5 NOVEMBER 1853, Page 5

SCOTLAND.

A "National Association for the Vindication of Scottish Rights" has been recently formed ; and on Wednesday its adherents appeared before the public at a crowded meeting in the Music Hall of Edinburgh, to claim public support. The Earl of Eglinton was called to the chair ; and near him were the Earl of Buchan, the Lord Provosts of Edinburgh and Perth, Sir Archibald Alison, Admiral Sir Charles Napier, Professor Ay- toun, Mr. Baillie Cochrane, and several Burgh Provosts. Mr. Cowan and Mr. Baird, who seem to be the only Members of Parliament that have joined the Association, sent apologies for non-attendance.

The resolutions which obtained the assent of the meeting demanded the appointment of a Scotch Secretary of State ; complained of dispro- portionately scanty representation for Scotland; of the "injustice inflict- ed upon Scotland by its exclusion from the advantages of participating in the public expenditure " ; and bound the meeting to support the Associa- tion. These topics formed the subject of the speeches. Lord Eglinton, elaborately disclaiming any intention of subverting the Union, com- plained that centralization is carried out beyond the limits required by the Treaty of Union ; that Scotch affairs are placed in English hands; that while England has Windsor, Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court, Ken- sington, "we have only poor old Holyrood, with her falling galleries, roof- less chapel, wasted park, and garden let to a market-gardener ! "—only five pounds was spent on it last year. Then there is not a harbour of re- fuge from Wick to Berwick; while England has Dover, Harwich, J ersey, Holyhead, Portsmouth. He complained with equal bitterness that no Professorships have been established; that representation is unequal com- pared with England ; that the quartering of the Scottish arms in the Royal standard is corrupted; and that Scotland has to submit to the anomalous and irresponsible government of a Lord Advocate, to the great neglect of Scotch business : he held that a great officer of state is wanted who should be responsible for the government of Scotland. Among the other speakers were the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Mr. Cochrane, Sir Archibald Alison, Professor Aytoun, and Sir J. W. Drum- mond; who each discussed the crying grievances of the Scottish nation.