New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-20
a SCOTCH CAMPAIGN.
Irs sERIors ND coNIC AsPEcrs.

a LlBfBAL AND 4 CONSTENAIlFE LANDOWNER
PiTTFD AGAINST EACH OTHER N THE NORTH
EAST Of sCoTLAND-IHE FARMERS DEEPLY IN
TTRr sTTu-THE ISSUES OF THE CONTFsT-HOY
THE CANDIDATES IRE CATFCHTsED OR HFcKLiD
IrroM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE rRfBrNr.l
MoRAYsHIRE, sept. I'm addition to the ordinary
Summer amusements of the Highlands, political
contest is going on NJ this moment in the two conn
ties Of Moray and Nain. 1t would be too much to
say that il divides attention with gTouseshootng or
salmon fishing. Tie two candidates excepted, |
have beard Of nobody who has yet sacrificed day
on the hill a DAY by tho river. sport for which
tie Legislature of tie whole nation regularly adj
jonrns in August is no; to DO nt,rfcred with for the
sake of bye-cection. But the election
does very well to fill up idle moments
not devoted to these more serious duties.
An attentive listener 10 the talk of the smoking
room or bilard-room will hear it mentioned now
and then. If II be n rainy day and the usual topics
ere talked out the prospects Of Liberal Conserva-
tive NAV even bo seriously discussed for five min
utcs. After 1t has been scrtlcd whether il was
Brown or Jones who knocked over that bird which
got MP eighty yards away. and whether the doctor
really killed that ton-pound salmon with trout
rod aud fly. q lanruld reference 70 the last speech
OF Sir George. or Brode of Brodie. is tolerated. But
l know was thought very odd forproposug to
took tho trouble to say he would not GO, any
more than If had casually suggested
a voyage to the moon. They only reached for their
guns from the rack and tramped resolutely forth to
make war on the peaceful population Of the heath
cred hillside. Yet the grouse would have been per-
fccly eonien; Ia he let alone. This az omit, how
ever, must be taken 70 apply only g what is here
called the gentry 0nd to their guests. Among tho
insignificant persons who live In these counties, and
farm their land. to whose patient industry the
prosperity Of the country is due. there is lively in
terest in the election.
As matters stand. This contest though local, Is Of
some Importance, and likely to have some influence
on general politics. Lord NacduG. the late member,
vacates his sent account o. the death of his
father the Cail of r.fe which makes him Peer Of
The Realm and transfers him 20 the House IF Lords.
BE was a Liberal but previously to his election in
1874, the seat had been held nv the Conservatives.
Lord Macduff won it by a majority of 30 in poll
Of 4fe ont Of a constituency Of 1.s36-that being
the whole number of voters In population Of
nearly 10000. In the borough Of Elgin, with pop
ulation OF less than 30 600 the numberneary
i0O0-fgure- which serve 10 show some hing Of the
difference between the county and borough fran
cl.es Lord Naodulf was a popular young man,
with strong influence at his back. and be had the
advantage ~ an oppoucut who refused To hold pub
lie meeting; public meetings hcinga privilege by
which the Scotch set great store The present Lib
cral candidate Is Sir George Macpherson Grant Of
Baliindalioch CASTLE fir specimen Of the scotch
landed proprietor. with an estate OF 10000 acres
Wing in thloe Counties His opponent is another
landed proprietor. known to the Scot a. Ircdie Of
Brodie You are NOT % cail him MIR. rodc. he omis
sion # the handle ma.ks middle stage between
the untitled De5,an auG the proud posscssor Of the
Sir. The two mcu are personal friends they be-
long 70 the sa,no class they hold pretty much the
same opinions on questions touching the land |;
neither Of them is very popular or very unpopular.
The main difference between them tersely
n ltcd by Sir George az q recent meeting. lie wants
ia turn ont Lore Beaconsfcld and his Government;
Brrdie wants To- keep ti,,A H.. On ,hat main issue
the contest is fought.
Now We were told no. long 400 by 4 leading
journal in London tiar people w,r, getting tired oi
the Ola controversies about the foreign policy OF he
Government. Nr. Gl1A stone was r,buhcd. for Che
twentieth time. for bringing them up iAc people
have had enough Of tue Eastern Qnes ION and the
kt-han War cried th.4 oracle. Tn" mistake. Of the
q vcr,ment hclnn, 10 history. II thc Liberals wish
4, como in tiry must abandon their s'aie CONE
rllnts. end t- us what thoy themselves pioro.,
for tho future With tbs good advice in my mind
went - two meetings, not doubling that the warn
ing of his ,gcat journal would be hcee !. and That
all The speeches would De made IN tie futGre tcu.c
To us, a-larishIlent. they all dealt w.h the last
crn Que ou aud the Afghan War; not exclusively,
but so largely rs to slo0 that the ihanicr which
sounds 80 loud IN London made bnt a very flin,
echo indeed ia Morayshire. IL appears that
the tenant farmers of these two counties
consider ,hemsolve, quite competent To- Judge Of
such matters Of hiah policy as tie Berlin Treaty.
and the Anglo-TuIi.i.h Convention. They nave
II a. l.. o .lt ,4i' a
po.tlire Of Asia Minor, thc imposura of Cyprus. and
the unposiurs of Aish4uistau. 1t may Ls history,
lint tho history Is not so ancient as.to bo devoid oi
infore,t for men who know they have still got to
nay the bin for Lord Bcaeonscid- fireworks. Look
ing through the reports OF other meetings lind
they are all allkein this respect. Tho sp cchcs Of
both candidates are full tho materwhich our Lon
don oreap assured us had ceased to have any p,ac-
teal relation 10 the politics Of the day. won't SAY
have read al the speeches. The meetings are very
numerous-three or four are held oveTy day-thc
reports are full. and both men repeat themselves
necessarily In single Elrin paper there are sixteen
columns of reports But have looked through them
all. and there can be no question that Russia aud
Turkey are constantly comingto the 'front.'
If. however, Brodie and Sir George have mistaken
their audiences and talked over their heads, there
is an easy way of finding out their mistake. These
meetings are not occupied with speeches only
There exists in Scotland a custom, which presume
TO be ancient, and know to DO amusing, and which
goes bv the name OF heckiing Ii may he survival
of an old institution. but 1t has undergone trans
formation We used 10 hear. In those good old days
Of Tudors and Stuarts. Of 4 very eficacious means
| Of arriving ut truth. known 10 question by tor
ure Heckling may be defined ~ torture by ques-
ton. When the unhappy candidate has stood M
before his audience Of rIavo-featured and hard
headed farmers. with their air OF intense serious
nes. and has spoken his speech his troubles
| have only beenn. The chairman then announces