Thomas
Fyshe Palmer, the son of a Bedfordshire landowner, was born in August
1747. After being educated at Eton and Queen's College, Cambridge,
he became a curate at Leatherhead in Surrey. Palmer came under the
influence of the radical preacher, Joseph
Priestley. Palmer became dissatisfied with the doctrines of the
Church of England and moved to Montrose in Scotland where he joined
a group of Unitarians who had opened
a chapel in the town.
For the next few years Thomas Fyshe Palmer toured Scotland making
speeches and helping to form Unitarian
groups. He played an active role in the campaign in Scotland for religious
toleration. Palmer also wrote and published pamphlets on his religious
views. As well as Unitarian tracts, Palmer wrote pamphlets advocating
parliamentary reform and universal suffrage.
In April 1792, Charles Grey, Richard
Sheridan, Major John Cartwright,
Lord John Russell,and a few other politicians
in favour of parliamentary reform established the Friends
of the People. Palmer decided to form a similar organisation called
Friends of Liberty in Dundee. Government
spies attended these meetings and on 12th September 1793 Palmer was
arrested and charged with writing a seditious pamphlet, Dundee
Address to the Friends of Liberty. The authorities claimed
that Palmer was guilty of "writing or printing seditious or inflammatory
writing, calculated to produce a spirit of discontent in the minds
of the people against the present happy constitution and government
of this country, and to rouse them up to acts of outrage and violence".
At the trial, George Mealmaker, a weaver
from Dundee, gave evidence that he, and not Palmer, had written this
pamphlet criticizing the British government.
At his trial Palmer was accused of supplying William
Skirving of Strathruddle with 100 copies of Dundee Address
to the Friends of Liberty for distribution in Scotland. It was
also claimed that Palmer had been attending meetings of the Friends
of the People. The prosecutor called Palmer "the most determined
rebel in Scotland" and suggested that if it were not for "societies
calling themselves Friends of the People, there would be no war with
France, since the French would never have been so mad as to attack
the British nation." Palmer was found guilty and sentenced to
seven years transportation.
In February 1793, Palmer and three other men found guilty of writing
and publishing pamphlets on parliamentary reform, Thomas
Muir, William Skirving and Maurice
Margarot , were placed on prison Hulks on the Thames in preparation
for their journey to Australia. Radicals in the House of Commons immediately
began a campaign to save the men now being described as the Scottish
Martyrs. On 24th February, 1793, Richard
Sheridan presented a petition to Parliament that described the
men's treatment as "illegal, unjust, oppressive and unconstitutional".
Charles Fox pointed out in the debate that
followed that Palmer had done "no more than what had done by
William Pitt and the Duke
of Richmond" when they had campaigned for parliamentary reform.
Attempts to stop the men being transported failed and on 2nd May 1794,
The Surprise left Portsmouth and began its 13,000 mile journey
to Botany Bay. While the ship was at sea, a group of convicts, including
Joseph Fyshe Palmer and William
Skirving, were accused of being involved in a plot to kill the
captain and crew. Later, Palmer wrote a pamphlet accusing Margarot
of exposing the plot to the captain. However, an investigation carried
out by Francis Place, found that there was
no evidence to support Palmer's accusations.
As a political prisoner Palmer enjoyed more freedom than other convicts
and was allowed to establish a successful business transporting goods
to Norfolk Island. Unlike some of the Scottish Martyrs, Palmer appeared
to get on well with the military in New South Wales.
Palmer's sentence expired in September 1800 and at the beginning of
1801 he sailed for Britain in a captured Spanish ship. After a bad
storm the ship was forced to seek refuge at Guam. The island was under
the control of the Spanish and the passengers and crew of the ship
were taken into captivity. Held as a prisoner of war, Joseph Fyshe
Palmer died of dysentery on 2nd January 1802.
In 1845 Thomas Hume, the Radical MP organised
the building of a 90 feet high monument in Waterloo Place, Edinburgh.
It contained the following inscription: "To the memory of Thomas
Muir, Thomas Fyshe Palmer, William Skirving, Maurice Margarot and
Joseph Gerrald. Erected by the Friends of Parliamentary Reform in
England and Scotland." On the other side of the obelisk, based
on the model of Cleopatra's Needle in London, is a quotation from
a speech made by Muir on 30th August, 1793: "I have devoted myself
to the cause of the people. It is a good cause - it shall ultimately
prevail - it shall finally triumph."
(1)
Thomas Fyshe Palmer, speech at his trial on 13th September 1793.
My life has been employed in the dissemination of what I conceived
to be religious and moral truths. my friends know with what ardour
I have done this, at the sacrifice of all my worldly interests. But
during the late great political discussions, it was naturally impossible,
in a man of my sanguine disposition to remain an unconcerned bystander.
(2)
George Mealmaker, Dundee Address
to the Friends of Liberty, a pamphlet that Thomas Fyshe Palmer
was accused of writing.
Is not every day adding a new link in our chains? Is not
the executive branch seizing new and warrantable powers? Has not the
House of Commons (your only security from the evils of tyranny and
aristocracy) joined the coalition against you? Is the election of
its members either fair, free or frequent? Is not its independence
gone, while it is made up of pensions and placemen?
You are plunged into a war, by a wicked ministry and a compliant parliament,
who seem careless and unconcerned for your interest, the end and design
of which is almost too horrid to relate, the destruction of a people,
merely because they will be free. By your commerce is sore cramped
and almost ruined. Thousands of your fellow citizens, from being in
a state of prosperity, are reduced to a state of poverty and misery.
(3)
Patrick Campbell, captain of the Surprise, sent a message to
the Commissioners of the Navy on 2nd July, 1794.
There has been a most diabolical scheme laid, and very near attempted
to be put into execution, and Messrs Palmer and Skirving apparently
the advisors and ringleaders of it. I must say in justice to Mr Muir,
say that he does not appear to have had any hand in the plot. Mr Margarot
has throughout the whole of this business, and ever since he came
on board, behaved in a manner honourable to himself, and not only
pleasing but serviceable to us.
(4)
Thomas Fyshe Palmer, A Narrative of the Sufferings of T. F. Palmer
and W. Skirving (1794)
Margarot had from the beginning been paying his court to Campbell,
and from the time of this pretended discovery of the mutiny, unblushingly
appeared as his councillor, friend and confidant. Whenever he spoke
it was in a confidential whisper. At all times and in all hours they
were in deep consultation and Margarot was observed to say to Campbell,
with a significant wink, "keep an eye on the old gentleman",
meaning me.
(5)
Thomas Fyshe Palmer wrote a letter to a friend on the last days of
Joseph Gerrald (23rd April, 1796)
Gerrald was at my house the last two months and lay in my rooms.
I attended him night and day, and the attention of my friends who
live with me was equal to mine. Some few hours before his death, he
called me to his bedside, 'I die', said he, 'in the best of causes
and, as you witness, without repining'."
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