SCOTLAND.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 105, 23 October 1863, Page 6

SCOTLAND.

(fbom our own correspondent.)

GLASGOW, - ,

22nd August, 1863. j Since last mail, nothing of serious import has occurred. Neither cour^ gossip nor plebeian .''scandal haa afforded opportunity for serious comment—and V the month has altogether been blessed; if dulness isa sign, of happiness ana prosperity. tier Majesty has gone off SA to Germany to foster her isoriW, but partially dissipated by time, among scenes consecrated; by reminiscences of Prince" Albert's childhood. She has lYsufFefed froitiVthe intensely hot weather she" encountered on her journey, but is . recruiting in the pleasant retirement of her German residence. The Prince and Princess of Wales ' have come north to their Highland - home" at Abergeldie Castle, lying within easy reach of Balmoral. In passing through Edinburgh, the Princess met with a Scottish welcome, notwith-, standing the shabby arrangements made to gratify the priviledged ' few. Tlie carriage in which she was conveyed from the Waverley Station was closed, , and. the disappointment of the loyal . mob was so great, that they swarmed around Douglas' Hotel, in St. Andrew Square,: in a sufficiently excited state! to alarm some of the city functionaries. . AMe'* ah harangue upon the indecency of their conduct, matters were so far - that the dispersion ofthe V multitude was promised, if the Princess showed herself at one of the Hotel Windows, This was graciously acceded 1 to, and the populace went off rejoicing. The royal visitors afterwards perambulated the city, and the Princess went over the "lions" of Auld Reekie, not omitting John Knox's house, over which she was of course treated to an orthodox ; sermon. Among the "lions'' of the Scottish capital, q recent and rather notable addition is a savage bear, belonging to the regiment in the Castle. Bruin, it appears, enjoys an amount of persona] liberty more in keeping with the -.enlightened progress of the age than\with the personal, safety of the leiges, as a venturesom'e,; draper, fr<4n -Bradford, has just had painful- occasion to know. This Southerner, wisjpngf to make acquaintance wiih; •ttfMEbj(far,i approached too closely, and wtPir-feized by the heels in a savage and uncere- 1 monious manner. The unfortunate Englishman was gallantry rescued by the garrison, but for the future he will • necessarily couple our national motto rather pointedly with his visitation to the "lions'' ofthe Scottish capital. To return to the Prince and Princess. - The former- enjoys with much zest Highland sports, and his success amorg the grouse, proves him to be at least an admirable shot and keen sportsmin. The Priucess, it is rumored, has at present to take care of her health, but, ' nevertheless, pursues a variety of s amusements, among which is reported trout-fishing, in the noble stream which passes Abergeldie Castle. Prince Alfred, who was but recently visiting Greenock on board the Racoon, of which fee is a lieutenant, intends .spending a season in Edinburgh, picking up his neglected education. Connected with the royal navy, a Tather exciting correspondence has taken place between Dr Begg, or rather Mr Blackadder, the representative of; the Sabbath Alliance, at Edinburgh, ■ and Admiral Dacres, of the Channel - Fleet, which has just visited Leith. Mr Blackadder wrote requesting the Admiral to prevent visitors getting on board the iine-of-battle ships lying in Laith Roads during the Sunday. The Admiral wrote back that he had no instructions to prevent persons getting aboard his vessels on that d y, and fur.ther observed that service was performed in the fleet every Sunday morning; nodesecration being permitted on board, as the Sabbatarian seemed to imply. Tn conclusion, the Admiral rather sarcastically hinted that he saw no more desecration in the public coming aboard his ships' than in his own crews going ashore upon Sunday, to listen to Dr. Beggs' sermons, as some of the newspapers hav suggested. Failing to move Admiral Dacres, tbe Sabbatarians wrote off to. the Duke of Somerset, first Lord of the Admiralty, ordering' him to do their bidding, but which interference the Duke resented by a rather curt reply., The Scotsman, London Times, JDcilpzNeios, Globe, and Spectator, have all fallen heavily on Dr. Begg and the " Pharisees " as they are called, and even Punch holds up the Scottish saints to ridicule in a cartoon which represents acouple of sour visaged Scotchmen lecturing an old tar, a nursery-maid, and some children, for straying along the sea beach upon the Sunday afternoon. Leaving your readers to judge of the merits of Dr. Beggs' advocacy, I will pass on to an exciting scandal, 'whicfh has given the London journals another opportunity for pointing the - 'finger of scorn at Holy Scotland. . Among your readers are not a few natives of the village of Strathaven and the neighboring district, and all of these will necessarily be interested in a revelation of customs and manners connected with that locality, which, besides being questionably moral are unquestionably primitive. The occasion of the exposure was a case Y carried into the Court of Session, in which a Miss Rebecca • ©raig, resident in Strathaven, daughter ' , of axdeceased surgeon, and an old and, -■\ wealthy bachelor named Tennant, also resident in Strathaven, conspicuously figired. . Miss Craig as plaintiff sued Mr

TennantY the defender, for the nice sum of £2000 damages or solatium for the complicated injuries of breach of promise of marriage and seduction. After a lenthened examination of witnesses, Mr Tennant confessed- that he had seduced Miss Craig; if seduction it could be called, since he . and -his witnesses averred that the injure^ lady had no.reput-; dUion to lose, and upon this confession and such evidence as supported it the jury awarded £1000 to the suffering lady. A.mong the witnesses brought forward Were men .and women from various ranks in society as the world is constituted in Strathaven, and these gave an account of social Hfe in their ' native village which convulsed the court wtth laughter, and which has' ■ given a fine opportunity for sneers' at the pious pretences that jn Scotland are sometimes mixed up with loose and licentious conduct. The plaintiff alleged that one manner of spending a social evening at Strathaven was for both male and. female companions to roll about the floor and tumble over oue another, indulging in "toozling," " kissing," and all sorts of rough antics. Another variety of social enjoyment was to " bed" the young woman, and which feat was performed by two pr three of the young fellows preseut throwing their fair companions upon the bed swhich might be convenient, and i holding them there until the fashion of the place permitted their escape. Midnight visits to fair Signoras by: ladders applied to bedroom windows also appears among otber confessed customs of the -place, and the whole category of indelicate drolleries in vogue ! at Strathaven as, explained before the grave judges of the court, constitute one of the most remarkable chapters of our social annals which has recently found the light. A friend who has some aquaintance of Strathaven, and who had been visiting the village recently, tells me that considerable sympathy is felt for Tennant, who is no more than his neighbors, it is allegded, but whose means singled him out for prosecution. By his own showing he unfortunately proves that his habits are not quite immaculate, and whatever condemnation falls upon the fortunate Becky, it is certain that frigid and rigid old ladies will not hold the victim of "toozling" blameless. A recent story represents Thomas Tennant, . Esq., of Ryland, passing a haystack upon which some Strathaven damsels were engaged, and who rather coquettishly invited t( Tam " up to enjoy a little " toozling." Tam, says the story, looked up with a grin, but remembering his £1000, resolutely trotted past the venial Circes. It is felt that for the future " toozling " will be but sparingly enjoyed in Strathaven ; and the morals and manners of tlie bachelors having a balance at their banker's, it is likewise expected will suffer a marvellous change for tire better. Speaking of breaches of promise, an extraordinary one has been tried at the South Lancashire assizes last week, in which the defendant, Mr ltobert Fenton, whose father at one time represented Rochdale in Parliament, has been mulcted in £3000 for losing conceit of a young lady named Miss Edith Barber, after writing love letters to her for some eighteen months. On discovering the coldness of Mr Fenton's heart, the sensitive Edith got into a dreadful state, her mamma alleged, ■ and the whole £3000 will, consequently, be needed to 1 insure her couvalesence. The immense sum awarded created much astonish ment in the Court ; and among marriageable youths outside of it, I should imagine, an equal degree of amazement, mingled with consternation, must have been felt. Emigration- abroad, and the difficulties of living at home, have somewhat damaged the matrimonial market, and assuredly the penalty Mr Fenton has paid for his short flirtation, will further lessen the success of young ladies in search of husbands. 24th August, '1863. Among local matters, the greatest difficulties continue to be felt about the Maintenance of the unemployed, who, show in Glasgow, as in Manchester, some signs of an increase rather than; of a decrease of numbers. The efforts made to forward to the colonies some portion of the idle cotton operatives and handloom weavers of Glasgow has i been so far successful, that three consignments have been sent out to Canada by steamer from the Clyde. This good work would have made some further progress only for. the want of funds. The Glasgow Relief Committee hive voted L2OOO, and private subscriptions to the amount of LI3OG or LI4OO have been gathered through the aid_of the Rev. Dr M'Taggart, of St. James', Glasgow, and Emigration Committee, to pay the cost of passage and outfit for the most impoverished. With this limited sum, of course, only limited numbers could be sent away, and even those fortunate in getting out, had extraordinary troubles to contend with. I happened to see a miserable weaver, whose free passage to Canada by the last opportunity was made dependant upon his obtaining, within twenty-four hours, respectable clothing for himself, his wife, and four children. Without a farthing of money to expend on purchases, his perplexity was extreme ; but with the aid of a few Samaritans, he got over obstacles which to ordinary people would have been, insuperable. He got from one friend a pair of trousers, for instance, the seams of which had been picked out, and which presented an appearance hardly corresponding with the respectable outside he was expected to show before the Provost and the members of the Relief Committee, who were to pass him. With the aid of a few pins he said he would make matters all right, and aided by some ingenuity, he succeeded in his purpose. Oh the 21st, this

martyr to improvements in powerloom weaving, along with 44 associates in misery^ and"47 children, left the Mavis 1 Bank quay, inthe S.S. St. N George, for Greenock, on their way to Canada. Drs. Runcinan and M'Taggart, attended the'departure of the exile., and 1 prayed that Providence might have something^ better in store for them accross the Atlantic, Chan upon this side. From the returns made, it appeals that 401 persons have been Sint_ out to Canada, in three trips, org nized by the Emigration Committee ; but some fur* ther effort will be' needed before even the Yraiiks of the "handloout weavers be materially thinned, Alarge number of the cotton operatives have fonnd work down the Clyde, in the shipbuilding yards, as laborers, for which they receive lOsto 13s per week, and upon which sum they are living, by their own account, iti comparative riot and luxury. During the winder much hardship must be suffered, and every shilling. that can be collected will be needed," "Will none of your readers prove their interest in the old country, and their regret for those who suffer in it, by sending home sonre contribution, however small. Such kindness would at least show that • Scotchmen are still Scotchmen, although ' the whole thickuess of the planet lie b tween them and the land o' cakes, j There are sad accounts of the stated matters in Lancashire, where the operatives have become to some extent demoralized and helpless. Another black winter is expected, and, unless the Amrican war comes to a speedy conclusion, the cotton trade cannot be materially improved. Hopes are now held out that this conflict will soon be settled ; but the cultivation of cotton within the Confederacy, has almost ceased, and such crops as are grown under Federal protection in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Lousiaua, will be monopolized -by the conquerors, and give no help to our own needy manufacturers. The opinions formerly expressed, upon the progress of the war, have found .further support in recent events. The prostration of the Confederates is now confessed by themselves. The Richmond journals are urging 1 that every man able to bear a firelock, within the Confederacy, should be obliged to arm ; and it is further proposed, to levy en masse the foreigners in the South, notwithstanding the protection of foreign Consuls. Demands like these only prove despair, and if Davis has no better resource than aged men, and such citizens as have, hitherto escaped the conscription bv paying for substitutes, the cause is hopeless. The state of North Carolina is largely disaffected to the Confederacy, the troops from which State, serving with Lee, desiring to be sent home. The regiments from the conquered States of Tennessee and Mississippi with Lee, are also mutinous, as the New York Herald alleges; which pro-slavery organ hus ueen always slow to spread Southern disasters. After the batile of Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania, Lee retreated to Hagerstowu, and recrossed the Potomac, at Williamsport. Moving slowly through the Shenandoah Valley; the Confederate army at length esc<ped through Chester G-p, and marched straight upon Culpepper, where it now lies along the Southern Bauk of the Rapidnn, with its extreme rght formed of L mgstreet's corps, resting upon the famous entrenchments of Fredericksbrug. This line of defence seems too long to be success fully maintained against an army of equal numbers ' having liberty to take the initiative in attack. It is likely that as the Federals become more strongly posted upon the south bank of Rappahanock, that Lee will fall back upon an entrenched position, near Gordonsville, from which point Richmond may be also best defended. Lee has been largely reinforced; but it is not probable he will risk a battle since victory would but thin his ranks without scattering his enemy, and another Gettysburg would be the loss of Rich mond, and a final catastrophe to the South. Meade, the hero of Gettysburg, has given in his resignation to President Lincoln, chagrined by tbe jealousy of his subordinates on finding his feeble health unequal tothe task of commanding 100, 000 meu, he desires to be relieved, aud either " Unconditional Surrender'' Grant, of Vicksburg, or Rosencranz, of Corinth aid Mufreesborough, are spoken of as his successors. Either may prove a Tartar, both having shown even better generalship, beeause undertaking more difficult work than any of the Confederate Generals. Grant has beaten both Beauregard and Joe Johnstone, reckoned among the ablest of the Confederate leaders; and Rosencranz, broke and dispersed at Corinth the army which Price and Doom commanded, and at Murfreesborough inflicted upon the Confederates such terrible carnage that Bragg has never ventured within his reach since. At Charleston the siege of Fort, Wagner and Fort Sumter proceed but slowly — the Federals having met with a terrible repulse in attempting to carry the former by storm. The Confederates feel afraid of the place falling before such resources as the Federal Powers. With its fall, and the occupation of Richmond, the Confederate cause will be lost, and an opinion pressed upon those who calmly follow the course of events is, that New Year will likely bring a restoration of the Union, either by the breaking up of the Confederate armies into mere guerilla bands, or by a compromise with the States still underthe Confederate flagj by which the gradual emancipation of slaves will be guaranteed. This judgement may be premature, but I have never believed in the success of the South, unless by some sudden coup de main, the Federal Government had been broken up at any early period, and a long march had thus been stolen on the means of Northern • resistance. Asit was, the South did be-

gin with a good start, but npwY that the FedeVals are likewise getting their educated, the South will be taken hand over hand, Davis has shown won* derful . smartness and skill ; Lincoln, caution and honesty, and in the long run, the latter, and less brilliant qualities, make better way than the former. The world, generally speaking, admires s smart rogue, but it puts faith t in an honest plodder. So far, Lincoln has at least set afc nought the evil prophesy ings of our newspaper press, so universally tinged with Southern, aud in some instances, with pro-slavery sympathies. The latest rumor in connection with the conflict isthe report that Mr Ambassador Casino Clay has concluded a treaty offensive and defensive between Russiaand the Federal government, and by which America would make common 'cause against England and France, should these powers attempt an armed intervention jn favor of the Poles, Since the French Mexican invasion threatens to menace the influence of the Federal government, a possible understanding between the Russian and the American cabinets may exist, but our own government cannot in any way be mixed up %iih this new " Holy Alliance." An. event which excites considerable interest is the German convention now sitting at Frankfort, made up of a gathering of petty German princes, presided over by the reformer, Francis Joseph, tbe Emperor of " ths Holy Roman Empire,'' as Louis Kossuth used deris veiy to speak of the Kaiser's dominions. The Emperor's views are so revolutionary and liberal as to alarm the fry of srm.ller autocrats, and the king of Prussia has decisively declared his horror of the movement, by a flat refusal to attend the conclave. Fearing a collision between France and Russia on the Polish question in which the German monarchies would only play the part of pawns employed by others tf the combetants who might have the skill to use them ; the Kaiser attempts to prevent anotbei Jena or Austerlitz by asking the members of the Bund to renew tbeir oaths of brotherhood and prepare to resist foreign aggression. Unless for the disaffection of Prussia, the conference would have the character of a formidable menace against France as it is, it shows that the Emperor of Austria is improving upon the bitter business of Solferino and Magenta, and seeks to avert future misfortunes by wiser precautions than those employed to avert the loss of Lombardy. Regarding the Polish struggle, opinions seem agreed that in the meantine the Poles have nothing to hope from foreign intervention. They continue to maintain their contest, but until the spring at least, they need not expect another crossing of the Neimen. Our own political atmosphere remains whol}*- undisturbed. Such consummate faith is placed iri* " Pam,'' that the British Lion may enjoy an undisturbed nap while he is. at the helm of aff irs. The unexpected aud regretted death of Lord Clyde has been the subject of' much comment. The veteran has succumbed to heart disease, brought on or accelerated by a fall from his horse while in India, and from which he suffered a severe contusion. The hero, with a modesty peculiar to him, begged that he might be privately buiied in Kensel Green Cemetery, in the neighborhood of London. The Queen, however, decided that he should rest in Westminster Abbey, and on Saturday last, " the Glasgow chappie," was laid beside Outram in tbe sacred shrine of Westminster. The funeral was supposed to be private, but alon^ list of mourners were present, among whom were two sons of Sir Archibald Alison, who were intimately connected with Lord Clyde's staff in India. Her Majesty was represented by a royal carriage deeply draped in mourning aud drawn by six ■ horses, and the Prince of Wales like- : wise did homage by an officsal conveyance. 25t,h August, 1863. By the City of Cork, arriving last evening, American advices have been received which suggest momentous events, for which the combatants on both sides are preparing- Lee, it is alleged, threatens to divide his forces, and attack the Federals in front and rear — an enterprise which would permit Meade to crush the confederates in detail, and which there is, therefore, no chance of an astute soldier like Lee blundering into. At Charleston, preparations were progressing for a final attack upon Forts Wagner and Sumter, and which the Confederates were attempting to resist by a terrific canonade. Unimportant Confederate risings had threatened in California. By next mail we will learu if Charleston is to be taken by a coup de main, but upon the issue, the City of Cork throws no light. The Florida, Confederate privateer, was on Sunday afternoon off the old Head of Kinsale, steaming fast down Channel after some Yankee ship, it was expected In the shipping list of vessels I observe today, the Helenslee, for Otago, New Zealand, spoken on the 27th July, in latitude 14° N. longitude 36 6 W. The Daniel Rankin, 2000 tons burden, is now loading at the Broomielaw for Otago, and leaves the Tail of the Bank at Greenock, on the 4th September. The Aboukir, just returned from Otago, has been repairing at Greenock damage" sustained in collision with an iceberg in coming home round the Horn, It may interest your merchants to know that' Leith has taken up the New Zealand trade in earnest, and a packet line is to be organised without.delay. For SO slow apoit as Leith this is a great resolve, and ought to meet with approval. We have no local news of the slightest import. Families are returning from their sojourn down the Clyde, driven home to Glasgow by the rather stormy weather that has prevailed for the last fortnight. Notwithstanding high winds and pelting rain, the crops, progress

favorabjyV Within the laH fortnight*, fields Jhave ripened rapidly, arid the har-i vest in the east, at least, is already general.; The yield promises to *be above an average, and some of jthe English wheat "crops are finer than have,be6n gathered for a long period. Cheap bread may soften the expected suffering through the winter •months in Lancashire and Lanarkshire, and such an interposition was greatly needed.