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THE BRITISH AMERICAN.

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appear, at least we have not been able discover, that Mr. Muir committed to wri- anynhservation, or remonstrance either he subject ofhis trial or the treatment to ch he was latterly subjected. He seems have submitted to his fate with calm ity. “ A Roman with a Roman’s heart, can suffer.” is venerable parents were permitted to vi- iim before he sailed from Leith Roads,— sucha visit. Their hearts were “wrung riven”—uot in consequence of any moral itude, or disgrace which he had brought it them, for aworthier and more affection- son never breathed. But surely the bare that he in whom all their earthly hopes tered was about to be torn from them, and t to exile for a length ofyears, was ofitself cient to fill their cup of affliction, without above appalling fact that he was placed in ins, and treated worse than the veriest in the land too, where we have been ex- ngly told, no slave ever trod? hat man should thus encroach on fellow man, bridge him of his just and native rights, radicate him,-—tear him from his hold pen the endearmcnts ofdomestic life nd social, nip his fruitfulness and use. nd doom himfor perhaps a headless word, 0 barrenness.—and solitude—and tears. oves indignation—makes the name of power 5 dreadful as the Manichean God— dored through fear—strong only to destroy." he Reformers of England—through their espoudiug Society in London—transmitted r. Muir, and to Messrs. Gerald, Palmer, arot and Skirving, the following animated ESS. ebehold in you, our beloved and res- d friend and fellow citizen, a martyr to orious cause of the Equal Representation, e cannot permit you to leave this de- country without expressing the infinite tions the people at large, and we in par- r, owe to you, for your very Spirited ex- sin their cause upon every occasion, but none more conspicuously. than during sitting of the British Convention of the ple of Edinburgh, and the consequent pro- ding (we will not call it trial) at the bar of Court ofJusticiary. We know not what most deserves our ad- ation, the splendid talents with which you so eminently distinguished, the exalted ues by which they have been directed, the severance and undaunted firmness which so nobly displayed in resisting the wrongs your lDSulted and oppressed country, or, rpresent manly and philosophical suffer- s uuder an arbitrary, and tillof late, unpre- ented sentence—a sentence, one of the most dictive and cruel that has been pronouuced e the days ofthat most infamous and ever be detested Court of Star Chamber, the rmous tyranny of which cost the first arles his head. To you and to your assori"‘es we feel our- es most deeply indebted. i r us it is, that r are doomed to the inhospitable shores of w Holland, where, hOWever, we doubt not will experience considerable alleviation by rememberance of that virtuous conduct which it is imposed on you, and by the sin- regard and esteem ofyour fellow citizens. The equal laws of this country have, for 5 past, been the, boast of its inhabitants, whither are they now fled? We are ani- ed by the same sentiments, are daily re- ing the same words and committing the

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incs writing thus far. we have discovered an in letter written by Mr. air to a frisnd st n go, which is printed in the Appendix.

same actions for which you are thus infamous- ] sentenced: and we will repent and commit tiem until we have obtained redress; yet we are unpunished! Either therefore the law is unjust towards you, in inflicting punishment on the exertions of virtue and talents, or it ought not to deprive us of our share in the glo- ry of the martyrdom.

“ We again, therefore, pledge ourselves to you, and to our country, never to cease de- manding our rights from those who have usur- ped them, until. having obtained an Equal Representation of the People, we shall be en. abled to hail you once more with triumph to your native country. We wish you health and happiness ; and be assured we never, never shall forgetyour name, your virtues, nor your great example.

“The London Corresponding society, “John Lovett, Chairman. “Thomas Hardy, Secretary.

“The 14th of April, 1794.”

Considering the advanced age of Mr. Muir’s parents. they parted with him under the con- viction that they could not survive the term of his sentence, or meet him again in this World. Neither they did. But he anxiously endeavour- ed to soothe their feelings, and to elevate their thoughts, by pointing like Auaxagoras, to the heavens.

This trying scene broke down the constitution ofhis father. He was struck with ashock of palsy, from which he never recovered—And his poor mother, so powerful was her affection for her devoted son, periled her owu life, by making frequent excursions to sea in an open boat, in the winter of 1793, in orderthat she might again catch a glympse of him, and give Vent to her agonizing feelings.

During the last of these excursions, but be- fore she could approach near enough to recog- nise him, the vessel in which Mr. Muir was, got under Weigh. And if the agony of mortals could have any effect on the elements of nature, those very elements at that time Would have stood motionless on account of Thomas Muir.

One of the last requests he made to his parents was to furnish him with a small pocket Bible ; and we mention that circumstance, because it will be Seen how highly he prized that preci~ ous relic, and how miraculously it preservedhis life under the extraordinary vicissitudes that afterwards befell him.

There were 83 convicts on board the Surprise transport, which carried him from England. His fellow Reformers, Palmer, Skirving, and Margaret were among them. But there was ano- thrr individual ofavery differentdescription, in- deed, iu whose society Mr. Muiratone time little thought he could sojourn for a single hour. This was a man ofthe name of Henderson, belong- ing to Glasgow, who had been tried there by the Circuit Court ofJusticiary, about two years before for the .Murder of his wife. And strange to tell Mr. Muir had been his counsel. He pleaded successfully for him; as Henderson’s Jury, instead of a verdict of Murder, brought in a verdict ofCulpable Ilomicide which saved the calprit’s neck, and now he was going to expiate his crime under a like sentence of transporta- tion for fourteen years !-—0h temporez ! 0 mo- res ! Whata commentary on the different de- grees of punishment !—What a lesson to philan- thropists on the classification of prisoners.

After a tedious voyage. the Surprise arrived at Sidney on the 25th Sept, 1794. It was a]- ledged that symptoms of mutiny had broken outduring the voyage, on the part of some of the convicts ; but nothing of the kind was im- puted to Mr. Muir. or to Palmer, Skirving, or Margin-at, who conducted themselves with the utmost propriety.

To the Editor ofthe British flmerican.

Mr, Editor,

The compiler of the Statute of 1827, to establish an Assize of Bread at Charlotte- Town, followed the Nova Scotia Statute of 1796, which followed the British Acts c 31, Geo. 2, and 3, Geo. 3. John Bull I fond of a bite of Bread and a drink of Beer, and so he set a price on both, and by equal right he could have set a price on Meat or Milk, and indeed in 1780, we passed a sta- tute here by which Justices were empow- ered to regulate the prices of all sorts of provisions,—this being a land of liberty, notwithstanding all which, I cannot approve of an Assize of Bread. I would fine public Bakers heavily for adulteration, and make their bread to be of the same weight as in England ; namely—quartern and half- quarternloaves, let the price vary but not the assize, Bakers in Charlotte-Town in- crease in number, and there is now quite sufficient to arouse competition—let them charge their own price and not sell light bread. Every persoa can chip a stone, or run a lead weight of 4lb. 5 l-Qoz. or 21b. 2 3—402. but a varying weight puzzles the poor to ascertain ; the Statute here is a very good one, as far as it relates to the quali- ty of the bread. According to the 10th clause of the Act“ no preparation of da- maged or musty flour,or ingredient, or mix- ture whatsoever (except the genuine meal or flour, which ought to be put therein, and common salt, pure water, eggs, milk, yeast and harm, or such leaven as shall be allowed by the Justices) shall be put therein—pe- nalty from forty shillings to three pounds.” The 13th and 14th clauses of the Act have not, I fear been attended to,—by the for- mer clause the Clerk of the Market shall visit the Bakers every week and seize and give away all Bread not made of genuine flour—so may Magistrates &c. I have not heard of any such visitation taking place. By the latter clause the Grand Jury and Supreme Court, are to appoint two inspec- tors, annually, who are to be sworn to do their duty, and fined Five Pounds for neg- ligence or refusal. I should like to ask whether this clause has been complied with? We have a species of Cholera Morbus among us which is not at all wonderful. when we consider the stuff which is con- sumed under the name of Bread here— well may we say, we ask for Bread and they give us a Stone.

If the Salary of the Clerk ofthe Market is not sufficient, make it more, but make him do his duty. As to the Justices of the Peace, &c. they have all some other busi« ness to do, and pray to be excused, but I am happy to see by the general tenor and spirit 0 your publication we have at last a chance of being heard.

Your’s respectfully,

. A Pooa MAN. September 28. 1832.

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