peculiar circumstances and fituation, omitted no occafion of teftifying her gratitude, by the fulleft approbation of all the conduct of minifters, and the most perfect fatisfaction in those measures, which were elsewhere productive of fo 'much uneafinefs, and fuch heartburnings, in all other parts of the British dominions. The fpirit of fanaticism, which has fo often laid the proudest monuments of human wifdom and power in the duft, was, even there, to produce a revolution in that fettled temper and difpofition, which had hitherto flood the teft, and fhewn fuch fuperior proof, to the application of every other public and political touchftone.

Upon the paffing of the late law, in favour of the English Roman Catholics, fome gentlemen of confideration and authority in the northern part of the united kingdom, expreffed their warm wishes in parliament, that its benefits were extended to thofe of that communion in their own country; and as the feason was then too far advanced, declared their intention of bringing in a bill for that purpose in the enfuing feffion. Si milar fentiments feemed to prevail during the rceefs with fome others; and as that spirit of intolerance, which had once fo peculiarly diftinguished Scotland from other reformed countries, was fuppofed to have been in a great measure worn away, along with the darkness of the times, from which fuch a difpofition generally derives its force; it was fcarcely imagined that the intended meature of relief would have produced any confiderable degree of oppofition, or even of

murmur.

The general affembly of the

church of Scotland happened to be fitting at the very time that the English act was in agitation; and that body rejected, by a majority of above an hundred voices, a motion then made, for a remonftrance to parliament against the paffing of the bill. This inflance of moderation in the national church could not but afford great encouragement to the Catholics in Scotland to hope, that they should be permitted to partake of the indulgence which had been granted to their brethren in England, and in Ireland. They accordingly prepared a petition to parliament, and employed counsel to frame the outlines of a bill for that purpose.

While matters were in this train, an inflammatory pamphlet, against the doctrines and members of popery, reprefenting the latter as inimical to all ftates, and as the common enemies of mankind, was written by a nonjuring clergyman, printed at the expence of the fociety for propagating Chriftian knowledge, and circulated with great induftry through every order of the people. The effects of this publication foon began to appear in fome of the provincial fynods, where the matter being taken up and agitated with much heat, angry refolutions were paffed against the unfortunate people who were the objects of their jealoufy; and thefe refolutions, including a full determination of oppofing every measure of relief which was might be intended for them, being published in the news-papers, could not fail to excite fome ferment. The conduct of the fynod of Lothian and Tweeddale, upon which the eyes of the people were particularly turned, feemed, however, calculated

30

calculated to restrain that fury of geal, which was now generating, from fpreading to any great extent. Notwithstanding the efforts of a violent party among themselves, the humane refolution iffued by that affembly, went totally to difclaim their having any hand in oppofing the mild intentions of government, for giving relief to their fellow-fubjects.

Whatever good effects might have been expected from this temperate conduct, they were entirely defeated or prevented, by the activity and boldness of a few obfcure zealots in Edinburgh; who, under the guife of fome established political body of the ftate, undertook the protection and defence of the pational church in the place of their clergy, whom they charged with a fcandalous and impious defertion of the caufe of God and religion. This felf-created body, artfully concealing their infignifi. cance, by ftudioully keeping their names, occupations, and number in total darknefs, equally availed themfelves of the opportunity which their fituation in the capital afford ed, of affuming an extraordinary degree of importance; and under the fpecious and pompous title of the committee for the proteftant intereft, eafily paffed upon the public, not only for men of rank, confequence, and authority, but as the acting delegates of a ftill greater body.

Under this delufive appearance, to which the prejudices or fears of the people afforded all the fanétion they could with, they foon became fo popular, that committees for correfponding with them were eftablished in feveral parts of that country, and particularly in the

western hires; and the public confidence and opinion increafing in proportion to the magnitude of the dangers which they defcribed, and were fuppofed to have difcovered, they were confidered as the fittest and most effective agents, for applying the contributions of the well-difpofed to the immediate defence of religion. Thus a few unknown men feemed to be entrufted with the care of the purfes, as well as of the confciences of the people; and by this means they were enabled to publish and diftribute inflammatory pamphlets gratis, and without number; while the news-papers and freets were crowded with letters, paragraphs, and hand-bills, teeming with fedition, invective, and abuse; all tending evidently to excite a people, naturally warm and irritable, to acts of outrage, The effect anfwered their mott fanguine expectations; and they foon beheld the flame which they had fo fuccefsfully (they faid unintentionally) blown up, not only spread through every part of Scotland, but extended into the fouthern part of the united kingdom; until, at length, it li terally blazed forth in its utmost violence, and attended with all its horrors, in the metropolis of the empire.

As people are always curious to know fomething of thofe inftruments, that are the means of producing extraordinary or unexpected effects, it may be expected that we fhould take fome notice of the committee in question. From the only account of it which we have feen, and which is faid to have been obtained with no fmall diffi culty, it appears, that in point of number it amounted only to thir

teen

teen perfons; that the three firft or principal of thefe, fo far as may be judged from apparent rank or condition, were, a merchant, a goldfmith, and a teacher of the poor in an hofpital; that the remainder were either men exercifing mean trades, or elie writing. clerks, fome ferving in countinghouses, and others in public offices; excepting only the thirteenth, who being yet an apprentice, filled, notwithstanding, the important office of fecretary to the committee. Such were the redoubted champions, who undertook the protection and defence of an established national religion; already guarantied and fortified, not only by its invincible truth and holiness, but by laws, habits, length of poffeffion, public opinion, and the united force of a whole empire.

The wretched people who were thus marked out as the obje@s of public execration and vengeance, apprehending the moft fatal confequences from the dangerous *fpirit now raised, thought it prudent and neceffary, early in the year 1779, to acquaint Lord North, through fome of the northern members of parliament, that chufing rather to facrifice their own future eafe and advantage, than to endanger the immediate peace of their country, they would accordingly refrain from any application to the legiflature, for the expected, and fo much wished-for indulgence. And hoping to affuage the fury and rage of the multitude, the letter written upon the fubject by thefe gentlemen to the minifter, including that refolution, and act of forbearance on their fide, which totally removed every new object

of jealoufy and difcontent, was publifhed in the news-papers.

No conceffion could, however, allay the fury of that outrageous zeal which was now let loofe. For fome time the Roman Catholics had been fubjected, in open daylight, and in the public streets, to contumelious treatment and fhock. ing threats, from the enraged rabble. Magiftracy probably did not imagine to what lengths they might proceed. As the deftined time of vengeance drew near, feveral days previous norice was publicly given, by an infinite number of incendiary letters and hand-bills, which were difperfed through every part of Edinburgh, not only fpecifying time, place, and object, but calling upon, or fummoning, the affittance of the people in the enter prize.

This public announcement of a dangerous defign, did not produce a greater alarm, or any measure of prevention; and was followed by feveral light attacks with ftones, and other miffile weapons, which feemed only calculated to feel the courage, and to excite the rage of the populace, and which went no farther than the breaking of windows, or other fimilar mifchiefs; which were all paffed over in the fame manner.

1779.

On the appointed day, Feb. zd., the first and great object of attack, was a new houfe, in which the principal Roman Catholic clergyman, or bishop, along with feveral other families of that perfuafion, dwelt; one room or floor of which had been defigned and prepared for a place of worfhip, or private chapel, as being more commodious than another of the fame nature, and fituated like

on this enlargement of defign and abject, ferved, however, greatly to damp the fpirit of future enterprize. Their firft fury was directed to the houfe of Profeffor Robertfon, the celebrated hiftorian, and to that of Mr. Crosbie, an eminent advocate; who ftanding high, if not at the head of his profeffion, was still more diftinguished by the excellency of his character and difpofition. The enlightened views and liberal fentiments of the first of thefe gentlemen, which rendered him an enemy to all perfecution, rendered him an object of it to the deluded populace; and the fecond had fubmitted to the crime of being profeffionally employed as counfel by that people, and of having accordingly drawn up the bill, which their reprefenta tives had intended to prefent to parliament. The mob found the houfes of thefe gentlemen fo well armed, and guarded with fo determined a refolution by their numerous friends, that they refrained from proceeding to extremities; and retired, without any farther outrage than the breaking of fome windows.

These attempts feemed to alarm the magistracy; as it did not feem now eafy to determine, to what farther lengths the malice of zeal might be carried, nor to what extent the objects of its revenge might be multiplied. They accordingly ordered fome troops of dragoons into the town, who, with detachments from the Duke of Buccleugh's regiment of fenci bles, formed chains across the Atreets and paffes. But the fame weakness or inertnefs on the fide of the civil government fill con

tinued; and the foldiers, standing with arms in their hands, on this odious and painful duty, were moft fhamefully pelted with ftones, and grievously wounded by the mob.

At length, on the last day of the week, a proclamation of a fingular nature was published by the magiftracy. the magistracy. In that piece, the Lord Provoft affures the people, that no repeal of the penal ftatutes against papifts fhould take place. The paft riots are attributed to the apprehenfions, fears, and dillreffed minds of well-meaning people. But they are informed, that," after this public affurance, the magiftrates will take the most vigorous measures for repreffing any tumultuous or riotous meetings of the populace, which may hereafter arife; being fatisfied that any future diforders will proceed only from the wicked views of bad and defigning men." A claufe which feems to imply the ftrange conceffion, that the magistrates had not hitherto done their duty in fuppreffing the riots; and the no less extraordinary propofition, that the patt diforders proceeded from good and well-difpofed people.

The example of Edinburgh was in fome degree copied in Glafgow; but the conduct of the magiftrates in that great trading city was widely different. The objects of perfecution being few in the latter, and being almoft wholly, as for the greater part they were in the former, compofed of poor and laborious people, who were even deftitute of a clergyman of their own profeffion, the fury of the populace was first. and principally directed to a Mr.

Bagnal,