EDINBURG11.—The Lord Advocate has addressed the electors. It is not
very high praise to say, that his address is the best perhaps that the oceasion has yet called forth on either side of the Tweed. We give his Lordship's pledges, as they may be called— "I beg to assure you, that my short tenure of office has not made me in any degree lees friendly to popular rights, or less disposed to assert them. I MU not friendly to sinecures and • pensions. m a for lightening the burdens of the people, improving their education, and securing awl extending their liberties. I am for economy of the public money, deference to public opinion, and maintenance of the public peace. I am for freedom or trade, freedom of conscience, awl freedom of speech and opinion—un- limited toleration in matters of religion, and complete publicity in every thing in which the public is concerned. I am for further reforms in the law, and the forms by which it is administered. I am for the abolition of slavery as soon as it is consistent with the personal safety of those it affects, and the speedy reduction of all unpst monopolies and restrictions on the freedom of industry; and, finally, I am for nunntaining, at all hazards, the sanctity of the right of property, and the supreme authority of the law. These May be called vague generalities, which it would be easy in practice to evade. I cannot say I am of that opinion ; but they have at least the advantage in this in- stance of not being the professions of an untried man, and their vagueness may per- haps be partly corrected by your recollections of the sense I have hitherto put upon them by my conduct."
He also pledges himself to the speedy consideration of a subject of great interest in Scotland—borough or municipal reform ; a subject which has often and stronglyagitated the Scotch' and which was resisted by the Tories chiefly on the plea that it would lead to Parliamentary Reform. It is of very great importance for the proper settlement of this question, were there no other reason, that Mr. Jeffrey should sit for Edinburgh in the next Parliament; and as no town in Scotland is more interested in borough reform than the metropolis we trust the electors will not lose sight, in the coming election, of time advantages which they will derive from the Lord Advocate's official power—and the Lord Advocate, from the support of so large, and wealthy, and in- telligent a constituency, in settling it justly and readily. Mr. Jeffrey concludes his address with the following appeal, at once 'widest and manly— Yon have an urgent and a solemn duty to perform ; and my chief anxiety is un- doubtedly, that you should perform it creditably and well. The present aspect of affitirs, it home and abroad. holds out the prospect of such discussions in the first Reformed Parliament, as may well make the wisest, the firmest, and the most experienced shrink fren all responsibility which any participation in them must infer. Talent, energy, and eloquence enough there will be, no doubt, in that assembly, and to spare ; but with- out prudence and temperance, and calm foresight—without those truly senatorial vir- tues which can hardly be generated without some experience of public affairs, and some chastisement of the judgment by time, there will be the greatest hazard of the most fatal disorders. No one can be more sensible than I am of the very slender pretensions I lave to come forward at such a crisis, on such a scene ; and if you can find a represen- tative who possesses the great requisites on which I freely acknowledge my own defi- ciency, I exhort yon at once to reject my application, and to press him into your service. If I had heard of such a competitor—if I should still hear of such a one. I shall instantly 'withdraw my pretensions, and join in congratulating you on your better fortune. But as yet, I confess, I have looked in vain for such mm motive for retiring; and, in default of a man equal tothe exigencies of the time, I offer you one sincerely impressed with a sense of their importanc?, and not likely, I trust, at all events, either to desert your cause from timidity, or to endanger it by rashness" GLASGOW.—The several candidates for this great city, the Western capital of Scotland, have declared themselves ; and, contrary to our ex- pectation, Sir Daniel K. Sandford is one of them. When we spoke of the incompatibility of Sir Daniel's professional duties with his attendance in Parliament, we naturally reverted to the times of old John Young, and that day of many hopes and fears, the 1st of May, when the session nomi- many, and the 10th of June, when it really terminated, while the Greek class was under his guidance. It seems they- have altered all this now ; and that if the learned and liberal Professor be elected, he can contrive to be in London in good and fitting time to give his vote and counsel to the cause of which be is so able and eloquent an advocate. It certainly -would do Glasgow much credit if they stood alone in seading• to Parlia- ment a 7entleman whose sole distinction is derimsd from literature. It would form, as far as our recollection goes, an wra in election contests. At the same time, even in defect of the Professor, they have ample means of choice. To say nothing of Mr. Oswald, who appears to be a general favourite in Glasgow, we should be guilty of great injustice, if we did not state, in the strongest terms, our opinion of the fitness of Mr. Crawfurd, the gentleman who has laboured so assiduously, and -with so much success, to enlighten Padiament and the country on the great subject of India. Of all the new candidates in England or Scot- land, we do not know one who is more likely to prove a useful, pains- taking, diligent member of the Legislature. We observe that some of the Glasgow journalists talk slightingly of Mr. Crawfurd's powers of oratory. We never heard that gentleman speak ; but we have a strong presenti- ment, that if he be slow to say, he will not be found slow to do. We would warn the good people of Scotland especially against glib talkers. It is the least of the demerits of these rounders of sentences, that they are good for nothing. We presume not to doubt the saying of Scrip- ture, that "the mouth speaketh out of the fulness of the heart ;" but we Must add, in order to complete the description, that the fulness of heart there alluded to is almost invariably attended by emptiness of bead. What we want now, and what we shall more especially want in a Reformed Parliament, is men that will act—good Committee-men- persons of varied and correct information. We shall always have enough and to spare of speechifiers. One word of Mr. Ewing. That gentleman is said to be a Tory. Certainly he has been introduced, and is supported by the Tories ; which is a suspicious circumstance ; yet, to do him justice, no one can promise fairer—if he be not of us, he at least speaks our language. -.With such abundance of materials, it may puzzle those who honestly • Irtisli. to judge well, to judge soon ; but there is no hurry. Above all things, let the Reformers, in coming to a decision, think not of the in- terests of the candidates, but of themselves, and of the nation of which they form no insignificant portion. And, as a preparative for deciding justly, let them call district meetings, and appoint committees to go forth among their fellow-electors, and to inquire into their sentiments. The registry will give both their names and their whereabout. And having ascertained the sentiments of their fellow-electors, let them at once declare for the two most fitting and acceptable men, and scout those, as enemies to Reform and to the town, who presume to come between then, and the objects of their choice. They have ths power to do right ; they have the wish ; what hinders them from employing their power and gratifying their wishes ?
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