Dods, Captain

Burns had already had his loyalty to the Government questioned by the Board of Excise. He had been exonerated, but thought this contretemps with Dods might result in fresh trouble with the Board. Accordingly he wrote next morning to Samuel Clark, junior, the clerk of the Peace for Dumfries-shire acknowledging that he had been 'drunk last night' ;and appealing for his assistance:

'... you know that the report of certain Political opinions being mine, has already once before brought me to the brink of destruction. I dread lest last night's business may be misrepresented in the same way. You, I beg, will take care to prevent it. I tax your wish for Mr Burns's welfare with the task of waiting as soon possible, on every gentleman who was present, and state this to him, and as you please, shew him this letter. What after all was the obnoxious toast? "May our success in the present war be equal to the justice of our cause" — a toast that the most outrageous frenzy of loyalty cannot object to. I request and beg that this morning you will wait on the parties present at the foolish dispute. The least delay may be of unlucky consequence to me. I shall only add, that I am truly sorry that a man who stood so high in my estimation as Mr Dods, should use me in the manner in which I conceive he has done.'