Andrew Fletcher (patriot)

Andrew Fletcher
Andrew Fletcher
Commissioner for Haddingtonshire
In office 22 September 1702 – 1707 Serving with John Lauder William Nesbitt of Dirletoune John Cockburne of Ormistoune
Monarch	Queen Anne
Commissioner for Haddingtonshire
In office 1681–1683
Commissioner for Haddingtonshire
In office 1678–1680
Personal details
Born	1655 Saltoun, East Lothian, Kingdom of Scotland
Died	September 1716 (aged 61) Paris, France
Political party	Country Party
Parent	Sir Robert Fletcher
Military service
Allegiance	Duke of Monmouth (1685) William of Orange (1688)
Battles/wars	Monmouth Rebellion Great Turkish War Glorious Revolution

Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun (1655 – September 1716) was a Scottish writer and politician, remembered as an advocate for the non-incorporation of Scotland, and an opponent of the 1707 Act of Union between Scotland and England. Fletcher became an exile in 1683 after being accused of promoting insurrection. He was appointed the cavalry commander of the Monmouth Rebellion, but shortly after landing in England, he killed another leading figure. He again went into exile, this time as a fugitive and with his estates forfeit. He returned with William of Orange, becoming Commissioner of the old Parliament of Scotland.

Fletcher was a defender of the Darién scheme, although suspicious of the effect of conventional commerce on traditional virtues. He also deplored the effect of London's relative size, which he said would inevitably draw an accelerating proportion of wealth and decision-making to the south-east corner of Britain.