482 B I0 GR AP H I C AL SKETCHES.
to Liverpool, and visited Glasgow and Edinburgh in the spring of that year,
on his way to London.’
As the case of Mr. Thomas Muir is so immediately connected with that
of Mr. Skirving, in justice to the memory of Muir, and to record the opinion
entertained of him by the bench, before whom he stood a culprit, we quote
the following from the report of the speeches of the Lord Justice-clerk and
of Lord Henderland before sentence was pronounced :-“ Lord Henderland
observed, the punishment to be inflicted is arbitrary, of which there is a variety,
Eanishment would be improper and ineffectual ; whipping was too severe and
disgraceful, the more especially to a inan who had bore I& (Mr. Muir’s) ch,aracter
and rank in life. There remains but one punishment in our law, and it
wrung his very heart to mention it, viz. Transportation. His lordship observed,
it was extraordinary that a gentleman of Mr. Muir’s description, of his
respectable and learned profession, and of the talents he possessed, should be
guilty of a crime deserving such a punishment, hut he saw no alternative.”
‘‘ The Lord Justice-clerk said, he was considerably affected to see the panel
stand trial for sedition-a gentleman who had got a liberal education, was
member of a learned and honourable society, possessed considerable talents, and
had susfaimd U reqectuble character. His lordship agreed in the propriety of
the proposed punishment, and he observed that the indecent applause which was
given to the panel last night, at the close of his speech, convinced him that a
spirit of discontent still lurked in the minds of the people, and that it would be
dangerous to allow him to remain in this country. His lordship said this circumstance
had no little weight with him when considering of the punishment
Mr. Muir deserved.”
After sentence was pronounced, Mr. Muir rose and said-“ My Lord Justice-
Clerk, I have only a few words to say. I shall not animadvert upon the severity
or the leniency of my sentence. Were I to be led this moment from the
bar to the scaffold, I should feel the same calmness and serenity which I now
do. My mind tells me that I have acted agreeably to my conscience, and that
I have engaged in a good, a just, and a glorious cause-a cause which, sooner
or later, must and will prevail, and, by a timely reform, save this country from
destruction.”
1 360. THOMASH ARDYS,e cretary to the London Corresponding Society, was
tried at the Old Bailey in 1794, on a charge of high treason. His trial, which
excited great interest, lasted more than a week. After a learned and argumentative
speech from the Attorney-General, and five days had been occupied in
examining the witnesses for the Crown, Mr. Erskine, counsel for the prisoner,
addressed the jury in an able and elaborate speech, and concluded by imploring
We observe that steps are about to be taken to erect monumental pillars in honour of the
Scotch political martyrs of 1793-4, on the Cdtou Hill of Ediubargh and in Regeut Circus, London.
A grant of the site in the latter place has been voted by a majority (forty-one to eight) of the Vestry
of Marylehone. The Edinburgh moniment is in the foriu of au obeliak, aud is erected on the Calton
Hill.