page_title: Thomas Muir of Huntershill
hierarchical_section_title: Thomas Muir of Huntershill
caption_attribution_description: English: specially commissioned bust of Thomas Muir by celebrated scottish artist Alexander Stoddart. On permanent exhibition at Bishopbriggs library. Replica made for the Museum of Australian Democracy and is on exhibition in Canberra.
context_page_description: Thomas Muir, often known as Thomas Muir the Younger of Huntershill, was a Scottish political reformer and lawyer. Muir graduated from Edinburgh University and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1787, aged 22. Muir was a leader of the Scottish Society of the Friends of the People.
  He was the most important of the group of Scottish political Martyrs. In 1793 after a show trial in Edinburgh for advocating democratic parliamentary reforms and votes for all men, they were sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay Australia for sedition.
  Two years later in 1796, Muir dramatically escaped from Botany Bay on the French ship the Otter for America. After a voyage across the uncharted Pacific Ocean the Otter reached Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island June 1796. The diaries of the first mate Pierre François Péron describe Muir's escape and voyage across the Pacific as far as Monterrey, California.
  From there Muir travelled to Mexico City where he asked to be allowed to travel to California. He was then imprisoned in Havana, Cuba from where was taken by Spanish ship to Cadiz, Spain. Here his ship encountered British men of war ships and in the fighting Muir's face was badly injured.
context_section_description: Thomas Muir (24 August 1765 – 26 January 1799), often known as Thomas Muir the Younger of Huntershill, was a Scottish political reformer and lawyer. Muir graduated from Edinburgh University and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1787, aged 22. Muir was a leader of the Scottish Society of the Friends of the People.
  He was the most important of the group of Scottish political Martyrs (which included Thomas Fyshe Palmer, William Skirving, Maurice Margarot and Joseph Gerrald). In 1793 after a show trial in Edinburgh for advocating democratic parliamentary reforms and votes for all men, they were sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay Australia for sedition. 
  Two years later in 1796, Muir dramatically escaped from Botany Bay on the French ship the Otter for America. After a voyage across the uncharted Pacific Ocean the Otter reached Nootka Sound,Vancouver Island June 1796. The diaries of the first mate Pierre François Péron describe Muir's escape and voyage across the Pacific as far as Monterrey, California.
  
  From there Muir travelled to Mexico City where he asked to be allowed to travel to California. He was then imprisoned in Havana, Cuba from where was taken by Spanish ship to Cadiz, Spain. Here his ship encountered British men of war ships and in the fighting Muir's face was badly injured. On September 1797, the Spanish Government released Muir. Weak from his wounds, Muir made his way to France by way of Madrid, Spain and San Sebastian, aided by a French officer. In November 1797, he arrived exhausted at Bordeaux, where he was hailed publicly as a 'Hero of the French Republic' and a 'Martyr of Liberty'. He then travelled to Paris, France. Muir's confidant 1798 was Dr Robert Watson of Elgin, emissary to France on behalf of the United Englishmen and he learned of the United Scotsmen, the new revolutionary association which replaced the Friends of the People. In November 1798, Muir moved secretly to Île-de-France village of Chantilly to await the arrival of Scots compatriots. There on 26 January 1799 he died, suddenly and alone. Shortly before his death, he said: We have achieved a great duty in these critical times. After the destruction of so many years, we have been the first to revive the spirit of our country and give it a National Existence. 
  Parliamentary Reform at Westminster took place in 1832. Forty years after the Society of the Friends of the People the Reform Act of 1832 established the reform that the Society had called for. It removed representation from 56 rotten boroughs and created 67 new boroughs so areas with larger populations had representation in Parliament and allowed a wider range of men to vote.
caption: Thomas Muir (bust by Alexander Stoddart)
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