Letter from Robert Burns to Robert Graham, 5 January 1793
Sir,
I am this moment honoured with your letter: with
what feelings I received this other instance of your goodness,
I shall ^not pretend to describe. -
Now, to the charges which Malice & Misrepresentation have
brought against me. -
It has been said, it seems, that I not only belong to, but
heard head a disaffected party in this place. - I know of
no party in this place, either Republican of Reform,
except an old party of Borough-Reform: with which I
never had anything to do. - Individuals, both Republican
& Reform, we have though not many of either; but if
they have associated it is more than I have the least
knowledge of & if there exists such an association, it
must consist of such obscure, nameless beings, as
precludes any possibility of my being known to them,
or they to me. -
I was in the playhouse one night, when Ca'ira was
called
pit the clamour arose. - One or two individuals with
whom I occasionally associate were of the party, but I
neither knew of the Plot, not joined in the Plot; nor
ever opened my lips to hiss, or huzza, that, or any
other Political tune whatever. - I looked on myself as
too obscure a man to have any weight in quelling a
Riot; at the same time as a character of higher respectability
than to yell in the howling’s of a rabble. - This was
the conduct of all the first Characters in this place;
& these Characters know, & will avow, that such was
my conduct. -
I never uttered any invectives against the king. - His
private worth, it is altogether impossible that such a
man as I, can appreciate; and in his Public capacity,
I always revered, & ever will, with the soundest
loyalty revere, the Monarch of Great Britain, as, to
speak in Masonic, the sacred Key Stone of Our
Royal Arch Constitution.-
As to Reform Principles, I look upon the
British Constitution, as settles at the Revolution
to be the most glorious Constitution on earth,
the same time, I think, & you know what High and
distinguished Characters have for some time thought
so, that we have a good deal deviated from the original
principles of that Constitution; particularly, that
an alarming system of Corruption has pervaded
the connection between the Executive Power and
the House of Commons. - This is the Truth,
the whole truth, of my Reform opinions;
opinions, which, before I was aware of the completion
of these innovating times, I too unguardedly
(now I see it) sported with : but henceforth, I seal
up my lips. - However, I never dictated to, corresponded
with, or had the least connection with, any political
association whatever - except, that when the Magistrates
& principal inhabitants of this town, met
to declare their attachment to the Constitution, &
their abhorrence of Riot, which declaration you
would see in the Papers, I, as I thought my duty
as a Subject at large, & a Citizen in particular, called
upon me, subscribed the same declaratory Creed. -
know nothing. - One evening in company with
four of five friends, we met with his prospectus
which we thought manly & independent; & I wrote
to him, ordering his paper for us.- If you think
that I act improperly in allowing his Paper to come
addressed to me, I shall immediately countermand it.-
I never, so judge me, God! wrote a line of prose for
the Gazetteer in my life. - An occasional address,
spoken by Miss Fontenelle on her benefit-night
here, which I called, the Rights of Woman, I sent
to the Gazetteer; as also, some extempore stanzas
on the Commemoration of Thomson: both
these I will subjoin for your perusal. You will
see that they have nothing whatever to do with
Politics.- At the time when I sent Johnston one
of these poems, but which one, I do not remember,
I enclosed, at the request of my warm & worthy
friend, Rob.t Riddell Esq: of Glenriddel, a prose
Essay, signed Cato, written by him, & addressed
to the delegated for the County Reform, of which
demerits, of that Essay I have nothing to do, farther
than transmitting it in the same Frank; which
Frank he has procured me. -
As to France, I was her enthusiastic votary in the
beginning of the business. - When she came to show
her old avidity for conquest, in annexing Savoy &c.
to her dominions, & invading the rights of Holland,
I altered my sentiments. - A tippling Ballad
which I made ^ on the prince of Brunswick's breaking up his camp, & sung one convivial evening, I shall
likewise send you, sealed up, as it is not every body's
reading.- This last is not worth your perusal; but
lest Mrs Fame should, as she has already done, use
& even abuse, her old privilege of lying, you shall
be master of every thing, le pour et le contre, of my
political writings & conduct. -
This, my honoured Patron, is all. - To this statement
I challenge disquisition. - Mistaken Prejudice, or
unguarded Passion, may mislead, & often have
misled me; but when called on to answer for my
mistakes
compunction for his errors, yet, I trust, no man can
be more superior to evasion to disguise.-
I shall do myself the honour to thank M.rs Graham
for her goodness, in a separate letter.-
If, Sir, I have been so fortunate as to do away these
misapprehensions of my conduct & character, I shall
with the confidence which you were wont to allow
me, apply to your goodness on every opening in
the way of business, where I think I think I with
propriety ^may offer myself. - An instance that occurs
just now; Mr McFarlane, Supervisor of the Galloway ^District
is & has been for some time, very ill.- I spoke
to Mr Mitchel as to his wishes to forward my
application for the job, but though he expressed &
ever does express every kindness for me, he hesitated,
in hopes that the disease may be of short
continuance.- However, as it seems to be a paralytic
affection, I fear that it may be some time ere
he can take charge of so extended a District.-
There is a great deal of fatigue, & very little
to my hardy constitution, & inexperience in that
line of life. -
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
your ever grateful, as highly obliged humble servant
Robt Burns
![](https://ciim-data.nts.org.uk/media/iiif/3/pf%2F2%2F1%2F40%2F811%2FNTSBRNp06115.ptif/full/!640,640/0/default.jpg)
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/66
- Alt. number
- 3.6098.a-b
- Date
- 5 January 1793
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Graham, Robert
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/66
- Alt. number
- 3.6098.a-b
- Date
- 5 January 1793
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Graham, Robert
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to Robert Graham, dated Dumfries, 5 January 1793
a. Beginning of letter 'I am this moment honored with your letter;'
b. Continues 'he was one for this County.'
Seven page letter which Burns writes to Graham in defence of the disloyalty charges which had been brought against him. He gives a detailed response to refute each charge and feels he has accounted well enough for himself to ask Graham to support his next scheme for advancement.
Graham has replied to Burns's letter of 31st December, where Burns initially told him the detail of the disloyalty charges. In this first page of Burns's reply, he expresses relief beyond words for Graham's goodness. He denies all knowledge of the first charge, which claimed he was the head of a disaffected party in Dumfries. He speculates that if there was such an outfit, it must be so obscure as to preclude the chance of him knowing them.
Page two discusses the charge that Burns did not show the correct deference of standing up and removing his hat when the National Anthem was played at a performance of As You Like It at the Theatre Royal in Dumfries. Burns refers to this as the 'Çà ira' situation, as this French revolutionary song was also called to be sung in the theatre. He denies having sung the republican song rather than the loyalist royal anthem and goes on to deny other charges of speaking against the King, claiming he would be too respectable a citizen to 'yell in the howlings of a rabble'. His denial on this score was considered to be a little weak.
Page three is devoted by Burns to explaining his position in respect to the Reform Principles charge. He explains his concerns relate solely to the deviation from the original principles which he believes has led to corruption. He acknowledges having 'unguardedly sported with' some Reform opinions in the past but declares that from now on his lips are sealed. He also claims that he has behaved as a dutiful subject and citizen when asked to sign up to the constitutional creed.
On this fourth page Burns clarifies his relationship with the reforming politician from Edinburgh, Captain William Johnston, who has recently published the Gazetteer newspaper. Burns had submitted some verses of his for publication in the Gazetteer and enclosed copies of them with this letter to Graham. He claims these lines have nothing to do with politics and offers to withdraw his subscription to the newspaper if this has been considered to be an improper act from the point of view of his Excise masters.
In page six Burns expresses the hope that he has successfully answered the charges laid against him to the extent that he has the confidence to press Graham for further support. He has observed that the Supervisor of a neighbouring district has been unwell. Burns sees this as an opportunity to have his name put forward as a replacement, arguing that it could be some time before he was likely to recover. He argues that patrolling the district requires is hard physical work but requires only a modicum of experience.
On the last page Burns's concludes his proposal he put forward on the previous page and states that he has both the physical characteristics and sufficient experience to make an ideal replacement for the ailing Supervisor.
Archive information
Place of creation
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Letters from and to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from Robert Burns to Robert Graham, 5 January 1793
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