John  EM.  But  it  is  faid  the  inhabitants  of  Bir-
mingham and  Manchefter  do  not  wifh  to  fend  re-
prefentatives to  Parliament;  they  defire  not  the
trouble  of  election  -,  the  jarring  of  interefts  and  di-
vifion  of  parties  might  affect  their  trade.
The  Author.  If  that  be  true,  it  is  a  very  ftrong
evidence  of  the  entire  change  of  cuftoms  with  time,

*'  during  the  war  with  the  Colonies,  than  the  nation  with  all  its
**  unanimity  and  zeal  was  able  to  equip  under  the  potent  Go-
"  vernment  of  Elizabeth."

as


t

as  elective  charters  were  originally,  as  I  before  ob-*
ferved,  granted  for  the  promotion  of  trade.  But  I
believe  what  they  fear  is  the  corruption  and  confu-
fion  of  an  election ;  what  they  defpife  and  dread  is
the  general  depraved  ftate  of  the  elective  power
of  the  people.  Otherwife,  if  they  poflefs  not
the  ancient  fpirit  of  their  free-born  anceftors,  if
they  have  funk  into  a  lukewarm  moderation,  a
contemptible  indifference,  they  are  worthy  of
flavery.
Join  Bull.  They  fay  that  they  are  well  content
with  county  Members ;  they  have  a  pledge  in  their
independence  paramount  to  their  grievances.
'The  Author.  In  every  free  State,  the  fecretions  of
commerce  pervade  the  interefts  of  the  landholders,
and  the  produce  of  land  and  the  increafe  of  trade
have  but  one  intereft;  all  borough  reprefentation
may  therefore  be  done  away,  and  a  free  Parliament
be  conftituted  by  independent  county  Members.
