The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-13 00:00:00

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I which he hoped would set the question at rest, He
had put himself in communication with Earl de Grey

and 'Ripon, Under-Secretary for War, on the sub-
, ect ; and, in mentioning that nobleman's name he
could not resist publicly bearing his tribute to the
admirable manner in which he had conducted the
business of his department, To him especially the
duties of the 'War Department connected with the
volunteers hr d been intrusted ; he had shown in their
discharge a degree of tact, sound judgment, and in-
telligence which did him infinite credit; and he
(Lord EVIO) was glad to hear Mr. Herbert, the
Secretary for War, in the House of Commons the
other night, bear similar testimony to the way in
which the noble earl had acquitted himself.
(Cheers.) He (Lord Elche) wrote the following
letter to Earl de Grey a few days ago :

Feb. 7.
"My Lord,—lt will be in our lordship's recollection
that some time back I had they honour of an interview with
your lordship relative to the proper mode of appointing offi-
cers to volunteer corps. By the printed rule of the London
Scottish Volunteers relating to this subject, it was proposed
that the commanding officer should recommend persons for
commissions to the Lord-Lieutenant after consulting with
the Council, and after havinc, submitted the names to a
general meeting of the corps, who should be entitled to ex-
ercise a veto on each name so submitted. This latter part
_

•
of the rule, which gave a veto to the members of the corps,
was objected to by the Lord-Lieutenant, and your lordship,
on my bringing it under your notice, said that you could
not sanction the principle of popular election, which it to a
great degree recognised. Acting upon this, I, after having
ascertained the views of the Council, recommended certain
gentlemen to the Lord-Lieutenant for commissions. This
course, however, on my part, and the alteration of the rule,
have given disssatisfaction to some members of the corps,
who say that other volunteer corps have been allowed to
elect their officers, and a resolution was passed to convene a
special meeting of corps to consider the subject. I should
therefore be glad if your lordship would kindly inform me
whether any other corps have had any rule sanctioned by
the War-office which gives them in any way the power or
privilege of electing their officers, and whether, while refus-
ing youy sanction to the principle of popular election, your
lordship 'would approve of commanding officers, before
making recommendations for which they would be respon-
sible, taking what steps may appear to them to be most
expedient, with a view to finding out who are the persons
who would as officers be most acceptable to their corps.—l
remain your obedient servant, " ELcuo."
To that letter Earl de Grey replied as follows :

"Feb. 9.

"My Lord,—l have the honour to acknowledge there-
esipt of your lordship's letter of the 7th inst., on tie subject
of the mode of appointing officers in volunteer corps, and
having special reference to the case of the London Scottish
Rifts Volunteers under your command.
"Your Lordship is aware that the appointment of officers
in the volunteer force is vested by Act of Parliament in the
Lord-Lieuteunnt, subject to her Majesty's approval.
"With this provision of the law the Secretary of State
has, of course, no power to interfere, even if he desired to do
so; but Mr. Herbert, feeling that it is desirable that officers
should be appointed to volunteer corps who are acceptable to
those whom they are to command, has mentioned, whenever
any corps has wished it, tho adoption of the system laid
down in the model rule No. 5, whick is to the following
effect :

" The officer in commani will propose gentlemen to the
Lord- Lieutenant forcommissious as officers. but the appoint-
ment of all officers is vested by Act of Parliament in tho
Lord-Lieutenant, subject to the Queen's approval.'
"It is not in Mr. Herbert'r power, consistently with the
requirements of the law, to lay down any further rule.
" When, therefore, the regulations proposed fur the Scot-
tish Rifle Volunteers came before him, he could only con-•
firm the objection taken by the Lord-Lieutenant when he,
forwarded those rules to those provisions which tended to
recognise officially a right of veto, if not of election, in the
members of the corps in respect to the persons whose names
should bo submitted by your Lordship as officers command-
ing to the Lord-Lieutenant for appointment as officers.
" Under these circumstances, I have to inform your Lord-
ship, in reply to the questions which you have put to me,
that no rule has been sanctioned by her Majesty which recog-
nises a right in the members to elect their officers, but that
Mr. Herbert can havenoobjection to commandingoffieers, be-
fore making recommendations for 'which tkey would be re-
sponaible,Jaking what steps may appear to them most ex-
pedient with a view to finding out who would, as officers, be
most acceptable to their corps.—l have the honour to be,
my lord, your. faithful servant,

" DB GRET AND li.IP011."
(Cheers.) There, then, was the law distinctly laid
down by responsible Ministers of the Crown—Mr.
Herbert and Earl de Grey ; and he could only say
that he was delighted to find them disposed to re-
cpgnise the exercise of a discretion on his part, as
the commanding officer of the corps ; and, in every
future election, as vacancies might arise, he should
endeavour to ascertain the feelings of the members
at large before making the nomination. (Cheers.)
The question rested now between the corps and the
War Department, but, subject to the condition
stated in the letter of Earl de Grey, it also rested
between the corps and him (Lord Elcho). • (Hear.)
His object in holding that correspondence was, that
the corps should have officers over them whom they
thought wo'ild give satisfaction, and in whom they
coule, place confidence—(hear)—and they might
rest assured that he would endeaVour in every
ease to meet their views, and to make the most
judicious appointment whenever a vacancy arose.
(Hear, hear.) Before resuming his seat he might
say the meeting was aware that her Majesty had
been graciously pleased to announce her intention
of holding a special levee for the reception of the
officers of volunteer corps throughout the kingdom.
He had received a letter from an officer of the corps
under his command' wishing to know whether he
would be permitted to attend the levee in his uni-
form. To that inquiry the only answer he (Lord
Elcho) could give was that he himself meant to
attend in his volunteer uniform, and he did not
apprehend that he should be refused admission.
Mr. WILSON, a member of the corps, said, while
he should not be disposed to question the grounds,
on which the Lord Lieutenant might recommend
persons to her Majesty for commissions, he, for him-
self, could not recognise the fairness of any choice
of officers which did not to some extent proceed on
the principle of popular election. (Hoar.) At the
same time he was not prepared to say that popular
election, without any control on the part of the
'commanding officer, would be a proper thing.
(Hear, hear.) He believed it would have been
more desirable if the election had rested with the
members of the corps and the veto with the mm-
manding officer. He could not doubt that the ener-
getic way in which Lord Elcho had acted in this
matter would give a fresh start to the London
Scottish Volunteer Corps. (Hear, hear.)
Professor MASSON (who is a working member of
the corps) thought his lordship had taken the
proper and necessary step to bring this matter to an,
issue, and had elicited a statement from the War'
Department which, though exactly corresponding
with the knowledge which the corps had before-
hand of what was permissible, indicated that the
authorities there would not interfere with the dis-
cretion of the commanding officer in taking what
steps he chose in the future election of officers to
ascertain which of the members of the corps would
he likely to give most satisfaction in that capacity.
When other corps appeared to be doing all they,
wished in the election of officers under the existing
law, members of this corps had asked why they
could not do the same. Lord Elcho had .taken
the necessary step to satisfy his own mind whether
the course adopted in the other corps Might obtain
in this. _ Ho (Professor Masson) was of opinion
that all that was purely civil and administrative
in the management of the corps should spring
out of the corps itself, and all that was military
should emanate from the commanding officer. 1,
(Cheers.) It was of the very essence of this volun-
teer movement that that should be so ; and, unless
that principle were recognised, the movement would
not be what it ought to be. Ho trusted that Lord
Elcho would carry on the movement still further
and further, intimately identified and connected
as his lordship had been with it from the
very first, and setting an example as he
had done in attaining by laborious practice among
'the rapk and file the honourable position of a really
effective working volunteer rifleman. (Cheers.)
Now that this question of disputed jurisdiction had
been settled, the corps would cheerfully obey his
Lordship as their military head ; but, he repeated,
the civil administration of the corps should spring
from itself, because in that, among other respects,
lay the difference between a paid soldier and a
volunteer. (Cheers.)
Mr. ROBERTSON moved a resolation to the effect
that the meeting, having heard read the letters of
Lord Elcho and Earl de Grey and Ripon on the
election of officers, desired to express its thanks to
Lord Elehe for the promptitude and spirit it
, w
which he had acted in the matter, and its complete
satisfaction with the reply of the Government.
Professor MASSON said he would willingly second
the motion, provided the expression that the meet-
ing was "satisfied with the reply of the Govern
ment" did not commit him to the supposition that .
the Government might not have however further fl
matter. (A laugh.) He was, bsa ie
with the prlictical upshot of tho matter.
The resolution, after Dr. CORMACK and another
member of the corps had spoken to it in approval,
was put and carried with acclamation.
The corps then by a spontaneous motion gave
three lusty cheers for the Queen ; another round
followed for Lady Elcho, and with that eballition
of enthusiasm the proceedings terminated.

THE VOLUNTEER UNIFORM.
The following circular has been issued :
" War-office, 1860.
Sir,—l am directed by Mr. Secretary Herbert
to forward to yon the enclosed specification of the
uniform recommendra fear artillery and rifle volun-