Page:Letter from a gentleman in Glasgow to his friend in the country.pdf/11

Rh were the roof nor floors of Mr. Campbell's house pulled down, but remain unto this day. The next harangue is, "That two of the soldiers who were so bruised with stones, that they were not able to keep up with the party, fell into the hands of the mob, who used them very barbarously; one escaped into a house, but the other is so bruised with stones that his life is despaired of;" all this is absolutely false as appears by the foregoing account. That two of the mob went to Dumbarton, and threatned the inhabitants if they received captain Bushell and his soldiers, is what I know nothing about. And lastly, if the mob threatned to assassinate Mr. Campbell at his country house, yet it is certain they never went thither.

It is said, that the magistrates of Edinburgh were the publishers of this account, and particularly that they called upon Mr James M'Even to print it; that because of the many reflections upon the magistrates of Glasgow therein contained, he refused to do it: That thereupon they called for one Rolland, publisher of the Caledonian Mercury, who at their desire published it in the said news paper. When the magistrates of Glasgow had notice of it, they wrote a short account of the foresaid disorders, and sent it to Mr. M'Euen to be inserted in his Courant, but he was forbid by the magistrates of Edinburgh to do it on pain of imprisonment, and after the fame was privately printed, they under the same penalty discharged the Edinburgh hawkers to call it about in the streets.

Sir, I leave it to you to judge if the publishing such a scandalous libel, in which his majesty's best subjects were represented as rioters and rebels, were not a real disservice done to his majesty; and if the restraining the liberty of the press, by which they were hindered to justify themselves from these vile imputations which had been cast upon them, was not oppression in a high degree.

I cannot acquaint you what accounts of this matter were sent to their excellencies, the lords justices of Great Britain, but it would appear by the consequences, that the city of Glasgow had been represented to their lordships as in a state of rebellion; for by their excellencies orders, general Wade did on the 9th of July last march