The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-26 00:00:00

EVICTIONS FROM BARRA.

On Wednesday a meeting of gentlemen, called
by circular, was held in the ante-room of the Council-
chamber, at three o'clock, to take into consideration
what means should be adopted for providing for the
temporary wants of the expatriated Hebrideans, who
had found their way in a totally destitute condition
to this city, to lay their case before Colonel Gordon,
of Clunie, the proprietor of Barra. Sheriff Monteith
was called to the chair, and Dr. Candlish opened the
meeting with prayer.
Mr. Ross, who had accompanied the exiled High-
landers from Glasgow, stated that the population of
Barra was 2,30 D, of whom 1,809 had received aid
through the parochial board from the Highland Des-
titution Fund up to the 30th September last. He
quoted from the report of the Commissioners of the
Highland Destitution Board to show that the condi-
tion of the people of that island was wretched in the
extreme—their crofts being of a most miserable de-
scription, and scantily furnished. In March last they
had been summoned to quit their crofts, but having
disregarded the intimation, the houses of 132 families
were in May last pulled down. The wretched
people then erected tents, with their blankets, hung on
posts, and some of them took refuge in caves, and
others lingered about their old haunts. They passed
their time thus till the relief operations ceased, and
the officers again warned them to remove. They
said they bad nowhere to go, and could not remove
from the island. The officers then procured warrants
from the sheriff substitute, and demolished the tents
and shipped all the inmates in a steam-boat to Tober-
mory, where they were left to wander on the main-
land, to beg or starve. The amount of destitution
that existed now was far greater than in 1846.

Dr. BEGG thought it would be necessary not only
to call the attention of the public, but of the Govern-
ment to that question. They were not only entitled
bnt :bound to ask Government to interfere in the
matter.

The CHAIRMAN said there was at this moment in
the act of formation a society for the express view of
considering these very questions,•and he thought
probably that society might be able to effect some
good. He would not recommend a public subscrip-
tion in the meantime, as that would only have the
effect of alluring the poor Highlanders to come and
settle here. He was afraid the law could not prevent
any proprietor turning off his people, however long
their tenure, as long as they had no title of posses-
sion ; but he suggested that several gentlemen should
wait on Colonel Gordon, not as delegated from a
public meeting, but as individuals, to state the case to
him.

Mr. MACLACHLAN said, if they got Colonel Gor-
don to yield in the matter it would have an important
effect over the whole proprietary of the Highlands.
At this moment he regretted to say, a very exten-
sive proprietor, whose estates had a population of
23,000, was taking steps for the removal, in the course
of next spring, of a very large body of poor High-
landers, and if the influx was not stayed they had the
prospect of about 50,000 or 60,000 Hebrideans being
thrown destitute on the main-land.
After some further conversation, a committee was
formed of the gentlemen present, as well as others
who had offered to lend their aid in any steps that
could be taken in the matter. The committee was
as follows :—The Lord Provost, Sheriff Monteith,
Professor Alison, Professor More, Rev. Drs. Cand-
lish and Begg, and Messrs. Maclachlan, M'Gillivray,
and M'Kenzie ; G. Duncan, Esq., J. F. Macfarlan,
Esq , William Cowan, Esq., J. Johnston, Esq.,
Charles Spence, Esq., James Greig, Esq., convener.
It was understood that the Lord Provost, Sheriff
Monteith, and Mr. Ross, should wait on Colonel Gor-
don,
and report the result to a future meeting. —Edin-
burgh Post.
The Edinburgh Courant has the following :—" We
understand that Colonel Gordon left his residence in
Edinburgh for his estate at Clunie, early last month,
whence he has not yet returned. The deputation ap-
pointed by the meeting held here on Wednesday to
have au interview with the Gallant Colonel, have not,
in consequence, been able to perform their mission,
and the ejected families still remain in the night
asylum. Yesterday (Friday) we were shown an
account for meal furnished by Messrs. Harvie and
IVlGavin, of Glasgow, some time since, for distribu-
tion at Barra, by order of Colonel Gordon, which
amounted to the very handsome sum of 1341.

A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF
PA PAL ROME.
A REPORT OF THE DEMOLITION OF THE PALACE OF
THE IN QUPATION AT MADRID, MADE BY COLONEL
LEM ANOIS, OF THE 9TH REGIMENT OF POLISH
LANCERS, IN THE YEAR 1809.
Ordered by Marshal Soult, the Governor cf Ma-
drid, to destroy the buildings of the Inquisition,
conformably to the decree of the Emperor. I ob-
served to him that the 9th Lancers was insufficient
for that service ; the Marshal then added two regi-
regiments of Infantry, one of which regiments, the
127th, was unders the orders of Colonel
With these troops I marched to the Inquisition, the
buildings of which were surrounded with strong
walls, and guarded by about 400 soldiers. On my
arrival I summoned the fathers to open the gate. A
sentinel who was on one of the bastions appeared
to convene for an instant with some one in the inte-
rior, after which he fired upon us, and killed one
of my men. This was the signal for the attack, and
I ordered my troops to fire upon all who appeared
upon the walls. It became soon evident that the
combat was unequal, and I changed the mode of
attack. Some trees were cut down and made into
battering-rams, and two of these machines being
well directed, under a shower of balls, a breach
was made, and the Imperial troops rushed into the
Inquisition._ _

Here we had a sample of what Jesuitical effrontery
can do. The Inquisitor-General and the Father
Confessors solemnly issued forth from their retreats,
clothed in their sacerdotal robes, and with their arms
crossed upon their breasts—as if, knowing nothing,
they came to learn what was the matter. They
rebuked their soldiers, saying, why do you fight
with our friends, the French ? They appeared
to wish to make us believe that they had not or-
dered the defence, and they hoped, no doubt, to be
able to make their escape during the confusion oc-
casioned by the pillage. They were deceived. I
gave strict orders that they should be kept in view,
and all their soldiers be made prisoners. We then
began our examination of this prison of hell. We saw
chamber after chamber : altars, crucifixes, wax tapers
in abundance, riches and splendour were to be seen
everywhere. The floors and walls were highly
polished, and the marble Mosaic inlaid with exquisite
taste. But where were the instruments of torture of
which we were told, and where were the dungeons in
which it was said that human beings were entombed
alive ; we sought for them in vain ; the holy fathers
assured us that they were calumniated, and that we
had seen everything. I was about to abandon my
researches, persuaded that these inquisitors were
different from those of whom we had heard spoken,
but Colonel Delilie would not give up so easily. He
said to me, " Let us examine again the floors; let us
pour water upon them, and we shall see if it does not
run through some part." The flags of marble were
large and quite smooth. After we had poured the
water, to the great displeasure of the inquisitors, we
examined carefully all the interstices to see if any
oozed through. Very soon Colonel Delilie cried out
that he had found what he sought for. In the
j oiniogs of a flag, the water disappeared very quickly,
as if there was an empty space beneath.
OtZeers and men set to work to raise the flag,
whilst the priests cried out against the desecration of
their beautiful and holy house. A soldier struck a spring
with the butt end of his musket, which disclosed a
flight of steps. I to: le a lighted taper four feet long
from a table in order to explore our discovery, but
was stopped by one of the inquisitors, who gently
placed his hand upon my arrn--" My Ben," said he,
ith a devout air, " you ought not to touch that
taper, it is holy." " I replied, "I require a
holy light to fathom iniquity." I descended the steps
which were under a ceiling without any Opening
except the trap-door. Arrived at the bottom is e en-
tered into a vast square room called the Hall of JUdg-
ment. In the middle was a block of stone, upon
Which was fixed a chair for the accused. On one