Daily National Intelligencer

RESPECTING ROBERT GOURLAY.

TO THE EDITORS.

As Mr. Robert Gourlay appears to be acting a pretty conspicuous part in Upper Canada, an outline of that gentleman's life may not be unacceptable to your readers. Mr. Gourlay was born in Fifeshire, in Scotland—his father a very respectable farmer, of a yeomanry who have long and still do consider themselves of the highest and most eminent grade in Scotland. He was at one time worth upwards of £50,000 sterling; but the sudden lowering of landed property, and having entangled himself in securityships, ruin followed. His son, from his youth, possessed a bold and independent mind, so much so as to have become somewhat obnoxious in Fifeshire, for what was termed, there, his republican principles. Mr. R. G. has made a pretty extensive tour on foot through Scotland and published a treatise on statistics and agriculture, somewhat after the manner of Mr. Arthur Young. Some few years since, Mr. G. removed to Wiltshire, in England, where he was pressed by the Duke of Somerset to take the lease of one of his farms at a rental of £500 sterling. Finding that country dreadfully over burdened with poor's rates, and a great proportion of its inhabitants (as he remarked) in a state of pauperism, he published a series of pamphlets on the subject, suggesting a mode of bettering their situation. The free style of his writings and the severity of his strictures, and his unbending disposition to the Duke, who is a weak man, involved him in a law suit with his grace, who now refused to grant the lease, which he had by letter engaged to do when Mr. G. came up from Scotland. The latter gained his cause before a judge at Salisbury; the Duke threw it into the High Court of Chancery; the consequence has been, that, by delay and the enormous expenses attendant on that court, Gourlay with perfect right and justice on his side has been nearly ruined. It was believed that his Grace of Somerset acted under the influence of the Duchess, who is said to be a very high tempered dame. Mr. G. belonged to the Bath Society, of which he was considered a very useful and intelligent member; by the influence of his Grace, who is or was President, his name was struck off the list. When at Bath the Spring before last Mr. G. called on me to procure information respecting the western states of the Union, having it in contemplation to accompany his friend Mr. Birkbeck to this country. Mr. B. has published a pedestrian tour through France, and one from James River to the eastward, both of which have been much read in England—he now resides in Indiana state. Mr. G. declared to me, indignantly, that he must abandon his native country, where titled wealth trampled down his and his family's rights. His object then was to visit the western states and select a future residence in a state where slavery did not exist. He mentioned he should take Upper Canada first, to visit his connection Col. Clark, of Niagara, who commanded a regiment on that side last war, and whose mills were burnt during that contest. Other views, however, appear to have arrested Mr. Gourlay's projected tour. I shall close this sketch by adding, that Robert Gourlay is a man well calculated for the object he has undertaken. He holds a ready pen; he writes in a style of considerable force and pungency; he possesses a mind of energy and exertion, and a body capable to endure much fatigue. Although bold and decisive in his political opinions, he acts from real principle; there is not a particle of designing mischief lurking about him; in conversation he possesses a frank and honest zeal, the true basis of popular oratory, with pleasing off hand manners. And he is one of three schoolfellows who will do honor to Fifeshire—The two others are Dr. Chalmers, the present famous Presbyterian Minister of Glasgow, and David Wilkie, Royal Academician, the no less famous painter of the day, in a style unique, and entirely his own.

H.

Alexandria, 15th June, 1818.