1820 Remebered.

 

        Yesterday, Sunday 30th August was the 200th. anniversary of the state murder of one of the radicals that played a role in the 1820 Insurrection. He was James "Purlie" Wilson.
        To mark this barbaric act by the state and to honour his memory, there was an event near the spot on Glasgow Green where the state carried out this barbaric act of murder, by first hanging him, and then be-heading him. To honour this defiant radical, there was a Tree of Liberty planted near the spot. The state as usual believes that by killing the person and making an example of them, they will kill the ideas that they stood for, freedom, justice and equality for all. Of course they are deluded.
       James "Purlie" Wilson made a defiant speech from the dock, which was repeatedly interrupted by the judge in an attempt to stop his words from being made public. Again they failed miserably.

       We had an unexpected privilege at the event as one of James "Purlie" Wilson's descendants turned up.

Jimmy Carruthers, descendant of James "Purlie" Wilson, standing beside the newly plant Tree of Liberty planted in honour of his ancestor.

       James "Purlie" Wilson's speech from the dock.

       "I am not deceived. You might have condemned me without this mummery of a trial. You want a victim. I will not shrink from the sacrifice. I am ready to lay down my life in support of these principles which must ultimately triumph."
       "My Lords and Gentlemen, I will not attempt the mockery of a defence. You are about to condemn me for attempting to overthrow the oppressors of my country. You do not know, neither can you appreciate, my motives. I commit my sacred cause, which is that of freedom, to the vindication of posterity."
     "You may condemn me to immolation on the scaffold, but you cannot degrade me. If I have appeared as a pioneer in the van of freedom's battles; if I have attempted to free my country from political degradation; my conscience tells me that I have only done my duty.
      "Your brief authority will soon cease, but the vindictive proceedings of this day shall be recorded in history. The principles for which I have contended are as immutable, as imperishable, as the eternal laws of nature. My gory head may in a few days fall on the scaffold and be exposed as the head of a traitor, but I will appeal with confidence to posterity.”
      "When my countrymen will have exalted their voices in bold proclamation of the rights and dignity of humanity, and enforced their claim by the extermination of their oppressors, then, and not till then, will some future historian do my memory justice, then will my name and sufferings be recorded in Scottish history - then my motives will be understood and appreciated; and with the confidence of an honest man, I appeal to posterity for that justice which has in all ages and in all countries been awarded to those who have suffered martyrdom in the glorious cause of liberty."
      Crowd shouts Murder …."Murder", and "He is a murdered man",
     Cries of sympathy exuded from the gathering and "Shame, Shame, he dies for his country!" could be heard as Wilson climbed the scaffold. The crowd's noisy manner caused an officer of 3rd Dragoons to panic, and surmising that a rescue was about to be attempted, ordered his men to charge and disperse some of them. The mass of people remained sullen but tense. Not able to be quartered due to the agitation of the crowd Executioner stated "This is the head of a traitor" responding Crowd Vehement cries of "It is false, he has bled for his country!",
     In the gloaming of that same day, Purlie Wilson's daughter and niece reopened the grave and manoeuvred the coffin over the cemetery wall into a waiting cart that was probably owned by Wilson's friend, William Fleming. The remains were back in Strathaven before dawn where a large crowd waited to show respect to the deceased. There was no demonstration, a condition made to allow the "stealing" of the body. When the coffin lid was raised, it was noticed that the dropped handkerchief had been retrieved to cover the deceased's countenance. (This handkerchief is preserved and can be viewed in the John Hastie Museum, Strathaven.)
        The next day James "Purlie" Wilson was buried in the Old Graveyard just a few metres from his back door, not as a traitor, but as a revered patriot. Mrs. Wilson never recovered from the tragedy and spent many a sad and weary night mourning by her husband's grave.

Some photos from the event:

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1820 Insurrection.

 

 

         This month marks the 200 year anniversary of what is known, in Glasgow and other parts of Scotland, as the "1820 Insurrection".  Along with the brutal repression with which the powers that be heaped on the poor, the state's habits have changed little. Back then government spies were sent to mingle and mix with the radicals and to set up situations to encourage and provoke action against the state, so that the organisers among the radicals could be exposed and treated to the state's brutal so called state "justice". Nothing has changed as  far as the state is concerned, the same methods are still being used, "undercover" police in legitimate protest groups etc.. The only real change is that the state is now much better equipped and has a much more sophisticated range of tools to spy on its population. It will still treat with vicious brutality those who would dare to challenge its authority and demand real change. The state will always be the enemy of freedom and justice for the ordinary people.

       The following is a short extract from "The 1820 Insurrection" on Strugglepedia:

       The late 1700s through to the 1800s saw brutal repression of the reform groups. Execution and transportation being the norm for dissent. Bad harvests, chronic unemployment and soaring food prices caused destitution throughout the working class. Riots took place and ever severer punishments imposed. The Glasgow Advertiser, reports that six baker boys of good character were transported without charge, trial or conviction, for making a disturbance. In Glasgow on the 15th February 1800, hungry and angry crowds attacked meatsellers and grocers shops in Argyle Street, Townhead and Calton in an attempt to feed themselves. As usual the troops were sent in to disperse the crowds.
        A short lived lull during the war against Napoleon soon ended with the Corn Law Act of 1815, plus a fresh wave of unemployment once again increasing the destitution. Once more demands for reform grew in strength. There were more riots in Glasgow, Dundee and Perth, jails filled to overflowing. In 1817 the Rev. Neil Douglas was indicted for preaching in an Anderston church against the Libertine Regent. Due to incompetence of the government spies the case collapsed. During 1819 and 1820 Glasgow was expanding taking in districts such as Bridgeton, Calton and Anderston. The population was around 147,000, most of the work was in mills and factories. The normal working day started at 5.30am, and it was a 14 hour day. Child labour was common, children as young as 6 years of age would be employed as machine operators, the wage would be a shilling a week. There was wide spread unemployment with abject poverty. Women and children sleeping rough was not an unusual sight.
United Scotsman Societies
          Those working for reform were not intimidated and grew in strength and numbers. In spite of Government repression thousands of pamphlets appeared, one such pamphlet by Margarot reached 100,000 copies. There were meetings both secret and open. With the enforcement of the Militia (Conscription) Act, secret and revolutionary United Scotsman Societies, sprang up. The workers seeing the Army as the instrument of oppression used by the Authorities against the people. The Societies spread rapidly. When ever a Branch reached 16 members another was formed. Their National Convention met every 7 weeks, usually in Glasgow. On the Glasgow Green workers went through military drill for the day of the Revolution.
         One Sunday morning in 1820 a document appeared on walls all over Glasgow. It stated 'Friends and Countrymen! Rouse from that state in which we have sunk for so many years, we are at length compelled from the extremity of our sufferings, and the contempt heaped upon our petitions for redress, to assert our rights at the hazard of our lives.' There was also a call to arms signed, 'By order of the Committee of Organization for forming a Provisional Government. Glasgow April 1st. 1820.' A footnote read; 'Britons - God - Justice - the wish of all good men, are with us. Join together and make it one good cause, and the nations of the earth shall hail the day when the Standard of Liberty shall be raised on its native soil.' Government agents spread stories that the workers in England were already armed, and that Kinloch of Kinloch was on his way from France with 50,000 troops: 5,000 of which would be camped on the Cathkin Braes and would seize the city's banks and other institutional centres. They would also arrest any reactionaries. Of course this was a deliberate attempt to get the Reformers to act knowing the weakness of the Reformers arms and the superior forces at the authorities' disposal, allowing them to destroy the Reform movement and execute its main activists.------

Read the full article HERE: 

 

 The Radical War Memorial on Bank Street, Greenock

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk