+Source.+--_The Lockhart Papers: containing Memoirs and Commentaries
upon the Affairs of Scotland from 1702 to 1715, by George Lockhart,
Esq., of Carnwath. His Secret Correspondence with the Son of King
James the Second from 1718 to 1728, and his other Political
Writings_, vol. ii., p. 134. (London: 1817.)
About the latter end of the year 1724 a resolution passed the House of
Commons whereby, instead of the malt tax, six pence per barrel of ale
was laid of additional duty on Scotland (and not extended to England)
and the premiums on grain exported from thence was taken off. As this
was a plain breach of the Union, in so far as it expressly stipulated
that there shall be an equality of taxes and premiums on trade, every
Scots man was highly enraged at it, for as it was evident that the want
of the premiums would effectively stop the exportation of grain, which
would thereby become a mere drug, no body could foresee to what height
this precedent of taxing Scotland separately from England might
afterwards be extended. Tis impossible to express the resentment of the
nation at this measure, all parties seemed reconciled and to unite in
opposing what was so pernicious to the country in general, and at the
same time touched every particular man's copyhold. The King's friends
laid hold upon this occasion, and privately, underhand, fomented the bad
humour, it not being fit, as indeed there was no need of their
distinguishing their zeal at this time. A meeting of the heritors of the
shire of Edinburgh was called, where I presented an address to the House
of Commons, which being heartily approved of, was signed and next day
sent up by an express to London....
These warm addresses and instructions did not a little startle the Scots
members of Parliament, and even the Ministry; and there were likewise
many private letters written to them by their friends, assuring them of
the highest resentment if they did not perform what was desired and
expected of them. Had these members been endued with a public spirit and
resolution, such applications would have been needless; but as they
consisted of a parcel of people of low fortunes that could not subsist
without their board-wages (which at ten guineas a week during each
session was duly paid them) or mere tools and dependents, it was not to
be expected they would act the part which became them for their
country's service, and therefore these representations were judged
necessary to spur them up to their duty and withal show the Ministry
that the people would not behave so tamely as did their mean spirited
mercenary representatives, who, perceiving they would lose all their
interest and scarce dare venture to return home if they did not follow
the instructions given them, made most humble applications to the
Ministry, who on the other hand being apprehensive the resentment might
be carried to some height, and unwilling, as matters stood in Europe, to
embroil themselves, thought it expedient to drop the resolutions above
mentioned, (which they at first preferred, because they judged it would
be no easy matter to levy the malt tax in Scotland) and agreed with the
Scots members to impose threepence per bushel on malt; being but the
half of what was laid in England; and a bill was accordingly passed as
fast as the forms could possibly allow of, least their constituents
should have time to remonstrate against it....
Some little time before the 23rd of June (on which day the malt tax
commenced) delegates were sent from most of the considerable touns, to
meet and confer with the brewers at Edinburgh, where many proposals
were made for eluding the law, to be, as occasions offered, put in
practice: the first thing to be guarded against was the dutys of malt
stock in hand; and to avoid the heavy penalty of not entering the same,
it was resolved to obey the law in that respect, but at the same time
not to make payment of the duty thereon, and if the Commissioners of
excise sued them, to give over brewing and consequently sink the revenue
of excise, which was indeed chiefly aimed at by those who bestirred
themselves at this time in behalf of the country, that the Government
might perceive they'd lose more of the excise than they could gain by
the malt tax: but what alarmed people most was the unreasonable article
of surcharge, to be levied proportionately off such as entered and paid
the duty of what was malted after 23rd of June, in so far as the clear
produce (after deducing the charges of collecting) fell short of
20,000_l._ sterling, whereby those who submitted to the Government and
paid the malt tax ran the hazard of making up the deficiencie arising
from those who did otherwise, which so startled all the considerable
brewers, who generally speaking are also maltsters, that they found it
absolutely necessary to malt none after the commencement of this duty.
On the 23rd of June, when the duty took place, the excise officers were
obliged to fly out of most of the towns in the western shires, but in
Glasgow the resentment ran higher. Daniell Campbell of Shawfeild, who
represented that burgh in Parliament, having incurred the hatred of the
inhabitants thereof, because he was believed, on too good grounds, to
have had the chief hand in giving the Government such informations of
the way and manner of trading there, as occasioned a few years ago an
act of Parliament, that lay heavily on their tobacco trade, was likewise
said and believed to have encouraged to hope there was no difficulty in
raising the malt tax; and these joined together rendered him detestable
over all the Kingdom, especially at Glasgow, where they threatened to
pull down his new built house, whereof he sent notice to Wade at
Edinburgh on 21st of June, who thereupon ordered a detachment of foot
to march forthwith thither, where they arrived on the 24th at night, but
the guard room being unprepared, they put off taking possession of it
till next day, the soldiers being dismist to their several private
quarters. During the night time a report went about that Daniell
Campbell had brought these soldiers to enslave them, whereupon the mob
got up and destroyed his house, and had he himself been in town, they
had certainly dewitted him. Whilst this was in hand the commanding
officer got his men together, took possession of the guard room and drew
up before it, and tho he met with no insult but from some boys and
women, who threw a few stones at his men, without having previously read
the proclamation, as directed by the law on such occasions, he fired
allongst the streets, which being full of innocent people that came out
of curiosity to know what the matter was, and the windows at the same
time crowded with spectators, about 20 men and women were killd dead and
many more wounded, some whereof in the streets and others in their
houses: the citizens being thereby enraged did ring the fire bell and
brake up the magazine, from whence they armed about 400 men. In the mean
time the magistrates advised the officer to march off his party, for
they could not be protected within the city; on which he made the best
of his way to Dumbarton, but not thinking himself safe in that town he
retired into the castle. The Glasgow mob pursued him a few miles but
could not overtake him.