PRINCIPLES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION IN SCOTLAND—OFFENDERS IMPRIS­ONED—TREE OF LIBERTY AT DUNDEE—RIOTING—DRAGOONS REQUIRED TO RESTORE ORDER—DECLINING HEALTH OF BISHOP GEDDES—BAD PRINCIPLES OF THE TIMES DISCUSSED—STATESMEN FRIENDLY TO CATHOLICS—PRINCE ERNEST AUGUSTUS AT PROPAGANDA—ENGLISH IN FAVOUR AT ROME—AN AMBASSADOR FROM ROME TO LONDON—REV. PAUL MACPHERSON, AGENT AT ROME, ON THE DEATH OF MR. THOMSON—END OF DOUAI COLLEGE—BISHOP GEDDES AT SCALAN—IMPORTANCE OF MISSION HISTORY—ALEXANDER PATERSON AT GLENLIVAT—BISHOP HAY PROCURATOR AT EDINBURGH—THE BISHOP OF THE HIGHLANDS ILL—ONLY TWO BISHOPS AT ANNUAL MEETING— THEY INFORM ROME OF RELIEF BILL, AND SUBSCRIBE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE— WONDERFUL CHANGE OF PUBLIC FEELING ASCRIBED TO BISHOP GEDDES.

The principles of French politics were spreading at this time in Scotland. In France what they called a constitutional government was exercising despotism over public opinion. Associations or clubs for the diffusion of revolutionary opinions began to make themselves be felt at Edin­burgh. In November, they published certain resolutions. To their just demands for Government reform they, with the want of tact and prudence incident to nearly every popular movement, united in an absurd protest against one man’s having the right to the obedience of another, together with other revolutionary tenets of the French school. It was said that two-thirds of the citizens of the capital favoured those opinions. Two papers were published weekly as their organs. The streets echoed at night with cries of “No King! No aristocrats!” Some of the more audacious partizans attempted to fraternize with the soldiers in the castle, treating them to drink and promising every man among them 1s. 6d. a day, if he would join the clubs. Information of these reckless proceedings led to the apprehension and imprisonment of the offenders in the tolbooth or jail of Edinburgh, a prison which the great novelist has since immortalized under its romantic name of “The Heart of Mid Lothian.” On the same day the tree of liberty was planted at the market cross of Dundee. A gentleman of effervescent loyalty, who pulled it down, had his windows broken and his manufactory entirely demolished. The magistrates were driven from the town, and the assistance of the dragoons was necessary to restore order. It is not a little noticeable that the injustice suffered by the British Catholics was put prominently forward by all these revolutionary clubs as a grievous wrong, calling for sympathy and redress. As in man’s constitution, so in that of a nation, a weak point is certainly detected in a crisis of general infir­mity.

To the great regret of the Catholic people the health of Bishop Geddes was now declining rapidly. His toilsome journey to Orkney had injured him, and. the fatigue incident to his nego­tiations at Paris gave a second shock to his constitution. Rheumatism now seized on his limbs, and he could neither walk nor travel on horseback. The most eminent physicians of the time, Doctors Gregory and Spens, were consulted. They prescribed, among other things, rest; and he retired to Leith, which was not then the busy seaport it has since become. He could only write with difficulty and slowly. For the most part he employed an amanuensis; and the Rev. Paul McPherson, before his appointment to the Roman agency, generally performed this office. Neither rest nor medicine appeared to do any good; and a form of paralysis began to be felt. His illness caused great concern to Bishop Hay; and he often and feelingly expressed it.

The Bishops conceived the idea of publishing a pastoral letter on the subject of the seditious spirit that was showing itself in the country; and, indeed, not unadvisedly. Lord Adam Gordon, the commander in chief, had requested Bishop Geddes to speak on the subject to his people in church. The proposal gave rise to some discussion. There was even doubt in the Bishop’s mind whether the pastoral should be published at all. The Lord Advocate and the agent for the Crown were consulted. These gentlemen appeared to fear lest its publication might be attended with some danger, and might excite ill-will against Catholics, in the agitated state of the public mind. Bishop Geddes, to whom Bishop Hay left the decision of the matter, thought himself that such a result was not improbable; and, therefore, the publication of the pastoral was abandoned. The proposal to issue a pastoral letter in the cause of order, together with the discussions and consul­tations to which it led, failed not to increase the favour with which the Bishops were looked upon by the men in power.

A circumstance may here be mentioned which shows how popular the British were at Rome. Mr. Peter McLachlan, a Scotch student at Rome, wrote to Bishop Hay under date of 14th January, 1798, that Prince Ernest Augustus, the King’s son, had been in Rome about two months and intended to stay till the end of April. He came one day to the Academy of Languages at Propaganda, where he was treated with as much respect and distinction as they could have shown to the Pope himself, the hall being most superbly hung with rich tapestry and a throne erected for him in the middle. On leaving Propaganda he received a popular ovation. As soon as he was recognized the people flocked around him and began to cry out “Viva il Re e la familia Reale d inghilterra! Viva l’inghilterra! Viva il Papa ed Inghilterra!” and could by no means, be prevailed on to depart until they had kissed his hand, as was the custom in Italy. Such was the reputation England had gained by reason of the decent and becoming behaviour of the English who resorted to Rome in vast numbers.

Mr. Thomson, the agent of the mission at Rome, having died, it became necessary to appoint a successor. It was difficult to part with any of the priests, who were so few in number; and yet so much depended on the Roman Agency, that some one must be spared. The business of the mission must be attended to, and particularly that which regarded the Scotch College. Mr. Smelt, the agent of the English clergy, was requested to act in the meantime. And now came a rumour that a representative of the Holy See was on his way to London in order to solicit the aid of England against the French. Bishop Hay, on hearing this news, expressed not his surprise, but rather that he was not surprised. “An ambassador of any kind from Hillton (the city of the seven hills) to London is, indeed, an extraordinary phenomenon! But how can we be surprised at any thing in this age of wonders!” Surprised or not surprised, the Bishop was resolved to avail himself of the circumstance for a good purpose. If the mission from Rome succeeded Mr. Henry Dundas, the friend of the Bishops, would, perhaps, request of the Holy Father as a favour to his British allies, the appointment of a national president to the Scotch College. Strong reasons might be urged in support of the minister’s interference.

After some consultation with Bishop Chisholm, the Rev. Paul Macpherson was appointed to the Roman agency. There was only one objection, his great usefulness as Procurator of the mission. He was himself much inclined to the appointment, He had for some time considered that it would be his greatest happiness to live at Rome, He now had his wish; and it came in a way that could not but be pleasing to him.

The Scotch College at Douai, as had been feared for sometime, had now reached the “beginning of the end.” It was narrowly watched and the public seals placed on its property. It was left to Mr. Farquarson, who possessed the full confidence of the Bishops, to do the best that could be done in the circumstances. His chief care was to send home the students; and it was arranged that they should travel under the charge of Mr. Alexander Paterson. It was appointed that some of them should study at Valladolid and others at home. One of them, Mr. Andrew Scott, who had just commenced the study of divinity, was assigned as a companion to Mr. Andrew Carru­thers at Scalan. The students reached London in safety. Thence they took ship for Berwick, and were at Edinburgh by the middle of April. The names of some of the students for the Lowlands will be long remembered in that country. They are Andrew Scott, afterwards Bishop, William McDonald, William Wallace, James Paterson, William Smith, and Alexander Badenoch.

The time was now come when the increasing illness of Bishop Geddes required that he should have complete exemption from care and labour. This he could not enjoy at Edinburgh. Retiring to Leith was only like taking an airing next door. His cares, if not all the fatigue of duty, followed him. It was finally resolved, after much deliberation, that he should reside at Scalan, Bishop Hay taking his place at Edinburgh. His presence at the Seminary would be useful without requiring any exertion on his part. Mr. Andrew Carruthers being charged with the harder duties. He would not, however, be altogether idle, as he hoped, with the aid of an amanu­ensis, to do something towards forwarding his proposed work, the History of the Scotch Missions, which he had long had much at heart. The importance of such a history was becoming greater every day and at no time was it more important than at that in which he lived. The perfect quiet of Scalan and its pure mountain air must have been highly favourable to the invalid. But his illness was beyond remedy. So thought Bishop Hay, an excellent judge. The Bishop knew to whom he was writing, when he said, in a letter to the patient “With regard to my opinion about your health, I always considered your case to be of the paralytical kind, at least since the full accounts you gave me of it, I think at our last Gibston meeting, and I honestly own to you, my most dear sir, with that candour which I owe to you as a real friend, that I have no great expec­tations of a thorough recovery, at least of a speedy one, whatever, the doctors may say. I have known people even of a considerable age, who, after a sudden and even severe fit of palsy, have recovered beyond expectation, but when it begins, in a manner insensibly, as yours did, and advances almost by imperceptible degrees, to the length yours has come, I own I see little ground to expect what we so earnestly wish for.”

Bishop Geddes, with the hope of seeing something done towards preparing a history of the Scotch mission, proposed to carry with him to Scalan, a collection of old letters that were in his possession, out of which he would extract at his leisure, whatever information they might contain relating to the mission. The more he gave his attention to this subject the more important it appeared to him. A knowledge of mission history, he was confident, would have prevented many disputes. Bishop Hay had no objection to this study, except on account of its demand on his strength, the little application it required being beyond his powers and contrary to what his physicians advised.

Having appointed Mr. Paterson, “a very sensible and well principled young man,” (and after­wards so good a Bishop), to the mission of Glenlivat, Bishop Hay, on the 8th of June, 1793, bade adieu once more to his favourite retreat at Scalan. He named Mr. James Sharp as his assistant in the mission duty of Edinburgh. He himself undertook to fill the office of Procurator at least for a year.

The Bishop of the Highland district being detained at home by illness, the two Bishops of the Lowlands only attended the annual meeting. In their usual letter to Rome they had the satisfac­tion to inform Cardinal Antonelli and Propaganda of the repeal of the penal laws. They also communicated directly this acceptable intelligence to the Holy Father, and besought him at the same time to use his authority in reforming the condition of the Scotch College at Rome. The first important act of Bishop Hay at Edinburgh on his return from Scalan and the last of his invalid coadjutor, was to take and subscribe the Oath of Allegiance required by the recent Relief Bill. Both Bishops appeared before the Sheriff substitute of Midlothian, swore and subscribed as required.

The invaluable work of Bishop Geddes at the capital was now at an end. His amiability and various accomplishments, his distinguished literary merit and eminent virtue had won for him many friends in every religious denomination. He beheld in his time that extraordinary revolu­tion in public feeling which resulted in the unanimous passing of the Relief Bill; and this revo­lution was due in great measure to his personal influence. Men of the highest reputation, lawyers, judges, men of letters, learned to respect his religion in respecting the man who professed it, and in whom they recognized their equal in intellectual power and acquirement, whilst they found him genial as he was gifted. The mind of Bishop Hay, though possibly more vigourous and profound, was not so versatile; and he was certainly not adapted, although possessed of many accomplishments, to shine in general society. People revered him, neverthe­less; but they loved the coadjutor. Catholics, both clergy and laity, were irresistibly under the influence of like feelings. How sorrowful, then, must not have been the parting with such a Bishop, and for such a cause!