SCOTLAND.
Lord Melville and the other members of the Poor-law Commission have arrived, and commenced their sittings on Thursday in the Aber- deen Hotel. A number of parties are summoned to give evidence on the sutject of inquiry.—Caledonian Mercury.
The Edinburgh Witness publishes a note from the Chelmsford Martyr, read at a recent meeting of Seceders- " John Thomgood, who is present, says be will cheerfully give to the Free Church cause the 5s. 6d. he refused to pay as church-rate and for the not doing which he was imprisoned twenty-two Months in Chelmsffird gaol.
"Surrey Chapel, 18th August 1843."
The Ross-shire Advertiser narrates a serious riot at Rosskeen Church, on the 19th, the day fixed by the Presbytery of Tain for the induction of the Reverend John Mackenzie to the living of Rosskeen. Mr. Mackenzie was appointed to the parish on the application of all the heritors and several "adhering" parishioners- " About eleven o'clock, Mr. Mackenzie crossed the ferry, accompanied by the Reverend Messrs. Gibson, Avoch, Wood, Rosemarkie, and Hall, Cromarty, Sir Hugh and Lady Fraser, Breelangwell, &c.; and proceeded to the church. On their arrival at the bridge, they found a large mob of people, to the number of between two and three hundred, armed with bludgeons; who assailed them with the most gross expressions; and as they advanced towards the church, the crowd closed upon them, menacing them with personal violence if they attempted to enter the churchyard. The vociferation and uproar of the mob was most alarming. The men brandished their sticks, and several women shearing-hooks, while all uttered the most ruffianly language and abuse. Mr. Mackenzie endeavoured to appease the clamorous mob ; but they sel more tumultuous; and, finding all remonstrance unavailing, he and his friegds pro- ceeded onwards to Lower Kincraig. At this time they were assailed with the most opprobrious epithets, and pelted with stones and other missiles; and it is most providential that they escaped lasting injury. The other members of Presbytery, the Reverend Messrs. Bethune, Dingwall, and Downie, Contln, baring left Lower Kincraig, proceeded to meet them ; but this in no way checked the ferocity of the crowd. On the contrary, the whole party were at- tacked with still further violence; several were struck with stones, which flew about in all directions; and some received severe blows from persons who wielded their sticks with such agility as to do no disgrace to a Donnybrook fair. The members of Presbytery having been thus prevented from entering the parish-church, and assaulted and threatened if they attempted to go near it, met and were constituted at Lower Kincraig; where the usual forms of settlement were gone through, and Mr. Mackenzie was inducted."
In a subsequent attempt to enter the church, the heritors, in the presence of the Sheriff and Procurator-fiscal, were again repulsed ; and at midnight the mob rang the bell to celebrate their triumph. The Pres- bytery have since held their meetings at Dingwall, and inducted three other ministers into livings in the Presbytery. An inquiry was in- stituted to discover the ringleaders and bring them to justice.
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