1 SEPTEMBER 1832, Page 9

ABERDEEN.—Of the number of electors registered for this burgh, it

is calculated that not above one fourth (575 out of 2,159) will vote for the Anti-Reform candidate, Provost Hadden. Indeed, apart from po- litical considerations, it was not to be expected that he should muster a majority against Mr. Bannerman ; who, exclusive of his numerous -claims to popular regard, has one which in Scotland is seldom over- looked—he is descended from an old and honourable family. Mr. Bannerman is not a Reformer of yesterday: he was a keen advocate for Burgh Reform as far back as 1817,—the only species of Reform that the people of Scotland then ventured to aspire after, and which the Ministry of Castlereagh, unconsciously kind, so happily denied. Be is besides a gentleman of business knowledge and business habit,; and on all questions of commerce and finance will prove a most useful

member in a Reformed House. .

DUNDEE.—Among the results of the Scotch Reform Bill, there is none more gratifying than the display of long-treasured gratitude which it has enabled the electors of Dundee to show towards one of the most honest and consistent and zealous of the Reformers of Scotland,— George Kinloch of Kinloch. The interest taken as well by the affranchised as by those who are still unfmnchised in the success of this candidate of the People, is extremely honourable to the parties. It has not been felt in vain.

"At the closing of the register on Monday night," says the Dundee Adver- tiser' "an intense anxiety was eyinced to ascertain the extent of the success of Mr. Kinloch's Committee. The High Street and New Inn Entry (where the Committee sat) were crowded, somewhat after the fashion of the days when the fate of the Reform Bill was in suspense. The intelligence from the 'Committee. room, however, was such as quickly to allay the anxiety of the crowd. 1,743 have claimed votes; and this is not far from the total number entitled to vote in Dundee. Of these, 943 were registered in Mr. Kinloch's Committee-room, according to the list kept there ; but, owing to the hurry which sometimes oc- curred, and to other causes this list is by no means complete ; and the Com- mittee reckon that claims for about 1,100 voters were filled up by them. This is exclusive of a considerable number of claims which were filled up by Mr. Kin- loch's friends in different parts of the town, and handed in to the Town-Clerk, without passing through the Committee-room : so that the whole number of Mr. Kinloch's decided supporters may fairly be estimated at betwixt 1,200 and 1,300. Numbers, again, have declined to express an opinion, either one wayor another, till the day of election; and of these, Mf. Kinloch may, at least, calcu- late upon the half." ' It is more than probable, that, with such certainty of failure, Mr. Guthrie will not go to a poll. Indeed, one of the great advantages of the registry, coupled with the shortening of the time for polling, is that candidates, who are reasonably prudent, may ascertain correctly what a poll can effect for them ; and even the reckless have no means, by an appeal to such a test, of overwhelming their opponents with expenses, as under the old English system they might do.

EDINBURGH.—The Lord Advocate has during the last ten days met and addressed numerous bodies of the electors in various parts of the city, so entirely to their satisfaction, that in no case has it been deemed necessary to put a question to him, and the resolutions of support have invariably been passed by acclamation. We observe that Mr. Aytoun, who has hoisted a green flag on the North Bridge, has been imitating the learned Lord's example—with this difference, that Mr. Aytoun harangues the non-electors in preference to the electors. He has got resolutions of support also; the only unfortunate circumstance is, that no Vote follows the resolution. The Edinburgh Weekly Journal says, in his quiet way, "Mr. Blair is continuing his course round the elec- tors, the same as before the registration ; but, though noiseless as the mole, he may be mighty as the earthquake." Doubtless he may be.

EDINBURGH COUNTY.—The agent of a Conservative Peer in the county of Edinburgh called on one of his tenants, and said he brought

a message from his Lordship, requesting him to vote for Sir George Clerk. Tenant—" I was just going to send a message to my Lord to ask him to vote forSir John Dalrymple." Agent—" I am afraid that answer

will lose you your farm." Tenant—" I am afraid your message will lose his Lordship a tenant. He has got a great deal more of my capi- tal already thante will ever get agahi."—Glasgow Chronicle.

ELGIN BURGHS.—A contest is going on for the Elgin and Peterhead Boroughs, which our Northern brethren are at some loss to under-

stand, and which reflects little credit either on the good faith or management of Government. Sir William Cumming, the present member, an uncompromising Anti-Reformer, had renewed the offer of his services to his constituents; and in the absence of Major Leith Hay in the West Indies, who contested the last election with him, it was thought necessary to put forward some Liberal candidate to prevent his success. Mr. Alexander Morison, a gentleman of considerable talent and acquirements, connected with the adjoining counties—a stanch supporter and advocate of liberal and popular principles, and who hail moved the first Reform petitions in the county of Banff—was selected as the most eligible person to oppose the Tory candidate. Mr. Morison accordingly commenced his canvass, under the auspices and with the good wishes and promise of support from Government, and soon drove the worthy Baronet from the field. No sooner, however,

had he rendered this service to his friends, than a fresh opposition was started by Colonel Grant, said the old supporters of Sir William Cum- ming; who, knowing from experience that a professed Anti-Reformer would not answer their. purpose proposed Mr. Holt M'Kenzie, lately made a Privy Councillor and Member of the India Board ; and a keen -eentest is %ow Waging between the Government candidate and the Go- verument Connins‘Nner !—Morning Chronicle of Friday. Firz, COUNTY AND 'AO GAS. —We cannot describe the state of this district better than by giVThpan extract from the letter of a cor- respondent, who is perfectly acquaintikkvith it in all its bearings— •

" We are ' quite immersed," .he Says, " in election strife here. Captaita

Wemyss will carry the county against Lindsay. Johnston appears equally sure of his election for the burghs,—although Sir Ralph Anstruther, aided by the priests of St. Andrew's, and the rotten rumps of the Old Councils on the South coast, will come pretty near him. Both in the towns and county, the electors have displayed more constancy and independence than could hake been anticipated. The press and the non-electors have been of infinite service in keeping the electors to their duty, and perhaps furnish a check equal if not superior to the ballot ; which, if we are to get, ought to be accompanied with a great extension of the franchise. I conceive the operative class sufficiently well informed, and far more independent, from the nature of their avocations, than the middling orders." The Edinburgh Observer is inclined, on' the faith of its private in- telligence, to doubt Captain Wemyss's chance of success. The Observer is not, we believe, considered a very ardent Reformer, and his private correspondents probably take their tone from himself. Captain Wemyss will carry the county, as the Fife Herald and the public accounts concur in declaring. We don't agree with our corre- spondent that the check of the non-represented is equal to 'the. ballot. It may occasionally produce as much good, but it is too irregular in principle and operation to be depended on. Windmills do their work very well in a steady breeze ; but in a tempest they are blown to pieces, and in a calm they stand still. We prefer steam.

FORFAR BURGHS.—The Reform Bill, was celebrated at Forfar on the 10th ult., when there was.a splendid procession, in which the whole of the civic authorities joined. An address to his Majesty was voted, at the Market-cross, by acclamation. :We • notice in the history of the day a novel feature—a speech from the clergyman of Forfar, a pupil of old John Young of Glasgow ; who was raised to the place 'which he so worthily fills solely by his merit. The Scotch are happyin the tunesthat accompany-tile r toasts. The King's health at the Forfar jubilee was fol- lowed by" Here asVa', there awit', Wandetin' Willy !"and Loyd Broug- ham's by "The mucking [Cleansing] of Geordy's byre" [stablel. On the day after the jubilee fête, Mr. H. Ross and Mr. Chalmers made their bow to the electors of the burgh. The gross number of 'claims given in for registration, amounted, at the close of the enrolment on Monday, to 303; and it is calculated by the Advertiser, that Mr. Chalmers will have at least two-thirds of such of those votes as may be ultimately sus- tained. At Arbroath, too, there is understood to be a majority for Mr. Chalmers ; but in the other burghs of the district, we believe Mr. Ross's interest. preponderates. The result seems very uncertain. PERTHSHIRE.—Sir George Murray persists in canvassing the county under the disguise of a Reformer. He was subjected to a long and close examination the other day, at Madill, by a Crief shoemaker ; who pulled, and pincered, and rubbed the poor member, with as little mercy as ever he slid the most ordinary bit of calf. Lord Ormelie, the Reform candidate, was present on the occasion, in his capacity of freeholder of the county ; and, take it altogether, the exhibition was a curious one. We can spare room for a very small portion of Sir George's dressing at the hands of Mr. Kidd. The son of St. Crispin was extremely anxious to ream the happy moment of Sir George's political new birth- - Sir George gave no direct answer, but went into a king statement of his ge- neral conduct in Parliament with reference to the Reform measure. He read from a pamphlet which he held in his hand, extracts from speeches made by Mr. Brougham and Mr. Denman on the 3d November 1830, in which these gentle- men expressed their approbation of a declaration which Sir George had that evening made on the subject. He seemed to rely mainly on what had been said by these well-known friends of Reform, on that occasion, as substantiating his claims as a supporter of Reform. John Kidd said, the observations of Messrs. Brougham and Denman could easily be accounted for, without supposing that these gentlemen meant to award him any great credit as a Reformer. They and their friends had been for nearly half a century endeavouring in vain to carry Reform ; and their satisfac- tion at hearing from the Ministerial side of the House any intimation however slight, that showed a disposition towards Reform, naturally drew from them marks of approbation. But what was the extent to which, on this occasion, Sir George had declared his readiness to carry Reform? Sir George's words were, as reported in the newspapers of the day, that although perfectly willing that Reform should take place, "so far as it could be given for the purpose of effecting improvement in the government, he did not mean by that a greater extension of the elective franchise; to that he was diametrically opposed. He was satisfied that the elective franchise must be restrained to a comparatively small portion of the nation, in order that the system should work to the advan- tage of the country." From this quotation the meeting would judge of the weight of Sir George's claims to the title of a Reformer.

Again addressing Sir George, the merciless hammerer of soles in- quired "if he was a Reformer, why did he not support the Bill ?"

Sir George, in answer to this question, stated that his principal reason for op- posing the first Bill was, that it was ill defined and defective; and his hope was, that, in consequence of that Bill being thrown out, a better might be introduced.

Then why, it was asked, did he oppose the second Reform Bill ? Sir George gave no definite answer to this question, but went into a long de- tail, which the meeting appeared to consider as foreign and irrelevant to the point. Mr. Kidd repeatedly addressed the gallant General with the view of obtaining a direct answer, but without effect. The marks of disapprobation, which had been frequent throughout the day in the shape of groans and hisses, here became very marked ; and Sir George was observed to call for repeated tumblers of cold water.

Mr. Kidd, in conclusion, moved, that it was the opinion of the Meeting, "that Sir George Murray, from the evasive and unsatisfac- tory manner in which he has answered the questions put to him this day, was not a fit or proper person to represent this great county in Parliament." This motion was carried with immense applause, and without a dissentient voice. Even Sir George himself did not hold up his hand against it. We see it stated that Sir George Murray is EtCCOM- panied in his canvass by Lord Balgray and Baron Sir Peter Murray, both of them Judges of the Supreme Court. This practice is most disreputable, and must be put an end to. We noticed the indecent in- terference of these Scotch Judges in last election. They asked for an increase of .salary lately. We must get up a Bench Reform Bill by and by, with a Schedule A of suitable dimensions.

SELKIRK.—The contest for the county of Selkirk, betwixt the sit- ting member, Mr. Pringle of Whytbank, and Mr. Pringle of Clifton, continues to be carried on with great keenness and spirit; and each party is sufficiently active in his canvass. An unpleasant circumstance occurred in the course of it on Thursday last week, when Galashiels- any part of the county since the Militia riots in 1798. Mr. Pringle of Clifton on that day entertained his friends to a dinner in Murray's inn ; • 'nen 4

themselves within-doors, the Reformers in the street were likewise re- galed by some of those exhilarating stimulants with which the triumph I put it down : as far as I can recollect, I said,

it was with some difficulty that they escaped without farther personal injury from the insane and unprovoked attack of the inob.—Glasyoui Courier. [It is singular that this account should first (?) appear in a Tory journal published at seventy or eighty miles distance. IVe need not remark on the contradiction of a lady sitting in a coach after it had been literally broken to pieces.]