The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-09 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION.t,'

perjury, and that the prisoner woulsl have been, there.
fore, convicted on perjured testimony—with the
knowledge of all this, the Public prosecutor pro-
duced the man as a witness.—(Great cheering.)
Twenty-three years have elapsed since this trial
took place, and it is truly painful for me to recur
to it, as it concerts Mr. Drummond ; but he having:,
come out from private life, and solicited a great public.
trust, our minds are naturally, and irresistibly, driven
beck to it ; and it is unnecessary for me to say that
the Advocate-Depute engaged at that trial is the Tory,
Candidate on this occasion.—(Prodigious cheering.) I
now dismiss this part of Mr. Drummond's conduct, and
leave you to form your opinions respecting it. There
are many important questions regarding which I should
like to address you, hut there is one in particular now
agitating the whole country—l mean the independence
of the Church, and the prevention of the intrusion of
unacceptable Ministers into the parishes.—(Cheers.)
I have already, on these hustings, spoken en this sub-
ject. I have always declared myself as opponent of
patsonage, and I have done so on principle, for I can
see no possible advantage to the people. in a system;
which gives to patrons, who may be Episcopalians, Cs-
tholies, or Infidels, or anything else, the power of regii-
lethal; tlieir most impo-tent religious concerns.—(Cheers)i
But since I first addressed you on this subject, the!
question of Non-intrusion hag made a great march, and
so strong is now the feeling respecting it, that I am
coevinead that no Government, whatever its character,'
will be able to resist giving it, full ffect.—(Cries of
" Hear, hear," and cliee •s.) I have just learned that
Sir Robert Peel and Mr. Colquboun, the ode r night,
put a question respecting it in the House of Commons I
to a Minister of the Crown, and I wish to proclaim his
answer, so that you may know the stage at which it has
arrived. In reply to the question, the Minister stated
that the subject was under the consideration of the
Cabinet, in the hope that a measure would be got pre-
pared of a satisfactory kind.—(Cheers.) The queetion
of Non-intrusion is simple in its nature, and cannot be
misunderstood, unless you wish to mystify yourselfrespeet-
ing it. The Tories endeavour topersuade Dissenters that
it is a question in which they have no interest. But if
you look back to the history of the Churcladoyou notfind
that it was for the sake of this very principle that Dis-
senters left the establishment ? That for this very prin-
ciple was that mighty limb—the Secession—shorn from
the Church ?—(Cheers, and cries of " Yes.") Do-Dot
tell me, then, that this is not a Dissenters' question. We ,
are told, too, that the clergy wish to erect a sort of Po
pery within Presbytery ; but what are the facts of the
matter ? The clergy do not wish to be constituted judges
of the acceptability of a presentee. This is the Tory
doctrine of Lord Aberdeen, and of the gentlemen on the
opposite side of this hustings.—(Cheers.) The real ,
friends of Non-intrusion simply wish that the clergy
should judge of the moral character, and the literary and
theological qualifications of a presdotee ; and that the •
clergy having found these sufficient, the congregation_
should declare whether he was acceptable to them, and
fitted to edify them ; and if they declare that he is not,
then that the Church Courts should be bound to reject
him.--(Great cheering.) These are my opinions, and
they are exactly those of Mr. Stewart. Are they not
also yours 7—(Cries of " Yes, they are.") See that
ye b(-rive proper effect to them, then.—(Loud cheers.)
I only desire to say a fe.y words in conclusion. I tins
attacked in the House of Commons by a gentleman
who was once a Whig, but who is now a Tory—l mean
Sir James Graham—and accused of " indecent haste " •
in moving the writ for this election. Now, mark how
these Tories " change their tune " when it suits their
purpose. Sir C. Blunt suddenly died the other day ;
and within twenty-four hours after his death, Sir Thomas
Fremantle moved a new writ of election for the place
he represented, while I did not move the writ in this
election for three whole days after the demise of Lord
Mansfield. This is my answer to the Tories, and I
now make them a present of their charge of indecency.
—(Cheers.) I have now only to urge you to do your
duty—to vindicate your consistency—to give free ex-
pression to your opinions—to support the cause that I
know is dear to you, which is hound up with; the wel-
fare of your country and with the liberties of you all.—
(Tremendous cheering.) Reject the Tory, then, and •
place Mr. Stewart ut the head of the poll by a trium•
pliant majority.—(The Hon. Gentleman concluded his
speech amid loud and continued cheering.)
Mr. W. HARRIS, Inchewan, in seconding the no-
mination of Mr. Stewart, said—Gentlemen, I have
known Mr. Stewart all my life. While acting for his
brother, he has always shown himself most kind to the
tenantry.—(Cheers.) I have great pleasure in second
ing the nomination of one of a family under which I
have so long lived ; and more especially, when I find I
can do so on the great question of' Non-intrusion, in
which, as an elder of the Church, I am deeply inte
rested.—(Great cheering.) I need not allude to his
political opinions after what has fallen from -the pro. 1.
poser.—(Cheers.)

Mr. CAMPBELL, of Monzie next came -forward to
propose Mr. Drummond, and was received With a storm
of hisses and groans, which 'yore continued with greatei
or less vehemence, and with little interruption,
throughout his speech, so that we could only catch
a word in a sentence here and there. Mr. Campbell
commenced by abasing the Ministry, and 'repeated the
stale stuff' that forms the stock in trade of the Tories.
He seemed to be particularly enraged at the introduee
tion of Mr. Owen to Court. kle denounced the Minis-
try as feigning attachment to the Church, while they
dealt heavy blows and great discouragement to Pro-
testantism. lie was specially offended because they
had not propo,ed a grant for Church Extension, while
they bad succeeded in getting a sum fur a system of
Naticnal Elucation of the most abominable kind.
After saying something about the College of Maynooth
and Scriptural Education, the exact purport of which
we did not catch, he went on to explain his sentiments
on Non-intrusion, and the position respecting it in which
be had been placed by some Reverend Gentlemen in
the county. The noise and hisses were so constant,
however, that we only heard an occasional word. W(:
understood him to adhere to the opinions contained ;n
his letter to Mr. Drummond, and to coincide exactly
with those of that gentleman.

Mr. SMITH, of Deansten, seconded the nomination
of Mr. Drummond, amidst almost constant hissing.
Mr. STEWART then proceeded to address the meet-
ing, and on the occasion of no election here have we
seen a greater degree of enthusiasm manifested in favour
of the Liberal candidate. Mr. Stewart said :—Fellow
Electors of the county of Perth, I feel indebted to itt'
friend, Mr. Fox Mau!c, for the manner in which he hai
introduced ale to you. He has spoken of me as an
early friend, as a Reformer, and a supporter on every
occasion, of Reform principles ; and I ant 'proud that Ito
has nominated me for your suffrages, and that my na-
mination has been seconded by a respected aler of my
parish church. I have told you in my printed Address
that I have come forward on Reform principles. These
I have endeavoured to promote at all times, and by
every means in my power ; and if I :hall he so fortu-
nate as to be raturned to Parliament, I have no hesi-
tation in declaring it to be my intention to give my
support to the general policy of tne present Reform-
ing Government.—(Great cheering.) I :Iris sure that if
the whole people of Scotland could freely speak their
sentiments, they would not object to any Parliamentary
candidate who boldly avowed these opinions and inter:-
tions.—( Cheers.) I need not detain you by pointieg
out the benefits tint helve resulted to the country from.
the measures of the Liberal Ministry. The Reform
Bill put political power into the hands of the great
body of the people who possessed it not before ; and
since then many great public benefits have been gained.
—( Loud cheers.) But there is still much to be accom-
plished ; and if the Liberal Min;stry hare been ins-
peded and defeated in their measures, the fault is to be '
attributed to an Opposition, mad at their exclusion from
power, and who, for that reason, and actuated by such •
motives, obstruct the Government in all attempts to
legislate for the good of the people.—(Cheers.) There
are several questions of great importance at present be-
fore the country, and to the chief of these I shall now
shortly allude. I stated, before the address of my •'
Honourable Opponent appeared, that the question of
intrusion
Non- ought to be settled as speedily as pos-
sible—that the opinion on the subject was too gene-
ral, and too strong, to be resisted—and that, in my
opinion, the power of determining the acceptability, or
the reverse, of presenters, ought to be given wholly to
the congregations.—(Cheers.) My opinions were still
further explained in a correspondence which I had with
a respected proprietor in the county, and with an emi-
nent minister of the church, Principal Dewar. It is
still represented, however, by the friends of Mr. Drum-
mond, that the opinions expressed by him are the same
as my own on this subj,et. Than this nothing can be
more untrue.—(Cheers.) We differ most completely.
—(Renewed cheers.) Mr. Drummond would give the I
veto to congregations, but they must state reasons of
objection, and these he would leave to be dealt with
by the Church Courts as they may think proper. This
is not the old law of the Church, that " no mmister shall
be intruded on a congregation, contrary to the will of
the people.''---(Cheers.) That such is the original and
fundamental law of the Church has been (dearly proved
the able men who have recently defended and
stro2,gled for the principle which it contains ; hut ,
though it were not, the aspect of the question would not
be intrinsically, materially altered, for I maintain that
the people are entitled to possess the power of
the plevent-
• settlement of unacceptable ieinisters.—(Lood
mg- •
and prolonged cheering.) The great and powerful body of
Dissenters separated from the Church on this ground
alone, for, on points of doctrine, there is no matetini
difference between the evaronlical Dissenters and the I

Church, and I am sure that D;sF,enters are too much at-

tached to religious, as well as civil freedom, to rc•fusc to

:lid the Church to obtain her rights.—(Cheers.) Is
there nut, a great difference brAwcen Mr. Drum-
mond and myself regarding this scLject ?—(Cheers and
cries of" Yes, no doubt of it.") If re!urned to Parliament,
I shall be glad to give my vote that the demand of
my countrymen for an effectual control over the appoint-
ment of their passers is just and proper.—(Cheers.)
Noble evicLneo ha,; just been :,fforled in this county
that the clergy will not have the arbitrary and inquis:-
tcrial power which Mr. Drummond's Flirty woulct give
to them,—(Caeers.) conduct is high-Laindeil.:44,

disinterested, and will endear them to the people stil.
more.—(Cheers.) It has been said that I have adopter
Om opinions which I have expressed to you on thi
snhject, solely for the purpose of promoting my elec-
tion. In the face of this meeting, and before tbr
world, I repel the falsebood.—(Loud cheers.) I have
ever entertained these opinions, and occasions have
arisen in the course of my life, in which. . I hay(
acted upon them in the settlement of ministers.—
(Renewed cheers.) There is another subject to which
I feel bound to allude, and I do so with pain, be-
cause it concerns myself personally. It has been as-
serted in this county that my professions of attach-
,ment to Protestantism are false, and that I am ;
Papist.—(Cries of " Shame.") This is a most wicker'
;falsehood. In your presence—in the i
presence of Al-
.mighty God—l solemnly declare that am not a Catho
lie, nor ever have been, and that in the faith of Pro-
testantism, in which I was born, and in which I hay(
ever held, I trust I shall die.—(Tremendous cheering.)
Once only, since I began my canvass, have I beer
asked if I were a Catholic ; and the question, which
was put to me in anything but a straightforward
manner, was proposed, I afterwards learned, by a per-
son who is neither an elector in the county, nor resider).
in it.—(Cries of " Drummond hens him.") Another
libel has been published against me. lam alleged, ai 1
a dkner given to my late brother by his tenantry, to I
have spoken insultingly and disrespectfully of thr
Church of Scotland. My committee at once gave the
falsehood a distinct contradiction, and I now declarr
it to be a base and malicious calumny.—(Great
cheering, and cries of "We believe it.") I
merely stated what was the opinion of the Chore,
of Rome—that she consia'ercd herself the mother
of all Christian Churches, and that she re-
garded the Church of Scotland as part ~i
her spurious progeny. This, Gentlemen, is what I sal.
and I have retained the friendship of all who were pre-
sent on that occasion. The Elder of the Church wit
presided at teat dinner is he who seconded my nomi-
nation this day ; the clergyman whom I was said tr
have then insulted continues to be my most intimate am.
valued friend, and, since I became a candidate for tlh
representation of your county, came forward, voluntarily
and unsought, and pled .ed himself to vote for me.—
(Prodigious cheering.) Now, I put it to
.-,,0u whether
this excellent clergyman, had he been insulted, as ab
leged, would have continued in warm friendship with
his insulter ?—(Cheers, and cries of " Answer that,
Drummond.") I have been most foully and falsel)
attacked, but let my assailants come publicly for-
ward, and publicly will I answer them.—(Lout
cheering.) I have been accused of audacity in soli-
citing your suffrages. It is said that lam an untried
man, and that I have not ability enough for your re-
presentative. No man is a very good judge of his own
talents ; but I do not ask too much when I solicit
you to try me, and see whether I do not possess the
requisites that you need in a Parliamentary guardian of
your interests. If we are to act upon the prin-
ciple that we are only to elect " tried" men, the House
of Commons will soon become rather a curious place.
—(Cheers and laughter.) Mr. Home Drummond has
sat in Parliament, but it was before the passing of the '
Reform Bill, and as a great change has since then come
over the House, we stand much in the same position.—
(Continued cheers.) Gentlemen, I have frankly and
unreservedly stated my opinions, and it is for you to
judge between us--whether you will have a Reformer
or a Tory for your Representative. Whatever may be
the issue of this election, I shall never regret that I have
offered myself as a candidate, for I have been received
throughout the whole county, in places where I had
never before been, with a kindness and cordiality which
I shall never forget ; and if I have afforded to the
electors as opportunity of recording their votes in fa-
vour of the party whom I am anxious to support, whe-
ther I gain the election or no, I shall feel that I have
done my duty to my country, and to my native county.
—(Cheering.) I stand here as the advocate of civil
and religious freedom, and allow me to express my firm
conviction, that if the Church is not soon completely re-
lieved from her present difficulties, she will receive a
blow from which she will not very speedily recover.—
( Here some person called out, " What is your opinion
of the Corn-laws r) Mr. Stewart replied—My opinion
decidedly is, that an alteration and modification of the
prescnt Corn-laws is imperatively necessary; and as I
have already pledged myself to employ every effort, if
returned to Parliament, to promote the moral and phy-
sical we'fare of the people, I think you may trust me
that on this question I shall carefully look to their in-
terests. Mr. Stewart concluded his speech amidst pro-
longed cheering.
Mr. DRUMMON D next presented himself, and was
greeted with storms of hisses and groans, and cries
of—" Of, off—go home—Baird and Hardie," &c.
The noise hardly abated for a moment through-
out his speech, and his voice being weak, we
could not, at the distance at which we stood
from him, catch much of what he said. He began
by observing that he had no explanations to offer to the
gentlemen on the opposite side, for he had never, either
publicly or privately, said one injurious word of the
public or private character of either of them. He felt
some degree of embarrassment on this occasion, as he
felt he was quite unable to fulfil the expectations of
his friends. All he could promise was, to displayin-
dustry, honesty, and zeal in their service, and he felt
confident that he should be returned on Saturday by a
very decisive reajority.—(Tremendous hissing, and
cries of " Never, never.") He had never resisted im-
provements, but had lent his assistance on many occa-
sions to introduce and perfect changes which had been
admitted to be beneficial, and he was willing again to
contribute his endeavours to this end. He then re-
ferred to the Non-intrusion question, and said
he did not know if the Rev. Mr. Mackenzie of Cornrie
were present or not, but he hoped he was as the re-
presentative of the Church militant.—(Hisses and con-
fusion.) This Rev. Gentleman had applied language
to him (Mr. Drummond) which he should be sorry to
use to him ; but whether he got his support now or
no, he was sure he would receive his approval in the
end. Mr. Drummond then alluded to the Corn-laws, and
repeated the sentiments on that subject which he express•
cd at the meeting in the George Inn on Friday ; and
which, having already reported, we do not recapi-
tulate here. With reference to the trial of M'liin-
lay, he said he did not imagine he should have been
called upon by a gentleman of Mr. Maule's rank and
knowledge to defend himself against such a nonsensical
charge as had been made. If Mr. Maule, by using the
word " tutoring," meant to allege that any attempt was
made to get Campbell to give a particular kind of evi-
dence, or to speak anything but the truth, he gave the
assertion a denial as strong and indignant as the English
language could express. The witness himself swore
that no attempt of this kind was made. Nothing was
done but what must be done in every civilized coun-
try, namely, to give assurances of personal protection
to witnesses, or how else could evidence be got, or
convictions obtained ? In the trial of the cotton-
spinners this was done ; and numbers of the witnesses
were sent out of the country.—(Hisses and confusion,
and cries of " Government spies.") It' these were
Government spies, I know nothing of them.—(Cries
of " That 'ill no tak'.") Even my opponents, concluded
Mr. Drummond, must be satisfied that I did nothing
morally wrong.
Mr. Ma ULE—I must publicly say that Mr. Drum-
mond has not given a satisfactory explanation of his
conduct in the trial of M‘Kinlay.--(Cries of " No, he
has not.") I never taxed him with putting words into
the mouth of the witness ; but that he made such pro-
mises to the man, as prevented him from swearing that
he had not received a reward, or pro:nise of reward.—
(Cheers.) The case had to be abandoned, and no ver-
dict, save one of not proven, was obtained. I dis-
tinctly guarded myself from saying anything of Mr.
Drummond's private character ; but with his public
character we have a right to meddle ; and I ask if
there had been no reasons for supposing that the pro-
ceedings in M'Kinlay's trial were highly improper,
would Lord Archibald Hsmilton have made a motion
in the House of Common, on the subject ?—(Cheers.)
With respect to Mr. Drummond being elected by men I
of all parties to represent Stirlingsliire I have to
fi,rm you that Stirlingshire was then a'rotten b
i
boroug
h-
el the
simply Montrose family, and it was to
tteir influence that Mr. Drummondwas
so a supported,ur
Upon the passing of the Reform Bill Stirlin slairechos;
a better Reformer for its representat' g
representative.
Mr. DRUMMOND—But, Mr. Maule, the question
is, would those gentlemen in Stirlingshire have brought
me forward and supported me, it a taint had rested on
my character ? Mr. Drummond went on to say, that
slips of paper, concealed in small rolls of tobacco, were
secretly conveyed to Campbell, while he war in the
Castle of Edinburgh, by the friend of M‘Kinlay, courr-
selling him to say that he had received promises of re-
ward, and by this means to save the prisoner.
Mr. Drummond immediately left the hustings, but
some of his friends still remained.

Mr. B. S. CAMPBELL, of Cloichfoldich, said the
Hon. Gentleman who has proposed the Tory candidate
on the present occasion (Mr. Campbell of Monzie),
had been placed to attack me, and 1-as stated that I
appeared at the hole and corner meeting which the
Tories held in the George Inn on Friday, as the
Whig agent of a Noble Lord. It is true that
I forced my way into the Tory camp, and that there
I put a series of questions to Mr. Home Drum.
mond, but I deny moat explicitly that I appeared
there as the agent of any party whatever. I am a
free and independent elector of the county of Perth.
As such, I attended the meeting referred to ; and, as
such, I appear here this day to give my humble aid
in asserting the civil and religous liberties of the people.
But I do not doubt that Mr. Campbell of Monza at-
tacked me w;th the same sincerity with which he is
. now maintaining the High Churcb principles which he
professed, when he stood forth as a candidate to repre-
sent Argyleshire in 1837. I have not forgot that he
then held himself cut as the champion of the Church,
and yet we now see him to-day proposing a candidate who
would deny to the people a voice in the selection of their
spiritual instructors. I trust that this will not 111 lost
Upon the clergymen and others in the counties of Perth
and Argyle, who arc fighting for the spiritual indepen-
dence of the people. I can tell Mr. Campbell of Mon.