was informed of this heroic commitment several years later and , as we will see , displayed his gratitude in no uncertain manner .
3 . Ramsay the Jacobite , a Committed Author
Following the military defeat inflicted on the Jacobite rebels , Ramsay soon found other ways to continue the struggle , in particular as a writer , his most important work being the Philosophical Essay upon Civil Government . It was in Paris , during his time as tutor at the home of the Earl of Sassenage , that Ramsay became known as a political author , and at the same time drew closer to James III . In 1721 , he sent him a copy of his Philosophical Essay , which had just been published . Through this work , he sought to demonstrate the legitimacy of the Pretender ’ s claim to the British throne over and above that of William of Orange , whom he described as a usurper . He asserted that the best system of government was that of a hereditary absolute monarchy , established by divine right , rejecting all popular participation , whether direct or indirect . It was a clear step backward to the period before the 1689 Bill of Rights reduced the royal powers in favor of Parliament , and the Act of Settlement of 1701 , still in effect today , decreed that no Catholic could henceforth accede to the British throne . From then on , the notion of absolute sovereignty gradually had lost ground in favor of sovereignty shared between the king , the aristocracy and the people ’ s representatives , while at the same time , the rights and liberties of his subjects were
Ritual , Secrecy , and Civil Society
40 confirmed , thus limiting the sovereign ’ s powers . Totally opposed to these new ideas , Ramsay clearly sought to serve the Jacobite cause , and concerned as he was to make the Pretender aware of this , he used the opportunity of an exchange of letters with James to recall his loyalty to the Stuarts . One of these letters , written in 1722 , is particularly significant : “ My greatest ambition and also my greatest happiness ,” he wrote , “ will ever be to sacrifice all I am and all I have to your interests ” ( George , 1952 ).
4 . The Jacobite Rewarded a ) Certificate of Nobility
Ramsay once again brought himself to the notice of James III when , at the end of 1722 , the British government , led by Robert Walpole , decided to subject Catholics to a special tax corresponding to two-thirds of the value of their properties . This caused a great stir in Catholic circles where the imposition of such a discriminatory measure was regarded as unacceptable . In France , at the request of James III , Thomas Southcott and Ramsay headed a protest committee made up of high dignitaries who appealed to Cardinal Dubois and the Regent to intercede with the authorities in London . After lengthy discussions , lasting nearly one year , the Walpole government finally contented itself with a one-off global payment of 100 pounds sterling for the whole Catholic population .
James III could not fail to appreciate the dedication of his loyal subject , as well as his ease of access to the French court . This unwavering loyalty was soon to pay off .