Sir Archibald Macdonald, 1st Baronet
Sir Archibald Macdonald, 1st Baronet (13 July 1747 – 18 May 1826) was a British lawyer and politician.
Family
Archibald Macdonald was the posthumous son of Sir Alexander Macdonald, 7th Baronet, and younger brother of the 8th baronet (see Baron Macdonald), but was brought to England in the aftermath of Culloden to complete his education at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. He was called to the bar at Lincolns Inn in 1770. In 1777, he married Lady Louisa Leveson-Gower daughter of the Earl Gower, then Lord President of the Council.
Politics
He was Member of Parliament for Hindon in Wiltshire (1777–1780) and then for Newcastle-under-Lyme (1780–1792), a seat where his father-in-law had a strong influence. In politics, he followed the political lead of his father-in-law.
Judge
He was appointed as second judge of the Carmarthen circuit in Wales in 1780. He was knighted on 27 June 1788. He was promoted to Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer from 1790, the least important of the Westminster law courts. He served in this post until he retired in 1813, due to failing eyesight. He also served as the prosecutor in Thomas Paine's sedition trial over the publication of Rights of Man in 1792.
Retirement
On his retirement from the court he was created a baronet on 27 November 1813.
References
- Lemmings, David (2004). "Macdonald, Sir Archibald, first baronet (1747–1826)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
- Smith, George Ford (8 June 2010). "Thomas Paine, Liberty's Hated Torchbearer". Mises Institute. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Richard Smith Henry Dawkins |
Member of Parliament for Hindon 1777–1780 With: Henry Dawkins |
Succeeded by Lloyd Kenyon Nathaniel William Wraxall |
| Preceded by Viscount Chewton Viscount Trentham |
Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme 1780–1793 With: Viscount Trentham 1779–1784 Richard Vernon 1784–1790 John Leveson-Gower 1790–1792 William Egerton 1792–1793 |
Succeeded by Sir Francis Ford William Egerton |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir James Eyre |
Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer 1793–1813 |
Succeeded by Sir Vicary Gibbs |
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New creation | Baronet (of East Sheen) 1813–1826 |
Succeeded by James Macdonald |