The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-26 00:00:00

EDINBURGH TOWN COUNCIL.

FRIDAY, APRIL 23.
PRESENT TO THE CITY FROM LORD
BROUG HAM.
The LORD PROVOST intimated that Lord Brougham
had been pleased to present the corporation with twenty-
eight large volumes, containing the Acts of the Scottish
Parliament, from 1424 to 1707, the Statutes of the
Realm, and the Public Records, published by the Record
Commissioners. (The hooks were lying on the Council
table. His Lordship then proposed that the thanks of
the Council should be tendered to Lord Brougham for
his valuable present. He knew that LoM Brougham
always entertained an affectionate remembrance of his
native city, and was prepared to do what he could to
promote its prosperity, and to be of service to, its in-
habitants. It was an unhappy condition of human
greatness, that let a man spend a long life in conferring
benefits on the public, should he offend in one point,
those who take offence will consider him guilty of the
whole law, and will not only forget all his previous ser-
vices, but the very number and greatness of them will
add to the bitterness of their indignation. It would be
very unbecoming in him, and very inappropriate on the
present occasion, to enter on disputed questions, but
surely he might say
proud of Lord Brougham as one of her most distinguished
Edinburgh was justified in feeling
sons and a burgess of the city, especially when they re,
called to mind the great service he had rendered his
eountry, as the fearless and eloquent defender of the
oppressed, whether in the humble condition of a
printer or an exalted princess ; he had bean in the for&
most ranks of reform, IN hether in the law or general
policy—he had been one of the most distinguished advo-
cates for the abolition of slavery, and it was in no small
degree owing to him that the chains of slavery had been
for ever broken in the British settlements. It was un-
necessary for him to refer to the great services which his
Lordship had rendered to science and literature, and the
general education of the people—he might, however, re-
mind them of what they had probably forgotten, that it
was to Lord Brougham they were in a great measure
indebted for their seat at that Board, for it was he
who took charge of the measure of Burgh Reforna
in the House of Lords, and by his energy and talent's
carried it safely through.—(Hear,' hear.) Const-
sidering this present as an evidence of Lord Brougham's
kind recollections of his native city, and his desire to
advance its prosperity and the interests of its inhabitants;,
the Lord Provost moved that the thanks of the Council
be tendered to Lord Brougham for his valuable present,
not more for its intrinsic worth than for the kind feel-,
ings which it implied.—(Hear, hear.)
Bailie URQUHART seconded the motion, which was
unanimously adopted.
TESTIMONIAL TO MR. ROWLAND MILL,
The Council, on the motion of Mr. RUSSELL, remitted
to the Lord Provost's Committee, to consider the pro-
priety of taking steps for convening a public meeting of
the inhabitants in aid of the proposed testimonial to Mr.
Rowland Hill, the author of the penny postage scheme.

TEE SEASON AND THE Cuors.—The present sea-
son has hitherto been one of the finest that we have had
for several years for promoting the growth of thosecrops
which are already sown, and enabling the farmers to
prepare the land for those which remain to be sown. In
all the counties of . England, between Liverpool and
Southampton, as well as in Normandy and, the other
northern provinces of France, in Belgium, in Rhenish
Prussia, and in Germany as far as Frankfort, the
wheat crops this year are mast. promising. We do
not remember to have seen above half-a-dozen bad fields
of wheat in a journey .of one thousand or twelve,
hundred miles. In general "the plant is very thick,
the colour good, and the promise of the crop excel-
lent. The same observation applies to the oat, the
rye, the clover, and rape crops on the Continent, and
to the grass crops in England. In the limestone
districts of Normandy and in Flanders, as well as in the
,
rich district of Mayence and Frankfort, the clovers are
what
rapeat m apyl
a be
nt
unusually fine this year, and it is a remarkable proof of
h was at
lbeyasrt a
ichycaerdltivation that the Colza,
o
high,
and in full bloom,
in Easter week, between Marlines and Antwerp, at a time
when it was not even in bud in districts of France a
couple of degrees further south. Owing to the heavy
rains of March, and the general warmth of the first fort-
night in April, this and most otheterops were as forward
as they wore ever known to be nt this season all the way
from Havre to the Rhine. In this neighbourhood, and
throughout England generally, they look as well as could
be wished. The cleaning and preparing the land for
spring crops has now made great progress ; and, in this
county, which is famed above all others for its potato cul-
tivation, the planting of potatoes has become generalt
There has Eeyer been a 411,r season for getting Om
into the ground, and the showers of the last few days
will cause them to germinate rapidly, and thus save them
from the diseases to which they are subject in dry
springs.—Liverpootrimm -