The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-03-05 00:00:00

• the lona , itylet with a co •tied drool ° se le 5 • .itto• dit to ' itto . itto, 0, in Pr ,a pll, a 1 11- t hoe Ler, "" iab ° ake bf a ll ti Preo) tbe ace .fif re '.( Tibe r r o 01 0 4 e ;rO l ,P ivY• k Pl3' !IMP Eibtrpool 4,,tanbarb. TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH 5, 1339. To \V. Nl`Kernie, Esq., 84c." W. L. M'Kenzie, Esquire, &e." the more w e see o f the reckless con d uct of our present ministers, the more we are at a loss to fathom th eir intentions. Scarcely has one number of our P a per reach e d t h e printers' hands, ere some new act of in discretio n , or some fresh insult to the feelings of the Protestants of this land, has been committed by the adrisers of th e C rown. The tried, the old, the faith fill, and the virtuous supporters of our Protestant constitution, are neglected and treated with contempt ; Whil e the infidel, the Papist, the Unitarian, the radi , and even th e t ra it or, are received with courtesy, treated with respect, and promoted to the most honour able stations in the land. There was a time when things were otherwise ; whe tßnt her that time will ever come again, God only knoweth. this we do know, that if that time do not speedily i come, England' s g l ory i s for ever gone ; — an d t h at o u t not al l — b o ut those w h o are now li v i ng i n lu x ury, passing events, lukewarm in the cause Ito _ tr lith, and per h aps ridiculing our predictions, will, likneu rent to too 'ate, and in the midst of their banqueting, e the guests at Belshazzar 's feast, be roused from their intoxicati on b y the sentence of HIM who saith, MEI " , MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN !"—" God hath _ n umbered thy kingdom and finished it. ,, f ever t h ere were a time when the cause of Protes tanl ti sru, the cause of our constitution, yea, and SELF f:ITEST, requi re d exert i on an d ene r g y amongst the „"" of truth, t o save t hi s coun t r y from the domi -I°n of the greatest of all enemies, THIS IS THAT : lE ' Numbers, no doubt, will laugh at our folly; th ll think w e are ma d ; and others say this is e neight o f ent h us i asm : but, purblind or stupid mu st that man be, who cannot see the approaching s „ , t°llll If any a c t more th an ano ther can be devised t ue grade the cause of Protestantism, to elevate the enel ni,, es of th e Ch urc h , to st i mu l ate h er persecu t ors , 41240 ne tu dishe arten h er f r i en d s, t h at act i s sure t o b e ti. The conduct of our ministers in reference to Ca- , nacia , -- t 0 which a ll th e bl oo d s pilt, m oney expended, troubles and losses endured by the loyalists in that u tr Y' are justly attributable—as fully exhibited S u' Francis Head's Narrative, ought, if anything e c }er heave n can open the eyes of Protestants to thi r fro danger, lik e an electric shock, to rouse them to their slumbers, and excite them to action. an al:l Y of the f ac t s con tained in that narrative we 84)''from personal knowledge, attest. We were per 'uY acquainted with some of the principal leaders o tn iit tb e Canadian rebellion, and we do affirm, with of contradiction, that they are, almost to t ru - t , an ' undisguised infidels ; and that hostility to the E ngland inculcated in the Articles of the Church of klnd Was, next to ambition, the primum mobile of were ' their Whole proceedings. Yet these are the men who i n er c e ' When they came to this country, and also while vi e anad a, treated with the utmost respect, their ad- A h e ,, ta ken, and their plans promoted, by ministers. ins/y did the correspondent of Lord Durham phreh:llllettehris lordship, in the following paragraph in his , in the London Times of Tuesday last, the pr e di sposing cause of the Canadian rebellion :- 80 , 4 41 e Predisposing cause of the first rebellion is to be or nbt for much nearer home than your Lordship is aware and it was unnecessary for you traverse the seas, at such great in convenience to yourself, and such enormous expense t v n - t he nation, t o i ns tit u t e these interesting and laborious in e I, o B n tigati° ns. It consisted in a correspondence carried on in a by persons of influence and political station with certainid Party'' intelligent, able, and respectable men' of the dis in Canada, in which the mild, liberal , and P d a : er aal government of the parent state was called a baneful P arliam ent, ' an d i n w hi c h th ey were a dvised to resist the arli alnent,' to agitate continually, and to keep constantly before their eyes the glorious example of the United States.' advice was followed by promises of Parliamentary sup port ' w hich should sanction their conduct and em barrass the er naient, and a certain portion of the press , conduct ed by int elligent, able, and respectable men' of the discon tented Party' here, by disseminating the grossest mis-state tnbe—',s and calumnies of the local authorities, led them to lieve that they had the ability as well as the disposition to r p ericl er them va l ua bl e ass i s t anc e in their patriotic endeavours. ~°1111)ted by thi s a dvice, and relying on these promises, the to ' soo ntented party,' who had noting to lose, and everything gain, by a revolution, boldly followed their instructions, and drew their sword." ko r, eoyer, we are convinced, from facts to us known, th at there are certain members in the lower house w ho are republicans at heart, and whose chief, though s ecret, object, is to render our monarchy so odious in the eyes of the people at large, that they may the more easily subvert our constitution, and plunge us in the abyss of republicanism ! In our last number we called the attention of our rea ders to the contemptuous treatment the committee °f merchant s , connec t e d with the South American and Mexican trade, received from Lord Palmerston. Let n nw contrast that treatment with the warm, hearty rec eption th e TRA ITOR WKENZIE received from the searri e ministers : and if the statement we made in the e:nunencement of these remarks—that while the infi thele' the Papist, or even the traitor, is kindly received, Protestant Christian is every day insulted and tshined with contempt—be not fully verified, we shall bon begin to doubt our senses. Had we the thunder r4' of Jupiter, or the voice of a Stentor, we should °11 : e the dormant friends of truth from their slumbers, ah C s drive them into action, ere the fate of England be " r ever sealed. Si r Francis Head says in his narrative would have thought that the infamous notoriety of Acrwbred, vulgar man, would have secured the Governor 83 a 1 Le • s e d it; gislature of Upper Canada from his libellous and taki t rils accusations ; but, alas ! the very fact of his under that t i 4a journey of nearly 4000 miles shows pretty clearly offie: • M`Kenzie shrewdly suspected that the Colonial - Ttewould not be very inimical to his demands. Str e „,, ,reoeption which Mr. AP Kenzie met with . in Downing he has boastingly explained by the following letters : " Colonial-office, July 26, 1832. ree " e i S l r--- Lorcl Goderich has desired me to acknowledge the th at c). of Your papers, and I have the honour to inform you th an ~I,s.lordship regrets he cannot appoint an earlier day two ,lordship the 3d of August. On that day, however, at lock, he will be glad to see you at this office. s have the honour to be, your most obedient humble er jant, " CHARLES DOUGLAS. W * L. M'Kenzie, Esq." 4, 0. " Downing-street, Sept. 8, 1832. the am directed by Lord Goderich to acknowledge of s: e eiPt of your l e tters of the 27th of August and the sth inf or tember. In answer to these communications I have to Y° l l, that the other addresses, as well as that from the lii t ! i 4a distri c t, h ave i n th e usua l manner been laid before Perm a iestY, and you are at liberty to state this fact to the separateB an whom they have been signed, without receiving a answer to each. ° W. L. M'Kenzie, Esq." " HOWICK. Slr " Colonial office, Tuesday, 26th. t° call ant desired by Lord Goderich to propose to you tno rr ,.! here on Saturday next, at two o'clock, instead of to pehalf-past twelve, as the House of Lords meet at ° c lock to send up an address to his Majesty. " I am, your humble servant, " B. J. BALFOUR. " Colonial-office, Nov. 2, Tuesday. hi s Goderich has desired me to express to you hilt e gret that th e pressure o f b us i ness s h ou ld h ave p reven ted to seen you since his return to town. He now begs leave it( view you °Pose one o'clock on Tuesday next, at this office, for the " " de l s a ir m e , sir, your obedient servant, " B. J. BALFOUR. " Colonial-office, Nov. 5. ~ , zie. 1 1,rd Goderich presents his compliments to Mr. M'Ken for i 'le finds himself obliged to change the proposed hour vii Iter v i ew to-morrow to twelve o'clock instead of one, "% ile boPes will not be inconvenient to Mr. M`Kenzie. ' 1 -'• M'Kenzie, Esquire." " Colonial-office, Nov. 6. Ist ‘ Q.o cri rd G o d er i ch is sorry to be again obliged to put Mr. h ay e.sti zte off ea . Hel2 has now to to-morrow propose 12 o'clock on Wed- 4, , instd of '. W. L. M'Kenzie, Esq." 183. ) ernorandum —n Wednesday, the 7th of November, 8 1 had the honour • of a ver long interview with the e *ril l / of State and on the partyng the despatch was —II, which is in answer in p to my representations. " W. L. M'KENZIE." s.The d espatch from the Colonial Minister to his Excellency h ir 414 i Colborne, to which Mr. M'Kenzie here alludes, Is in the most U pper C ana d a. It begins follows Sir " Downing-street, Nov. 8, 1832. sio,—During sev era l mont h s past I have b een i n occa -81111,18-IJect com munication with Mr. Willi am M'K enz i e , upon th e of the grievances said to exist in Upper Canada, and i ii t redress of which various petitions have been addressed to Maie .t • " ceaclnfiuence of the Crown appears to have been as s.uc tib,74l oY attacked by Mr. M'Kenzie as the great constitu ti,,"at act of 1791, for, in reply to Mr. M'Kenzie's accusa pr;;s! that " the Crown possessed an undue influence in the laWbe :Irneial the the despatch says, " If this could , 411:p" T U, his Majesty would not hesitate to assent to any lb 'night be passed for the purpose of limiting the Pe r e t of persons holding offices at pleasure who should be ~ ,1 14 . r e at one time to sit there , \villeins uncalled-for surrender of the influence of the Crown, ch„, e,ornpared with succeeding events, forms a most melan vl,7 ipastration of the following ominous prophecy with says Omit was officially accompanied :—" Mr. M'Kenzie,' Pap e e d esPatch to Sir John Colborne, " war,onclude his bY predictions of bloodshed and civil and a disso kib;glidonit'f. the connexion between Upper Canada and this Qn Mr' 1 4nzie's return from England lie was accord ingly hailed by the Republicans, or anti-British, as their " conquering hero," and, supported as he had been in Down ing -street, it was not surprising that he succeeded in regain ing a seat in the House of Assembly, where he was enabled to ejaculate falsehoods almost faster than his own infamous newspaper and the republican press could manage to print them. The loyal being dispirited, it was not surprising that at the next election the Republicans should be successful. Ac cordingly, before the session was a fortnight old, a grievance committee was appointed as follows :- 1. W. L. M'Kenzie.—For whose apprehension for treason, murder, and arson, and highway robbery, a reward of £lOOO is now offered. 2. T. D. Morrison.—Since tried for treason, and has sud denly quitted the province. One would have thought that such fatal experience would have taught the Colonial-office to shudder at the very name of Mr. M'Kenzie, that it would have taught the office to place a just confidence in the Lieutenant-Governor of the colony, and never again, by listening to ex parte unofficial statements, to subvert all rule and government, by giving the Government and Legislature the go by. But the policy of the Colonial-office was immoveable—its course unalterable —its malady incurable ; and, though it was perfectly aware of the struggle that was taking place on the continent of America between monarchy and democracy, it deliberately threw its immense influence into the wrong scale ! Accordingly, instead of disregarding this unadopted, and even unread report, of a party who have since shown they were a nest of traitors—instead of supporting the Executive Government, which had been infamously reviled, they came to the determination, not only to recall his Excellency Sir John Colborne from his post, principally because he had treated this report with silent contempt, but, as if to gild the fame, or rather the infamy of Mr. M'Kenzie, they re solved to submit for the King's approval a series of drastic remedies for almost all the fictitious disorders which the wicked report of Mr. M'Kenzie had detailed. That brave and gallant veteran officer, Sir John Colborne, (whom, though a slight difference exists between us, I both respect and regard,) was accordingly officially apprised that he would immediately be removed ; remedial concessions were framed ; the loyal population were again disheartened ; the republicans again improperly boasted that the home government was with them ; and thus ends the first chapter of the political acci dents it has become my melancholy fortune to relate." These are facts—incontrovertible facts. They are words ; but they speak volumes. We want our coun try to know them—to read them—to mark them—and inwardly to digest them. Of what principles are they the symptoms ? Can any man be deceived ? We shall only say in conclusion, if our Sovereign—if our peers —if our aristocracy—if the friends of our constitution —if the friends of Divine truth remain much longer asleep, for asleep they appear to be, it will be the sleep of death. The last act our precious ministers have committed was the appointment of Viscount Ebrington (now Baron Fortescue) to be Lord Lieutenant of Ireland ! Had they been devising a plan for the express purpose of insulting, of degrading, of mortifying the Protestants of Ireland, who are some of the most faithful of all Her Majesty's subjects, they could not have devised an act more calculated to accomplish that purpose. Is this by way of con ciliation ? Is this to reconci!e all parties ? Protes tants of England ! your brethren at the other side of the Channel will look to you for sympathy, for suc cour, for protection. Well did the Marquis of West meath say, in the House of Lords, on Thursday last, when speaking on this very subject, that "it became the noble viscount opposite (Melbourne), more than any other minister that ever guided the helm of state, to mind what he was about with respect to Ireland ; for there was a mine under that country, which required only another torch to be placed to it, to BLOW IT UP"! We may now appeal to the good sense of English Protestants, and ask them,—lf ministers have thus wantonly exposed our brethren to Popish ascendancy in Ireland, what better have you to expect from the same ministers when they can venture to act similarly in this country ? What prevents their now doing so ? Is it want of inclination, or want of power ? Is there a Protestant in England so great a fool as not to believe, it is because they now dare not ! But what they have in 1839 dared to do in Ireland, they may in 1840 venture to do in England ! It is an old saying, where there 's the will, there 's the way : and if they have thus treacherously treated the friends of truth, and the tried friends of our constitution in Ireland, "they will, ere • long, treat us in England likewise. We recommend our brethren in Ireland to go into deep mourning for a week after, and to close their shops in Dublin on the day of, his lordship's arrival. TREACHERY has ever been characterised, since the world began, by high professions of sincerity and at- tachment. Hence, all who are acquainted with the history of mankind, know anything of human nature, and are endowed with intellects above mediocrity, know full well that little or no confidence can be placed in mere pretensions. Although the truth of this is generally admitted, yet, strange to say, the vast majo rity of men are led, at the present day, as it were by a spell, contrary to their own judgment, and contrary to what the uniform experience of mankind proves to be deceptive, by the professions and promises of ambiti ous, selfish, and oftentimes imbecile, persons. If it be possible, let us take a stand ; and, nothing daunted by a consciousness of our own comparative weakness, but rather taking courage by the fable of THE MOUSE AND THE LION, " that what strength cannot do, art and perseverance may often accomplish," let us com mence to try our present Government, not by their words, but by their actions, contrasting their preten sions and, promises with their acts and deeds. If their conduct has been, and be, consistent with their declarations, we shall acquit them—at all events, of insincerity or duplicity ; (of their imbecility and incapacity for office we can never entertain a doubt ;) but if their actions do not correspond with their pro fessions, then we shall find them guilty, and this is what any honest jury in the land would do, of insin cerity, duplicity, and treachery. To begin : Ministers declare great attachment and faithfulness to our constitution—great regard for the poor—great anxiety to better the condition of the working part of the community—great interest in our commerce—and, lastly, attachment to our monarchy. Let us now put them upon their trial, and judge them, not according to their words, but according to their actions. Are they friends of the people, of the poor, of the industrious ? That Algerine act, " the new Poor Law Amendment Act," proves them to be per fectly callous to the feelings and comforts of the poor ; and their total indifference and marked neglect of the cries of the suffering poor throughout the land, without ever having taken one step towards relieving their wants, or adopting any one measure towards improving their condition, prove ministers to be thoroughly indifferent to them. So far for their pretensions of being the friends of the people. 2. Are they true friends to our constitution ? The various inroads they have made on it, and the still further inroads they are attempting to make, besides their conduct towards the instigators of the Canadian rebellion, as stated in " SIR FRANCIS HEAD'S NAR RATIVE," and their alliance with the great Irish agi tator, prove incontrovertibly that they are not true friends to our CONSTITUTION. 3. Are they friends to Christianity ? The encourage ment they give, and the friendly intercourse they hold with, men who are well known to be scoffers at all religion, prove the negative. 4. Are they friends to the Established Church ? The encouragement and patronage they give to her avowed enemies, and the attempts they are making (under the mask of friendship towards her) to undermine her, and discourage her real friends, prove incontro vertibly they are at heart hostile to her. 5. Do they protect our commerce ? The French blockade of Mexico, &c., and the transactions con nected therewith, as published in our last, prove the negative. 6. Are they true and faithful Protestants ? The man ner in which they have treated, and are treating, our Protestant brethren in Canada, in Nova Scotia, and in Ireland, not only leaving them unprotected and exposed to popish aggressions and popish persecu tion ; but the encouragement they give, and the pro tection they afford, to popish demagogues and popish persecutors, prove incontrovertibly that they are any thing rather than Protestants, and friendly to any thing rather than to Protestantism. 7. Do they discourage popish attempts to undermine the Established Church? England, Scotland, and Ireland know the very contrary to be the case. Lastly. Do they really value the permanency of our monarchy ? Impossible !—the encouragement they give to various democratic measures, which they must know are calculated effectually to undermine monarchy, unless they be the most besotted of the human race, proves they have little or no regard for it. Had ministers honestly and openly avowed their principles,—principles of which we have now, under eight distinct counts, proved them guilty, we should, while we condemned such principles, and pitied such weakness, have commended their honesty and faithful ness, What we condemn—what we loathe from our very soul—is the hypocrisy, the duplicity, the perfidy, and the treachery which their conduct now makes ma nifest. But had they professed otherwise, their con duct would have been an exception to the general rule. They have acted like the character described in sacred writ—" the words of whose mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart : his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords." Is there any use in attempting thus fully to pourtray their character—to make manifest their intentions—to warn the friends of our constitution of our real dan ger ? Are the gates of Windsor Castle, or of Buck ingham Palace, permanently closed against the friends of truth ? Is there no possibility of reaching the royal ear, and warning our Sovereign of the dangers, the imminent dangers, that threaten the Throne of Her forefathers ? However preposterous, however un founded our apprehensions may appear, yet we can read, in the signs of the times, enough to convince us, that if her Majesty be not soon, very soon, roused to a sense of her position, the House of HANOVER on the Throne of England, and the British Constitution, will be spoken of, IN THE PAST TENSE CAUSE OF RADICALISM, &C.—We took the liberty of saying, in our exordium on the 19th ult., that we would endeavour to lay tie axe to the root of the tree of error, the fruits of which are now poisoning the people of this land. We desire now to redeem that pledge. The only certain and scientific way of curing any disease is to attack its cause ; and however disagreeable or painful that operation may be, yet as it affords the most certain prospect of success, it is our duty faith fully to perform it. Many persons are content with attacking the effects of an evil, instead of the cause ; all such attempts are not only perfectly futile, but ac tually injurious, oftentimes increasing the irritation and diminishing the powers of resistance. As the pruning of a tree increases the strength of its trunk, and the mowing of noxious weeds produces a stronger and thicker crop, so do all attempts, not directed to the subversion of the cause of an evil, in variably increase it. It is now full time for the friends of the constitution, when that constitution, and with it their dearest trea sures, are in imminent danger, from the machinations of designing men, to search anxiously for the cause of this evil, and when discovered, manfully eradicate it. The radicals and whigs are censured, and at their door the cause of all the present evils is laid. Let our readers not be alarmed. We do not attribute the cause to either radicals or whigs ! WE ATTRIBUTE IT, IN A GREAT MEASURE, TO OUR OWN PARTY ; and rest assured, till we acknowledge the cause to rest with us, and proceed in good earnest to remove that cause, we may as well think of stopping the ebbing and flowing of the tide as checking the march of radicalism. No one abhors and disapproves of, more than we do, the principles of radicals ; but our disapproval and ab horrence thereof will not induce us to blame those who do not deserve blame, nor exonerate those who richly deserve censure. Our great object is to root out of the land radicalism ; but to do this we must begin at the cause, wherever that cause exists. In these remarks we shall speak of whigs and radicals under the common term of " RtFORMERS :" and then divide them into two classes, the leaders and the led. The former we do blame; the latter we do not blame. Now for the cause of all the dangers which threaten our constitution, which, for the sake of perspicuity, we shall divide into the predisposing, the proximate, and the exciting. The predisposing cause has been, and is, poverty and distress amongst the great mass of the working community. The proximate cause is, avarice and selfishness amongst the wealthy (both whigs and tories) ; and the exciting cause, ambition in certain de signing demagogues. As to the first. The peculiarly distressing circum stances in which thousands of our fellow-country men have been for some time, is quite sufficient to predispose the most faithful and well-meaning people under heaven to listen to any proposal that may be made, however dangerous and in opposition to their feel ings ; or to any plan that may be suggested, that would hold out to them the most glimmering hope of better ing their condition, of relieving their wants, of keeping their helpless families from being dependent on charity, exposed to the vagrant act, or thrown into the work. house. Who can blame them ? W no rro•r ! And those who do, are the very first, we are convinced, who, if in similar circumstances, would act similarly. It is very easy for us all to preach, particularly when our stomachs are full ; but it is very hard for any of us to practise, when our stomachs are empty. Many have been out of employ for great portions of the year; -others have had the name of employ, and yet obtain by their hard labour scarcely enough to keep their families from actual starvation, and that while they are surrounded by affluence and luxury, their employers making princely fortunes by their hard labour, and by grinding them to the very earth. The second, or proximate cause, is the marked in difference towards the condition and wants of the work ing classes of society, exhibited by those who ought, because they could, have had things otherwise. The wealthy part of this people, while possessing more than man could ever require, or ever spend, in the utmost luxury, on himself and on his family, have either been hoarding up their wealth, or profligately squander ing it at home and in other countries, deaf and callous to the cries of the thousands of distressed families in this land ! We do not here allude to Tories more than to Whigs. Both of them have acted, and do so act. Indeed, we know personally some noble WHIG LORDS, who are great reformers, and who spout much about the dis tress of the poor, and yet who, with a fortune of £lOO,OOO a-year, do not spend more than about one thousand ! Nor are we alluding to a deficiency in actual acts of charity. No ; but to that indifference and neglect with which the condition of the working classes of society have been, year after year, treated, and to the allowing year after year to pass without adopting any radical measure for their just remuneration, or for regular oc cupation or employment ; thus exposing them to the machinations of designing men, and cajoling them, even to the present moment, with the empty words of political reform ! as if political reform would fill their stomachs ! The third, or exciting cause, is ambition in certain designing demagogues, who, being talented and aspir ing men, have taken advantage of these circumstances, to raise themselves to notoriety and importance. Those persons, whose idol is self, and whose only object is individual power, go amongst the thousands of our un fortunate fellow-creatures, who are in want and in dis tress, and lecture and preach to them on their suffer ings. To obtain the object of their ambition, they must gain the friendship of the people. This is the ladder by which they hope to reach the pinnacle of their glory. They profess great disinterestedness — great attachment to " the cause of the people,"—to " the cause of reform," to " the cause of liberty !" They, point out to them this and that law, as the great great cause of their sufferings,—this and that wealthy man as their greatest enemy,—and the sure remedy for all " political reform." The people give a ready ear. They look upon those men as their greatest friends : the multitude are delighted; and the spouter's words at length become their laws, and his nods their pre cepts. These persons we do blame much. Their mouths ought to be stopped ; and we know of no better way of doing this, than by filling the mouths of their hearers. We have now taken a glimpse at the cause of all our troubles. The remedy is with us,—the cure is in our own hands. The different causes we must, in due or der, attack and remove ; but the consideration of which we must defer till our next number. TEMPERANCE.—We are extremely happy to find that there is some prospect, through the exertions of Lord Brougham, of rooting out of the land those greatest of, all nuisances—those greatest of all dis graces to this country—tippling shops. We have for many years—that is, ever since we came to years of discernment--considered these houses the greatest sources of misfortune to the lower classes of this community, and that their total suppression would be one of the most desirable events that could possibly occur. In writing thus, we conceive we are advocating the cause of the poor, of the industrious, of the radical, of the whig, and of the tory ; we are pleading the cause of the husband, the wife, and the children. These houses present every temptation to the bus. band to spend his hours abroad, instead of at home ; to spend his little earnings on that poison, spirituous liquor, instead of appropriating them to the necessi ties and comforts of his family; and to undermine and ruin his constitution, by the abuse of that which, under proper restrictions, might be of service and comfort to him. Independently of these considerations, these houses are the rendezvous for the most abandoned and un principled men. If a conspiracy is to be made, the public-house is the place of appointment. If a dwel ling is to be plundered, an individual robbed on the highway, or a murder to be committed, the plan is concocted, arranged, and matured in the tap-room. How often have we met in the street the wife drag ging home, from the public-house, the half-dead hus band ; or the husband conveying home the degraded wife ! Let the Newgate Calendar be searched; let the dying speeches of those who have forfeited their lives to the laws of their country be examined ; and let the confessions of those who were once in comfort and comparative independence, but now in indigence and misery, be collected ; and we venture to say, that nine hundred and ninety-nine cases out of every thousand had their origin in tippling or dram shops. We care not whether such places be sanctioned by a whig or a tory government, we shall ever raise our voice against them ; and we most heartily wish Lord Brougham every success in his praiseworthy under taking. We are equally indifferent as to whoin we please or displease by these remarks : the question with us is not whether this or that course will please our friends, but whether we do that which we believe to be calcu lated to benefit the public at large, and particularly the poorer classes of the public. We are not tee-totallers, but we are decided enemies to all kinds of intemper ance, and still greater enemies, if possible, to any and every thing calculated to induce, tempt, or seduce the working people from domestic habits, and from the paths of sobriety and industry. These remarks have no reference whatever to those respectable public-houses established for the conveni ence and advantage of the stranger and the traveller. N.B. We are anxious to learn, from good authority, whether our present Town Council directly or indirectly encourage or discourage these nuisances. ADVANTAGES OF ENGLAND.—We have much pleasure in laying before our readers the following testimony of Mr. Elliott, who, after extensive travels through various countries in Europe and Asia, comes to this sound conclusion respecting their comparative advantages :—" In conclusion, therefore, I will only add that, after traversing so many countries, observing so many different modes of civilized and semi-barba rous life, and becoming acquainted with such various poltical and religious institutions, it is with increased pleasure and admiration that I contemplate the state of society in our favoured land. Some nations, per haps, may boast more taste and refinement; some, a more showy literature and more splendid public mo numents ; and others, more renowned achievements in arts and arms : but, in the solid advantages and com forts of life, in profound learning and experimental philosophy, in private and public virtue, in all that secures domestic happiness and peace, or constitutes lasting excellence and real greatness the administra tion of equal laws and impartial justice ; the enjoyment of a liberty as yet restrained from licentiousness ; and the free exercise of a religion equally removed from the extremes of fanaticism and indifference ; I know not the equal or the rival of Britain. Nor can I indulge for my country a higher hope than that she may long retain, under the Divine favour, the institutions which have for ages been her glory, enhanced in value by the gradual but judicious correction of their accidental defects, and consolidated in strength by the increased public estimate of their superior merits : that we, her sons, may be preserved from a bigoted prejudice in favour of what is old, and a feverish appetite for what is new ; and, above all, that we may never be deprived of that security for national soundness of doctrine, correctness of practice, civil liberty, and religious ex ample, which is presented to us by an institution en deared by early associations, and consecrated as the well-tried bulwark against anarchy and infidelity,—the Establishment of the CHURCH OF ENGLAND." VALPARAISO.—A friend has placed in our hands the following list of the prices of the principal com modities at Valparaiso, which will be found of great utility to shippers : Biscuit, from 5 dols. to 2 dols. 4 rials per hundred, as per quality. Flour, ~ 4 dols. per hundred. Beans, 2 , 1 dol. 4 rials per 1001 b. Barley, ~ 1 dol. per furnequ, or 3 bushels. Walnuts, ~ 1 dol. per bushel. Raisins, „ 12 dols. per 100 lb., of the country. Potatoes, ~ 6 rials per bushel. Indian Corn, „ 5 rials per bushel. Wheat, ~ 6 rials per bushel. Mould Candles, „ 16 dols. per 100 lb., all sizes. Firewood, ~ 4 rials per 100 lb. Charcoal, ~ 2 dols. per furnequ, or 3 bushels. Sea Coal, ~ Bs. per ton. Salt Beef, t, 7 dols. per 1001 b. Salt Pork, ~ 14 dols. per 1001 b. Tallow, ' , 12 dols, per 100 lb. ' Hams, English, 30 dols. per 100 lb. „ Chili, 25 dols. per 100 lb. Butter, 37 dols. per 100 lb. Cheese, 12 dols. per 100 lb. Hides, 11 dols. per 1001 b. Cabbages, 1 dol. per dozen. Onions, 1 dol. 4 rials per 100 lb. Fresh Beef, 5 dols. per 100 lb. Rice, 8 dols. per 1001 b. Sugar, 12 dols. per 100 lb. „ Loaf, 20 dols., despatched. Coffee, 12 dols. per 1001 b., in bond. Sperm Oil, 10 rials per gallon. Genbandes, 1 dol. per 1001bs. Sheqp, 3 dols. each. Fowls, ,3 dols. 4 rials per dozen. Turkeys, 12 dols. per dozen. Ducks and Geese, 7 dols. per dozen. Names of cabin passengers by the packet-ship George Washington, from New York :—Lord Alexander, Cold stream Guards,C bearer of despatches from the Canadian go vernment ; Rev. R. T. Dillard and Mr. N. Dudley, of Lex ington, Ky. ; Mr. H. T. Wild, Southampton ; Mr. C. J. Hendrickson, Philadelphia ; Mr. W. Young, Mr. S. Cohen, and Mr., Mrs., and Master Clark, New York ; Mr. J. Savage, Mr. W. Pawson, Mr. J. M`Nider, and Mr. Q. M`Nider, Montreal. WAREHOUSES ON THE DOCK QUAYS.—The evidence taken before the Finance Committee relative to this project, as well as a variety of information connected with it collected by them, has been published. The Report of Committee has not yet made its appearance : we understand, however, that while it discourages the erection of warehouses, as recom mended by the Dock Committee, it takes a middle course, and proposes the erection of sheds, capable of being bonded, on the Dock Quays. The Report will be in the hands of the public to-day, and it will be taken into consideration at the weekly meeting of the Council on Wednesday.—Albion. SELLING ALE WITHOUT A LICENSE.—OR Friday, John Rimmer, and his wife Jane Rimmer,.were summoned under the following circumstances :—An excise officer called at the defendant's house on the 13th December last, and purchased two glasses of ale, for which he paid 3d. This statement was corroborated by another officer. It appeared that the person who had lived in the house had absconded ; that the defend ants had been put into the house by the owners, Messrs. Ward and Evans, to take care of it, and that they were not aware that the license had not been paid by the former tenant. The moment they were aware of it they desisted from selling. They were fined in the mitigated penalty of £5. FIRE AT THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—At a quarter past twelve o'clock on Tuesday night,' the monkey-house in the Zoological Gardens was observed to be on fire by one of the watchmen in the gardens, who gave the alarm to a police officer, and it was immediately passed to the Fire-station. Mr. Superintendent Tyrrell and Inspector Hackey were there in about a quarter of an hour after the commencement of the fire, and finding that the house was nearly burnt down, word was sent 'back to stop the engines. The fire was caused by over-heating the stoves which warm the monkey-house. The monkeys were all destroyed. Mr. Atkins, who was not in sured, states the loss to be £5OO. THE BOTANIC GARDEN.—We regret to learn: that the managers of our Botanic Gardens find themselves pressed by pecuniary difficulties. In addition to current demands, a se rious expense was incurred in the recent removal, and a con siderable debt due on account of the former establishment still remains unpaid. An effort is to be made in the ensuing spring to remove the embarrassment, and amongst other re sources, it is proposed to hold a Fancy Fair. The ladies of Liverpool, who are ever foremost where works of utility are to be promoted, will, no doubt, eagerly proffer their services on this occasion, by enriching the booths with the creations of art and industry, and by lending their time and aid, and the all-powerful attractions of their presence. We trust that the undertaking will be crowned with complete success ; and we feel convinced that this noble establishment, which is at once a credit to the scientific taste of the town, and a place of elegant resort, will not be suffered to languish for want of funds. WOOD v. IRON : TRIAL OF SPEED BETWEEN THE COM MODORE (WOOD) AND THE ROYAL SOVEREIGN (IRON). — The Glasgow and Liverpool Steam-packet Company's new iron steamer, the Royal Sovereign, made her first trip be tween Glasgow and Liverpool yesterday. As the Commo dore, belonging to the City of Glasgow Steam-packet Com pany, left Greenock seven minutes after her, there was a trial of speed between these two splendid steamers from that port to Liverpool. The Commodore passed the Royal Sovereign in about three hours after leaving Greenock, and arrived in the Mersey, yesterday morning, two hours and forty-five minutes before her; making a difference of two hours and fifty-two minutes in time in favour of the Commodore. The wind was calm and the sea smooth all the way from Greenock. But the weather, early in the morning, off the banks, was extremely thick, so much so as to render it difficult to find the channel. The Commodore succeeded in finding the buoys in less than half-an-hour : the Royal Sovereign, no so for tunate, did not find them until the loss of considerably above an hour. We understand that the engines of the Royal So vereign made twenty-one revolutions in the minute ; those of the Commodore, eighteen. Another trial of speed be tween these two fine vessels will, we suppose, take place to morrow, on their return to Glasgow,—AlLion, THE SECOND LIVERPOOL EISTEDDFOD. The second Liverpool Eisteddfod, or Congress of Bards and of the friends of Welsh literature, was held on Fridaay evening last, (St. David's Day,) at the Music Hall, Bold street. The meeting was announced for five o'clock ; but long before that hour anxious crowds of several hundreds of persons were seen pressing around the entrance into the room. When the door was opened the rush was tremendous, and the room was speedily filled, There were upwards of one thousand present on this interesting occasion, to testify their attachment to the language, literature, and institutions of the land of their fathers. The room was tastefully decorated with a number of ele gant flags, most of them bearing suitable inscriptions in the Welsh language, such as " Tra indr, tra Brython"—" Heb Dduw. heb ddim, Duw a digon"—"Y gwir yn erbyn y byd"— " Achre liin diogel ei pherchen, &c., &c. The president's chair was splendidly decorated, and was surmounted by the national emblem, a leek of gigantic proportions. The plat form was crowded to excess, chiefly by ladies, who seemed to take a deep interest in the proceedings of the evening. On the platformwe noticed Ellis Jones, Esq., the Rev. John Jones, minister of St. Andrew's Church, the Rev. Daniel Jones, Baptist Minister, the Rev. Thomas Pierce, Independent Minister, the Rev. W. Williams, of Caenarvon, (Gwilym Caledfrynd the Rev. R. Parry, Conway, (Bardd Mon,) the Rev. W. Davies, of Llanerchymedd, &c., &c. In the absence of Joseph Jones, Esq., of Caernarvon, who was expected to occupy the chair, but who was prevented by a recent domestic affliction, the Rev. Daniel Jones was moved into the chair. The CH AIRMAN commenced the proceedings by address ing the meeting in Welsh. He expressed a hope that they would hereafter have cause to reflect with pleasure on the enjoyments of that evening, and that many such opportuni ties would be afforded them in future for assembling to aid in the promotion of Welsh literature.—(Cheers.) As there were several gentlemen present prepared to address the meet ing at some length, and as the business to be gone through would occupy considerable time, he would not detain them any longer with his own remarks. He felt that he was highly honoured in being called upon to preside over such a meeting. He could assure them that the object for which they were met was one which was ever dear to him.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN then read -r Englynion (stanzas), on the opening of the Eisteddfod. Four additional verses were then read from the chair, which were composed by Tegwyn, a Welsh bard of eminence. Mr. JOHN JONES, of Manchester, then played a tune on the Welsh harp. The Rev. R. PARRY, of Conway, then addressed the meeting in Welsh, at considerable length, and with very great effact. We give the substanee of his speech in English, and must express our regret that we cannot do justice to the original. He said that according to the usual practice of the provincial Eisteddfodau, it was declared that one of the prin cipal objects contemplated by such meetings was, to proclaim " barn gorsedd ar bob awenydd a barddoniaeth, yn llygad haul ac yn wyneb goleuni"—the judgment of the congress on all poetical productions, in the eye of the sun, and in the face of light : and though it was not necessary on that occa sion, that they should go through the same formalities, it was imperative upon them that they should act upon the same principle. There never was, perhaps, any institution re specting the expediency or utility of which all were agreed. While some might render their support to a particular insti tution, from a conviction of its usefulness, others would be found ready to impugn it as useless and injurious. The public had a right to investigate and to judge of all public meetings, as a sort of public property. With reference to Eisteddfodau and other literary institutions, there exists a diversity of opi nions. Some deem them worthy of support—others reckon them improper and decidedly objectionable ; and, accord ingly, they strictly prohibit attendance upon them as sources of moral corruption. Now, the good or evil of any institu tion must be judged of by the principles which are acknow ledged, the actions performed, or the general influence which it exercises over the public mind. He would, therefore, consider a few of the objections urged against such meetings as the present, and urge the reasons by which they could be supported. Some, who profess to a greater degree of holi ness than their brethren, in opposing the Eistedfodan, assert that they are immoral meetings, and, therefore, undeserving of countenance. But what could that immorality be ? In what did it consist? It must necessarily proceed either from the nature of the subjects under notice, or from the competition which was encouraged, from the music played, or from the poetical productions sung. With reference to the subjects proposed for competition at that Eisteddfod, he would challenge any one to affix the slightest stigma upon the meeting. The principal subject was " Haman and Mor decai,' —a scriptural subject, descriptive of the humbling of pride and the elevation of humility. There was no harm in that. The next subject was Social Union" — not dissaffection to the state, and contempt of the consti tuted authorities. There was no harm in that. Another of the subjects is " Morality"—a subject which surely did not involve anything savouring of immoralily. As there could be no harm in the subjects, let them next inquire whether there was anything objectionable in the principle of competi tion—in the struggle for superiority. He would seriously ask whether there could be any greater harm in encouraging competition in reference to mental improvement, than there was in reference to the cultivation of the earth ? There are in Wales agricultural societies, which annually offer a great number of prizes for the best farmed lands, the best draining, the best planting, the best cattle, and so forth. Now, the very parties who were too holy to struggle for a literary prize at an Eisteddfod, were among the most constant competitors for these agricultural premiums. (Hear, hear.) If the latter species of competition be right and justifiable, they would surely acknowledge that struggling for the superiority on subjects of a far nobler and more ele vated character was not to be condemned as improper. What was it 'nit competition that had given them the incom parable essay of Dr. Harris on " Mammon," which had had such mighty effects on the benevolence of the land ?—(Hear and cheers.) Did not the eminent Jones, of Denbigh, as one of the closing acts of his life, compose a poem to be sent to an Eisteddfod 7—(Cheers.) If, then, there could be no harm either in the subjects or the competition, was it to be found in the music ? The only music was, playing the harp. Was there any thing in that particular instrument which polluted the fingers of those who touched it ?—(Cheers.) Was play ing the harp worse than playing the violin, the organ, or the piano ? No, no : the harp, if there be any, is a consecra ted instrument.—(Cheers) What was the chosen instrument of the sweet Psalmist of Israel ? The harp.—(Cheers. What was the instrument which the Jews, in their captivity in a foreign land, hung upon the willows, when they complained how cau we sing— " Gerdd lon mewn tir estronol, A'n mad anwylwlad yn of ?" Was it not the harp. (Cheers.) Was the harp a disagree able instrument ? " Mae mil o leisiau melusion Mel o hyd yn mola hon." Music was evidently designed to assist in the exer cises of devotion. As the harm did not exist in the subjects selected, in the competition, or in the music, was it in the stanzas to be recited by the Datgeiniaid? He understood that it was resolved by the committee, that nothing trenching upon immorality should he sung, and that non-compliance with this regulation would involve the loss of the prize. The earliest bards were in the habit of com posing their verses to be sung with the harp, The celebrated Charles, of Bala, remarks on the Psalmist, " David was not only a poet of great celebrity, but a skilful musician also. He consecrated this acquirement, as well as all his other acquirements, to the glory of God. There probably was no place in the world where was a musical choir superior to that at Jerusalem, established in the service of God, under the superintendance of David and Solomon. All this prefigured the joy which would be everlastingly partaken of by the ransomed in heaven." " Pyngcio a wnai fy' Fricerdd, Nefol a rhagorol gt I dd ; Prydodd dalm o ber salmau, Fwyned I'm ynt, renaid mau! Cann dwsmel a thelyn, Yn hardd a wnai'r gwiwfardd gwyn. Am ganu ni fu, ni fydd Hoew fawl ei hefelydd." Thus all the objections to these eisteddfodau were found out to be creatures of the imagination, baseless as the fabric of a vision. He would then enumerate a few of the reasons why the eisteddfodau should be supported. In the first place, they ought to be encouraged because they promoted learning. The celebrity of nations depends, in many respects on their superiority in manners and learning. This superiority is acquired chiefly by the advantages which they enjoy for men tal improvement. The natural abilities of all nations are alike. It is only through superior means of instruction that they are made to differ. Why have men been endowed with powers capable of such great improvement? Certainly not that those powers should not be cultivated. Their talents were not given them in order to be buried in the earth. (Hear.) The light which had been given to them was not bestowed in order to be hid under a bushel. (Hear, hear.) It was given to direct their. steps. It was through cultiva tion that the pathless desert was brought to produce its wav ing fields of corp. It was by cultivation that the heathy hills were converted into fruitful gardens. It:was by culti vation that the mind of man was brought to produce fruits delightful and profitable to its possessor. The powers of the human mind without cultivation are like the marble in the quarry. Ages pass over and leaveundiscovered its variegated beauties : but after ,the implements; of the artist have been employed, its splendour is brought to light. Who knows how many Robert Halls there are about the borders of Wales, but whose abilities have never been made known to the world because he has not had the advantages of mental cultivation ? Again, he recommended that Eisteddfodau were useful, inas much as they promoted mental enjoyment. What enjoyment can be compared with mental enjoyment ? What more de lightful than with Sir Isaac Newton, to take flight to the worlds on high? Again, the Eisteddfodau were justifiable as tending to promote morality, and dispel ignorance, more especially when held, as on that occasion, on a day ordinarily devoted to pleasures of a coarser character, and frequently to revelry and drunkenness. Eisteddfodau are also to be approved of because they reward merit. But their chief recommendation is derived from the fact that they have been subservient to the interests of true religion. A few centuries back it was amongst the Welsh bards alone that most of the learning in the principality was possessed. Who were the translators of the bible into Welsh ?—(Hear.) Chief bards of Wales. Who lighted the " Candle of Wales" when darkness was spread over the land ? Was it not the old Vicar Prichard ?—(Hear.) Who supplied the church with psalms and hymns ? Was it not the bards ?—(Hear.) Was it not Edmund Prys and William Williams ? The Eisteddfodau have contributed to enlighten the teachers of the Welsh Sun day Schools. How many bards, who have obtained eminence at the Eisteddfodau, have afterwards become eminent mi nisters of the gospel ! On these grounds he would maintain the expediency of encouraging Eisteddfodau; and in closing his address to the Second Liverpool Eisteddfod, he would say— " Gwresoged, ie tanied hon Fyw areithiau'r Hen Frython." Heddyw er y sydd o wir sain—nid yw Ond dydd y pethau bychain; Y mae'r adeg yn Mrydain Gyda rhwysg i godi rhain. The reverend gentleman sat down amid great applause. Mr. John Jones then played a tune on the harp, accom panied by the singing of penillion. Mr. LLOYD then addressed the meeting in English. He observed, that it was an interesting reflection, that while they were celebrating, in a strange land, their attachment to Wales, its language, and its institutions, there were thou sands of our countrymen, even across the Atlantic, and on the distant shores of New South Wales, joining in the same employment, and listening to the thrilling strains of the harp, " That brings unto the homesick mind All we have loved and left behind." He hoped that they would have occasion, in reflecting hereafter upon that meeting, to use the words of a celebrated English poet, and look back upon it as one of The greenest spots in memory's waste." Mr. SAMUEL ROBERTS then in Welsh sang " The Days of Queen Bess, " which was rapturously applauded. The Rev. Mr. DAviEs, of Llanerchymedd, then addressed the meeting in Welsh, in a very effective speech. After another tune on the harp, the chairman called upon the Rev. W. Williams, of Caernarvon, to read a lecture on the Bardic Rules. We are sorry that we are precluded from giving even an outline of this admirable address. The Rev. W. WILLIAMS, (who was one of the appointed judges,) then announced the successful compositions on the various subjects proposed. He accompanied his judgment with a very able criticism on the merits of the productions under notice. This ,criticism, will, we understand, be im mediately published in the Welsh periodicals. The following is a list of the successful candidates ;- 1. For the best Ode, (Awdl,) on Haman and Mordecai. The successful competitor for this prize proved to be the Rev. John Pierce, Independent Minister ? who was invested with the silver medal by Miss .19nes, 2. For the best poem, (Cywydd) on social union. There was only one production sent in, which though possessed of very high merit as a composition, related rather to union than social union. This prize was not awarded in conse quence. 3. Por the best essay on morality. There were three essays sent in, but the authors had, in every case, mistaken the subject. This prize was also withheld. 4. For best six Stanzas, (Englynion) on the Society of Ancient Britons. Several compositions had been received on this subject, but not one of them was deemed deserving of the prize. 5. For the best six Stanzas on the Vine. The successful competitor for this prize was the Rev. William Ambrose, of Port Madoc, Caernarvonshire. 6. For the best Stanza to the Slanderer. Out of a great number of compositions on this subject, not one was deemed worthy of the prize. 7. 'Po the best player on the Welsh harp, under eighteen years of age. The candidates for this prize, were Masters Benjamin Rogers and Edward Jones. The latter was deemed the best player, and was accordingly invested with the medal by Miss Jones. 8. To the best singer with the harp (Datganydd). The competitors for this prize were Mr. Isaac Jones, Mr. John Edwards, and Mr. Samuel Roberts. The successful candi date was Mr. Isaac Jones, who was invested with the medal by Miss Margaret Foulkes. 9. To the best reader in Welsh. This prize was contended for by three boys, Robert Thomas, Robert Oweng, and Da niel Owens. The principal prize was awarded to Robert Thomas, and the two others were each presented with a Welsh Bible. 11. To the best player on the Welsh harp, (not limited to any age). This prize was also won by Master Edw. Jones. The other competitors were Master Benjamin Rogers and Mr. Robert Jones. We are extremely sorry that an unforeseen demand upon our space obliges us to curtail our report of this interesting Eisteddfod. The meeting separated at eleven o'clock, highly gratified with the proceedings of the evening. :" Oes y byd i'r laith Gymraeg !" aver, rine ilond rsage, an(' :rs of nulv_ A r each niable lywel l rnsea miner )n . worl d nd tha ze oar' [840.., dream rurthe cipac ea t -r icy eive or THE LIVERPOOL EASTERN DISPENSARY. The committee of the Eastern Dispensary have satisfaction in informing the friends of this institution, and the public generally, that they have taken the house No. 17, Islington, corner of Christian-street, which they propose opening for the relief of the sick poor inhabiting the district comprised within the following boundaries, viz., from Everton, Ros common-street, Great Homer-street, Great Nelson-street North, Scotland-road, Byrom-street, Old Haymarket, St. John's-lane, Lime-street, Renshaw-street, Leece-street, Myrtle-street, to Edge-hill. In undertaking the management of a third dispensary, the committee are fully aware that they have, and will have, great difficulties to overcome, arising from many causes over which they have no control • but satisfied in their own minds that they are instituting a Charity greatiy needed in this dis trict of the town, they are prepared, willingly and cheerfully, to continue the labour imposed upon them, trusting, in the end, not only to have accorded to them the approval and sup port of the public, but also the approval of their own consci ences. Of the difficulties which the committee have had al ready to encounter, not the least has been the report which has prevailed that this charity has originated in party or po litical spirit, to which may be added, also, sectarian spirit. To this the committee would simply say, that if the public of this large and increasing town would consider for a moment the nature and objects...of dispensaries, embracing, as they do, classes of all political creeds, persons of all religious persua sions, and objects removed from party spirit of every kind, and having in view solely medical relief to the destitute of all persuasions, the committee will at once be acquitted of this most absurd charge. It has also been told to them that the Eastern Dispensary has been hastily established for the purpose of opposing the already existing dispensaries, and that the funds of these charities will suffer materially from a third institution. In answer to the first of these assertions, the committee at once unequivocally and decidedly disclaim all such opposition, be lieving most sincerely that the North and South Dispensa ries are as effective in their operations as they can be, con sidering the enormous extent of district comprised within their boundaries ; hut, in admitting the well-working of these charities, and in giving the committee and officers all the meed of praise due to them for their willingness and alacrity in perfbrming their respective duties, it cannot be denied that two dispensaries are quite inadequate to the wants of the sick poor of the town. This has been known to many of the inhabitants of the eastern district of the town, who take a real interest in the well being of the poor, for some time past, and more than two years have now elapsed since the want of a third dispensary was first mooted. With regard to the fear which has been expressed that this institution will materially affect the funds of the present dispensaries, the committee are firmly of opinion that sufficient support will be meeded to all. It is well known that the charitable institutions of Liverpool have never yet been impeded in their work of good from the want of support, and in the case of dispensaries, it is fair to sup pose that an increased number of subscribers will be found ready and willing to aid such institutions, when they find the objects coming under the jurisdiction of each separate dis pensary are resident in their own immediate neighbourhood. The local interest the charitable have in the welfare and well doing of their poor neighbours will effect this desirable end. In appearing, then, to the public, and in particular to the residents of the eastern parts of the town, for assistance, the committee feel confident that such will be cheerfully granted them and having disclaimed earnestly and sincerely all wish or intention of opposing other charities of a similar nature, and begging it to be distinctly understood that their motive in establishing a third dispensary has its origin solely in the conviction that such is wanted, they would wish to offer a few remarks on the plans which they have laid out for the proper performance of the work entrusted to their manage ment. It has already been stated that the sphere of their operations will be confined to a limited district—the one planned out they believe will be sufficiently large for the execution of the duties incumbent upon the medical officers. It is intended that these shall, with the exception of one house surgeon, be entirely honorary officers : that they shall visit at their own houses, as well as at the dispensary, all patients coming within the province of the institution ; thus giving to the poor the desirable satisfaction that their wants in sickness are attended to by gentlemen in whom their snore wealthy brethren have the same confidence. It is hoped that this plan will tend to remove the strong prejudice inhe rent in the minds of many of the poor against dispensaries, rather suffering, and allowing their children and families to suffer many days under illnesses of a serious kind, which many are in the habit of doing, than applying at once for relief; and what is more, it is hoped that many infections and contagious diseases will be stayed in their progress by the knowledge of this class of medical officers, and the facility they will have of actually acquiring certain knowledge of the wants and conditions of the poor, consequent upon their limited district. The duties of the house-surgeon will be confined to the general management of the house, surgery, and the being always expected to be on the premises in case of accident or sudden sickness, which cases he will promptly visit, and report immediately to the honorary surgeon of the district. It is also evident to the committee, that, indepen dent of the advantage they will derive from the medical ser vices of honorary officers, great moral good will be effected. It is well known that the clergy, visitors for the District Pro vident Society, and others who are in the praiseworthy habit of visiting the poor in their respective districts, are, much thwarted in their wishes to relieve the sufferings and ne cessities of their sick brethren by not knowing the medical attendants ; consequently their benevolent intentions with regard to such are often rendered nugatory by their ignorance whether such condiments as they would feel disposed to send them are desirable or not. This will be obviated on the plan the committee have adopted, as it is believed the medical officers will always act in conjunction with those benevolent persons, and thus the committee will have the great satisfac tion of knowing that the spiritual, medical, and bodily com forts of the poor in their district will be, as far as practica ble, attended to. These and many other advantages the committee believe will be afforded from the establishment of this dispensary ; and, in concluding their address, they would, on their own behalf, beg to state that no zeal, assiduity, or attention shall be wanting to carry these designs into effective operation. It will be their study and wish to elect officers deserving of public confidence—they will by strict attention superintend and watch over the general interests of the institution, and in every way within their power attend to the suggestions and wishes of the subscribers. They have only the welfare of their sick brethren at heart, and trust confidently to others to assist them in promoting the welfare of this dispensary. Published by order of the Committee, G. R. WOODWARD, Hon. Sec. A fine new ship, of 300 tons, purchased by Messrs. Ferris, Butler, and Co., of Liverpool, and named the "Ferris," was launched from Messrs. Hilhouse and Co's yard on Thursday morning.—Bristol Mirror. THE TRANSATLANTIC STEAM-SHIPS. — The Great West ern, which left Bristol on the 28th Jan., would, no doubt, reach New York about the middle of February. She would leave on her return passage, on the 23d of the Month. She may, therefore, be expected to reach Bristol early in the next week. The steam-ship Liverpool, which left the Mersey nine days after the Great Western left the Avon, would reach New York about the 25th ult., and may be expected back about the beginning of next month. THEATRE ROYAL. MANCHESTER. — Mr. Clarke, the res pected manager of the the Theatre-royal, took his benefit on Monday last, at the Manchester Theatre. The house was crowded in every part. The receipts yielded a greater sum than any house since 1821: they amounted to £253. Mr. Power, who commenced an engagement on that night, has been playing during the week. The Liverpool Theatre opens —we understand—on Monday, the Ist of April. SMUGGLED BRANDY.—On Friday, Isabella Brew WAS convicted in the mitigated penalty of £25, for having in her house between five and six pints of French brandy. She said she had it given her by her Lather from his sea stock. FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT, AT CABBAGE-HALL.-011 Mon last an accident of a very frightful nature occurred to a girl, seven years of age, named Hayes, at a quarry, near Cabbage hall belonging to Christopher Itawdon, Esp. It appears, tbat she had been amusing herself by running upon a piece of square timber, which reached close to the edge of the stone quarry, and having lost her footing, was precipitated into the abyss below. On examination, it was found, that her head was literally bruised to a jelly, and a portion of her brain pro truded from a large opening immediately above the right ear; but notwithstanding the apparent hopelessness of the case, the little sufferer is still living at this date. THE MARQUIS OF WATERFORD. — Some of our readers may have seen the farce of the Irish Lion, recently presented at the Liver Theatre. The Irish poet, at a little watering place, could not have been a greater lion than the Marquis of Waterford has been at the port of Liverpool. He has been, in truth, the " Irish Lion" of the week ; yet, though it was rumoured, that he was prowling about, we cannot hear that any one has seen him. He has either kept himself in visible or has curbed his ferocity, and chosen to behave, while amongst us, with as much tameness as if he had been sub jected to the pacificatory powers of Van Amburg. Hence, under this lamb-like demeanour, the lion has not been recog nised. Many have been the inquiries after him, people of all classes having evinced, at least, as much curiosity to see him as to witness the steeple-chase. The ladies, filled with ad miration of his daring exploits in the disturbance of peace ful villages, have been every where on the look out, to catch a glimpse of the hero of a hundred street rows. " None but the brave deserve the fair," and the fair have a disposition to reward with their smiles all who have won fame, whether in tented field or street brawl. But it is not merely the fair and meek-eyed daughters of England that have been warmed , . into admiration by the illustrious margins , we have heard merchants, and manufacturers, and tradesmen, and chimney sweeps eagerly inquiring for the distinguished nobleman who sheds so much lustre over his order. The police-officers, notwithstanding their natural antipathy to disorderly cha racters, have exhibited great curiosity to see one who hag made himself so famous for his valiant attacks on the guar dians of the peace. Brawls have, of course, disturbed our streets during the races, and the officers, on the qui wive for a sight of their arch enemy , have looked with suspicious re verence on every well-dressed individual who seemed to be behaving sufficiently like a blackguard to be mistaken for a marquis. If the individuals were as " drunk as a lord" why the resemblance was more decided ; and the officers, fearful of cracking a right honourable skull, or uncorking the noble claret of a long ancestral line, have held their sticks sus pended in the air, but forborne to strike. The doors of the Waterloo, where it was presumed the marquis was lodged, were besieged by multitudes of Irish labourers and beggars, armed with letters, petitions, and recommendations, all the bearers claiming kith and kin with his lordship, because they came from Waterford !-4Th ion. _ 4\ i „ . • ' ": • MEETING TO FORWARD THE (API, EDUCATION PETITION OF THE A ;i / PROTESTANTS TO THE COMMON CO . A meeting for the above purpose was held last night at the large room of the York Hotel, in pursuance of public adver tisement, in which persons friendly to Scriptural Education were invited to attend, and it was announced that the Rev. Hugh M`Neile would occupy the chair. The attendance was very numerous, including many of the first respectability, and the arrangements made to prevent confusion in the signing of the petition were highly creditable to the parties upon whom they devolved. The arrival of the Chairman in the room was hailed by the most marked approbation ; and this was repeated when he took his place on the platform. He opened the business of the evening in a brief but most appropriate and solemn prayer, having peculiar reference to the Scriptural education of the children of the poor. The REY. CHAIRMAN then said, that the only object of the present meeting was to give to as large a portion of the community as possible an opportunity of signing a petition addreised to 'the Town Council of this borough, on the subject of the Scriptural education of the children of the operative Protestants at the sckools of that body. The petition had already been signed a considerable num ber of the working classes, and he trusted that it would that night receive the signatures of many more. Those who had already signed it were parties who pursued humble avocations, and entertained religious feelings and opinions, which rendered it necessary that they should send their chil dren to schools where they could be enabled to read, and to hear read the Holy Scriptures every day. He hoped the Common Council would treat the petition with that kindly consideration to which it was justly intitled ; and he was, therefore, the more desirous that as many as possible should sign it. To forward this purpose, he had been called to the chair at this meeting, and he was truly glad that no previous engagement had precluded his attendance. (Cheers.) He was proud, indeed, to take his station amongst the operatives of the town on such an occasion, as he had himself long been "an operative in the same cause." (Loud cheers.) Without further preface he should call upon an individual present, Mr. Robert M`Lean, to read the petition, who had withdrawn his children from the schools, and had them now placed at a Protestant school connected with the Established Church. (Cheers.) Mr. M'LEAN, an operative, then stepped forward and read the petition—(which, as it appeared in our paper of the 26th ult., and was at the meeting quoted in clauses by the Rev. Chairman in his subsequent address, we do riot here repeat.) Mr. kl`Lean said, that as a poor man, who had to work hard for has bread, and had a family : he was highly favourable to the petition. He had three children, and he would sooner keep them at home, and endeavour to teach them himself, by taking off a part of his time of rest for that purpose than send them to a school where they would not have the benefit of Scriptural education. He had sent them to St. Luke's, where they were making great advancement. The yonngest was two years of age and the oldest seven, and he was glad to say that the latter had already obtained several prizes. (Hear.) He hoped all who heard him and had families, would follow his example, by teaching their children at as early an age as possible the Word of God. As he valued the truth himself, and believed that he knew it, so he hoped all would assist in this good cause. The Word of God was truth, and they who denied it uttered what was false. He moved that the petition be adopted and signed. The motion was seconded by Mr. CHARLES HENTON, and, being put from the chair, was declared to be unanimously carried. The Rev. CHAIRMAN then said that so far as signing of the petition was concerned, it might be said that the business of the meeting was almost finished, and that all that had to be done was to affix to it their names. But he thought, a few observations upon it might be acceptable, to show the propriety of the sentiments it contained. The rev. gentle man then proceeded to comment upon the petition at consi derable length. They began by addressing the municipal body in a respectful manner ; for they ought properly to respect those who constitute their local government, They next said, they felt anxious beyond their powers of expres sion, upon the subject of the education of their children ; and he trusted they really all had that honest and sincere de sire for their Scriptural education. To be anxious in this point was the first step towards success. They said, secondly, that they were unable to send their children to expensive schools, and had, therefore, gratefully availed themselves of the Corporation schools, and others, where they were not required to make large payments. And he would say, it was a gratifying characteristic of a Christian country, that means were provided by the wealthy to furnish education for the children of the poor classes. But that ought to be a proper education. They had all heard how feelingly the first speaker had said, on this subject, what sacrifices he would make rather than his children should not have a Scriptural educa tion. They then proceeded to say, that three years ago they were compelled to withdraw their children from the Corpo ration school, in consequence of the new system introduced. And he would remark, that it would be inconsistent in any fa ther to sign the petition who had not withdrawn his children, or'who had not a conscious conviction that the system pur sued was wrong. The late plan was to enlarge the whole'of the schools, upon the system adopted, indeed, in Ire land, which excluded conscientious protestants from availing themselves of them. The council said, indeed, that those who liked the bible might have it ; but they provided nothing but the Irish extracts in place of the unmutilated Word of God. They (the meeting) could not submit to this dissecting board, at which the scriptures were cut up; a sys tem which, in fact, promulgated falsehood for truth. Tiler did not require the Catholics to he taught in their (Protestant) way ; and why should it be asked of them to be taught as Catholics ? The next clause of the petition was peculiarly modest. It stated that they did not presume to argue tde great question involved in change of system. But he hoped they would not hinder him from arguing it. (Cheers.) They added that they could not leave their children in schools from the regular business of which the reading and explaining of the Bible were excluded. Many anonymous letters had been written on this subject, and much wit had been expended in them ; but the whole amounted to this, that if there were 90 Catholic children and 10 Protestants, the 90 would follow their own way, and the 10 could only read the Scriptures one short hour in that day. A little alteration had indeed been made in the plan, but not such as to justify them in sending back their children. They next said that at that time they found refuge in the new Church of England schools, but that these were now filled to excess, and that they had heard the council was about to build addi tional schools, from the benefits of which they would be ex , eluded. He had heard that the plan was to build sixteen new schools, one in each ward ; and they were making inquiry into the state of education in the town with a view to keep on the old system. Then came the prayer of the petition, to the effect that in building the additional schools' should be scriptural schools, these already built being suffi cient as non-scriptural schools. On the fairness of this request, as a matter of justice and impartiality, the reverend gentleman argued at some length. He then quoted the following passage from a pamphlet entitled " A Defence of . the System adopted in the Corporation Schools, by Thomas Blackburn," one of the Common Council, to the following' effect : " We are of course reasoning now in relation to schools supported by publiC charity. The legal right of individuals and associated bodies to institute schools on such plans as they approve, and to invite attendance on them to not dis pute. The case, however, is widely different with Govern ments, whether general or local. They have no right to em ploy funds in which all are interested for the benefit of a part." The principle they contend for was precisely that set forth in this extract. The Council might say this request was un reasonable. Why did they not tell the Catholics so? They, however, held the objections of the Catholics to be conscien tious ; but tbose of the Protestants they had denounced as factious. The scruples of the former were respected ; those of the latter contemned. He hoped, however, this petition would be met in a proper and fair spirit. This petition would nail them to the resolution to obtain scriptural education, and the country would hammer them to it. (Cheers.) The Council must be taught that the Protestants should enjoy their fair proportion of the fund for education. The rev. gentleman, in furtherance of his argument, read the follow extract from a letter written by himself on the subject some time ago : " Suppose the ministers did not choose or had not time to attend, what have you done as patrons to secure religious instruction in the schools ? Suppose such regulations adopted as to exclude some ministers :. suppose the whole Bible read, which would exclude the Roman Catholic priests, then what have you done to secure religious instruction for the Roman Catholic children ? Or, suppose the Bible not read, which would exclude true Christian ministers, then what have you done to secure religious instruction for the Protestant children? If you say it is uncharitable and un christian in Protestant ministers to allow the absence of the whole Bible during school hours to keep them away : we re ply, it is, at least, equally uncharitable and unchristian in Roman Catholic ministers to allow the presence of the whole Bible during school hours to keep them away. If you say the Roman Catholics have a conscience in this matter : we reply, so have we. If you say, you were bound to change the original arrangement of the schools for their sakes: we reply, you are equally bound to change the present arrange ment for our sakes. The schools are now as exclusively Ro man Catholic as they were exclusively Protestant. Your avowed object was to have schools which should not be C3t elusive, but it is an object absolutely unattainable. if - you pay attention to the conscientious scruples of Roman Catho lics against whole Bible reading, and refuse to pay similar attention to the conscientious scruples of Protestants against the want of whole Bible reading: then you not only cease to give that high preference to the Word of God to which it is entitled from every man ; but, also, even upon your own principles, you confessedly cease to be impartial representa tives of the population of the town,—impartial guardians of the public purse." He would recommend that the petition should be signed and sent to the Council to-morrow (this day), as there was a meeting of that body on the following day. They had not, he believed, expressed anything disrespectful to the Council, and if he had, in what he had uttered they would surely not visit it upon their heads. The Council owed a respectful con sideration of a petition so calmly and constitutionally' ex pressed by so large and valuable a portion of the p opu i a . tion. He concluded an able address and appeal to his auditory, by expressing a hope that the Council would enable him—as the petition would be presented through him as their chairman—to convey to them in a few days, a favourable reply. In that case they will have achieved a glorious advantage for themselves and their children. Should it unhappily be otherwise, he should present it to them without comment, and they, he trusted, would receive it with that meekness with which it became them to meet any calamity that might befal them. (Loud cheers.) At the request of the Chairman the meeting Was closed with the doxology. A great number of signatures were afterwards obtained to the petition, and the meeting separated. ALARMING AND DESTRUCTIVE FlRE.—Last night, abont twenty minutes before ten, a fire broke out in the premises occupied by Mr. Kneeshaw, flour-dealer, Blundell-edurt, Fenwick-street, and which from the confined situation of the buildings, being up a narrow court, and surrounded by lofty buildings on all sides, caused very considerable alarm for some time lest the conflagration might become fearfully extensive. Happily, however, such were the im mediate exertions of the police and firemen, headed by Mr. Whitty, this apprehension was not realised, and the de structioniscomparatively limited. The " West of England" ' and the " Liverpool" were first on the ground, followed by No. 1. Some water was at first obtained by carts, and a short time elapsed before a supply could be obtained from the mains. When the pipes however were laid, the quantity was abun dant, and the firemen plied with great effect, About a quarter after ten the whble of the warehouse, which is four stories high, was in a blaze, and the appearance from the court was terrific. The three engines were, however, effectually played; and though several indications of resuscitation occurred, it was finally subdued as far as any danger to other buildings was conceived by 11 o'clock. The property belongs to Mr. Jo seph Thompson, and the whole interior of the premises was consumed with the contents. The stock consisted of flour, oatmeal, and ship-bread, and it is remarable that at several periods portions of these appeared to explode and fly off in showers of sparks resembling fireworks. SPANISH ETIQUiTTE.—The etiquette of the Spanish court was the most severe in Europe. One of their kings even fell a victim to it. Philip 111., being newly recovered from a dangerous malady, was sitting near a chimney in which was so large a fire of wood that h e was a l most st ifl e d, Eti q uette did not permit him to rise n o r a common d omes ti c to enter. At length the Marquis de P o b ar ,. c h am b er l a in, c ame ill, but etiquette forbade his interference, and the Duke of Usseda, master of the household was sent for. He was gone out ; and the flame increased, while the king bore it patiently, rather than violate his dignity. But his blood was so heated' that next morning an erysipelas of the head appeared, and a relapse of the fever soon carried him off. rE ; . ' '