Star. — London, England, 1813-04-05 00:00:00

IiZIMINIIIMer""'N.wwOO-..m..0..- , ••-•—•• I:ISTORBANCES IN THE .HIGHLANDS. -,- TO THE EDITOR OP THE STAR. SlR—The let t er which appeared in your Paper of 16e '24th ult. purporting to scuirfuctorily account for the proposed changes in the Sutherland Estate, and isirtich have originated the unfortunate commotions Q a part of that County, under the signature of " A iFriend to Iniprovement," is so eminently calculated Imiclead the public mind, with respect to that County sd its loyal and brave inhabitants—that although it ( !be not my intention to have written a syllable on 'the subject more than was contained in my letter of !Ilse 15th ult. I feel myself called upon to offer some stna.trks on that communication. I am not at all surprised, Mr. Editor, that you, who are an entire stranger to that County, should have announced the receipt of that letter with the preliminary observations that accompanied the pub lication of a letter from laverness, on that subject, in your Paper of the 22d ult. • But there is no dispkssionate person, having a 10-1 cal acquaintance with Sutherlandshire, and possessing but a moderate portion of understanding, but must feel that the system therein developed, however plau sible on paper, is in the highest degree illusory ; and is fraught, (besides very much of misrepresentation) with local evils, of great magnitude, immediate and prospective. It affords a striking proof of the versa tility of the human mind and character ; how much we are apt to be warped in our opinions by the changes of times and circumstances, in viewing the same objects. But a few years have passed away since the Toast in Dunrobin Castle, and at our County Meetings, was, drank and with acclamatiom" The Highlan ders—and may they never thrive, that prefer a sheep to a Highlander !1" But now, that the event to which this expression of our Patriotism had applica tion has been accomplished—Sheep become the order of the day—and the Highlanders but objects of se- tondarf consideration. 7impora mutantur I And if, with a pliancy rarely im' ted to the human mind, iand least of all to the minds of Britons ; they do not acquiesce in visionary measures that involve the im mediate relinquishment of their dearest interests and piedelictitins—they in4y migrate to the wilds of Ca nada. When our inveterate foe shall attempt to in- vade us, let our flocks be dressed in Kilts and . Bonnet: —and marched to our most commanding positions in Prong columns : The enemy, though tired of the cadaverous carcases of their own cavali y, and envious of our heath.flavoured mutton, in distantly viewing then) through their glasses, will conclude them the Ley ea 'muse of those brave fellows they had some practical knowledge of in Egypt and on the plains of Maida, and retire in dismay ! But though I have charged the writer in question with mist epresentation—l by no means consider it . wilful—it is founded in an absence of accurate local knowledge—in widely mistaken and illusory views of the subject ; to which may be added, intelligible con siderations of personal interest. I am strongly krepared to believe that your Cor respondent, at the period of his writing, had not, him. self, seen my letter of the 15th, which appeared in your Paper of the 18th ult. but had ratherformed his judgment of it from a report of it at second hand ; and, probably, not a correct one. Under this belief, it is enough for me to recommend to him to read the letter alluded to. I merely imparted to these unfor tunate men a sincere expression of my sympathy for . the situation they are brought into ; and so tar the) have furnished me with ample motives by many kinii demonstrations of their humble attachment. I could not, and did not mean, to justify the overt acts of violence to which, in an irritable moment, they had resorted—for whatever real ground they may have to feel discontented—Such a feeling can by na means justify their attempts to take the law into their own • hands. Had they exercised that reflection, in whirl. they are by no means deficient in the common occ. Rims of life, they could not but feel that such procee dings must be mortally injurious to the attainment (.4 their wishes ; which was best to be accomplished b 3 `conciliatory and respectful representation. I am unable to discover, on what part of my letter, I can be charged with having directly or indirectly. 44 censured" my Lord STAFFORD. Any one acquain ted with Sutherlandshire must know, that that Noble personage has uniformly been regarded in that county by all ranks, with the highest respect, and is so to tbt prestrit hour ; notwithstanding that his Lordship, since he became the head of the ancient house of Su- 1 thei land, has tripled the rents of the estate. For when his Lordship married the Countess of SuTrita. LAID, the gross rents of the estate were but 45000 a year ; and by a local agent's own account, in his letter to Mr. Sheriff CRANSTON, he admits it to be I now 815,000 a year. The fact is, and I state it on l the authority of one of the local agents, that his Lord ship has always considered himself merely a Trustee for his Noble Lady--;-concerning himself but very little with the internal arrangements of the estate and county, which are usually concerted Ly her Ladyship with herlaw agent at Idinburgh,and the local Factors for the time being. The martial ardour of the Highlanders certainly cannot 46 be impaired, at least should not be so, by ameliorativg their condition." To a plain man, this is a truism ; and in as far as 1 am competent to judge of a propositioo so profound, I acquiesce in it. The martial ardour of the Highlanders of Sutherland has, in all times, been highly useful to the King's ser vice, and honourable to themselves. It is possible, however, to vitally impair that spirit, by placing them under circumstances that may-justly lead them to feel their zeal, public and local, badly rewarded— and, perhaps, the present is a case in point. As to the " devoted attarhment" of the Sutherland is ----- --- tnen.to the H ouce of Sutherland, i t on record : they are a remarkably shrewd intelligent body; and, I have reason to kisow, that looking to passing event there tor the last twenty-five years, through the me dium of plain reason and common sense, they have learnt to feel, that all the relations of lite are mutual. If, under all increases of rents, they have honourably paid without murmur their engagements, and on a!: emergencies have given reasonable proof of their local attachment and respect, they, in their turn, expect a reasonable protection. How far such an expectation is reasonable and legitimate, I will leave the reader to decide on. Since my last letter to you, I am enabled to state, that the Highlanders in question, who are stated to be about 2000 innembeldid very recently send an in telligent Serjeant of their number to Cleveland-house, with a petition in their names, imploring that Noble Family not to remove them ; and that on that con dition, they most solemnly engaged to make up, among themselves, an annual encreast of rents excee ding, by £5OO, the highest offer made for their loca lities by sheep-farmers. Their petition was rejected in toto. In consequence the Serjeant in question returned onSunday last, to report the bad success of his mission ; and no doubt can now remain but they must migrate I come now to notice the reasons given .by Mr. YOUNG, the local Factor of Sutherland, in his letter to Mr. Sheriff CRANSTON, for removing the Clyne and Kildonan men front,their localities, quoted in your Correspondent's letter. Mr. YOUNG there states, that the present lands of these men are subject to occa sional early frosts, and land-floods, which affect' their crops.—Admitted. But they are not more sub ject to these visitations than all theother districts of that county, at an equal distanceand elevation from the sea. Any one who knows any thing of that county must know, that were the farms of the Highlanders more susceptible of growing extensive crops of corn, they do not wish to grow more than supplies them- ! selves with meal, and their cattle,. horses, &c. with winter fodder. Live stock, not corn, is their staple; for the rearing of which they possess very extensive heath pastures : so much so, that a farmer there, who pays a rent of 10 or stls only, possesses more live stock, than farmers who is the South occupy farms of from 200 to £4OO a year. Such farmers, and they are common, possess from six to ten mulch cows, with their progressive progeny of all ages—horses, sheep, and goats ; and, besides the. consumption of his own family, he will sell as much butter and cheese, to stated customers, as enables him to pay his rent from these articles; and if a bad season renders his corn crop defective, he possesses ample means, by the an nual sale of his stock, to purchase meal and seed grain from the coast, or from the contiguous county of Caithness, which is one of the most productive corn counties in Scotland. When fodder fails him at home, from the same resource he is enabled to purchase hay and straw on the coast. In short, bleak as his station may be viewed, for his rank in life, and for that coun try, his means of comfort are very respectable. Now, Sir, 1 will put it to the candour of any rea sonable person, if a man, possessing such means of comfort in his native locality, can be reasonably ex pected to feel his condition d , improved" by being . transferred to a situation where, by your Correspon dent's own admission, he is limited to two acres of corn land, and grass for two cows and their calves ? To say nothing of the sacrifice of feeling which he must be supposed to make, in relinquishing a place where his people have from time immemorial been personages of no mean rustic consideration ! Can a man, thus situated, feel his condition ameliorated ? The immediate consequences of such a change are so obvious, and his prospective fate so inevitable, that they need not be enumerated ; nor can be contem plated, without the most painful feelings. Yet are we plausibly told, that these changes " are improve. ments for the benefit of the tenantry."—" But the young men can . fish—and 150 acres of the tarliest land, near the Church of Kildonan, are assigned to the elder and infant classes." I can heartily give my Lord STAFFORD ciedit for a humane feeling to wards his tt nantry ; but, admitting that of the 2000 Highlanders in question (some reckon their number :it greatly tnore—as much as '2700) 700 are young men, anal that they do fish successfully, what portion of an existence can the remaining 1300 be expected to derive from a partition of 1.50 acres among them, supposing the land very good ? 11, indeed, there was some kind of manniacture establishes there, in which this aggregated body could be employed, on aven moderate terms, the plan might du; but if they de pend on the produce of 150 acres only, bow weer-y li mited indeed must their means of life be! But we know that there are neither trades nor manufactures in which they can be engaged ; and thus situated, who can doubt the fate that awaits them? The estates of Strathey and. Armadale, to which these people are wished to be removed, have always been considered, in Sutherland, relatively small estates—and such as they are, we are to infer that they have in themselves a certain population—are they capable' of supporting such an accession of te nantry ? They are not : and hence, the tenantry on these estates, report states, have been already re• moved—and a most heart rending scene their removal is stated tq be ! But all these circumstances are kt.pt out of view. But again we are told, if their lands in their new., stations be limited, ,* they are on the coast, and can live by fishing." Now, Mr. Editor, it you .had a given extent of maritime coast, which you thought susceptible of being made a profitable fishing station, in looking round you for the most appropriate crews of boatmen, would it ever enter into your thoughts to fetch these crews from the higher cantons of Switzer land, or from the Tyrol? And yet, as well might you do so, as Mr. YOUNG attempt-to make fishers of the men of the interior of Clyne and Kildonan ! In framing establishments for any people, surely some ' consideration is due to their common modes of life : if the coast of Far is an eligible one for fishing, why remove the native inhabitants, who must be supposed to be most familiar with it ? But the fact is, that this same coast is on the margin of the Pentland Firth, the most tempestuous sea, with the most rocky coast, of the North Highlands 1 I much doubt, that any prospect of gain would induce a Deal Pilot to settle there, it is, in general, so very perilous a navigation. No part of your Correspondent's letter more ex cited my surprise, than the side-blow he gives to the unfortunate men of Clyne and Kildonan, on their so b: iety, industry, and morals, compared with the men of Asqnt, the western boundary of the county of Sutherland. I know the Assynt men well : they are, physically, the finest body of men in the county ; and they han dle equally well the musket and the oar. That is a maritime parish, and the natives drive a brisk trade in fishing and in smuggling : they have, for ages, supplied the coast-side of Ross and Sutherland with rum, gin, and brandy; and, provided you don't drive them from the ocean into Kildonan, they very little care what the system of husbandry is. They probably drink more ardent spirits in the year, than the other nine parishes of which Sutherland is composed do, collectively. It is no unusual thing with them to discuss a bottle of giu before woo. They deteuti themselves on the plea of necenity, from the MORITA humidity"of their situation : they live in almost eter nal rain, because they are is mediately on the Western Ocean. The Clyne and Kildonan men, on the contrary, are equally industrious as the Assynt men ; but their pursuits in life are totally different : as to the use of spirits, they do not, perhaps, drink four drams in as many months, unless in their occasional visits to the coast. to fairs, on necessary business. It is very true that they are at times engaged in illicit distillation, to which their remote and isolated situation is favourable ; but they are not so engaged OD their own account, but in distilling for the coast side, whence they are supplied with the grain : they receive one-eighth of the spirit for their trouble, which they sell to the publicans on the coast, for meal or money. Travellers have egregiously mistaken the real cha racter of the Highlanders, by representing them as idle, lounging fellows. In spring, they put down their crops with most persevering industry. In sum- 1 mer, they are employed in cutting and fetching home their turf or peats ; in repairing their buildings and dykes, or in•the sale of their annual portion of stock to itinerant drovers ; in cutting their hay. In harvest, they cut and gather their crops, with equal industry : in these three seasons working very hard, and living very frugally. Winter is Carnival time all over the Highlands. I beg leave to illustrate the temperate habits of these brave fellows by a well-known fact ; namely, in 1779 the Sutherland Fencibles of that war were em bodied ; and, although the pay of a soldier was then but sixpence a day, the regiment, from their savings, paid the entire rents of the Sutherland estate, for k,ur years, by the sums they remitted to the county ; and when, in 1783, they were disbanded, they were sup posed to have brought five thousand pounds, in cash, into the county with them ; which, most probably, found its way into the same strong box. I had this fact from a highly respectable Officer, who was then Factor on the Sutherland estate, and Lieut.-Colonel of the regiment ; so that no person could sp.ak to it on better means of information. Thus, while I prove that the Sutherland Highlanders are, habitually, a frugal, temperate body, I am entitled also to assume, that•their martial spirit, besides being honourable to themselves, bad essential " skill in cookery," as to the Sutherland estate. As to their orderly conduct, as sAdicrs, I can only say, that it was so exemplary, that in many stations where they were brigaded with other regiments, and a p.:nis:lmort was to take place, the Sutherlanes were, in Brigade ()Hers, excused from attelittng it— ,, they had no occasion to witness such scenes to bind them to order; they had the ininto: principle of it in themselves." I can call upon many Officers to prove all thiti ; and will not any feeling person exclaim, *hat a monstrous pity, that such a brave and vii tuous people should not meet with the most festering kindne,,F, instead of being removed to make way for sheep ! !" A HIGHLANDER OP SUTHERLAND. P. S. Sheep Farming, like other systems, to he be neficial, has its limits—it may be too much extended, and, like cur tiade to Buenos Ayres, produce only disappointment. It lam correctly informed, there is of this description a farmer in Sutherland who, very recently, had the wool of three years on hand na sal ; many who embark in it possess but a very li mited capital, these, with good intentions, may spe culate too much in encreasing their flocks ; hence, if a bad season intervenes—or a market fails—or a ban. ker withdraws his confidence in discounting their bills (often accommodation ones),tbe consequences may be extensively injurious. The Gentleman I have alluded to being a man of considerable property, and real estate, can stand the shock. Not so he who vitally calculates on a steady market. In such a case•he fails—the population is gone—the land is waste— Would we recal our brave peasantry ?—the moment is past l " We can call on spirits from the vasty deep ; but will they come ?" `• A bold Peasantry , thdr country's pride ; " If once. destroyed, can never be supplied !"I A SUBJECT FOR CHRONOLOGY. From SII7 ERN HUNDRLD NiurT[-,oVR, When English Lotteries first began, BLANKS ! Four to One, until this hour, O'er PRIZES marled each Scheme and Plaa. But row, however strange to say, PIUS LS O'RE BLANKS in number 1-118; Nay, on the ensuing Stara of Mier, &tea Nusaila drawn will prove a Palls! Mrs. DicKoss' Song in the Second Part of the Oratorio at Drury-lane, and in which she is so ably accompanied by Mr. P. MEYER, has never been at tempted oti the harp since the time of HANDEL. In this song the great Composer shows his ideas of the harp style ; and the lovers of his music must be highly gratified that it is again brought forward, with an effect which no other instrument can give it. FlREL—Yesterday morning, about five o'clock, a fire was discovered to have broken out in the fourth storey of that large building in Skinner -street, which was the capital prize in the City Lottery, valued at twenty-five thousand pounds, and which has since been called the Commercial Hall. The upper part was held as chambers by professional men, and some few men. chants ; and it is stated to have had at least 20 dif. ferent inhabitants. From what muse the fire ori ginated we have not learnt ; but it spread with such rapidity, that by half.past six the whole building (siz stoties high) was completely down, the back walls falling into the body of the building, and the front wall into the street, by which, we arc sorry to hear, two firemen were severely bruised. A curious circumstance took place during the fire. A cat, that had escaped from some of the apartments, was seen by the hy-standers on a part of the building that would inevitably soon be in flame.; and all retreat being cut off, the only way to etcape was to take a leap, but this the poor animal durst not attempt. As the flames approached her, a Gentleman offered one of the firemen five guineas, if he would save the cat : the fireman was induced to make the attempt, . and with reat difficulty succeeded, by getting behind, and with the weight of water ft orn the pipe in his hand, forcing her to take the leap, when she fell into the midst of the spectators from the top of the Lth storey. The fireman immediately received his pro mised reward. Another fire happened yesterday morning at an extensive Blacking Manufactory, in Garden.row, Imndon.road, which in a short time was entirely consumed. 1 1 6 • 1 1 1 r tt i attachment and respect, they, in their turn, expect a themf rom the oceai reasonable protection. How far such an expectation care what the system 11 is reasonable and legitimate, I will leave the reader drink more ardent si 111 to decide on. nine parishes of wh . Since my last letter to you, lam enabled to state, t collectively. It i s t that the Highlanders in question, who are stated to( discuss a bottle of , - "imiligalailidakagssi -.... UNlJ'ERsfrr ATELLIGRNCS. ORFORD, APRIL 3. The following Oentbetels have ►een admitted to degree's SACHILLOA or CIY}L LAW. Mr. Henry Hutchinson, of New College. IItAST[RS Olr ART). Rev. Charles Cornelius Chamhe rs t olChrlst Church. Grand Conapoubder; Rev. Win. H. Thornbury, of Oriel College. ECCLESIASTICAL PROMOTION& Rev. F. J. Wollaston, B.D. F.R.S. Jacksonian Professor of Ne tural and Experimental Philosophy in the University of Cue bridge, to the Rectory of Cold Nortoo, Essex. Rev. Ralph Lockey, to the vicarage of Much Desschurch, and to the perpetual curacy of Much Birch, in the county o' 1-1. re tort!, on the presentation of 1 homes Symons, Fig, of the Met DJ, in the same county. Rev. C. Jerviq, Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Puke nt Cambridge and Earl Harcourt, to the Rectory of Ludt:A:lllam, Kent. Re►. T. H. Rawnsley, B.A. of Eteter College, to the llvrgt of Splisby and Belo, both in Lincolnshire. Rev. David Williams, 9d master of Winchester College, to be Chaplain to the Earl of Aylesbury. CASISILIDGIL, MARCH 49.=f he following Gendemei were on Monday admitted to the undermentioned degrees t— Flu Rev. George 'I hackeray, of King's college, to be Bachelor in Diviotty; The Rev. H. Wake, of St. John's college. to be Ma•ter of .1n• The Rev. Henry Rantaden, of Queen's college, and Wm. Lkay.l,: of Trinity hall, to be Bachelors in Civil Law; Wm. P. Hony wood of Jeans caber; Rey. C. Wadsworth. of Pembroke ball ; Edw. Powys, of St. John's college; and C. N. Wodehouse, of (i -nky college, to be Bachelors of Arts. Thursday the 18th ult. the congregation of TriMty Chapel of Este. in Aberdeen, elected the Rev. Mr. Kirkland, of Donde r, to be their Minister, in place of the Rev. Robert Doig, now one of the parochial Ministers of Aberdeen. EXECUTION. This morning was executed, at the top of the New Prison, in Horsemonger.lane, in presence of an immense crowd of spectators, Sarah Fktcher, for the murder of her new born infant at Wandsworth. This unfortunate young woman was about 19 years of age. tall in person, and wort an elegant dress of black silk: she appeared perfectly resigned to her fate, and after remaining a few minutes in prayer with the Clegyman, she WAS launched into eternity, and the, body, after having been suspended the usual time. was cut down, and delivered over for dissection. BOXING. The battle betwixt Moline= the Black, and Carter, (which we briefly mentioned on Saturday), and which had excited much interest, took place on Friday, in Gloucestershire, six miles from Banbury, it having been forbidden in three adjoining counties. The subscription purse of One Hundred Guineas was given by amateur pugilists. The company consisted of at least 20,000 per cnns, although, from the arrest of the Black, and the uncertainty of a fight, but few from London were present Besides, some dared to tail the honour of the pugilists in question, for wanting to draw £1.50 fer an alleged debt, purporting to be doe by Molineux, in addition to the purse, when the came was settled by arbitration a year ago. Molineux was considered a formidable pugilist, by the stands he made against die champion Cribb, and his noloricey has enabled him to pick up money about the country by sparring, by which he kept his servant, who in opposition to other great men was neither a Black nor a Frenchman. He is a two-handed fighter of the first-rate, weight, and science. Caner WAS ',seat in a hard battle by Posner, a better man than either, not long since, and he had become formidable, and acquired good science, with proportionate strength and weight. The men td-t0 at two o'clock. Joe Ward and Gibbons seconded the Black, and Richmond and Cooper, Carter. Betting 5 to 2 and 3 to 1 on Molineux. Round 1. The men eparrtd to plant brat hit about two mi nutes.. when Carter got an opening, and bit his adversary a slight blow on the mouth, which was slightly returned by Mohnen: ; they closed, and the Black was thrown. 2. The Black bled from the mouth, and be was bit there vain after parrying twice without returning. A rally took place, when some blows were exchanged to the advantage of Carter, whe again threw his man, and it was evident the Black had lost that sort of gaiety with which he fought Cribb, and he also skewed bad condition. Even betting on Carter. S. The Black with some warmth rallied with a kind of over. handed hittirg, but he was well partied, and often returned upon. Carter had no inferiority in science, and he bored his adversary against the ropes, when he was again thrown, and the odds tw. came in favour of Carter. 4. The black open-mouthed for want of wind, would have been glad to put himself on the defensive, and he purled blows without attempting to return, and at the end of the round he gave himself an easy fall. S. Cuter nude play, to benefit by the distress Olds adversary, and planted a smart left-handed blow upon the mouth of MoM. nen: who returned by a good blow upon the head, followed by a rally, which made this the best round in the fight. Bock Wen down, the Black under. _ . . 6. Both cautious of approach, and hi's were exchanged at too great distance to be effective. In dosing, the Black was so weaken. cd, that he went down by a mere push with the right hand. 7. This round produced a wrangle, left for the declaim of the umpires. Carter, availing himself of his adversary's distress, rata lied upon him, and got his bead under his lett arm, when he Pbed, and gave much punislunent. The Black * could not get away, but he at length fell upon his knees, when be received a hit, whids was given rwta by the umpires. Mulineux was at this time dead beat, a quarter of an hour only having elapsed, and he would have left the ring but for his .eeunds and the ropes. It would not be adding to the description of the fight to detail the ten following rounds, for the Black fought as a beaten nun, and had the worst of every round; and, in the 12th, he was thrown on a balance opus the bwer ropes, with Carter upon him, when he sung out lustily. In the 20th round Mailmen: seemed inclined to give In, but be was temporarily refreshed by brandy : and in the 21st round be fought with a sort of frantic desperation, which had some effect, but he yet had the worst of it, and was thrownfollowins the same method in the 22d round, he was also worsted. In the 23d and last round some smart rallying wok place, bat the hits were - all chanced. Molineux had used his last effort, when Caner, who was on his second's knee, suddrnly dropped his head, and remained seats-less clearly half an hour, from a bit on the side of the head, by which Mohnen% dot the rut se. Carter was bled on the ground. He had bled fieely from the ear from the 21st round. The battle, which was fought in a twenty-four feet ring, lasted forty-five 'minutes. The Black has much fallen off since he fought Cribb. He seemed to want strength and animativn, and did not appear to punish when he hit. The hat tie hai lost him much of his populariy, and had 'te made no better figure before Cribb, he could not have staid a quarter of an hour. Carter has acquired t0u..11 sci&nce, i% an adept with his left hand, but still ferule with his right. There was no violent hitting ; both seemed to wish to break away before delivery. The battle blitwirt Jay and Fuller will take place to-morrow (Tuesday), within 15 miles ot Loudon. lIIGH WATER A I 1.4)N1X)14 1I 11)(;11 la-MORROW Mot ........ . ..... 47 sainutes after S Allenwou IS minutes aftcr LONDON : PrinteJ by Myst Krigi , Picket Place; vubhelitti then., ancfat for Sat-Office Templeaw. C=afic;,;l