How the Agitation Began - Evictions Part A

LAND REFORM IN CAITHNESS – HOW THE AGITATION BEGAN

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN ENSIGN TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1892

SIR,- An article appeared in your spirited journal a few weeks ago with the above heading, referring to the early action taken in the matter of Land Reform, and describing the process of the movement. I am not sure but I brought the abuse and tyranny of the landlords before the public at as early a date as that referred to by your correspondent. In September of 1855, a letter of mine appeared in the Dundee and Perth Saturday Post on the evictions in the estate of Langwell from 1830-31 to 1855. 

A Land Reform League was formed in Dundee at that time, of which I was a member, the Secretary being George Gunn, 47 Perth Road, Dundee.

I can see Alex Gunn walking to this Edward VII pillarbox

 in Peebles and posting his letter. 

After my letter appeared (I was living in Peebles at the time) I had a message from a lawyer in town wishing to see me. Accordingly I called and found the gentleman in his room. I was invited to sit down, when I was asked if I had written a letter to a Dundee paper animadverting on the management of the estate of Langwell by Mr Horne. I said I would answer that question in a Scottish fashion by putting a question to him. My letter was signed “A Native of Badbea.” I asked him had Mr Horne employed him to find out the author of that letter. He said he had not. Then I asked him how he came to know of it. He said he heard of it by a side-wind. “Well,” I said, “I did write that letter.” He asked was not Mr Horne well liked? I said Mr Horne was not, “Then,” he said, “Mr Horne might raise an action against you for writing that letter.” I answered if he should he would leave the court a blacker man than he entered it, and that he could get nothing from me by taking me to court. 

Former Courthouse, Peebles. 

Originally a sheriff court and prison, the building dates from 1848.

Then he asked if I would not write a letter to the same paper and retract what I had written in my former one. I said Mr Horne might have the power to hang me, but no power on earth would make me retract. Then he said would I not write and say that I did not intend to offend Mr Horne. I answered that I was not aware that Mr Horne was offended. It would be time enough for me to do as he suggested when I knew that Mr Horne was offended at my letter. I never heard a word more about that letter to this day. 

This gentleman was a Tory agent for Mr Horne, for a small estate that he had in Roxburgh-shire.

I have a cutting of this letter, and this was I think the first time I appeared in print. With your permission, I beg to send you the letter for publication should you have spare corner in your spirited journal. About this time I began corresponding with the Ensign, as I have continued to expose the cruelty and oppression of the Langwell lairds of former times to this day. – I am &c,

A NATIVE OF BADBEA

My Comments:

Alexander Gunn aka A Native of Badbea was amazing. Here he is, still keeping the issues in front of the public 37 years after he first published a fearless letter exposing the treatment by the proprietors of small-time crofters on the Langwell estate.

I will publish the original letter in two or three blogs following this as it was quite long.

Gunn was asking for trouble from Donald Horne, as in 1855 at the time of the publication of his critical letter Horne still owned Langwell (he sold it in 1857). Horne was also litigious and very likely to do exactly what he threatened Gunn with – that was take court action against him. Unfazed Gunn met him head on and Horne pulled his head in, no doubt knowing that a court case would indeed leave him publicly uncovered.