SCOTLAND.
Mr. Macaulay having been asked by the Town-Council of Edinburgh for a subscription towards the support of the races of that city, lie replied by rebuking the body, very properly, for their improper demand- " In the first place, I am not clear that the object is a good one ; in the next place, I am clear that by giving money for such an object in obedience to such a summons, I should completely change the whole character of my connexion with Edinburgh. It has been usual enough for rich families to keep a hold on corrupt boroughs by defraying the expenses of public amusements: sometimes it is a ball, sometimes a regatta. The Derby family used to support the Preston races. The Members for Beverley, I believe, find a bull for their con- stituents to bait. But these were not the conditions on which I undertook to represent Edinburgh. In return for your generous confidence, I offer faithful Parliamentary senice, and nothing else. I am, indeed, most willing to do what I can towards assisting your registration. I ant willing to contribute the little that I can spare to your most usefal public charities. But even that I do not consider as matter of contract. Nor should 1 think it proper that the Town-Council should call on me to contribute even to a hospital or a school. But the call which is now made is one Su objectionable, that I must plainly say I would rather take the Chiltern Hundreds than comply with it."
Thursday was ordered by the General Assembly to be held as a solemn fast-day throughout Scotland, on account of the present position of the Church. It was even less strictly observed than fast-days usually are in Scotland. The number of shops kept open in Edin- burgh was considerable ; the Police and Bailie Courts were open ; and the Past-office delivered letters as usual.
"Though the day was excessively wet," says the Scotsman, " publip con- veyances end vehicles of all descriptions were thronged with travellers, seeking. what we fear few of them found, a day's recreation. The churches in most cases were, we understand, but thinly attended ; the observance of the day in general being only an outward one. in the Old Church there was no service at all—the Reverend C. J. Brown, whose turn it was to fill that pulpit, having for- gotten to attend! At Dalkeith, the weekly grain-market was held in the open street ; and notwithstanding the rainy state of the weather, the sales were considerably greater than they were on Friday, to which day the market was said to he postponed." In Glasgow, according to the Glasgow Argus, the fast was converted into a feast or holyday : Post and Police performed their duties- " Thursday, being the day appointed by the General Assembly as a fast to he held all over Scotland, in the principal streets of this city, including Tron- gate, Argyle Street, Buchanan Street, Queen Street, nearly all the shops were shut; but in the suburbs and the secondary streets, matters were entirely reversed, not one in twenty being closed. Almost all the public works, (fac- tories, ironworks, and the like,) too, were going as usuaL The partial shutting- up of shops and warehouses which took place had the effect of throwing idle a large number of the citizens; the great majority of whom, judging by the crowded state of the steam- boats and railway trains, instead of going to church, must have betaken themselves to the country."
In Airdrie, an old woman was heard to exclaim, " Weel, this is the most comical fast-day that ever I saw."
Accounts from Paisley, in Renfrewshire, announce a run of failures among manufacturers in the West of Scotland. They are principally attributed to the stoppage of the trade with America ; to the general embarrassment of this country ; and to the excessive facility with which the Scotch banks afford monied assistance to speculators, and the con- sequent overtradiog. The Manchester Guardian says that the number of houses that have stopped payment in Paisley is thirteen, and that the Aggregate of their liabilities is 300,0001.
Gavin Scott, the fugitive embezzler who was arrested lately at Mar- seilles, was brought back to Glasgow in custody of the London Police, on Saturday.
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