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Show t 12 ) l 13 a) doubly fo, becaufe of the venerable council be; fore whom he ftood) his advice, like his can; duélorr, had been made ufe' of to draw the foundation for it; and therefore when it does take place, it is intended, as Mr. Burke elfewhere fays, " as a fort of call of the nation." forked lightning from, thatrp'ortentous cloud, But even here, I mutt not think it juttifiable, which, with overfpreading ruin, has now burf'c upon our heads. unlefs fupported on the following grounds. In the firft place, the feceflion mutt be general, that is to fay, it mull not confn‘t of this or that Another argument made ufe of by Mr. ,Burke for not debating againft the Bill, is this. party only in oppofition, but molt include the ." It is," fays he, " fome time fince I have provoked feceflion. ‘ been clearly convinced, that in the prefent f‘ ftate of things, all oppofition to any meafures "propofed by minif'ters, where the name of be a feceflion not zzéfl/em‘z'o, but proclaimed either by Remonlh'ance on the journals, or public Addrefs to the People; and when both V "‘ America appears, is vain and frivolous." I think fo too: but then, it does not therefore thefe circumftances attend the aét, then fecef- (ion is not only juftifiable, but is the mofl: faith- follow that oppofition is to be laid afide. ful pledge of duty that can be given. The queftion, how far a member of either houfe can give over his attendance in parliament, becaufe he is out-voted, is a nice quef'tion ; and worthy the examination of thofe who have lei.fure and abilities for the purpofe. My own private opinion is, that no member, indivzl whole minority againft the meafures that have In the next place, it mutt I have therefore exceedingly to lament that a fecef- fion, fuch as this is, has not been carried into execution; and not only on account of the proof that would have been given thereby to the nation of the fincerity of oppolition, but becaufe I do verily believe from my foul, that dually, can do this, confif'rently with his duty. Col/efli‘vely he may: as the precedent of fecef- if it had, daring as minii'rers are and have been, fion, during. the adminif'tration of Sir Robert , the lengths they have done in the open viola- Walpole, fhews; and as reafon proves: for it is not to be prefumed that a combination to tion of the Conflitution; though upheld, as they this end can be obtained, without a fuflicient foundation they would not have prefumed to have gone fay, they are, by parliament, by the countrygentlemen, and by their long tribe of obfequi- goustaddreiiers. . i. . ' *u i ' But |