Thae curst horse-leeches o' th' Excise, And bake them up in brunstane pies Fortune! if thou 'll but gie me still And deal't about as thy blind skill barley-cake abundance The subject here broached is taken up in another poem, of even greater mettle than the preceding. Towards the close of the year 1785, loud complaints were made by the Scottish distillers respecting the vexatious and oppressive manner in which the Excise laws were enforced at their establishments—such rigour, they said, being exercised at the instigation of the London distillers, who looked with jealousy on the success of their northern brethren. So great was the severity of the Excise, that many distillers were obliged to abandon the trade, and the price of barley was beginning to be affected. Illicit distillation was also found to be alarmingly on the increase. In consequence of the earnest remonstrances of the distillers, backed by the county gentlemen, an act was passed in the session of 1786 (alluded to by the author), whereby the duties on low wines, spirits, &c., were discontinued, and an annual tax imposed on stills, according to their capacity. This act gave general satisfaction. It seems to Ferintosh, in Cromartyshire, free of duty. This inconsiderately conferred privilege in time became the source of a great revenue to the family; and Ferintosh was at length recognised as something like a synonym for whisky, so much of it was there distilled. By the act respecting the Scotch distilleries in 1785, this privilege was declared to be abolished, the Lords of the Treasury being left to make such compensation to the existing Mr Forbes as should be deemed just, or, should they fail to make a satisfactory arrangement, the case was to be decided by a jury before the Scottish Court of Exchequer. The Lords failing to satisfy Mr Forbes, the case was accordingly tried by a jury, November 29, 1785, when it was shewn by Mr Henry Erskine, the plaintiff's counsel, that the privilege could be made to yield no less than £7000 a year to the family, though the actual annual gains from it, at an average of the last thirteen years, was but a little more than £1000. He further shewed, that while the right was an undoubted piece of property, which nothing could justly take away, the family had not failed to deserve it, as they had ever continued useful and loyal servants to the government: Mr Duncan Forbes, the late Lord President, having, in particular, spent no less than £20,000 of his private fortune in suppressing the rebellion of 1745-6. The jury surprised the Lords of the Treasury by decreeing the sum of £21,580 for 'loyal Forbes' chartered boast.' have been during the general outcry against fiscal oppression at the end of 1785, or beginning of 1786, that Burns composed THE AUTHOR'S EARNEST CRY AND PRAYER TO THE SCOTCH REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. 'A person at the last stage of cold in the throat is said in Scotland to be roopit. The word is not in Jamieson. 2 Mr Pitt. The poet here alludes, in chief, to Hugh Montgomery of Coilsfield, representative of Ayrshire in parliament, and subsequently twelfth Earl of Eglintoune. He had served as an officer in the American war. 2 James Boswell of Auchinleck, the well-known biographer of Johnson, spoke at the Ayrshire county meetings. He frequently 1 Some o' you nicely ken the laws, Then echo through Saint Stephen's wa's 2 Dempster,' a true blue Scot I'se warran'; The Laird o' Graham; 3 ready-tongued And ane, a chap that's d-d auldfarran, sagacious George Dempster of Dunnichen. See the Epistle to James Smith, and The Vision. 2 Sir Adam Fergusson of Kilkerran, Bart. He had several times represented Ayrshire, but at present was member for the city of Edinburgh. The Marquis of Graham, eldest son of the Duke of Montrose. He became the third Duke of Montrose, and died in 1836. The Right Hon. Henry Dundas, Treasurer of the Navy, and M.P. for Edinburghshire, afterwards Viscount Melville. 3 Probably Thomas Erskine, afterwards Lord Erskine; but he was not then in parliament. * Lord Frederick Campbell, second brother of the Duke of Argyle, Lord Register of Scotland, and M.P. for the county of Argyle in this, and the one preceding, and the two subsequent parliaments. Ilay Campbell, Lord Advocate for Scotland, representative in this parliament of the Glasgow group of burghs. He was afterwards President of the Court of Session, and died in 1823 at an advanced age. This stanza, alluding to the imperfect elocution of the gallant Montgomery of Coilsfield, was omitted from the poem by the author. Arouse, my boys! exert your mettle, Or faith! I'll wad my new plough-pettle, pledge She'll teach you wi' a reekin' whittle, This while she's been in crankous mood, (Deil na they never mair do guid, And now she's like to rin red-wud And L-! if ance they pit her till 't, And durk and pistol at her belt, And rin her whittle to the hilt For G-sake, sirs! then speak her fair, And strive, wi' a' your wit and lear, Yon ill-tongued tinkler, Charlie Fox, And send him to his dicing-box And sportin' lady. Tell yon guid bluid o' auld Boconnocks, ere knife trick mad fellow A militia bill for Scotland was introduced into parliament in 1782, when the country was in danger of French and Dutch invasion. The Rockingham ministry, perhaps taking alarm at the attitude of the Irish militia, proposed a clause at the third reading for facilitating enlistment from the designed militia into the army; and the bill, being declined in this form by Dempster and other patriots, was lost. * Mr Pitt's father, the Earl of Chatham, was the second son of Robert Pitt of Boconnock, in the county of Cornwall. Scones made from a mixture of oats, peas, or beans, with wheat or barley, ground fine, and denominated mashlum, are in general use, and form a wholesome and palatable food.'— New Statistical Account of Scotland, parish of Dalry, Ayrshire. |