Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/MacGregor, John (1797-1857)

by James McMullen Rigg

MACGREGOR, JOHN (1797–1867), statistician and historian, eldest son of David MacGregor of Drynie, near Stornoway, Rossshire, born at Drynie. in 1797, emigrated as a young man to Canada and settled in Prince Edward Island, where he became a member of the House of Assembly, and in 1823 served the office of high sheriff. He also travelled through great part of British North America and the United States, collecting statistics. On his return to Europe about 1825 he published 'Historical and Descriptive Sketches of the Maritime Colonies of British America,' London, 1828, 8 vo and 12mo; and 'Observations' on Emigration to British America,' London, 1829, 8vo. In 1830 he made a tour on the continent of Europe, a narrative of which he published, under the title 'My Note-book,' in 1835, London, 3 vols. 8vo. In concert with his friend James Deacon Hume [q. v.] he projected in 1832 a vast work on the commercial statistics of all nations, the compilation of which occupied him during the next seven years, in the course of which he visited most of the countries of Europe. In 1839 he represented the British government in the negotiations with the kingdom of Naples for a revision of the commercial treaty of 1816. In 1840 he succeeded James Deacon Hume as one of the joint secretaries of the board of trade. A strong free-trader, he prompted Joseph Hume's motion for a select committee on import duties, and gave evidence before the committee (July 1840), which was felt as a severe blow to protection. During his tenure of office he embodied the results of his statistical researches in twenty-two parliamentary reports on 'Commercial Tariffs and Regulations of the several States of Europe and America, together with the Commercial Treaties between England and - Foreign Countries,' published, with appendix, in 8 vols. 8vo, London, 1841-60; and in 'A Digest of the Productive Resources, Commercial Legislation, Customs Tariffs, Navigation, Port and Quarantine Laws and Charges, Shipping, Imports and Exports,' and the Monies, Weights, and Measures of all Nations, including all British Commercial Treaties with Foreign States, collected from Authentic Records, and consolidated with especial reference to British and Foreign Products, Trade, and Navigation,' London, 1844-8, 3 vols. 8vo.

On the repeal of the corn laws MacGregor threw up his post at the board of trade, and entered parliament (July 1847) as member for Glasgow, which constituency he represented until shortly before his death. He spoke frequently on commercial, financial, and colonial questions, dreamed of a place in the cabinet, and established the reputation of a bore.' He was the principal promoter and sometime chairman of the Royal British Bank, incorporated by royal charter in 1849, which, though far from prosperous, he egregiously puffed in a chapter on 'Banking' contributed to Freedley's 'Money' in 1853. He was also a party to the publication of accounts which concealed. the true position of the bank. It stopped payment in September 1856, and MacGregor, who had absconded shortly before, died at Boulogne on 23 April 1857, indebted to the bank in the sum of 7,362l.

Besides the works mentioned above, MacGregor published:

1. 'British America,' Edinburgh, 1832, 2 vols. 8vo.
2. 'The Resources and Statistics of Nations, exhibiting

the Geographical Position and Natural Resources, the Political Statistics, including the Government, Revenue, Expenditure, the Civil, Military, and Naval Affairs, the Moral Statistics, including Religion and Education the Medical Statistics, including Comparative Mortality, &c.; and the Economical Statistics, including Agriculture, Manufactures, Navigation and Trade, &c, of all Countries,' London, 1886, 8vo.

3. 'The Commercial and Financial Legislation of Europe and America, with a Pro-forma Revision of the Taxation and the Customs Tariff of the United Kingdom,' London, 1841, 8vo.
4. 'The Preference Interests, or the Miscalled Protective Duties shown to be Public Oppression, addressed to all classes and parties,' London, 1841, 8vo.
5. 'The Commercial Treaties and Tariffs of Prussia and other States of the Germanic Union of Customs,' London, 1842, 8vo.
6. 'The Progress of America from the Discovery by Columbus to the year 1846,' London, 1847, 2 vols. 8vo.
7. 'Sketches of the Progress of Civilisation and Public Liberty, with a view of the Political Condition of Europe and America in 1848,' London, 1848, 8vo.
8. 'Germany, her Resources, Government, Union of Customs, and Power, under Frederick William IV, with a Preliminary View of the Political Condition of Europe in 1848,' London, 1848, 8vo.
9. 'Holland and the Dutch Colonies,' London, 1848, 8vo.
10. 'Financial Reform, a Letter to the Citizens of Glasgow, with an Introduction and Supplementary Notes,' London, 1849, 8vo.
11. 'Sketches, Historical and Descriptive, of the Austrian and Ottoman Empires, including a Concise View of the Rise and Power of Prussia, and Remarks on Russia, France, and the remaining States of Europe,' London, 1861, 8vo.
12. 'The History of the British Empire from the Accession of James I, to which is prefixed a Review of the Progress of England from the Saxon Period to the last year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth,' London, 1862, 2 vols. 8vo.
13. 'A Synthetical View of the Results of Recent Commercial and Financial Legislation,' London, 1863, 8vo.
14. 'The Madrai Case,' London, 1853, 8vo.
15. 'The Nunnery Question,' London, 1863, 8vo.

MacGregor also edited, for Bonn's 'Standard Library, De Lolme's 'Constitution of England,' with a life of the author, and notes, London, 1853, 8vo.

MacGregor was an able and industrious compiler of statistics, a vigorous writer and a clear thinker. On the other hand, he was a utilitarian of the most extreme type, and, identifying civilisation with material prosperity, was as unfit to write history as to make it. He was a member of the Académie de l'Industrie Agricole.

[Times, 22 and 24 Sept 1856 and 27 April 1857; Scotsman, 29 April 1857; Ann. Reg. 1857, Chron. (App.) p. 304; Gent. Mag. 1857, pt. ii. p. 735; Badham's Life of James Deacon Hume, pp. 238, 247, 327 et seq.; Athenæum, 1832 p. 137, 1852 p. 248, 1847. p. 591, 1849 p. 269, 1851 p. 8, 1857 p. 569; MacGregor's Historical and Descriptive Sketches of the Maritime Colonies of British America; Haydn's Book of Dignities, ed. Ockerby, pp. 92-3, footnote; Greville Memoirs, pt. ii. vol. ii. p. 53; Hansard, 3rd ser. liii. 1308, liv. lv. and xcv-cxliii.; Parl. Papers 1840-8, Reports from Commissioners; Edinburgh Review, lxxxii. 204 et seq., lxxxviii. 514; Wilson's (Christopher North) Essays Critical and Imaginative, ed. 1866 t ii. 210; Blackwood's Magazine, xxxi. 907; De Gex and Jones's Reports, iv. 581; Irving's Book of Scotsmen; Cat. Libr. Board of Trade; Cat. Libr. Fac. Adv.; Brit. Mus. Cat.]

J. M. R.