Select passages from the diary and letters of the late John Blackader, Esq.

LIFE AND PARENTAGE. XlX
tutional rights. It was accomplilhed, too, with-
out one drop of blood being fhed. Jn Scotland,
cruelties the moft enormous had been perpetrated
during both reigns, with the view of effecting a
change in the religious obfervances of the country.
And while the Parliament of the one nation had
voted, '* that Jamls abdicated the crown by en-
deavouring to fubvert the couftitution,- and by
withdrawing from the kingdom," the Parliament
of the other folemnlv declared, M that being a
profeffed Papift, he had allumed the royal power,
and acted as King, without having taken the oath
required by law ; and had, by the advice of wicked
and evil counfellors, invaded the fundamental con-
ftitution of the kingdom, altered it from a limited
and legal monarchy to an arbitrary and defpotic
power, and had exerted the fame to the fubver-
ilon of the Proteftar.t religion, and the violation
of the laws and liberties of the kingdom, whereby
he forfeited his right to the crown, and the throne
had become vacant."
The war of this period was undertaken by both
nations to maintain this their united determina-
tion, and with it their exigence and moft valuable
rights. Lewis X.1V. of "France bent his utmofl
efforts, in concert with thofe of the former Mo-
narch, to overwhelm the new government. He
had alfo given a dreadful example of what Britain
might expect, if he mould prevail in his unjiift de-
fiims, by revoking the edict of Nantz — by his ty-
rannical conduit towards his own fubjecls, and the