Chiefs of Grant > Correspondence

1734.] ALEXANDER BRODIE OF BRODIE. 117
191. The Same to The Same — County politics.
October 8th, 1734.
Dear Craigalachie, — I am glad to find by John Rutherford that you are safely arrived at
Loudon, altho' I have not had that pleasure from yourself; and how soon the old Justice
dyes, none of your friends shall be better pleased to hear that the ministry keep their
promise to you than the Lyon, notwithstanding your endeavours to encourage rebells.
Meantime I have the pleasure to tell you that, upon my showing the Major Robin Urquhart's
letter to me, denying he ever heard my aspersing your son, and yet in a manner owning he
had said so, and upon reading the minutes of the Michaelmass court at Elgin in the 1733,
his eyes are a litle open'd, and he has cool'd in his affection for that family fully as much
as I hope his affection for haveing Lethen brought in to Parliament has been, on reading his
letter to me refusing any communing, treaty or correspondence with me, or concurring in the
treaty of mutual friendship twixt your family and mine. At the same time, on reading the
minutes, the Major wrote the following lines : —
To manage the shire the slierrieff and knight
In vain will endeavour,
For if Brodie and Grant stand fast and unite,
Altho they may snarl, they never can bite,
So a fig for their favour.
So once more I do averr, if we don't stand fast and unite according to our mottos, it shall
be your fault and not mine.
I find from Lewie Colquhon that Castlehill has a promise of succeeding Midleton, who
we hear is soon to be removed to Leith ; in which, if my concurrence were necessary, you
might command it. Meantime, the next tiring which Sir Robert Munro and you should
jointly push in that precinct, is the removal of John Bailie. He is all our inveterate
enemy, and as such is a great detriment to all our friends in the way of trade. Besides,
he is a servant of and greatly attach'd to the family of Gordon, who are sworn enemies to
the present administration, and by them was employ'd to sollicite against you ; which
attachment is the proper handle with the ministry to attack him upon ; and if this were
done, I should think Sir Robert Munro's nephew in law, M r Gordon of Garty, and young
Clava, were the most proper men to be employ'd for the service of the country as well as the
revenue, and it might very well serve them both, the one to have the district to the north of
the Firth, and the other to the south, and this would oblige Sutherland, Munro and Kilraick,
and would effectually withdraw Kilraick's attachment to the Advocate. So, pray, consider
of it. You see I have no purpose for any friend of my own, and let me have your opinion
of it before I leave the countrey. This is the third time I have wrote to you within
tins fourtnight, so I am afraid I begin to be too troublesome a correspondent.