Scotland

Two major interests contended for control of the county: the Homes, earls of Home, and the Humes, earls of Marchmont, branches of a family which had separated in the fifteenth century, and were at bitter odds with each other. Hugh, 3rd Earl of Marchmont, was an able, rich, and arrogant politician, violently jealous of Argyll’s power as ‘viceroy’ of Scotland. William, 8th Earl of Home, whose father had been imprisoned on suspicion of Jacobitism, was an impoverished army officer who had the consistent support and affection of Argyll.

This county, the second largest in Scotland, was dominated by the Campbells and their allies. There was no contest throughout the period, and all the Members were of the Campbell clan.

The Argyll freeholders never wavered in their loyalty, but William Adam remarked in 1788:Pol. State of Scotland, 43.

There were more voters in Ayrshire than in any other Scottish county. The leading interest was that of the Earl of Eglintoun, but the Earls of Cassillis and Loudoun also carried weight. There were in addition many independent freeholders, strong enough to defeat a combination of the three earls in 1774. The electoral pattern depended upon the pacts between these groups, and their relationship to the Government of the day. Hence, Ayrshire was a county with considerable political activity.

Aberdeen was one of the largest of the Scottish counties: the leading interests belonged to the Duffs of Braco and the Duke of Gordon. At the general election of 1754 the Duke of Argyll promoted the candidature of Lord Adam Gordon, and Newcastle, anxious to avoid a clash, persuaded the sitting Member, Andrew Mitchell, to withdraw, in exchange for a promise of assistance at the earliest opportunity.Cathcart to Loudoun, 26 Mar. 1754, Loudoun mss. Attempts were made to rally an opposition to Gordon, but the declaration of the Duff family in his favour proved decisive.Add.

Aberdeenshire’s staples were an improving agriculture and fishing, and there was a thriving linen industry in Aberdeen. Besides the royal burghs of Aberdeen, Inverurie and Kintore, its principal centres of population were the ports of Fraserborough and Peterhead and the inland settlements of Aboyne, Alford, Ballater, Ellon, Huntly, Meldrum, Pitsligo and Turriff.Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1895), i.