he), Moderar, to be a Revolution Whig; and, nfequently, to have the greateft reect for the people. It is the opinion mankind which regulates the conduct all governments, and makes itself be fpected, by defpotic tyrants, as well as rtuous legiflators. In this refpect, Sir, perfectly agree with many of the genemen who have spoken before me. owever confiftent with justice and the irit of Christianity it might be to repeal me of the penal statutes against Papifts, like manner as has been done in Eng. nd, yet I think it highly inexpedient to tempt fuch a repeal, now that the mmons of Scotland have fhewn fuch a arm averfion against it. I hope the tempt will never be revived in our days, difturb the minds of the people, and ve an opportunity to artful and defigng men to withdraw their affection from e rulers of the church and state. I faid, that I refpected the voice of e people. I did more, Sir, on a late ccafion; for I truly rejoiced to find that y countrymen, though, for the moft art, feemingly ipfenfible to public af, yet, when properly roufed, could thew fome portion of that ardent VOL. XLI. zeal which diftinguished them of old, and formed fuch an impregnable guard round their religion and liberties. For which reason, Sir, when the operations of the famous committee extended themfelves to my parish, I was weak enough (never fufpecting the confequences that followed) to be fomewhat proud of the fpirit fhewn by the people. "I was much pleafed with the Whipmen of Fisherrow, who declared, that they would endure all that could be inflicted by Scorpions and whips, rather than renounce the Proteftant faith. I was truly delighted with the Butchers of Muffelburgh, who, like their worthy forefathers, would refift unto blood, rather than embrace the Romish fuperftition. bove all, Sir, I was charmed with the Journeymen Tailors of Newbigging, whofe venerable ancestors had faved a remnant from the beers of Popish persecution. A Gentlemen may laugh; I never was more serious in my life. It is my firm opinion, that we owe more in G. Britain to the rooted averfion of the popu lace to the domination and errors of the church of Rome, than to all the boafted schemes of our patriots. Arbitrary power might poffibly have fucceeded in its attempts; but, as it always carried Popery in its train, the people obferved its approaches by that means, and took the alarm. The nobility and great ones of the land might have been feduced by the fmiles of a court, or bought with bribes, or entangled by faction: but the people could neither be overawed, nor feduced, nor bribed; and that is the true reason why they have fo often faved the ftate. In this fenfe, Sir, of unconquerable firmness and irrefiftible force, the vox populi is the vox Dei. But, though they cannot be corrupted or overawed, yet, alas! Sir, they can be sadly misled! This is the cause of all the mischief that has been done by them in all parts of the world. By this means the populace have been too often the tools of the artful and defigning: and as God speaks in thunder and tempeft, as well as in the calm voice of the gospel, the fanatical zeal of the multitude has often proved the vox Dei in this fenfe, denouncing and executing divine vengeance on the guilty nations. It is impoffible to look back on the tranfactions in this country for fome Ri mouths months paft, relative to Popery, with out confidering the vox populi in the light I have last mentioned. Nothing can account for the alarm that was given, and fpread fo wide, and broke out in fuch furious rage, but deceitful artifice, and blind ignorance. The multitude are to be excufed; they understand no rules of proportion. Their paffions are always in extremes. Whenever they are moved, they are neceffarily in a panic of fear or of rage. If you fet fire to combuftibles, they cannot chufe but break into a flame. But it is in the conduct of fome bodies of men in this country and church, that the fpirit and principles of the Proteftant religion have been fubverted. It is by means of their publications that every rational Prefbyterian feels bimfelf degraded. But I forbear to enter into particulars. I would soothe ; I would not inflame. Yet muft I for ever regret, that the people of Scotland, in my time, have difcovered fuch illiberal and uncharitable principles, and have oppofed Popery with the inhuman and persecuting fpirit of Popery. I muft ever regret, that the minifters of this Proteftant church have been in danger of fire and fword, for delivering the mild and peaceable doctrines of toleration in a Proteftant fynod. What muft our brethren in our neighbouring Proteftant churches conceive of the temper and fpirit of our church? Let us not miss this opportunity of difpelling the cloud that hangs on our glory. With this view of the fubject, I cannot agree to the overtures propofed, for several reasons, that I will give you in as few words as poffible. In the first place, The danger was i maginary from the beginning. The reception the bill had met with in Eng. land was a ftrong prefumption that it was not dangerous to religion or liberty. The people of that country, more jealous of their liberties than the people of any country under the fun, would not have tamely fubmitted to the repeal, if it had been attended with the fmalleft danger. The unanimity of all parties in the House of Commons, too, formed a ftrong prefumption that the bill was at leaft entirely innocent. The truth is, Sir, that this country is in no danger from Popery. For what were all the ftruggles of the laft century fo manfully maintained by our forefathers, and fo happily concluded by the Revolution, but for the everlafting exclufion of Popery and arbitrary power? It is upon that tenure that our Proteftant king holds his crown. And the moft fundamental laws of the kingdom, and the fettlement of the throne at the Revolution, hinge on the exclufion of Popery. But if neither religion, nor the love of their country, could be fuppofed fufficient to bind the nobility and gentry of the land; yet their own intereft would oblige them to keep out Popery for ever: and, were it pof fible for them to become madmen all at once, and to be willing to act in direct oppofition to their intereft, and to for feit all their own confequence and power, yet would the introduction of Popery into the realm find an impregnable bar rier in the rooted averfion of the people." But, 2dly, Sir, I am against thofe o vertures, because, if ever there was the leaft foundation for an alarm in regard to Popery, it is now happily over. Be fides what has paffed on this head in public letters between his Majefty's fer vants, I imagine that every reafonable perfon received full fatisfaction on this fubject the first day of the Affembly, And as circumftantial evidence is fi ftronger than pofitive, there is the great eft reafon to believe, that the intention to extend the repeal of fome of the penal ftatutes against Popery to Scotland wil not be revived; because the Papifti themselves are now conscious that they could reap no advantage from fuch a re peal; and that they may truft to the gradual abatement of averfion to them, and the extenfion of tolerating principles, by means of the repeal in our neighbour. ing country of England, and the certain, though flow effect, which the mild law of the greater country will have on the leffer, and the change that may be made by commerce and manners on the tem per of the people. My third reafon, Sir, for oppofing the overtures, is, That they have a tendency to preferve among the people an intole rant and perfecuting fpirit, by keeping them in perpetual dread of Popery. The people have been so much heated on this occafion, that they not only deteft the Popish religion,—they hate the people called Papists. They would per fecute them to death: for of all the pations, the most cruel and bloody is fear. Can any reasonable man fay, that this is a defirable or Christian temper? It is diametrically oppofite to our Proteft ant principles. It is not only cruel and unchriftian, but perfectly unjuft. For no more was proposed to be granted to Papifts by the repeal, than we with all Proteftants to enjoy in Popish countries; nay, than they actually do enjoy in thofe parts of the world where the fpirit of Popery has gradually become milder. Nor is this temper only cruel, and unchristian, and unjuft, but also extremely dangerous; dangerous to our fellow Proteftants in Catholic countries, where the barbarous rage of our people may draw on retalia tion on the innocent and guiltlefs. Who can prefcribe limits to the fury of fanatical zeal? The maffacre of Paris was faid to be in revenge of the death of one man. Let not the blood of our brother Proteftants be on our heads.' Let I might add, Sir, that these overtures encourage diftruft and difaffection in the King and the Legislature, as if they entertained defigns againft our holy religion, and the establishment at the Revolution; a temper moft pernicious in the prefent juncture of affairs. I might add, that they are unconftitutional and unne ceffary, as we have a regular court, well fuited to answer every good end that could be ferved by them.-But I have faid enough, Sir, to furnish fufficient reafons against those overtures. us then reject them, as unneceffary, and dangerous; and let us substitute fome thing in their room that may calm the minds of our people, and bring them to a better temper. Let us endeavour to make our people worthy, in fome future period, of having thofe fanguinary penal ftatutes repealed, which an eminent judge of England fays, in his Commen. taries, are the disgrace of the ftatute book, by propagating among them the mild, generous, and Chriftian principles of toleration. In this good work, I would call upon our nobility and gentry, and upon the judges of the land, (if there were any now hearing me), to lend us their affiftance, if they do not wish to fee an iron age of barbarity return again on Scotland. For as certainly as the blafts of the north kill all the genial productions of spring, as certainly does the rage of fanatical zeal banish arts and [Francis II. Duke of Guife, who was affaffinated, at Orleans, by Poltrot, a Hugonot [36. 294.], at the inftigation, as was thought, of the chiefs of that party.]. fciences, and all the Christian virtues from a wretched land. Let us oppofe Popery, Sir, not with the perfecuting fpirit of Popery, but with reafon and argument, by mild inftruction, and virtuous example. Let us oppose it with the humanity of Men, with the charity of Chriftians, with the tolerating spirit of Proteftants. [To be continued.] Mr URBAN, June 1779. DR Marx, an eminent German phys. fician, has published, in the Hanover Magazine, fome experiments, in which he has fhewn the great virtues of Acorn-Coffee, and has confirmed his experiments by accompanying them with a multitude of facts: it must therefore give you pleasure to be able to acquaint your readers, that fuch a common fruit is capable of being converted to many falutary purposes. The method of preparing the AcornCoffee is as follows." Take found and ripe acorns, peel off the fhell or hufk, divide the kernels, dry them gradually, and then jroaft them in a clofe veffel or roafter, keeping them continually stirring; in doing of which efpecial care must be taken that they be not burnt or roafted too much, both which would be burtful. Take of thefe roafted acorns (ground like other coffee) half an ounce every morning and evening, alone, or mixed with a drachm of other coffee, and fweetened with fugar, with or without milk. The author fays, that acorns have always been efteemed a wholefome, nou rifhing and ftrengthening nutriment for men; and that by their medicinal qualities they have been found to cure the flimy obftructions in the vifcera, and to remove nervous complaints, when other medicines have failed: and although acorns, he fays, have, by the moderns as well as the ancients, been looked upon as a great aftringent, and generally ap plied more outwardly, and very fparingly inwardly; yet he is of opinion, that by the heat of the fire they lose their aftringent quality, and thence have no more that effect than other coffee. The author forbears all manner of in veftigation, and contents himself folely with the relation of cafes, which he e. numerates with brevity, and without exaggeration. Many of the cafes which accompanied this account refpect women, whofe complaints arofe from diforders. peculiar to their fex. PAR Rra PARLIAMENT. [247.] Notice was given by the miniftry to both Houses, June 16. that next day a meffage would be delivered from the King, to notify the receipt of a refcript from the court of Madrid;-of which we infert the translation, viz. "MANIFESTO. THE world can bear witness to the noble impartiality of the King during the whole courfe of the conteft between the court of London, her American colonies, and France. His Majefty moreover having learned that his powerful mediation was much wished for, generously made a tender of it; and the bellige rent powers accepted it ; — and for this fole purpose, his Britannic Majefty difpatched a man of war to one of the Spanish ports. The King has taken the moft effectual fteps to bring the contending powers to an accommodation equally honourable to all parties, and propofed fuch wife means as might remove every difficulty, and prevent the calamities of war. But though his Majefty's propofals, and particularly those contained in his ultimatum, were conformable to those which the court of London itfelf at other times feemed to think proper for an accommodation; and though they were to the full as moderate; yet they were rejected, in a manner expreffive of the little inclination the British cabinet feels to restore peace to Europe, and to preserve the friendship of his Majefty. And indeed the conduct of that cabinet towards his Majefty during the course of the negotiation, was calculated merely to prolong it more than eight months, fometimes under vain pretexts, fometimes by the moft inconclufive anfwers; whilst in that interval the British council were carrying to an incredible length their infults to the Spanish flag, and trefpaffing upon the King's territories: the property of his fubjects has been feized; their ships have been fearched and plundered; many of them have been fired upon, and obliged to defend themselves: even the registers and letters belonging to the court, found on board his Majefty's packets, have been opened, and torn to pieces; the dominions of his crown in America have been threatened; and the British court has had recourfe to the dreadful extremity of railing up the Indian nations called Chatcas, Chero kees, and Chicachas, against the innocent inhabitants of Louifiana, who would have been victims to the barbarity of thefe favages, if the Chatcas themselves had not felt remorfe, and revealed all the attempts of English feduction. The English have ufurped his Majefty's fovereignty over the province of Darien, and over the coaft of St Blas, the Governor of Jamaica having given to an Indian rebel, a commiffion of Captain-General of thefe provinces. His Majefty's rights have been lately violated in the Bay of Honduras, where the English have committed acts of hoftility against the Spaniards, whose perfons have been imprifoned, and whose property has been scized. Moreover the court of London has neglected to fulfil the ftipulation made relative to that coaft, by the 16th article of the late treaty of Paris. [25. 138.] These grievances, fo numerons, so recent, and of fo ferious a nature, have been at different times the fubject of complaints made in the King's name, and fet forth minutely in memorials delivered to his Britannic Majefty's minifters in London, or communicated to them through the British ambaffador at Madrid; but though the answers given to these complaints have been hitherto expreffive of friendship, yet his Majefty has not as yet obtained any other fatisfaction, than to fee the infults complained of re iterated to the number of one hundred. The King, with that fincerity and can dour which characterife his Majefty, for mally declared to the court of London, from the beginning of their conteft with France, that the conduct of England fhould be the rule by which Spain fhould direct her councils. His Majesty declared alfo to the Britifh court, that as foon as their difputes with that of Verfailles fhould be deter mined, it would be abfolutely necessary to fettle thofe which had already arifen, or might hereafter arife with Spain; and in the plan tranfmitted to the under written ambassador the 28th of laft September, and which he delivered to the British minifter about the beginning of October, of which plan a copy was im 'mediately given to Lord Grantham, his Majefty declared in exprefs terms to the belligerent powers, that, confidering the infults offered to his fubjects, and his dominions, as well as the attacks made upon his rights, he would be neceffarily obliged to take a decided part, if the ne gotiation कण |