The defence of the Scots settlement at Darien answer'd paragraph by paragraph / by Philo-Britan.

DEFENCE.

We shall conclude this matter with one or two more Arguments to prove, That it is the Interest of England to joyn with us in this Affair; by which also it will appear that there is nothing advanc'd in these Sheets out of any ill Design against the Eng∣lish Nation, or to persuade to a disuniting of the Crowns; but on the contrary, that a stricter Union is absolutely necessary, that both Nations may have but one Interest, which will render us less liable to Convulsions and intestine Commotions at home, and put us out of danger of being attacked by Enemies from abroad.

The first Argument is this; That by incouraging our Settlement at Darien, English Ships that have occasion to pass by those Coasts will there be certain of a place of Retreat in case of attack either by Enemy or Tempest, without danger of being con∣fiscated by the Spaniards, and having their Men con∣demn'd to be perpetual Slaves in the Mines.

2. If we be incouraged in our American Colony, it will contribute much to heighten the Consump∣tion of the English Product; since what we have not of our own, or wherein we are wanting either as to quality or quantity, we shall supply our selves, for the use of our Plantation, in England; which may be of great benefit to the Northern Counties especially, whence we may conveniently furnish our selves with Beeves for Victualling our Ships, our own Cattel being for the most part too small for that use; besides many other things that we shall have occasion to export from England for the use of the Plantation, and to maintain a Commerce with the Natives.

3. By joining with us in this Colony, and securing a Post on the South-Sea, which the Princes of Da∣rien will no doubt very readily agree to, they may

shorten their Voyages to the East-Indies, and by that means be able to out-do all their Rivals in that Trade; but if they will be so far wanting to them∣selves, as to suffer those advantages to fall into the Hands of others who are Enemies to our Religion and common Country, they cannot blame the Scots, who have made them such fair Offers.

4. If after all, the English should continue in their Opposition to us, as their late Proclamations in A∣merica, and other Passages would seem to imply they have a mind to, the World cannot blame the Scots to provide for themselves by such other Alliances as they shall think meet; since the English are so un∣kind, especially since the Restoration of K. Charles II. to which we did so much contribute, that without our Concurrence it could never have been effected. This will appear to be incontrovertibly true, if we consider that in the time of K. James I. we were under no Restrictions as to matters of Trade more than they, except as to the Exportation of Wool, and a few other Things of English Product; and so we con∣tinu'd till the Restoration, when K. Charles II. and the English did very ungratefully lay such Preclusions and Restrictions upon us contrary to the Laws rela∣ting to the Postnati, by the 12 Car. II. For the incou∣raging and increasing Shipping and Navigation; and the 15 Car. II. For the Encouragement of Trade; by which we are put in the same Circumstances as to Traffick with France and Holland, and in a worse Condition than Ireland that is a Conquest; which is so much the more unreasonable, since we are always involv'd and ingag'd in the Wars betwixt England and other Countries: And those with whom they have most frequent Wars, being Holland and France, the only two Nations with whom the Scots have almost any Commerce, our Trade must of necessity sink du∣ring such Wars, whereas England hath still a great Trade to other parts of the World; and by this means we are forc'd to be sharers in their Troubles, tho' they will not allow us to partake of their Profits,

nor suffer us to take any measures to procure such as we may call our own.

It is plain from the Instance of Darien, and the Proclamations in the English American Colonies a∣gainst their Subjects entertaining any Commerce with our Settlement there, that we are in a worse condition than ever; for when any thing happens wherein the Interest of England seems to be contrary to ours, it is certainly carried against us; so that in this respect we are in a worse condition than any Foreigners, with relation to England; for if a fo∣reign People discover any thing that may be of Ad∣vantage to them, they are at liberty to pursue it by themselves, or to take in the Assistance of others; and if they find themselves aggriev'd by England, they have their respective Governments to make Application to for Redress.

To let them see that it is their Interest as well as ours it should be so, we shall only desire them to consider how fatal it may be, if by any Emergency we should be forc'd to break off the Union of the Crowns, and enter again into a French Alliance. It's in vain for them to Object, that in such a case we should betray our Religion; for we see the per∣secuted Hungarians were protected in that by the Turks, tho' sworn Enemies to it: Nor is it impossi∣ble but there may be a change as to that matter in France; L. XIV. is not immortal: And even Julian the Apostate himself found it his Interest for some time to protect the Orthodox Christians, whom he mortally hated. But supposing, (as indeed there's no great likelihood of it) that no such Alliance as this should ever happen; yet however, if these two Nations be not more closely united, it may be of ill Consequence to England if any of their Kings at any time should be so far disgusted as to betake themselves to us: What a Field of Blood and Slaughter must England have become, had we car∣ried off K. Charles I. when he came to our Army, or i•• we had join'd him against the Parliament of Eng∣land?

What great Efforts did a Party of our Nation make to inthrone K. Charles II. when England was against him? And how did our Concurrence after∣wards with General Monk effect it? How soon did our Espousing the Duke of York's Interest turn the Tables upon those that opposed him in England? And if our Nation had likewise Espous'd his Cause before the Revolution, the Viscount of Dundee gave a sufficient proof what we could have done for him. This makes it evident, That it is not the Interest of England to slight an Union with us so much as they have done: For so long as we remain divided, any King that is so minded, may make use of us; and any envious Neighbour, whose Interest it is to keep this Island low, will be sure to blow the Coals. If they'd but turn the Tables, and make our Case their own, they would quickly be satisfied of the Truth of what we advance. Supposing that the Government of Scotland should traverse the Act∣ings of the Government of England, in relation to their Trade, &c. as they have done ours; and supposing that a Parliament of Scotland, when the King were there, should question him for the Navigation Act, and that for the Incouragement of Trade in England by King Charles II. which lays us under such hard Circumstances and Restrictions, the English would certainly very much resent it, and speedily tell us we meddled with what did not belong to us: Then why should they deny us the like liberty in reference to their Proceedings against us, seeing we are a free Nation as well as they?

Nor can any thing less than joining with us, and protecting that Settlement against all opposition in case of Attacks by the French, or others, sufficiently atone for what is already done, or heal the Wound those Proclamations have giv'n to the common In∣terest of the Island.