Information for Alexander Penrose-Cuming of Altyre, Esq; with concourse of his Majesty’s Advocate, Prosecutor; Against William Leslie, Minister of the Parish of St. Andrews and Longbride, residing at Darkland, near Elgin, in the County of Elgin and Forres, Pannel.

Notes

The opening salvo in a substantial case of electoral fraud and misrepresentation in the county of Moray, between two groups represented by Sir Alexander Penrose Cumming (later Cumming-Gordon), 1st Baronet (1749-1806) on one side, and here on the other William Leslie, Minister of the Parish of St Andrews and Longbride, sparked by the election of spring 1784. A group of freeholders in Elgin and Forres argue that the electoral roll has been fraudulently increased (from 22 'real freeholders' to 65) and therefore for several elections past the wrong candidate has been elected.
In the 1784 election Penrose-Cumming lost to James Duff, Earl of Fife, who (it is claimed) formed 'a troop of fictitious voters' by giving; this case targets William Leslie, who swore under oath that he owned parts of Kinnedar but did so under arrangement with Duff. Other 'fictitious voters' had withdrawn under pressure but Leslie fought the case, arguing against Penrose-Cumming's standing to bring the case and the claim against his freeholding.
BL only in ESTC.