The Sun.
London, England, 1822-11-21 00:00:00

GLASGOW.

ELECTIONof LORD RECTOR in the UNIVERSITY
of GLASGOW.
[From " The Glasgow Journal."]

Never upon any ocakion was greater anxiety in an election of
a Lord Rectory for this University displayed than the present.
Each Student seemed to vie with each other who would gain
the most votes for his favourite candidate. Though the exer-
tions used by each of the different parties had been to gain
them the first honours in the State, more could not have been
done by them to have obtained these than was done to carry
the candidate of their side. Each held up in the most fa-
vourable light his favourite candidate, and circulated bills
exhibiting their different attainments. After the Students
and Professors were assembled in the morning, in the
Common-hall, the greatest anxiety Seemed to prevail, and
the greatest emulation to exist among the supporters of both
candidates, each maintaining that they would carry the day,
and at intervals the walls of the Hall resounded with the names
of Scott and Mackintosh ; but even at this time it was seen Sir
James Mackintosh would carry the election. So soon as the
students had been divided into their different nations, their
anxiety to know the determination of the poll seemed,. if pos-
sible, to increase. After the nations were enclosed in their
different classes, and after the election had begun, the sup-
porters of Sir James Mackintosh at once saw hpw ie election
would go, and with their thundering voices seemed determin-
ed to communicate with the other nations in the other rooms
how matters were going on. The poll drew to a close, Sir
James Mackintosh, by outstripping, majorities, carried every
nation. In the Glottiani he had ninety-four of a majority,
in the.Loudani sixty.in his favour to eighteen against him, and
in all the other nations equal majorities. After the election
was over, each nation named a reporter to communicate to the
Lord Rector, who was selected to be Rector in the nation to
which he belonged, and the reporter of the nation to which the
new-elected Rector belonged proceeded to the Common-hall,
and to the students there assembled, announced in Latin who
had been elected new Lord Rector. On the announcement of
Sir James Mackintosh having been elected, tb give any ade-
quate idea of the shouts which resounded from wall to wall is
impossible. The announcement of the election was in the fol-
lowing terms :
" In Comittis Universitatis Glasguensis
Decimo Quinto Novembris—Anno Millesimo
Octingentesimo Vigesimo Secundo
Quod felix faustumque sit
Vir admodum Honorabilis
JACOBUS _MACKINTOSH, Eques Horatus
Electus est Rector Magnificus hujus Universitatia
in annum sequentem

Plaudiie."
Mr. JEFFREY then addressed the Students as follows :—" I
may now say I have nothing more to do in an official capacity in
this University, as you have this -day chosen a Lord Rector to:
fill the situation, which,through your kindness, I have so long
filled, but I feel I cannot retire from this honourable office
without addressing to you a few words upon the character of
the two Gentlemen who have been competitors upon this occa-
sion for that high office. No sooner did I hear that Sir Walter
Scott and Sir James Mackintosh were set up as candidates for
this situation, than I felt quite at rest ; and not over anxious
which of them would be the successful competitor, as they are both
men of the greatest eminence, and men who are fully entitled to
the high honour of being Rector of your University; I think
it my duty to state to you in a few words the grounds upon
which I have gone in giving my vote for Sir James Mackintosh,
in preference to Sir Walter Scott, lest there should be any
-misconception as to my conduct in this particular in any
quarter, not that I care though there should, but I think it my
duty, as with both these Gentlemen I have the honour of
being on terms of friendship. Sir Walter Scott, though he
has been the unsuccessful candidate on this occasion, still he
must, from the great combination of talent which a kind Pro-
vidence has graciously endowed him with, command your
esteem and respect. He is in a wonderful degree possessed of
tdents to a very rare kind, and these talents have not been,
allowed to lie dormant, having been employed for many years in
affording amusement and instruction to the whole of this nation.
Sir Walter Scott is a man possessed of a most fruitful ima-
gination—a man of most extraordinary genius,—a man who is
master of almost every subject ; and looks into human cha-
racter, and paints what he there discovers in colours the
most beautiful, and in language the ntiist sublime : In short,
he/is a man who combines in himself so many rare qua-
lities, and so much erudition, that lie has raised himself to
a pinnacle of glory unequalled in this, or, I may say, in
any other age. Sir James Mackintosh, on, the other hand,
is a man possessed of talents, though of a very different kind
from those of his competitor ; but at the same time, talents
very seldom to be met with. In Parliament, and out of
Parliament, he has all along maintained an unsullied charac-
ter, and with horantrs innumerable has he been loaded, and
from all parties met with the most profound respeCt. The
honour you have this day conferred upon him will, of all
others, I am sure, be esteemed by him the greatest. The
choice you have made reflects upon you the greatest honour,
and you will never need to regret having elected Sir James
Mackintosh as Lord Rector, of your University. Your
Rector ought to be a man whom you ought to hold up as a
model, in carrying on your studies, and in Sir J. Mackintosh,
I think you will find much you ought to imitate and follow after.
The profundity of his attainments as a philosopher are univer-
' sally allowed ; while, on the other hand, his display of scientific
knowledge strikes at once every one with wonder and astonish-
ment. To attain to possess those eminent qualities might to be
your study ;. and as in your new Rector .-You will find much to
imitate, with all your might do it. It is on these grounds I
think Sir James Mackintosh more deserving of academical
honours than his competitor, though I mean by no means to
say that these ought not to be conferred on him also. I must now
take leave of you with an affectionate farewell."
Mr. Jeffrey, Professor Muirhead, and Professor Sandford
voted for Sir James Mackintosh. Professor Millar was una-
' voidably absent.