The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-26 00:00:00

LORD ABERDEEN ON RIFLE CORD''

The landholders of Aberdeenshire met on Weir'
nesday afternoon, in the County-buildings,
deen.---.-Mr. Thomas, the convener of the countii
presidin—anent imposing a voluntary assosillen
on their property, for the purpose of defraying
cessary.expenses in the formation of county 111
and artillery corps. There was a numerousattenu.‘
ance. From a statement read by the convener, ilk
appears that at the present moment there are nearli
800 volunteers in the various districts of theconnti:
Liners
many of whom, through their own and the
.fa
liberality, will require very little assistance in re-
gard to uniform, &c. The following letter was "'—
from the Earl of Aberdeen, lord-lieutenant of t'-
from
county :

tc Argyle House, December 19, 1859.
cc My dear Sir,--I have to transmit to you, for the infer.
mation of the county
receivedmythe to my circular of the 26th
ult. My absence from Scotland, and the present state of
make it impossible for me to attend that oat'
0 alb§
ing, and I am, therefore, desirous of availing myself fnnos
opportunity to put you in possession of my
con -5 d
the subject with respect to which it has been ened, an
to inform you of the course which it is my intention to
adopt. Different opinions no doubt exist as to the necemitt
or expediency of volunteer corps. Arguments not defteic,
their
in weight may be urged, both against them and on
behalf. Individually, I entertain a very decidod 01).111i1
rt
in their favour, but I apprehend that this question Is ,11,
one which we are now called upon to discuss. The Pus Pa.
opinion of the country at large has been expressed ill la.
ner too unequivocal to be mistaken, and as regard,. 1,,,, noir
deenshire itself, it does not appear to me that We trv-iithin.
to consider whether a volunteer force is to be ral°,7,y be of
the county, but what the most efficient inean°4,7,4'whink
carrying into execution the resolutions le that °u—T ~.nnot
were adopted during the course of past summer. . •
doubt that the expenses which must attend the organisation
of such a force should not be allowed to fall entirely upon
its members, and that to a considerable extent at least WI
should be defrayed by the country at large whether bathl
of general subscription, voluntaryassessinent, or such!:
mode as may appeur preferable. In two parishes ill, re ft
own immediate neighbourhood more than /200 has been
subscribed by the tenant farmers and volunteers alone' A I
wards the expenses of the companies there formed ; an
cannot but feel that such patriotic liberality
°di' deserves teil n:
responded to in a similar spirit. I make no doubt t
hat
other parishes will, if called on, be ready to display equal
,flisation
But it is absolutelp necessaryto the successful org
of any such movement that it should possess a centre and ro-
of
cognised head. Such a centre might naturally be supposed to
exist in the lord-lieutenant of the county. My age slid ir
firmities, however, render it impossible for me to underta !
the increased fatigue and responsibility which these Iron
duties would involve; and I have therefore netermined to
request her Majesty's permission to appoint a vice-lieutenans
who will take charge of the whole military business of
the
county, whether relating to militia or to volunteer coirt
and who will exercise all the powers at present invested 01
myself. I have requested Col. Fraser, of Castle Fraser, to
undertake this office, and lam happy to say that he
hal
consented to do so. His experience in affairs of a similar
nature, and the personal weight of his position and character,
will, I trust, ensure a general approval, by the county" eg
this appointment.—l remain, my dear sir, yours very faith-
fully,
b y AfterNirhi" ABERDEBIi."
"A. Thomson, Esq., of Banchory,
Convener of the County."
which the discussiongentlem e
gentlemen imposed
resolution
u upon
an assessment of 1-d. in the pound on their property.
~.,
berdeen Tow
wThheicahpphoeinlstmasenntoomfiCnoaltoendelbFyrroerrd t.ot the office to
received with warm applause. eci:serriiveedo,
onwilthg

------ .
The Irish papers state that Kirwan, who wits
sentenced to death some years ago for the murder of hie
wife on Ireland's Eye, and whose sentence was commuted
to transportation for life, and who was finally deported to
Bermuda, has obtained through the energetic and enduring
sympathy of his friends at home a furthr commutation of
his sentence • and, on a report of his ' very proper conduct
while in foreign parts, he has been liberated and %In be
allowed to return home.