The Express.
London, England, 1861-02-01 00:00:00

LONDON SCOTTISH RIFLES.

In compliance with a requisition numerously
signed, Lord Elcho, colonel commandant of the London
Scottish Rifles, convened a meeting, which was held yester-
day evening, to discuss • memorial which had recently been
presented to his lordship respecting the list of officers
which had been agreed to for the corps.
His LORDSHIP, in opening the proceedings, stated that he
had learned that some dissatisfaction existed in the corps
respecting the list of officers, and in each circumstances, and
behoving that a free and open discoesion was the beat way
of dealing with such • feeling, he had convened the present
meeting. He should begin by reeding the list which
had been selected for promotion, sad to which objec-
tion was taken in the memorial. It was es follows:—
Aitchison (Sergeant, Company No. 6); Brown (ditto, No.
4) ; Cameron (ditto, No. 2) ; Campbell (ditto, No. 6) ;
Dunlop, (C. 8., ditto, No. 1) ; Edward (India medals, No.
11100=7 (No. 6); Fotheringham (Sergeant, No. l) ;
(ditto, No. 5) ; Masson (No. Mitch
; Mitell
(Dragoon Ganda); Murdock (Corporal, No. 5) ; Oliver
(Sergeant, No. 1); Pringle (ditto, No. 6). His lordship
observed that on the first formation of the corps the rule
was for the commanding officer to appoint, with the assist-
ance of his council, and the corps to have • veto. The
Lord-Lieutenant had, however, struck out that rule, and
very stormy discussions ensued not only in the London
Scottish, but in several other corps. He (Lord Moho) com-
municated with the government in order to ascertain what
really was the law, and Lord De Grey informed him
that government could on no account recognise popular
election, but would hold the commanding officer responsible.
Lead De Grey further said that the commanding officer
was to take the best means of ascertaining who would be
meet acceptable to the corps. (Hear, hear.) Under these
circumstances he (Lord Elcho), feeling hisresponsibility
both to the government and the corps, bad fo owed the
beet plan that suggested itself to him. He felt that he was
bound to resist popular election, and if he should be deserted
by the whole corps he must adhere to that resistance.
((%eers and some hires.) He bad, however, takes all
steps that were open to him to ascertain the feeling of
the corps. When there were two vacancies he put
down six names mote than were required, and every
gentleman is the corn was asked to underline two names.
The result was that Dr. Bandanas, an excellent officer,
was &Inlaid and Lord Hamilton' who as yet had not
been a le to attend. However, then noble lord would soon
be resident in London, and he (Lord Elcho) thought it an
advantage to the corps that Lord Abereuni's son should
belong to it. (Hear, hear.) Subsequently the increase of
the corps from six to ten companies necessitated the ap-
pointment of more officers, and their nomination was to
him a mod invidious task. He had to select four-
teen, and he took every means that the law per-
mitted to ascertain the feeling of the corp.
He made oat a list of eligible candidates, putting in italics
the names of those whom he wished to be elected, and sub-
mitted it to the corps, and he had the gratification of Lied-
ing the greatest number of marks opposite the names which
he had so selected. That list bad been framed by the cap-
tens of companies, all of whom came to the council and
pee their opinions.
Mr. Fr:MCC—How many members of the corps voted
Lord Ecuo—Two hundred and seventy.six, but he re-
potted that more had not voted, as he believed all the corps
would have voted the same way. He now found, however,
that some members of the corps were not satisfied,
and he had received a memorial complaining of the list of
names from • certain number of gentlemen whose names
were arranged and printed according to the letters of the
alphabet. That memorial was quite irregular, both in its
conception and in the mode of presentation. It should have
been sent open to the adjutant, instead of which it had
been gummed up so tight that he had found great difficulty
in tearing it open. (Laughter.) It was competent for 25
members of the corps to call on the commanding officer to
convene • public meeting, if they had a grievance, but
any other proceeding was quite irregular. His lordship, after
some further observations, concluded by stating that
although he repudiated either popular election or seniority
amongst the sergeants in the appointment of commissioned
officers, be had, in the present list of fourteen, included
nine sergeants. His only object was to get efficient officers ;
and before the names choose were sent in, care would be
taken to see that the gentlemen were perfect in all requi-
sites. The memorial had been signed by only eighty out of
850, being sot more than one-tenth of the whole corps.
Mr. Gum, as one of the members who had prepared the
memorial, asked if his lordship would receive a deputa-
tion to hear what the memorialists had got to say.
Lord ELCIIO declined to receive any deputation that did
not emanate from a public meeting.
Mr. Mew complaiued of the inefficiency of certain offi-
cers, who, he said, bud drawn down ridicule on the corps.
He moved that a deputation be received.
Professor 11A14150N knew that seniority would not do, and
that pure popular election was inadmissible, but thought
that • course might be adopted which, by imparting to
nomination a little of both these principles,would meet all
reasonable objections. He thought his lordship might
make his list longer.
Lord Eocuo would have been quite ready to put down
50 Dames.
An irregular discussion followed, which was terminated by
Mr. WIT, surgeon to the corps, moving as on amendment
that no deputation be appointed, which was carried by a '
laradmajority.
ht ctio said that there was oue matter of importance
to be disposed of before the meeting broke up. There had
appeared in the Daily News two letters censustie,
nomination in the strongest terms, and
of him (Lord Elcho) what be did not wish to
particularise. The writers of thine anonymous letters he
pronounced to be subversive of all discipline, and if he
could ascertain who were the writers he would bring them
before a court of inquiry, and have them expelled
the corps. He challenged the writers of those letters,
if they were present, to step forth from the ranks
and substantiate their anonpuous assertions. (Cheers.)
A less grave offence against the rules hail been
committed in the printing the memorial in the
same paper as an advertisement previous to Re pre.
sentanoe, and the result was • paragraph in the Observer
stating that grave dissensions bad arisen in the Loralou
Scottish. When passing down Whitehall on Sunday,
several of his friends had stopped him and asked what be
had been doing to his regiment that it was going to the
dogs.
Several members here stepped forward, and seemed all
inclined to speak and explain together, and apparently with
emcees, as they finished by collectively shaking hands with
Lord Echo and giving three vociferous cheers for the
" London Sluttish."

MAIIICHWITZR UNITY OF ODD FIILLOWIL —A Dew
lodge was opened on Wednesday evening, by the district
°Mom, at the Lord Nelson, Victoria-road, Kentish-town ;
Prov. 1). G. M. Diprose occupied the chair, and P. G.
Masters (St. Martin's Lodge) as also P. G. Gardiner ably
assisted. After the usual business Pros. G. M. Hams
addressed the newly initiated members upon the im-
portance of the undertaking they had entered into ; they
were bound to point out to every man who wished to be
prudent the necessity of joining some friendly society,
and the North London district, with 8,200 members and
56,0007. surplus capital, be considered the beet for them to
come into. P. P. O. IL Rough of as C. 8. in the
absence of P. G. M. Roe, through illness. Many compli-
mentary toasts and speeches followed the ceremony, and
the numerous visitors from other lodges present were enter-
tained until a very late hour.