will depend on the Resolutions of both Houses of Parliament: and as they have
the finest opportunity that ever offer'd, and the means in their Hands to Enforce
the Laws they shall make, I can't Suppose they will let it Slip thro' a Childish
Tenderness, or the Sollicitations of the Gentlemen of this Country. Besides what you
mention, that of destroying the dependance of the Highlanders on their Chiefs,
others must be added, such as disarming them for ever, making it Death or im
mediate Transportation, to any who shall be found with Arms, by which they
will in time lose the use of them, as in Ireland, and instead of being Dangerous,
may become usefull Subjects to the Common Wealth. In order to keep the Poor
People here in an entire Submission and Dependance on their Chiefs, they lett their lands
only from Year to Year; they should therefore be obliged to grant pretty long Leases,
leaving out all those Clauses of Slavery, which obliges them to appear in Arms at their
Command. This will give them a Taste of Property, a thing hitherto unknown to the
lower People in this Country, which is the Surest Pledge I know of to Preserve their
Loyalty. As the Religion that is Predominant in this Part, if they have any, is Popery, no
Priest must be allowed to come amongst them on pain of being Castraited (a Punishment
those ve[r]min dread more than the loss of Life); but a proper allowance made to Presbi
terian Ministers to dwell amongst them and Convert them from the Errors of Rome.
No Episcopal Meeting Houses must be permitted here, under pretence of the
Church of England, as they have been only Seminaries of Jacobitism and Rebellion:
and if they won't be Saved by the means of the Kirk of Scotland, they shall be
Damned as Heathens, for I would allow them no other. This may appear harsh in the
Ears of a Divine, and make him conclude that we Soldiers have no Religion at all.
To this I shall only make this Reply, that I am for Abollishing all Religions that
inculcate Principles to the Prejudice of my King and Country and the overturning of
our happy Constitution. Schoolls should likewise be Establish'd in Several Parts of the
Highlands, not with a view of making them Learned, but to Teach them English
and the Rudements of the Protestant Religion, as the greatest part of the Com
mon People here are ignorant of both. The Charity Schoolls in Ireland is an Excellent