1803. Pteventlng Euugration from the Highlands* 261 



would operate (o as to prevent emicrration in our day. No doubt, 

 roads, bricli7;cs, and canals, may Ipeedily be executed, by grant- 

 ing a futiablc iupply of nioncy ; but the Highlands may be emp- 

 tied of tlie Celtic race before lillicries and manufa^lurcs are e- 

 {labhflied upon a permanent footing. I entertain a better opi- 

 nion of the meafures fuggeited by them to Government for re- 

 gulating the conveyance and accommodation of thofe who emi- 

 grate. They are dictated by humanity, and will, I truft, be fanc- 

 tioned by legiflative authority ; though it does not ilrike me, that 

 the bed way to prevent enngration is by fecuring a comfortable 

 paflage to the emigrants. 



It gave me fome furprife to learn, from a gentleman well ac- 

 quainted with the Highlands, tliat a chief caufe of recent emi- 

 gration proceeded from diffatisfa6tion entertained by the in- 

 habitants againft the ef xhed clergy, raifed and foflered by iti- 

 nerant preachers ; but, on this head, I believe, no alarm need 

 take place ; for if the people were temporarily happy, they would 

 be under no necellity of emigrating to America for ipiritual com- 

 fort. Enngration, on a large feale, commenced in 1772, be- 

 caufe a confulcrable rife of rent tlien took place in feveral High- 

 land diftritls. The American v.'ar Hopped it for a time ; at leait, 

 it changed the drefs of thofe wiio emigrated. After the peace 

 of 1783, emtigration again revived, and continued to 1792, when 

 the war found a vent for the- fuperfiuous population. During 

 the nine years that war raged, it is believed more people were 

 taken from the Highlands, than in any former period of the like 

 duration ; and the very lliort peace that foilov/ed, furnifhed proofs 

 of the remaining population being greater than tlie country was 

 capable of fuppcrting. But an em.igration of this nature, is not 

 what I mean to countera6l. My ideas are, that fuch fliould be 

 left to take its natural courfe, as it will fcarcely ever exceed the 

 proper bounds. The obje£t which I have in vievv- is, to provide 

 for thofe turned out, when the new hufbandry is introduced, 

 this being a forcible meafure, and caufmg the people to emigrate 

 at all events. Thofe who view emigration as an evil, and feel 

 for the wretched fituation of the Highlanders, will concur with 

 me in thinking, that proprietors, in all cafes where the inhabit- 

 ants are difpolTelTed in confequence of new rural arrangements, 

 ought to flrain every nerve in procuring accommodation and em- 

 ployment at home for thofe who are turned out. On the con- 

 trary, tliofe who view the bufmefs in anotlier light, who con- 

 fider it as a proof of the increafed profperity of the country, or 

 who judge that the fcale of population is fufficient for e- 

 very national purpofe, will be of different fentiments. If ac- 

 tuated by philanthropy, they may recommend a comfortable - 



tranfport 



