circ. 1747.
Now the only independent evidence against Dr. Cameron is contained in a letter of his uncle, Cameron of Torcastle, to Prince Charles.[83] In this Torcastle denies that he himself touched the money, and avers that he knew nothing of it, till Dr. Cameron ‘told it himself at Rome, where I happened to be at the time’ (1750). This letter is singularly inconsistent with another unpublished letter from Douay, of August 28, 1751. The epistle was intended for Cameron of Glenevis, but was intercepted by Colonel Crawfurd, Governor of Fort William. The Colonel attributed its authorship to Cameron of Torcastle, and if the attribution be correct, the letter contradicts Torcastle’s accusations of his nephew, Dr. Cameron. Whoever the author of the Douay letter may be, he speaks of ‘the industrious malicious designs and scandalous untruths, publicly handed about against Lochiel’s family by Gl⸺ry.’ ‘Chalmers (Dr. Cameron) knows very well that when truth comes out, these people will fall with scandal into the trap they have contrived for others.... All that Chalmers (Dr. Cameron) saw or had access to was his expenses.’ The writer then speaks of the ‘unprecedented method Gl⸺ry &c. took to get att their sinister ends,’ and about Gl⸺ry’s misrepresentations of Chalmers to Mr. Young,’ the Prince. Singular irritation against Lochgarry is also expressed.[84]
On this showing Dr. Cameron got no 6,000l., but only his expenses. Now, that Dr. Cameron should receive his expenses was perfectly legitimate. But, if he took 6,000l., as Young Glengarry declares, his character is lost. In 1750, 6,000l. was a fortune. Dr. Carlyle, writing of that time, speaks about a minister who married a lady with a tocher of 4,000l., which then was equivalent to an estate. When executed in June 1753, Dr. Cameron left his family destitute. Consequently he cannot have helped himself to 6,000l., and put it into commerce, as Glengarry alleged. That he did nothing of the sort, we have the very curious evidence of an Informer in 1753. This man, declaring that he is afraid of being informed against by Young Glengarry, informs against him. He says, in his information:
‘In Sep. 1749 Dr. Cameron told him (the Informer) he had come over to get some money on behalf of Lochiel’s Family; That Fassfarn got from Clunie £6,000, took it to Edinburgh the following winter, and put it in the hands of John Mc.Farlane, W.S.[85] Dr. Cameron at the same time got £350: and Fassfarn £400 more to be employed in making good certain claims on the estate of Lochiel.
‘Says he saw Dr. Cameron a day or two after, who denied either he or Fassfarn had got any money, alledging that Cluny would not give it without orders from the Old Pretender: That the Doctor was off to Rome (1750) to get these, with only £100 for expenses. That the following winter he (the Informer) met Young Glengarry, who disproved this by giving him a copy of the Accounts in Clunie’s writing of all the money.’
Here follows Young Glengarry’s alleged copy of Cluny’s accounts:—
‘A State of Clunie McPherson’s Intromissions
| £ | s. | d. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ‘By Cash | given Dr. Cameron and Fassfern, secured with Fassfern for use of young Lochiel | 6,000 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | sent to Lochiel by Angus Cameron and Donald Drummond, brother to Bohaldie | 1,000 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | given the Dr. when last in Scotland to carry his Charges to and from Rome | 350 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | at 2 different times by Angus Cameron to the Clan Cameron and others needy | 800 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | charged by Clunie for his Estate | 5,000 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | ” ” for his Commission | 1,000 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | ” ” for 30 Men from September 1746-Sep. 1749. | 1,627 | 10 | 0 |
| ” | charged by Clunie as his pay, at half a-guinea per diem during said time | 542 | 10 | 0 |
| ” | charged by Clunie as Maintenance of his Family | 1,400 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | charged by Clunie for Brechachow (Breakachie) | 800 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | given to young Glengarry Nov. 1749 | 300 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | given by Clunie to his Clan | 500 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | ” Fassfern to pay Publick Burdens on Lochiel’s Estates, viz. Cess and Teinds due by the Tenants | 200 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | given Fassfern to defray the Expences in carrying on the Claims on Lochiel’s Estate | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | Alleged by Clunie to be in Angus Cameron’s hands | 500 | 0 | 0 |
| ” | in Clunie’s hands | 4,880 | 0 | 0 |
| £25,000 | 0 | 0 |
‘N.B.—Young Glengary got £1,900 at Edinburgh from Mr. Mc.Dougald at the sight of Mr. John Mc.Cleod of Nuck, Advocate, of which Glencarney got £80 and Glencoe £50. But this money had no connection with Clunie’s Intromissions, having been carried to the South by Mr. John Murray.’[86] [Part of the 5,000 louis kept by Murray?]