The Voice of the People

The Loyal Reformers’ Gazette, based out of Glasgow, was a small grassroots publication that found its place in being instrumental in the passing of the Scottish Reform of 1832. The Gazette was one of the leading unstamped periodicals that provided low-wage workers with critical information concerning the Scottish Reform Act 1832, making the paper hugely influential in the creation of class consciousness at the time. The Gazette was considered dangerous enough by the state to prosecute - due to its focus on political corruption and changing the parliamentary system – and throughout its publication, the paper faced dogged persistence for not withdrawing from the protest. The larger implications of case study on The Loyal Reformers’ Gazette are the findings it offers on the nature of radicalism in Scotland at the time, an ongoing historiographical debate among those interested in the level of “flammability” of the nation. With the help of some influential allies – such as Francis Jeffrey and Earl Grey – the paper helped to lead Scottish radicalism with a strong sense of unionist-nationalism and adherence to the principles of participation in civil society.