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 COLQUHOUN, PATRICK, a
writer on statistics and criminal jurisprudence, was born at Dumbarton,
March 14, 1745. His father, who acted as Registrar of the county
Records, was nearly allied to Sir Robert Colquhoun, Bart. of Nova
Scotia, and also to Sir James Colquhoun of Luss. Having lost his father
ere he attained his sixteenth year, Patrick Colquhoun determined, like
many others of his countrymen, to seek his fortune abroad. He settled on
what was called the Eastern Shore, in Virginia, where for five years he
carried on commercial pursuits. It was the general custom of the
inhabitants of this district to cross the Chesapeake Bay twice a year,
in order to transact business at the seat of government; and such were
the qualifications for public business manifested even at this early
period by Mr Colquhoun, that many were in the habit of trusting their
concerns to him, instead of going to the general mart in person. Besides
carrying on these trading speculations, he studied very hard at this
period, and endeavoured, both by reading intelligent books, and
conversing with intelligent men, particularly of the legal profession,
to fit himself for public duties. In 1766, when twenty-one years of age,
he returned to his own country for the sake of his health, and settled
as a merchant in Glasgow, where he soon after married a lady of his own
name, the daughter of the provost of Dumbarton. On the breaking out of
the war with the colonies, Mr Colquhoun’s sympathies leant to the side
of the government, and, in 1776, he was one of fourteen principal
contributors to a fund for raising a regiment in Glasgow, for his
majesty’s service in that struggle. By this and other means he became
a person of some consideration in the eyes of the government, and
succeeded, in 1780, in carrying through parliament a bill of great
consequence to the trade of that country. In 1781, when occupying a
place in the town-council of Glasgow, he suggested and carried forward
to completion the design for building the coffee-house and exchange, in
that city. Next year, he was elected provost of Glasgow. He now became
the founder of that excellent institution, the chamber of Commerce and
Manufacturing at Glasgow, of which he was the first chairman. While
holding these distinguished offices, he was also chairman of the
committee of management of the Forth and Clyde canal, and the leading
manager of various other public bodies. A genius for business on a large
scale was conspicuous in all his undertakings. In 1785, he repaired to
London to obtain legislative relief for the cotton trade, then in a
languishing condition, and for some years afterwards he devoted a large
portion of his time to similar objects. In 1788, he visited Ostend, then
a depot for East India goods, to ascertain how far similar British
manufactures could enter into competition with the imports of the
Flemings; and it was owing to his exertions that our muslins, then an
infant manufacture, became so extensively known throughout the
continent. Connected with this subject he published three pamphlets,
which tended to make his efforts known to the British merchants. In the
same year, Mr Colquhoun laid the plan of a general hall in London for
the sale of cottons, which, however, was rendered of little effect by
the breaking out of the war with France. On this subject he also
published a pamphlet. In the month of November 1789, he settled with his
family in London, and soon after began to project those improvements in
the London police and magistracy, by which he earned the principal part
of his fame. The police of London was at this time in a state of
shameful inefficiency, while the magistrates, excepting in the city
itself, were a set of low mercenary individuals, known by the
justly opprobrious title of "trading justices." On this
subject Mr Colquhoun composed several popular treatises, and in 1792,
when seven public offices were established, with three justices to each,
he was appointed to one of them, through the influence of his friend Mr
Henry Dundas, afterwards viscount Melville. His exertions as a
magistrate were of a nature truly useful; and he published the result of
his experience in 1796, under the title of "A Treatise on the
Police of the Metropolis, explaining the various Crimes and
Misdemeanours which at present are felt, as a Pressure on the Community,
and suggesting Remedies." This work earned a merited reputation,
and went through a large annual reprint for the five succeeding years.
It obtained the praise of the select committee of finance, and
particular marks of approbation from the duke of Portland,
then secretary of state for the home department. He was, in consequence
of this work, appointed agent in Great Britain for the colony of the
Virgin Isles. In 1800, appeared his treatise on the Police of the River
Thames, a work certainly demanded in no small degree by the
circumstances. Though it may hereafter appear almost incredible, it is
nevertheless true, that the shipping of London, previous to this period,
was totally unprotected from the vast hordes of thieves which always
exist in a large city. While property on the banks of the river was so
far protected, that which floated on the river itself had no protection
whatever. Accordingly, a generation of thieves called mudlarks, prowled
constantly about the vessels, and made prey annually of property to a
vast amount. Not only did the cargoes suffer, but even sails, anchors,
and other such bulky articles, were abstracted by these daring
depredators. For many years this had been felt as a grievous hardship,
but it is amazing how long an evil may be tolerated for which no remedy
has been provided by the necessities of our ancestors. It was looked
upon as a matter of course, a mischief incident to the situation of
things; and as each individual only suffered his share of the immense
amount of loss, there had been no general effort at a reformation. Mr
Colquhoun’s work, however, effectually roused public attention to the
subject, and an effective river police was immediately instituted, by
which the shipping has been ever since fully protected. For his services
on this occasion, the West India merchants presented him with the sum of
five hundred pounds.
Although Mr Colquhoun
bore externally a somewhat pompous and domineering aspect, and was
certainly a zealous advocate for keeping the people in due subjection to
the powers above them, there never, perhaps, was a heart more alive than
his to the domestic interests of the poor, or a mind more actively bent
upon improving both their physical and moral condition. He was one of
the first men in this country who promoted a system of feeding the poor,
in times of severe distress, by cheap and wholesome soups. And, in the
famine of 1800, few men were more active in behalf of the starving
population. He also took an early interest in the system of charity
schools, being of opinion, that the true way of improving the condition
of the people, was to enlighten their minds. In 1803, he was
instrumental in founding a school in Orchard street, Westminster, in
which three or four hundred children of both sexes were taught the
rudiments of human knowledge. He also published, in 1806, a work
entitled, "A New System of Education for the Labouring
People," which obtained an extensive circulation. Two years
afterwards, appeared his "Treatise on Indigence," in which the
institution of a provident bank is strongly urged.
In 1797, Mr Colquhoun was
honoured with the degree of LL.D., by the university of Glasgow, in
consequence of his services in that part of the kingdom. Throughout the
course of his long and useful life, he received many other testimonies
of the public approbation. His last work appeared in 1814 under the
title, "A Treatise on the Population, Wealth, Power, and Resources
of the British Empire, in every quarter of the world, including the East
Indies." Dr Colquhoun’s publications in all amount to twenty; and
of these an accurate list is given in the Annual Obituary for 1812.
After having been concerned in public life for about thirty-nine years,
during which he had transacted business with eight or ten successive
administrations, in 1817 he tendered his resignation as a magistrate, in
consequence of his increasing years and infirmities: this, however, was
not accepted by lord Sidmouth, until the subsequent year, when the
secretary of state for the home department expressed the high sense
entertained of his long and faithful services by his majesty’s
government. Dr Colquhoun died of a schirrous stomach, April 25, 1820, in
the seventy-sixth year of his age.
The character of Dr
Colquhoun has been thus drawn by Dr Lettsom: "When the importance
of the morals of the community, with its influence on individual as well
as general happiness is duly considered, one cannot but contemplate a
public character, who, with unceasing exertion, endeavours to promote
every virtuous and charitable sentiment, with gratitude and reverence; a
magistrate clothed with power to enforce obedience, but
possessing benevolence more coercive than power; who is eminently
vigilant to arrest in its progress every species of vice, and
commiserates, as a man humanized by Christian amenities, every deviation
from rectitude, and reforms while he pities—such is a being clothed
with robes of divinity, in this point of view, I, indeed, saw my friend,
Patrick Colquhoun, Esq., whose exertions point to every direction
where morals require correction, or poverty and distress the aid of
active benevolence. As an indefatigable magistrate, and an able writer
in general, Mr Colquhoun is well known throughout Europe. I introduce
him in this place, as the founder and promoter of various institutions
for supplying the poor, in distress, with cheap and nutritious articles
of food, to an extent truly astonishing, and without which famine must
have been superadded to poverty. The enumeration alone of my friend’s
publications must evince the activity of his benevolence, with which his
time and fortune have ever kept pace. May the reader endeavour to
emulate his virtues! He will then not only diffuse happiness among the
community, particularly the lower classes, but ensure the supreme
enjoyment of it in his individual capacity." |
