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government to the boroughs, by compelling the magiftrates to account yearly in the court of exchequer, according to the foregoing regulations: no more is neceffary, but to fignify publicly that they are refolved to put these regulations in execution.

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How beneficial that ftep would be to this country in general, and to the royal boroughs in particular, will appear from confidering, first, the unhappy confequences that refult from fuffering magiItrates to difpofe of the town's revenues, without any check or control; and next, the good effects that must refult from a regular and careful management, under infpection of the King's judges.

The unhappy confequences of leaving magiftrates without any check or control, are too vifible to be difguifed. The revenues of a royal borough are seldom laid out for the good of the town, but in making friends to the party who are in poffeffion of the magiftracy; and in rioting and drunkennefs, for which every pretext is laid hold of, particularly that of hofpitality to ftrangers. Such mifmanagement tends to idleness, and corruption of man

ners;

ners; which accordingly are remarkable in most royal boroughs. Nor is the contagion confined within the town: it commonly spreads all around.

Another confequence no less fatal of leaving magiftrates to act without control, is a ftrong defire in every licentious burgefs, of ftepping into the magiftracy, for his own fake, and for that of his friends. Hence the factions and animofities that prevail in almost all the royal boroughs; which are violently and indecently purfued, without the least regard to the good of the community.

The greatest evil of all, refpects the choice of their representatives in parliament. A habit of riot and intemperance, makes them fit fubjects to be corrupted by every adventurer who is willing to lay out money for purchafing a feat in parliament. Hence the infamous practice of bribery at elections, which tends not only to corrupt the whole mafs of the people, but, which is ftill more dreadful, tends to fill the Houfe of Commons with men of diffolute manners, void of probity and honour.

But turning from fcenes fo difmal, let

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us view the beautiful effects that refult from an adminiftration regularly carried on, as directed by the ftatutes above mentioned. The revenues of the royal boroughs are fupposed to be above L. 40,000 yearly. And were this fum, or the half of it, prudently expended, for promoting arts and industry among the numerous inhabitants of royal boroughs; the benefit, in a country fo narrow and poor as Scotland, would be immenfe: it would tend to population, it would greatly increate induftry, manufactures, and commerce, befide augmenting the public revenue. In the next place, as there would be no temptation for defigning men to convert the burden of magiflracy into a benefit, faction and difcord would vanish; and there would be no lefs folicitude to fhun the burden, than at prefent is feen to obtain it. None would fubmit to the burden but the truly patriotic, men who would chearfully beftow their time, and perhaps their money, upon the public; and whofe ambition it would be to acquire a character, by promoting industry, temperance, and honefty, among their fellow-citizens.

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And when the government of the royal boroug's comes to be in fo good hands, bribery, which corrupts the very vitals of our conftitution, will be banished of course. And confidering the proper and conftitutional dependence of the royal boroughs upon the king's judges, we may have reafonable affurance, that few reprefentatives will be chofen, but who are friends to their country and to their fovereign.

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Plan for improving and preferving in order the Highways in Scotland.

PREFAC E.

Highways have in Scotland become a capital object of police, by the increase of inland commerce, upon which bad roads are. a heavy tax. Happily for our country, no perfon is ignorant of this truth; and we fee with pleasure the fruits of their conviction in various attempts, public and private, to eftablish this valuable branch of police upon the best footing. As this is no easy task, it may reafonably be hoped, that men interefled will feriously apply themselves to it, and will freely produce fuch hints as occur to them. In the latter view the following plan is offered to the public: and if, from the various proposals that have been or fhall be publifhed, an effective plan can be framed, fuch as completely to answer its purpose, it

may

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