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Thomas Muir | |
|---|---|
 Thomas Muir depicted after being injured (bust by Alexander Stoddart) | |
| Born | 24 August 1765 |
| Died | 25 January 1799 (aged 33) |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Friends of the People; Political Martyrs' Monument |
Thomas Muir (24 August 1765 – 25 January 1799), also known as Thomas Muir the Younger of Huntershill, was a Scottish political reformer and lawyer. Muir graduated from Edinburgh University and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1787, aged 22. Muir was a leader of the Society of the Friends of the People. He is included in the Political Martyrs' Monument in Edinburgh.
In 1793 Muir was sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay Australia for sedition. Two years later in 1796, Muir escaped from Botany Bay on the American ship Otter. The Otter reached Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island in June 1796. From there Muir travelled to Mexico City, where he asked to be allowed to travel to California. He was later imprisoned in Havana, Cuba and taken by Spanish ship to Cádiz, Spain. In September 1797, the Spanish Government released Muir. Muir made his way to France. In November 1797, he arrived in Bordeaux, where he was hailed as a 'Hero of the French Republic.' Muir then traveled to Paris. Muir's confidant in 1798 was Dr Robert Watson and Muir learned of the United Scotsmen, which replaced the Friends of the People. In November 1798, Muir moved to the Île-de-France village of Chantilly. He died there on 25 January 1799. Shortly before his death, he said, "we have achieved a great duty in these critical times. After the destruction of so many years, we have been the first to revive the spirit of our country and give it a National Existence."