The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-22 00:00:00

TEE GENERAL ASSEMBLIES.

On Thursday the General Assembly of the Established
Church of Scotland was opened in Edinburgh, with the
usual ceremonial. In the forenoon the Earl of Stair, her
Majesty's Lord High Commissioner, held a levde in Holy-
rood Palace, which was attended by a large number of
the members of Assembly and others. After the levde
his Grace went in procession to the High Church, where
a sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Barty, of Ben-
dochy, the retiring Moderator. The route of the proces-
sion, by Abbey-hill, Regent-road, Waterloo-place, North
Bridge, and High-street, was lined by the Royal Artillery
from Leith Fort, the Bth Hussars, the 42nd Highlanders,
and the Enrolled Pensioners. The streets were crowded
with spectators. The Lord High Commissioner
drove in a State carriage, drawn by six horses.
The livery was blue, with yellow facings, and
silver lace. In the procession were the Moderator
of the Assembly, the judges of the Court of Session, the
Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of Edin-
burgh, the Sheriff of Midlothian, &c. At the conclusion
of the service in the High Court, the Lord High Commis-
sioner proceeded to the Assembly Hall, and during his,
progress a royal salute was fired from the Castle. The
Assembly having been "constituted," the election of
Moderator was held. Dr. Batty proposed that his suc-
cessor in the office should be Dr. Norman Macleod. The
motion having been unanimously agreed to, Dr. Macleod
was introduced to the Assembly, and took the chair amid
loud applause. Dr. Ramsay, purse-bearer to the Lord
High Commissioner, handed to the clerk his Grace's
commission, which was recorded. The clerk read
the Queen's letter, intimating the appointment of the
Commissioner, and expressing her Majesty's continued
attachment to the Presbyterian Church by law established
in Scotland. The Lord High Commissioner addressed
the Assembly, and announced her Majesty's annual gift
of £2,000 to be expended for the propagation of Christian
knowledge and education in the highlands and islands.
The Moderator, in returning thanks for the gift, remarked
that the Assembly recognised it as a proof the goodwill
of the Crown that one occupying so high a position in
society, so much respected for the excellency of his charac-
ter, and who was also an office-bearer of the Church,
should have been selected to represent her Majesty as her
High Commissioner to the General Assembly. After some
other business had been transacted the Assembly adjourned
till next day.
The General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland
also met on Thursday, in the new Assembly Hall, Edin-
burgh. The Rev. W. Nixon, Montrose, the retiring
Moderator, preached the opening sermon. At the close
of the service Mr. Nixon proposed that the Rev. Sir
Henry Wellwood Moncrieff be elected Moderator, which
was seconded by the Earl of Dalhousie, and unanimously
agreed to. Sir Henry was then introduced to the As-
sembly, who received him with loud applause. On
taking the chair he delivered an address bearing chiefly
on some of the public questions of the day. A com-
mittee was then appointed to draw up a loyal and duti-
ful address to the Queen, after which the Assembly
adjourned.

ANEW IRISH LIEUTENANT.— The Lord-Lieutenant

has appointed the Marquis of Conyngham Lieutenant and
Custos Rotulorum for the county of Meath, vice the Earl
of Fingall, deceased.

A PARTY NEWSPAPER.—Mr. Baldwin Bastard,
at a recent meeting at Plymouth, described a party organ
as being " set to grind only one tune, and the duty of
whose conductors it was to keep on grinding according to
orders as long as it could raise the wind."

SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE Gos-
TEL.—At the monthly general meeting it was announced
that J. C. Colquhoun, Esq, would not be re-proposed for
"mcorporation in June, but that the namo would be brought
forward at the annual meeting in February next. It was
stated that the Archbishop of Canterbury had expressed
his willingness to allow the use of a certain part of Lambeth
Palace as offices for the society, and a sum was voted to
enable the committee to obtain the necessary professional
advice as to the adaptability of the rooms to the society's use.
THE DUBLIN ELECTIONS AND REVISION.—The
Liberals of Dublin are already alive to the importance of
having the next parliamentary revision conducted as effi-
ciently as possible. An influential meeting was held on
Friday at the Gresham Hotel, and after addresses from
Mr. Pim, Sir D. Corrigan, and others, a subscription list
was opened to defray the necessary cost. It was stated
that not less than £l,OOO will be required—if the work be
well done it will be very cheap for the money—and 2350
was contributed in the room. Treasurers were appointed,
and a committee to collect subscriptions.
THE ANGLO-AMERICAN UNIVERSITY RACE.--A
letter, dated Oxford, Friday, says :—" The four who have
been selected by the University Boat Club to do battle for
the Dark Blue went to Iffley and back this evening, Mr.
F. Willan, of Exeter, ex-President of the 0.U.8.C.,
taking the rudder lines and coaching. The following was
the disposition of the men :-1. R. D. Benson, Balliol ; 2.
A. C. Yarborough, Lincoln ; 3. J. C. Tint* University ;
4. S. D. Darbishire, Balliol. The doings of the men were
attentively watched by a number of spectators who had
congregated on the towing path, and their rowing received
marked commendation. The crew will have the full confi-
dence of the Oxonians, as they are even at this early stage
remarkable for their pace and style of going. The betting
is 6 to 4 on Oxford.

THE WORKING MEN OF DUNDEE AND THE
SCOTCH EDUCATION BILL.—The working men through.
out the kingdom are paying great attention to the subject
of national education. The Dundee Institute, a body
composed of working men, has adopted an elaborate
report, which has been drawn up by a committee
appointed to consider the Government education bill for
Scotland. The report, while admitting that the measure in
question contains some good principles, urges its rejection
on the following grounds :-1. That while authorising the
imposition of a public rate, it makes no provision " for
the compulsory attendance and free elementary instruc-
tion of all the children of school age." 2. Because, as
amended in the House of Lords, it would " perpetuate
the existence and encourage the extension of the denomi-
national system." 3. Became in making the teacher's
income depend upon only a small fixed salary, and on a
variable grant dependent on his bringing up a certain
number of pupils to the Privy Council standard, it is in
opposition to what the institute declares the only sound
principle of payment, viz., that "the teacher's entire
annual income should be fixed at once at such a minimum
as will enable him to maintain a respectable professional
position, and that his situation, not his salary, should be
dependent on the general excellence of his school as re-
ported on by competent inspectors." They express their
opinion that " a national system of education should em-
brace a course of instruction commencing in the ?.Icnn-
tarY.'_fiChea and terminating irk the. iiiiiversity,"