Series 4 > Papers on Scottish electoral politics, 1832-1854

258 SCOTTISH ELECTORAL POLITICS
Members and Interest Remarks
Colonel
Abercromby
Ministerial
Colonel
Abercromby
Ministerial
1/i 1/1839. Colonel Abercromby will again be
the Ministerial Candidate; The Registrations
this year resulted in a drawn battle. There is a
majority on the Register in favour of Mr Forbes
the Conservative Candidate; but it is said the
organisation is not good, and that the death of
Mr Charles Stirling1 will be a severe blow to the
Conservative party; Colonel Abercromby’s
friends are very active, but not withstanding
Mr Forbes and his friends are sanguine.
9/12/1840. The registrations this as last year
nearly equal, notwithstanding great exertions
by the ministerial party. There is a majority on
the Roll in favour of Mr Forbes, and he is
confident.2
[Note] Sir M. Bruce.
Sutherland
Hon. Mr [William]
Howard
Conservative
Hon. Mr Howard
Conservative
Mr [David]
Dundas
Ministerial
1/11/1838. The Dutchess Dowager will return
whom she pleases.3
[Later note) The D[uche]ss C[ounte]ss dead
1839. This may make a great difference as her
son supports Ministers tho’ he does not like
them. The D[uche]ss is a strong Whig and in
office as Mistress of the Robes.
1/i 1/1839. Nothing known; It is said the Duke
of Sutherland will put in Mr [Roderick]
McLeod the present member for the Inverness
Burghs.
9/12/1840. In the course of last year Mr Howard
Conservative retired, and Mr Dundas on the
nomination of the Duke of Sutherland was
returned.
1 Charles Stirling, 1796-1839, a West India merchant in Glasgow, purchased the Gar-
gunnock estate in Stirlingshire in 1835; he died 24 Oct. 1839.
2 Forbes defeated Bruce by 1,019 votes to 895.
3 Howard was a nephew of her late husband the 1st Duke of Sutherland.