The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-03-02 00:00:00

Jareh 2, 1847. CHURCH ESTABLISHMENTS : - IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. On Friday night, a public discussion took place at the 'Concert-hall, Lord Nelson-street, relative to the con nexion between the Church and the State ; and the im portance of the subject for debate, and its bearing upon various religious opinions, as well as the fact that the dis lnitants were considered by their respective supporters to be able and eloquent men, (and justly so in one instance at least) imparted to the 'proceedings, or the anticipation of them, a more than usual interest. The demand for tickets (requisite for admission,) was so great, some days 'Previously that four times the quantity, had there been Toom'for a larger auditory, could have been disposed of. As it was there was not a ticket to be obtained after Wed nesday, the greater portion having been disposed of in a few hours after the announcement of the meeting reached the public ear. The body of the room, the gallery, and every „available place, even for standing room, were crowded to excess. The disputants were Edward Mali, Esq., of London, the gi ft ed editor of the Nonamformist, the organ of a large section of dissenting communities ; and the Rev. , Joseph Baylee, a clergyman of the Church of England, nl Birkenhead, an accomplished linguist, and a close re asoner on any subject which he has hitherto taken up, e specially on controversial topics. The general impres se.en therefore was that it would be " Greek meeting ' re ek," and hence the interest excited. The origin of the discussion may be briefly conveyed. Mr. Miall and his friends lately held a public meeting here to advocate the propriety of abolishinc , the connexion between the Church and the State. The meeting happened to be r atherturbulent, and Mr. Miall took occasion to challenge any clergyman in Liverpool, or the neighbourhood, to Meet him in discussion on the point at issue. Mr. Baylee accepted the challenge ; preliminaries were arranged, and the discussion commenced as stated. On the platform were the Revs. Fielding Ould, D. Thom, J. R. Connor, W. Maynard, D. S. Wylie , D. _thorn, D. J. Hirsch, W. M. Falloon, D. Anderson, M Crump, Roberts, M. Beswick, H. L. Brown,. Wm. Clark, Wolsley, D. R. Stephens , G. H. Hackm,&c.. ChaS. Robertson, Esq. , acted as chairman for Mr..Miall , and the Rev. Mr. Pollock for Mr. Baylee, Mr, Lockston, Independent Minister, was chosen as Moderator by mutual consent of both parties. Mr. Lo mmeic opened the business of the evening. He lamented that one of the laity had not come forward to preside, owing, perhaps, to the holding of another meeting that evening of The Health of Towns' Association. He could not, therefore do less than stand by his dear friend, Mr. Ihylee. The simple question was—in what way shall the the Power of the Gospel of Christ be made most conducive welfare of men, and most confOrmable to the will of n - -od. Both the argumentors, he rejoiced to say, had agreed to adhere to the law and the testimony—each re cognising Scriptures as the basis of Christian Doctrine. The Rev. Mr. BAYLEE then offered up an appropriate Prayer. Mr. Councillor ROBERTSON then introduced Mr. Miall, who was received with much applause. After the two dis- Putants had shaken hands Mr. MIALL said, he was impressed with the solemn nature of the devotional engagement into which he had entered, and considered it his duty to preserve the cour tesy and meekness of a christian. He was prepared to receive any remark from the other side which a sense of duty might lead his reverend opponent to make. He rejoiced that his opponent and himself were substantially agreed as to what constituted true christianity. He re garded it as that manifestation of the mind of God through the Mediator, by which the great ruler of the universe seeks to win back to his government those who have re volted from it—to make them, instead of rebels, willing s ubjects —to bring them into hearty subjection to his moral and spiritual government—to unite them—to harmonise their spirits, their will, to himself and to his own, so that i t t the highest sense it may be said of Him and them, that c ey are one. He believed it was not opposite to the will e ' God as laid down in the Scriptures, nor opposed to the greral tendency of the Christian scheme, that religion , ri rd be maintained and extended by voluntary efforts. c h ur "vas the first effort he would make—to support the ex ,es, to maintain the expenses of Divine worship, and ' ea rl the Christian Kingdom, by missionary enter- Prise of t lis, he conceived, was due to us, independent of t u k e state, and in obedience to the voluntary impulse eo h e Minds of men. Such an effort was perfectly L i m patible with the whole genius of Christianity. In y erPool, there were many c h urc h e s of the Estab lishment) supported by voluntary contributions ; and England' felt assured that th e e ff or t ma d e b y t h e Church o f pigland to extend religion over the world was supported 0 )' voluntary contributions. The Scriptur es en j o i ne d upon th em to go forth in the exercise of voluntary effort, whe ther by personal exertion, or by pecuniary contribution, and to stretch out to a wanting and a perishing world those means and ordinances, which would not be sus ined but for their intervention. According to the New Testament, in respect to the extension of religion, all that g as . Positive leant to voluntary effort. Jesus Christ sent ."' his disciples among their brethren, the Jews, to :each the Word of God, and laid 'upon them the com fra44, " Freely ye have received ; freely give." In fine, Let express precepts the Apostle gave to his converts, t o tnem that are taught communicate in all good things them that teach." From this and other examples, he a , the to the conclusion that, so far as the New Testament - r eetion upon this point was positive —so far it leant very t•nsiderably to the voluntary principle. He would take general spirit and scope of the sacred writings, and lie l '`,°aglit the conclusion must be, from analogy, that the b,„',Del should be voluntarily dispensed. Owing to the fi.'' o ural corruption of men's hearts, and their alienation a?, and taliconsequnt aversion to, p rej u di c e s rinciples of s ristianity, was kely that their should be overcome, or that the hardness of their hearts should be s oftened a by applying to them the rigour of human taw ? IC were best to quarter ourselves upon the resources of depraved men, in order that Christian opinion might be promoted and maintained. It Would serve no good purpose to trample upon the preju dices of human nature. It was opposed to , the object in view to set aside the will of men in erecting our machi !erY, and then endeavour to direct that machinery so as , 1-43 bring the will into entire and cordial consent. They r,( l all that could be accomplished to reclaim man. It itself in an emphatic manner to all manner of humangartered beings. The whole tenor of Christianity was in thrtered with, when they relied upon the compulsory sys ie That system did not make its appeal to the sympa to,73 of man, but to the arm of the magistracy—it rested 1 / 41 : 11 Pon the intrinsic verity atd force of Divine truth, th l P9n parliamentary law, and upon those appointed by • legislature for carrying out the acts of that law. It 0 , 11 lntirely based upon physical—the ultimate rock upon len it rested • it brought,iuto the warfare of moral and • ' tt ) t], a evils carnal weapons. It opposed itself directly th at 'a best sympathi es o f h uman n a ture, a n d s ti rre d up sr e , e llirit of resistance that men always felt when they tor y . se llsible of being exposed to injustice. The compul- Yario lp t eln was opposed to Christianity. There were. °Pinions on the question of the kind of religious Ale s a ,', - Llon that ought to be given by the state to the neo % it who were to decide what that instruction should le st it were the duty of " the powers that be "to se le he religio us i ns t ruc ti on th a t shall be supported by allb e ral pay of the people, then was it the duty of a ✓ery in all cases to submit ?If not, th e y came t o thi s z,l c urious contradiction, that it was the duty of the civil blrates, in some instances, to command their subjects, ad tb nl e cases, when it was not the duty of the subjects to J, 0 4ow . could the magistrate decide as to the various Cl i ; ‘ o f v arious parties ?It would be admitted even by °Pe et a a rise l Englandmen,that great errors might in this re tev.ed it . upposible to carry out the pre sellsuttocritwhi%Coereu ator. mu o sti c . c. He believed it did dis maintainingytiatictatls talked about the impossibigty of b▪ ut for resort to a compulsory system. zetscifevreeNgio" , such l i ndividuals were doing their own' church a great injury. tie believed if it were left entirely independent of state ; ° ,2 l liection ' cast upon its own resources, the piety, energy, n 7n, zeal, love, of its own members, it would flourish e,. e lniccessfully, vigorously, triumphantly, than it has te eM ; 'fte since its connection with the state. After some te sin behalf of the courtesy that ought to be ob- ItZ ed in such discussions, so that sound argument might t Ak tt ° truth-, he concluded by saying— , • F or my own Diet' Ido n o t b e li eve it. I b e li eve a l arg e portion of so in hi: s suf fi ciently candid, unbiassed, and unprejudiced toMatter, to listen to truths urged upon both sides, i l lti e t l ,gh, examine, and come to that conclusion which 4 ~ ,u- m k will be sustained in the judgment of the Last pai d (His hour having expired, Mr. Miall retired amid l'h e evahle applause.) (Sk Baylee a kev. Mr. PoELocit briefly introduced the Rev. I , s a faithful minister of the gospel. aat h. Rev. - Mr. BAYLEE expressed his disappointment ~eh l ,s . talented opponent had not supported his argu ,llie,,,?y chapter and verse, which lie (Mr. B.) had ete k 7n• He and his opponent agreed as to the cha dirli 0 1 true Christianity, but he (Mr. B.) varied in rid from the deductions drawn. According to the ve 4 :stamerit, God's appointment, in those days, were in t ;:ert ai flf the compulry principle, as the were now. °ley much might be'done by voluntar y means, and 11 :ei l t f ere under an obligation •to do' so. The Old Testa t t L tts which his Opponent did not allude) abounded in er e support of religion as supported by the state , and there ‘▪ 1-,ere nanny passages in the New Testament having „ri„ 4 .1 1 9 tendency. He quoted from the 9th chapter of ‘ad " . Even so hath the Lord ordained," Ste. ; e .,ter o „,"-I, that if one passage made that law, there was an i'pooli-et Principle applicable to all men and all times. His Voluntary had said, that the leaning of Scripture was to LI? Q t l e i n a d z i pnciple, but what passages bore this out ? truth su that the compulsory principle rested upon of Engdartld by Parliamentary law. The 9wever, b elie ve d i t no act of 11 1 - 4 7111 , ent for its rights. He believed it to be the true tai y e ,a ; and he openly professed, that if he lived in t ti , 4 e shonld consider himself bound in conscience to h - the su ppo rt of the Roman Catholic. Church, on the iv4lstia t , uncertain I b w u t such a xe Principle o rendering tribute - N o • . iere tribute tv ellev et i' and custom, to whom custom was due." He e• co t ile' word of God e erti,..", tell what it proved . ; was n th ot at so tl u ie n r c e e lastt e e Iv :EY as that stated by-Ins opponent ; that, in fact, na li -s t _nd . difficulty in the matter. He would he the gland Compel any person to belong to the Church of ( „ ) ,'‘te,,, l • -1 ; but he would contend that it was the duty of Oetto e en to . provide for the support of a church by state sleets' nts and pecuniary endowments. Ile could prove l Ptilre that compulsory payments in support of a t t of 11 ,,, r eh' were in accordance with the law of - Moses 0 4 41. khrist. This was consistent with God's holy h 4ll 'which he, and those with him, looked for I:gl atid e state, was what the articles of the Church of mPid e , s t,rictly enjoined. Many thought that we should tt ei p o i py what were called rights of conscience, on at be believed many errors were abroad. Let ok i l nembered that we should not hereafter be j udged 11 1 eon • ti r r t sciences, but by G o d ' s o word alone. • C ri mes ' Oeeie_e committed—and had been—under the plea of ; but no man had a right to oppose his con 'Kl the established law of God, " Unto the pure 17. ..... 075. tinciPai St. a • )(ford. 'fled oft 'ctor or Church Towo' [Wane , iler rgeantf H. Vi• t inn ier- Pcinty er and ere is vithout aost as of Tri.- of the . M.A. , eli, St. in the which )ter of -L tombs d coo' idatioa to air bone oa° in of a rooms ed OIL e to 3 -, w ho their neellor he ta ,Aor in s were statute )te (for ?owls), for the erougl Le earlf t. Un noured ['jest - Y . l sli and ear 011 shiote."~ r yeles of led frow mental arc in' dream trousedf., ay %f9l' volution )rds the it time: all things are pure ; but unto, them that are defiled and; unbelieving is nothing puree;. but even their mindlkar.d conscience is defiled." We,. of the Church of England, believed the revealed word of God was to be found con jointly in the Old and the New. Testament. In references to the former, the Apostle Paul referred to it as illus trative of the Christian dispensation. In the 9th chapter of Ist Corinthians he showed the right of the Christian minister to obtain support for the church. The mind of the Apostle was continually in unison with the fact that the Old and New Testaments were to be identified in principle. The 10th chapter of the same book instructed us upon that point,—" Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea ; and did all eat the same spiritual meat ; and did all drink of the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them ; and that Rock was Christ." In the 3rd of Ephesians, 6th verse. this fact was confirmed. He therefore appealed to the Old Testament, to show that the union between church and state was in accordance with the Mosaic dispensation. It was further shown by Job 31st chap., 26th verse, and by the 14th chapter of Genesis. Where was the nation that did not unite the church with the state ? True there was one, but that was not one hundred years old, and how long it might continue in its present state time alone could show. Was Abraham a foolish man when he bowed to King Melchizedek, the prince and priest of the High God ? Was Moses an unwise legislator when he united the church to the state—was Solomon a foolish king when he built and endowed the temple of God, and established a suitable'priesthood, or were they deprived of their com mon sense ? It was, therefore, abundantly evident that God had expressly revealed the framework of an esta blished church as a blessing to the people of every well ordered community. The reverend gentleman next re ferred to the Scriptures in proof of the principle of en dowed establishments of religion, and observed, that from the Bible it was abundantly evident that, at some time in the world, God had provided for the union of the church and state--that for fifteen hundred years he approved of the supremacy of the chief magistrate in his church. (Cheers.) It should be distinctly borne in mind that the Christian dispensation was not an anti type of the temple service as dissenters asserted, but of the parochial system as exemplified in their synagogue service. He then referred to a variety of passages from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ezra, and the minor prophets, proving. that many of their predictions referred to the Christian dispensation, as exemplified in the union of church and state, and concluded by calling upon Mr. Miall to prove his position from the Bible, and to give chapter and verse for his assertions. (He resumed his seat amid tre mendous cheers.) Mr. MIALL on rising to reply was received with loud applause by his friends. He said he begged to be under stood as being no enemy whatever to the reference of all disputes in theological quarters to chapter and verse, more especially if the chapter and verse be relevant to the question at issue. He did not know that it was an old complaint—perhaps it was somewhat novel in the ad vocates of the compulsory system to find fault with their opponents for not resting exclusively on the scriptural arguments developed in chapter and verse." Why, it seemed to be taken for granted that they looked with con tempt on Judaic dispensation. Judaisim was absolutely necessary, in order to make way for Christianity, but it would be impossible for man in these days to understand the mind of Christ in his intervention for the people ; but because God saw it absolutely necessary thus to interfere, in order to develop his will among men, and he himself had set aside his own institution ; let them not, at all events. regard themselves as under an obligation to go back to it, further than to illustrate those truths which were taught to them under that better covenant which commenced with better promise. (Cheers.) The first reference which was made illustrating the church and state principle was the Book of Job, where it is written that Job declared if he should have been guilty of offering adulterous worship to the objects of nature before him, then the magistrate should punish him. It would not be disputed amongst them that, under the Judaical dispensation, idolatory was punished by death. Either let us have Judaism, with all its powers and privileges, or Christianity, with all its moral beauty and freedom. Then, allusion was made to Abra ham and Melchizedek, as illustrating the nature of church and state. • He was sorry he could not exactly see how the gift to Abraham, of a tenth of the spoils obtained in war, was an argument in favour of, or a fact preshadowipg the compulsory principle. If Melchizedek had taken the spoils—if he had said, " because lam a servant of God in both temporal and spiritual things, I claim a tenth part of that which belongs to you," then he (Mr. Miall) would have seen some relevancy in the application of chapter and verse ; but it did not seem to hith that chapter and verse told favourably for the compuliory principle as one sanctioned by God. He believed there were modes in which kings and queens, in their official authority, could do far more good than by controverting the pewers and doctrines of the word of God. When God charged Cyrus, Cyrus, of course, did right to obey. When God did not charge Queen Victoria, Queen Victoria had no right to enforce. Let hini see the authority for it is as plainly as the authority of Cyrus in respect to that 'one particular transaction—let him see the authority of Scripture on which the kings of the present times based their standing, and then he would submit with all thankfulness. Mr. Miall resumed his seat amidst loud applause. M. BAYLEE replied. He complained that during the last thirty-five minutes his opponent had not brought for ward a single text of Scripture in support of his position. He would not be diverted from his purpose by proving whether the Church of England was or was not the Church of Christ, but he was ready at any time to meet any Dissenter, and bring that question to the test of Scripture (hear, hear). He would argue the question whether English dissent, or separation from the Church of God, could be justified by Scripture. lie believed that Dissenters read the New Testament almost entirely to the exclusion of the Old, and lie accused his, opponent of ha% ing made several irrelevant allusions. He defended what he had previously stated about Melcbisedec and Cyrus, and contended that money for the support of the Mosaical priesthood was to be exacted, even from the hea then. The question was not whether the Church of Eng land was entitled to tithes and taxes, but whether the Word of God warranted the union of Church and State. (applause). The prophetical writings did not foreshadow such a union, but they actually declared the union was in existence even in the time of Christ. There was both negative and positive evidence in the New Testament in favour of the union. With respect to the negative evi dence, there was nothing said against the connexion be tween the Church and State. There was one, and only one passage adduced against it, namely, " My kingdom is not of this world ;" but when rightly understood, this passage was not opposed to his views. The positive evi dence began with saying, that the kingdom we had now was a Jewish kingdom transferred to us—the Jewish Scriptures and the Jewish spirituality that enabled them to look forward to the doctrine of the resurrection. He then referred for the positive to the 19th of Matthew, and 28th verse, the 13th of Romans, the 2nd of Peter, and the Ist of Revelations. He denied that Christianity had been successful during the first three centuries, and said there was not one corruption of faith or doctrine, the buddings forth of which we did not find introduced at that time. The Church of the first three centuries contained such errors and heresies as were not added to any great extent in subsequent ages. He concluded by alluding to the opi nions of Owen, Howe, and Matthew Henry, the last of whom had stated that that man wits not to be listened to who would tell us that the Church and State should be dissevered. He summoned the apostles, the prophets, and the spirits of just men made perfect, to bear witness that the connexion ought not to be dissevered ; and he denounced the language of those who' charged injustice and tyranny upon the men who imitated the God of Hea ven. The reverend gentleman resumed his seat amidst the most ii mt e h a u f s t i e a r st t i e c n ap o t) c la lo u c s k e . the discussion adjourned to , of which will be f in anMotadap3 the Doxology ey,ster was y ) sung, a re report t d found 111( ,ONTHLY RETURN OF AGRINT IMPORTED, ENTERED FOR CONStiii-PTIOT;i REMAINING IN WAREHOUSE. The following are the main facts of the customs' return of the importations and entries for consumption during the month ending February sth, and the s quantity remain ing in warehouse on that date. Of Grain, we imported from foreign countries 240,230 quarters, 1 bushel ; from 204u9r,9c082 quarters, lonies, 9 h q u u s a h r e t l e . r s Of total this quantity,Coi•n an Grain,d l3l, 481 quarters, 4 bushels, consisted of Indian Corn. Of Meal 75 1 2 and Flour, we imported from foreign countries 213,647 cwt. 0 qrs. 10 lbs. ; from our colonies, 39,721 cwt. 0 qrs. 24 lbs.: total Meal and Flour, 253,368 cwt. 1 qr. 6 lbs. ; of which 27,986 cwt. 2 qrs. 3 lbs. were Indian Meal. The quantities entered for home consumption were, of foreign .countries' Grain, 526,187 qrs., 4 bushels ; from our colonies, 13,231 qrs., 1 bushel : total, 539,418 qrs., 5 bushels. Of this quantity, 132,317 qrs., 1 bushel, con sisted of Indian Corn. The quantity of Meal and Flour entered for consumption was, from foreign countries, 383,797 cwt. 2 qrs. 18 lbs; ; from our colonies, 48,238 cwt. 3 qrs. 25 lbs :. total, 431,036 cwt. 2 qrs. 15 lbs. ; of which 30,157 cwt. 3 qrs. were of Indian Meal. The quantities remaining .in warehouse on the sth February, were : Corn and Grain, from foreign countries, 67,946 qrs. ; from the colonies, 993 qrs., 4 bushels : total, 68,939 qrs., 4 bushels ; of which, only 406 qrs., 6 bushels were Indian Corn. The quantities of Meal and Flour froM foreign countries were 310,939 cwt. 2 qrs. 23 lbs. ; from the colo nies, 7,300 cwt. 3 gni. 2 lbs. : total, 318,241 cwt. 2 qrs. 7 lbs. ; of which, only 1,090 cwt. 2 qrs. 16 lbs. was Indian Meal. The entries for consumption, it must be borne in mind, coming up to the sth February, embrace only nine days since the Corn Laws were suspended, viz., from the 26th January. Since that period, the importa tions have been considerable ; but the quantity remaining in warehouse is probably not increased. The duties chargeable at the time of the suspension of the Corn Laws, on the 26th of January were as follows : Foreign. Colonial. •s. d. s. d. Wheat, per quarter • 4 0 1 Barley and Bere, Rye, 1 2 0 Pease, and Bean s .... I .* Indian Corn and Buck }- 1 0 Inamdtis:laine Wheata C t o u ri e i a la,nd per ew Buck t. 0 0 . 6 1 MTh,- ,teat Meal and Flour 1 41 Oatmeal and Gr0at5........ 011 13-121 } 0 41 Barley Meal .. . .......... 1 0 52-145 Rye Meal and hour ...... 0 8 4-7 Pea and Bean Meal 0 9 13-17 SATURDAY EVENING CONCERT.---On Saturday evening last, Mr. Field gave an exceedingly interesting entertain ment, illustrative of British bravery, at the Concert-hall, Lord Nelson-street. The audience though not unusually large, wa s Ipost enthusiastic, receiving the entertainment, which is replete with anecdote and song, is the raost favourable manner. • - 4 .11 'il 1 7 T THE LIVERTOVII , KTANDASA Loral D.tb3s. The-Liverpool Guardian Gas Bid Twos passed the starai.-. in ,orders. On three days last wee1c,..250 vessels left the Mersey ftm vavious destinations. A. quantity of fresk pdrk.'was received from New Yorls,. Wthe Oxford packet ship:. BIRKENHEAD 'DOcis.—.l4 B. Lloyd, Esq., has bee-A: appointed by the Birkenhead Dock Commissioners, Soli6 citor for their two Dock /3411 s now before parliament. The total quantity of soup. made from the opening of tlia•soup establishments to..the 20th instant was 631,602. quarts. Porty-three Irish paupers- were put to break stones at the Industrial School on Saturday week, and on Monday' morning only three of them>returned. The rest were not to be found. On Monday, a man name&Thomas Syers fell from the stage of a vessel lying in .the Brunswick Dock, and re ceived a severe injury of the head, which caused his death about seven hours afterwards. At a special vestry meeting at Walton, on Thursday, the resignation of Mr. T. B. Musker, its schoolmaster of the grammar schoOl was accepted, and a committee was appointed to supply the vacancy. About a fortnight ago, a Toting woman named Mary C. Alexander was severely burnt over her face, chest, and neck, in consequence of her clothes taking fire. She lin gered in great agony till Tuesday. On Monday John Ramsey, of Prince William-street, was in the act of eating some bread and drinking a little water, when he suddenly fell down, as if in a fit, and died almost immediately. Death resulted from choking, a piece of bread having lodged in the windpipe. On Tuesday, Thomas Dowling, an infant two months old, whose parents had- recently arrived from Ireland, died suddenly in its mother's arms. Th e y h a d ta k en lodgings in Lace-street, and on looking at the deceased when they got inside the house, found he was dead. The cause of death was the want of sufficient food. FIRE.—On Wednesday a fire broke out in the elegant suite of offices erected' by Messrs. Waterhouse and Sons,, at the corner of Oldhall-street and Chapel-street. It originated in the sample-room occupied by Messrs. Cuth— bert and Grindley, a, portion of the floor and roof of which were destroyed. The damage is estimated at £2OO. On. Tuesday two men were committed for trial by Mr. Rushton, charged with coining, base shillings in Enner dale-street. They Are discovered by the police in the very act, and a plaster-of-paris mould for casting shilliugs, and several base specimens of that coin, were found on the premises. The Rev. Dr- M`Leod, of Edinburgh, has received from Miss Rankin, of Liverpool, two very valuable bales of clothes, the value of £55 sterling, being a donation from an association of ladies in Liverpool, connected with Scotland, to be transmitted to some of the most destitute localities in the Highlands. LIVERPOOL FLAT RACE. WEDNESDAY, MARCH. 3. 1847.—The following is the entry :—The Snob, 4 .. N yrs ; Idolater, 5 yrs ; Infringe. 3 yrs ; Nottingham, 3 yrs ; Brown Fly, 4 yrs ; Robin Burns, 5 yrs ; Cascade, 3 yrs ; Lady Lurewell, 3 yrs ; The Highwayman, 5 yrs ; Ukraine, 4 yrs ; Woodranger, 5 yrs ; Jovial, 3 yrs ; Tom Tou g h, aged. SUICIDE.—On Wednesday, a woman named Catharine Griffin, who had been for some time lodging in Smith down-lane, put an end to her existence by cutting her throat with a knife. She was heard talking to, herself in the bed-room, and in a few minutes afterwards some per son belonging to the house went up stairs and found her lying under the bed, in a pool of blood, with her throat cut. JUVENILE DEPRAVITY.—A miserable-looking child, named John O'Brien, apparently not more than ten years old, was placed in the dock at the police-court, on Friday, charged by Woods one of the constables of St. John's market, with stealing 411 b. of veal on the pre ceding night. The boy was put back, and Woods was directed to endeavour to find the owner of the stolen property. BIRKENHEAD CATTLE FAIR.—The usual quarterly cattle fair for the sale of cows, pigs, horses, &c., was held on Tuesday last, in Pilgrim-street and the vacant ground adjoining. There was a good supply of pigs and cows, with a fair show of horses, for which there appeared to be a brisk demand. The attendance of buyers was good, and, we understand, a considerable amount of business was transacted. Mr. Ambrose Waln, of the firm of Lloyd and Wain, solicitors, a gentleman of respectable standing in the pro fession, has been appointed Law Clerk to the Commis sioners of Birkenhead,—to succeed Mr. Mallaby. The salary is henceforth to be £l,OOO per annum ; hut Mr. Waln is to give up private practice, and devote himself entirely to the responsible duties. He is also to reside in the township. A meeting of the shareholders of the Liverpool Loan Company, was held at the Clarendon Rooms, on Thurs day week. From the report read by the Secretary, we should say this company is in a very prosperous state, and one in which parties either to borrow or invest capital may do so with security. It will be seen, upon reference to advertisement, that they are paying a dividend of 20 per cent. out of the profits realised during the past half year. . NEW STEAMERS FOR THIS PORT.—A fine iron steam vessel of great speed has been ordered for,: the Liverpool and Carlisle trade. She is to have a light draught of water, suited to the shoal water of the S o l wa y, an d t o b e worked by oscillating engines of 300 horse-power. A similar vessel has also been laid down by Messrs. Vernon and Co. for the Whitehaven trade, to run in conjunction with their beautiful steamer the Queen. Both vessels are to be built under the directions of Mr. Grantham. Mr. Joseph Scott, a young gentleman from Liverpool, attempted on Monday last, while in a fit of delirium to leap out of a railway carriage between Folkston° and I:on don-bridge. He was with difficulty prevented and was taken into custody for safety. His mother was written to, and she commissioned a gentleman named Kell to re ceive and conduct him home. Mr. Scott attributed the paroxysm by which he had been seized to over excitement on reaching his native shores from France. LAMENTABLE ACCIDENT.—On Thursday a large stone was being hoisted in the usual way to the top of St. George's Hall, by means of the shears, when, from some cause not yet ascertained, the bolt which connects the head of the shears gave way, and the stone consequently fell to the ground. In its descent it came in contact with a scaffold on which two men (William Watson, and Peter Loughlin) were standing, broke part of it away, and pre cipitated them to the ground, a height of about 140 feet. They were both killed on the spot. Sir Thomas Fremantle, chairman of the Board of Customs, has been visiting this port and neighbourhood during the past week. It is generally understood that his visit refers to recent propositions relative to making Runcorn and Birkenhead into separate and independent ports, both having heretofore formed part of the port of Liverpool, just as the Southwark side of the Thames forms part of the port of London ; or as Devonport, with its new bonded warehouses, forms part of the port of Plymouth. COLLEGIATE INSTITUTION.-1110 direCtOrSillthlld giving another Polytechnic exhibition during the midsummer vacation. It will be a difficult matter to equal the former one in extent or grandeur, but the friends of this institu kn are numerous and their resources are vast. A slight ort from each will, therefore, produce a great result. e undertaking has our hearty good wishes, as we be lieve that such exhibitions tend to refine the people ; and we shall be glad to aid the cause in any manner m which our efforts may be available. . . _ FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Thursday, Anthony Murphy, and another man were working on board of a vessel called the Martha, in the Victoria Dock,—getting cotton from the vessel, and rolling it on shore upon a stage. While Murphy was rolling a bale along the stage, with a‘ c ott on hook, the bagging tore, and Murphy, who was pulling at the hook, fell over into the dock, and struck his head against the side of a boat, and cut his forehead. The wound was large, and he sank in a few minutes, before assistance could be given. He was got out in . about ten minutes, quite dead. He never moved after getting into the water. He was twentyfour years of age. Charles S. Ro d wil e a d n f , one .ph o u f s the a assistant tllis relieving , DEATHS OF PARISH OFITICERS.—OR Wednesday, Mr. having been at his usual ndeuTMo Othr officers of the parish Tuesday week last; when, for l t e : was of short duration, he at the .Parish-office, on street, ,Kirkdale. His ) ill and was sent home in a ear. A..r'/I time, he complained - asa - most humane, excellent officer, most considerate towards in his elibrts to prevent the poor, and most untiring them from dying of want since the late alarming influx of j Irish paupers commenced. This is the third officer con nected with the parish who has been carried off by typhus fever within the last month • and two others are now ly ing dangerously ill of that dreadful malady. We under stand that all of them caught it at the Parish-office, by coming into immediate contact with the wretched recipi ents of relief there. HUNGERFORD BRIDGE.--It will be recollected that there was a great deal of gossip in Liverpool last spring about the purchase of Hungerford Bridge, London, by Messrs. W. Jackson and W. Potter, of 'Birkenhead, and others, and of the payment of a large sum by those gen tlemen to be off the bargain. It would seem by the re port of the directors of the Hungerford Bridge Company, read at a meeting of the proprietors, held last week, that Messrs. Jackson and Co. have vet an interest in this pur chase. The following extracts froM the report Are con clusive evidence :—"* * * It will be necessary to have the shareholders of the company completely registered, and every precaution taken to secure a prompt and equit able division of the money to be paid by Mr. Jackson for the purchase of the bridge."—" :Your directors are pro ceeding in parliament with the bill to enable them to con vey the bridge to Messrs. Jackson and others.'-' INQUESTS.—On Tuesday four inquests were held before the borough coroner. The first was on view of the body of Thomas Weldon, a man 58 yearssof age, who met with an accident on Friday week, which ended in his death. He had been • engaged in the cellar of a warehouse in Cooper's-row, getting out six casks of tallow. One of the casks fell against his leg, and crushed his foot very severely. Ile was conveyed" to the . Northern Hospital, where mor tification set in, and he died on Satnrday.—The second was on James Leech, an infant "six months old, who lived with his parents in Sussex-street, Toxteth-park. It ap peared that he died of congestion of the lungs, most pro bably arising from having been overlain.—The third was on Alexander M`Dougall, who, whilst working on board the Albion, at present lying in the Clarence Dock, fell from the topmast on the deck. He was taken up in an insensible state: his right thigh was broken, and his fore head was injured. He had a compound fracture of the right thigh, of which he died on the 20th instant.—The fourth was on Maria Roberts, of Collingwood-street, 50 years of age. She sold women's caps, and had not suffi cient to eat during the last fortnight. It appeared, how ever, that she had been relieved four times at the Parish office, and that Mr. Rowlands had visited her three times giving her money on each occasion, and also a card to go before the board. 'Her cause of death was bronchites, but there was no doubt that her death had been accele rated by previous exposure to cold, and want of food. TRIP.—The Prbeess Helena, a ;nww. iron steal:w heat, built by Mr. John laird, of Birkethead; and; dia , engines by Messrs. George Forrester encl.. , Co., of , this, tewnizunde her first trial trip on Tuesday, Iler.time was. , taken fioni the Rock Light:'±ouse to the BelLißuoy, themes• tit the North-west Lightship, and , back' to-the Reck. by!. the Eel Bu.oy,—a distance of 32 miles, which she per-- formed.in two hours and two-minutes. As this is , the firsts 'time the- vessel . has been out' of .'dock since launched; and the first trial of the engines, tie result maybe oonsideresli very. satisfactory. The Prinzess. Helena is 3. , sisteryesself to the Piiacess Clementine, which...we so lately noti ce d as , having Tel our port for the Aouth-Eastern and:Centinental4 .Steam Packet Company. 'VOix/rrPERYISM CARRIED OTTT.---- Some sixs.or seven; years ago.. a member of a dissenting,chapelnet a ;hundred. miles from. this town, who ha. heard so triuchotWolun tarysm dinned in his ears, at lraigtbarriyed atltlie conclu-. sion that me preacher ought to minister to the congrega tion. voluntarily and without pay at all.' He thought there ought to be voluntary preachers as well as voluntarily , paid- preachers; but, on making • known his' sentiments to several of his co-worshippers, and the principle begin-. ping to extend amongst them, the poor fellow was brought before the deacons of the chapel, who, finding: he would . not be persuaded from his opinions, actually expelled him, - from.their fellowship, and what they-termed the fellowship, •• of the Cliatreh as a truce breaker. Here is a f sie•speeirnen •of the respect paid by these boasters to the rights of con-. ,science! . Here is a specimen of the mode in which those -who despise " the beggarly elements of "the world."'are treated ! . POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT.—Mthe partieular.request of the Rev. H. Hampton, our favourite- townsman, Mr:. W. M. Fisher, delivered a deeply-interesting: lecture on, - Astronomy on Monday evening; in the nova. Assembly : Rooms, in behalf of the poor fund.. The charge for. ad-. mission was double that of his last /lecture for the Church Missionary Society ; and though_ there were numerous. - -meetings and attractive concerts onahe same-evening, yet the rooms were completely crowded with ladies andgen- Ilemen, among whom were several. of the clergy and me dical profession. The subject throughout was characte 'rised by lucid arrangement, elegant language, and kith :dons selections, which embodied an intellectual. treat of the highest order to the admirers of the most sublime and attractive of the physical sciences. Fisher's new achromatic lanterns are really splendid, capable of pro ducing a large disc, with clear and accurate definition. :The taste and judgment displayed in exhibiting the dis solving views and the chromatropes could not possibly be excelled. The variety of celestial and terrestrial scenery was truly wonderful. At the close of the entertainment, the Rev. H. Hampton paid the lecturer a eery high com pliment, and returned his warmest thanks for his benevo lent exertions on the present occasion, and then the whole company testified their unqualified approbation and de light by giving Mr. Fisher three hearty bursts of applause. We rejoice that the efforts of this talented gentleman to wards such a laudable object have ag ain, as we fully anti cipated, been crowned with abundant success. THE IRISH FAMINE. —ITS IMMEDIATE. EFFECTS UPON LIVERPOOL.—At the select vestry meeting, on Tuesday, it appeared, from returns made by the parish officers,•that the expenditure for the relief of the Irish immigrants, now averages £5OO per week. Under the new system of administering relief, at their own tempo rary residences, after enquiry by officers specially ap pointed for the purpose, two facts have been made evi dent :—First, that under the former system of relief a great deal of imposition was practised upon the parish ; and secondly, that the overcrowding of the population in certain low localities of the town, in consequence of the influx of paupers, has superinduced an alarming amount of sickness, which has.rendered necessary a much greater amount of relief. Although, in the first place, a number alleged to amount to 24,000 per day, were relieved at a Cost to the parish of about £378 per week, the cost to the parish for the last week, upon one-third of the number, amounted to £443. The great reduction in numbers is accounted for by what has since proved to be the fact, that in the first ins*nce, the children of the lowest class of Irish residents were lent out for the purpose of ex citing commiseration. The additional expense to the parish for extra examining and relieving officers, amounted to £45 per week; so that, to use the words of the chair man, the Rev. Rector Campbell, " the plain fact which ought to be made known is, that the parish of Liverpool is expending £5OO per week at the present time, upon the Irish immigrants ; and, in addition to that, through the public charities of the town, £250 more per week, is de voted to the relief of the same class of persons. What further,sum may be expended in private charity, of course cannot be known, though there can be no doubt that it is very considerable." The arrivals of these poor creatures during the last week. amounted to 4,043. It further ap peared that the 'fish who arrived in Liverpool, and emi grated thence to America, since the Ist of January, without any assistance from the parish, amounts to the unprecedented number (for this period of the year) of 9,000. Mn. C. S. ROWLAND.—The remains of this excellent and humane parish officer, whose death of typhus fever is announced in another column, was removed for interment from Morley-street, Kirkdale, on Friday last, the 26th instant. There have been few men of his station in life so worthily lamented at his death, and for whom such ex pressions of sorrow and sadness have been manifested. An hour previous to the corpse being removed, a erowd of poor people, much apparently distressed at their loss, congregated themselves around the door, a spot well known by them, where many a heart-rending appeal had been made, and many a distressed widow and orphan had pressed their pathetic tale upon his ear, even in the few hours of his retirement. Gratitude and affection, princi ples which live within the bosom of many a tattered and care-worn tabernacle, led them there, to pay their last and only tribute of este em. It reminded us of that saying, " the poor ye have with you always; but Me ye have not alwayS.” A considerable number of the officers and members of the Liverpool Protestant Benevolent Society, of which he was the president and treasurer fat several years, attended on this occasion, and preceded the hearse and mourning coaches, walking two and two. Amongst the relatives and friends of the deceased, we noticed the Rev. D. James, of St. Mary's, Kirkdale, his beloved mi nister; also, Edward Gray, Esq., Messrs. H. Simpson, Williams, /41`Clelland, and several other gentlemen con nected with the parish offices, who were much attached to him. The procession moved on to the ancient church yard of Walton. The Rev. D. James read the burial service, and in such a manner as bespoke feeling in all present. His remains were lowered into the ground, amid the sighs and sobs of many around ; the tears of many a widow and orphan, mingled with those o f hi s re l at i ons and friends, mixed with the kindred dust of that lonely grave. In every circle in which he moved, his loss will be severely felt, but to none so much as his beloved wife and family : that loss never can be repaired.. In him, without guile, was . found the kind, warm-hearted, unflinching friend, the attached advocate of Protestant principles, the devoted husband, and the kindest parent ; in the exercise of his arduous duties,- it appeared as if he had always be fore him, as an apology, the language of our poet— "Taughtty that Power that pities me, I learn to pity them." FEVER IN LIVERPOOL..—Fever is making such rapid progress in this town, that the Fever Hospital is much too small for the accommodation of the large number of patients who ought, if possible, to be received within its walls, and a temporary hospital is about to he fitted up for the accommodation of fever patients. The details presented by the medical district officers to the parochial authorities are of the most fearful kind. In St. Martin's district, the number of patients on the books on the 18th was 142, and these, in the course of two days, increased to 190. The medical officer reports that some of the courts and houses in his district are densely crowded with large families of children ; that in one house, in Moscow street, there are between 2t and 30 inhabitants ; and that fever is increasing and assuming the typhoid character. In Vauxhall district, the number of patients on the books 'on the 16th February was 392, and these gradually in creased till the 20th, when the number was 506. Fever rages to a considerable extent. In one instance, a child was lying dead, and the father and mother were pros tratedin the-same bed, - with two other children, and no one to nurse them. In a dditi on t o f ever , small pox is extending in every direction. In the Dale-street district, fever has been very much on the increase during the late mild weather. Out of 23 medical orders given in one ases ptis d t oi y e r, numberl a se s o p.. 5% t re e e e ot itf:fecoi slow fever state te o h r f e aoh f l e fos y too : ki r eps . rhi se houses, i n bsleos l s.u s Islington gotdot arises aesneidsm these f:district,.uorine are principally cases of fever. In Atherton-street and le, lthy dysentery and d iarrhoea, occasioned by the low diet of the air breathed in their habitations. In St , . Thomas's dis trict, which comprises Great George-street and - Pitt-street wards, there are several streets occupied almost exclu sively by the - poorest class of the Irish ; in these, the influx of Irish during the, last six months h as b een very great, and in a corresponding ratio has sickness and mor tality occurred. In the streets occupied by artisans, and persons engaged in regular employment, such as Green land-street, Pitt-street, Upper Frederick-street, Jordan street, &c., the sickness, during the last six months, has been little, if at all increased, but during that period, in the streets occupied more particularly by the Irish,such as New Bird-street, Brick-street, Curtis-street, &c.—the sickness and mortality have been trebled. Fortunately, so far, the fever which has prevailed has not been gene rally of a malignant character, though, from the conti nuance of the causes, it is impossible to predict what may be the results—the worst are anticipated. The prevailing disease has been, and still continues to be, a diarrhoea, attended with loss of blood, and which is evidently caused by the watery, relaxing vegetable food, such as turnips, cabbages, &c., which forms the principal diet of these unfortunate 'people. At St. Joseph's Romish Church, Grosvenor-street, the number of deaths amongst the congregation, announced every Sunday, has lately been from seven to twelve, and the number of those danger ously ill, from fifty to sixty. On Sunday last prayers were c o l fi e 'e r i i e •e g d t fo h r e w t he ee k s soul s of l d fe s r eventee n ninety e th p e e r r s so w n i s who i were e had d i died danger ously ill. The district is not a very extensive one, but it includes a very poor neighbourhood, inhabited principally by the Irish , or people of Irish extraction.—/Ifercury. HALL'S STEEL PENS.--We have tried a sample of pens manufactured by Mr. Hall, and have found them excellent ; indeed we had no idea that in Liverpool there was a manufactory capable of producing such articles. Their excellence is proved by the fact that for many years these pens only have been used by the Grand Junction Railway Company, at all their stations. The school pens too are all that can be desired. PRESENTATION TO HER MAJESTY. — The magnificent and truly elaborate production of the needle, which we noticed in our last as about to be presented to our lovely Queen, was presented on Saturday through Lord Sandon. At the exhibition of embroidery and needle-work held during the past week, of which it has been the leading attaction, there have daily been crowds of visitors—and ' this, as well as the many other splendid specimens of work in which Mr. L. has displayed so laudable a taste—have been Much admired. Our fair friends will, wedoxibb not, rejoice to learn that these exhibitions are to be helkperio dieally. L 0 L. MEE T GS. DOCK COMMITTME r . THURSDAYa. — The chief superin tendeht reported that•there were-ten. thousand bags of saltpetre in store at; the. Albert Dooks,, and five thousand 'more on board ship,. He requested instructions as to the : storing of it.—Referred to the sub-committee. A list of persons applying to be .enrolled as master porters having been read, Mr. Tobin said he thought they ought to stop adding to th. , numher,- unless the merchants agreed to .discharge other vessels besides their. OVIR. The chairman 'said they did dischrneiother vessels ; and the different associated bodies had now -under consideration the dif ferent rates for discharging ships, with the, view of fixing rates, which the merchants generally would doubtless approve of. Such an. arrangement was out of the pro vince of-the Dock Committee, but , if, it were carried out it .would remove a great: deal .of complaint. The receipts : at Runcorn for harbourand light dues for the last month =were £54 15s. 4d. on 203,Vessels. of 11,171 tons, being an 1: increase of 52 vessels,.3.3llo tons, and , £l6 14s. Sd., as compared with the same, period last. year. A letter from Messrs. Cotesworth, Wynne, and Co., suggesting altera tions in some of the dock regulations, was referred to the harbour master's sub-committee. It was referred to the Sub-Committee of "Works to consider the propriety of appointing some personto take charge-of the landing stage, to follow out Mr. Cubitt:s instructions, as to the moorings. WEST DERBY BOARD 4OF. GUARDIANS. — The weekly meeting of the board. of. guardians. was held on Wed nesday, Mr. Robertson. in the chair, when, amongst other communications from the.. Poor-law Commissioners, was one expressive of the regret of the board at the fatal ter mination of the fever ca - ight by the late medical officer, Mr. William Fell, in the,discharge of his duties. It was agreed to recommend to .the Poor-law Commissioners an increase in the salary of. Mr, Parnell, assistant-collector, and overseer of the township of Kirkdale, from £7O to £lOO per annum, owing.to•the additional duties devolved upon liim, arising from the increased population and as sessment in his district.. William Robinson was appointed baker to the Workhouse.at a. salary of 245. per week. A letter was read from Mr, D. Chalmers, medical officer of the township of Everton,.requesting an increase of salary, on the ground of havittli additional duties to perform, and that he was not paid equally with the officers holding. similar offices in other parts of the union. Mr. Shaw. gave notice that he would bring the subject forward at. the next board. Mr. H. S, Taylor was appointed, pre. tern., medical officer to the fever-house. The chairman called the attention of the board to the description of coffins furnished for the interment of the poor ; in many, cases they had broken from the mere weight of the bodies, and had to be tied. together. Some conversation took place on the subject,,and it was understood they shouklin future be examined, and if found of insufficient strength thrown into the contractors' hands. HEALTH, QF TOWNS' ASSOCIATION. The second annual meeting of the members and fiends of this association was held on Friday evening, at the Music-hall, Bold-street. The attendance was more nu merous than was expected, considering that a discussion, the announcement, of which had excited much cariosity, was going on iwanother part of the town. The MAYOR (G. H. Lawrence, Esq.) was called to the chair, and on the platform were many of our most respected townsmen, in addition to the speakers hereafter named. The• CHAIRMAN was enthusiastically received. He stated that he bad to regret that he had not taken so prominent a part in promoting heretofore the objects of the association, but his lukewarmness had not arisen from any indifference to those important objects,. but to the pressure of important engagements of a public character during the last few years. Dr. DUNCAN read the report. It appeared from this that the great object in view had been fully realized here and in other towns, an increased and still increasin g in terest in, the healthl of the working classes having been roused throughout the kingdom. Similar associations had been formed in various districts, and information had been furnished to them, founded on the experience ob tained here. The government had also been roused, and had sanctioned two bills on the subject of sanatory regu lations. The last bill, it is understood, will be superseded by a general bill to remove nuisances. The sanatory bill came into operation in January, and its importance could not be too highly appreciated. Reference was made to the supply of water, and the Council had taken measures for bringing a copious supply into the town. The Health of Towns' Advocate, under the able editorship of Dr. Sutherland, had been productive of the most beneficial results, and also the lectures of Dr. Grey, of King's Col lege, London. SeYeral other lectures were stated as about to be delivered by-various scientific gentlemen, on subjects connected with the public health. Many other matters of detail were referred to, the most prominent of which were a communication on the subject of Mr. M`Kinnon's bill 'relative to interments in small towns, and the evils arising from the practice in Liverpool,—the burial clubs, and their sanatory effect on the working classes,—and the practice of conveying the bodies of children in cars and coaches to places of interment, besides the practice of slaughtering cattle unfit for human food. The report concluded by a reference to the exhausted funds of the association. But the Committee's recent appeal had been liberally responded to, and they trusted that their opera tions would not be allowed to languish for want of funds. J. H. MACRAE, Esq. read a statement of the accounts, from which it appeared there was a balance in band of £39 Gs. Bd. The Rev. H. H. HIGGINS moved the adoption of the report. concurred with the facts it detailed, and ex patiated upon them. Ile hoped the association would ere long extend its operations over the whole town, and throughout the entire population. • Sir ARNOLD KNIGHT seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried. S. HOLME, Esq., moved a resolution to the effect that the meeting received with satisfaction the influence and progress of the association. Its influence had been. brought to bear on the public body to which he had the honour to belong, and he felt assured there was not a man who would stand up in the Council-room and object to the course they had taken in the matter, but would agree with him in opinion that what they had done was exceedingly proper. The question was one which affected all ranks of society, and a deep responsibility rested upon all,. more especially the wealthier classes, to come forward and as sist in carrying out the views of the association with which they were connected. He furnished some interesting Istatements on the general question. In conclusion, he called the attention of the medical gentlemen to the ne cessity of considerhig whether it would not be better to substitute an animal soup for that now given to the poor, which was vegetable, and which, he thought, had rather a tendency to increase the fever than otherwise. The Rev. W. BEVAN, in seconding the resolution, complimented the association on its exertions and success. The resolution was unanimously carried. The Rev. H. APNEILE then came forward, and was received with loud marks of approbation. It was the first time he had been able to avail himself of the opportunity of taking part in the proceedings of the association. Ile proposed a resolution to the effect that the meeting were convinced of the necessity which existed in Liverpool for the association, and hoped that by an increase in its funds, its operations might be more fully and beneficially ex tended during the ensuing year. The matter was a prac tical one, and called for practical treatment, and it was only by acting upon that principle that they could ever hope to command success. Mr. Higgins had stated that its object was well known. He believed there was a ge neral impression abroad on the question, but the great point was, whether men's minds had laid hold upon what the object was, and what was to be done. In every en terprise it was a part of wisdom to have a definite object in view, and it was only by intelligent and comprehensive views that proper measures could be adopted. The great object they had in view was to improve the dwellings of the working classes,and preserve their health, give an en largement of their comfort, and a prolongation of :their lives. •In this there were many difficulties to be encoun tered as regarded the means they were to adopt, and lie thought there was one point on which there was a defici •ency of information, and that was with respect to the owners of the dwellings occupied by the poor. He had never yet seen 'that part of the subject touched. If they attempted to overbear the owner, and carry on the asso ciation in such a way as to make enemies of them, they might retard their object for years. The only way was to co-operate with them, and engage them to co-operate with the association. Their humanity must be just to the owners as well as to the.occupiers, and it was unreasona ble to expect the former would voluntarily undergo a loss, and make improvements that would involve an outlay without return for their money. lie proposed that any alteration required to be made in the dwellings of the poor should not altogether be made by the owners, but that the Corporation should advance the money for such purpose, and charge it to the owners to be repaid in small instalments through a series of years. He called upon the Corporation to set their friend Mr. Holme to work, and the thing would be done.. (Mr. Ilohne.—they cannot employ me.) He (Mr. M`Neile) was sorry for that. as, if he were to do it, it would be done well. (Cheers.) A word also to occupiers of houses: if those parties would only have better dwellings, and pay a little more, they would be gainersby having less sickness, and consequently less expense amongst their' families. Besides that, they must abstain from going to the gin shop, and bythat means they would save equal to two rents. He called on the Mayor to:take the matter up, and bring it before the attention of the Council, and be had no doubt it would re ceive that consideration to which it was entitled. (Cheers.) THOS. BLACKBURN, ESQ., seconded the resolution. Great advantage had resulted from the association in its influence on the public at large, and it was with that view the society was formed, and not with the view of urging the matter on the Town-Council ; and had it not been for the existence of the association, that body would not have got the large power they now possess, without some oppo sition. For -his own part, lie considered a large portion of the town too bad to be mended, and there was no remedy but pulling it down and rebuilding it. (Hear, hear.) The density of the population was such, that it was impossible ever to maze the dwellings healthy while in their present state, and no improvements of the landlords would make them better under any circumstances. As a proof of this,.he referred to the buildings in Trace-street, Brick-street, -and other places, more especially in the vici nity of Vauxhall-road, and trusted the Town-Council would em long go to Parliament for powers to borrow half a million of money for the purpose. (Hear, hear.) This would entail a tax of £2OOO on the inhabitants, but this SUM would be saved in the smaller amount required for the public and other charities. The resolution was carried, The Rev. G. DOVER moved thanks to the Committee, which was ably seconded by J as. PARKER, Esq. In the Council everything that could be done had been done, and his humble exertions should never be wanting in any great cause such as the sanatory improvement of the town. The motion was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks was then passed by acclamation to the Mayor; who, in reply, said that the Council woald do their utmost to forward the objects of the association. The meeting then separated. CORRESPONDENCE. 'WANSONIS , ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. 70 THE .EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Sze,—.l feel it is unnecessary to oiler you any apology ltr-trespassing on your valuable time for a few moments, while I draw your notice to the dangerous character of the above bill, inasmuch as you will freely acknowledge I, as a Protestant and Englishman, may claim your able advo cace;in this crisis of civil and religious freedom ; and when I use the word crisis, I do so advisedly, and am fully con vinced, there is no exaggeration in using that term. You are -no doubt acquainted with th e p r i nc i pa l provisions of ;: I need here only therefore state that the main end and 'object of it is to allow all orders of Jesuits to se:ago-in- this kingdom, and that without any restrictions, bottuds, or limits whatsoever. The question then comes —Gan we, as Englishmen, jealous of the civil and reli gioaa -liberties of our beloved land, allow a class of men (srearreenemies of all civil freedom, and determined op penents of a free liberty of conscience) tamely and quietly to- take- root in English soil, when they have been ex, pealed from all other countries, whether Protestant or Roman. Catholic, from the simple but astounding fact, that:their doctrines, spirit and practice, are and ever have hem: totally antagonistic to every semblance of freedom, viAether in a civiY or religious view. Who - will attempt - to prove that they are not the jealous patrons of those doe trmes which tend to exalt ecclesiastical power on the ruins eacivil government ? Do they not contend for the entire, independence of the ecclesiastic of the civil magistrate? Dcethey not hold tenets concerning the duty of opposing princes who are enemies of the Catholic faith (and have acted on that doctrine within the last few years, as the Continent can testify) as countenance the most atrocious times, and tend to dissolve all the ditties wilich connect minces ttith their subjects. And against Protestants have they not used every art and employed every weapon ? Have they not incessantly stirred against them all the rage `of ecclesiastical and civit persecution ? Where is the man who can with any regard to truth and history deny that such is not the case ? It is indeed time then that all who -value the happiness and liberty of their country should be lip and stirring ; and my object in addressing you now is .to throw out the suggestion that a meeting on a large scale be immediately called, and a petition embodying our objections to the measure be prepared and sent (with an urgent appeal to ourrepresentatives to support the prayer of it) to Parliament. This bill is infinitely more dange rous than the Maynooth Grant.—l have the honour to remain, your o edient servant, AN ENGLISHMAN AND PROTESTANT. THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN MESSRS. BAYLEK AND MIALL. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. DEAR don't know whether you were present on Friday evening at the Concert Hall, when the discus... sion took place between the Rev. J: Baylee mid Mr. Miall. I was : and a privilege, in many respects, it was to be there. I hope Dissenters felt it so :—for, I am "sure, they have reason to thank Mr. Baylee whilst they live, for giving them such full information upon a portion of the Bible upon which they seem so wofully- dark—viz., the Old Testament Scriptures. I feel certain, from what I know of their system, that most of them have not heard such a sermon from their pulpits, or from the lips of their teachers, for many a year. Surprised, they must have been ; instructed, they might have been ; convinced, they ought to have been. It was a remarkable fact that, though the Word of God was the acknowledged standard of reference for both, Mr. Miall, in his opening speech, lasting for one hour, never once touched the Old Testa ment at all—never mentioned chapter or verse in the new —and in his concluding address only took his Bible in order to allude to some of the passages in the Old, con cerning which Mr. Baylee refreshed his memory. If he be the champion of Voluntaryism, and this be the manner of Goliath's defence, then it is evident to me, that the vo luntary system is not founded on Scripture, but is based on some sophisms and fancies of origin not divine, but human. I was also struck with this fact, that bad man ners showed themselves amongst the Dissenters present ; for whereas Mr. Miall was heard without sounds of oppo sition in his second speech, Mr. Baylee was honoured with repeated hisses, as he poured forth his tornado of scriptural eloquence. The pebbles from old brook Cedron. flung by the hands of an Old T estament Christian, fell hard and heavy upon the bucklers of the Nonconformists ; the genius of the voluntary was no match against the ar tillery of Moses and the prophets. I would also observe, that Mr. Baylee st uc k t o hi s point and to the subject, whilst the Dissenter frittered away much of his time in vapoury declamation. When Mr. Miall was done, the instinctive expression of my mind was, and is this all that can be said ? ! ! lam thank fully persuaded, that the noble Church of England will suffer no damage from the assaults of Mr. Miall, and sus tain no harm in the defence of Mr. Baylee. The discussion is adjourned till Monday, and I regret it extremely, for I think the question should have been con sidered as set at rest. Perhaps you will be there, and let us have as much of th e di scuss i on as you can make room for, in your valuable paper, on Tuesday.—Yours very truly, A CONSTANT READER AND 2th Feb. 1847. SUBSCRIBER. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SlR,—Allow me, through your paper, to acknowledge the receipt of £5 175., sent to me by Mr. Names, in the name of the Quintette Society of Crewe, Cheshire. I take this opportunity of offering my sincere thanks for this welcome aid to our funds, and, I am sure, may express the deep gratitude of the distressed and starving people among whom it will be divided.—l remain, 'sir, • your obedient servant, STEPHEN DICKSON. Vicarage, Dungarran, Waterford, Feb. 23, 1847. Listrirt getus. The subscription for the soup kitchens at Warrington amounts to £6OO. . - Mr. Daniel Grieve, Comptroller of the Customs at Clay, in Norfolk, has been appointed Collector at Runcorn, and Mr. James Philips, Comptroller at Bridlington, has been appointed Comptroller at Runcorn. The potato stores belonging to several farmers in the neighbourhood of Warrington, have recently been exten sively pilfered, and, through the inquiries of the police, quantities of the stolen articles have been discovered in various cottages, the inmates of which have been com mitted for trial.' ROBBERY.—A few evenings ago, three men with black masks entered the provision shop of an old man name d Mills, at Lower Whitley, ne ar Warrington. Mills is 90 years old, and his wife is nearly the same age, and they live with a stepson aged 60. They were supposed to have some little money, and the robbers broke open a cupboard and found £6. . AN OPINION.—The Manchester Guardian gives the following opinion of Miss Cushman's performance of Meg Merrilies :—" Our opinion of Miss Cushman's perform ance of this character has been so recently expressed that we need not again dwell upon it. It is melo-dramatic clap-trap, not legitimate drama. As usual, the proprieties of the scene were repeatedly violated that she might give certain effects, especially at the last, where she is dragged off by Dandie Dinmont, that she may have time to wash her hands and face, and show the audience, when called before the curtain, that she is not old and haggard 1" The Leigh Short-time Committee have transmitted a memorial to Lord John Russell, expressing their grati tude for his valuable aid in carrying the second reading of the Ten-hours Bill, and earnestly entreating his lordship to support, in committee, the ten-hours clause, and thus bring about a final settlement of the question, and put a stop to the present agitation which retards the progress of that good feeling which it is desirable should subsist between the employers and the employed. The vicar has prepared, for transmission from the same quarter, a me morial on the same subject from the clergy in that neigh bourhood. A petition from a portion of the parish, in favour of the bill, signed by five clergymen and 2,600 persons, has been presented to the Commons. PLOUGHING MATCH AT HOOTON.—The ploughing match for premiums given by Sir William Massey Stan ley and John Stanley, Esq., came off at Hooton on Tues day last. There were twenty-three teams entered, and it was admitted by very competent judges that •a finer col lection-of horses had not been seen for a long time assem bled in one field : those of Sir 'William Stanley and John Somerville Jackson, Esq., attracted great attention. Those who sent teams were Sir William Stanley, Charles Stanley, Esq., John Stanley, Esq., J. Somerville Jackson, Esq., Messrs. Walker, Heyes, Bell , Ifampson, Hughes. &c. The day was very fine and dry, but remarkably cold. The judges were Messrs. Simpson and Charles Ellis, both of Bromboro', whose decisions gave universal satisfaction. The first class prizes were awarded to Mr. W. Walker, of Storeton—first and third ; to John Somerville Jackson, Esq., Eastham—second and fourth. Second class : Mr. Hampson, Mr. Charles Hancock, and J. S. Jackson, Esq. The ploughmen had each a quart of ale, and as much beef and .bread as they could eat, provided for them at the Stanley Arms ilotel,• Eastham, after they had finished their work, at the expense of their generous friend, Sir William Stanley. SINGULAR INGENUITY OF A SHOPLIFTER.—A shop lifter, named Edward Marsden Chadwick, has been com mitted to trial at Manchester, charged with shoplifting to an extraordinary extent. The culprit has a shop at Ashton-under-Lyne, where he sells cigars and snuffs, and lie has been in the habit of going to make his pur chases at wholesale shops in Manchester, and, though sus pected, could not be detected. On Friday week be went into the shop of Mr. Newby, tobacconist; Manchester, and a watch was fixed upon him. He had entered with a small brown paper parcel under his arm, and this he placed on the counter while he made inquiries about goods. On leaving, he took up his parcel; the shopmcn were sure he had taken nothing off the counter but the parcel he put on it, and' still there was a box of cigars deficient. Mr. Newby, however, seized the mysterious parcel, and the mystery was at once revealed. The parcel was a tin case, a 'size larger than a cigar box, nicely covered with brown paper, and corded on three sides to resemble a parcel. The fourth side was open, and the shoplifter car ried it under his arm, with the open side or mouth down wards, and on entering a shop, placed it over a box of cigars. He was given in charge, and the police, on going to search his shop, found 42 boxes of cigars which bad been stolen from Mr. Newby, and 48 boxes stolen from Mr. Nevin, tobacconist, six barrels of snuff, also stolen from Mr. Newby, a large quantity of pigtail t u o r b ti a c er es: stolen from the shop of Mr. Campbell, in all nearly a cart load of goods, and valued at upwards of £l2O. • COLDS AND COUGHS.—Those troubled with coughs or colds cannot do better than supply themselves with Keating's Cough Lozenges,--r-11 cheap, safe, pleasant, and most efficacious remedy ; agiteable and b4noxiousuven to the healthy, but most efficacious in stopping a cough or removing the effects of a cold. We speak advisedly of a remedy, probatum est.—Wesleyan, Feb. 10.—(See advt.) t; „ ' ~t. Si. -72 i - ' I v' i