But let us, to indulge his passion for projects and power, suppose the happy time arrived, when the author comes into the ministry, and is to realize his speculations.  The writs are issued for electing members for America and the West Indies.  Some provinces receive them in six weeks, some in ten, some in twenty.  A vessel may be lost, and then some provinces may not receive them at all.  But let it be, that they all receive them at once, and in the shortest time.  A proper space must be given for proclamation and for the election; some weeks at least.  But the members are chosen; and if ships are ready to sail, in about six more they arrive in London.  In the mean time the Parliament has sat and business far advanced without American representatives.  Nay, by this time, it may happen that the Parliament is dissolved; and then the members ship themselves again, to be again elected.  The writs may arrive in America, before the poor members of a Parliament in which they never sat, can arrive at their several provinces.  A new interest is formed, and they find other members are chosen whilst they are on the high seas.  But, if the writs and members arrive together, here is at best a new trial of skill amongst the candidates, after one set of them have well aired themselves with their two voyages of 6000 miles.

However, in order to facilitate everything to the author, we will suppose them all once more elected, and steering again to Old England, with a good heart, and a fair westerly wind in their stern.  On their arrival, they find all in a hurry and bustle; in and out; condolence and congratulation; the crown is demised.  Another Parliament is to be called.  Away back to America again on a fourth voyage, and to a third election.  Does the author mean to make our kings as immortal in their personal as in their politic character? or whilst he bountifully adds to their life, will he take from them their prerogative of dissolving Parliaments, in favor of the American union? or are the American representatives to be perpetual, and to feel neither demises of the crown, nor dissolutions of Parliament?

But these things may be granted to him, without bringing him much nearer to his point.  What does he think of re-election? is the American member the only one who is not to take a place, or the only one to be exempted from the ceremony of re-election?  How will this great politician preserve the rights of electors, the fairness of returns, and the privilege of the House of Commons, as the sole judge of such contests?  It would undoubtedly be a glorious sight to have eight or ten petitions, or double returns, from Boston and Barbadoes, from Philadelphia and Jamaica, the members returned, and the petitioners, with all their train of attorneys, solicitors, mayors, selectmen, provost-marshals, and above five hundred or a thousand witnesses, come to the bar of the House of Commons.  Possibly we might be interrupted in the enjoyment of this pleasing spectacle, if a war should break out, and our constitutional fleet, loaded with members of Parliament, returning-officers, petitions, and witnesses, the electors and elected, should become a prize to the French or Spaniards, and be conveyed to Carthagena, or to La Vera Cruz, and from thence perhaps to Mexico or Lima, there to remain until a cartel for members of Parliament can be settled, or until the war is ended.