The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-17 00:00:00

OF THE UNI- THE INTER.
SGOW.

THE LORD RE
VERSI

'C7 0

!SHIP

:From the North British. Mail of Saturday.)

To-day immense excitement was caused among
the matriculated students of our ancient University
by the fact that the election of a Lord Rector was
to take place. Such an event in past times has
always caused great stir, but on the present oeca •
sion the excitement bas been even greater than
usual. This has arisen in part, no doubt, by the
pre-eminent names which have been brought for-
ward as candidates for the honour, and still more,
perhaps by the strong party feeling which exists in
the University at the present time. Lord Palmer-
ston was brought forward by the Liberal Associa-
tion, and Lord Glencorse, the Lord Justice Clerk,
was nominated by the 9onservative Club ; and it is
only doing justice to both bodies to say that they
worked as hard for their candidates as men could
do. This was exhibited in a variety of ways.
Night after night did they hold meetings to impress
the claims of their nominees upon the wavering
electors, and during the day several of the members
of the committees gave up their classes, and for a
fortnight back threw their studies to the winds, in
order to canvass for votes. How far this has been
successful may be guessed from a reference to the
number who voted for each candidate.
The result, it will be seen, is in favour of Lord
Palmerston, who has gained the high honour of
Lord Rectorship by a majority of 82 votes, there
being a majority for him in three Nations, and a tie
in the fourth. In the latter there would also have
been a majority for him, but for the fact that a
student lost his Library ticket, and before he could
obtain another the poll had closed.
The following is the state of the poll at its close :
For Lord For Lord
Palmerston. Giencorse,
174 167
127 89
123 86
132 132

Natio Glottiana
Natio Rothseiana
Natio Loudoniana
Natio Transforthana

556 474
showing a majority for Lord Palmerston of 82.
The poll was opened at 10 o'clock, but two hours
before that time the chief supporters of each candi-
date were astir marshalling their forces. By nine
o'clock the excitement became quite perceptible in
the vicinity of the University, and subsequently it
increased rapidly, so that a few minutes to eleven
o'clock, when the outer gates of the College were
shut, a grand rush was made inside the walls of
the University. Up till this time the scouts sent
out to bring in waverers had been very busy.
These gentlemen extended themselves over the
city, and wherever they saw any one wearing the
garb of their particular party they immediately
lugged him off post-speed to the poll. Their labours
ended to a great extent at eleven o'clock, but after
that hour a few of the keenest remained in High
street to direct any stray but late voter how he
might get inside the university, namely, by climb-

ing over, the outer walls in Vennel or in Blackfriars-
street. By these means, accordingly, a number
gained admission and recorded their votes in time,
as the poll did not close till 12 o'clock, although the
front gates were shut an hour earlier.
The following telegram, addressed to Mr. Moodie,
a member of the Conservative Club, was received at
the University from Lord Palmerston on Friday
afternoon :
" I have written to Lord Belhaven to explain why I am
unable to accept the honourable office of Rector if offered to

me."

—.
This telegram added greatly to the excitement, as
it was looked upon as an artful dodge by the sup-

porters of the Lord Justice, Clerk to gain the election
by stratagem. Accordingly, bills in profuse num-
bers, were isued by the Liberal Association, de-
nouncing the telegram as a trap, and warning the
supporters of Lord Palmerston to give no heed to it.
They also placarded the walls of the city, near the
College with such bills as these—" Vote for Palmer-
ston,,' " Palmerston and Victory," Palmerston, the
friend of Italy,"" Who's. Inglis ?" in fact they used
every means in their power to thwart any damaging
effect which the telegram might have had.lt was aptly
reasoned by them—what right had a Conservative
to write to Lord Palmerston, and ask him whether
he would accept the Lord Rectorship if elected ?
and supposing he had declined, would be not com
municate with his supporters ? They made up
their minds from the first to disregard the rumour,
and show the Conservatives that they would carry
their man, let the upshot be what it might.
As waS to be expected the contest was keenest in
the Glottiana Nation, or among the matriculated
students belonging to Lanarkshire, they being most
numerous. It was in fact a neck and neck race
until the close, when Lord Palmerston's supporters
had only polled seven more than their opponents.
Next in importance and in keenness of competition
displayed was that of the Transforthana Nation, in-
cluding the students from Shetland, Orkney, and
from the counties of Caithness, Sutherland, Ross,
Inverness, Cromarty, Moray, Nairn, Banff, Aber-
deen, Perth, Forfar, Kincardine, Clackmannan,
Fife, Kinross, Argyll, Stirling, and Dumbarton.
Up till the last moment both parties in this Nation
fought with much energy, and one minute after the
poll closed a student with a pink cap on tendered
his vote for Lord Palmerston, but which of neces-
sity was refused. Of the other two Nations, that
of Rothseiana, including students from the counties
of Bute, Renfrew, and Ayr, had the largest num-
ber of votes, and showed no less a majority for Lord
Palmerston than 38. The Loudoniana Nation stu-
dents not included in the districts embraced by the
others, polled 123 for Palmerston and only 86 for
Inglis, being a majority of 37 for the Premier.

!NATIONAL EXHIBITION.

The last day of the Exhibition passed off un-
mlrked by any particular event. There was an
unusually large attendance of visitors for these sale
days—upwards of 13,000 in all,--a greater number
than on any previous occasion since the selling off

of the goods had commenced. The total number
admitted during the last fortnight has been very
much less than was anticipated, a whole week re-
cording no more than the meagre attendance of a
bad shilling day. In round numbers, the visitors
each week were 45,000, bringing the gross total of
all admitted since the commencement up to

6,207,450, or 177,000 more than the numbers
of 1851, which were 6,030,135. So far the present
display has done tolerably well, and, though the
receipts on admissions during these sale days
have not realized even moderate expectations,

here is still not the least reason to doubt that the

money now in hand will cover all outlays, and no
call of any kind will be made on the guarantors. A
nail surplus, however, would have been a most
gratifying adjunct to this success, inasmuch as it
would have enabled the Commissioners to reward

as they wished the zealous and most hearty ser-
vices of their very hard-worked but ill-paid
staff. All of them, from the highest to the lowest,
have been working at almost nominal salaries, in
the belief that, as in 1851, there would be a sur-
plus at the close, when the example then set of
liberal douceurs in acknowledgment of careful ser-
vice would of course be followed on this occasion.
It is needless to say that all these hopes are at an
end, though, if any disappointment is felt, at least
none is shown amid the satisfaction expressed that,
in spite of every difficulty and unforeseen discou-
ragement, they have made the Exhibition of 1862
a success which will be fully and kindly appre-
ciated by the country for years to come.
On Saturday, as we have said, there was nothing
to mark the last public day but the fuller attendance
of visitors promenading the nave as of old. The
gloom of the weather made the interior both dark
and cold, and no purchases were going on, for every-
thing worth having has long since found a pur-
chaser. Glass, china, jewellery, costly fabrics, and
furniture have all been disposed of, and so far exhi-
bitors are perfectly satisfied. To-day the work of
sending out the goods will be commenced in every
class. Not much more than a third of the con-
tents now remain in the building, and the arrange-
ments for the removal of these have been so per-
fected during the last fortnight that a; few days will
suffice to clear out almost everything. Most of the
pictures in the galleries are down, and a consider-
able number have been removed, especially of the
water-colours, Our readers may recollect that soon
after the opening of the building repeated assertions
were made by a contemporary that many of the best
of the water-colours had been irreparably injured
by damp from the walls. It is satisfactory, though
perhaps unnecessary, to add now that this state-
ment was purely a malicious invention, and never
had any foundation. A careful examination of the
works now shows them all to be perfectly in the
same state as when the Commissioners received
them. In fact, so many and so excellent were the
precautions taken to guard against damp in the
walls of the galleries that it was next to impossible
injury could arise from this source. At the time
the misstatements were persisted in, however, they
naturally excited some disquietude on the part of
anxious owners.

NATIONAL IN7ERVEN7ION IN

AMERICA.

(From the Money Market Review.)
Some people talk very glibly of interfering in
American affairs, and urge the British Government
to depart from the neutral position to which it has
hitherto honourably and rigidly adhered. But such
persons ought at least to be prepared, when they
demand the recognition of the South, to define their
proposition. It strikes us we have yet to learn
what " the South'' really is. When England is
called on to mediate between North and South it
is necessary to consider very carefully first,—What
is to be the basis of the mediation ; and, secondly,
the position, when that point is decided, in which
England would be placed in the event of either the
one or the other of the belligerents refusing the •
proffered mediation on the basis proposed. There
is great room to aprehend that the result of and
hasty attempt at mediation, unless North and South
themselves agree to a certain extent, would bo to
bring upon the mediator the enmity of one, if net
both the combatants. It is urged, however, that
if England mediates in conjunction with Russia and
France, she cannot suffer in dignity should either
North or South reject the proposal. But if the we-
diation were rejected, would the mediating Power;
be satisfied, or would the next question be—recer
nition of the South and some sort of coercion ?
this is not what the great bulk of the English
nation would either desire or tolerate. What
England desires is, that the Americans there'
selves should take some initiative towards putting
an end to a strife which inflicts such injury on the
commerce of the whole world. Any obviously go°‘"
and friendly offices that England could proffer'
either alone or in conjunction with the other Powers
of Europe, to facilitate a negotiation between North
and South, she may willingly consent to, but pc;
thing more. It is the clear duty of England not
to budge an inch from her strict neutrality. lief
mediation should not be susceptible of misconstrue'
tion, and should be sought by and not thrust ell
either North or South. America, despite all her,
vapouring, and all the abuse some of her citizen;
lavish on England, has at bottom a greater regard
and respect for the power and opinion of the bottoa:
a greater regard and respect for the power al
opinion of the mother country than she has for all
the rest of the world put together; and doubtleaS
it is gall and wormwood for the North to hear that
i
it is the deliberate opinion of the statesmen of all
t
parties in England that the result of this wa' must
be a dissolution of the Union. We must wage
charitable allowance, therefore, for any natural e%;
pressions of soreness or impatience that may e°l33.
from the other side of the Atlantic.
What does the Emperor propose P
Ist, That an armistice should take place for °li%
months.
2d, That the blockade of the South should b°
raised.
ool"
If the North were to consent to these pre.o of
tions, it would be equivalent to throwing ase!srp
every chance they have of making good boune;i't
arrangements with the South. A great change 51_0
come over the spirit of the North, and direful ra:.ci
be their position, before such terms will be listen
to. We hope our Government, at least, will staid
aloof from the notion of enforcing any such prlt0o
sition, which would be egregiously detrimental 4
the North as belligerents. Before the Powers
anyEuropemake
from h
proposition
sotionototb the termsheNorth, it;e4
be well to learn
would agree to, and especially what territory 15.4
be included in the secession. If the South livnl'e
define the territory within reasonable limits, ttPii,
Powers
poefarEsutrooupse
tom might
a prime
ht suggest d
iiffit
etnol
ttyh.e
fe..rti:
Northern Government were to consent to an ar";o..
tice with a view to a separation, the very first 'VI
tion that would arise would be one of bounlo.eo
We are decidedly of opinion that the good °
of the Powers of Europe ought to be soughtlb
rather than forced en the North. To eerai Pfied or
peace is a policy that does not suit Etigl“..tivc•
Russia; yet it might suit France better, in enni„ritie
lion with England and Russia, for if France inct
forj
to annex Mexico to her empire, her first olb its
`;e
would be to come to terms with the Southh old 0110
peaceable occupation. The South may
..i,
Nitete
eventuality out as a bait to make France pirec, bf
her recognition, for the possession of exu. r_
itb
France would otherwise be rather inconsistent
the " Munro doctrine."

01"
Sir J. Trelawny addressed a meeting of his citer
stituents at Tavistock on Thursday eveniug• A.,00
taking a review of the past session he touched uro,
the American question, in regard to which he
e a
p:essed himself in favour of non-intervention, °list
stated that in that, as in other matters of foreig.
policy, he was disposed to rely upon our minister
land especially upon Lord Russell.