The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-03 00:00:00

EDINBURGII.

A meeting of the aggregate Liberal Committee
was held on Wednesday, for the purpose of learning
the intention of thepresent members—the Lord Ad-
vocate and Mr. Black. The chairman, Mr. James
Richardson, said the meeting had been hastily called
on its being found that a requisition to Mr. Duncan
M‘Laren was in course of signature. Three reasons,
he said, had been assigned for the movement—first,
it was said that Mr. Black was likely to retire ;
second, that it was necessary to place a person in
the representation of the city who would get altered
the mode of levying the local rates ; and, third, that
a member was wanted who was more advanced than
Mr. Black on the question of the franchise. He
hoped Mr. Black would now state that he was not
to retire ; as to the local rates, he believod they

were willing to obey the present Act, and as to fur-
ther extension of the franchise it was a subject
which had baffled every Government that had yet
tried it. He had received a letter from the Lord-
Advocate (who is in London) stating his intention
again to offer himself to the electors, and that he
hoped to be able to do so along with the same col-
leagues, whose counsel and co-operation he had
found so valuable. Mr. Black addressed the meet-
ing, and expressed his willingness to be at the call
of the electors. He said—l have generally sup-
ported Lord Palmerston's Government, and it has
been with reluctance that I have opposed any of
their measures, though I have sometimes felt com-
pelled to do so, and it may be that I have alienated
some of those friends whose good opinion I value
most highly. But I feel that there is a more for-
midable objection—an irremediable and growing
objection—to my re-election—that is, my great age.
(A laugh.) It may be justly said that it is prepos-
terous to elect a man above eighty years of age to a
Parliament that may last for seven years. All these
objections I feel strongly ; and, besides that, I have
long wished to be relieved from public duties, and
to enjoy some repose in my latter years. I have
now served the city in one public capacity or
another for more than fifty years—(loud cheers)—
and I think that the time has now come when I
ought to retire. I had almost resolved to do so,
but I have been so frequently accosted by consti-
tuents of various classes who have urged me to con-
tinue, that I did not feel justified in adopting that
course without first consulting those friends under
whose advice I have always acted, and to whose
spontaneous, friendly, and energetic exertions I have
been so much indebted ; and if I find that there is a
decided and unanimous, or nearly unanimous,
opinion among them that I should stand, I will leave
myself in yourhands, andbeguidedby your opinions.
(Loud and prolonged applause.) Mr. Harrison re-
marked that the present members had been the first
to grapple with a local grievance of 200 years' stand-
ing, and had reduced its magnitude and prevented
its increase. It would doubtless have been easier for
them to have earned a cheap popularity by propos-
ing measures which they could not carry. As to the
franchise, those of the higher and middle classes who
were excluded, not being householders, took their
exclusion very philosophically, and the householders
under £lO viewed the matter with equal indifference.
He looked forward without fear to an extension of
the suffrage, but the country had nothing to gain by
it, and they could afford to wait for a better digested
measure than they had yet seen. He moved, " That
this committee, retaining the fullest confidence in
the present members, request them to allow them-
selves to be put again in nomination for the repre-
sentation of the city." Mr. Joseph Grant seconded
the motion, which was carried unanimously. Three
cheers were then given for the two members, and the
meeting separated.