Daniel Defoe and the General Election of 1708 in Scotland

Abstract

THE FIRST GENERAL ELECTION to be held in Scotland after passing of Act of Union in 1707 has received scant attention from historians despite fact that in 1708, as William Coxe noted a century and a half ago, the violent struggle . . . [and] schism between whigs and government ... threatened total ruin of administration.' For three years previously cohesion of governing triumvirate of Godolphin, Marlborough, and Harley had been subjected to increasing pressure from whig lords of Junto upon whom Godolphin ministry was becoming ever more dependent. The fall of Robert Harley in February 1708, in addition to splitting triumvirate, heralded full-scale infiltration of administration by Junto. Yet they viewed this triumph as merely prelude to complete whig domination of government leading ultimately to removal of Lord Treasurer Godolphin. In intrigues surrounding general election that, under terms of triennial act, had to be held in 1708, fundamental fissures within administration percolated to surface. During election in May of forty-five Scottish M.P.'s and sixteen Scottish peers who, in accordance with conditions of union, were to take their places in House of Lords, Junto maneuvered against interest of Scottish court party. Their aim was to threaten deliberately basis of Godolphin's ministry by weakening government influence in Scotland. A legacy left Godolphin by Harley was services of propagandist Daniel Defoe. Defoe had been recruited by Harley as a gov-