SCOTT, David II (1782-1851), of Dunninald, Forfar.

Scott’s father being excluded as a director, from private trade with India, vested his East Indian agency in trusteeship for him when he was 12.Scott Corresp. (Cam. Soc. ser. 3, lxxv), p. xv. It was supposed that as soon as he came of age he would succeed his father as Member for Perth Burghs,SRO GD225/34/24, Brodie to Hay, 12 Nov. [1801]. but it was not until the summer of 1805, when his father was at death’s door, that he took any steps in that direction. Without consulting his father’s friend Lord Melville he canvassed the burghs and anticipated success, with Melville’s support, when he was summoned back to his father’s sick-bed. After the funeral in October he hastened back to Scotland, only to find that Sir David Wedderburn had the edge on him and that not even Melville could secure his return. Wedderburn refused a compromise and Scott was defeated. He had assured Melville that he shared his father’s ‘political sentiments’.SRO GD51/1/198/21/29, 32, 36; 51/5/54/1-3.

Scott made up for his disappointment by asking Pitt to grant a baronetcy to his late mother’s sister’s husband James Sibbald, with reversion to himself.PRO 30/8/178, f. 61. Then on 30 Dec. 1805 he informed Pitt:

I have after much enquiry been informed by a mutual friend of mine and Sir Home Popham’s that a resignation in my favour could be obtained of that gentleman’s seat and I have accordingly made all the necessary arrangements subject only to your approval.PRO 30/8/176, f. 111.

He duly came in on the Worsley Holmes interest for Yarmouth in place of Popham, a few days after Pitt’s death. He made no mark in the House in the ensuing session, but it appears that he was well disposed to the Grenville ministry, voting with them for the repeal of Pitt’s Additional Force Act, 30 Apr. 1806, and appealing to Lord Grenville for his support for James Farquhar, candidate for Aberdeen Burghs in August. Grenville, too, advised that Scott should not stand for Perth Burghs if a stronger candidate could be found.Fortescue mss, Scott to Grenville, 30 Aug.; Blair Adam mss, Gibson to Adam, 1 Oct. 1806. He never recovered his father’s interest and gave up Parliament. The baronetcy for which he had applied to Pitt for his uncle was granted in December 1806. Scott died 18 June 1851.