of Session. The Lord President, Lords Hermand, Craigie, and Balgray, were unanimously of opinion, that the right of the King to print the Scriptures, and consequently the power of delegating that right, belonged to him as the civil magistrate-the natural guardian of the religion of the State. Lord Gillies, had some doubts as to the privileges of the King to print the Bible as an exclusive right in Scotland. The interdict for merly granted is therefore continued, except in so far as regards Books of Common-Prayer, which the counsel for the King's printers passed from. HIGH COURT OF JUSTICICARY.15. This day, the court met for the first time after the Circuits, when the whole of their Lordships were present. Three prisoners, in certified cases from Circuit Courts, were placed at the bar, viz. Duncan Clark, accused of the murder of his illegitimate child, certified from Perth,and James Reid and Margaret Sherriffs, for housebreaking and theft, certified from Aberdeen. The objection to the relevancy of the indictment in the case of Clark was ar gued by Mr Smythe, on the ground that he found that part of the indictment served on the prisoner at the bar-parti cularly that part descriptive of the locus delicti-was written on an erasure; and on comparing this with the document on the Porteous Roll, of which it should have been a literal copy, the part alluded to was totally different. The Learned Gentleman at some length contended for the sufficiency of the objection, but, after a few observations from Mr Alison, their Lordships repelled it. The diet was deserted pro loco et tempore, and the prisoner was recommitted. The objection in the case of Reid and Sherriffs was stated by Mr Cosmo Innes; it was founded on the inventory of stolen property accompanying the criminal let. ters not having been signed by the clerk of Court, but by the Advocate-Depute. After hearing Mr Alison and the Solicitor-General against the objection, and Mr Menzies in reply, the Court ordered a Report of what had been the practice to be given in, and in the mean time, the diet to be continued against the prisoners. -The Court then adjourned. Public Meeting.-17.-This day, a highly respectable meeting of the inhabitants was held in the Assembly Rooms, George Street, agreeable to a notice from the Magistrates, for the purpose of subscribing for the relief of the present distress under which the manufacturers in various parts of the country are suffering. Among those present we observed Lord Forbes, the Lord President, the Lord Justice Clerk, Baron Clerk Rattray, Lords Pitmilly, Alloway, and Medwyn, the Solicitor-General, Sir William Forbes, Sir John Hay, Sir John Hope, &c. The Lord Provost was called to the Chair, and addressed the meeting at considerable length. The Solicitor-General proposed the resolutions, which were seconded by Lord Forbes, and unanimously agreed to. Mr Solicitor-General read two letters, one from Arbroath, and the other from Paisley. The former stated that there were 2243 out of employment at present, and in the course of three weeks, 1835 would be discharged. In Paisley, it was understood that there were 2000 families out of work, which might amount to 8000 persons. ༑ :་་ Subscription papers were handed round the room, and upwards of £.1500 subscribed. The Lord Provost announced that the Earl of Moray had sent him a note, authorising his name to be put down for £.100.—(Applause) The meeting then broke up. 17.-General Assembly.-This evening, according to ancient custom, the Lord Provost and Magistrates waited upon the Right Honourable James Lord Forbes, his Majesty's High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, at the Royal Hotel, and presented his Grace with the keys of the City... On the following day his Grace proceeded, under an escort of the 7th Hussars, to the Merchants' Hall, where he arrived at half-past eleven, and held his levee, which was numerously attended. At twelve o'clock his Grace walked in procession to the High Church, supported by, the Marquis of Tweedale and the Earl of Moray, and accompanied by a great number of noblemen and gentlemen, forming the most splendid cortege that has been seen for some years. The Reverend Dr Cook of Laurencekirk, the Moderator, preached an eloquent and impressive sermon from Romans iv. 25. After divine service, the Moderator and members of Assembly proceeded to the Aisle, where the Lord High Commissioner took his seat on the throne, and the Assembly having been constituted, The Moderator stated, that the Assembly had now, according to custom, to appoint a successor to him in the chair which he then filled, and to which honour he proposed that Dr Thomas Taylor, minister of Tibbermuir, be elected. This motion having been seconded by Principal Nicoll, was unanimously agreed to; whereupon Dr Taylor was called in, and his election intimated to him, Dr Taylor having taken the chair, his Majesty's commission was then read, and ordered to be recorded, as was always the Royal letter. His Grace the Commissioner then addressed the Assembly, in course of which he aptly alluded to the successful efforts of the committee of last Assembly on the subject of education in the Highlands and Islands, towards which object he now presented his Majesty's warrant for £.2000. The Moderator replied to his Grace's address. A letter from Dr Macknight, subelerk of the Assembly, was produced and read, intimating that the state of his health put it out of his power to appear at this Assembly, and throwing himself upon the indulgence of the House, that they might appoint a person to supply his place in the present Assembly. A keen discus. sion then arose, whether a clerk should be appointed pro tempore, or whether the appointment should be permanent. The House divided on the subject, when there appeared in favour of the first proposition 66 of the second 134. Majority for making the appointment per manent, 68. Dr Nicoll then moved that Dr Lee be appointed sub-clerk conjointly with Dr Macknight, which was seconded by the Solicitor-General, and unanimously agreed to. 19. The Assembly met. The draft of the answer to his Majesty's letter was read and approved of, and the Moderator authorised to sign it in name of the Assembly; and his Grace was requested to transmit the same to his Majesty. Some extracts from the records of the proceedings of the Trustees of the Widows' Fund were read, from which it appeared, that the collector of that fund is in future to receive £.200 per annum of salary, his clerk £.100, and the clerk to the trustee a similar sum. Principal Nicoll, after paying a compliment to the diligence and zeal of Sir Henry Moncreiff, who had not, he said, been in any way instrumental in procuring the necessary increase of salary, moved that the conduct of the Trustees be approved of. The report of the Committee for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts was given in and read, from which it appeared, that the Directors of the East India Company have given all the pledge that could be expected of them, or is usually given in such cases. Dr Inglis received the thanks of the Assembly for his exertions in this cause; and it was subsequently agreed that the General Assembly shall appoint a committee, to be selected from all the Presbyteries of the Church, to hold its meetings in Edin. burgh, for the direction and management of all the concerns of the proposed establishment. 20.-Dr Baird produced and read the report of the committee on the means of increasing education in Scotland, than which a more important report had never been communicated to the Assembly. The Reverend Principal first alluded to the voluminous documents referred to in the report; the first of which consisted of the four large folio volumes then on the table of the Assembly. In these four volumes were embodied the hand-writing of every minister of the Church of Scotland, and they contained returns in regard to the state of education in every parish in Scotland. Another volume which he presented contained the substance of all these returns in a tabular form; in it there were not less than 56 columns, and 47,000 separate entries. Having also given in the minute-book, letter-book, &c. of the committee, the reverend Principal proceeded to read the report, from which it appeared that returns had been made from every parish in Scotland, comprising a population of 2,903,850; that collections had been made in 420 parishes, averaging £1111w6d. each, making a total of £48636#3d., besides donatiohs amounting to £.44812s.w6d., and £.78 of annual subscriptions. From these, together with interest, and several sums intimated, but not yet paid, they might reckon on a fund of £.5800. The first school had been established at Ullapool, in the parish of Lochbroom, a parish 58 miles in length by 38 in breadth, and the whole number of stations where the committee at the present date had agreed to establish schools, amounted to 42. There were other applications for schools before the committee, but these, as they had been more recently presented, had not yet been sufficiently considered by the committee. The report concluded with congratulating the Assembly on its success. Dr Nicoll warmly complimented the zeal and diligence of the committee, but particularly of its convener, Principal Baird, who took the opportunity of ealogizing the conduct of his colleagues. The Assembly proceeded to the consideration of the overtures on small livings of the Church; and, after some discussion, a committee was appointed, with instructions to report to a subse quent meeting of this Assembly. The Assembly next took up the reference from the Synod of Angus und Mearns, relative to the profanation of the Sabbath. It particularly complained of the conduct of the fishermen, in exercising their calling on the Sabbath, at all hours. After some discussion, it was agreed to print the statute anent the violation of the Sabbath separately, and circulate it throughout the Church, with a general recommendation to enforce the law relative to the profanation of the Sabbath. 22. The Procurator for the Church proceeded to make his report on the state of the funds of the Church, from which it appeared, that the debts due when he last made report, amounted to £1350. By the subscriptions of Ministers, it was reduced to £.1231-16-6d. By the votes of the House, however, of last year, the Church was pledged for an additional debt of £.620. The contribution of the lay members last year amount ed to £.450, but, notwithstanding that large sum, the Church was either indebted, or pledged for £.1467. The Assembly then called for the overture from the Synod of Dumfries, anent clandestine marriages. Reverend Mr D. Wright appeared in support of the overture. The evil, he said, had long been permitted to exist within the bounds of the Synod of Dumfries. He did not wish it to be under stood that they had come to the Assembly without trying what could be effected by regulations; but no regulations nor co operations on the part of the Presbytery could be effective, unless the conduct and practice of the Magistrates were also regulated. The conduct of these func. tionaries, he trusted, he would be able to show were quite contrary to the statutelaw of the land. To put an end to such evils, so destructive to the virtue, happiness, and well-being of society, must be the wish of all who valued the interests of piety and morality; and to do so, no new laws were necessary, but only to put in force those already in existence. He concluded by moving, that a committee be appointed to consider of the best means of putting down the evil complained of, and to report. After several members of Assembly had delivered their opinions, a committee was appointed to report. The Asssembly next proceeded to consider the petition and appeal of the Rev. Malcolm M'Leod, minister of Snizort, against the sentence of the Presbytery of Skye, suspending the Rev. Roderick M'Leod, minister of Bracadale, for contumacy. The minutes of Presbytery were read, detailing the various proceedings which had taken place, from which it appeared, that the Presbytery got from Mr M'Leod a statement that there were 47 children, under three years of age, unbaptized in the parish, and that for the two years and a half that he had been incumbent, he had only baptised seven. The Presbytery then resolved on a Presbyterial visitation, when the elders and heads of families were called before them. At a forenoon meeting of Presbytery, four per sons having children to be baptized were examined three of whom were found entitled to have the ordinance adminis. tered, and one unfit. Two of whom had their children instantly baptized, but one man's (R. Shaw) child, Mr M'Leod positively refused to baptize, because Shaw had been impertinent, and also be cause he was not a regular attender of the ordinances of religion. In this refusal the Presbytery acquiesced for the time. At the Presbyterial examination, Mr M'Leod still refused to baptize Shaw's child, in consequence of which refusal, the Presbytery suspended Mr M'Leod until he should agree to baptize the child; but the Moderator was authorised, should Mr M'Leod comply, to call a pro re nata meeting, and remove this sentence of suspension. Against this sentence Mr M'Leod of Snizort dissented, and appealed. After parties had been heard, and several Members of Court had delivered their opinions, Dr Nicoll, on the ground that, if subordination was not adhered to, every Minister might set up an inde pendent congregation of his own, moved, in effect, that the sentence appealed from should be affirmed. Dr M'Gill considered it rash to judge of the conduct of a Minister who had refused to baptize a child, without weighing well all the motives on which his refusal might be grounded. He moved that the sentence of the Presbytery of Skye should be reversed. The vote being now loudly called for, the House divided, when there appeared, for Principal Nicoll's-motion, 108-for Dr M'Gill's, 73-majority, 35. 23. The Assembly met at 11 o'clock, but it being understood that the question on the union of offices was to come on, the gallery appropriated to strangers was filled soon after 9 o'clock, and, by the time of meeting, the House was crowded in every part. There were a number of ladies on each side of the throne, and in the gallery. Overtures against the union of profes sorships, or other offices, with parochial charges, were read from the Synod of Fife, the Presbyteries of Glasgow, Kirk. cudbright, Irvine, Paisley, Dunblane, Fordyce, Turriff, Tain, Tongue, and For. far; the Synod of Sutherland and Caithness; the Presbyteries of Dornoch and Ross: the Synod of Perth and Stirling; and the Presbytery of Stirling. Mr Marshall of Glasgow then proceed. ed to state his reasons why he consider. ed that the holding of pluralities was de trimental to the interests of religion and education, and concluded a speech of considerable length and ability, by moving, "That the General Assembly, having considered the overtures relative to the union of the office of a parochial minis ter with that of Principal or Professor in any of the Universities of Scotland, and being deeply convinced that such unions are injurious to the interests of religion, education, and learning, and contrary to the spirit of our ecclesiastical constitution, resolve, That a committee be appointed to prepare an overture to be transmitted to the Presbyteries of this Church, for preventing such unions of these offices in future, in all cases not already provided for by the act of Assembly 1817, and to report to this Assembly; and farther, in respect that some of the theological pro fessorships are not at present sufficiently provided for, the General Assembly resolve to appoint a committee to take all such cases into consideration, with in. structions to make all necessary inquiries, and to adopt all measures that may be deemed expedient, with the view of ob. taining some means, or security for the adequate endowment of these offices, and to report to next Assembly." Mr Douglas Cheape, advocate, spoke against the overtures. Principal Nicoll proposed that the following motion be adopted :-"That the General Assembly, having maturely de liberated on the subject of these overtures, judge it inexpedient to transmit any overture upon the subject to the several Presbyteries of this Church.".. Dr Cook assumed it as a fact, about which no man acquainted with the his tory of the Church can have any doubt, that our Scottish Reformers did not contemplate, under their ecclesiastical polity, the union of benefices with offices in Universities. Yet they acted with respect to this in a different manner from what they did as to other unions. They passed laws against the union of benefices with cure of souls, against non-residence, and against the junction of offices properly secular, with parochial charges, but they passed no law against the union of benefices with situations in Universities. So far, indeed, from this, they often indirectly and directly sanctioned such union. I perfect ly agree, continued he, with those who think, that, under proper arrangement, it is desirable that the union of offices and benefices should be abolished; not that I think that the ordinary duties of both may not be thoroughly performed, but because we should thus bring back the Church to its original state, because the duties of one situation are quite sufficient for the talents and active powers of the great part of mankind, because the office of a minister or professor has a full claim upon the individual who holds it for the full exercise of his intellectual powers, and because, were adequate emoluments attached to it, greater encouragement would be given to literature and theology than exists under the present system. I am for appointing a committee of inquiry. We shall thus know on what ground we stand, and so legislate as to prevent the danger of evil. This mode of proceeding should, I think, be acceptable to all, both to the supporters and opposers of pluralities. The Reverend Doctor concluded with the following motion: "The General Assembly having considered the overtures on the table, find, that it is not expedient, under existing circumstances, to transmit to Presbyteries an overture for abolishing the union of offices in Universities with parochial charges, where the law of residence is not violated; but appoint a Committee to inquire and ascertain whether adequate endowments for theological professorships could be obtained, and what effect the universal abolition of pluralities would produce on the connexion between the Church and the Universities of Scotland.” The Lord President could not refrain from expressing his most unqualified astonishment, that the Clergy of any Established Church, and especially of the Church of Scotland, should endeavour, utterly and for ever to disqualify themselves from holding the office of Professors in the Universities of Scotland. For his own part, he would wish to behold, not only the theological and philosophical chairs, but every chair in the University filled by Ministers of the Gospel; and so impressed was he with a sense of the importance of the proper education and instruction of youth, that he would rejoice, if possible, to see those of law and medicine filled by such men, He would vote for the motion of the Learned Doctor (Cook), if that was the general sense of the House; but he would rather vote for the motion of the reverend Principal (Dr Nicoll) that they should dismiss this overture.(Hear, hear, and applause.) Dr M'Gill combated at considerable length the doctrine that the union of offi ces was sanctioned by the practice of the Church. The Lord Provost held, that for the right discharge of the clerical duties, it was important a Minister should be in easy circumstances, free from all pecuniary embarrassments, that he might devote his whole undivided attention to the sacred duties of his office; and, for that reason, he should support the overtures. Dr Ferrie of Kilconquhar deprecated the arguments of some of the speakers, de nouncing pluralists, as they were called, as selfish and interested men. Dr Chalmers said he abominated the whole system of pluralities, but he acquitted himself of any hostility to the persons of those who held them. He wished to see a clear and comfortable adjustment of the question. He believed that, over the whole length and breadth of the land, they would not find abler and more accomplished men than those pluralists. All that he wished was, that they were double in amount-it would just be the addition of so many more labourers. It was a simple maxim, admitted by the common sense of all ages, that the work of two men was better than one. They had been called on for instances of the defects of pluralists. There was no allegation of defects. But it was clear that those duties might be done still better if such men had not both their hands filled, and were not encumbered with a double watch, right and left. He could not help lamenting the mischiefs done by the second-rate philosophers of the pre. sent age, and felt grateful in looking back to those great names-the New. tons, and Boyles, and Lockes, and Bacons, but chief of these the great Sir Isaac, whose humility showed the sincerity of his belief in the great truths of the Gospel. The Rev. Doctor contrasted, in a strain of high and impassioned eloquence, the value of these high testimonies in favour of Christianity, with the littleness of the second-rate philosophers of the present day, who affected to consider the study of religion as beneath their notice. He did not like that part of the motion which instructed the committee to inquire into the means of providing proper endowments. This was not in good taste, It was too Scottish a method of going about the business. This the Rev. Doctor illustrated by the well-known anecdote of the characteristic national replies to a general question, which excited much laugh. ter in the House The Assembly should come forward boldly and firmly with a declaration of their purpose and their principle, and not ask, like the Scotsman in his anecdote, "What wull your honours be pleased to gi'e us?”—(Much laughter.) -The Doctor concluded his address by calling upon the Assembly to come boldly forward, and trust to the liberality of his Majesty's Ministers, who had never yet disappointed them in any reasonable request. Let us sweep away the last vestiges of corruption, and then we might hope to see this visible become like the spiritual Church, a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. (Great applause.) Dr Cook here with prew his motion as unnecessary. After an able and argumentative speech by James Moncrieff, Esq. Advocate, against the union of offices, the cries of “Question" and “ Vote" became loud and general, and the roll was accordingly called, when there appeared For Dr Nicoll's motion, Majority, 160 106 -54 being double the majority of last year, the numbers then being 144 to 118. 24. Dr Lee, as convener of the committee on the manuscripts of the Church, made a communication, stating general. ly, that, during last year, the committee had not been able to recover any MSS. of great value. Some, however, of rather a curious nature, they had recovered one of which tended to throw considerable light upon the opinions of the fa thers, in reference to the subject which had been under discussion on Wednesday. It related to the translation of Dr Dickson from Glasgow, to a professorial chair in Edinburgh, to which it was understood that a parochial charge was attached. 25.-Dr Campbell, as convener of the committee on the translation of the Gaelic Bible, gave in the report, which was read. The translation of the Old Testament had been printed in quarto, and that of the New Testament in octavo; a translation of the metrical ver. sion of the Psalms had also been made. The committee recommended, that this translation of the Scriptures should be used in all churches and chapels under the authority of the Assembly. Copies of the work were laid on the table of the House. The Assembly then proceeded to consider an appeal from certain inhabitants of the parish of Lasswade, against a decision of the Presbytery of Dalkeith, refusing permission to erect a-chapel-of case at Roslin; with a dissent from said decision, by the Rev. Mr Ramsay, minis. ter of Ormiston. After parties had been heard, and the members of Assembly had delivered their opinions, it was carried unanimously that |