From Bath To Scotland
Just for a change, a wee bit of culture for a Sunday evening.
Lismahagow is more paradoxical than ever. The late gulp he had of his native air seems to have blown fresh spirit into all his polemical faculties.
I congratulated him the other day on the present flourishing state of his country, observing that the Scots were now in a fair way to wipe off the national reproach of poverty, and expressing my satisfaction at the happy effects of the union, so conspicuous in the improvement of their agriculture, commerce, manufactures, and manners.
The lieutenant, screwing up his features into a look of dissent and disgust, commented on my remarks to this effect:
“Those who reproach a nation for its poverty, when it is not owing to the profligacy or vice of the people, deserve no answer… Riches are certainly no proof of merit: nay they are often (if not most commonly) acquired by persons of sordid minds and mean talents: nor do they give any intrinsic worth to the possessor; but, on the contrary, tend to pervert his understanding, and render his morals more depraved.
But, granting that poverty were really matter of reproach, it cannot be justly imputed to Scotland. No country is poor that can supply its inhabitants with the necessaries of life, and even afford articles for exportation. Scotland is rich in natural advantages: it produces every species of provision in abundance, vast herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, with a great number of horses; prodigious quantities of wool and flax, with plenty of copse wood, and in some parts large forests of timber.
The earth is still more rich below than above the surface. It yields inexhaustible stores of coal, free-stone, marble, lead, iron, copper, and silver, with some gold. The sea abounds with excellent fish, and salt to cure them for exportation; and there are creeks and harbours round the whole kingdom, for the convenience and security of navigation.
The face of the country displays a surprising number of cities, towns, villas, and villages, swarming with people; and there seems to be no want of art, industry, government, and police: such a kingdom can never be called poor, in any sense of the word, though there may be many others more powerful and opulent.
But the proper use of those advantages, and the present prosperity of the Scots, you seem to derive from the union of the two kingdoms!”
I said, I supposed he would not deny that the appearance of the country was much mended; that the people lived better, had more trade, and a greater quantity of money circulating since the union, than before.
“I may safely admit these premises (answered the lieutenant), without subscribing to your inference. The difference you mention, I should take to be the natural progress of improvement. Since that period, other nations, such as the Swedes, the Danes, and in particular the French, have greatly increased in commerce, without any such cause assigned.
Before the union, there was a remarkable spirit of trade among the Scots, as appeared in the case of their Darien company, in which they had embarked no less than four hundred thousand pounds sterling; and in the flourishing state of the maritime towns in Fife, and on the eastern coast, enriched by their trade with France, which failed in consequence of the union.
The only solid commercial advantage reaped from that measure, was the privilege of trading to the English plantations; yet excepting Glasgow and Dumfries, I don’t know any other Scotch towns concerned in that traffic.
In other respects, I conceive the Scots were losers by the union. They lost the independency of their state, the greatest prop of national spirit; they lost their parliament, and their courts of justice were subjected to the revision and supremacy of an English tribunal.”
“Softly, captain (cried I), you cannot be said to have lost your own parliament, while you are represented in that of Great Britain.”
“True (said he, with a sarcastic grin), in debates of national competition, the sixteen peers and forty-five commoners of Scotland, must make a formidable figure in the scale, against the whole English legislature.”
“Be that as it may (I observed), while I had the honour to sit in the lower house, the Scotch members had always the majority on their side.”
“I understand you, sir (said he), they generally side with the majority; so much the worse for their constituents. But even this evil is not the worst they have sustained by the union.
Their trade has been saddled with grievous impositions, and every article of living severely taxed, to pay the interest of enormous debts, contracted by the English, in support of measures and connexions in which the Scots had no interest nor concern.”
I begged he would at least allow, that by the union the Scots were admitted to all the privileges and immunities of English subjects; by which means multitudes of them were provided for in the army and navy, and got fortunes in different parts of England, and its dominions.
“All these (said he), become English subjects to all intents and purposes, and are in a great measure lost to their mother-country. The spirit of rambling and adventure has been always peculiar to the natives of Scotland.
If they had not met with encouragement in England, they would have served and settled, as formerly, in other countries, such as Muscovy, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Germany, France, Piedmont, and Italy, in all which nations their descendents continue to flourish even at this day.”
By this time my patience began to fail, and I exclaimed, “For God’s sake, what has England got by this union which, you say, has been so productive of misfortune to the Scots.”
“Great and manifold are the advantages which England derives from the union (said Lismahago, in a solemn tone). First and foremost, the settlement of the protestant succession, a point which the English ministry drove with such eagerness, that no stone was left unturned, to cajole and bribe a few leading men, to cram the union down the throats of the Scottish nation, who were surprisingly averse to the expedient.
They gained by it a considerable addition of territory, extending their dominion to the sea on all sides of the island, thereby shutting up all back-doors against the enterprises of their enemies.
They got an accession of above a million of useful subjects, constituting a never-failing nursery of seamen, soldiers, labourers, and mechanics; a most valuable acquisition to a trading country, exposed to foreign wars, and obliged to maintain a number of settlements in all the four quarters of the globe.
In the course of seven years, during the last war, Scotland furnished the English army and navy with seventy thousand men, over and above those who migrated to their colonies, or mingled with them at home in the civil departments of life.
This was a very considerable and seasonable supply to a nation, whose people had been for many years decreasing in number, and whose lands and manufactures were actually suffering for want of hands.
I need not remind you of the hackneyed maxim, that, to a nation in such circumstances, a supply of industrious people is a supply of wealth; nor repeat an observation, which is now received as an eternal truth, even among the English themselves, that the Scots who settle in South-Britain, are remarkably sober, orderly, and industrious.”
I allowed the truth of this remark, adding, that by their industry, oeconomy, and circumspection, many of them in England, as well as in her colonies, amassed large fortunes, with which they returned to their own country, and this was so much lost to South Britain.
“Give me leave, sir (said he), to assure you, that in your fact you are mistaken, and in your deduction, erroneous. Not one in two hundred that leave Scotland ever returns to settle in his own country; and the few that do return, carry thither nothing that can possibly diminish the stock of South-Britain; for none of their treasure stagnates in Scotland.
There is a continual circulation, like that of the blood in the human body, and England is the heart, to which all the streams which it distributes are refunded and returned: nay, in consequence of that luxury which our connexion with England hath greatly encouraged, if not introduced, all the produce of our lands, and all the profits of our trade, are engrossed by the natives of South Britain; for you will find that the exchange between the two kingdoms is always against Scotland; and that she retains neither gold nor silver sufficient for her own circulation.
The Scots, not content with their own manufactures and produce, which would very well answer all necessary occasions, seem to vie with each other in purchasing superfluities from England, such as broadcloth, velvets, stuffs, silks, lace, furs, jewels, furniture of all sorts, sugar, rum, tea, chocolate and coffee; in a word, not only every mode of the most extravagant luxury, but even many articles of convenience, which they might find as good, and much cheaper in their own country.
For all these particulars, I conceive, England may touch about one million sterling a year. I don’t pretend to make an exact calculation; perhaps, it may be something less, and, perhaps, a great deal more.
The annual revenue arising from all the private estates of Scotland cannot fall short of a million sterling; and, I should imagine, their trade will amount to as much more. I know, the linen manufacture alone returns near half a million, exclusive of the home-consumption of that article.
If, therefore, North Britain pays a balance of a million annually to England, I insist upon it, that country is more valuable to her in the way of commerce, than any colony in her possession, over and above the other advantages which I have specified; therefore they are no friends, either to England or to truth, who affect to depreciate the northern part of the United Kingdom.”
I must own, I was at first a little nettled to find myself schooled in so many particulars. Though I did not receive all his assertions as gospel, I was not prepared to refute them; and I cannot help acquiescing in his remarks, so far as to think, that the contempt for Scotland, which prevails too much on this side the Tweed, is founded on prejudice and error.
Of course, if we vote Yes we won’t be allowed to read Tobias Smollett any more.
“If, therefore, North Britain pays a balance of a million annually to England, I insist upon it, that country is more valuable to her in the way of commerce, than any colony in her possession, over and above the other advantages which I have specified; therefore they are no friends, either to England or to truth, who affect to depreciate the northern part of the United Kingdom.”
How true and how sad it’s still the case today
The big lie is coming to an end, Scotland has been the real ‘jewel in the crown’ for too long.
Fantastic read, more like this please. 🙂
the curmudgeonly Bramble is less than taken with Bath: “They look like the wreck of streets and squares disjointed by an earthquake, which hath broken the ground into a variety of holes and hillocks
I’m sure it’s not that bad 🙂
Thank you.
Forsooth I like Smollett AKA “smelfungus” for his obvious clear mind of the Scots!
Thanks Stu. for this. Yet more evidence of wealth being leeched by Westminster. Seems nothing changes at all…
Just been doing a bit of “cybernatting” on YouTube. How refreshing to come back to Wings and see this post with beautiful prose – imbibed as an antidote to the bile, insults, arrogance and frequent illiteracy of social media BritNats.
Nice post, thanks Rev.
A certain irony that Tobias Smollett was born in Renton which today is the third poorest part of Scotland in 20 years while John McFall was its MP while in 1989 it was not deprived according to the UK Treasury.
We have had the enlightenment… 2014 to be the year of the awakening.
And the sad thing about that story,& its words would be
dismissed as fictional,by some of todays modern Scots.
Those that are bought & payed for by English Gold would still work against their Countrymen.
History repeating itself,only more so with the Billions of
£s lost to the people of Scotland..
Tobias Smollett was from Renton, West Dunbartonshire.
That extract should be used locally to secure the Yes vote! 🙂
Even if just once it was accepted that Scotland pays it’s way by a Westminster Labour politician I would retain some hope for their souls. However it is not going to happen. Even Tory rule is better that giving ground to opposing all positive comment on their own country of birth or nurture.
What a sad group who try to wear the cloth of greater men.
Why, why, why do people vote for those who deny their own nations capability and potential?
Just last week Labour voted with the Tories to cap welfare. An act that will hit Scotland hard.
Before you vote in any election think of your own values first – then ask – does the current Labour Party reflect those values?
Please read the common weal and think about a better future.
You know what I’m getting fed up with this sore back. I feel like the guy in the picture carrying the barrel.
Why is my back so sore? Because England has been hanging on it ever since I was born. And it is the same for all of you. There comes a time when you have to say enough is enough and stand up straight and tell them to carry their own barrels.
That opportunity has been gifted to you that are fortunate enough to be alive this day. Do not waste it, do not regret what you might have done to achieve it.
Just do it.
Absolutely wonderful, stirring stuff, more of this please Rev. George Orwell called Tobias Smollet, Scotland’s greatest poet, and I can see why.
Smollet knew which side his pasta was pestoed.
He spent his last years in a lovely little village in Tuscany.
Not entirely off topic, since it illustrates English incomprehension of Scotland.
Much as I desire a Yes vote, for a long time I’ve thought the race was too close to call. There are too many unknown unknowns to allow any sensible prediction. Now I’m just about convinced that victory is there for the taking (with a wee bit of effort).
The reason is not the new Wings poll (great as that is). That merely confirms a trend that was already apparent. The thing that persuades me is a truly dotty article in the latest Times Literary Supplement by Vernon Bogdanor, the great guru on the UK constitution, and the man who taught David Cameron constitutional theory.
Reviewing Linda Colley’s Acts of union and disunion, Bogdanor gets one thing right: Colley’s hope for a federal UK is a non-starter. But he then quotes Stanley Baldwin to prove that ‘with a characteristic lack of logic, many in England have failed to recognize the distinction between being English and being British, treating the two as interchangeable’.
Having acknowledged this, he still insists that, despite appearances, ‘the sense of Britishness is so profound that it does not need to be publicly articulated’. His evidence for this is that (based on Westminster election results) nationalism in Scotland is now weaker than it was in 1974. He adds a couple of sentences to explain why the 2011 Holyrood result was a meaningless freak. Then he ends with the thought that the vote on 18 September may after all prove Linda Colley right (which implies that the referendum is all about federalism, not independence).
All this indicates abysmal ignorance of forty years of Scottish political history. If a renowned expert can get things so wrong, is it any surprise that run of the mill political journalists (and Westminster politicians) are totally up the creek? They inhabit a closed metropolitan bubble where external reality never intrudes.
This is why there is virtually no chance of unionists coming up with any intelligent response to the advance of Yes. They just don’t get Scotland.
@Grouse Beater
Renton or Tuscany… decisions, decisions 🙂
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries Dundee was one of the richest cities in the country – there were more millionaires per head of population here than anywhere else in Britain – but the textile and engineering industries declined in the second half of the 20th century, leading to high unemployment and urban decay.
link to lonelyplanet.com
Sadly it all died with the empire. Bio-tech and design are helping bring Dundee back to life though.
Let’s get rid of ‘British’ imperialism.
Please vote YES.
Thank you for this wee gem, I’d never even heard of Smollett till tonight.
I can vouch for the state of Renton, my sister lives in Old Bonhill and I’m pretty sure the area didn’t look like that when we were wee and visited Balloch in the summer. same thing for Paisley town centre, in the late 80’s even with the ravages of Thatcher it had a bit of life to it, now it actually made me want to cry when I visited last year. Lots of towns like it all over Scotland, once thriving wee market towns, towns with multiple employers now all gone to the wall or relying on the last factory, or worse now given over to zero hour contract service industries.
My husband was up in Aberdeen this week, we’ve seen Aberdeen on and off over the last twenty years, mostly via the dockside, he said it was looking great, very prosperous. There’s no reason the rest of Scotland’s cities and towns can’t look the same.
That was really hard to read, I didn’t know who you were quoting etc. I need to do more reading.
Smollet nearly two hundred years earlier describes what Paton picks up in 1968, the burden laid on Scotland through labour and resources enriching those residing in the South East through design or choice.
Two hundred years and the template hardly shifted merely entrenched.
We have a hill to climb and hard labour when we get to the top, but at least we will be working for ourselves and our families will get to enjoy our endeavours.
Cannot say that at the present.
kendomacaroonbar
Scotland v Tuscany, only one winner and that is the place with the wild boar on the Menu, might change after Sept 18th 🙂
@ J J
as opposed to the wild bore on the Andy Marr show this a.m. 🙂
Noo dont any of you,s shout at me,ah hivna flipped jist yet.
A special thanks to Maria Miller MP/Cabinet Minister,for keeping us Yes campainers focused on some of the reasons why we Scots want free of Westminster,keep on Troughfin more votes for the Yes campain.
In case you’ve not seen this:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/10-000-flags-for-yes–11/x/5357448
From the funding description:
Now think about the visual impact of 10,000 Yes Saltires.
BIG Yes Saltires, visible throughout the country, on flagpoles, in windows, being waved at cultural and sporting events.
Every Saltire flying household in the country can be approached and offered one of these to fly. Every major event this summer can have a large Yes presence, even those of you abroad can fly your Yes flags in support as the world starts to realize what is happening here.
We anticipate distributing to ALL the various Yes area groups and to activists nationwide, as well as to specific Yes pressure groups such as RIC, LFI and Women for Indy.
We see this is an additional campaign resource.
@Dennis Smith
Yes pretty much bang on there. The English just do understand what is happening up here and have completely misjudged the real situation. I think the Edinburgh Agreement is one such misjudgement. Do you really think David Cameron would have signed it if he really thought there was any chance of a Yes vote?
By the time they do realise It will be too late and the last vestige of their British Empire will have slipped away like sand through their fingers.
Dennis Smith
These metropolitan commentators have lost sight of their metaphysical self and are now slave to imperial folly.
@ CameronB
I’m not convinced there are any metaphysical selves, but on imperial folly I completely agree.
Dennis Smith
I’m not convinced there are any metaphysical selves
Neither am I, that’s why I’m still searching. 🙂
Enjoyed reading that thanks. My knowledge of history in particular Scottish is pretty scant. Last night I started reading about the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, and the Scottish Wars of Independence there is a lot to read and it is fascinating and sad at the same time. It seems that Scotland has been forced to be England’s hand maid for eons, time for that to end now.
I’m no wordsmith but love history so will read Tobias Smollett, now. Didn’t know of him, my Moray school just gave us Shakespeare! That’s criminal.
I’ve just done my duty. I’ve just gifted 500squid each, to Yes and to Nats. For me in my mid 60’s its time. Its the only time for me. The referendum clock is ticking faster. I’m going for it. All the ducks are in a line. Its time.
I’m not rich, on a navy pension of £5k and now £5k OAP. I do have my own granite home, I’m okay. After 50years of toil, O what a grand life in this Union. I’m lucky, I didn’t get a world war.
In memory of my wartime parents struggle and survival. Please never again.
ps. Tomorrow I intend to gift 100squid to my 3 fav YES’s.
I love the Wings fight, and its campaigning surveys.
I like Bella Caledonia and its Poster campaigns.
I enjoy NewsNet for its BBC monitoring campaigns.
pps. I want a campaign medal when its over.
Grab the Thistle
I think you certainly deserve a medal. The future of Scotland depends on people like you.
@CameronB & Dennis Smith I read somewhere you’ve to stop looking to find it 🙂
hetty thanks. I’m able to do this, so I’m doing it.
Not everyone can do this. I’ve toiled 50years under Better Together’s UNION, I’m living in relative poverty. Done all the right things, worked, company pensions, endowment mortgages, saved. Its a con. Open your eyes people, you’re being conned. Vote “YES”, before its too late. I’m going up to the FrontLine. I’m investing in Scotland.
ps. hetty, make it a GOLD medal
Rev, that was amazing, could have been written yesterday it’s so relevant to present times. Our neighbours south of the border are so ill informed and steeped in Anglocentric propaganda they don’t know their **se from their elbow concerning the referendum and what it’s all about. They can feel the heat from the firestorm that’s coming and they don’t know why.
I don’t mind calling the Beatles, the Jam or the Kinks “English rock bands” because,-guess whit?- that’s what they are. Doesn’t stop me from listening to them. The Jam feels no more part of my culture than REM (from the US state of Georgia), but I still enjoy them because of the aforementioned universality an that.
On the topic of culture, I wonder if this was supposed to be timely:
link to bbc.co.uk
I was not surprised to learn the guy’s a Tory MP
warning: May cause boaking
Yeah, the guy running with the (is it a chest?) looks much to me like Alastair D, the eyebrows have it. Look below to the man with the crutch, William Hague. And whose that to the right on the floor with their hand up, YES Miss Lamont.
@Grabthethistle
That’s fantastic. It’s inspiring to see people with modest incomes donate large amounts for something they believe in.
Darling was bleating on that the NO campaign could be outspent a few weeks ago.
What a pile of crap.. I don’t believe a word of it.
They have all the resources of the UK state pumping out propaganda on a daily basis.
Then all the military based pomp to come this summer, to try and manipulate voters.
It’s going to take thousands of regular people donating and contributing to get the message over, as much as the biased media can do for free.
I’m digging deep also. I think this year will be our one and only chance to make it happen.
Kendomacaroon bar says
@Grouse Beater
“Renton or Tuscany… decisions, decisions”
I would thought it was a no brainer,
theres only one question you need to ask,
can you get tatties and mince in Tuscany? 🙂
Dr JM MacIntosh says
” Do you really think David Cameron would have signed it if he really thought there was any chance of a Yes vote?”
So I wasnt the only one who saw a smile of smug satisfaction when he was signing the Edinburgh agreement?
he certainly did think he was just humouring the natives, and all this bruhaha will just die away when the loyal North Britishers see what a thin argument these secessionists have, they probably don’t even have a plan written on the back of a fag packet, (no 10 lackey) “excuse Mr Cameron they seem to have written something they (snigger) call THE WHITE PAPER” oh look a squirrel”. 🙂
can you get tatties and mince in Tuscany?
In Barga, about 35k north of Lucca, you can get almost anything Scottish, including fish and chips at the Pesce e Patate festival, held in the football stadium named after Giovanni Moscardini who was born in Falkirk and played football for Italy.
The Barghesi made Glasgow’s fish and chips.
A good article and interesting that over the last week we have apparent evidence, in various articles, that our financial contribution to the Union has not only been happening from 1970, nor 1921, nor 1863 but now to somewhere in the mid 18th century.
The “Scotsman” claims that another unnamed Labour MP has had death threats from evil Cybernats.
link to scotsman.com
George Robertson, that loyal British Nationalist, stated that Scotland has no culture. Can I recommend to George and others The Gododdin. Composed orally at an early date and then taken down in writing, it is one of the earliest examples of literature in the British Isles. Needless to say, you have to go looking for it. I certainly didn’t get to hear about it in school in the 70s and 80s. Worth getting a copy of.
link to en.wikipedia.org
I’m in for an interesting time this coming weekend. We have relatives up from Ascot, and I know for a fact that both families are dying to question the other. For me, I want to find out what the view of the common person in England is towards the referendum. Does it register with them? Are they worried? Do they care! I want to get a better idea of what the media down south are telling them (as we all know, we have Scottish papers, and then we have the English papers, and neither are the same when it comes to telling something). But mainly, I want to hear it from an English perspective.
My wife’s relatives are mostly English (the husband, Lee is Scottish but has lived in Ascot since he was about 2 years old, but he considers himself Scottish (because both parents are still DEFINITEY Scottish (I can assure you on that – linguistics, accent, attitude, culture …not forgotten …all Scottish at heart)).
What I do know from speaking to the wife is that her cousin is truly aware that something is not right. He reads one thing in the media, hears them saying one thing on the telly, and is told that Scotland is clever enough and sensible enough and that it will vote ‘No’. End of problem.
But then he hears that EVERY Scottish family member is voting for independence (and when you think about that, that includes the brothers and sisters of Lee’s parents, Lee’s cousins, my own house …and the wife’s family is quite considerable in size!)
This has left Lee slightly perplexed as something can’t be ringing true here, so, he’s really curious as to what is truly going on in Scotland. I think Lee is in for one helluva of a surprise when we tell him that it is now 50-50; that the ‘No’ camp is dead in the water; that the ‘Yes’ vote’s percentages seem to climb about 2% each month, and that we still have 5 months to go.
When he asks, I’ll be telling him, ‘Just listen for the howls of disbelief from your neighbours on the 19th of September …because, not only is this going to truly happen, but I suspect that many people in England will be furious with not only with Westminster, but with the media as well, and they will want to know ‘how the hell did this happen???’
And Wings gets another mention in the “Scotsman”, regarding the weekend poll carried out by Panelbase.
The poll result is questioned by some wee shit from Better Together.
link to scotsman.com
Better Together have released a statement saying that the only poll left with any true credibility is the STV Poll.
He said, “STV have their finger on the pulse of the Nation and John Mackay doesn’t tell lies”.
@caz-m. I did say yesterday that the attacks on cybernats would increase and the DM true to form changed its headline on an article on the closing of the OPs to have a go at cybernats.
I won’t bother with linking this rubbish.
Brotyboy, I know Paul Moscardini, who must be Giovannis grandson. He gave up the cafe in Falkirk just a few years ago. It was over 100 years in business. Pity,great fish and chips.
Grab the Thistle
Well done to you and I know what you mean about ‘doing the right things’
The’mature’ Scots have as much (if not more) ‘get up and go’ as the youngsters – probably because time is running out for us and so much has to be achieved, for those who have gone before.
Unionist propaganda publication Hootsmon trashing Panelbase and YES supporters backed up by no evidence whatsoever.
Its so called ”journalism” is a disgrace and I really need to avoid this clickbait.
Its good that we have this site to counter the MSM though and would be interested to know if Wings had a spike in its readership since the SPT ”affair” and how it now compares with the MSM.
Darling calls the Yes voters Monsters. The rants show the state of his mind and his campaign.
Better Together have released a statement saying that the only poll left with any true credibility is the STV Poll.
I totally agree. The below is from STV itself, not even a UK polling company contracted by them (e.g. MORI). Scotpluse have their ‘finger on the nation’s pulse’.
BT can’t be talking about MORI polls for STV. I mean this is what they’ve said about MORI in the past:
“This particular pollster [MORI] is notoriously unreliable in Scotland, predicting the SNP would win double the number of seats they actually did at the last general election.”
link to dailyrecord.co.uk
@SS
Maybe the carnage is happening at Ye Canae Dae It CENTRAL and the only person left to put out press statements is the office cleaning wummin, or maybe Capatin. Darling?
WoS Panelbase poll on the front page of the P&J!!
Wooo-Hooo!
Mind you, it’s kinda buried in the entire front page article headlined; ‘Yes vote would put oil industry at risk’ says Samir Brikho, boss of Amec.
Sorry no link, delivered copy.
An excellent piece. The quote that always annoyed me was from the speaker of the English Parliament on hearing the news that the parcel of rogues had sold us out was
“We have catched her and mean to hold her fast”
Finally after all these years we are managing to prise those grasping fingers from us Roll on September
caz-m
I have read that article by David Maddox in today’s Scotsman
regarding an ‘un-named MP’ being subjected to ‘cybernat’ harassment.
On the face of it , its terrible, no one should suffer death threats and harassment.
Included in the threats was being told that he was a “Just another thieving liar.”
But reading through the harrowing tale, one thing that did strike me was that the MP, though un-named sounded a bit like [redacted]. There were quite a few similarities. But the telling bit was that David Maddox did not actually make any mention of [redacted] in relation to his problem with ‘vandalism’, sorry stickering which was quite recent.
From the article “He said pro-independence campaigners have actively targeted his office. The MP claimed he has been subjected to a number of aggressive and threatening emails and messages on social media sites that have left him fearing for his safety”
Thanks Rev for publishing the Smollett extract, for those unfamiliar with the work’s origin it comes from the quaintly titled “Humphrey Clinker”. This is a travelogue which takes us the length and breadth of Britain undertaken by one Squire Bramble and his party. As a description of 18th century travel,customs and geography and food – see what he says about London food – I think it is excellent. The ending is a bit Hollywoodish by modern standards but it is at least happy.
J G
I don’t think I have read Smollett since my Uni days. I had forgotten what a joy his prose is to read.
Been a fantastic couple of weeks for the Yes campaign polls showing that steady uptick has returned and Better Together at 6s and 7s over their Devo Nano, currency proposals and frankly laughable claims of vandalism.
I wonder if we will see a change in their strategy? Will they come out more positive or will they dig deeper in their existing bunker and go super silly negative?
May I also thank you for the education. I had heard of Tobias Smollet just did not know he was a Scot. Now I shall have to enrich my education. I enjoyed the piece and can only say the more things change? The more they seem to stay the same. People in Scotland really should realise, even the stupid ones, that we have something going for us for all those in power in Westminster to be running about like headless chickens.
If someone has genuinely received death threats then they should go to the police as Louise Mensch did. The police are perfectly capable of tracking emails and twitter threats. There is no place in either campaign for people sending such messages. If they do not go to the police and it remains simple an unnamed individual has received unsighted and unproven threats then it is not likely to be taken very seriously.
O/T this came out yesterday and no one is mentioning it.
It is shameful and dangerous, and makes you wonder if the MOD already know something and are trying to protect big English companies?
link to snp.org
link to robedwards.com
@Grabthethistle,well done that man,its a not insignificant donation,just make sure you have some money in your pocket,for the crisps/irn bru we’ve still 5 months to go.
Thats what Westminster twats would never understand,ordinary
Scots fighting for their families futures,& their Country.
good morning wingers very very bad news
i was called into the housing dept this morning to fill out a form for the ripoff bedroom tax
anyway the lassie kept leaving to get forms and was away for ages at a time
you’s know how it is sitting getting bored what will I have for my tea will man ever step foot on the sun anyway I noticed she had left the computer on honest i couldnt control my hands and the next thing I remember was all the computers flashed up this site and some others
anyway i had to go to the docs and tell him what had happened and he put me into a trance
not only did he tell me it was me that done it but he also found out that glasgow city cooncil will get an email telling them time is running out and to stop destroying all paperwork
anyhoo I will be taken from here forthwith by GCHQ and made to read everything from the enemy if you dont hear from me I will be with you all come the day
ps
as i was being rushed out the door by two shemen rather quickly i remember thinking that bloody door is approaching
very fast and its locked
Nice piece Rev. I have never heard of Tobias Smollet but there again I did not get any Scottish history at school.We too had Shakespeare and Burns. My father taught us some Scottish history, but it was only , when my daughter was at school in the late 1970s that she started to get little bit and pieces of Scottish history. You can keep a people down by not telling them their history!
@Grab the Thistle. Yes you are doing sterling work! I’m in my 60s too and feel it’s now or never for Independence, so I too give to all the campaigns I can manage. Keep up the good work and we will get there.
@Onwards
@ian foulds
@ronnie anderson
(@Edward)
Thanks YESers. Its my time. Its our time.
I able to do it. So I’m doing it.
I got the dosh. Its for spending, to enjoy life.
I’m in rude health and clocks ticking.
Wingers – Keep Calm Carry On.
Better Together trolls have whole Establishment and UK Police State’s wealth and manpower, to screw with our self-determination.
They will do anything to keep the status quo.
They will loose their jobs, power and comfortable life.
I mean they will do anything.
History tells us they are very very dangerous.
England is failing State, are bankrupt and need our assets.
We are reading this and they are reading this.
They have to be seen to be democratic, the world is watching, but will still try to destroy us, using 3rd parties and plausible deniability technique.
I was in pub with an old soldier 10year ago, who was on the streets of Belfast 40year ago, and heard UK have a secret regiment in Northern Ireland, its a surveillance regiment! I took no notice until Jean Charles de Menezes 2005 police shooting death, where an Army Specialist was in police van outside de Menezes London flat. I nearly fell off my chair. Be careful, stay strong!
“YES” better win cos British State will come looking for us. They have form! On plus side. The world is connected and watching, also collective punishments of the past are unacceptable in todays world!