HARRIS, James (1746-1820), of Salisbury, Wilts.

James Harris was the foremost diplomat of his age, and his membership of the House of Commons during most of this period was purely nominal. He was appointed to his first diplomatic post by Lord Shelburne in 1768, at the request of his father, who, though in opposition, was on friendly terms with Shelburne.Jas. Harris sen. to Shelburne, 9 June 1768, and Ld. Hyde to Shelburne, 7 Sept. 1768, Lansdowne mss. As chargé d’affaires at Madrid he won a great reputation by his handling of the Falkland Islands crisis. In 1770 he had been returned at Christchurch on the interest of his father’s cousin, Edward Hooper, but it is doubtful whether he ever took his seat in his first Parliament.

He was not a candidate in 1774, but in 1780 was returned again while absent in St. Petersburg. He came home in September 1783, and the next few months seem to have been the only time when he attended the House of Commons. He was a follower of Fox; but such was his standing as a diplomat that he was appointed by Pitt to the critical post at The Hague. On being raised to the rank of ambassador in 1788 he was created a peer.

He died 21 Nov. 1820.