John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale
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John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale PC (1695 – 9 December 1762) was a Scottish nobleman.
Tweeddale was an able and accomplished statesman, and possessed considerable knowledge of law. He was appointed an Extraordinary Lord of Session
in 1721, the last person to hold this office. He was one of the Scottish representative peers from 1722 to 1734 and from 1742 to 1762. On the downfall of Walpole in February 1742, Pulteney
, to whom had been entrusted the arrangement of places in the new Government, insisted that the office of Secretary of State for Scotland
, which had been in abeyance since 1739, should be revived, and the Marquess of Tweeddale was appointed, and Principal Keeper of the Signet and a Privy Counsellor
. Charles Erskine, Lord Tinwald, who at this juncture resigned the office of Lord Advocate
, wrote to a brother lawyer—Robert Craigie
of Glendoick on 2 March 1742, ‘You have been mentioned to the King by the Marquis of Tweeddale as my successor. You are happy in having to do with a patron who is a man of truth and honour.’. .
The period of four years during which his Tweeddale held the office of Secretary of State was a time of great trouble and anxiety. The English members of the Government were not only grossly ignorant, as usual, of the state of feeling in Scotland, but they were by no means willing to receive accurate information on the subject. They rejected as utterly incredible the idea that a Jacobite insurrection was at hand, and thought it quite unnecessary to make any preparations to resist and suppress it. Tweeddale, who was in London at that time, shared to some extent in their feeling of incredulity, and even after he was aware that the Highlanders had left Perth
in their march to the south, he wrote to the Lord Advocate, ‘I flatter myself they have been able to make no great progress.’ On the very day on which this letter was written, Prince Charles
entered the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
In February 1746, when the rebellion was still raging, a ministerial crisis took place. On the refusal of the King to admit Pitt to the Government, Henry Pelham
, the Prime Minister, along with those members of the administration who supported him, resigned office. Earl Granville
and Tweeddale attempted, unsuccessfully, to form a Ministry. On their failure Pelham resumed office; Granville and Tweeddale were left out of the reconstructed Government, and the office of Secretary of State for Scotland was a second time abolished. Tweeddale resigned at this time his office of Keeper of the Signet.
He was Governor of the Bank of Scotland
from 1742 and Lord Justice General in 1761 until his death in London in 1762.
The Marquess married Lady Elizabeth (or Frances) Carteret, daughter of John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville
in 1748, and had by her four daughters and two sons. The eldest son died in infancy; the younger, George, became fifth Marquess, and died in 1770, aged thirteen. The title then devolved on his uncle, George Hay.
Tweeddale was an able and accomplished statesman, and possessed considerable knowledge of law. He was appointed an Extraordinary Lord of Session
Extraordinary Lord of Session
Extraordinary Lords of Session were lay members of the Court of Session in Scotland from 1532 to 1762.When the Court of Session was founded in 1532, it consisted of the Lord President, 14 Ordinary Lords and three or four Extraordinary Lords. The Extraordinary Lords were nominees of the King, not...
in 1721, the last person to hold this office. He was one of the Scottish representative peers from 1722 to 1734 and from 1742 to 1762. On the downfall of Walpole in February 1742, Pulteney
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, PC was an English politician, a Whig, created the first Earl of Bath in 1742 by King George II; he is sometimes stated to have been Prime Minister, for the shortest term ever , though most modern sources reckon that he cannot be considered to have held the...
, to whom had been entrusted the arrangement of places in the new Government, insisted that the office of Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
, which had been in abeyance since 1739, should be revived, and the Marquess of Tweeddale was appointed, and Principal Keeper of the Signet and a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. Charles Erskine, Lord Tinwald, who at this juncture resigned the office of Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
, wrote to a brother lawyer—Robert Craigie
Robert Craigie
Robert Craigie was a Scottish politician and judge. He was baptised on March 4, 1688 and died on 10 March 1760.On 2 April 1742 he was elected Member of Parliament for the Tain Burghs constituency in northern Scotland...
of Glendoick on 2 March 1742, ‘You have been mentioned to the King by the Marquis of Tweeddale as my successor. You are happy in having to do with a patron who is a man of truth and honour.’. .
The period of four years during which his Tweeddale held the office of Secretary of State was a time of great trouble and anxiety. The English members of the Government were not only grossly ignorant, as usual, of the state of feeling in Scotland, but they were by no means willing to receive accurate information on the subject. They rejected as utterly incredible the idea that a Jacobite insurrection was at hand, and thought it quite unnecessary to make any preparations to resist and suppress it. Tweeddale, who was in London at that time, shared to some extent in their feeling of incredulity, and even after he was aware that the Highlanders had left Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
in their march to the south, he wrote to the Lord Advocate, ‘I flatter myself they have been able to make no great progress.’ On the very day on which this letter was written, Prince Charles
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
entered the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
In February 1746, when the rebellion was still raging, a ministerial crisis took place. On the refusal of the King to admit Pitt to the Government, Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham was a British Whig statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 27 August 1743 until his death in 1754...
, the Prime Minister, along with those members of the administration who supported him, resigned office. Earl Granville
John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville
John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, 7th Seigneur of Sark, KG, PC , commonly known by his earlier title as Lord Carteret, was a British statesman and Lord President of the Council from 1751 to 1763.-Family:...
and Tweeddale attempted, unsuccessfully, to form a Ministry. On their failure Pelham resumed office; Granville and Tweeddale were left out of the reconstructed Government, and the office of Secretary of State for Scotland was a second time abolished. Tweeddale resigned at this time his office of Keeper of the Signet.
He was Governor of the Bank of Scotland
Bank of Scotland
The Bank of Scotland plc is a commercial and clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a history dating to the 17th century, it is the second oldest surviving bank in what is now the United Kingdom, and is the only commercial institution created by the Parliament of Scotland to...
from 1742 and Lord Justice General in 1761 until his death in London in 1762.
The Marquess married Lady Elizabeth (or Frances) Carteret, daughter of John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville
John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville
John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, 7th Seigneur of Sark, KG, PC , commonly known by his earlier title as Lord Carteret, was a British statesman and Lord President of the Council from 1751 to 1763.-Family:...
in 1748, and had by her four daughters and two sons. The eldest son died in infancy; the younger, George, became fifth Marquess, and died in 1770, aged thirteen. The title then devolved on his uncle, George Hay.