I. Debates in the POLITICAL CLUB. Arifides's Speech in the Debate on the reduction of the Land Forces, 2.-The Reply made by Periander, ib.- Ariflides's Antwer, 3.-Thrafybulus's Speech on fome violent Measures, ib.

II. The Addrefs of the Lords on his Majefty's Speech, with the King's Anfwer,

4

III. The Address of the Commons, &c. 5 IV. An Account of a remarkable Robbery in France,

6

V. Improvements in Agriculture, 7 VI. A Reply to the Defence of the Majority, by the Author of the Defence of the Minority, (entire) 9.-Fatal Confequence of feizing Papers, 13.-Original of the Star Chamber, 15.-Character of the Budget, faid to be wrote by Mr. Legge, 16.-Motion of Sir John Philipps,

21

VII. The Political and Civil Rights of the Colonifts, by James Otis, Efq; Member for the City of Bofton, 22.—Mr. Dummer's Defence of them, ib.-Particular Privileges of Ireland, 23.—The Original of Civil Government, 25

VIII. Inflructions from the City of Bofton, to their Reprefentatives, ib. IX. An Important Memorial from the People of America, to be made ufe of by their Agent in London, 27.-Peculiar Privileges of the Colonifts, ib.-The Liberty of the People not to be annihilated by any Power,29.-Connections between Britain and her Colonies, 31

X. The Life of Lord Chief Juflice Jefferys, 33 XI. Parliamentary Hiftory, Proceedings on the Bill for granting certain Sums out of the Sinking Fund, 36

XII. An Enquiry into the Doctrine, lately propagated concerning Libels, Warrants, &c. by the Father of Candour, in a Letter to Mr. Almon, 27.—The Ufage in regard to Trials, ib.-Informations Ex Officio, their Confequence, 38.-Peculiar Privilege of a Member, 39.-Charader of a late Chancellor, ib.-Great ufe of the Privilege of the Prefs, 41.-A Letter to Mr. Wilkes,

XIX. Mr. Jofiah Colebrook's Account of his Succefs in the Cure of a Cancer in the Breaft, by the ufe of Green Hemlock, communicated to the Royal Society,

56

XX. Remarkable Particulars: M. Voltaire's Declaration against the Dictionare Philofophic portatif, 57.-Melancholy ftate of the Crew of the Eagle, ib.-New Orleans ceded to the Spaniards, ib.— The Turkey red Dye, difcovered, 58.Sum to be paid by the French for the fupport of their People in England, ib.-A Society of Arts erected in New York, ib.

HISTORICAL CHRONICLE.

XXI. Arrival of the French at Bastia, 58.-Departure of fome Ships to oppofe the French in the River Gambia, 59.Petition of the Journey-menSilk-Weavers, ib.-Lofs of the Albion India man, ib.— Seffions at the Old Bailey, ib.-Sentence paffed on the Publishers of the N. Brit n, 60.-Ald. Fanffen elected City Chamb rlain, ib.-Mr. Chaworth killed in a Duel, 61.-Fate of the Motion relative to General Warrants, &c. ib.-Particular; of Mr. Janffen's conduct lince his fai ure, ib.-A Contraft, 62.-Character of Sir Thomas Harrison,

ib.

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Debates in the AREOPAGUS of ATHENS.

MONG the numerous manufcripts A discovered in Herculaneum, we are

informed of one confifting of many volumes, containing debates in the Areopagus, or fenate-houfe of Athens, in which is difplayed the fruggles of this politic and powerful people for freedom, either with respect to thole who would invade it from without, or fap it within. As a part of this manufcript hath fallen into our hands, it would be injustice to the curiofity of the public, not to indulge them with a fight of it, tranflated and copied with as much accuracy and fidelity as the nature of the fubject would poffibly admit.

A debate having arifen in this affembly, relative to the number of land forces to be employed in the fervice of that refpectable city; one party was for having their numbers reduced from feventeen thoufand to a much inferior armament; and it is faid, that Ariftides, a principal fpeaker in the cause of liberty, delivered himself to this purpose:

"Honoured President,

Whenever I hear our miniftry make ufe of the words oeconomy and parfimony, in the diftribution of public money, or in the raifing taxes upon the people, their profeffions give me pleafure, and I look to their actions for the performance. Few perhaps have made more ample profeffions than they who now guide the helm of affairs; but when we bring thofe profeffions to the touchitone of facts, I own, it gives me the higheft furprize. Would not one expect to fee, from the tenor of their affurances, that our taxes were fhortly to be leffened, and our grievances redreffed; that every poffible method of diminishing the burthen of our debts was to be tried; and that we were

going forward in the mott fteady profpects of speedy difencumbrance.

But how, Sir, do we find thefe promifes fulfilled, and thofe pleafing hopes gratified. Why, here we are prefented with the first effort of minifterial parfimony; we are dered to give our vote for railing a number of men, of which the nation in the times of a profound peace hath fcarce any occafion; and

which, if they be not obnoxious to ourfelves, are too few to deter our enemies.

That we are in continual danger from a standing army, is a pofition, which I believe will be difputed by none who fit

in this honourable affembly. We have had too many inftances of the fubverfion of our government by an armed force, to regard with patience a number of armed men almost becoming a legal branch of the conftitution, and voted annually with as little oppofition as the fupplies for the fubfiftance of the civil government. But as this force is always dangerous, fo, Sir, it fhould be always oppofed; at leaft, while I have the honour to fit in this illuftrious affembly, it shall never pass without my negative.

At any time, Sir, I would have endeavoured to oppofe this measure; but it particularly calls upon us to refift it upon this occafion, when our government, as at prefent, is fo poor, and fo little able to afford an unneceffary expence; and allo at a time when our minifters feem fo willing to encroach upon the privileges of the people. We are laden with an immenfe debt, which it may be never in our power to pay, unless fome effectual meafures be taken for redrefs. So that if we had greater need at prefent, than we have for a standing army (and in this prefent time of peace I cannot in the leaft fee how they can be needful) yet we ought to retrench their numbers, as the debt of the nation is the most preffing occafion of the two: I would therefore have this affembly confider of the propereft methods of obviating the dangers that may arise from keeping up a conftant ftanding army, and of redreffing the evils that are hourly encroaching upon us from the increafe of the national debt.”

The next who fpoke upon this occafion, was Periander, to the following effect:

"There have been feafons of oppofition in every government, and the prefent juncture feems that in which fome pretended patriots are willing to oppose right or wrong. This mealure of employing a certain number of land forces, has been allowed for a feries of years; allowed and contended for even by the very gentleman at prefent fo ftrenuous in oppolition; yet now all of a fedden, his methods of reafoning feem altered:

he

he always, he tells us, hath been, and ever will be a ftrenuous oppofer of fuch deftructive meafures. It is to be feared, that what he aims at, is rather to obftruct than to difembarrass; his indignation is levelled rather at the propofers than the measures propofed.

But however, Sir, this gentleman may boaft his fincerity, I profets myfelf equally fincere with him; and yet I cannot for the life of me fee, how government can be carried on without the affiftance of a military aid. The laws, Sir, muft ever be put in execution by force; and it will be impoffible to gain respect to our civil magiftrates, without the concurrence of an armed hand, to give weight to his decrees. That very liberty therefore fo much fought after, and which I am for a while willing to think that gentleman contends for, depends upon our continuance of an armed force to fupport it. The word Liberty, Sir, has been much fought about, and variously defined, as the prejudices or interefts of mankind have fwayed them. If I have any idea of political liberty, it can mean only, that freedom from violence, which every member of fociety enjoys, except what he incurs from law. Now, Sir, without a method of enforcing law, how is it poffible that any can boaft of freedom; and without an armed force to fecond the dictates of the magiftrate, how is it poffible that any will bear thofe penalties, which they are confcious there are no means of compelling them to fubmit to. Freedom, Sir, is what I love as well as any gentleman of this houfe; but then I would be for fuch a freedom as our ancestors have bequeathed to us, with all the admirable regulations of mixed

government.

But not our internal freedom alone, but our external independence is to be preferved by a standing force; I do not pretend to fay, that feventeen thousand men are fufficient to reprefs a formidable invafion, or to deter a violent and an ambitious neighbour;' yet it is certainly requifite for the state to have fuch a body of men, as, in cafe of a fudden onset from abroad, might be formed and increafed into a formidable and effective force. Now, Sir, this cannot be done, uniefs a fufficient number be kept on foot in times of peace; and if we once difband our troops in the funshine of tranquillity we

fhall find but few foldiers willing to of fer themfelves in the day of trouble. Upon the whole, Sir, we fhould refemble

fop's prodigal, who threw away his cloak, at the fancied appearance of fummer; and too late found that there was a winter of adverfity with which he ftill had to ftruggle."

Ariftides replied as follows:

"I am amazed to hear any gentleman talk of executing the laws of his country by a military force ; we have often feen it deftroy law, but very feldom redrefs it. I myself remember, not many years ago, when one of our city magiftrates was to attend at the execu tion of criminals, he was apprized that it would be neceffary to call in the military power; however, he relied upon the refpect that he knew the laws could command, and merely with his wand of office he attended the malefactors to the place of execution, and faw the laws put in force against them. What he did, Sir, upon that occafion, I hope, will ever be done by every worthy magiftrate, who has the laws and the honour of his country at heart. But, Sir, we thould be more than ordinarily folicitous with regard to the prefent meafure, fince we fee the army and its officers placed in the lowest place of fubjection to the minifter, We have feen a gentleman of the highest merit, and who has diftinguished himfelf by a long courfe of fervices, difimiffed, only for fpeaking his mind, and declaring that opinion which his confcience dictated was the fittest to be spoken. A proceeding, Sir, of this kind, in the adminiftration, is attended with the most dangerous confequences to the liberty of the fubject, to the fplendor of the ftate, and the honour of the foldier. And though this affembly may ferve as a refuge for contempt to thofe who commit fuch illicit practices, yet the public, Sir, the public will not be filent, but boldly tax, and as justly ftigmatize the profligate perpetrators of fo bafe a meafure.