148 THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES. 



For my own part, I could not have believed that so soon after the 

 meeting at Inverness in December 1880, the agitation should have gone 

 to such a pitch. 



I am as clear as any one that the law should be upheld, yet it will be 

 imprudent to delay till every legal point be adjusted. I fear new ones 

 will be constantly cropping up. Yours faithfully, 



C. FRASER-MACKINTOSH. 

 To Sir W. Vernon Harcourt, ALP. 



The Memorial, with its signatories, is as follows : 



To the Secretary of State for the Home Department. 

 We, the undersigned Scottish members of the House of Commons, 

 while fully recognising the necessity of vindicating the authority of the 

 law, consider that, under existing circumstances, it is most important 

 that a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the condition of the Crofter and 

 rural population of the Highlands and Islands .of Scotland should be 

 granted by the Government without delay. 



C. FRASER-MACKINTOSH. S. WILLIAMSON. 



GEORGE ANDERSON. FRANK HENDERSON. 



CHARLES CAMERON. R. W. COCHRAN-PATRICK. 



T. R. BUCHANAN. G. ARMITSTEAD. 



G. CAMPBELL. JOHN C. DALRYMPLE HAY. 



J. STEWART, CLAUD ALEXANDER. 



ANDREW GRANT. JAMES ALEX. CAMPBELL. 



ROBERT FARQUHARSON. ARCHIBALD ORR-EWING. 



ALEX. H. GORDON. G. JBALFOUR. 



J. W. BARCLAY. S. D. WADDY. 



PETER M 'LAGAN. 

 22nd February, 1883. 



The seven members referred to in Mr. Fraser-Mackin- 

 tosh's letter to Sir William Harcourt, as hesitating to sign, 

 were, it is understood, Mr. Fender (Wick Burghs) ; Sir 

 Alexander Matheson, Baronet (County of Ross) ; Sir Donald 

 Currie (County of Perth) ; Mr. Parker (Burgh of Perth) ; 

 Mr. Bolton (County of Stirling) ; Mr. Campbell (Ayr 

 Burghs).; and Mr. Dalrymple (County of Bute). Those 

 distinctly .opposed to any inquiry were Si* T. E. Colbroke 

 (County of Lanark) ; Sir H. Maxwell (County of Wigtown) ; 



