xxxvi PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. 



Brought forward 476,941 

 Tonnage of foreign fhips loaded in-i 

 England " ) 



Being in the proportion of 40 to i 

 . In I745> fome difaffedted chieftains in the High- 

 lands, encouraged by the poverty and difcontents of 

 the nation, entered heartily into the caufe of the 

 pretender, who in his manifeitoes promifed to dif- 

 iblve the treaty of union, but the preftjyterians, and 

 the nation in general, remained firm to the prefent 

 government. 



This rebellion being quelled, and peace refiored 

 at home and abroad, the benefits of the American 

 commerce began to raife the fpirits of the nation, 

 though that trade was ftill confined to Glafgow and 

 its neighbourhood. Thefe bright profpecls were, 

 however, of fhort duration : the American war not 

 only deprived that city of the only commercial benefit 

 which Scotland reaped from the union, but alfo its 

 property due by the Americans, to a great amount; 

 and three-fourths of the fhipping, which fell into the 

 hands of the enemy, many of them with valuable 

 cargoes. 



In 1776, America prohibited all intercourfe with 

 Great Britain; and, in 1783, their independency 

 was acknowledged by the treaty of peace. In 

 confequence of this event, the exclufive trade to 

 thofe provinces, which the Scots had dearly pur- 

 chafed at the union, vanifhed ; while other nations 

 now enjoy greater privileges in that quarter, than 

 the inhabitants of Britain. 



In 1780, the Englifh miniftry admitted Ireland 

 to a free trade with the Weft Indies, though the ex- 

 clufive commerce to thefe iflands had alfo been pur- 

 chafed by the Scots, in the fame treaty. 



Though the nation were thus deprived of their 

 hereditary rights, for which they had abolifhed their 

 parliament, their trading company, and taken upon 



themfelves 



