Conclusion

What, in the end, characterised Scottish support for the British state in the 1790s – be that either in terms of Scotland’s contribution to the war effort, or the assistance Scottish loyalists gave to the government it is attempts to defeat domestic radicalism? The overall impression which emerges from the decade is that of a profoundly conservative society, the sudden upsurge of political and popular radicalism in the years 1792-1794 notwithstanding. The slower, but eventually stronger, surge of support for the government which materialised in Scotland in response to radicalism serves to demonstrate this point. Yet, while the 1790s was arguably a decade when belief in the Union permeated Scottish society, there was always a two-sidedness to this. Yes, the Scots were eager to present themselves as loyal Britons, but at the same time they were concerned to retain a degree of separate Scottishness, and sensitive to English criticism or interference in Scotland. It was important to be both British and Scottish.

Loyalist Ideology

The final chapter of this book explores the pro-government argument presented in Scotland in the 1790s, under the heading of loyalist ideology. The chapter focuses on the central elements in this argument, such as the conservative defence of the British constitution, and the attack mounted on the British radicals and French revolutionaries, arguing that loyalist ideology in Scotland was much in line with that presented elsewhere in Britain. Ministers of the Church of Scotland, however, played a prominent part in writing of loyalist pamphlets, and in their writings, a clearer Scottish voice can sometimes be detected. Some pamphleteers also included more specifically Scottish elements in their texts – such as arguing that the Union and its political system was to the particular benefit of the Scots – but, overall, such Scottish adaptations were rare, and no concerted attempt seems to have been made to develop a separate Scottish loyalist ideology.

Demonstrations of Loyalty

This chapter explores the various ways in which Scots demonstrated their loyalty to the British state in the 1790s. It is argued here that loyalism, and not patriotism, is the better term to use when assessing Scottish support for the government and the British state in the 1790s, and a main theme explored in this analysis is the question of what constitutes genuine loyalty, and how this can be measured. The evidence on loyalism is extensive, and it is clear that the Scots demonstrated their loyalty to the state in a number of different ways, such as loyalist resolutions, suggestions for policy initiatives, offers of personal service to the state, and a variety of voluntary financial contributions. A main argument in this chapter is that, in general terms, loyalism in Scotland comes across as very constructive in its outlook – that it was loyalism on the government’s terms.

Financial Contributions

What did Scotland contribute in terms of financial support for the war effort, and did the Scots pay their ‘fair share’ of taxes in the 1790s? This chapter addresses the question of Scotland’s relative financial contribution to the war effort, by first looking at attitudes to taxation, and then Scotland’s actual contribution to war time finances. The main arguments presented here is that attitudes to taxation in Scotland focused more on individual cases such as the Coal tax, than on the overall tax burden and Scotland’s relative contribution to war-time finances, and that the contemporary view that Scotland was lightly taxed when compared to England, is largely supported by the surviving evidence on tax revenues.

Military Recruitment

Recruitment for the armed services formed a central part of wartime policies, and this chapter addresses the recruitment which took place in Scotland, comparing this with England. The chapter addresses all the different types of armed units which were raised in the 1790s, ranging from regular forces such as the Army and the Royal Navy, to the different kinds of forces for ‘internal defence’ that were set up, the Fencibles, Volunteer Corps and Auxiliaries. Most attention has, however, been given to the raising of a Scottish Militia in 1797, and the main argument presented with respect to this is that – while the militia riots were not doubt serious and widespread – Scottish responses to the Militia Act were more varied that has often been allowed. There were many Scots who either supported the measure, or demonstrated their opposition in more constructive ways than to stage riots.

Introduction

This book aims to cover two main gaps in the research on Scotland in the 1790s: While much work has been done on radicalism, comparatively less work has been carried out on loyalism, and no work has been published focusing specifically on the government’s supporters in Scotland – the loyalists. This book does that. Second, while considerable work has been carried out on individual issues such as popular disturbances, military recruitment or the prosecution of radicals before the law courts, a publication taking a more comprehensive approach has so far been missing. Again, this book aims to address the question of Scotland’s role in the 1790s in a broader sense, looking at, precisely, political trials, military recruitment, financial contributions, and loyalism.

Political Trials

The political trials of the 1790s made up a central part of the government’s strategy for defeating radicalism in Britain. The trials conducted in Scotland played a prominent role in this, and they have earned a poor reputation as near-miscarriages of justice. This chapter explores the more central trials in Scotland, with a key focus on the case presented by the prosecution, on the courtroom debate, and on the question of sedition as a crime under Scots law. A main argument presented here is that – while the trials were not sterling examples of impartial justice being carried out – some of the criticism levied against them needs to be qualified. And this is particularly the case with respect to the crime of sedition under Scots law.

The Government of Scotland in the 1790s

This chapter looks at the way Scotland was government during the 1790s. The central focus is on the response given by the authorities in Scotland to the up-surge of political radicalism and politically induced popular disturbances in the early years of the decade, as well as on the relationship between the local authorities in Scotland, and the central government in London. A main argument presented is that local and central government were not always in agreement, and that there was a degree of interaction between them, where the views presented by the local officials in Scotland sometimes prevailed. The chapter also looks at how the authorities in Scotland related to the various other challenges a decade of war presented to them.