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Indeed, an examination of Morgan's relationship with the Blue Party forms a suitable conclusion. In it can be seen the entire complicated workings of Carmarthen borough politics in this period. An influential townsman, Morgan was a member of the town corporation's common council and voted with the Blues until 1818 or 1819. As noted earlier, his support of the party gave him access to patronage with which to develop his own interest; Richard Spurrell owed his appointment as clerk of the Three Commots Trust to Morgan's canvassing. Morgan, however, was related by marriage to John Jones of Ystrad, the Cawdors' arch-rival for the borough seat. It is not clear how Morgan deployed his interest at the 1818 election, but in 1821 he actively opposed the Cawdors' nominee, Sir William Paxton. Had a member of Cawdor's immediate family circle stood, he argued later, he would have supported him against 'all the world', but as he explained, 'to Sir William I was under no obligation.112 Morgan's defection was undoubtedly a major cause of Jones's victory in 1821, not least because of the change in the balance of power it implied on the common council. Without Morgan, the Blue Party lost the initiative in the making and unmaking of burgesses. For this, as Campbell's letter made clear, the ultimate censure was a withdrawal of personal friendship. It is clear, therefore, that the personal influence of Lord Cawdor and his family was of central importance to the maintenance of the Golden Grove interest in the borough of Carmarthen. Equally, it has been demonstrated that family influence alone would not have been enough to ensure Cawdor's ability to return the M.P. for Carmarthen throughout the period under discussion here. Lord Cawdor was obliged quite deliberately to 'build' and 'maintain' his influence. His actions appear to have been constantly influenced by the need to operate within two particular constraints: the paternalistic expectations of local society, and the desire of members of his own party for place and influence. The votes tendered in favour of Lord Cawdor's interest on election day were the deceptively simple product of complex social forces working over long periods of time. They were the tip of an iceberg whose bulk lay concealed deep in the fabric of society. The ties which bound people to the Golden Grove interest may have been those of personal friendship, duty or obligation, but these votes were not given for nothing. The interest worked 1,2 C. Morgan to the 2nd Lord Cawdor, 3 October 1821, C 136.