Series 4 > Papers on Sutherland Estate Management 1802-1816 > Volume 9

ipo SUTHERLAND ESTATE MANAGEMENT: CORRESPONDENCE
woud have got Mr Reed to give them this crop of the grounds in re¬
turn for what they now occupy.
With respect to Sellar I know him well and cannot allow myself to
think for a moment that he coud be capable to extract a single shilling
improperly from the people far less to put it in his own pocket. 1 have
formerly had occasion to ask him about similar charges and allways
got a satisfactory reply. Without saying by what means I obtained
this receipt I showed it to him. His answer was (but I shall afterwards
send it in writing) that this man had been repeatedly craved but like
many others woud not pay, and that he had to obtain Decreet and
send a party to poind which occasioned the charge in question. As to
Dornoch Law I really believe it is now administered with as much
Justice as in any Comity in Scotland, it woud be a reflection on all of
us if it was otherwise. I do not hear of MacKids decreets being reversed
by the Court of Session, Mr Cranstouns abilitys are well known and
he is I shoud suppose open to every complaint which may be brought
against his Substitute.
As to my popularity I assure you it is the reverse of what McDonald
alledges. I am accused and certainly with Justice of all these changes
and supposed hardships while Mr Sellar has only to collect the rents
which (moderate as I know they still are) I have the cruelty to impose.
1 have allways keept McDonald at Bay and he only wishes that these
fine accounts of me may be known in hopes that it may induce me to
do some thing for him.
William Young to Marchioness of Stafford
Rhives, 30 March 1813
I wrote your Ladyship from Inverugie and have now had the honor
to receive your letters of 20th and 22d Instant. I am indeed at a loss
to say what the Kildonan people may now propose to do, they have
not come near me and perhaps will not untill Macdonalds return but
Mr Reid is to send his Shepherds over the grounds in a few days which
will in so far put them to the test, and Mr Cranstoun on closing the
examination found it necessary to advise the Lord Advocate to pro¬
secute a few of the ringleaders before the Justiciary Court at Inverness
on the xst of May. The annals of History do not afford prooff of any
Proprietor of a Highland Estate having done so much for a tenantry