2 Aug 1766
Election contestPetitioners sought to have a borough election nullified on the ground that it was conducted in a corrupt fashion by counsellors who were bribed by Robert Alexander, a candidate for the local parliament seat.
Documents in this case (12)
- Martin — Answers, 18 Dec 1765December 18, 1765 Information of the respondents, arguing that the complaint against them is groundless and injurious, and that their conduct was disinterested and lawful.
- Alexander — Objections, 24 Jun 1766June 24, 1766 Information of the complainers, arguing that Mr Alexander is an improper witness due to his direct interest in the matter and his role as agent and manager in the election suit.
- Martin — Petition, 3 Jul 1766July 3, 1766 Petition of the complainers asking the Court to alter the Lord Ordinary's interlocutor regarding the scoring of James Laing's deposition and the competency of cross-questioning.
- Ramsay — Petition, 14 Jul 1766July 14, 1766 Petition of the petitioners asking the Court to alter its interlocutor of July 9, 1766, which granted new diligence against witnesses and havers
- Martin — Petition, 23 Jul 1766July 23, 1766 Petition of the complainers asking the Court to reverse the interlocutor expunging depositions of Margaret Ounston and Christian Thomson, and to reconsider the expunging of Mr Chieslie's deposition.
- Ramsay — Answers, 28 Jul 1766July 28, 1766 Answers by the respondents to the petitioners' reclaim against the Court's interlocutor concerning the expunging of depositions of Margaret Ounston, Christian Thomson, and Reverend Mr Chiefly minister of S…
- Peter Ramsay, Andrew Wilson, John Brown, Robert Dick, James Nairn, Colin Fowler, and John Henderson v. Thomas Martin and others — Memorial, 10 Dec 1766December 10, 1766 Petition of Peter Ramsay, Andrew Wilson, John Brown, Robert Dick, James Nairn, Colin Fowler, and John Henderson, Burgesses of Pittenweem, against Thomas Martin and others, pretended Magistrates and Cou…
- Peter Ramsay, Andrew Wilson, and others v. Thomas Martin and others — Memorial, 12 Dec 1766December 12, 1766 Memorial of the respondents, arguing that the election should not be reduced as no bribe was actually received, only intended and abandoned.
- Peter Ramsay, Andrew Wilson, Robert Dick, John Brown, James Nairn, Colin Fouler, and John Henderson v. Thomas Martin, James Balleardie, William Morison, William Tait, James Martin junior, James Martin senior, William Martin, A… — Answers, 14 Jan 1767January 14, 1767 Memorial of the respondents, arguing that a complaint challenging an election made during the reduction of a prior election is barred by the complainers' own mora.
- Ramsay — Pittenweem Election, 19 Jan 1767January 19, 1767 Memorial of the respondents, arguing that the complainers lack standing to challenge the election as their objections were known but not stated at the time of voting.
People & places in this case
People involved
- Peter Ramsay — Pursuer
- Andrew Wilson — Pursuer
- John Brown — Pursuer
- Robert Dick — Pursuer
- James Nairn — Pursuer
- Colin Fowler — Pursuer
- John Henderson — Pursuer
- Thomas Martin — Defender
- William Morison — Defender
- James Ballardie — Defender
- William Tait — Defender
- James Martin Jr. — Defender
- James Martin Sr. — Defender
- William Martin — Defender
- Alexander Anderson — Defender
- Robert Ramsay — Defender
- David Lowson — Defender
- David Bowman — Defender
- Robert Stevenson — Defender
- Alexander Hamilton — Defender
- James Thomson — Defender
- William Melvill — Defender
- Thomas Davidson — Defender
- Thomas Watson — Defender
- James Laing — Defender
- Thomas Ballardie — Defender
- John Durkie — Defender
- Robert Alexander, of Boghall and Blackhouse — Defender
- William Alexander, of Blackhouse — Defender
- Thomas Horsburgh Sr. — Defender
- Thomas Horsburgh Jr. — Defender
- Laurence Aitken — Defender
- John Tod — Defender
- George Cokburne Haldane, of Gleneagles — Advocate for Pursuer
- Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville — Advocate for Pursuer
- Sir Ilay Campbell, Lord Succoth, 1st Baronet of Succoth — Advocate for Pursuer
- David Rae — Advocate for Defender
- John MacLaurin, Lord Dreghorn — Advocate for Defender
- Sir Henry Erskine, of Alva and Clackmannan, Baronet — Named in case documents
- Major-General John Scott, of Balcomie — Named in case documents
- Sir John Anstruther, of Anstruther, Baronet — Named in case documents
Places
- Pittenweem (principal)
Where this case took place
Petitioners sought to have a borough election nullified on the ground that it was conducted in a corrupt fashion by counsellors who were bribed by Robert Alexander, a candidate for the local parliament seat.
Published Reports
Sir David Dalyrymple of Hailes, Decisions of the Lords of Council and Session, from 1766 to 1791 (1826), pg. 118
