To the Independent Electors of the burghs of Elgin, Cullen, Banff, Inverury, Kintore, and Peterhead (1 of 2)

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To the Independent Electors of the burghs of Elgin, Cullen, Banff, Inverury, Kintore, and Peterhead (1 of 2)

This is the front page of a two-sided broadside style pamphlet. The back page can be seen here.

The document implores the electorate to consider voting for the document's author, Holt Mackenzie (1786-1876). Mackenzie was running for election in the 1832 General Election, for the House of Commons seat Elgin Burghs.

Holt was the son of the acclaimed Scottish author Henry Mackenzie. Mackenzie himself was a prominent member of the East India Company, and was central to the establishment of the Mahalwari system. The system maintained village-level-autonomy in India, to enable Britain to exercise control over wide-scale taxation whilst being able to outsource its collection. He retired later, and in 1832 was made a member of the Privy Council.

In the document, Mackenzie opens by establishing himself as an advocate of liberal policy in India where he was a colonial administrator. He voices himself as attached to the "free institutions" of Britain and its freedom. Mackenzie argues that he is a reformist. Mackenzie argues that he is neither a Whig nor a Tory, but a liberally inclined free standing, liberally inclined individual. Still, Mackenzie stood in the election as a Tory. He lost the vote to Alexander Leith Hay, the Whig candidate.

Broadside

HD05_16

Elections

Aberdeen Local Studies

Yes

Yes

Yes