SCOTLAND.
At the annual meeting of the Edinburgh Anti-Corn-law Association, on Monday, the following resolutions were moved-
" That the meeting agree with the sentiments and recommendations of the Council of the Anti-Corn-law League, addressed to the people of the United Kingdom, of the 28th September last; and that in accordance with one of these recommendations, the Secretary be in.tructed to transmit to the Right Honourable T. B. Macaulay and William Gibson Craig, Esq., the Members for the city, copies of the report which has been adopted by this meeting ; and respectfully to express to those gentlemen, that this meeting, deeply impressed as it is with the paramount importance of Free-trade principles to this king- dom, and the benefits likely to result to the family of man from their general adoption, entertain a strong hope, in common, they believe, with a large ma- jority of the Liberal electors of the city, that their Representatives will now be prepared to support the immediate and entire abolition of all duties on the im- portation of foreign corn ; and in particular, that they will be prepared to give their cordial and unqualified support, both in the House and in the Committee, to the motion about to be brought forward in Parliament by the Honourable C. P. Villiers, for the immediate and entire abolition of these duties.
" That it be remitted to the ordinary Committee, as a special instruction from this meeting, that in the prospect of" a dissolution of Parliament, they shall take care that candidates be brought forward to represent the city of Edin- burgh whose views on the question of freedom of trade shall be in unison alike with those of the great body of the Liberal electors and of the Anti-Corn-law League : and in order to carry this resolution into effect, that the Committee shall have power to call a meeting of the whole Liberal electors to ascertain their opinions on the subject, and generally to take such other steps as shall seem to them proper for giving effect to the opinions of the majority of the consti- tuency on this great public question of the day."
Mr. Alexander Robertson, seconded by Mr. J. M. Bell, moved, as an amendment on the second of these resolutions, that until there should be a nearer prospect of a dissolution of Parliament, it was inexpedient to enter upon the subject. Mr. D. M`Laren supported the original motion ; reading extracts from letters by Mr. Macaulay, to show that the electors had no alternative but to act upon it. Mr. Mfftaren took occasion to contradict a report that he himself intended to oppose one of the Members at the next election : the report was an unalloyed false- hood. He believed, however, that if a person holding his opinions were to come forward on Free-trade principles, aud Mr. Macaulay on Fixed-duty principles, the Free-trader would beat by a majority of two to one. Mr. E. F. Maitland warmly objected to Mr. M•Larea's re- marks, as foreign to the business in hand; and an amusing tumult arose- " Mr. Maitland was much surprised at the concluding remarks of Mr. 31'Laren, which appeared to him most extraordinary ; in tact, he bad never heard such an ingenious address. (A voice—" It was a capital one !" followed by cries of " Question, question!" and" Order, order ! ") "The noise here became so great, that scarcely the sound of the speaker's voice could be beard: at last, when the noise had somewhat subsided,
"Mr. APLaren rose and said= I speak to order. I '--- " Mr. Maitland—' I beg Mr. APLaren will not interrupt me.'
"Mr. APLaren= I wish to gain you a hearing.'
"Mr. Maitland—' I don't wish a hearing from any man. (Laughter.) 1'"— Here the tumult fairly stopped farther dispute. The original motion was carried by an overwhelming majority ; only 28 votes being given tor the amendment.
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