Four tracts, together with two sermons, on political and commercial subjects

Page 139

. final! Papiflz Cantons in the Mountains; whofe Allin: ‘lies (in Proportion to their Numbers) are almoft, if not altogether, as tumultuous and dif- orderly, as our parliamenteering Elections in London and chyimin er. Fiji: and Club (forl think, it is fagacioufly ordered, that no other Weapons {hall be admitted into the public Affemblies, and therefore I fay, Fifi: and Chris) are often ufed not only as the moll per/WWW" but as the molt dcczfl've Arguments: whereas in r V ' mutual "3-.no; v, . 7. an in certain refpeflable Families: In the Choice of whom, the People have no Share whatever : Neither have they the Liberty of the Prefs,---nor now maintain. I .3 u utmoil Rifque and Danger. About 40 Years ago, a Gentleman of the Poi: dn Vand (a Province of Berne) attempted an Infiirrection, exactly on the fame Principles, on which you have lately renounced the Authority and Jurifdic'tion of Great-Britain. He entered Lnnfnnne, the Capital of the Pair dn Vnnd, at the Head of 3000 Men. But in the Night his Troops were difperfed by the Forces of Berne; and the next Morning he loft his Head-I fay, he attempted a Revolt madly on the fame Principles which you NZ. dare they meddle with State Affairs, without the For as to any other Grievances, excepting thofe of not being reprefented, or of not having any Share in the Legiflature of their Country, the Subjeéts of Burns have no juf‘t Complaint to make. They pay little or no Taxes : They have as much civil [tho' not p0]ilimij Liberty as any People need enjoy. They are likewife extremely populous, for the Extent of Country; and they are withal in very rich, that it is no uncommon Thing for Peafants or Farmers in that Country, to be worth from four, t0 fix, or eight thoufand Pounds Sterling: A ‘4 M.-. 4-. _.._.____ ments are eleftive, and where a Majority of the People, Poor as well as Ric/z, have the Privilege of voting, are chiefly, if I remember right, the ‘ ~A THE Cantons in Switzerland, whofe Govern- it." I a 200 Perfons, chofen, or to be cholen, out of .1'. ' ‘ l l DEDICATORY. xi in the Proteflnnt Car tons, efpecially in the Canton of Berne, the greatell: and molt powerful of all, it is quite the Reverie. For there the Government is entirely OZignrc/ziml, confifling of MyI 8 V y" v5 L . ‘mee'atttnvi in» ;_ .Wlflllflllllfl". ' um I Illlul ulna E P I S T L E X to do. And it is very plain, that the Other Co: lonies would have done the fame, if they could. But the Briti/lz Law (N. B. not any Law of Geo. III. but) of the 24th of Geo. II. Cap. 53, from 1751, put an End to thefe American Fictions of Tranfubf'tantiation. Therefore the Reader will from hence eafily perceive the real Caufe and Foundation of your great Wrath againfi the Parliament of Great-Britain for inter- fering with the Legiflation of the Colonies. BUT as you have been pleaied to {elect the Star/5 Canton: as a Proof of what you advance; allo, as you intended (molt probably) to propofe them for a Model ofan Union among your own newly-created Republics, I will crave your Permiflion to make a few Obfervations on each of thofe Points.