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POLITICS rarely disturb the
dream of the average native resident of a Highland parish. The subject
is spoken of now and then by the people generally, but very often this
is more because of the wish to be considered capable of appreciating
"what the papers are saying," than from any clear or earnest interest in
the goings on in the political world.
"Men, not measures," is
practically the political maxim of such as affect any interest in the
matter. As with many others, the man, Whig or Tory, whose name is
associated with cheapening tea, sugar, or tobacco, or with reducing the
dog-tax, is the favourite politician.
The meaning of even the
most rudimentary terms in the political vocabulary would appear to be by
some Highlanders rather imperfectly understood. An old woman in a
Highland parish not very far from Stratheden, it is said, once expressed
her astonishment at, the very great age apparently reached by "that man
Goavurmant" (Government). Not only had she heard a great deal about his
doings in her early days, but her father used to tell her about the same
aged "personage" as being spoken of as far back as even he could
remember. There is a still more remarkable instance of political
ignorance which has been related to us as occurring in a Highland parish
not fifty miles from Stratheden. A few years ago the then Chancellor of
the Exchequer—a peaceably-inclined man, it is necessary to add, in view
of what follows—was on a visit to the proprietor of the place, a
nobleman famous for his generous and splendid hospitality. On a certain
evening during the stay of the Chancellor of the Exchequer at this
nobleman's Highland home, a meeting of some kind or other took place in
the district, at which, among others, there was present Peter Macgregor,
a decent old man, and an elder in one of the churches. At the close of
the meeting, and in the ordinary course of conversation, some one
happened to mention in Peter's hearing that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer was at Dunedin Castle; whereupon the elder, unlettered in the
nomenclature of party or office, to the amusement of all that heard him,
said,—"Och, dear me! oar own proprietor, he's a goot laird and a goot
kind man, but, mercy me! he's an awful man, for there's no a wild beast
that's in't but he wull get one of them!" Poor Peter evidently imagined
the visitor at the Castle was another trophy of adventurous travel in
foreign wilds.
These, of course, are exceptional instances; but so far as the average
native resident of a Highland parish of to-day is concerned,—while the
age of a Government is pretty generally known, and while the mention of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer's name does not bring up wild
suggestions of a rnenagerie,—of clear appreciation of party
distinctions, or of the significance of the changes in the political
atmosphere, there is very little indeed.
So far, however, as can be gathered from
such declarations as are ventured upon, so-called Liberal leanings are
observable among the younger crofters, farm-servants, and working class
generally in Stratheden; while among others the "old way," or as some
call it, the "way long ago," understood to signify Conservatism, is
rigidly adhered to.
The news of the dissolution of 1880 afforded
a special opportunity for ascertaining the political leanings of at
least one native resident. A day or two after the news came, we met
Angus Sutherland, one of the native residents, a man of fifty years of
age and a person of some intelligence, but, as the sequel will show, not
specially learned in matters political. "Is this Baykansfield to be
put-ten oot?" was the question put to us by Angus, in order to know what
was doing—a question followed, however, by the statement, before we had
time to make any observation, "I don't know myself who's best to be in;
it's no for the likes o' me to be speaking aboot them things,—it's
scholars and people o' that kind it belongs till better to be speaking
aboot them things." Being little inclined for a political discussion, we
merely made the observation that a few days would tell who would be "oot"
or in. At this stage, however, such political leanings as Angus had were
beginning to appear, and we began to suspect that, after the manner of
some people found in Lowland and Highland parishes of to-day and other
days, Angus was assuming ignorance merely in order to hear what we had
to say. "Am feared," observed Angus, "this Baykansfield is ower fond o'
war—and it's an awful thing war—and forbye the praisheous lives that are
lost, it runs away wi' an awful sicht o' money; and now them .papers are
saying —I reads my newspaper of coorse—that it was an awful baad thing
o' Baykansfield to be going to fight them Solon chaps; he should have
letten the black lads alone. Now, Maister Mackenzie, won't you say
yourself that was no richt? but I don't know myself indeed very weel,—the
likes o' me canna oonderstan' them things at all." It will be seen from
this last observation that Angus was lapsing into his sounding ways, and
indeed he seemed most anxious to know what manner of person we were
politically. "Well, Angus," we replied, "war is always a sad business ;
and, no doubt, rightly or wrongly, a great many persons are of opinion
that the Government of Lord Beaconsfield might have prevented some of
those wars in which our country has been recently engaged abroad; and
you may depend upon it, Angus, all that think so will do their utmost to
send Lord Beaconsfield and his party to the right - about." "Weel, sir,"
was the reply of Angus, "that's what I was thinking myself, although, as
I was telling ye, the likes o' me doesna oonderstan' just much aboot
them things; but I put no doot you'll know all aboot it; but, Master
Mackenzie, is there a pairty wi' Baykansfield? I thocht there was none
but himself for them wars, and that this Gladstone was the other way,
just cornplete contrary like to Baykansfield." A little elucidation now
obviously became necessary, and we resolved to attempt the matter,
although the very rudimentary political education seemingly possessed by
Angus was slightly discouraging. "You must understand, Angus," we
proceeded to observe, neces sarily using the simplest possible style of
explanation, "Beaconsfield could do nothing unless there was a large
number of the members of Parliament of the same opinion as himself, and
helping him to carry out his plans. The British Parliament is made up of
two kinds of persons ; they call the one party Liberals, and the other
party Conservatives." "Am a Reebural," exclaimed Angus; "am that indeed,
sir, because the paper is saying—I reads my newspaper, of coorse—that
the Reeburals, not the other chaps, is the richt sort o' fellows, and
that they'll give the poor man, and every other body, everything they'll
be wanting. Och, yes, Maister Mackenzie, am a Reebural, although the
likes o' me doesna know much aboot it; but Gladstone's my man; he's the
man for me." "Very well, Angus," we replied, "you're quite right to have
your own opinion in the matter; but wait a little," we added, "till I
explain matters further. The chief man in the Government is called the
Premier, or Prime Minister." "Och, dear me!" interposed Angus, with an
air of anxious astonishment; "I didna know that munnistarrs was in
Parliament at all. My word, these munnistarrs, you'll find them looking
aifter all kinds o' high places and the likes o' that. They should stop
at hoam and be more humbler and give longer sermons. Och, the
munnistarrs are no what they were in my younger days, Maister Mackenzie;
am feared they're getting ower prood and high kind, and they're crabbed
kind and that, if you'll no please them and give plenty money at the
collekshans." "Dear me, Angus," we replied, "what is all this for? the
Prime Minister or Minister of the Crown is not the same as a preaching
minister or church minister. The real meaning of minister is a servant,
and, speaking of the Government, the term "prime minister" means that
the person so named is the chief servant of the Crown or of the Queen.
But, Angus, I am quite surprised to hear how you speak about ministers.
Of course they have their faults, and some of them are proud enough, and
some greedy enough; but you speak very strongly, almost bitterly,
against them. I always thought you had a great regard for the clergy,
and that you were a very regular attendant at church." "Ah, weIl,"
replied Angus, "I attends church,—that's my duty, Maister Mackenzie; but
matters aboot churches are no what they were in my younger days; but oor
own munnistarr, Maister Nicolson (Angus adhered to the Free Church), am
thinking is a quate man, and preaches longer nor some o' them, and I
must say this for him forbyc, that he's awful against that fearful
fellow—is he Robert Smuss, or Robertson, or Smuss, or what is he?—the
fearful fellow that they're say-in- wants Deuturranoamy putten oot o'
the Bible; and that's a grand quaality in oor munnistarr. But, och, I
shouldna be speaking aboot munnistarrs. I used to hear my daesant ould
faither saying it wasna canny to be speaking aboot munnistarrs, and the
likes o' me doesna know much aboot it."
At this stage of our interview with Angus
Sutherland we had reached the Stratheden post-office, near which, as is
usual on the arrival of the evening mail-train from the south, there was
a considerable number of persons—including some half-dozen ploughmen, as
many crofters, seven or eight tradesmen (tailors, shoemakers, and
joiners), one or two individuals of no occupation, and half a score of
boys. This varied assemblage, of course, arranged themselves into small
groups for purposes of gossip. But--and this bears out the remarks, made
at the commencement of this chapter—although it was now some days after
the announcement of the dissolution of Parliament had been known in
Stratheden, the political situation was very little, if at all, referred
to by these people. There were, however, two men at the post-office of
Stratheden that evening who affected some interest in the elections, and
seemed eager to speak about the matter. One of these was Angus McLeod, a
Stratheden crofter, a consequential and somewhat opinionative
individual; and the other was George Mackay, a mason in Stratheden, a
less dogmatic person, and not so well up in politics as Angus McLeod—a
fact which, notwithstanding the readiness displayed by the latter,
placed George Mackay's political knowledge at a decidedly low ebb. Angus
considers himself a Liberal, but George Mackay is not pronounced either
way. "Weel, Maister Mackenzie," observed Angus McLeod, "George and me
here was speaking aboot them speeches in the papers them days — whatna
tormendous long speeches they're puttin' oot just now — them two chaps
Gladstan and Dissurally: but that's no Dissurally's name now—he's gotten
a new name—it's Bickensfield, is it no, Maister Mackenzie? Myself is a
strong Leeberral, — am that indeed; am terrable for that fine chap
Gladstan; am no for interfering with them Solloo fellows at all, at all.
It would be better to give the money to help the poor man than send it
for fighting them black ones." Having complimented Angus on his
eloquence, we were going to offer a brief observation of a general kind
on the question of the hour, when Angus, fond of hearing himself speak,
and evidently proud of what he considered his own superior knowledge,
went on,—"I canna make oot whatna side my freend George here is on,
Maister Mackenzie." George, who, at the time in question, had been
working at his trade at Woodfield, the residence of General Howard, put
in the rather remarkable observation, "I'm no thinking them civeclans
will keep the Parlimant very richt at all. I was hearing the General
speaking aboot them—lie's a fine scholar the General, forbye being a
kind man—and he was saying them civeelans doesna just know the ways of
matters very weel at all, at all!" It will be seen George's political
education was decidedly neglected. General Howard, in commenting on the
political situation in the hearing of George, would, very probably, have
made some allusion to civilians, in contradistinction to persons of his
own profession; and George, thinking it right any time and all times to
quote the General uttered the word "civeelans" as mentioned. Angus
McLeod seemed utterly confounded by this specimen of political
nomenclature advanced by George. Whatever else he might be ignorant of,
Angus knew the party names, and evidently felt proud at his own superior
information side by side with George Mackay's vague observation about "civeelans."
"Gladstan's my man," exclaimed Angus; "Bickensfield is raither foand o'
war, and that's no the way to spend the money the poor man should get.
We wull soon hey chape tobawca; and I was saying to the wife she would
get a cup o' the tea for almost nothing very soon, for Gladstan was to
be in." The "big
fairmers" of Stratheden, with one or two exceptions, appear to hold
pronounced Liberal opinions, and Mr Malcolm Macgregor, the "big fairmer"
at Burnside, happening to be an elector in a neighbouring county where
there was a contested election in i88o, travelled some hundred miles to
record his vote for the Liberal candidate. Mr Gabriel Langton,
Meadowbank, another of the "big fairmers" of Stratheden, though at one
time believed to hold decidedly pronounced Conservative opinions,
changed his political creed some time or other during the agricultural
depression that fell so heavily on most of the farmers,, within. the
last four or five years. Mr Langton suffered severely from this
depression, and, somehow or other, he came to associate the Government
of the period, the Beaconsfield Ministry, with the hardships of the
time, his indignation at the Conservative Ministry reaching a crisis
during the sadly prolonged and severe snowstorm of the winter of
1878-79. Notwithstanding that Mr Gabriel Langton's normal style of
speech is kindly, and innocent of all bitterness, he, several times in
the course of the winter referred to, was heard to utter very strong
denunciations of the party in power at the time.
One evening in April i88o, when the election
excitement was at its height, the Rev. Mr Cameron, parish minister of
Stratheden, Mr Malcolm Macgregor, Mr Langton, and one or two others,
including ourselves, happened to meet, and naturally the political
doings of the hour soon became the subject of conversation. Mr Langton,
who, somehow, thinks he makes an exceedingly clever hit if he says
anything of a teasing nature regarding the clergy, observed, at an early
stage of the conversation, "The parsons "—Mr Langton is very fond of the
word "parson"—"winna like the turn the tide has taken. Dizzy (Mr Langton
liked to say "Dizzy") is getting a most terrible, drubbing with these
elections, and let the old fellow take it. It's awful like to think of
the way matters went back while he was in office, and the winter before
last crowned everything" Mr Cameron seemed more amused than anything
else at Mr Langton's way of putting the matter, and particularly at his
appearing to address him specially. The clergy of the Established Church
of Scotland have long been popularly understood to be Conservatives, and
it was on this assumption that Mr Langton made special reference to the
"parsons." We may mention, in passing, that the great majority of the
Highland clergy—Free and Established—are understood to be Conservative
in politics. So far as the parish minister of Stratheden's political
sentiments can be ascertained, he is what is ordinarily termed a
Liberal-Conservative, and seems to take very good-naturedly the
remonstrances of some of his acquaintance—Liberals and Conservatives
alike — who persist in advising him to adopt what they call a more
decided tone; but the reverend gentleman, whether from stubbornness or
indifference, or from an unalterable faith in the soundness of this sort
of middle path, smiles at the earnest remonstrances addressed to him by
partisans of either side of politics, and, up to this moment, so far as
we can learn, he is a Liberal-Conservative. After Mr Langton's reference
to the "parsons" supposed dislike to the turn the tide had taken in the
political world, Mr Cameron indicated a wish that Mr Langton should
explain why he thought the parsons would not relish the altered
situation. "Och, you're a' Conservatives, and you're afraid o' your
Kirk," was the reply; whereupon Mr Malcolm Macgregor, a stanch Liberal,
and an equally stanch member of the Established Church of Scotland,
observed, "There's no fear of the Church; there's no person worth
mentioning seeking to touch the Church at this moment." Mr Macgregor
takes what many will be inclined to think a thoroughly sensible and
practical view of the Church question. He deprecates mixing up the
matter with politics so-called, alleging that there are many decided
Liberals—and he instances himself with some pride and enthusiasm—strong
supporters of the Established Church of Scotland. "It's the people," Mr
Macgregor added, "that will decide the Church question when it comes up;
and if the majority of the people of Scotland demand
disestablishment—which I don't think will be the case in a
hurry—whatever Government there is, they must agree to the people's
wishes. Let the Church continue to do good useful work, and she's sure
to stand many a long day." "I think, Mr Langton," observed the Rev. Mr
Cameron, " Mr Macgregor has put the matter in a very sensible light, and
besides heartily endorsing our friend of Burnside's views on this
matter, I think it unwise of such as are friends of the Church of
Scotland to speak and act as if the existence of the Church depended on
the support of any political party. Let the ministers and people of the
Established Church, by doing and giving"—the reverend gentleman
emphasised the giving, with a significant look all round—"help to make
the Church of Scotland a continually increasing power for good, and the
friends of the Church need not trouble themselves about
disestablishment." Whether it was that AIr Langton thought his reverence
was proceeding to sermonise on the subject, or whether it was that he
was afraid it was not well enough known that he had become a Liberal
some time during the snowstorm of '78-79, AIr Langton abruptly observed
—"But you're all afraid Gladstone will be at your Kirk, and pull it
down." At this stage Duncan Kennedy, a Stratheden "small fairmer," an
adherent of the Free Church, and a somewhat intelligent man, who had
been listening attentively to the discussion, seemed desirous of stating
his views on the matter. "Am thinkin' mysel'," observed Duncan, "that
the munnistarr is perfectly richt aboot this dussisstawblishment; and
forbye that, I waas very gled to hear Maister Macgregor speaking the way
he did. The dussisstawblishment wunna be in oor day. Am no o' the
Estawblish Church mysel', but I wud be very sorry to see the day—I hope
I wunna, and I wunna see the day—the good ould Church of oor fathers
will be putten doon: I don't think mysel' there's mony wants it putten
doon. Look among the people o' this paireesh itsel',—all the Free Church
people in it, am sure, would be doonricht against puttin' doon the
Estawblish Church; and it's the same in other paireeshes, am sure. Ali !
we wunna pairt wi' the Church o' Scotland though we doesna go to it; we
goes to the Church we were brocht up in, — am thinking that's the way wi'
all of us." Duncan's observations being, by universal consent, accepted
as the close of the comments on the Church question, Mr Angus Ferguson,
Braeside, a farmer in the parish, proceeded to offer a few comments.
Some one had told him farmers were soon to have better times—it might
have been Mr Langton, who expected a great deal from the return of the
Liberals to power. "I wunder," observed the tenant of Braeside, "what
will Glawdstane and them chaps do for us people that's dependin' on the
lawnd, and so awful hadden doon them times." (Angus had been long away
from Stratheden, and acquired a peculiar accent.) "Ye see, wi' a' their
talk and poaleetics and Goavurrments, they canna bring doon oor rents ae
bawbee ; and forbye, am no shair they can haud thae Amarrican fellaes
frae sending sic tremendous cargoes o' meat and a' kinds o' stuff to oor
country—and it's they Amarrican lads that's keeping a' things doon i'
the price. Am feared nae Goavurrment can mend that, freends." Mr Gabriel
Langton, a convert of depression times to Liberalism, as the reader will
remember, scarcely seemed to relish Mr Angus Ferguson's blunt way of
putting matters, and, in reply to Ferguson's observations, said: "Wait,
Angus, and you'll see all things getting into right order when Gladstone
and his party get into power, though it's not just an awfully easy
business to put right what Dizzy (Gabriel would call him Dizzy) put
wrong." Just as the
conference was breaking up, Hugh Fraser, an aged native, understood by a
certain class to be a "good" man, happened to be passing, and, having
asked one of those present what the subject of conversation had been,
was supplied with a brief summary of the discussion. "Am no going to say
anything aboot Goavurrmants," observed Hugh; "but perhaps if the big
fairmers wouldna be setting their hairts on the big sheep and the cattle
and the land, they would get better weather, am thinkin'; and they
needna be speakin' aboot price —they're gettin' price enough
already—that's what they are. `Naas the Moaderat munnistarr" (Hugh
adhered to the Free Church) " speakin' aboot big sheep and prices? Och,
indeed I needna ask that —am sure he was; for they're fairmers, plenty
of them Moaderat munnistarrs wi' their 'glebes, and some o' them hessna
much more to do." (This last observation was meant as a sneer at the
fewness of adherents of the Established Church in some Highland
parishes.) "Ochan, ochan! it's the day that's int that's no easy to be
thinkin' of when munnistarrs will be speakin' aboot big sheep and prices
with the big fairmers." No one seemed inclined to interrupt Hugh Fraser
in his silly harangue. The reader may be curious to know why Fraser
passed as a "good" man, seeing he could utter such unmitigated
sillinesses as were embodied in his comments on the conference. A
perusal of the second chapter of this book may enable the reader to
solve the problem. Happily, however, persons of Hugh's way oft-thinking
are becoming a small and rapidly diminishing class. He wound up his
rambling comments by saying, "But I needna wunder aboot Moaderat
munnistarrs. With my two eyes I saw one o' them walkin' aboot his glebe
on Saitu day, and lookin' at the cattle and the fields and the gress
—fine preparaishan for Sawbath!" |
