Politics & government > Speech of Lord Belhaven, in the Scotch parliament, at the making of the union

Lord Belhaven’s Speech.
;1f to marry ; and the propofal I have heard, of
greeing to the firft article, with a provi/o, That if
he reft of the articles fltall be found fatisfa&ory,
md not otherways,. is of a piece with the reft, and
Doks like beating the air, and no ways confiftent
yith fair and fquare dealings. Beftdes, my Lord,
■ we were to go npon the fit ft article, are not all
te reft of the articles, befides many others not con-
pined in the articles, valid arguments, either pro
r con, againft concluding or not concluding the
lift article ? and no vote in this Houfe can hinder
man from making ufe of what arguments he thinks
it. Moreover, the fearching the records, and re-
hfing the Statute books, comparing the books of
ta'es, Cuftoms, Excife and Taxes of both nations,
ith one another, muft all be previoufly confidered,
!re we determine ourfelves ia one fingle article.—
Add to this, That the prohibitory claufe, with re¬
lation to the trade of both nations, muft he adjuft-
Sd, left, like iEfop’s dog, welofethe old ingrafping
f tt the new. The ftate of the Englirh companies
j siuft alfo be expofed, how far we fliall have liberty
Soto them, and what advantage we may propofeto
1 iurfelves by tradin g to thefe places where they are
ecured ; and, above all, my Lord, the fecurity of
.bur national church, and of all that is dear unto us,
piuft be previoufly eftablifhed by us, if practicable,
before we conclude the firft article. Therefore, my
lord, though my humble opinion be, though we
fiad a Charte blanche from England, yet the deliver¬
ing up of our fovereignity gives back with one hand
pdiat we receive with the other, and that there can
!>e no fecurity without the guarantee of a diflind
^dependency betwixt the parties treating ; yet, my
Ion-/, for farther fatisftciion to this honourable
oufe, that every member may fully fatisfy himfelf.
I hum-