HOPE, Hon. Charles (1768-1828), of Waughton, Haddington.

Hope’s return for Dysart Burghs in 1790 was secured by his future brother-in-law Henry Dundas, who could count on him to support Pitt’s government. He voted, as predicted, against the exemption of Scotland from the Test Act, 10 May 1791.Morning Chron. 19 May 1791. He was never conspicuous in Parliament, and from 1793 when he served in the Flanders campaign, his military career must have limited his opportunities of attendance. In October 1795 he embarked for the West Indies, but had finally to disembark in February 1796 owing to adverse weather.Gent. Mag. (1828), ii. 177.

Hope was unable to retain his seat for Dysart in 1796 and when he returned to Parliament four years later came in for East Lothian on a vacancy arranged for him by Henry Dundas, whose line he again followed, when present. His military duties in South Wales (September 1800-May 1801), the North (June-October 1801), in Birmingham (1802) and in Jersey (May 1803-April 1804) kept him away, though in October 1802 Dundas assured the premier that he would attend ‘if desired at any particular time’.Sidmouth mss, H. Dundas to Addington, 14 Oct. 1801. He attended to vote against the censure on his brother-in-law, 8 Apr. 1805, and appeared as a Pittite in the Treasury lists. ‘A mere Dundas Member’,Add. 51917, Adam’s Scottish list [1806]. he followed Lord Melville’s abstentionist line when the Grenville ministry was formed, and reverted to support of administration in 1807. As his military duties were now in Kent, he appeared more often in Parliament. Either he or his brother Alexander defended Lord Melville against Whig calumniation in debate, 26 June 1807. He voted with government on the Scheldt inquiry, 23 Feb., 5 and 30 Mar. 1810, was listed ‘against the opposition’ by the Whigs, and opposed the release of the radical Gale Jones, 16 Apr. 1810. On 1 Jan. 1811 he was in the government minority on the Regency. Thereafter his attendance appears, to judge by leaves of absence, to have tailed off, though he was in the Treasury list of supporters after the election of 1812, and voted against Catholic relief in May 1813. In March 1816 he resigned his seat. Hope died 1 July 1828.