I have directed the treaty agreed to by the commissioners of both kingdoms, and also the Act of Ratification from Scotland, to be laid before you, and I hope it will meet with your concurrence and approbation. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, It being agreed by this treaty, that Scotland is to have an equivalent for what that kingdom is obliged to contribute towards paying the debts of England, I must recommend to you, that in case you agree to the treaty you would take care to provide for the payment of the equivalent to Scotland accordingly. My Lords and Gentlemen, You have now an opportunity before you of putting the last hand to a happy Union of the two kingdoms, which I hope will be a lasting blessing to the whole Island, a great addition to its wealth and power, and a firm security to the protestant religion. The advantages which will accrue to us all from an Union are so apparent that I will add no more, but that I shall look upon it as a particular happiness, if this great work, which has been so often attempted without success, can be brought to perfection in my reign. (March 6th, 1706.) My Lords and Gentlemen, It is with the greatest satisfaction that I have given my assent to a Bill for uniting England and Scotland into one kingdom. I consider this Union as a matter of the greatest importance to the wealth, strength, and safety of the whole Island, and at the same time, as a work of so much difficulty and nicety in its own nature, that till now all attempts, which have been made towards it in the course of above a hundred years, have proved ineffectual; and therefore I make no doubt but it will be remembered and spoken of hereafter to the honour of those who have been instrumental in bringing it to such a happy conclusion. I desire and expect from all my subjects of both nations, that from henceforth they act with all possible respect and kindness to one another, that so it may appear to all the world, they have hearts disposed to become one people. This will be a great pleasure to me, and will make us all quickly sensible of the good effect of this Union. And I cannot but look upon it as a particular happiness, that in my reign so full a provision is made for the peace and quiet of my people, and for the security of our religion, by so firm an establishment of the protestant succession throughout Great Britain. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I take this occasion to remind you to make effectual provision for the payment of the equivalent to Scotland within the time appointed by this Act, and I am persuaded you will show as much readiness in this particular as you have done in all the other parts of this great work. My Lords and Gentlemen, The season of the year being now pretty far advanced, I hope you will continue the same zeal which has appeared throughout this session, in despatching what yet remains unfinished of the public business before you. (The History of England, Oldmixon, Lond. 1739. III. p. 382-386.) 194. Union between England and Scotland (5 ANNE, c. 8, 1707) Collection of Statutes, Evans AN ACT FOR AN UNION OF THE TWO KINGDOMS OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND (Preamble) ARTICLE I THAT the two kingdoms of England and Scotland shall upon the first day of May, which shall be in the year one thousand seven hundred and seven, and for ever after, be united into one kingdom by the name of Great Britain; and that the ensigns' armorial of the said united kingdom be such as her Majesty shall appoint, and the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew be conjoined in such manner as her Majesty shall think fit, and used in all flags, banners, standards, and ensigns, both at sea and land. ARTICLE II That the succession of the monarchy to the united kingdom of Great Britain, and of the dominions thereto belonging, after her most sacred Majesty, and in default of issue of her Majesty, be, remain, and continue to the most excellent Prin cess Sophia, electoress and duchess dowager of Hanover, and the heirs of her body being Protestants, upon whom the Crown of England is settled by an Act of Parliament made in England in the twelfth year of the reign of his late Majesty King William the Third, entitled, An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject: And that all Papists, and persons marrying Papists, shall be excluded from, and for ever incapable to inherit, possess, or enjoy the Imperial Crown of Great Britain, and the dominions thereunto belonging, or any part thereof; and in every such case, the Crown and government shall from time to time descend to, and be enjoyed by such person, being a Protestant, as should have inherited and enjoyed the same, in case such Papist, or person marrying a Papist, was naturally dead, according to the provision for the descent of the Crown of England, made by another Act of Parliament in England in the first year of the reign of their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary, entitled, An Act declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the Crown. ARTICLE III That the united kingdom of Great Britain be represented by one and the same Parliament, to be styled, The Parliament of Great Britain. ARTICLE IV That all the subjects of the united kingdom of Great Britain shall, from and after the Union, have full freedom and intercourse of trade and navigation to and from any port or place within the said united kingdom, and the dominions and plantations thereunto belonging; and that there be a communication of all other rights, privileges, and advantages, which do or may belong to the subjects of either kingdom; except where it is otherwise expressly agreed in these articles. ARTICLE V (Scotch ships to be registered as British ships.) ARTICLE VI (Concerning Trade, Scots Cattle, and Importation of Victuals.) ARTICLE VII (Concerning Excises.) ARTICLE VIII (Concerning Foreign Salt, Scotch Salt, Flesh Exported from Scotland, Curing of Herrings, Fish Exported, etc.) ARTICLE IX (Concerning Land Tax and Quota of Scotland.) ARTICLE X (Concerning Stamped Vellum.) ARTICLE XI (Concerning the Window Tax.) ARTICLE XII (Concerning Coals, Culm, and Cinders.) ARTICLE XIII (Concerning Malt.) ARTICLE XIV (Scotland not chargeable with any other duties before the Union, except these consented to.) ARTICLE XV (Concerning Equivalent Money and Uses, Coin of Scotland, African and Indian Company of Scotland, Overplus, Public Debts of Scotland, Manufacture of Coarse Wool, Fisheries, and the Appointment of Commissioners for the Equivalent.) ARTICLE XVI That from and after the Union, the coin shall be of the same standard and value throughout the united kingdom, as now in England, and a mint shall be continued in Scotland, under the same rules as the mint in England, and the present officers of the mint continued, subject to such regulations and alterations as her Majesty, her heirs or successors, or the Parliament of Great Britain shall think fit. ARTICLE XVII That from and after the Union, the same weights and measures shall be used throughout the united kingdom, as are now established in England, and standards of weights and measures shall be kept by those burghs in Scotland, to whom the keeping the standards of weights and measures, now in use there, does of special right belong: All which standards shall be sent down to such respective burghs, from the standards kept in the Exchequer at Westminster, subject nevertheless to such regulations as the Parliament of Great Britain shall think fit. ARTICLE XVIII That the laws concerning regulation of trade, customs, and such excises to which Scotland is, by virtue of this treaty, to be liable, be the same in Scotland, from and after the Union, as in England; and that all other laws in use within the kingdom of Scotland, do after the Union, and notwithstanding thereof, remain in the same force as before (except such as are contrary to, or inconsistent with this treaty), but alterable by the Parliament of Great Britain; with this difference between the laws concerning public right, policy, and civil government, and those which concern private right, that the laws which concern public right, policy, and civil government, may be made the same throughout the whole united kingdom; but that no alteration be made in laws which concern private right, except for evident utility of the subjects within Scotland. ARTICLE XIX (Concerning Courts and the Privy Council.) ARTICLE XX (Concerning Heritable Offices.) ARTICLE XXI (Concerning Royal Burghs.) ARTICLE XXII That, by virtue of this treaty, of the peers of Scotland, at the time of the Union, sixteen shall be the number to sit and vote in the House of Lords, and forty-five the number of representatives of Scotland in the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain; and that when her Majesty, her heirs or successors, shall declare her or their pleasure for holding the first or any other subsequent Parliament of Great Britain, until the Parliament of Great Britain shall make further provision therein, a writ do issue under the great seal of the united kingdom, directed to the privy council |