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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 409 Elect and make choice of the foresaid Provost James Moodie to be their Commissioner or Delegate for them, and in their name to meet and Convene at the Burgh of Inverkeithing, being the presiding Burgh of the District for the time, upon Monday, the 20th day of June current.” At the election, which took place on the 20th June 1796, the Hon. Andrew Cochrane Johnstone was returned member for the Inverkeithing district of burghs, but not without a protest on the part of Sir John Henderson, Bart., the defeated candidate. In a petition presented to the House of Commons, the latter complained that the elections of the delegates for Stirling, Culross, and Queensferry,’ the three burghs opposed to him, ‘( were all and each of them brought about by undue means, made by unqualified persons ; were illegal, and contrary to the statutes made and provided for regulating the elections of commissioners, or delegates ; and because the commissions pretended to be given to the said persons severally were also illegal, informal, and essentially defective, and that the majority of legal votes at the said election were in favour of the petitioner.” The delegate for Dunfermline* voted for Sir John ; and, as the petitioner had himself been the commissioner for Inverkeithing-the returning burgh-fliv- Johr, very naturally voted for Sir John. Thus two votes were in favour and three against him ; but, if successful in striking off one of the latter, the casting vote secured his election. The petition was ordered to be taken into consideration; and, on the 17th March 1797, a Select Committee of the House of Commons was appointed to (( try and determine the merits of the said petition.” The Hon. Charles James Fox was nominated by the counsel for the petitioner, and William Grant, Esq., by that of the sitting member. Bryan Edwards, author of the ‘‘ History of the West Indies,” was elected chairman, Among other parties summoned before the Select Committee were the townclerk of Kinghorn and Lucky Skinner. We are unable to gratify our readers with a report of the evidence, or even an outline of the curious facts obtained in the course of the investigation ; but it is well known that the wary hostess came off with flying colours. The information sought to be elicited from hlrs. Skinner of course related chiefly to the jollifications of the electors-as to what extent they had been entertained-and by whom the expenses had been paid. Sir James Mackintosh, who was on the Committee, was the first to interrogate her. After the usual queries as to name and residence, he proceeded- And now for the sequel to the “Battle of Kinghorn.” “ Tqu keep an inn in Kinghorn 2 ” “ No, sir,” was the reply. ‘‘ A tavern 1 ” ‘ ‘ No, sir.” “What, then-a public-house, or place of entertainment, it must be 1” , “ Nane 0’ the twa 0’ them,” replied Lucky Skinner-chuckling at the idea of having taxed the ingenuity of her learned countryman ; “ for wee1 micht ye ken that in Scotland it’s the man and no the woman that keeps the house.” The delegate for Stirling, John Gdchrist, Esq. ; for Culrosg Patrick Geddes, Esq. ; and for Queensferry, David Williamson, Esq., afterwards Lord Balgray. Provost Moodie, who had been chosen delegate at the second meeting of the Council, voted under protest in the opposite interest ; hut the legality of his commission does not seem to have been established. * William Wemyss, Esq., of Cuttlehill. VOL. 11. 3 G
Volume 9 Page 545
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