TOPICS OF THE DAY.
TIIE EDINBURGH DINNER.
Emenreau has been happily chosen as the place for the great gathering in honour of Earl G EY. There is probably no part of
Britain in which the late Premier would not be welcomed with re- pectf'ul regards. With the exception of a few envenomed Tories, the whole nation looks upoubim as a man who deserves well of his country. Men are willing, in his retirement, to pass over the errors of his government, and to dwell with feelings of gratitude on the great work he achieved. But if gratitude is proportionate to the amount of the benefit conferred, then the people of Scotland ought
to be especially thankful to Earl GREY. He was mainly instru- mental in sweeping away the " ME INILLE blight and DUNDAS deso- lation" which polluted their capital, and spread thence in every direction from " Maidenkirk to John o'Groat's." He gave Scotland what she never possessed before, a real Representation, be it more or less defective. In Scotland, too, Corporate Reform has followed the Reform of the Representative system; and, politically speak- ing, the land of old FLETCHER is "a new creation." The people of Scotland have seen Lord GREY through the mag,- nif■ ing haze of distance, as a great patriot and benefactor. They
have not been vexed and teazod by a near inspection of Treasury trickery, which cast discredit on his Administration; though per- haps no Minister was ever more free from well-founded imputation
of deceit to individuals or parties, than Earl GREY himself. His political and personal probity are beyond question. His faults as a Minister were of another order altogether. Still, there can be
no question, that in the Metropolis the vacillation of his Govern- ment, and the incessant manceuvering of certain of his colleagues, lessened the respect and regard which men were willing to enter- tain for the Premier. All that was discreditable took place as it.
were under our own eyes. But from this unpleasant knowledge our fellow citizens in the Northern section of the island were in a
a great measure exempt. It is therefore extremely natural, that Reformers of all shades in Scotland should unite to honour Earl GREY, with feelings of admiration far more unalloyed than En- glishmen could bring to the approaching festival.
Then, the presence of a great statesman—an Ex-Premier, or a Chancellor even—is quite a rarity in Scotland : so is good public speaking on political subjects; and people will flock delighted from every corner of the land to indulge their patriotic predilec- tions—to see the " great men," and have it to say that they have
looked upon GREY, BROUGHAM, ALTHORP, and the rest, at the
convivial table. There will be abundance of speechifying and flat- tery from the honoured guests to their discreet and confiding en- tertainers; and the ardour of gratitude oa the part of the latter will know no bounds, by the time half the claret and half the oratory arc swallowed.
There are some anticipations of a " blow-up s' at the dinner— of a collision between the admirers of Earl GREY and some of his former colleagues who arc supposed to have betrayed him. We anticipate nothing of the kind. Scottish decorum will prevent the intrusion of jarring topics at a feast; Scottish determination would instantly quash the brawl.
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