That one fhilling for every hundred pounds capital ftock, bought and fold in any present or future public funds, be paid by the buyer, and the fame by the feller thereof, at the time of the transfer; to be accounted for by each of the Accountants General of the refpective companies who have offices of transfer, to the treafury, to be applied to the finking fund. A duty, which, I conceive, may be very easily executed, as there are books now kept in all the offices, which at one view fhew the tranfactions of each day. But this payment ought not to extend to fuch transfers as fhall be made of ftock where five fhillings and no more is the confideration, as by truftees to the cefiique truft, executors of wills, &c. the facts in which cafes to be attested by oath. That books be kept at the respective offices where transfers are made, for the regiftering fuch stocks as fhall be bought and fold for time, in which the names of fellers and buyers, the prices and conditions of contracts, and fpecifications of stock, fhall be actually registered; the register to be figned either by the principals, their agents legally empowered, or by the broker employed, and witneffed by two clerks of the registry. That fixpence on every hundred pounds, fo regiftered, be paid at the time of registering fuch contracts; to be accounted for and applied as beforementioned. That it fhall be felony, for any person to fell, for time, any fort of ftock without registering the fame upon the day of agreement. The conviction to depend upon the evidence of perfons who are not parties in the contract. And, That it fhall be felony likewife, for any perfon to regifter the fale of any ftock for time, that does not stand in the books of fuch ftocks in the name of the feller at the time the fame is so registered to to be fold. The conviction to depend upon the evidence of the entry in the register-book, and the account of the feller in the books kept in the office of the specified stock. Such is the fubftance of the regulations which I offer to confideration for the fervice of the public, and which I believe may effectuate a correction of all abuse, except what arifes in the felling of fubscriptions to stocks before they are made transferable, and which I fear cannot poffibly be prevented by any means whatsoever, upon the plan of late years adopted. But, I hope, there will be no more money raised by loan; as there are a variety of methods to be taken for raifing the neceffary fupplies within the year. PHILO-BRITANNICUS, On the inattention of counsellors to the Briefs of their Clients. IAM A M told it happens very frequently, that the most eminent council begin to plead the causes of their clients almost without having read their briefs, certainly without understanding them. Suppofing this to be true, I will venture to fay, and every reafonable man will join with me in faying, that fuch behaviour is in the highest degree culpable, and that no ftation in life can protect that perfon from difhonour, who is guilty of fuch practice. Suppofe a client fhould, in confequence of fuch behaviour on the part of his council, fuffer in his fortune; ought not fuch council, in honour and confcience, to repay whatever his client lofes? A poor farrier, who undertakes to fhoe an horfe, muft make good any damage he does by fhoeing him carelessly or unfkilfully. It fometimes happens, that a client fuffers alfo for fome time in his character by the fame means; the judge thinks that the party has acted acted wrong, and blames him because the council do not fhew that he has acted right. It is indeed lucky for the client, as to his reputation, that no man of fenfe or candour will lay any ftrefs upon what may be faid on that head by council, farther than fuch affertions are made out by facts; and common fenfe and experience declare loudly, that there is hardly a man who commences a law-fuit, 'till he has had the opinion of one or more eminent council in his favour; and if he takes care to have the fact, upon which his caufe depends, fairly and clearly stated to his council, he has done his duty, because the conduct of his fuit muft afterwards be left to his lawyers. If, therefore, when the cause comes to be heard, the question fhall appear fo plain as to admit of no debate; or if the caufe fhall have evidently been conducted improperly, the fault certainly lies among the lawyers, and they only ought to be blamed; and therefore, if it is not prefuming too far to advife thofe who prefide in our different courts of judicature, they ought to be very cautious in praifing or condemning the parties, without enquiring ftrictly into their behaviour, left it fhould happen that praife is beftowed upon those who deferve punishment, and difpraise upon those who ought to be rewarded. On the 5th of October, 1761, Mr. Pitt (now Earl of Chatham) refigned his office of Secretary of State: The cause of that refignation he explained in the following letter to a friend in the city. F Dear Sir, INDING, to my great furprize, that the cause and manner of my refigning the feals, is grofsly mifrepresented in the city, as well as that the moft gracious and fpontaneous marks of his majefty's approbation of my fervices, which marks followed my refignation, have been infamously traduced as a bargain for my forfaking the public, I am under a neceffity of declaring the truth of both these facts, in a manner which I am fure no gentleman will contradict. A difference of opinion, with regard to measures to be taken against Spain, of the highest importance to the honour of the crown, and to the most effential national interefts, (and this founded on what Spain had already done, not on what that court may farther intend to do) was the caufe of my refigning the feals. Lord Temple and I fubmitted in writing, and figned by us, our moft humble fentiments to his majefty; which being over-ruled by the united opinion of all the rest of the king's fervants, I refigned the feals on Monday the fifth of this month, in order not to remain refponfible for meafures, which I was no longer allowed to guide. Moft gracious public marks of his Majefty's approbation of my services followed my refignation: they are unmerited and unfolicited, and I fhall ever be proud to have received them from the best of fovereigns. I will now only add, my dear fir, that I have explained these matters only for the honour of truth, not in any view to court return of confidence from any man, who with a credulity as weak as it is injurious, has thought fit haftily to withdraw his good opinion, from one who has ferved his country with fidelity and fuccefs; and who justly reveres the upright and candid judgment of it; little folicitous about the cenfures of the capricious and ungenerous: accept my fincereft acknow acknowledgements for all your kind friendship, and believe me ever with truth and esteem, Oct. 12, My dear Sir, Your faithful friend, W. PITT.* Several remarks were made upon the foregoing letter and refignation: the vein and tendency of thefe, as well offenfive as defenfive, may be easily conceived from the following, which are felected from the vaft heap published on that occafion. TH HOSE who have pushed most for obtaining the declaration we have feen printed, have done the honourable maker of it the best of fervices, and the like to the whole public. Those doubts all vanished at its appearance, which might, before it was made, have been very innocently entertained. The honours and rewards, that from general example, had created fufpicions, now appear to give great luftre to their receiver, and greater glory to their bestower. The patriot king and minifter, become the inciters of our admiration more than ever. We feel an increased love for the strong meriter of high rewards; and we more adore the princely virtues of the ever gracious perfon that conferred them. Such is the prefent fenfe of a man, who, while in darkness, had his doubts. BRUTUS. At the fame time the following advertisement appeared in the public papers. To be fold, feven coach horfes, belonging to the Rt. Hon. William Pitt. Enquire at Ormond Meufe, the Back of St. James's-Square. To |