Star.
London, England, 1831-04-23 00:00:00

CALEDONIAN MERCURY, APRIL 18.

In the Lower House, last week, we had an oration from a worthy
countryman of our own, an Aberdonian, we believe, by birth, and for
aught we know perhaps of a good family, who owes his fortune and sta.
tion in society to his successful mercantile speculations in India. Un.
like our other worthy countryman, Joseph Hume. he seems to have
come home with all the feelings of a Nabob ; to such a man a seat in
Parliament for a rotten borough is a matter of course, and a baronetcy,
and a Scotch freehold estate giving him a vote among these' magnates,
arc distinctions which seem to have made him an aristocrat to the back.
gone. Years ago, before he became a baronet, we recollect hearing
him spoken of as a liberal, open-hearted, and generous man : he
may be so yet—in private; but as a public man, as a member of the
legislature, if we were to judge of him by the speeches be has delivered
since the reform bill came before the house, our conclusion would cer-
tainly be that the worthy baronet has got " a bee in his bonnet."—His
last speech absolutely savours of rabidness and foaming at mouth. He
evidently knows less of the opinions and feelings of his Scotch country-
men (we mean of course such as are " without the pale") with regard
to this bill than he does of those of the Ilindoos respecting their reli-
gious rites. His account of the damage done at Edinburgh during the
late illuminations reminds us forcibly of the story of the three black
crows; the utmost extent at which it has yet been estimated here is
90001. Sir Charles Forbes more than doubles it (20,0001.) and one of
our own worthy contemporaries, mot to be outdone, gravely set it down
at not less than 30,0001! The story told also of the petition " placed
in gin-shops, where persons were stationed, who told those wbo signed
that the effect of the measure would be, that they would have whisky
for nothing • that there would be no guagers; and that all would he
quite free," ;Sheds such a specimen of the intellect of the narrator, and
of his estimate of the understandings of his countrymen that on read-
ing it, we actually blushed up to the ears from the sensation of shame
which such egregious folly exhibited.

A new passage boat called the Rapid has been started on the Forth
and Clyde Canal, which, for lightness, elegance, and quickness of des.
patch, surpasses any that has yet been attempted on the (',anal. It plies
between Port Dundas and Lock No. 16, and accomplishes the distance
twenty-four and a-half miles, in little more than duet hours, including
stoppages, being at the rate of eight miles an hour. The boat, which
is of the gig construction—the hull made of sheet iron—and drawn by
two horses, is sixty-eight feet long, by about six and a-half feet broad,
and weighs about two tons, twelve hundred weight.
The Margaret of Dundee sailed from Liebau on the 30th ultimo,
and arrived at Dundee two days ago. As she was leaving Llebau, news
arrived that all Livonia had risen in arms against the Russians. A
letter received in Dundee from Konigsberg, dated the Ist current, con-
tains the following passage :—" Intelligence has been received here,
that the whole province in Russia, along the Niemen and Wiles, up as
high as Wilna' is in a state of insurrection, which has spread as far as
Memel on the Russian side."
The annual ()old Medal, given by the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing
Society, Was played for on Saturday last, and, after a keen contest,
gained by Walter Lothian, Esq. Hope Park.
Berwick Corn hlorket, April 16.—There has been a small show of
samples of all kinds of grain here to-day, and sales generally heavy,
at about the rates of this day sc'nnight. Wheat, 56s to 60s ;
fine 61s to ezi per quarter. Barley, 33s to .is; fine, 365. Oets,
Potatoe, 291 to 30s ; Angus, 26s to 275. Beans, 37s to 395. Pease 40s.
Butter 50.4 to 54s per firkin.—Eggs, 3s (id per hundred.—Pork, 4. per
stone —Salmon, Is per lb.—Trout, Is. per lb.
MARRIED—Mr. James Kinninmonth, innerteel, Fife, to N 8.%
Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the late Mr. Leonard hlac-Glasham, of
Kirkaldy.—At Dundas Castle, hlontgomerie Hamilton, EN. to Ann,
youngest daughter of the late G. Dundas, Esq.
DIED—At Edinburgh, re. Isabella Campbell, widow of Niell
Campbell, Esq. late of Knap, Argyllshire—At Cuttleeraigs, 6.0.
Walker, fanner, in the 96th year of his age.

BOROUGH MON G ERINa.-3,600 millions spent in a cen-
tury-800 millions of remaining debt-30 millions of in-
terest—annual taxes raised from 2 to 55 millions—rates
raised from half a million to 15 millions—Corporations, Ci-
ties, and Towns, enormously in debt—roads and canals in
debt—parishes in debt—every thing and every body in debt
—estates mortgaged--houses mortgaged—industry mort-
gaged—brokers and pawnbrokers full—bankers poor—trade
without profit—traders insolvent—workhouses foil—out-
poor starving—goals twice enlarged, yet full—criminals in-
creased ten-fold—farms enlarged—small farms extinguished
—rents high, tythes high, rates high, little employment for
labour—wages below subsistence—bread dear—the popula-
tion emigrating—pensioners riding in carriages—sinecurist,
flourishing in palaces—standing army of 90,000 men, and
30,000 officers—lawyers and bum-bailiffs thriving—insol-
vent and bankrupt commissioners in comfort—money-
jobbers rich— the middle classes poor and insolvent—colonists
embeggered—shipping interest struggling—commerce with-
out profit—the labourers, paupers. Such is the boasted
prosperity produced by the system, policy, and legislation
of the boroughmongers ! Such are the results of their
wars, their paper money, their Peel's bill, their egotism, &c.
Certainly such things are no fruits of the British constitution,
or of its monarch•—but abuses begotten by abuses—and if
the Reform Bill destroys the parent tree, it will correct, di-
minish, or destroy its pernicious fruits.