TheGuardian:Garrow39;stravestynThomasErskine:therealhero

GarrowstravestyTheGuardian,Tuesday15November201121.00GMTThefirstinstalmentofthenewseriesofGarrowsLaw(TheweekendsTV,G2,14November)showedWilliamGarrow,habitualadvocatefortheunderdog,defendingthemadmanHadfield,accusedofhightreasonforshootingatKingGeorgeIII.Itwasatravesty.TheheroicdefenderwhosecuredHadfieldsacquittalwasnotGarrow,butThomasErskine.Garrowwasindeedinvolved:butasjuniorcounselforthecrown.SohisrolewaspreciselytheoppositeoftheonetheBBCassignedtohim.Histaskwastocross-examinethedefencewitnesses,tomakethemsaythatHadfield,contrarytoallappearances,wasreallysane.By1800Garrowstalentshadbeennoticedbythegovernment.Heregularlyappearedforthecrown–aroutewhichledhimtopreferment,firstasattorneygeneralandeventuallytothebench.TheBBCscharteranditsproducersguidelinessayallprogrammesshouldbequot;fairandshowarespectfortruthquot;.TheproducersofGarrowsLawshouldlookatit.ProfessorJRSpencerQCUniversityofCambridgehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/nov/15/garrow-law-travesty-bbc?newsfeed=trueThomasErskine:therealheroTheGuardian,Wednesday16November201121.00GMTThetravestyofhistorythatisGarrowsLawgoesmuchfurtherthanProfessorSpencerpointsout(Letters,16December).InthefirstseriesGarrowwasshownheroicallydefendingaworking-classcampaignerforuniversalmanhoodsuffrage.AsinthecaseofJamesHadfield,theroleattributedtoGarrowwasbasedonthatofthegreatliberaladvocateThomasErskine.Throughoutthe1790s,whenthegovernmentofWilliamPittwasbendingthelawofhightreasontoprosecutecampaignersforparliamentaryreform,Garrowrepeatedlyappearedfortheprosecutionandneverforthedefence,whileErskinewasgainingacquittalsbyexposingthechargesasbasedonbadlawandtaintedevidence.OnereasonwhythismattersisthatErskinereallywasagreatdefenderofcivilliberty.Ifwevaluedourfreedomsmore,hewouldbeknownasoneofthegreatestofnationalheroes.Thisserieshasnotonlystolenhisachievementsandgiventhemtoamanwhowas,intruth,anastypieceofwork,buthaspresumablymadeitimpossiblefortelevisiontomakeaprogrammecelebratingErskineashedeserves.TheBBCshouldbeashamed.ProfessorJohnBarrellCentreforeighteenthcenturystudies,UniversityofYork•Hadfieldsacquittalisofgreatsignificanceforthewayinwhichinsanitypleasaretreatedbythelaw.RoyPortersclassictext,Mind-ForgdManacles,givesasuccinctaccountoftheaffair.DrValeriePedlarSouthport,Merseysidehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/nov/16/thomas-erskine-the-real-hero