L30/12/54/19

Letter to Alexander Hume-Campbell, Lord Polwarth from his nephew, Hugh Scott, sent from Edinburgh. Pleased to receive Polwarth's opinions on Berwickshire politics before matters are irrevocably fixed. Duty to Lord Polwarth is the first thing the writer has at heart, independent of blood ties.

11 Aug 1780

From: 1780 To: 1780

Mr Cockburn has written to Polwarth with details of future plans, so there is no need for the writer to repeat them. At first the idea of giving the first three years and taking the four last of the parliament seemed to the writer the most practical plan of thwarting Sir John Paterson's scheme for a compromise with Renton, but on further consideration found many disagreeable things attending to the plan, and friends [voters] would not like to be transferred to another person. '... The Duke of Buccleugh and the Advocate had some scheme of their own and though I did not mean that they should find out my suspicions, they perceived it and mentioned it to Mr John Pringle of Haining (in whom we have a true friend). However, after Sir J P's [John Paterson's] offers to the 3rd party they would not come in to us without some kind of terms, and indeed I believe Sir J.P. made those offers more with a view of preventing them from coming unconditionally in to us, than any hopes of gaining them to his party. For I am now more than ever fixed in my opinion that the majority of the 3rd party would have unconditionally come over to us unless such terms had been offered them, which was what I always expected and you was [sic] made to believe.' 'I am to vacate at the end of 4 years if required by four gentleman, and if I chose a vacancy to be made in the Selkirk boroughs for me by Sir J Cockburn's resignation, that I may have a constant seat in parliament, with all parties left free at the general election in 7 or 8 years hence.' 'This plan sets aside all my jealousy of the Duke of Buccleugh and the Advocate, for by the agreement that Sir J Cockburn is to go out when desired they almost certainly prevent Mr Hume of Wedderburn from ever desiring me to resign at the end of 4 years, Wedderburn being Sir J Cockburn's particular friend and relation, and G Hume the transactor of this whole business said to my Father and me he was fully convinced the requisition to vacate would never be made to me. Indeed I do not believe they ever will agree on their candidate and everybody I have spoke to are of this opinion.' 'If I should be obliged to resign I have no doubt of the interest being fully established 7 years hence...' 'Sir John Paterson's offers to the 3rd party are the grounds and the only grounds upon which either to our friends or to people in general we can justify our have [having] entered into any terms with the 3rd party to defeat Sir J supported by the person he was, but surely it is as well that I should have 4 years of the 7 years with the chance of the whole parliament as that Sir J.P should have the first half and they the second, or vice versa, and I altogether excluded.' '....If I can find anybody friendly enough to commumicate the whole transaction fully and impartially to my Grandfather [Hugh Hume-Campbell] I will, for I heartily wish, that if he ever should cooly and impartially think upon this business, he should be conscious that both of you have acted dutifully towards him.'

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item

Scott, Hugh,
Hepburne-Scott, Hugh,
Hume-Campbell, Alexander (2nd Baron Polwarth),
Renton, Alexander,
Scott, Henry [3rd Duke of Buccleuch],
Paterson, John,
Hume-Campbell, Hugh (Earl of Marchmont),
Cockburn, James,
Pringle, John,
Wedderburn,
Hume, G.

family correspondence, general politics, Berwickshire, elections