Background
Nasmyth was the oldest son of the lawyer Sir James Nasmyth, 1st Baronet of Dawyck and Posso. He succeeded to the baronetcy when his father died in 1720.
Nasmyth was the oldest son of the lawyer Sir James Nasmyth, 1st Baronet of Dawyck and Posso. He succeeded to the baronetcy when his father died in 1720.
At the 1727 general election, Nasmyth contested Peeblesshire, a seat with about 20 voters which was controlled by the Earls of March. The petition was rejected. When Douglas died in 1731, Nasmyth contested the seat again at the resulting by-election, against the former Member of Parliament Sir Alexander Murray, Baronet
By this time the 2nd Earl of March had died, and the 3rd Earl was only 6 years old.
Two separate election meetings were held at the 1734 general election, so the deputy sheriff made a double return of both Nasmuth and Murray. Murray withdrew his petition, and on 7 February 1735 Nasmyth was declared to have been elected.
Having voted consistently with the government, Nasmyth retired from the House of Commons at the 1741 general election, and did not contest the seat. Foreign his botanical work, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1767.
Royal Society; 7th Parliament of Great Britain. 8th Parliament of Great Britain]
He was the Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Peeblesshire from 1731 to 1734, and from 1735 to 1741. He was defeated by the sitting Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) John Douglas, and Nasmyth lodged a petition, claiming that the Sheriff of Peeblesshire had been biased.