A Letter from a Gentleman in Glasgow to his Friend in the Country
A
LETTER
From a Gentleman in Glasgow to his friend in
the Country.
Concerning the late Tumults which happened in that
City, in the Year 1725, at the commencement
of the Malt Tax.
containing,
Printed in the Year 1774.
A LETTER
ACCORDING to your desire, I now send you a true and particular account of the disorders which happened in this place in the month of June last, by which you will perceive that the accounts thereof published in the Edinburgh and London news-paper, are for the most part false. No doubt you have observed in these accounts, that the conduct of the magistrates was condemned, and on the other hand, that the conduct of capt. Bushel who commanded the detatchment of foot then in town, was justified: But by the following narrative, you will see that the magistrates did upon that occasion, all that could have been expected from men in their circumstances; and that on the other hand captain Bushel, in destroying so many of the inhabitants, acted with the utmost precipitation.
On the twenty third of June, when the malt tax, as regulated in the last session of parliament, was to take place in Scotland, there appeared pretty early in the streets and about the skirts of the city where the malt barns are situated, a number of idle women and boys, whose design was to hinder the excise officers to enter into these barns: Tho' the magistrates caused these idle people to be dispersed when and wheresoever they appeared, yet the officers did not attempt to enter the barns, fearing that from these small beginnings upon such an occasion as this of levying the malt tax, a more formidable mob might grow up, against which the magistrates might not be able to protect them, besides they were every day in expectation that a party of the king's forces would be sent to Glasgow, to protect them in that service. On the day following being the 24th, the same set of idle people appeared now and then in the streets and corners of the city, but as soon as they appeared they were dispersed by the magistrates. About six o'clock at night two companys of lord Delorain's regiment of foot, commanded by captain Bushel, came to town: The magistrates ordered the guard house to be opened and fitted up for their reception; while this was a doing, the town servants were all of a sudden attacked, and driven out of the guard by a mob, who locked up the doors, and carried off the keys. The provost, who is the head magistrate of the city, getting intelligence hereof, sent his officers to break open the doors, and a little after was going in person to see it done, but in his way was met by some of the inhabitants, who told him that his officers were beaten and bruised by the mob, and driven away from the guard; that it would be dangerous for him to venture his person among them; and that the soldiers being but few, and fatigued with a long march in very bad weather, it would be more commodious for them, and would more effectually quiet the minds of the people, and secure the peace of the town, to send them into quarters for that night, and to cause the inhabitants to keep guard as usual. The provost acquainted the captain hereof, who appeared to be well satisfied with it, because his men were much fatigued, and as he said, he expected next day to be re-inforced with other two companies, and so the provost caused the ordinary guard to be warned.
This being over the provost, and Mr. Campbell of Blythswood, the only other justice of the peace then in town, the dean of guild, and other inhabitants of the place, waited in the town-house till near nine o'clock at night, and there being no appearance of any disorder, they went into a tavern, leaving orders with their officers to watch in the streets, and if any tumult appeared, to acquaint them thereof.
After 10 o'clock at night, the provost and company with him received an account, that the mob had assaulted the house of Daniel Campbell of Shawfield, member of parliament for the city, which stands in one of the extremities of the town. This account was exceedingly surprizing to the provost and all that were with him, because they had not the least knowledge or apprehension any such design: However they all immediately repaired to Mr. Campbell's house, where they found a more formidable mob than heretofore had appeared in the streets, consisting of a good number of sturdy young fellows armed with clubs and other weapons, having also large hammers and other such tools proper for breaking up the doors, and beating down the house, not one of them were known to the provost and his company; however they dealt with them partly by intreaties, and partly by threats to desist their enterprise; After a long time spent with them, they at length prevailed upon them to retire, which they did accordingly; but as they were going off, they were met and turned back by a great many rioters, who were coming towards Mr. Campbell's house upon the same design; these insulted the provost and the gentlemen that were with him to the highest degree, beat down the town officers, and threatned to cut the provost and his company in pieces; and because they did not retire at these threats, they went about to lay violent hands upon them, so that at length they were obliged to fly for their lives, being in their fight pursued by a good number of the rioters, from whom they escaped with great difficulty
The provost, as I told you before, had caused some of the inhabitants be advertised to mount guard as usual, yet this unfortunate accident falling out before their ordinary time of mounting guard, which is between ten and eleven o'clock at night, diverted them from going to the guard that night, tho' in reality they were twice warned to it both before and after the soldiers came to the town: But supposing they had been upon guard they could have been of no use upon such an occasion as this, or against such a formidable mob, because they were but few in number, and consist of the poorer sort of people, who are hired to that service by the other inhabitants; and they are no other than so many watch-men whose business is to alarm the inhabitants in case of fire, and to prevent disorders by drunkards, thieves, and other such persons in the night time.
When it was near twelve o'clock at night, the provost being then deliberating with the gentlemen that were with him, about calling for the assistance of the military, a serjeant came to the provost from capt. Bushell, offering him his assistance, if there was any occasion for it. The provost said, that he was most willing to accept of the assistance of the captain and his soldiers, but asked the serjeant how he proposed to gather his soldiers together? The serjeant answered by beating the drum. The provost reply'd that by this the rioters who were now most numerous and outragious, would be alarmed; that they would assault the drums, beat down and disarm the soldiers, one by one as they came severally out of their quarters, so that they should not be able to repair to any place of rendezvous; also the men being in bed, and the rioters in full possession of the house, going through every corner of it with lighted candles, the mischief would probably be over before the soldiers could be gathered: To all this the serjeant answered that things might so fall out for that was the case, the men were all in bed.
The rioters being thus absolute masters of the house, spared nothing but the walls, floors, and roof, which they could neither so easily, nor so suddenly pull down; of the houshold goods, some part they destroyed, and other part they carried off; yet a good part of the most valuable furniture was saved for Mr. Campbell's use, being carried off by honest people who went in to save what they could.
While all this was a doing, Mr. Campbell and his family were at his country house of Woodhall, eight miles distant from the town, he himself had gone thither on Tuesday the 22d of June, being the day before the malt tax commenced, and next day he was followed by his lady and children and some servants; so that there were only a few servants in the house when this riot happened. Whether Mr. Campbell removed himself and family at that time, from an apprehension of this misfortune, or not, I cannot tell, but it is certain that one John Woddrow, did inform Hector Thomson, Mr. Campbell's servant, while Mr. Campbell was yet in town, that there was a flying report that his master's house was to be pulled down; and Thomson having acquainted his master thereof, returned to Woddrow, telling him, that his master thanked him for his information. The foresaid John Woddrow declared this upon oath before his majesty's advocate, when he made inquisition into that matter at Glasgow, of which I shall here after acquaint you. One would believe that Mr. Campbell's removal proceeded from this information, but it is very strange that he never told the magistrates here of, who, if they had got timely notice, could easily have prevented the whole mischief: However, tho' Mr. Campbell neglected to give the foresaid information to the magistrates, by which his house might have been saved, yet it is not to be doubted that he took care of his cash, bills, banknotes, jewels, and other such valuable things which could be removed without observation.
Next day being Friday the 25th of June, the provost set tradesmen on work to secure and shut up the passages to Mr. Campbell's house, which was done accordingly. Then about eleven o'clock he put the soldiers in possession of the guard house; and for further security of the peace of the town, he ordered two hundred of the inhabitants to assemble at the town house at three o'clock in the afternoon, there to attend for receiving such orders as should be thought fit to be given them; but this was also diverted by the dismal transactions that happened before the time of their meeting.
Between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, the provost with a good many merchants and others being then walking before the town-house, there appeared a mob, consisting for the most part of women and boys, armed with clubs and such other weapons, who had been gathered together by an old woman beating a drum before them; when they approached to the town-house the provost and those that were with him attacked them and disarmed them, and with their own arms beat them off, and dispersed them; these gathering themselves together by lanes and back ways, appeared a little after before the main guard, and threw some stones at the soldiery, upon which captain Bushell turned out his guard, caused them form into a hollow square, by which they faced towards the four streets which center at the guard-house. One would believe from this disposition made by the captain, that he was to be attacked on all sides by a formidable enemy; but from the declarations of about thirty or foureye-witnesses, it appears that the enemy which he was afraid of, was a mob consisting for the most part of women and boys, that of these a great many were drawn together out of curiosity, when the soldiers formed themselves into a square; that such of the mob as came thither with an evil design, had no arms nor other weapons; nor could they do any mischief to the soldiery but by throwing of stones; that they having thrown some stones at the soldiers, the captain advanced towards a young man who was doing no harm and beat him so unmercifully with his half pike that he brake it in pieces, upon which some more stones were thrown at them, but no danger done, no soldier either wounded or bruised: The King's proclamation was not read, but the captain swore by God, if they would not depart, he would fire upon them: And because his orders were not immediately obeyed, he was as good as his word; while the soldiers were presenting their firelocks, some of the mob run away, yet he gave command to fire, and by this first fire, two innocent persons who were not concerned in the tumult, but going about their lawful business, and who knew nothing either or his orders of his threatnings, were shot dead in the streets. Some gentlemen who were diverting themselves at bowls in the bowlling-green, hearing this first fire, came rushing out into the Candleriggs; though there was no mob in that street, and no stones thrown from thence, yet the platoon that faced that way fired upon them, and would have done execution, had not the gentlemen as soon as the soldiers were presenting their muskets, covered themselves under a house, yet by this fire a poor man was wounded who was crossing the street about his lawful business. A poor blacksmith with his cloak about him passing by the head of one of these streets, neither doing nor fearing any harm, was shot thro' the head by one of these officers, with a pistol which he had concealed under his cloaths, and the same officer advancing forward from his platoon, either with the same or another pistol, shot another poor tradesman who was passing by without doing or designing any harm. Tho' by these bloody and cruel executions the mob was all at once dispersed and the streets cleared, yet the soldiers continued to fire, pointing their firelocks to the sides of the streets, the entries of closses, and to windows two or three stairs high: So that while the poor dying people, lay weltering in their blood upon the streets, it was dangerous for any person to draw near to give them any assistance. One woman was shot upon a fair; another beneath a stair; and a third, being a young gentlewoman, was shot looking throw a window into the streets two stairs high.
While this bloody tragedy was acting at the guard, the provost with a good number of the inhabitants was at the town house, from whence he dispatched a gentleman to captain Bushell, to expostulate with him how he came to fire without givin ghim advice thereof before hand, as he promised in the forenoon when he was put in possession of the guard; the captain's answer to the gentleman was, that he could not stand to be knocked down with his men: The gentleman replyed, that if he had given previous notice to the provost, he would have dispersed the inconsiderable mob that assaulted him, without shedding one drop of their blood. During this conference the firing ceased, upon which some people appearing from the houses and closses into which they had retired, the gentleman taking captain Bashell's cane out of his hand, run towards them and chased them away: And returning to the captain, observed to him what an easy matter it was to have prevented all this bloodshed, and intreated him to give over firing, till he returned to him from the provost. When the gentleman came to the provost, he found him beset by a more formidable mob than was at the guard, who being exasperated at the murder of so many of their fellow citizens, threatned revenge upon the soldiers, and destruction to the provost and his company if they opposed them; and forth with running up stairs to the town-house magazine, broke up the doors, carried out the arms, and rung the fire bell to alarm the whole city. The provost fearing that the soldiers would be cut in pieces, dispatched the same gentleman to the captain to acquaint him of all this, and to tell him it was his opinion, that the properest way to save himself and his soldiers, was to retire out of the city. The captain retired accordingly, and all the time of their retreat, though no mob followed them, some of the soldiers faced about and fired upon people that were only looking after them, and not offering them any violence. When they came to the West-port, through which they were to march out of the town, one of the soldiers espying a shoe-maker standing at the head of a street, aimed at him and shot him dead, though there was no tumult there, and this poor man having been at another end of the town knew nothing of what had passed at the guard. There were in all nine persons killed and seventeen wounded.
This account of the foresaid bloody action, I have extracted from the declarations of near forty persons who were eye-witnesses of the facts, and whose declarations are in writing hereof in my hand. And now Sir, I submit to your judgment, whether captain Bushell's conduct in this matter be justifiable or not, or if he has not been guilty of the most unaccountable rashness. After the soldiers retired, they marched to Dumbarton, which is distant ten long miles from this place, but by the way they took, is fourteen miles; which abstracting from the foresaid declarations, is of itself a substantial evidence of that part of the foresaid narrative, that the soldiers received no mischief by the stones that were thrown at them.
About an hour after they marched from Glasgow, they were followed by a good number of people, who after their departure, were provoked to see so many of their fellow citizens destroyed; of these very few were in arms, and of such as were armed, few had fire arms, and as I am informed such fire arms as they had were unfit for service. They did not overtake them, but only came up with two stragglers, who through bodily indisposition, under which they had laboured for some days before, were not able to keep up with the rest in their hasty march; to these they offered not the least violence, only brought them prisoners to the town. Upon their first enterance, one of them by the assistance of some of the inhabitants, made his escape, the other was assaulted and beaten by the friends of the dead and wounded persons, but at length was rescued by other of the inhabitants and put unto safe custody, and a surgeon was appointed to attend him; and in a few days after he was perfectly cured of his wounds; and got money to carry him to Edinburgh.
As soon as the news of this matter reached Edinburgh, a most scandalous account thereof was published in the Caledonian Mercury, of the 29th of June, reflecting on the magistrates of Glasgow, and containing gross insinuations of their being accessary to all these disorders. It was said, "That capt. Bushell, as soon as the mob began to assemble, at Mr. Campbell's house, sent to the magistrates for orders to disperse them, but they answered, that they did not think it convenient to make use of his assistance." From what I have said you will see, that the mob began to assemble at ten o'clock at night, and the foresaid message from capt. Bushell, did not come to the provost till near twelve, when the mob was most numerous and outragious, and when it would have been the greatest imprudence to beat up the soldiers out of their quarters. It is also said in the foresaid news paper, "That capt. Bushell when insulted by the mob, at the guard, caused a constable read the proclamation, the magistrates it seems not thinking it safe to countenance him." Whereas in truth there was no constable there, no proclamation read, and the magistrates would have willingly, without any apprehension of danger, countenanced capt. Bushell, and suppressed the mob, but the captain did not advertise them of it, but of his own accord fired upon the mob, and killed sundry of them upon the spot. Its further said, "That capt. Bushell fired at first blunt shot, hoping thereby to affright the mob." Whereas by the first fire two persons were killed. Its also insinuated in the foresaid news papers, "That when the magistrates advised the captain to retire with the detatchment out of town, there was no necessity for it;" and yet if they had not retired, it is highly probable they would have been all cut in pieces. It is likewise said, "That on Saturday the mob continued ringing of fire bells, &c. and pulling down the roof and floors of Shawfield's house;" this is also false, for there were no fire bells rung after Friday, when captain Bushell committed the above mentioned slaughter: Neither were the roof nor floors of Mr. Campbell's house pulled down, but remain unto this day. The next harangue is, "That two of the soldiers who were so bruised with stones, that they were not able to keep up with the party, fell into the hands of the mob, who used them very barbarously; one escaped into a house, but the other is so bruised with stones that his life is despaired of;" all this is absolutely false as appears by the foregoing account. That two of the mob went to Dumbarton, and threatned the inhabitants if they received captain Bushell and his soldiers, is what I know nothing about. And lastly, if the mob threatned to assassinate Mr. Campbell at his country house, yet it is certain they never went thither.
It is said, that the magistrates of Edinburgh were the publishers of this account, and particularly that they called upon Mr James M'Even to print it; that because of the many reflections upon the magistrates of Glasgow therein contained, he refused to do it: That thereupon they called for one Rolland, publisher of the Caledonian Mercury, who at their desire published it in the said news paper. When the magistrates of Glasgow had notice of it, they wrote a short account of the foresaid disorders, and sent it to Mr. M'Euen to be inserted in his Courant, but he was forbid by the magistrates of Edinburgh to do it on pain of imprisonment, and after the fame was privately printed, they under the same penalty discharged the Edinburgh hawkers to call it about in the streets.
Sir, I leave it to you to judge if the publishing such a scandalous libel, in which his majesty's best subjects were represented as rioters and rebels, were not a real disservice done to his majesty; and if the restraining the liberty of the press, by which they were hindered to justify themselves from these vile imputations which had been cast upon them, was not oppression in a high degree.
I cannot acquaint you what accounts of this matter were sent to their excellencies, the lords justices of Great Britain, but it would appear by the consequences, that the city of Glasgow had been represented to their lordships as in a state of rebellion; for by their excellencies orders, general Wade did on the 9th of July last march towards the said city, a considerable body of his majesty's forces, consisting of my lord Delorain's regiment of foot, six troops of the Royal Scots dragoons, as many of the earl of Stair's dragoons, and one of the independent companies of Highlanders, under the command of Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnel, with a Train of Artillery, ammunition, &c. and when the general approached the city, he made a halt with his forces, and sent a letter to the magistrates, signifying, "That he was by their excellencies, ordered to march a body of his majesty's forces into the city of Glasgow, in order to support the civil power in restoring the peace and quiet of the city; and being informed that several of the inhabitants had armed themselves, and kept a guard in the town, he required the magistrates to disarm them, and secure their arms in some safe magazine." But the general was soon satisfied that this was calumny and misrepresentation, for as the magistrates had acquainted him in their answer to his letter, the city was in perfect peace, and he marched his troops and train into it without the least disturbance, and that night they were all lodged within the city.
Mr. Duncan Forbes his majesty's advocate attended the general in this expedition; his business was to make a strict inquiry into the disorders that had happened, and to discover the authors thereof. On Saturday being the 10th of July, a great many persons of the best character in town, were examined before him, and they all testified the truth of what I have above mentioned, in relation to the provost's conduct. On Monday early in the morning, a great many poor people were taken out of their beds, and committed prisoners to the guard, on suspicion that they had been concerned in the late riots; but upon examination the greater part was dismissed, the rest being about twenty in number were remanded to prison. That day the two companies of capt. Bushell which retired to Dumbarton, returned to Glasgow. The advocate continued his inquisition the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday following, all persons that were summoned compeared, and were examined upon oath, but it could not be discovered that any person of note or character in the place was in the least concerned in the late riots. On Thursday afternoon the magistrates with the dean of guild and deacon conveener were called upon by the advocate, and sundry interrogatories proposed to them, which they answered. I cannot acquaint you what discoveries did arise from these answers, because tho' they were wrote down, yet the advocate has always excused himself from giving a copy thereof when it was demanded of him by the magistrates.
I am now come to the strange and surprizing transactions which happened on Friday the 16th of July. On that day about noon capt. Bushell's detachment of foot was drawn up at the mercat cross near to the tolbooth: the captain himself brought thither from the guard house in his own hands a bundle of ropes, which he carried into the foresaid prison, and there bound the prisoners, which as I have above mentioned were suspected to have been concerned in the foresaid riots. After this they were brought down from the prison in their manacles, and delivered to the custody of the said captain and his detachment, to be by them carried prisoners to Edinburgh. While this was a doing Charles Miller provost, John Stirling, James Johnson, and James Mitchell, bailies, John Stark dean of guild, John Armour deacon conveener, are all apprehended by a constable, and incarcerated in the tolbooth of Glasgow, by six several warrants issued by his majesty's advocate. The news of this flying through the city, brought together to the mercat cross a vast concourse of people, who were all exceedingly surprized at these strange operations. I am very far from believing or imagining, that my lord advocate intended any evil by these proceedings; but I am sure they had a natural tendency to create new disorders in the place: but God be thanked no such things happened; the multitude at the desire of the wiser sort of the inhabitants dispersed all at once, and returned to their habitations.
The tenor of the warrant for committing the magistrates was much the same; and the form of the warrant is such.
By the Right Hon. Duncan Forbes his Majesty's Advocate, and one of the Justices of the Peace for the Shire of Lanerk.
"WHEREAS it appears by the examination of divers witnesses upon oath taken before me, That the magistrates of Glasgow, and particularly Charles Miller the present provost, has by his conduct as a magistrate, favoured and encouraged the mobs, tumults, and riotous assemblies which happened at Glasgow upon the 24th, and 25th of June last, whereby the house of Daniel Campbell of Shawfield was entirely pillaged, and in a great measure destroyed; and whereby two companies of his majesty's forces lying in Glasgow, were violently assaulted and invaded, compelled to retire out of the town, and pursued by an armed force, who made two of their number prisoners, and maltreated them barbarously when they were so prisoners in the streets of Glasgow. And whereas by the late examination, it also appears, that the said provost Miller is guilty of divers other acts of partiality and male administration in his office, with respect to the discharge of his duty towards the actors in the said riots and tumults: These are therefore requiring you to seize the body of the said Charles Miller, and to commit him prisoner to the tolbooth of Glasgow, there to be detained in custody, until he shall be from thence delivered over to a sufficient guard of his majesty's forces, to be appointed by the general, in order to his being transported safe to the tolbooth of Edinburgh, there to abide his trial. And the magistrates and keepers of the tolbooth of Edinburgh are hereby required to receive the body of the said Charles Miller, when he shall be delivered to them as above, and to detain him in sure custody within their tolbooth, until he shall be from thence liberated by due order of law. Given at Glasgow the 16th July 1725 years. Sic subscribitur, Dun. Forbes."
"To the constables of the shire of Lanerk, or any of them. To the keepers of the tolbooth of Glasgow, and to the magistrates and keepers of the tolbooth of Edinburgh."
The authority from whence these wartants proceeded, occasioned great speculations among the gentlemen of the law. The Lords of justiciary who are supreme judges in criminals within Scotland, when this affair came before them, gave it as their opinion, that since the union his majesty's advocate had no power of commitment. It would seem that the advocate himself was also of this opinion because he adds in the warrant as another source of his authority, "That he is one of the justices of the peace in the shire of Lanerk." But then it is much doubted if it is in the power of any one justice of peace to commit the whole magistrates of a place, and especially the provost of the city of Glasgow, who besides being his majesty's lieutenant there, is a justice of peace in special for the city, and therefore within that jurisdiction not subject to the authority of any other justice within the county. But further, it is hard to be understood, how a justice of peace in the county of Lanerk, could by law order any person whatsoever to be committed to the custody of the king's forces, to be by them carried out of the county of Lanerk, thro' the counties of Dumbarton, Stirling, Linlithgow, and unto the county of Edinburgh, there to be imprisoned. But these things I leave to the consideration of lawyers, and proceed to consider the crimes expressed in the warrants, as the cause of their commitment.
It is said, "That by their conduct they favoured and encouraged the mobs, &c, whereby Mr. Campbell's house was riffled, and whereby two companies of the king's forces were assaulted, compelled to retire out of town, pursued and two of them taken and beaten in the streets, and were also guilty of divers other acts of partiality and male administration in the discharge of their office, with respect to the said rioters." How this charge is to be maintained against these gentlemen is more than I can tell, I have heard it said that the provost was much to be blamed because he did not put the soldiers in possession of the guard upon their first arrival; because for that night the guard was not kept by the inhabitants or any other, the like whereof had never happened since the revolution; and because he did not call for the assistance of the soldiers; and when captain Bushell offered it he refused it. But all this is abundantly defended by the foregoing narrative. And tho' we should grant that he might have done better, yet it would be the greatest hardship in the world to charge a gentleman as being accessory to a crime, when it is plain he intended to hinder the commission of it, and pursued his intentions by such methods as seemed at that time most proper to him and to all that were about him. It is a difficult task to manage in the midst of great and sudden confusions, but it is exceedingly easy to reflect upon a man's management after it is over. It has been also said that John Stirling and James Johnson were at the time of this riot absent from the place, very true, but did they foresee that this riot was to come to pass, and to encourage it went out of the way? by no means; for Mr. Stirling was at Edinburgh two or three weeks before it happened, and was obliged to be there upon private affairs, and particularly attending a law suit which was not determined till the very day before the riot happened, and on that very day was settling and finishing all matters in respect to the said law snit before he left Edinburgh. Mr. Johnson was at the fair or public mercat of Perth, to which place he had gone from Glasgow some days before, and he being a dealer in linen cloth which is sold in great quantities in that mercat, he has not been known for thirty years past to be once absent from that fair. Mr. Mitchell who is the youngest magistrate in the city, was in his own house at the time; when the news of the riot was brought to him, not knowing of the provost's being there, he was afraid to venture himself into the tumult, and tho' otherwise abundantly capable for his office as a magistrate, yet be is very unfit for adventures of that kind; it is true he being trades bailie, might be supposed to have more than ordinary influence upon the rioters; but it is true also that among these rioters there was not one tradesman of character, or who was either burgess or freeman in the city, and its probable that most of them were strangers from the country: It is hard to imagine in what manner the charge is to be maintained against John Stark dean of guild; this gentleman though he is not a magistrate of the city, yet as he had done all that day, so all that night he acted in concert with the provost, and did all that was in his power for suppressing the tumult; and nothing seems to be chargeable upon him, but that he had not power enough to suppress it. As for John Armour deacon conveener, he was in his house that night, but knew nothing of the riot till next morning; and this was no extraordinary thing, for that affair having been transacted in a corner of the town, and late at night, there were many huudreds of families in the place, especially such as lived in back lanes as this gentleman did, who understood nothing of the matter till next morning. In the last place perhaps it will be charged upon all of them, that after the tumults were over they did not take up the rioters; but the answer is plain, few or none of these rioters were known to them; and if it had been otherwise, yet considering the ferment that was in town occasioned by the shedding of so much innocent blood, it was too hard a task for them to undertake; and his majesty's advocate was not insensible of this, for when he came upon that errand, he was guarded by a considerable body of his majesty's forces. But to return to the thread of the story.
On Saturday the 17th of July, the foresaid gentlemen were brought out of the tolbooth of Glasgow, and under a guard of the Royal Scots Dragoons, were conducted prisoners to Falkirk, where they rested next day, being Sunday. On Monday about noon captain Bushell arrived at Edinburgh with his prisoners, who were committed to the castle without any warrant; but to supply that defect, the warrant was sent to the commander of that garrison after their commitment. About five o'clock in the afternoon the foresaid gentlemen were brought to the town, they were met by another party of the Royal Scots Dragoons, some of Stair's Dragoons and two companies of Highlanders, and by all these they were conducted in great triumph thro' the streets to the tolbooth of Edinburgh. They were met at some distance from the town by several gentleman from Edinburgh, and fourty or fifty of their own merchants, who came from Glasgow to accompany them into the city of Edinburgh, upon this extraordinary occasion.
Next day, being the 20th of July, application was made for them to the Lords of Justiciary, that they might be liberated upon bail; this had been offered to the advocate a Glasgow when they were committed to the prison there, but he refused it, saying that the crime was not bailable, yet the Lords of Justiciary did unanimously give sentence to the contrary, and bail being given, they were by their lordships orders set at liberty about fix o'clock that night.
On Wednesday the 21st, two of the magistrates left Edinburgh, and arrived at Glasgow that evening; they were met at five or fix miles distance from the town by some hundreds of the inhabitants on horseback, who conducted them into the city, where they were received with ringing of bells, and other demonstrations of joy.
I am, SIR,
Yours, &c.
Glasgow, Sep. 1st. 1725.
THE END
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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