Dr Irvine of Little Dunkeld, in a short but most interesting speech, stated, that it was consistent with his personal knowledge, that there were parishes in the Highlands of 60 miles long by 40 broad, with only one place of worship, and that he had met with persons of 60 and 70 years of age, who had only once, in the course of their lives, heard a sermon. That the ignorance of the people in many places was consequently extreme. They were, therefore, the ready dupes of the Missionaries of any superstitious or fanatical creed with which they happened to come in contact. That there had very recently arisen in the Highlands of Perthshire a new sect, denominated Freemen, who professed open hostilities to all existing denominations of Christians. In other parts the Catholics were gaining ground in a most alarming degree; and though the Missionaries sent out by the Church of Scotland were very useful, yet their influence was necessarily of a far inferior description to that of established clergymen; and the want of accommodation was such, that he himself, when employed in that service, had usually preached under a tree, or a rock, in a cave, or a barn.

James Grant, Esq. writer to the signet, mentioned some striking instances of the success of the Catholic Missionaries for the want of established churches.-Among others, he instanced one particular district, of very considerable extent and population, where, at the close of the 17th century, there was not a single Catholic; but being destitute of the ministry of a regular protestant clergyman, a catholic priest from Ireland had landed in it, and in the course of half a century, the whole population, with scarcely an exception, were re-converted back to the Catholic superstition.

Dr Nicoll then moved, that the house should appoint a committee to draw up a strong case to be transmitted to Government, and to take into consideration what would be the best means for supplying the deficiency of churches.

Dr Anderson stated, upon the authority of a correspondent in the Highlands, that the most imminent evil was the spread of the Catholic religion; and therefore he was of opinion, that the mere erection of churches is not sufficient, but that new parishes should be formed, and proper provision made for the officiating clergy.

Dr Inglis read a memorial, pointing out, in a very forcible manner, the extreme importance of increasing the number of churches in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and manufacturing districts. He mentioned, as extraordinary instances of the disproportion between the population and the established religious accommodation, the parish of St Cuthbert's at Edinburgh, and that of the Barony at Glasgow, each of them containing fully forty thousand inhabitants, with only one established church.

It was at last agreed, that a committee

should be appointed to draw up a memorial, to be submitted to the consideration of the commission, of which committee Dr Inglis was to be a member, and his sketch to be adopted as the basis of the memorial to government.

9.-On Saturday last, as a merchant in Sanquhar was coming to Dumfries on business, he was attacked by three stout looking Irishmen, who knocked him down, and dragged him a considerable way into a wood near Closeburn, where, after striking and kicking him in a barbarous manner, they searched his pockets in the expectation of finding a sum of money which he was going to pay away in Dumfries; but were disappointed, as he had it concealed in a private pocket next to his shirt. It is thought the villains were alarmed by the noise of some people who were working in the wood, for they ran off abruptly, after giving the merchant a few more kicks, which rendered him insensible for a considerable length of time, and it was with much difficulty that he could find his way out of the wood.

A man, charged with murder, has been committed to Dumbarton jail. The following are said to be the particulars of the case:

That on Friday, the deceased, called Borrowman, having approached the spot in the muir of Dumbarton where some men were engaged in smuggling, they at first gave him whisky, which he drank in large quantities. They then stripped him naked, and, having rubbed his body with whisky, they set him on fire, and tortured him in the manner of the American Indians. He survived only 24 hours. Two men, who are not yet apprehended, are said to be implicated. The deceased has left a wife and six children. It is reported that he became obnoxious to the smugglers, as they suspected him of being a spy.

11. In the neighbourhood of Perth, and in Strathearn, the oat-seed is just commencing. In the higher districts, the ground has been covered with snow for the greater part of the month, and spring ploughing is far in arrears. It may be stated as something new in the annals of meteorology, that ground could not be ploughed, for snow, so late as the 28th of March, within a mile of the Carse of Gowrie. An unbroken sheet of snow covered the Grampian Hills throughout the greater part of the month, destructive to the hopes of the Highland shepherd, whose flocks must be perishing for want of food at the approach of the lambing season.

13.-Scotch Burghs.-In the House of Commons, on Friday, the Lord Advocate rose for the purpose of moving for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the funds of the Royal Scotch Burghs. Hitherto the magistrates of those burghs had given in their accounts to the Court of Exchequer in Scotland, without any check on their proceedings; he should therefore propose, that these accounts should be produced to the bur

gesses before they were brought before the Court of Exchequer; but as this might not be entirely effectual in preventing abuses, a power was to be given to five burgesses, to make representations on the subject to the Court of Exchequer. He then moved for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the mode of accounting for the common good and revenue of the royal burghs, and comptrolling their expenditure.

Lord A. Hamilton approved of the Bill, so far as it went. The burghs had, for more than thirty years, been asking the boon, but it had been perseveringly and invariably denied, till many of them were reduced to bankruptcy. But the bill did not do away with the self-election of the magistrates, which had led to the dissipation of their funds. The corruption of those burghs had gone on from year to year, till it was admitted by judges that various statutes had fallen into desuetude.

The Lord Advocate said, the Bill was sufficiently wide to cure all the grievances complained of, as to the mismanagement of the funds; but it certainly was not intended, like some of the measures proposed by the Noble Lord, as a mere stalking-horse for parliamentary reform.

After some conversation between the Learned Lord and Sir J. Newport, on the principle of the Scotch law, according to which statutes might go into desuetude, the .motion was agreed to. The Bill was immediately brought in, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time this day three weeks.

14. Among the many benevolent institutions which have adorned the British character within the last twenty years, there is not one which so entirely meets the approbation of the philosophical mind, or one so absolutely free from objections to the political economist, as that of saving banks. The very purest eleemosynary charities offer a bonus, more or less, to idleness, and sap to a certain degree that spirit of independence, which becomes no order of the people so well as the inferior and labouring class; and make a breach in that principle of selfreliance, which is the firmest support of the social system, and which, once broken in upon, soon becomes a total ruin. Of the saving banks, all we need say in commendation is, that their effects are the very opposite of these; that they cherish industry, teach prudence, give security and increase to the fruits of honourable exertion, encourage moral habits, and reward a youth of labour with an old age of comfort.

The operations of the Monkland Canal having rendered it necessary to remove the old Martyr's stone at the west end of the Canal Basin, the proprietors have very handsomely erected a new one, with the same inscription.

16.-Sunday, a house in Northumberland Street, Edinburgh, during Divine Service, was entered by a person of decent

appearance, who, ringing the bell, and not finding it answered immediately, took from his pocket a bunch of keys, and very deliberately opened the door and went in; but some of the family coming home in the mean time, he made a very precipitate retreat, without waiting to answer interrogatories, or being able to carry any thing off.

17. Lately, as a lame man was carried about from door to door, in the High Street, Glasgow, in a hand-barrow, begging, he arrived at the door of a Scottish cloth-shop, when the boys began to teaze him. He laid about him stoutly with a cudgel, till the alarm was given that the police were coming, upon which he started nimbly up from his carriage, which he shouldered, and ran off with it so quickly, that he could not be overtaken. We are credibly informed, that scarcely an hour elapsed before he was again at his trade in the Bridgegate.

18.-Circuit Court, Stirling.This day the Circuit Court of Justiciary was opened here by the Right Hon. Lord Pitmilly.

Peter Robertson, portioner of Corntown, in the parish of Logie, and county of Stirling, was put to the bar, accused of murder, in so far as he, upon the 9th day of March 1818, did, within his dwelling house at Corntown, wickedly and feloniously bereave of life and did murder Elizabeth Robertson, his daughter, by inflicting a severe blow upon her head with a pair of tongs, whereby the said Elizabeth Robertson was mortally wounded; did languish until the morning of the 10th day of the said month of March, when she expired.

The

This was a most distressing case. pannel having quarrelled with Margaret Malcolm, his servant, for having allowed one of his children to go to a dancing-school ball against his express orders, in the heat of passion he seized upon a pair of tongs, seemingly for the purpose of throwing at the said Margaret Malcolm; but (as rather appeared from the evidence) which he threw from him as a foolish expression of rage, when they struck the forehead of his little favourite daughter, of eight years of age, and fractured her skull.

Mr Maconochie, Advocate-Depute, charged the Jury very ably on the part of the Crown; and Mr Jeffrey, in a most ingenious speech on the part of the pannel; and Lord Pitmilly having summed up the evidence, the Jury found the pannel guilty of culpable homicide.

Lord Pitmilly, after a suitable admonition, sentenced the pannel to six months imprisonment in the jail of Stirling.

23.-A new fever hospital has been established at Queensberry House, in the Canongate, by the Managers of the Infirmary, at a great expense, as the present hospital could not admit all the patients who applied. Into this new hospital a great number of patients have also been admitted.

Upon Sunday forenoon, while the family were at church, a house in the Gallowgate,

a little above Claythorn Street, was broken into, by forcing through the lath roof of the adjoining close, and descending by a hatchway into the house, where the villains (supposed to be boys, from the size of the hole by which they entered,) broke open a chest of drawers, and took therefrom two twenty shilling notes and about one pound in silver; amongst the silver were three South Sea shillings'; also, a box containing two gold rings, one set with hair and the other with mock diamonds; a gold brooch, and a quantity of confections from the shop window. It is supposed the thieves were scared, as a number of other articles were left in a state ready to be carried off. 26.-Queensberry Leases.-This important case, which involves a great part of the immense personal property of the late Duke of Queensberry, amounting to upwards of £1,200,000, is again brought under the review of the House of Lords, by the appeal of the Duke of Buccleugh against the judgment of the Court of Session, confirming the leases granted on the Queensberry estate. The case for the appellant was opened by the Lord Advocate, followed by the Solicitor-General (Sir W. Giffard). Sir S. Romilly, who appeared as counsel for the trustees under the Duke of Queensberry's will, made a most able and eloquent speech; and next day Mr Cranstoun, one of the most eminent counsel of the Edinburgh Bar, spoke on the same side. The House was more than usually crowded with the Gentlemen of the long robe from Westminster Hall, to hear the luminous argument of that distinguished advocate. The final decision of this case is most anxiously looked for by the legatees of the late Duke. It has now been nearly twelve years in dependance.

Last Friday afternoon, a man was observed lying at the side of the Dundee road, a little to the westward of Arbroath. On approaching him, it was found that he was in a state of insensibility. Medical assistance was therefore procured; and he was convey ed to a public-house in the town to be taken care of. It is suspected that he had taken poison, as a phial containing a small quantity of laudanum was found upon him. In his pocket were several recommendatory letters to and from respectable people in Glasgow, with a few pawnbroker's receipts for a gold watch and sundry articles of wearing apparel, which he had pledged. All the money in his possession amounted only to 7d. Through the kind attention of the Magistrates in providing medical and other attendance, the unfortunate man has been again placed in a state of convalescence, and is likely soon to recover. The account which he gives of himself is, that he is a native of the United States; was an officer in the French army under Bonaparte; had been recommended to a situation in Glasgow, of which he had been disappointed; had proceeded from Glasgow to Aberdeen in quest VOL. III.

of employment, but had not been successful; and is now on his return to Edinburgh. The respectability of his personal appearance, and the manner in which his feelings are affected by the contemplation of his present condition, leave little room to doubt the truth of his statement.

27.-Dumfries.-At the Circuit Court on Friday last, a boy, or rather a child, of the name of John Wilson, was indicted for stealing a pocket-book containing £7 in notes and 4s. in silver, from the shop of Jonah Nicholson, grocer, High Street, so far back as October 1817. This, in fact, appeared to be the youngest prisoner we ever recollect to have seen in a court of justice, and when he took his place at the bar, surprise and pity were pictured in the countenance of every beholder. At first he seemed quite composed, but he had no sooner looked round on the formidable array of the bench and the bar, than he hung down his head, and began to cry very bit terly. Having confessed his crime, the jury unanimously recommended him to mercy; and after a suitable admonition from the bench, he was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment in the jail and bridewell of Dumfries, to the latter of which places he is to be transferred as soon as it is ready for his reception. The manner in in which this boy spent the money he had stolen, is another proof of the necessity of a good example on the part of parents, and evinces how readily even mere children mimic the vices of their elders. It appeared that the whole £7, 4s. was spent in the course of a few days, in taverns, or rather, as the Lord Justice Clerk justly termed them, low tippling houses, by this boy, and a few of his companions who were in the secret, and with whom he had shared the booty. His lordship here commented, with becoming zeal, on the degraded character of those publicans, who could open their doors to such juvenile customers, and exchange their poison for money, which, they must have been well aware, had been either pilfered from the boys' parents, or obtained by

means still more criminal.

John Lissens, who had formerly been in the army and navy, was next brought to the bar, accused of robbing Thomas Rule, candlemaker. He pleaded Not Guilty.

Thomas Rule, sworn-is a tallow chandler, and resides near Inchbonny, near Jedburgh: left home in August last in quest of work went to Newcastle and Leeds, and was unsuccessful: returned to Knarsburgh and Carlisle, in which last place he was employed by Joseph Monkhead for one week, and received 18s. of wages: returning to Scotland, he arrived at Longtown on the 13th September, where he got a pint of beer: proceeded on the road to Langholm, and met with the pannel at the bridge on the Langholm side of the town: pannel rose from the end of the bridge, where he was sitting, and asked witness what road he was 2 G

going, and how far: witness told him he was going to Langholm, and pannel said he was going that way too. They went on together about nine miles, when pannel took a knife out of his pocket, like a butcher's knife: pannel asked if that would let out a man's blood; witness replied, he thought it would: pannel, who was then at his left hand, turned round, and desired him to deliver up his watch and money, as that was what he came for; witness gave him the watch out of his own hand: pannel asked if he had any money, and requested him to deliver it up likewise immediately, at the same time lifting his stick above his head in a threatening attitude, and holding the knife in his left hand: on this witness gave him a 3s. and 1s. 6d. piece: pannel was not satisfied, and asked him if he had any more on his answering that he had not, pannel put his hand into witness's waistcoat pocket, and took out another shilling, and a penknife with two blades: all those articles were taken from him by force, in consequence of threats: pannel asked what there was in his bundle: witness replied, a shirt and a pair of stockings: pannel took it in his hand, and after examination returned it: on going away, pannel turned, and damning him, said, if he had not been a canny young man he would have murdered him. Pannel then went over a wall into a bank of wood, and when there, asked him if ever he had seen bold Johnston the highwayman before? Witness made no reply; on which he repeated the question, and told him to make the best of his way to Langholm, for there were other nine of them in the neighbourhood, and if they came up to him they would perhaps take his life. Proceeding on the road to Langholm, he soon came up to some labourers and masons working at the turnpike, and told them the circumstance which had just happened; on which about fourteen persons pursued immediately in the direction he had pointed out: John M'Intosh and Andrew Murray were two of them he accompanied them, and passed the house of Mr Armstrong of Brocketlees, who was told what had happened, and also followed in pursuit on horseback: Mr Armstrong outstripped the rest: when witness came up to the pannel, Mr Armstrong and a great crowd were surrounding him: witness pointed out the pannel as the robber, and M'Intosh seizing him, ordered him to give up the articles he had taken; whereupon the pannel gave up the watch and knife, and s.: there was no 3s. piece among the money returned, but he is sure the watch and penknife are the same that the pannel took from him: pannel passed along the road a short way, in custody of John M'Intosh pannel being asked what he had done with the large knife, said, he had thrown it away: the stick had been taken from him before witness came up, and was in possession of one of the crowd: some persons began to feel pannel's pockets in

the outside for the knife, and said, it is here: he thinks pannel took it out of his pocket himself, and delivered it to M'Intosh: proceeded towards Langholm, pannel being in custody of John M'Intosh and Andrew Murray: at Langholm pannel was taken to the office of Messrs Scott and Henderson, writers. (The recovered articles were then identified.)

Andrew Murray, tenant in Nittyholm, and John M'Intosh, labourer at Hollows Constable, and Robert Armstrong, tenant in Brocketlees, all in the parish of Cannoby. were next examined, who corroborated the statement of Thomas Rule in all particulars. It appeared that the constables had been very active and zealous in the performance of their duty, and that Mr Armstrong had shown a determination and courage which did him the highest credit: they severally received the commendation of the court. The jury, without leaving the box, returned a viva voce verdict, all in one voice finding the libel proven. Whereupon the Lord Justice Clerk pronounced sentence of death against the prisoner in a very impressive manner. He is to be executed on Wednesday the 3d June next.

During the whole of the trial, Lissens behaved in the most hardened manner, and repeatedly tried to intimidate, by staring the witnesses full in the face, and muttering imprecations against them. The persons he had to deal with in the present instance were too steady to be practised upon by such arts; but we can easily conceive witnesses whom his conduct might have overawed and embarrassed; for the natural expression of the fellow's countenance is in the highest degree villanous and ferocious, and his appearance, apart from all evidence, seemed to convince every one that he was capable of perpetrating even greater crimes than that of which he stood accused. When the person robbed was brought to the bar, Lissens whispered, loud enough to be heard, "You may take the body, but, d-n you, you cannot take the soul !" and we understand he afterwards paid a similar compliment to the judges. After his sentence was pronounced he began to droop a little, and, in a tremulous and inarticulate voice, attempted to crave the mercy of the court, in consideration of his alleged services as a soldier. Thomas Rule, the young man who was robbed, appeared much more affected than the prisoner at the bar; and as the sentence of death was pronounced, unable longer to restrain his feelings, he burst into tears in the open court.

Proceedings of the Committee on the Proposed National Monument for Scotland; the Earl of Moray in the Chair.-The convener having stated to the committee the former proceedings which had taken place on this subject, the following resolution was thereupon moved by the Right Honourable the Earl of Wemyss and March, and seconded by Lord Gray, viz :-"The committee

having resumed consideration of the proceeding of the Highland Society on the 9th January and 17th June 1816, relative to a National Monument for Scotland, commemorative of the victories by sea and land, and particularly of the victory of Waterloo, in which Scotsmen bore so distinguished a part, are of opinion, that such a tribute would be most gratifying to the feelings of all ranks in this part of the united empire; and that a monumental church of ornamental architecture would be a most appropriate and useful testimonial of national gratitude, and would furnish an hallowed place of record for inscribing, on some durable material, the names of those Scottish heroes, who by their signal exertions, upheld the martial fame of their ancestors."

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This resolution having been unanimously approved, it was then resolved to refer the consideration of the most proper means of carrying it into effect to a sub-committee of noblemen and gentlemen, who were named accordingly.

The thanks of the meeting were unanimously voted to the Earl of Moray for his conduct in the chair, and to their convener, Mr Linning, for his zeal and exertions in promoting the object of the meeting.

Bill for Controlling the Expenditure, &c. of the Scots Royal Burghs.-Yesterday a General Meeting of the Guildry Incorporation of Edinburgh was held in the Freemasons' Hall, for the purpose of taking into consideration the bill lately brought into Parliament, by the Lord Advocate, for regulating and controlling the expenditure of the common good of the royal burghs in Scotland, when the report of the standing committee upon that subject was read, and the following resolutions unanimously adopted:

Freemasons' Hall, 27th April 1818.At a General Meeting of the Incorporation of the Guildry of the City of Edinburgh, called by repeated advertisements in the newspapers, upon the refusal of the Lord Dean of Guild to comply with a requisition addressed to his Lordship to convene the Guildry, for the purpose of considering a bill lately introduced into Parliament for regulating the expenditure of the common good of royal burghs, and from which meeting precautions were adopted to exclude all persons who did not produce Guild tickets or other evidence that they belonged to the Guildry:

In the absence of the Lord Dean of Guild, Mr William Phin was, on the motion of Mr Inglis, unanimously called to the chair. The bill being submitted to the consideration of the meeting, and, together with the report of the committee, having been thereafter very fully and deliberately discussed, on the motion of Mr Arch. Anderson, seconded by Mr Bowie, it was unanimously

Resolved, 1st, That the above bill, instead of correcting the evils that have long been complained of, and are now publicly

admitted, will aggravate and legalize them; that the only true remedy for these evils is one which shall be of a preventive nature; and that, unless the radical abuse, which consists in the Magistrates electing their successors, be corrected, every other provision in favour of the community must prove abortive.

2dly, That the report of the committee be therefore approved of and adopted, as expressing in detail the opinion of the Guildry.

3dly, That petitions shall be presented to both Houses of Parliament, praying that the bill may not pass into a law.

4thly, That Mr Kirkman Finlay, Lord Provost of Glasgow, and member of the district of burghs, be requested to present the petition to the House of Commons, and that Lord Viscount Melville be requested to present the petition to the House of Peers.

5thly, That these Resolutions be printed once in each of the newspapers published in Edinburgh.

It was also suggested that the Resolutions be inserted once in the London Courier, Times, and Morning Chronicle, which was agreed to.

It was resolved, that the management of this opposition shall be vested in the Standing Committee, and it be recommended to the Committee to co-operate with any other incorporations or public bodies whose sentiments coincide with those of this incorporation.

The thanks of the meeting were, on the motion of Mr Inglis, unanimously voted to Mr Phin, for his judicious conduct in the chair. (Signed) WM PHIN.

We understand that the objections of the Committee to the measure were chiefly founded on the following points: That the Auditors of the public accounts are to continue to be appointed by the Magistrates, to whom they must report, and by whom their report must be approved; the Committee thought that the nomination should be with the citizens, and the report should be made to the Exchequer, in which effect should be given to the objections that might be stated to them.

That the vouchers of the accounts could not be seen by the citizens until after they had preferred a complaint to the Exchequer, where, when it was too late, the objection might be obviated by the nature of the voucher, but nevertheless the party complaining must pay the expenses; a risk which none would choose to run.

That the accounts are proposed to be merely of receipt and expenditure, instead of charge and discharge, with state of revenue and of debts due to and by the common good, as provided by that part of the act 1693, which is not quoted and revived.

That the arrangement under which the borrowing of money by the Magistrates is authorised, is altogether most highly objectionable, as legalizing and extending a