The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-09 00:00:00

THE EDINBURGH ANNUITY-TAX.

On Wednesday Duncan Falconer, the sheriff-
officer selected by the established clergy, having
received warrants to execute against certain of the
citizens, proceeded to put them in force. The first
victim was Mr. Fairbairn, of the St. Andrew's
Hotel, St. Andrew's-street, whom they at once com-
mitted to the Calton Gaol. The officer and his
assistants then proceeded to the shop of Mr. Brown,
fruiterer, South Hanover-street. They found him
behind his counter, and preferred the clergy's claim
to about £l4 of arrears. He stated that he had the
strongest conscientious objections to the tax, and
was prepared to go to gaol rather than pay. They
then made him their prisoner, and proceeding on
foot along Prince's-street and Waterloo-place, they
committed him into the custody of the gaoler. Mr.
Brown is an elder of the United Presbyterian
Church that assembles in Lothian-road, under the
ministry of the 'Rev. William Reid; he is in very
delicate health, and has been under the necessity,
on account of a pulmonary affection, and from large
boils having broken out on his back, to wear heavy
mufflers round his throat even when in buSiness.
The next visit of the officers was to Mr. Hunter, of
Hunter and Glover? confectioners, North St. An-
drew's-street. It was between three and four o'clock
in the afternoon. Mr. Hunter was also behind his
counter, engaged in serving his customers. They
demanded the amount of the impost. He told them
he owed them nothing, and would pay them no-
thing. Mr. Falconer then claimed him as his pri-
soner, and ordered him to come away with him.
He replied that he would offer no active resistance,
but neither would he willingly move a step. If they
wizshed to take him to gaol, they must carry him
there. Mr. Falconer then ordered two of his
assistants to go round the counter and drag
him out. This they could not do, and Mr. Fal-
coner and another assistant seized him by the neck,
while • the others carried him by the feet. In
this way he was dragged from behind his counter,
down the steps, and across the pavement to
a cab, into whieh they attempted to force
him. He was thrown back on the floor of the cab.
Mr. Falconer and an assistant went into it, and
endeavoured to drag him on to the seat. They got
a strong leather belt, with which they endeavoured
to fasten him. Mr. Falconer pulled out his
manacles, fixed them upon one of his wrists, and
endeavoured to force the other hand into the dis-
graceful machine. The passive attitude of Mr.
Hunter lying in the bottom of the coach, however,
rendered this difficult. While this effort to hand-
cuff their prisoner was proceeding, two of the
assistants and a policeman were trying to force his
legs into the coach, and one went round to the
other side, opened the door, and endeavoured to
draw Mr. Hunter further into the coach. By this
time a large concourse of people had assembled,
and, hlaring that it was an arrest for Annuity-tax,
gave vent to their feelings by cries of execration.
They saw the prisoner lying pale and haggard, his
eyes staring, his hair dishevelled, his neckerchief
and shirt torn, and his clothes all in disarray. A
cry of deep hatred arose. " Down with the An-
nuity-tax!" " What a disgrace to Christianity !"
"To -- with the Ministerg !" and a rush was
made to the cab. The concurrent, who was trying
by the opposite door to drag Mr. Hunter, was for-
cibly seized and turned away. Mr. Falconer and
his men were hustled, and their hats knocked off
and thrown into the air. One of them, a short
stout man, dressed in a grey tweed coat, unclasped
n. knife, and rushed furiously upon the crowd. One
lad narrowly escaped having his cheek ripped
open. Again the crowd closed upon the officers,
but again did the fear of the open knife make them
stand tack. The strongest determination was,
however, shown that the prisoner should not be
taken. While this riot was proceeding, Mr. Hun-
ter had been allowed to rise, and was now standing
at the side of the cab. Mr. Falconer then declared
that he was hindered from executing his warrant,
and witEdrew his men. Mr. Hunter walked
quietly into his shop amidst the cheers of the
people, the handcuffs dangling from his wrists. The.
officers proceeded along St. Andrew's-square, pur-
sued by a crowd, hissing and groaning at them. It
is said that the knife was again brought into re-
quisition to keep off the crowd, and when they-
reached:South St. Andrew-street's they were com-
pelled to break into a run. While lying in the coach
Mr. Hunter was told by one of the assistants, in
the midst of a volley of oaths, that " if he had him
in a quiet corner he would make him rue this." Mr.
Hunter is also a member of the Lothian-road con-
gregation. While the riot was at its height Dr.
Grant, one of the city ministers, passed by the
crowd, and seemed heartily ashamed of the proceed-
ing, although in 1851 he, by his evidence in the
House of Commons, did everything in his power to
defeat the efforts of the united citizens to remove
this crying evil from the city. The Rev. Dr. A.
Thomson also happened to be pres mt.—Scotsman.

RECRUITING FOR THE ARMY.—A letter from
Driiield, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, says :—" Now
that the harvest is over there seems a mania among farm
servants for entering the army, and the recruiting sergeants
are continually taking off batches of fine healthy young
fellows to the different regiments. One sergeant who has
been here fir the last nine months has been sending away
the finest of the agricultural labourers at the rate of four
a- week."

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