ment of their refpective parishes, which they formerly poffeffed, and which ought always to belong to them. It would give much fatisfaction to the eldership, and to the great body of the people. It would greatly contribute to heal the divifions of the church, to increase (if poffible) the attachment of the people to his Majefty's perfon and government, and to render them more ardent in the fervice of their country.

8. That a fufficient compensation ought to be given to patrons for the right of prefentation, of which the revival of the act 1690 would deprive them, that, in the midft of the general fatisfaction, they might have no reason to complain.

9. That for the reasons contained in the above refolutions, and for many others which might have been mentioned, the general feffions are willing to join with their brethren thoughout the king dom in an orderly and conftitutional application to parliament upon this fubject, and will chearfully contribute their proportion of the expence with which fuch an application may be attended. And the general feffione appoint the following committee; Dr Erskine, Mr Randall, Mr Kemp, Dr'Hunter, Dr Gloag, minifters; Bailie Walker, Bailie Galloway, Mr John Dickfon, Mr John Moffman, Mr George Jollie, Mr Francis Braidwood, Mr John Paterfon, Mr John Moncrieff, Mr Archibald Mercer, any three of them to be a quorum; with power to them to take fuch measures as may be thought proper for promoting the object of the above refolutions, and with inAtructions to apply to the moderator of the general feffions to call another meeting when they shall judge it neceffary.And farther, the general feffions appoint a copy of this minute to be inferted in all the Edinburgh newspapers, that their real fentiments upon this interefting fub ject may be known.

This bufinefs being finished, Mr John Dickfon moved the following refolutions: "The meeting having alfo taken under confideration the late conduct of the magiftrates and town council, in granting a prefentation to one of the prefent vacancies in the city, came to the following refolutions upon that fubject in particular, viz.

1. That it was the uniform and laudable practice in this city, from the reftoration of Presbytery at the glorious Re

volution, down to the year 1762, to fill up vacancies in the minifterial office according to the method prescribed by the act 1690, viz. by calls from the magiftrates and council, the minifters, and elders of the refpective feffions, met together in a conjunct body: and that the departure from this plan, by the exercifing of the right of patronage in the year 1762, was generally disagreeable to the inhabitants of the city, and productive of much heat and animofity, as well as of tedious and expenfive law-fuits, to the great detriment of the public revenue.

2. That fucceeding magiftrates and town councils, fenfible that the exercise of the right of patronage, though confirmed to them by courts of law, was odious and unpopular, wifely declined it for twenty years paft, reftored the ancient and acceptable method of calls, and thereby gave the citizens fresh experience of the general harmony and fatisfaction, as well as advantage to their religious interefts, with which this method is usually attended.

3. That with fincere regret the general feffions obferved the late deviation of the magiftrates and council from this plan, by returning to the exercife of their power of patronage, and that too when there feemed to be no fort of occafion for this ftrong measure, in order to obtain the fettlement of the perfon whom they were inclined to favour.

4. That the presenting a ftranger to a collegiate church, the meeting confider as a measure particularly fevere towards the feffion and congregation of that church, whofe views were naturally directed, by ancient ufage, as well as inclination, to the senior minister in a fingle charge as an unneceffary deviation from the ufual courfe of fupplying vacancies in the city as highly injurious to the rights of the two minifters now in fingle charges and, as founding a dangerous precedent with respect to all who may fucceed them in thefe ftations.

The general feflions therefore agree, that a committee of their number be appointed to wait on the Rt Hon. the Lord Provoft and Magiftrates, to lay thofe refolutions before them, and in respectful terms to reprefent the grief and concern which the measures above mentioned have occafioned to the members of the general feffions, as well as to many other refpectable and pious citizens; and humbly to intreat, that the magiftrates and council will be pleased to adopt fuch a plan of conduct as may tend to promote general harmony, and give peace to the city."

The fame committee was appointed as in the former refolutions.

Upon this another debate ensued, in which the fame gentlemen took part who had spoke in the former. The refolutions, upon the roll being called, were approved of by a majority likewife of four. Against this decifion David Steuart, Efq; late Lord Provoft, diffented, to which the gentlemen on the fame fide adhered.

On the 20th of Auguft there was a ve ry numerous meeting of the manufacturers of cottons and muflins in the city of Glasgow and its neighbourhood, who came to several refolutions expreffive of their fears for the ruinous effects of the heavy duties lately laid upon thefe articles, which amount to 1 d. 3 20ths per yard, if under 3 s. value; and 2d. 6 20ths per yard, when at or above 3 s. The minutes of the meeting fet forth, That when the first clafs of cottons and muflins, peculiar to this part of G, Britain, are taken at a fair average, the tax now impofed will be about 5 per cent. of the value; and that, as the fecond clafs will chiefly include that fpecies of goods which is denominated 6 4ths mullins, the tax of 2 d. 6 20ths per yard, at an average, will amount to 7 or 8 per cent. of the value.

The meeting being deeply impreffed with a facred regard to the laws of the realm, claim only, upon the prefent occafion, that undoubted right which they poffefs as British fubjects, firmly, yet refpectfully, to ftate to his Majefty's minifters, and to the nation at large, thofe feelings which it would be criminal to fupprefs, at a moment when, by an illadvised fyftem of taxation, they fee the efforts of fair induftry deprefled and difcouraged, and even infant manufactures feized upon, as objects of public revenue, before they have come to maturity, or taken root in the country.

They then declare their resolution to apply early next feffion of parliament for a repeal of the act.

The following are fome of the resolu

tions.

Refolved, That as the article of cotton-wool affords fo great a field of produce and wealth to our Weft-India islands, and, from its bulk, muft, if widely extended, prove an infinite source of em. ployment for our fhipping and great mul, titudes of feamen, it is worthy the moft ferious attention of the legislature, and merits its utmost countenance and encou ragement; at leaft, the utmost distance fhould be kept from every principle which tends to disturb or difcourage it.

-That the measure of thus checking and diftreffing the infant-manufacture of muslin, by a premature and an unequal tax, cannot fail to produce a disposition in the minds of many individuals, to carry their property and bufinefs to Ireland, where a bounty of 5 per cent. is given on all cotton and mullins for inland fale, and 8 per cent. when exported.

-That the fpirit of abandoning Great Britain, by emigration, can in no way be fo effectually checked, as by those fit encouragements which the wife policy of the British legiflature was accuftomed to hold out to the manufactures of the country, by avoiding every burden upon the inland commerce and industry, that could either check its progrefs, or lay it under any reftriction whatsoever.

That the manufacturers of cotton and muslin feel as warm an attachment to the British government, and are as wil ling to contribute their share freely and liberally to fupport the exigencies and enterprifes of the ftate, as any of his Majefty's fubjects of whatever defcription they may be. They do not complain of taxes in general, which they know to be neceffary in the prefent fituation of public affairs; and in all cafes where manufactures have been spared, and where the principle of taxation has not ftruck at the root of those branches which give em ployment to many thousands of his Ma jefty's fubjects, they have and will uniformly fubmit to a burden which they know to be reasonable and unavoidable.

-That with these fentiments of regard to the general good of the empire, the manufacturers of muflin confider themselves as a body of individuals at least equally intitled to the favour and protection of go vernment, as any public fociety who import a fimilar article from a foreign coun

try;

try; yet they have the extreme mortification to see their manufacture difcriminated as an object of taxation, while the Eaft India Company, at the fame moment, are fupported at the public expence, with little fhort of one million of money, free of intereft, which would nearly equal the whole produce of the tax on cottons.

-That the manufacture of mullins must be confidered as a great national acquisition, and highly deferving the aid and encouragement of parliament, by fuch politic and wife regulations as fhall render the labour and industry of his Ma jefty's fubjects in Great Britain produc. tive to themselves, and beneficial to the ftate.

-That every measure that has a tendency to raise up an unfair and impolitic competition, by the encouragement of the importation or fale of Eaft-India muslins, by means of pecuniary aids from government, is partial and unwife, and ought to be résisted and opposed, with zeal and firmnefs, by a British parliament, interefted, as it muft be, in whatever fhall cherish and protect the inland commerce and induftry of the country.

James Tytler, chymift in Edinburgh, has been for fome time past employed in the conftruction of a fire-balloon. Its dimenfions are about 40 feet in height, and 30 in diameter. It was the intention of the projector to have afcended with his balloon about the beginning of this month, during the race-week; but things not being in that forwardness and perfection he expected, he was obliged to poftpone his aerial journey, On the morning of the 27th, however, he made a decifive experiment. About five o'clock the balloon was inflated, and foon manifefted a difpofition to afcend. Mr Tytler took his feat, and with inexpreffible fatisfaction felt himself raised with great power from the earth. The machine entangled itfelf among the branches of a tree, and by a rope belonging to the maft which raised it, fo that its power of afcenfion was greatly weakened. However, when the obftacles were removed, it flew up to the height of 350 feet, as measured by a line left hanging from the bottom of the basket. The morning was calm, and therefore the balloon went but a small way, as no furnace was taken up with it. It foon returned to the earth, without any damage to the projector, who, in teftimony of his fecurity, returnéd, while in the air, the huzzas of the fpectators; and on his return was overwhelmed with their congratulations.

At Edinburgh, James Trail, Esq; sheriffdepute of Caithness and Sutherland, to the Rt Hon. Lady Janet Sinclair, fifter of the Earl of Caithness.

At Edinburgh, Lieut. Lewis Hay, of the engineers, to Mifs Barbara Craigie, eldeft daughter of John Craigie of Glendoick, Efq;

Aug. 1o. At Blandfield, Mr John Anderfon clerk to the fignet, to Mifs Mitchelfon, daughter of Mr Samuel Mitchelfon fenior. 11. At Clapham, Lord Balgonie, eldest son of the Earl of Leven, to Mifs Thornton, daughter of John Thornton, Efq; of Clapham. 17. At London, the Hon. Adm. Digby to Mrs Jauncy, eldest daughter of Andrew Elliot, Efq; late Lieutenant-Governor of New York.

21. At Godwood, in Suffex, the Hon. George Cranfield Berkeley, to the Hon. Mifs Charlotte Lenox, daughter of Lord George Lenox, brother of the Duke of Richmond. BIRTH S.

July 26. At Anderston, the wife of John Steill, filk-gauze weaver, of two boys and a girl. They are all fine healthy children. 29 At London, the Countess of Traquair, of a fon.

At London, the Viscountess of Stormont, of a fon.

Aug. 13 At Fountainhall, Lady Lauder Dick, of a fon.

London, Aug. 15. Mrs Anne Hogfpun, the wife of a fhipwright at Plymouth dock, was brought to bed, on the 7th, of four children, all boys. Three of them are likely to do well, but the fourth had but one leg, and

died foon after it was born.

18 At Edinburgh, Mrs Stuart of Allanbank, of a daughter.

of a fon. 20. At Balcarras, the Countess of Balcarras,

21. At Edinburgh, the Lady of Sir James Grant, Bt, of a fon.

DEATH S.

Rome, July 24. On Tuesday laft died Cardinal Spinola, aged 70 years and nine months.

July 28. At Naples, Lady Murray, wife of Sir William Murray of Touchadam, Bt, and daughter of John Callender of Craigforth, Efq;

28. At Mundole, near Forres, John Thomfon day-labourer, aged 107; who had by his first wife 28 children, and by a second 17; was father to 45, grandfather to 86, greatgrandfather to 97, and great-great grandfather to 23; in all 251. He retained his fenfes, and followed his ufual employment, to the day preceding his death.

At Rotterdam, Rachael Solomons, a Jewels, aged 110.

Aug. 4. At Edinburgh, Mrs Chriftian Grant, relict of George Buchan of Kello, Efq; Florence, Aug. 6. The Father Capuchin Simon de Pa died lately in this city, aged near foo years.

10. At Dover, on his return from the continent,

tinent, in his 71ft year, Allan Ramfay, Efq; principal portrait painter to their Majesties

11. At Edinburgh, Mrs Marjory Fleming, relict of the Hon. John Elphinstone.

12. At Matlock, Derbyshire, Ann Clowes, aged 103. She measured no more than three feet nine inches in height, and weighed about forty-eight pounds. The house the lived in was, like herself, diminutive, containing only one room, and that not eight feet fquare.

13. At Thurston, Mifs Betfey Hunter, eldest daughter of Robert Hunter, Efq; of Thurston.

14. At London, Mifs Elifabeth Renton, third daughter of the late John Renton of Lamberton, Efq;

16. At Baltimore, Ireland, Patrick Macdonald, Efq; aged 108.

23. At his house, near Edinburgh, Col. John Macpherson, of the Eaft-India Company's fervice.

24. At Banff, Thomas Innes, Efq; late of Rosebura.

28. At New Hailes, Mifs Dalrymple, eldeft daughter of the late Sir James Dalrymple of Hailes, Bt.

PREFERMENT S.
From the London Gazette.

The King has been pleased, July 31. to appoint William M'Connell, Efq; to be Commiffary of the commiffariot of Wigton, in Scotland, vacant by the refignation of John M'Culloch, Efq;

Aug. 2. to appoint Col. Thomas Carleton to be Captain-General and Governor in Chief of the province of New Brunswick, in America.

7. to order a writ of fummons to parliament under the great feal of Great Britain, directed to Gen. Sir John Griffin Griffin, of Audley End, in the county of Effex, K. B., by the name, ftyle, and title of John Griffin, Lord Howard of Walden.

15. to confer the honour of Knighthood on Francis Willis, of Hampstead, in the county of Middlesex, Efq;

21. to appoint Robert Waller, Efq; and Maj.-Gen. Adeane, to be Grooms of the bedchamber.

-to constitute and appoint the Hon. Keith Stewart to be Receiver-General of the Land-rents and Cafualties in Scotland.

to prefent the Rev Wm Allanfon, B. A. to the Rectory of Serangham, in Yorkshire, void by the death of the Rev. John Blake.

And the Rev. George Wm Anderson B. A. to the Rectory of Epworth, in the Isle of Axholme, in Lincolnshire, void by the refignation of Sir Wm Anderfon, Bt.

28. to present the Rev. Robert Wharton, Master of Arts, to the Rectory of Catton, in the diocese and county of York, void by the death of the Rev. John Blake.

From other papers.

PRICES OF STOCKS, Aug. 21. 4 per cent. Ann. 1777, 74 1 4th a 3 8ths, 3 per cent. Conf. 56 1 half a 5 8ths. 3 per cent. red. 57 1 half a 5 8ths. Long ann. 17 3-16ths a 14th. Navy-bills, 13 1 4th disc. Lot. Tick 15 |. 14 5. Omnium, 3 per cent. prem. Aug 31.

Bank Stock 117 1 4th a 3 8ths.

4 per cent Ann 1777, 74 a 73 1 half a 3 4th. 3 per cent. Conf 56ass 38thsa 5 8ths a 34ths, 3 per cent. red 56 3 4ths a 5 8ths a 7 8ths. Long ann. 17 1-16th a 17 1 8th. 5 per cent. Stock 1784, 89 1 half. Navy-bills, 13 3 4ths difc. Lot. Tick. 15). 145. Omnium, 1 1 4th prem.