The Express.
London, England, 1863-10-08 00:00:00

[Stamped, ld. Additional.]

SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION.

(now OEFR Owl IRPORTIUL)

EDINBIJHOH, Ovv. 7.

The seventh annual meeting of the National
Association for the Promotion of Social Science
was opened here to-day by an address from its
President, Lord Brougham, who, on presenting
himself, was loudly and enthusiastically cheered.
The circumstance that up to the latest moment last
evening some doubt had been entertained whether
the noble lord's health would permit him to be
present added considerably to the heartiness and
depth of feeling with which his appearance in this
city, where so much of his youthful life had
been spent, was hailed. Of the present meeting
of the Social Science Association there is every
reason to anticipate for it a decided success—at least
a success not inferior to any of the meetings which
have preceded it.
There are a great many visitors in town, and
more are still expected. His Royal Highness
Prince Alfred, accompanied by Major Cowell,
arrived in town last night from Balmoral, and took
up his residence at Holyrood Palace. He was re-
ceived at the station by the Lord Provost, where a
large crowd bad assembled. Prince William of
Hesse will join him on Monday next, and both are
expected to be present at some of the meetings of '
the association. It is presumed that both will
remain here during the winter, in order that
they may be able to prosecute their studies at the
university under the direction of Dr. Schmitz, of
the High School. A stud of eight horses, two
Shetland ponies, and two carriages arrived here on
IMonday for the use of his Royal Highness.
Throughout Monday and yesterday there was a
brisk sale of members' and associates' tickets in
Parliament-house, the great hall of which has been
ornamented for the omicron by the introduction of
the statnea, busts, and portraits of some of the
worthies of Scotland, including two or three excel-
lent specimens by &sebum. Conspicuous amongst
the paintings is a portrait of Lord Brougham,
which has just been painted by Mr. D. Macnee
of Glasgow, for the Lords of Session and
other members of the bar, who were
anxious of thus marking their admiration
of the noble lord's talents and public services.
The portrait is a very good one, but being quite
fresh from the easel it has a glaring and unplea-
sant appearance, which, however, will disappear
with time. His lordship is represented in plain
clothes, with the peer's robes thrown on a table in
the background, and the gold-embroidered purse of
a Lord Chancellor on a cushion at his feet. Behind
the principal figure are busts of the Duke of Wel-
lington and of Dr. James Watt. Amongst several
portraits of the great law lords of Scotland the eye
turns with pleasure on those of Leonard Horner
and Scott, both presentedby the Speculative Society
for the occasion. With one exception, the depart-
ments meet in the law courts adjoining the hall.
They meet in the following places, and sit from 11
till 4 o'clock,except on Saturday, when they adjourn
at 2.
First Department.-Jurisprudence--President, the Hon.
Lord Curriefoll—Ooart-room of the Beeped Division.

Elwood Department.—Education—Presideot, Neiman W.
Seeley, Em.—Hell of the General Assembly of the Church
of Boodand.

Third Departameh—Paniahment and Ratansation—Pre-
adept, tie Hoe. Lord Neaves—Courhavaat al ace at tin

Lords Ordinary.

Fourth Department—Public Health—President, Profes-
sor Christians—Courtroom of the First Division.
Fifth Department—Social Economy—President, the
Risht How Sir John G.C.B.—Justicisry Court
room _ _ _

Sixth Department—Trade and International Law—Pm
skint, tits Hos. Juke Longdeld, LLD.—Court-room of
one of the Lords Ordinary.
" •

The judge's room is set apart for the president
and conceit of the association, and the upper hall
of the Signet Library for the general committee
rooms. All the public buildings of Edinburgh,
libraries, museums, picture galleries, gardens, me-
dical institutions, educational hospitals and schools,
public exhibitions, are open to members and asso-
ciates; and excursions to places of interest near
Edinburgh are proposed. Lord Brougham, with his
brother and nephe woire the guests of the Lord Provost
during their stay and there is every disposition on
the part of the inhabitants to show hospitality and
do kind services for strangers. It deserves to be
specially mentioned that there is an excellent exhi-
bition of the works of Brattish artiste, living and
dead, at the Royal Scottish Academy, and that a
coweerwrnons will take place to-morrow at the Uni-
versity, for which the Senatus Academicus are
making great preparations.
On the whole, nothing is omitted to make the
meeting of the association at Edinburgh as plea-
sant and agreeable as possible. The weather un-
fortunately has not been propitious on the opening

da'h _ _
ongh not strictly in connexion with the Social
Science meeting, it may be stated that Mr.Cbanning
delivered an able discourse last night in the Queen-
street-hall, on the American question. He showed
that the civil war was forced on the North by the
Southern slaveholders, and that its results, if
favourable to the South, would be most disastrous
to the cause of freedom throughout the world. He
carried his audience, which was a middle-class one,
entirely with him.
LOrri BROUGHAM who was most enthusiastically
received, commenced his address by referring to
the losses which the association had sustained by
the death of Sir Benjamin Brodie and Sir James
Stephen.
••• • • •

As evidence of the progress which social mimeos
had made is other °Gantries, his lordship referred to
the Emperor of Russi► emencipatiog the serfs is that
°pantry ; bet he maid it was pamfal to fled that the
mesa exhibited in Poland made it too likely that with
his eaccemion to the throne the character of the Emperor
of Russia had uadergooe a change. He expressed a hope that
thumb the suffariegs of Poland were deeply to be lamented,
Ned though the ooeduct of her oppressors was strongly to
be censured, the universal opinion of Europe might area
to obtain redress for her without any hostile interference.

Tbo occupation of Mexico, be said, was likely to prodnos
an *Deasy feeling in the now unhappily disunited States of
Americo, and might by no remote possibility lead tome amt.
. .

cable ietereourse with the Suth, not, perhaps, against the I
North, but in formal recognition of the secesaion and in
breach of the blockade. The term "civil war" was, he
maintained, now hardly applicable to the miserable contest
in /Unwire. Eaeh party sought to cast on the other the
heavy blame of breaking the peace. On one side was the
wicked allegation of property in human beings ; on the
other, the hollow pretext of making war to free America of
slavery, her shame and her cane, as all except alave•ownrs
admitted It to be—hollow, we might well call it, for these
who proclaimed emancipation confessed that it was a men
sure of hostility to the whites and designed to produce
slue insurrection, from which the much-enduring nature of
the unhappy negro saved the comatiy. The feeling towards
England which prevailed among the American people,
though arising tram the excess of national vanity and its
kindred envy, was certainly io part the remains of the old
I quarrel that led to the separation. We were bated and
despised—neither feeling was at all reciprocal, but among
war kinfolk it prevailed in a degree almost amounting to
mental aberration. It could hardly be accounted for with-
oat recurring to the ancient grudge of the American war ;
and it illustrated the soundness of the view takes by them
who had most considered the great subject of coloeisl policy,
that we must so govern our eettlements as to prepare for a
separation on friendly term; always assuming that sooner
mister their growth would bring about their independence.
Preesediag next to home matters, his lordship noticed the
landing legislative measures of the last 110111i06 so far as
these had promoted the objects of the amociatioa. He
noticed the progress of the education question during last
year, referring to the fact that the half-school system of
Madam physical sad mental, had been adopted is the
army by the Education Commit ; and noticed the sionaeus
cireidatioe of amp periodical as among the advaateges of

[TWOPENC:

the effects of education in the Wand. The subject of co-
operation waa noticed by his lordship, who pve a brief
aocount of the origin and progress of the co-operative move.
meet in the country, concluding bis address by referring to
the great increase of savings banks since last congress, and
by referring to the admirable manner in which the working
classes had struggled under the heavy pressure of distress
during the last twelve months. It was truly lambing to
remark not only their peaceful demeanour, but their firm
resolution of only accepting when absolute necomity required
the assistance amply provided by the wealthier clamed, and
given with great delicacy—their determination to suffer the

greatest privations before yielding to that necessity. A
more convincing proof could not be given of the blasted
effects that have flowed from their progress in education.
than in their habits thus acquired of sober reflection upon
the state of affairs, on their own position in society, and in
their real interest sa well as duties to the community of
which they formed so important a part. Whoever recol-
lected the very different conduct of the same dorm half
century ego, when suffering under an incomparably Inn
pressure from 'bemuse interruption of the American trade.
would at once feel thankful for the change and proud of hie
countrymen and his country.
. . . .

His lordship's address was frequently applauded,
and at the close a cordial vote of thanks was given
to him.
On the motion of the Lord Advocate of Scot-
land, seconded by the Right Hon. Joseph Napier,
late Lord Chancellor of Ireland, the annual report
of the council was read by Mr. Hastings, the
honorary secretary • and on the motion of the Right
Hon. C. B. Adderley, M.P., seconded by Lord
Ardmlllan, was received and ordered to be printed.
The meeting separated about eleven o'clock.
Prince Alfred was present at the meeting, and on
his entrance into the hall was received with loud
and prolonged cheers by the immense assemblage.

THE REGISTRATION'S.

MIDDLZSOC.

Yesterday Mr. Edmond Beales, the barrister ap-
pointed to reprise the electoral lists for the various parishes
in the county of Middlesex. held his penultimate court at
the Windaor Castle Inn, Hammersmith, for the revision of
the parochial Hato far the parishes of Chiswick, Fulham.
end Hammersmith.

Mr. W. Albert Jamee attended the »ado, court on be.
dal of the Liberal Registration Society ; Mr. H. Smith and
Mr. T. Alley Jima for the conservative party.
The grand question of the revision was argued at great
514tonamely, the right of the shareholders of Fal
p-
the county franchise, in respect of the rent or
arising from the tolls. Thomas Bannoogg., ed 41, Upper
Orcaveneretrert ; Stanford Hoorn, of Harahan , Samoa ;
William Davidson, of 8, Limeetrestermere ; Richard Deem',
Hamblerise. Bucks ; James Farquhar, of Sunny Side.
Reigate; Thomas Frewen, of Brickwall-how. Northiam„
Borax ; John Ooopsr Giles, Edith-villas, North End, Fa-
, hem ; George Barrow Gregory, of Bedford-row. Holborn ;
, Chas. Hay Prewar. of 38, Devonshire-place, Portland-place ;
ErinnuidJames, of 7, Reneguer', Lioooln's.lam ; Alexander
Lela Melville, of Windsor ; James Robert Morrill, of
Twickenham ; Elliott Miser, of Wimbledon ; Joha
Salk d GOIIIOI-44011O); William Sall, Of Regent's-park:
John Jabal Smith, of Loddoa, Norfolk ; Joseph Smith, of
Surrey ; Selestiaa Smith, of Consaughteplace,
; the Rev. Joseph Tombs, of Burton Rectory.
Hoverfeedwest ; Frederick Foveaux Wslsr 62, Saud
Joss* Wawa, of Haymarket ; Benjamin Thorns. Wright,
of Oestitsetrest, Oxfordetreet ; Evan Hare, of Putney, sad
Mitrmeeert, Temple ; and Edward Moore, of Boughton,
sear Maidstfroes, Kent-24 in all—were oo the lists of Fol-
ks= s "freehold shareholders in Fulham-bridge on and
abetting the Thames," anti they were all objected to by the
Mask.
The Barrister, resorting hie official decision, mid his pre-
sent impression was a strong one that at all events the
%midge was a freehold tenement or incorporeal hereditament,
capable of conferriug the county franchise.
As to the question of value, the only remaining point,
fifteen of the claims oat of the twenty-four were ad-
mitted, or proved to be of less annual value than 41., and
eossequeatly badeqoate to a 40e. freehold is each county ;
while the ramekin mine, being of adequate value, were re.
Wald, subject to the positive deei,lon of the barrister this
day at Kenangtoa, where the revision is to be brought to a
aces.
The decisions in the two counties are thus entirely op-
posit'.