The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-14 00:00:00

RURAL LABOURERS IN SCOTLAND.

The condition of the rural labourer in Scotland has for
some time attracted great attention, chiefly owing to the
large per tentage of illegitimate births disclosed of late
years in the registration statistics of some of the agricultu-
ral districts. The great strides of agriculture in many
quarters appear to have had a prejudicial, not a beneficial,
effect on the farm-labourer, and various associations have
been formed with the view of elevating his social condition,
one of the most important of these being the Association
for the improvement of Agricultural Dwellings. On Wed-
nesday last a meeting was held at Edinburgh to consider
the whole subject of the rural labourer's condition. Mr.
Stirling, M.P., presided, and ariiong, others present were—
Mr. Dunlop, M.P., Sir W. Dunbar, M.P., Mr. Wemyss,
M.P., Principal Sir D. Brewster, Sir John S. Jorbes, and
many of the leading proprietors and tenant farmers in Scot-
land. The chairman remarked that within the last 6 or 7
years the Associaticn for the Improvement of Agricultural
Dwellings had doubled the number of good cottages in Scot-
land, and the Legigilatniv had shown its anxiety to promote
tho object in view by passing almost without remark a bill
for facilitating the erection of cottages on entailed estates,
a measure for which the thanks of the country were due to
Mr. Dunlop, the member for Greenock. Though much had
been already done to improve the condition of the agricol-
tural labourer, very much still remained to be done. He
thought, however, that some of the accounts that had been
lately given of the farm labourers of Scotland were charged
with too gloomy a colouring. From some accounts given
of them a stranger would be led to suppose that the pea-
santry of Scotland were a demoralised and decaying race. He
did not deny the fidelity of some of the pictures that had
been drawn of the barbarian of the northern bothy, which
had lately surprised the public; but he believed the case
described was exceptional, just as the beautiful picture of
the cotter drawn by Burns was also exceptional. The rural
labourer, like other classes,was subject to temptationswhich
frequently he was unable to resist; and his two vices were
drunkenness and adding to the register of illegitimate births.
But drunkenness was now almost banished from the bettor
classes, by the introduction of higher amusement and pur-
suits, and. the operation of the same causes might perhaps
in course of time also banish it from that class. In regard

to the question of illegitimate births, he thought this fac
might be plainly stated, that the law of marriage in
Scotland taught the people almost a different morality from
that of England. In England a man who stamped on his
offspring illegitimacy inflicted on them an irreparable in.
jury. In Scotland, the injury was reparable, and was very
frequently repaired ; and he did not think it would be main-
tained, on comparison between the registers of illegitimate
births in Scotland and in England, that that comparison
was so much in favour of England as might naturally be
supposed, owing to the difference between the laws of the
two kingdoms. The chairman concluded by pointing out
how much the welfare of the farm labourer was in the hands
of the classes above him, and by remarking that, while
nothing could be done by the latter to improve his condition
without cost, the benefits that would result to both tenant
and proprietor were well worthy of the cost. The meeting
was then addressed by Messrs. Maclagan, Simpson, Cowie,
Hope, and other farmers, and by several land proprietors,
and the following resolutions were unanimously adopted :
" 1. That, taking into consideration the general improve-
ment in agriculture' in Scotland, it is most desirable that
increased attention should be directed to improving the
condition of the rural labourers. 2. That as comfortable
and commodious dwelling great tend to promote morality,
delicacy of feeling, and sound bodily health, this meeting,
while cordially admitting what has been already done in this
direction, would earnestly' call the attention of landed pro-
provide these in greater numbers than exist at present, and
to the facilities afforded for this purpose by recent Acts of
Parliament enabling proprietors of entailed and unentailed
estates to build and to improve cottages. 3. That as im-
proved cultivation necessarily implies an increase in, the
amount and quality of the labour employed, it is the duty
and interest of both landlords and tenants that a sufficiency
of cottage accommodation be provided on every farm, thus
removing at the same time an impediment to the formation
of those domestic and family ties so essential to the happi-
ness and welfare of the human race. 4. That this meeting
recognises the necessity of greater attention on the part of
proprietors and farmers to the importance of education,
both juvenile and adult, and do not merely recommend th©
regular attendance at school for the former, but that a sup-
ply of wholesome literature be constantly disseminated
among the latter, and especially to the disadvantages con-
nected with the jpractico of taking away children from
school during a pressure of field labour."
A committee ' was appointed to take all practical steps
thought expedient for the elevation of the farm labourer's
condition.

WIND AND. WEATHER REPORT.

THIS DAY, J

IN. 14, 9 A.M.
Hull, S.W. ; fine
Inverness, N.W. ; frost
Jersey, S.E. ; wet
Leeds, S.W. ; frost
Leith, N.E. ; snow
Manchester, E. ; snow
Middlesborough, S.E. • frost
Milford Haven, N.E. ; rain
Newcastle onTyne, SE.; thaw
Newmarket, E. ; frosty
Norwich, W. ; frosty
Perth, E. ; thaw
Peterborough, S.E. ; frost
Port Glasgow, N.E. ; thaw
Queenstown, N.N.W., fresh
Sheffield, N. ; frosty
Southampton, E.N.E. ; fine,
frost
Stockton on Tees, S.; frosty
Sunderland, S.E. ; dull
Waterford, E.N.E. ; fine
West Hartlepool,; thaw
Weymouth, E.S.E. ; cloudy
Whitehaven,E.N.E.; cloudy
Wolverhampto'n, E, ; Mow
York, S. ; thaw

Ayr, E.N.E. ; frost
Belfast, S. ; fine
Birmingham; RE. • fine
Bradford, N.W. ; fine
Brighton, W.; fog
Bristol, S.S.E. ; dull
Cambridge, E. ; frosty
Cardiff, N.W. ; rain
Carlisle, E.S.E. ; frost
Chatham, S.E. ; cloudy
Cork, N.E. ; fine
Deal, S.E., moderate
Derby, N.E. ; snow
Doncaster, N.E. • frosty
Dover, N.B. ; fine
Dublin, N.N.E. ; cloudy
Dumfries, S.W. ; rain
Dundee, E. ' • wet
Edinburgh, S.E.; fog
Falmouth, calm ; fog, cloudy
Galway, S.E. ; rain
Glasgow, • frost
Goole, S.W.; N.E.fine
Gravesend, S.E.; frosty
Harwich, S.E. ; hard frost
Holyhead, E., light breeze;
k cloudy