Star.
London, England, 1831-05-26 00:00:00

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

The General Assembly met on Thursday in the Tron Kirk, Win-
borzh. The cirettin*tanee of the election of Prociirator taking place
on Thomlay rend -red the attendance of members great almor beyond
precedent on the lira day of the annual sederunt. The trooys lining
the streets, and in attendance on the Lord High Conimissioner, were
'he 70th Highlanders and 91st. No cavalry were on duty, which
sainovhat lessened the pomp of the procession to and from the high
church. The coveoursa of spectators was, as usual, very numerous.,
The most notable matters to come before the Hever:lid Court are the
Row end Irvine heresies, and the Auchtergaven and Avoch cases.
Th re is also, we understand, a very narrow piece of clerical scrutiny
front Gleneig.
His Grace the Coniniissioner (Lord Belhaven and Stenton) held his
I .vee in the Merchants' Hall, which was very numerously attended.
His Glace calked in procession with his friends to the High Church.
Afxr sermon the assembly met in the Tron Church, and was consti-
tuted in the neat form; and on the motion of Dr. Singer, seconded
by Principal Macfarlan, Dr. James Wallace, of Wliltekirk and Ty.
ningham, was unanimously chosen Moderator, and took the chair an.
cordingly.
On the motion of Dr. Summit, a committee wits appointed to draw
up an Address to his MAJESTY, which was scrooded by Dr. COOK,
who stated. that it was also usual to present an Addrcas to the Queen.
Dr. Coot then rose, and said, that by the death of Sir John Connell,
who lied so long, so ably. and so tenderly ILIA the once of Procurator,
the office had Income macaw. R:v. Dr. concluild by proposing
Mr. I:ohcrt Whialtam, Adruca.c. as a proper person fur the office.
Principal Macrae Lax seconded the nomination, and eulogised the
character cf lute Pi °touter.
The LORD Pazinwrwr proposed Mr. George Grant, Advocate.
Dr. Stearn !scalded .he nomination.

Dr. P.lllscrAnnsw proposed Mr. Itobnt Bal, Advocate.
Lord hloncuturr scecanled toe norninat'on.
Sir J. Comuumuu then proposed Mr. Alexander Dunlop, and
vas also szeond:d.

Mr. PAUL proposed Mr. John 'rawse, and was seconded by Dr.
Dickson.
The roll Wail then rolled, when 140 members voted for Mr. Bell, 107
for Mr. Grant, and 67 for Mr. Whigham.
Mr. Bell, being declared duly elected, took the Procurator's Chair,
and returned thanks.—Adjontocd.

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General then proceeded to read the article which appeared in the
Lancet the week preceding the liunterlan Oration, at the Col-
lege of Surgeons. The article called on the Members of the
College to resist the innovations of "a desperate, dark-minded
oligarchy," and to dictums the necessity of an address from the profes-
sion on the exclusion of Navy Surgeons from the Levee. The article
contended that the Theatre of the College was the property of the pro-
fession, and not of the President and his Council alone, and declared
that the Editor of the Lased would attend at the Theatre on the oc-
casion in question to discuss the above subjects. The article further
added, that although the Council had the power to make bye laws, they
yet never had made any that could operate against the profession to dis-
cuss any matters which affected their interests. The Learned Attorney, ob-
served, that this opinion of Mr. Watley was a most absurd one, and one
which no other member of the College of Surgeons held. It might
as well be contended that, because the President and Council made
no bye law against cock fighting or boxing, that those disgraceful ex-
hibitions were to be permitted in the College. The learned counsel
read the report of the proceedings at the College of Surgeons, which ap-
peared in the Latest the week following the meeting; and several
articles which subsequently appeared in that publication, and com-
mented on them with much severity, with a view of showing that the
disturbance was premeditated by the defendants generally. He adverted
to the language used by Mr. Wakley and Mr. King at the meeting,
particularly the expression," the cause which we have met to uphold •"
which they used upon more than one occasion. The learned counsel,
after observing upon the language contained in an article of the Lama,
where Mr. Wakley called upon the profession, in case the theatre was
not thrown open to the commonalty, to break open the doors and burl
the council into the street, concluded by hoping that the Court would
make this rule absolute. _ _ _

Sir J. SCARLETT followed on the same aide, and contended that the
object of the defendant was not to dismal the Order of the Admiralty
but to insult the President and Council of the College of Surgeons. lie
=2:edto argue at length that it was not necessary that there should
Furious concert shown to sustain a charge of conspiracy. It
was quite sufficient if it were proved the defendants acted in concert at
the meeting.
Mr. POLLOCK and Mr. FOLLET, who were on the same side, de-
clined to occupy the attention of the Court on the subject.
Lord TENTEEDEN, after consulting with the other judges, said the
Court were of opinion that the rule ought to be made absolute, with
respect to the defendants. T. Wakley and T. King ; but that the rule
should be discharged, as fur as the defendants Dermott and Walker
were concerned, neither of those being pre-sent at themeeting on the 14th
of February.