The Press.
London, England, 1856-12-27 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

o' the earth, his name is a very tower of strength, as the
embodiment of the English nation. I firmly believe, end
I stated it three yearn ago, that had he been at the head
of affairs we should aot have heard of Russian aggres-
sion. Had he been at the heal of affairs, I believe that
when the Russian fleet under Menschikoff appeared in the
Bosphorus, the summons of Colonel Rose, our represen-
tative, would have been answered, and our fleet would have
appeared as a counter•dernorstration at that time ; and I
for one am convinced that Nicholas never would have put
a foot on Turkish territory. So it has been with America.
That Government knows as well as we do that Lord Pal.
merston will maintain the rights of England, while he
knows how to respect the rights of other nations. The
noble lord is not afraid to let it be known that his spivs.
titles and the sympathies of England are with the
oppressed nations abroad. There was a time in the his-
tory of this country, and it was a glorious time, when the
head of this State powerfully and successfully interposed
on behalf of the persecuted Protestants abroad, and I am
not afraid to own that I do cordially sympathise with such
a policy. States have their duties as well as individuals,
and I hope that the voice of England will be more loudly
thonEth temperately urged on behalf of the persecuted and
oppressed abroad.

THE Towft COUNCIL OF EDINBURGH have lately
obtained for themselves an unenviable notoriety.
They have decided by a large majority against re-
storing the old church of Trinity College, which in
1848 fell a sacrifice to railway innovation. In doing
se, the town council have not only refused the appeals
of the Church of Scotland, but resisted the combined
influence of almost every representative of law,
learning, arts, and antiquities in the city. The
majority gave notice last week that they would build
a "suitable" parish church, but that they would
not restore the old church. In consequence of this,
a strong agitation has been got up against the reso-
lution of the town council, and influential meetings
have been held, but the council held firm, and the
question of " obligation " will probably be referred
to the law if not to Parliament.
LORD ELCHO'S bill for the abolition of tolls in
Scotland has been published. Proceeding upon the
model of the Parochial and Prison Board Acts, it
proposes to constitute county boards with a superin-
tending general board. These county boards are to
consist of all persons qualified to act as commis.
sinners of supply as at present, and, in addition, re-
presentatives from the different burghs and parochial
boards within each county. The general board will
consist of a chairman, nominated by the Crown, six
members elected by the counties, and two by the
convention of Royal burghs. The county boards are
to be vested with the control and management of all
public highways and roads, with power to classify
them ; all tolls and statute labour assessments are
to be abolished, and in lieu thereof assessments are
proposed to be levied of 20s. on horses above four
years, and 103. on other horses and on mules ; and
also on all lands and heritages within the county, at
such rates as the local boards shall determine. The
county boards are required annually to report to
the general board, and special arrangements are
proposed as to debts and other obligations.