SCOTLAND.
Queen Victoria has shown in the Highlands. that activity and love of the open air which she shows when among us Sonthrons. On Saturday her Majesty drove to Abergeldie with all her family, except the Prince of Wales, to attend a Highland fete given by the Dichess of Kent in honour of the marriage of the Prince of Leiningen and the Princess Marie of Baden. The Prince of Wales arrived at Balmoral in the even- ing. On Monday the Queen rode out in the morning, while the Prince Consort went deer stalking, and the Prince of Wales went grouse shoot- ing. In the afternoon the Queen drove to Abergeldie. The Prince Consort and the Prince of Wales have continued. their sports, and the Queen and her daughters have continued to ride and drive abroad. The Earl of Derby is in attendance on the thueen. • Mr. Crum Ewing, Member for Paisley, met his constituents last week and gave an account of his stewardship with which his hearers seemed well pleased. Mr. Ewing defended his conduct in voting against Lord Palmerston ; he would have preferred the postponement of the India Bill, but he thinks the principle of the measure right, although marred by defects in the act itself. " I hope it will ever be kept in mind that India must be governed not solely for the benefit of this country, but with a view to the prosperity, contentment, and happiness of the people, both on their own account, and as the only way by which India can be made available as a dependency. In nothing must the Government be more careful than bow they act in matters connected with religion. As Christians, we have a sacred duty to perform in promoting our blessed Gospel and in extending the benefits of its benign and gracious influence ; but let it be remembered that true Christianity looks for strength to no external force, and that the British mple regard religions liberty as a sacred right for the Mahomedan or the Mato as well as the Christian. There must be no Government inter- ference with men's consciences. If, however, the missionaries are neither obstructed nor assisted by Government, but if simply strict neutrality is exercised, and full protection from insult be guaranteed to Christian con- verts—if, in short, Christianity is only allowed a fair stage, but no Govern- ment favour, it is all we should ask, and then, and not till then, it will work its own way, and shall prevail as certainly as truth must in the end overcome error.'
The future of English politics appears in an uncertain light at Paisley as elsewhere.
" The position of parties is moat unsatisfactory. There is no organiza- tion whatever on the liberal side, while the Ministerial benches are filled by men who at heart can have no liking to Liberal measures, and from such a source nothing is expected to be done voluntarily. Let us hope that ere long, by a fusion of independent liberals, a strong government may be formed, which will command the respect and confidence of the house and of the country. As regards reform : the effect of the change of government was to retard the introduction of any measure for another session, and then we are promised a Reform Bill, which some people think may be more libe- ral than we would have had from the Whigs. This must, however, be mere conjecture. My belief is they have not fixed what to propose, and will not make up their minds till the last hour, to see with how little they can command a majority of the House."
We understand that the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone, M.P., Ins, within these few days, been on a visit to Glasgow. Possibly an early period of next session of Parliament will reveal some Scotch mea- sure as the result of his visit to the north.—Glasgow Daily Mail.
The Dutnbarton Herald states that should Mr. Smollett resign his seat for the county, Mr. Bontine of Ardoch intends to offer himself to the constituency on thoroughly liberal principles.
Previous page
