Opinions in favour of Union

Once the articles of union were released, people exchanged views in letters, in coffee houses and in published articles and pamphlets. Opinions on union differed widely. Members of the Scottish Parliament were lobbied by powerful and influential groups in society - the church, landowners, nobility, merchants and tradesmen. Some were in favour of union and others opposed it for a variety of reasons.

Peace and security
A Question of Identity
A boost to the economy
Other possible benefits
Winning the argument

Timeline of events leading up to the Union of 1707.

Peace and security

James Ogilvy, Earl of Seafield and a member of the Court Party, was one of the Scottish commissioners. He wrote to the Earl of Godolphin, the Queen’s senior minister and Lord Treasurer of England, with clear reasons why he supported union.

Edinburgh, 1 August 1705
My reasons for conjoining with England on good termes were these: that the kingdome of England is a Protestant kingdome and that, therefor, the joyneing with them was a security for our religion. 2nd, England has trade and other advantages to give us, which no other kingdome could affoord; 3rd, England has freedome and liberty, and that the joining with it was the best way to secure that to us; and 4th, that I saw no other method for secureing our peace, the two kingdomes being in the same island, and forreign assistance was both dangerous to ourselves and England and that, therefor, I was for a treatty.

(Letters relating to Scotland in the reign of Queen Anne by James Ogilvy, First Earl of Seafield, and others, 1702-1707, Second Series, Scottish History Society, Vol XI p.63)

The image on the left shows James Ogilvy, 1st Earl of Seafield, by Sir John Baptiste de Medina, from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery Collection.

A Question of Identity

The Earl of Cromartie was enthusiastic about becoming British. In January 1706, he wrote to the Earl of Mar, the Scottish Secretary of State, to wish him well for the talks.

God give all of you prudence, wisdome & honesty & Brittish minds. May we be Brittains; & down goe the old ignominious names of Scotland; of England… Brittains is our true our Honourable denomination.

(National Records of Scotland, Mar and Kellie papers, GD124/15/279/1)

A boost to the economy?

Another commissioner, Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, believed union was the only way forward to make Scotland a more prosperous country.

Some are regreting the extream Poverty of the Nation, and Scarcity of Money, yet notwithstanding they exclaim against the Union as a thing that will ruin us; not considering that our case is such, that ‘tis scarce conceivable, how any condition of Life we can fall into, can render us more Miserable and Poor, than we are. For its very well known that many of us live with Difficulty, and many Thousands of our nearest Relations are obliged to leave their Country, for want of Bread and Employment.

(National Records of Scotland, Clerk of Penicuik papers, GD18/3129, extract from A Letter to a Friend Giving an Account of how the Treaty of Union has been Received, 1706, p.6 © Sir Robert Clerk of Penicuik)

Other Possible Benefits of Union

Sir John Clerk of Penicuik argued against the view that Scotland would suffer financially if the Parliament closed in Edinburgh and moved south to London.

Your… Objection is that the Union will occasion great Devastations in Scotland, and particularly in Edinburgh; for that great Numbers of our Nobility and Gentry will reside in England, which will occasion the sinking of our Rents both in City and Country, and tend to the Discouragement of Tradesmen and Labourers. This I confess is a heavy Charge against an Union; but if things be narrowly considered, the contrary will with greater probability appear; for if an Union bring us Trade and Business, which I have many Reasons to believe, then there must certainly follow a proportionable increase of our Inhabitants. For instance, if Shipping increase in the Firth of Forth, then must the City of Edinburgh prosper and never till then; especially since it is to continue the Seat of our Ecclesiastick and Civil Judicatures [courts].

(National Records of Scotland, Clerk of Penicuik papers, GD18/3129, extract from A Letter to a Friend Giving an Account of how the Treaty of Union has been Received, 1706, p.17 © Sir Robert Clerk of Penicuik)

The image on the right shows Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, by an unknown artist after William Aikman, from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery Collection.

Winning the argument in favour of Union

In October 1706, David Boyle, the Earl of Glasgow, informed the Earl of Godolphin that more groups of society in Scotland were beginning to change their opinion in favour of union.

…My Lord, I am heartily glad that I can give your Lordship good hopes of the success of the treaty. Our clergy are become verry calm, and many of our members of Parliament upon second thoughts have altered their opinion, and are now friendly and hearty for the union.

Letters relating to Scotland in the reign of Queen Anne by James Ogilvy, First Earl of Seafield, and others, 1702 – 1707, Second Series, Scottish History Society, Vol XI. p.183