could not have an objection to truft their property to the tribunal, to which they had trufted their lives. They argued that the grand fecurity of liberty is the power of having civil actions tried by a jury; as in cafes of arbitrary imprifonments, and many other violations of the rights of the fubject, the redress has been always fought in thefe civil actions. They faid that the English refiding in Canada, and the merchants of Great Britain who trufted their property on a prefumption that it was to be protected by English law, think they are deceived to find it to be tried by French customs, and French forms of trial. On the fubject of religion the conflict was very warm. The minority infifted that the capitulation provided for no more than a bare toleration of the Roman Catholic religion; which they were willing they fhould enjoy in the utmoft extent; whereas this is an establishment of it. That the people of Canada had hitherto been happy under that toleration, and looked for nothing further. By this eftablishment, faid they, the Proteftant religion enjoys at beft no more than a toleration. The Popish clergy have a legal parliamentary right to a maintenance; the Proteftant clergy are left at the king's difcretion. Why are not both put at least on an equal footing, and a legal fupport provided for both? Further they afked, why the proclamation limits were enlarged, as if it were thought that this arbitrary government could not have too extenfive an object. If there be, which they doubted, any fpots on which fome Canadians are fettied, provide, faid they, for them; but do not annex to Canada immenfe territories now defart, but which are the best parts of that continent, and which run on the back of all your ancient colonies, That this measure cannot fail to add to their other difcontents and apprehenfions, as they can attribute the extenfion given to an arbitrary military government, and to a people alien in origin, laws, and religion, to nothing elfe but that defign, of which they see but too many proofs already, of utterly extinguishing their liberties, and bringing them by the arms of those very people whom they had helped to conquer, into a state of the most abject vaffalage. The bill received in the courfe of thefe debates many amendments, fo as to change it very greatly from the ftate in which it came down from the houfe of lords; but the groundwork remained the fame. A motion was made to give at least a jury at the option of the parties; but this propofition was rejected. Another was made to grant them the benefit of the habeas corpus. That alfo was rejected. Throughout the whole progrefs of the business, though well fought, the numbers in the minority were uncommonly small. It produced, nevertheless, much greater uneafiness and difcontent out of doors than any of the bills for punishing of the old colonies. This discontent called on the attention of the house of lords; fo that when the bill was returned to them with the amendments, there was a confiderable oppofition to it, although in fome refpects lefs exceptionable than when it had paffed their houfe with fo little notice; but, as in all the other quef tions, fo in this, the minority and humanity; and would, he thewed no ftrength in numbers. The feffion had now ftretched far into the fummer. The bufinefs of it had been of as much importance as that, perhaps, of any feffion fince the revolution. Great changes had been made in the economy of fome of the colonies, which were thought foundations for changes of a like nature in others; and the moft fanguine expectations were entertained by the miniftry, that when parliament had fhewn fo determined a refolution, and the advocates for the colonies had appeared fo very little able to protect them, the fubmiffion throughout America would be immediate; and complete obedience and tranquillity would be fecured, in future. The triumphs and mutual congratulations of all who fupported these measures, within doors and without, were unusually great. The fpeech from the June 22. throne at the end of the feffion expreffed fimilar fentiments. His majesty told the parliament, "That he had obferved with the utmoft fatisfaction, the many eminent proofs they had given of their zealous and prudent attention to the public, during the courfe of this very interefting feffion of parliament." Then, after mentioning with applause their proceedings relative to the gold coin, he tells them, "That the bill which they had prepared for the government of Quebec, and to which he had then given his affent, was founded on the clearest principles of juftice doubted not, have the beft effects in quieting the minds and promoting the happiness of his Canadian fubjects. That he had long feen with concern a dangerous fpirit of refiftance to his government and the execution of the laws prevailing in the province of Maffachufett's Bay, It proceeded at length to fuch an extremity, as to render their immediate interpofition neceffary, and they had accordingly made provifion as well for the fuppreffion of the present disorders, as for the prevention of the like in future. The temper and firmnefs with which they had conducted themselves in this important businefs, and the general concurrence with which the refolution of maintaining the authority of the laws in every part of his dominions had been adopted and supported, could not fail of giving the greatest weight to the measures which had been the refult of their deliberations. That nothing on his part fhould be wanting to render them effectual. ́ That he had received the most friendly affurances from the neighbouring powers, which gave him the strongest reason to believe that they had the fame pacific difpofitions as himself. After thanking the Commons for the fupplies, he ended with recommending to both houfes to carry into their counties the fame affectionate attachment to his perfon, and the fame zeal for the public welfare, which had dif tinguished all their proceedings in this feffion of parliament." CHRO CHRONICLE. 3d. JANUARY. TH HIS morning a dreadful fire broke out in the Tower, by which 6 or 7 houfes were confumed, and fome of the magazines were greatly endangered. A young lady perifhed by jumping off the leads of a house that was in flames; another had her arm broke, and was miferably burnt; but her life was preferved by receiving her on a barrack bed in the fall. Laft night Lady Dowager 7th. Dorothy Montague, of Lower Grosvenor-ftreet, greatly advanced in years, fitting in her apartment, by fome accident her clothes took fire, and the was fo terribly burnt, that the died in a few hours afterwards. Laft night the Fair Penitent, 9th. with High Life below Stairs, was performed at Winterflow house, the feat of the Hon. Stephen Fox, Efq. The principal parts were performed by the Hon. Mr. Fox, Mr. Charles Fox, Lady Mary Fox, Lord Pembroke, Mifs Herbert, Sir Thomas Tancred, the Hon. Mr. Fitzpatrick, &c. And this morning, by fome accident, that fine feat was unhappily confumed by a dreadful fire. The diftemper among the horned cattle is again broke out in feveral parts of Weft Flanders; a few diVOL. XVII. ftricts of which, namely, Courtray, Furnes, Bruges, and Ipres, annually fupply their neighbours with 60 or 70,000 head of black cattle, of which Lifle alone confumes 12 or 14,000. Several infected cattle have already been killed, and it is feared the contagion will become general.. A few days ago, the mafter of a coffee-houfe in Soho, and feveral other perfons, were invited to a feaft at a tavern near CoventGarden, and having drank pretty freely, he fell asleep, with his legs extended near the fire. After fitting in that pofture fome time, he was awakened by one of the company, in order to go home; but when he attempted to get up, he could not move his legs, they being scorched in such a manner that the finews were all contracted. He was however taken home, and died laft Tuesday. Sir William Mayne, Bart. has purchafed Gatton, in Surry, the feat of Sir George Colebrooke, together with the borough, for the fum of 75,000l. Last week, at the General Quarter Seffions for Nottinghamshire, the court made an order for levying upwards of 200ol. on that county, as a fine for the militia not being raised laft year. This night three custom-house [F] officers |