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lordship ' s letters , particularly in hig first letter , seem to indicate that such were the notions he entertained of the obligations laid on him by his office . In that letter he replies to a representation unanimously addressed to him by the Faculty of Glasgow College , stating a serious injury which
they had sustained from tlie baseness and falsehood of an informer , and requesting that the informer and his information might be made known to them , as necessary to their obtaining due redress : and though in this reply he acknowledges his connexion with the University , and expresses in handsome terms his affectionate and
respectful regards for her as his Alma Mater 9 yet he warns the Faculty to expect no kindness from him in consequence of these sentiments : he tells them , that when the precognition
shall he laid before him as his Majesty ' s Advocate for Scotland , it shall be considered with the greatest attention and deliberation , but that nothing more from him was to be looked for
—he must sternly adhere to the rigid line of official duty- —* ' he cannot in this instance deviate from the established rules , or from the usual practice . " That , in these circumstances , some of the Faculty should think of seeking
relief against his lordship ' s scruples , 1 > y a direct application to government , was natural . But a very little attention was sufficient to discover strong reasons for abstaining from such a measure . To some it might appear a measure so improper in itself , so opposite to , and inconsistent with the
general spirit and character of the British Constitution , that it ought not to be resorted to , whatever advantage it might promise : and all were impressed with a conviction that it would be vain , and therefore inexpedient , to adopt it . The same measures of policy which are acted upon by the inferior servants of the crown , are no
doubt followed by those also from whom they derive their powers . If the circumstances in our case , which we represented as very peculiar , were not regarded by the Lord Advocate
as a sufficient reason for breaking through the ordinary rule to comply with our requests , it was certainly very improbable that they would be otherwise thought of by his Majesty ' s
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immediate ministers , whose situation arid occupations remove them so for from any opportunity of forming an accurate judgment . Such an appij . cation therefore to government , it wag
predicted , would produce nothing more than a reference for our answer to the Lord Advocate himself , as pos . sessing the best means of knowing what answer was urost proper to be given ; accompanied , perhaps , with
a repetition of what his-lordship had already communicated to us , namely , " that if we felt ourselves wronged by his answer , the law is open toaH who are injured by any magistrate / 1
2 . From Parhament * -+ * Parltamtnt naturally occurs as the proper and ef . fectual resource in all cases in which redress is not to be obtained by ordinary means . To this resource the University ^ had easy access . In both Houses of Parliament were membew
connected with it by various ties ; of known zeal for its interests ; willing to give their talents and exertions to support any claim that essential justice entitled us to make . Why not take the benefit of their influence or friendship , in carrying through a motion for the production of the
information , petition , warrant , and all other papers connected with the precognition ? Why not in this way bring into light all the mysteries of that outrage that had been committed upon us : and drive the original author of it , the odious informer , from
that screen of established rules , and usual practices , hehifrd which he lurked , and which salved him from the disgrace , and other punishment he so well deserved . But to this proposal also , objection s
of great weight obviously presented themselves . If it were probable that ministers would impatiently listen to a respectful petition on the subject presented immediately to themsel ves , it seemed certain that their dec ided
resistance would be giveji to such an application , coming upon them in " ? unceremonious dress of a motion » Parliament ; necessarily setting out with the ungracious air of comf ^ of t&
and remonstrance against some e servants of the Crown ; and aiming atthe most exalted of them , the compulsatory force of parliamentary authority . Who of those that umiairy act with ministry would choose to w
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468 Proceedings against Professor Mylne , on the Charge of Sedition
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1815, page 468, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1763/page/4/
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