16 AUGUST 1856, Page 1

The representative men of the Edinburgh community, in pub- lic

meeting assembled, have taken up the case of the Scotsman,: and have rescued it from the narrowed and technical treatment which it had received. The speakers at the meeting supplied what was wanting in the court of law, by adopting a much broader, a much more impartial and judicial view, . They did' justice to all, injustice to none. The impartiality of the Judge, the difficulties of the Airy, were recognized. The verdict re-: ceived its worst condemnation as "an untoward accident." . The character of the prime author of the coalition against Mr.. Macaulay in 1847, the defeated candidate in 1852, and more than defeated in the victory of 1856, was not less clearly marked and finally settled ; while the position of the gentlemen impli- cated on the other side was rehabilitated by the expression

of public feeling on the part of their countrymen. The meeting passed resolutions which revel/ea the bad verdict ; and in re- solving to pay the fine by public subscription, the mei of Scot- land are not giving an aid of money to gentlemen who do not re- quire it, but they morally cancel the fine. That this movement fairly represents the general community, is proied by the im- mediate success of the subscription ; whose names and figures palpably show the feeling which all classes entertain respecting the trial and its issue, the relative parties to the suit, and the necessity of vindicating free discussion in Scotland.