Scotland's Ruine, Lockhart of Carnwath's Memoirs of the Union. First published 1714.

I picked this up from the library at the recommendation of of Maragdubh.

This book is the memoirs of George Lockhart, 2nd Laird of Carnwath (1681-1732), member of the Scottish Parliament 1703-1707 and member of the Westminster Parliament representing Midlothian 1708-1714. He was against the 'incorporating union' and despised the men who sold their country to further their personal ambitions and financial wealth.

For those who want to know the truth about how the Union came about this is a 'must' read. The foreword to this latest edition is written by the historian Paul Scott who writes:

"Lockhart gave the game away in an unflinching exposure of a very sordid transaction. If you wanted conceal the facts and maintain that the Union was an act of enlightened statesmanship, then you certainly did not want to encourage people to read Lockhart. His book has been suppressed by tacit censorship. For this reason it has never received the recognition which it deserves as a work of literature as well as an important historical source."

It was Lockhart, who in his capacity as a member of a UK Parliamentary Commission appointed in 1711 to scrutinise public accounts, uncovered the secret payments made to the pro Unionists of the Scottish Parliament in 1706 during the debate on the Union.

In his appendix to the memoirs Lockhart sums them up thus:

"Murder will out, and what is thus discovered is sufficient to satisfie any man of the true motives that induced the ministry of England to lend this money, and directed the ministry of Scotland in the distribution of it. It is abundantly disgraceful to be any manner of way a contributor to the misery and ruine of one's native country. But for the persons of quality and distinction to sell, and even at so mean a price, themselves and their posterity, is so scandalous and infamous that such persons must be contemptible in the sight of those who bought them, and their memories odious to all future generations."

Still true of the Unionist politicians we have in this country today, who are happy to sell out their country and people to further their own ambitions.