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to be their duty frequently to oppose the measures of government, to content themselves with a sullen acquiescence; but to do justice to the Minister's merit, and to return him thanks on behalf of themselves and the country. A bill, founded on the resolutions of the House, was brought in, on a subsequent day, passed through its different stages, in the course of the session, and ultimately received the royal sanction.

CHAP. IX.

The Corporation and Test Acts-Their Origin and DesignThe Principle of them examined and justified-The Citizens of Athens subject to a Test-Law-The Oath of Conformity which every Athenian was compelled to take before he could be admitted to any office in the stateMr. Beaufoy's motion for a Repeal of those Acts-Fallacy of his argument exposed-He is answered by Lord North

who shews the intent of the Legislature in passing the Acts-expresses his jealousy of the Dissenters-Mr. Pitt opposes the motion and contends that the Dissenters enjoy as perfect a Toleration as the safety of the Establishment will permit Mr. Fox supports the motion-Sir William Dolben quotes Dr. Priestley's authority for the danger to which the Church is exposed-Question lost-Mr. Pitt opens the Budget-His financial statements opposed by Mr. Sheridan-Confirmed by the House-The Prince of Wales's debts-Observations on the nature of them-Application to the House of Commons, on the subject, by Alderman Newnham-Mr. Rolle mentions the reported marriage of the Prince with Mrs. Fitzherbert-Mr. Fox, by the Prince's authority, solemnly declares that no such marriage had ever taken place-Confident assertions, of a contrary nature, by public writers-Observations on the importance of this discussion, and the law respecting such marriage examined and defined-Mrs. Fitzherbert asserted to be no Papist-The contrary affirmed-The Prince's debts set

tled without the Interference of Parliament-Prosecution of the charges against Mr. Hastings-Eloquent speech of Mr. Sheridan-Its Effect-Mr. Fox and Mr. Taylor's conduct on the occasion censured-Charges supported by Mr. Pitt-Opposed by Lord Hood-confirmed by the HouseMr. Hastings impeached by the Commons before the Lords -Parliament prorogued-Mr. Pitt's conduct respecting Mr. Hastings defended against the censures pronounced upon it.

[1787.] During this session of Parliament, a question of civil polity arose, which became the subject of frequent discussions, during the administration of Mr. Pitt. This was the repeal of the corporation and test acts, which had been framed for the express purpose of securing the civil and ecclesiastical constitution of the kingdom from those dangers, which had, previous to their existence, reduced it to the brink of destruction. With the history of these salutary, and most necessary, laws, no Englishman can be supposed to be unacquainted, since they have engaged the attention of some of the most able and learned writers of the last and present century. Had they been enacted in the reign of Elizabeth, or in that of her successor, it is most probable, that the bloody event which disgraced the annals of the seventeenth century, and for which a national atonement, as it were, is still annually offered, had never

occurred. They were laws, not of a speculative nature, but which arose out of a conviction of their necessity, founded on the experience of the evil consequences which had resulted from the want of them. They were dictated, not by selfishness, revenge, or tyranny, but by selfpreservation, by a sense of the blessings which our constitution imparts, and by a natural desire to ensure them from a repetition of those attacks, which had once wrested them from us for years, and which had even threatened them with annihilation. But though no one could be ignorant of the history of these laws, many were found who misrepresented both their nature and their tendency. These men never considered, that they did not inflict punishment, but merely adopted precautions; that their operation was not to deprive any description of individuals of the capacity to obtain political power, but to impose on all, indiscriminately, the same necessary condition or qualification, for the enjoyment of it. If there were persons who did not chuse to submit to this condition, their consequent exclusion was the effect of their own voluntary act; and it could no more be imputed to the tyranny of the government, than the inability of those to vote for representatives, or to hold various situations, who have not the qualification which the law requires.

As to the right of a govèrnment to enact such laws, that has been so amply and so ably, discussed, by the most eminent writers, but more particularly by Sherlock and Warburton, as to remove every doubt on the subject. It. was a right acknowledged and exercised by the freest states of antiquity. Athens, at a period when her liberty was the most rational, and the best secured, imposed a rigid test on all her citizens, who held any place of trust or importance, for the security of her established religion. They were obliged to take the following cath, which Stobaeus extracted from the writings of the Pythagoreans. "I will not dishonour the “sacred arms, nor desert my comrade in battle. "I WILL DEFEND AND PROTECT MY COUNTRY AND MY RELIGION, whether alone, or in conjunction with others: I will not leave the public in a worse condition than that in which "I found it, but in a better: I will be always "ready to obey the supreme magistrate, with pru"dence, and to submit to the established laws, " and to all such as shall be hereafter established

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by full consent of the people: and I will "never connive at any other who shall presume "to despise or disobey them; but will revenge "all such attempts on the sanctity of the re"public, either alone, or in conjunction with

the people and, lastly, I WILL CONFORM TO

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