xxx PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. 



T>e but one privy council in the kingdom of Great- 

 Britain," which being carried by fifty againft forty, 

 the privy council of Scotland was abolifhed, and 

 the nation being deprived of this laft fragment of 

 their antient government, the oppofers of the union, 

 raifed the animpfities of the people to a dangerous 

 height, but the ferment abated after an ineffectual 

 attempt of the Jacobites in favour of the pretender. 



In 5713, the Scottifh peers and commons pro- 

 pofed to diffolve the union, but when the motion was 

 put to the vote, in the houfe of peers, it was over- 

 ruled. 



During the debates on this fubject, the earl of 

 Peterborough endeavoured tq prove the impofli- 

 bility of diflblving the union* which he compared 

 to a marriage that, being once contracted, could not 

 be diffolved by any power on earth. He obferved, 

 cc That though England, who in the national mar- 

 riage muft be fuppofed to be the hufband, might 

 in fome inftances have been unkind to the lady, yet 

 fhe ought not prefently to fue for a divorce." The 

 earl of Hay replied, " That marriage was an ordi- 

 nance of God 5 and the union, no more than a poli- 

 tical expedient." To which the earl of Peterborough 

 again anfwered, That cc the contract could not 

 have been made more folemn, unlefs, like the ten 

 commandments, it had come from heaven." 



The duke of Argyle ".owned that he had a 

 great lhare in making the union, with a view to 

 fecure the proteftant fuccefllon, but he was now 

 fatisfied this end might be anfwered as effectually 

 if the union was diffolved 5 and, if this ftep fhould 

 not be taken, he did not expect long to have either 

 , property left in Scotland, or liberty in England." 



Some other peers of Scotland feconded his grace, 

 faying, cc That the union was intended to cultivate 

 amity and friendfhip between the two nations, but 

 was fo far from having that effect, that they were 

 fure the animofities between the two countries 



were 



