SRSM - The Dawn of Republicanism (Donnie Fraser) This is the first in a regular column in which we will uncover Scotland's Radical suppressed history. This first column is written by Donnie Fraser and starts with the period 1776-1794. "What are the boasted advantages which my country reaps from the Union that can counterbalance the annihilation of her independence, and even her very name !" (1) So wrote Rabbie Burns, the radical poet, in 1790. Burns symbolised much of the torment suffered by the emerging working class in Scotland at this time. Since the failure of the '45 Jacobite uprising and the genocide that followed Scotland had fallen into a state of political apathy, represented by people interested only in representing themselves, and governed in a corrupt colonial fashion by Henry Dundas, 'uncrowned King of Scotland', and virtual dictator. In such circumstances the 'mob' became the expression of the popular will. H