92 Transactions. 
ing into effect an Act which the Government passed in July of 
the same year for raising by ballot 6000 militia in Scotland. 
This Act provided that this force should be raised in quotas from 
the different counties, and that these should be provided by a 
ballot taken in every parish from the lists of men between the 
ages of 18 and 23. Those exempted were those serving in the 
regular army or on half-pay, professors, clergymen, schoolmasters, 
articled clerks, apprentices, sailors, and all who had two children 
born in wedlock. The number liable to serve in Dumfriesshire 
was 1094, and the number called on to serve was 247. The 
carrying out of the Militia Act was everywhere unpopular. The 
people said that 20,000 Volunteers had been raised, and large 
sums given in voluntary subscriptions, and it was insinuated that 
the limitation in regard to being called to serve only in Scotland 
would be departed from when the force was embodied. In 
Dumfriesshire the dissatisfaction was great. On the 27th Aug., 
1797, the Duke of Buccleuch wrote to the Home Secretary from 
Langholm :— 
I came here on Friday, the 18th, hoping to have some repose after many 
months’ attention to my duty as Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Mid- 
Lothian. When I left Dalkeith I had no idea the execution of the Militia 
Act would cause any disturbance in our county. If I could have foreseen 
it, I would have remained at my post. On Sunday, the 20th, I was 
informed that some persons had pulled down the lists from the church 
doors in the parish of Canonbie, and that the parish registers were to be 
burned the next day. I immediately on Monday got together about thirty 
of the heads of families in the School-house to endeavour, if possible, to 
prevent any further violence. I was informed that about 300 young men 
had, on the night of Sunday or early on Monday, taken by force the books 
from the schoolmaster’s house. I said everything I could to bring them 
back to a sense of their duty. At the same time, I told them I was 
resolved to bring to justice the rioters. Those present were certainly not 
concerned, being mostly heads of families, and well known tome. Every- 
thing has been quiet there since. But in Annandale the mob has been 
most outrageous, insulted Deputy-Lieutenants, drove them from their 
meetings, exacted oaths and promises that they will not proceed further in 
this business—in short, they have been guilty of open rebellion. The con- 
stables dare not appear, and the gentlemen of the county dare not show 
their faces in the towns and villages. God knows how this will end. 
Thank God all my tenants are quiet, well-affected people, and attached to 
my family. I have this moment received an express from the Advocate 
wishing I would come to Edinburgh immediately. I shall therefore go to 
Fleurs on my way to know how matters stand in that county. Rutherford 
has been almost killed ; Mark Pringle and the other Deputies driven out 
