‘Rendering the Union more Complete’: The Squadrone Volante and the Abolition of the Scottish Privy Council*

Abstract

The 22nd article of the Treaty of Union had settled the Scottish representation in the parliament of Great Britain. Although both the old and the new parties had readily agreed to modify its terms before the union came into effect most Scots blamed the new party for this unpopular amendment. As well as evading this censure the old party was also able to use the union to consolidate its grip on the government of Scotland. Intensely annoyed at this the new party retaliated by arguing that Scottish institutions should be remodelled along English lines. The first step was the abolition of the Scottish privy council. When it failed to persuade Lord Treasurer Godolphin to assist, the new party, or the Squadrone as it was now more commonly known, turned to the whig junto. It was eager to oblige and a bill to abolish the council was introduced during the first session of the British parliament. Godolphin's hesitant response to the Squadrone and the junto was criticised by the northern secretary of state, Robert Harley. He appealed to the duke of Marlborough for help, but this merely intensified the differences with Godolphin. Harley also turned to the queen and with her approval took the unprecedented, and unusual, step of supporting abolition in the house of commons. Although this brought the disagreement with Godolphin to a head, the lord treasurer responded with a vigorous, but unsuccessful, attempt to amend the bill in the Lords. The court's failure was quickly forgotten, however, as most Scots damned the Squadrone for once more betraying its country.