The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-05-10 00:00:00

, . .4- 1 1 bT v Tit s office the KING'S representative, and in that capacity he should have resisted every attempt 'calculated to produce dissension amongst the three estates or the realm---by setting the Sovereign and the Com mons in hostile array against the House of Lords. The attempt, it is true, failed, but no thanks to the MAYOR. The radicals were soundly and signally de reated; but no thanks to the chairman. Mr. JAMES BRANCKER, despite his vulgarity and his impudence, was hooted and laughed down, the auction-room eloquence of COGLAN had no admirers, the penny magazine wisdom of unitarian BOLTON was not inspiring, Mr. SHIEL did not play the part of "Dr. O'Toole" to any advantage, and the indigenous absurdities of that very shallow per son, Mr LAWRENCE HEYWORTH, were only ludicrous, but for all this, no thanks to Mr. WILLIAM WALLACE CURRIE. The first resolution submitted to the meeting was, that the blessing: of municipal reform in England and Scot land were " felt and acknowledged." This when put to thevote was decidedly negatived. The next resolution, ' moved by Mr. T. B. HORSFALL, was, "that this meeting feeling the greatest satisfaction in the course adopted by the Muse of Lords, most sincerely deprecates any at tempti to interfere with their rights;" which motion was met by the amendment of Mr. Unitarian BOLTON, which was, " that this meeting is anxious of seeing extended to Ireland the same measure of reform as is granted to Great Britain, feeling confident that it will produce simi lar beneficial results to that part of the kingdom." Nbtv;gentle reader, mark the conduct of our liberal and impartial Mayor. He, as a matter of course, put the amendment first, which, after counting the hands held up, be declared to be negatived ! He then put the original "notion to the vote, which after some deliberation, and a vast deal of consultation with his official subalterns, he also declared to be negatived ThiS we say looks bad. Every man of sense knows that when an amendment is lost the original motion is carried' as a matter of course. Not so was the deliberate opinion of the Mayor of Liverpool. He, aided by his advisers, plunged into an absurdity by negativing both the amendment and the original motion ! He tried hard to save his party. He screwed his conscience to the "sticking place," in favour of the faction which in heart he must despise, but whose power he dreads, and he de livered a verdict which we have no hesitatiOn in saying was contrary to evidence, contrary to the plainest obser vation, and at variance with all his preceding judgments. Had he reflected for a moment he would have found that his last decision could not possibly be right. The ma jority against the amendment was the same majority in favour of Mr. HORSFALL'S motion. No man of the slight est pretensions to impartiality can come to any other decision. We deeply regret this unfortunate error on the part of the mayor. It cools all the respect we ever enter tained for him. It shows, that under the exterior of impartiality, where a whig is concerned, there lurks all the hidden qualities of mean and paltry partizanship. From this hour we can have no confidence in Mr. CURRIE. He lent himself to the intrigues of his party. He could not bear the idea of their defeat. He trans formed the judgment seat into a whig chairmanship, where the cast of the die must, being loaded with BRANCICER lead, turn to the side of his friends. Let us therefore hear no more of the impartiality of Mr. WILLIAM WALLACE CURRIE. He called the meet ing and he dissolved it, writing defeat upon all the mo tions of the radicals, but refusing to write justice or fair play upon those of the conservatives. His conduct in other respects was open to grave animadversion. He allowed the tories to be hooted without uttering a single threat as to dissolving the meeting ; but when BOLTON, and COGLAN spoke, he was intense in his ire against those who interrupted them. It will be a long time before the conduct of his worship, on Friday last, can be forgotten. Lint we turn from it with feelings of disgust to another subject. When the radicals found themselves defeated in the Ses sions-house they threatened a public meeting in Clayton square, on Monday. They kept their word. The vulgar being of the unwashed summoned his slaves, and they assembled yesterday, the said vulgar and unmannerly being taking the chair by virtue of his own royal fiat. The proceedings will be found reported elsewhere. It was a most trumpery exhibition. The hour was dinner-time —all the tag-rag and thieves of Liverpool were collected —the shuffling orators, holding the King's English in con tempt, were assembled, and the toothless being, like a cockney disguised in liquor, essayed the cockney's im pertinence without his good breeding. We cannot dwell upon the sad affair. The Mayor was rated most severely for declining to preside over the rabble, and, as the coachmen say, " it sarved him right" for his folly in countenancing the meeting in the first instance. The sugar-baker king declared that he would in future to lerate no such mayors as Mr. CURRIE. He did not in words, but by innendo he denounced him. The principal speakers were Colonel WILLIAMS, (not in his white ducks,) and poor EGERTON SMITH, in a shabby great coat. Mr. LAWRENCE HEYWORTH made as great a fool of himself as lie did on Friday. We cannot paint the lily in more lively colours. HEYWORTH and EGERTON SMITH are enough to bring public speaking and popu larity into contempt. DEFEAT OF THE RADICALS. THE IRISH MUNICIPAL REFORM BILL MEETING AT THE SESSIONS' -HOUSE. (From the Third Edition of the Liverpool Standard of Friday.) This day, at one o'clock, a meeting, called by the Mayor, in consequence of a requisition which bad been presented to him a few days ago, was held in the Court-room, in the Sessions'. house, Chapel-street, for the purpose of "taking into considera tion the present critical position of the Irish municipal reform till, and to consider the propriety of addressing the King and' the House of Commons thereon." Shortly after twelve o'clock a number of persons had assembled at the various doors leading to the Sessions'-house, whiCh gratuallY increased till the doors were opened, at. a few minutes before one,' when a rush took place, and the room was almost immediately filled. Most of the influential gentlemen of the conservative and radical party were present. The MAYOR to o k th e c h a i r, am id st the cheers of the meeting. He said that the time appninted for holding the meeting having , expired, he would at once proceed to the object;for.which it had been convened. That object the meeting already knew. When the requisition was presented 'to him, upon examining it' he found that it was expressed- in such general terms as not to pledge the meeting to anything without the fair sense of the public of Liverpool being taken upon it. It was 'open to Atli taaavoebion, and any, resolution that any person thought proper to propose would not be interfered with by it.. Under those circumstances he could not refuse to call the meeting together. His tiwa sentiments were perfectly well known to the meeting— (hear, hear;)—and while be would always fi rm l y maintain his own sentiments, he should never prevent the free expression of those of other persons, however much they might be opposed to his—(great cheetiog) expressed in a moder a t e an d tetn -e-w hen perate spirit. He trusted every gentleman present had come to -the meeting with similar feelings, and that no person would be interrupted whilst speaking, or prevented from having a fair tearing. (Hear, hear.) Clamour was not reason, nor was in terruption argument. (Cheers.) The town-clerk would read the requisition which bad been presented to him. The Tows-o.ERK then read the requisition to the Mayor, and the notice by which the meeting was convened. Mr. JA hiss B RANCK ER presented himself to the meeting, but, immediately upon his name being announced by the Mayor,' an uproar of the most fierce description was commenced. Hiss log, hooting, and ejaculations of various kinds were heard far several minutes. After the MAYOR and several of the gentle. men around him had appealed to the meeting to hear Mr. Brancker, that gentleman rose again. He said it had fallen to his lot on that occasion, as junior counsel, to open the plead ings. (Laughter.)-I . The speaker here seemed at a loss how to proceed. After a little delay, be took a piece of paper from the table and saidl—,He would propose the following resolu tion—" That this Meeting is deeply grateful for the corporation' reform granted to England and Scotland." (Great disapproba tion.) That did not look like gratitude, at any rate. (Loud laughter.) Nor unanimity either. (Contiuned laughter. ) Stith was the importance of the question they were met that day to consider, that he did not expect to find any other feeling than a fav oura bl e one . (L ou d cr i es o f " Y o u' re di sappo i nte d - , though.") Gentlemen, seeing that England and Scotland have had the benefit of corporation reform, we wish the same bless ing to b e extended to Iceland (Disapprobation.) If you de ny that boon to Ireland, you do her great injustice. You will break the act of union (laughter) and refuse to carryout the princi p ( Hear. leg ) of the great measure of catholic emancipation. the o of vales in the House of Comm o n s had fir s t b egun pposO.' ton and Irish corpora ti on re f orm , b ut t h ey were de feated th ere . misbegott en ' 'bon now Lord Lyndhu rs t had tak en u p the it upon the natio n. ( G reat Hobert Peel, with the view of thrusting n. Ly n rst upon e interrupti on .) Th e y h a d begotten vvizzened-fac e d old P pen ' (upr oar ) ,(Uproar) an d had made a tool of a like a sheet of dirty white(peri°' of " Shame") whose face was had turned his name ueside"der' (" Shame, shame,") and who peerage (shouts of inai 7nation own for the purpose of getting a the speaker's observatio n was loamstl.dst which the conclusion of entl, emen, ifyou will give us Mr. 13R ANC KER continued 6 ) fair Play we'll beat you. A Yeice.—Give us some common sense. Mr. BRA NCKER.—I will if you will call on me tooolorr. ow . (Laughter) , Mr. Braucker at length sat down. The MAYOR desired the town-clerk to read the resolution , which he did as follows.:— " That this Meeting is deeply grateful to the legislature of the United Kingdom, for the reform effected by their wisdom in the municipal institutions of England and Scotland, the gorid effects of which are already felt and acknowledged." Mr. N. ROBINsoN rose to move au amendment. He begged to express his entire dissent from the resolution and the observa ,tions of the preceding speaker, and it was his intention to move an amendment. (Great applause.) If the bill proposed by his 'Majesty's government had been carried through the House of Lords, it would in his opinion be an unjust interference with the just authority of that house. (Cheers.} They might send delegates to the House of Commons, and influence them as they thought proper; but the moment they sought to overawe the House of Lords, they not only would destroy the independence of that house, but the monarchy itself. (Immense cheering.) Mr. Robinson concluded by handing to the town-clerk the fol lowing as an amendment:— " That this meeting, feeling the utmost confidence in the House of Lords, and feeling the greatest satisfaction in the course adopted b y them, most sincerely deprecates any attempt to interfere with their rights." Mr. ROBERTSON GLADSTONE seconded it. Tile MAYOR said he thought Mr. Rubinson's amendment did not sufficiently bear upon the original motion; upon which Mr. Robinson withdrew it, and begged to move a direct negative upon Mr. Brancker's motion. The Mayor rose and put the original motion, when there appeared about '230 hands held up in its favour. ,On putting the negative the show iu its favour were as two to one. Several persons cried out "we have it by three to one at least." The MAYOR then said it became his duty to declare it as his opinion, backed by that of the Town-clerk and his assistant, that MR. BRA.NCKER'S RESOLUTION HAD BEEN NEGATIVED.—[This announcement was followed by im mense cheering, waving of hats, &c., which lasted for some minutes. Mr. BRANCKER then rose and complained that the room was too small to contain the whole of the meeting—he should move an adjournment.—(This announcement was followed by im mense laughter.) The MAYOR said he should not adjourn the meeting, which was received with loud cheers. ' _ _ Mr. BRANCKER said, after the declaration of the Mayor, he should not trouble them farther with any remarks.—,(Laugh ter.) The xoom had been packed.—(Cries of " Who locked the doors?") Mr. Brancker then shouted at the top of his voice, "Then we shall have a meeting of our own on Mon day." • Mr. I'. B. Floasear,r said nothing had given him greater sa tisfaction than the remarks with which the Mayor had opened the meeting. He felt, however, (interruption;) the most deep and unfeigned regret to see his (the Mayor's) name as the chief magistrate of the borough, and as the representative of the King, affixed to a declaration which must have been drawn up, he would notinsinuate by himself, (confusion;) and which`coald not be considered in any other light than a studied insult, on the part of those who formed it, upon the House of Lords.—(Cheers.) He did not hesitate to say, that this meeting had been got up for no other purpose but to attempt to intimidate the House of Lords ; but be trusted that the loyalty of the people of Liver pool would that day decide that they wood not only defend to the last the rights and libertieS of the people, (interruption,) but that they would preserve alil:e, with the equal hand of justice, the pierogatives of the Crown and the independence of the Peers.—(Cheers.) He would refer to a few of the remarks made by Mr. Braucker. He would not dwell on the courteous language which he had made use.of, and which was sufficieut to condemn him in the eyes of every resecbtable man.—(Cheers.) His language, with regard to the House of Peers, was disgrace ful —( Hear, hear.) He would willingly. believe, from what he knew of that gentleman, that it was intended as a joke, but such remarks as those, on such a question, were too serious to be put as jokes in times like the present.—(Confusion.) He thought the chief a rgumeut in favour of giving corporate reform to Ire land made use of by Mr. Bran cker was, the great blessings 'which had been conferred by a similar measure ou Englantlaud Scot land. Setting aside, as he did, the principle of self-election, to which he was opposed, for those days were gone by—setting that aside, be did not hesitate to say, that men must be judged by their acts; and he should not be afraid of judging the acts of the old corporation by those of the new.—(Great cheering,) What had the new corporation done for them ?—(Mingled cheers and hisses.)—he was only replying to the arguments of Mr. Beaucker. He hoped he was not out of order. Mr. Hors fall continued.—He was going to ask them what the new cor poration had done.—(The uproar here was so great as to pre vent the speaker from proceeding.) At length, he said, finding it totally impossible to obtain a fair and impartial bearing, I beg to move this resolution, assured that no other man will be haard after I have been prevented from being heard. The MAYOR here interposed, and deprecated the proceedings of the party who were interrupting Mr. H. - Mr. Hotisea Le then handed his resolution to the Town clerk. It was the same as the one moved as an amendment (see above) by Mr. Nicholas Robinson, and which the latter gentleman now seconded, amidst the cheering of the meeting. Mr. T. BOLTON said he should oppose the motion of the last speaker. He by no means agreed with the interference of the House of Lords in a measure which had passed successfully through the House of Commons by large majorities. He op posed their interference with, the bill because he thought it was calculated to do good to Ireland ; and to give those equal rights to Irishmen which England and Scotland had obtained.—(Dis approbation—cries of" We won't hear him—you wouldn't hear Mr. Horsfall.") The majority of the people of Scotland were presbyterians. Had that ever been made use of as an excuse why they should not exercise their rights ?—(Hear, bear.l— then should an attempt be made to withhold the rights of the Irish people because it was said the majority of them were catholics (Confusion.) He was anxious that the people of Ireland hould have equal rights with those of England and Scotland—that local government should not be a sectarian mat ter, but that all should have privileges alike—and he knew of no measure better calculated to obtain that object than that muni cipal reform which had been conferred upon them. (Laugh ter.) Mr. Bolton then proceeded to say, catholics were not ex cluded from the corporations previous to this bill, yet no catho lic had ever been elected. The corporation of Liverpool, which had been referred to by Mr. Horsfall, had, daring the last fif teen years, expended more than their income by nearly £600,000. Not an improvement had been made but at the ex pense of saddling posterity with a debt; and the effect was that the new council were hampered by paying an interest on that debt of nearly £41,000 per annum. He wished to prevent such a system in Ireland—that they should have municipal reform. The annual election of the members of corporations would keep them honest. He begged to propose the following amend ment upon Mr. Horsfall's resolution :—"That this meeting is anxious of seeing extended to Ireland the same measure of re form as is granted to Great Britain, feeling confident that it will produce similar beneficial results to that part of the king dom." Mr. Wm. BROWN rose to second the amendment. He said he did not coincide with the obloquy which had been thrown upon the House of Lords. He should be very sorry to see any thing like coercing them. He thought the march of mind in the rising generation would correct all abuses that might there exist. Mr. T. B. Hoaseact., being called for, rose. He said, the only additional difficulty he now felt was, that instead of having simply to reply to Mr. ° Brancker's remarks, there were other observations which it would be necessary for him to advert to. He did not stand there as the apologist of either the old corpo ration or the new, but he would maintain that that debt which Mr. Bolton had said was a corruption was no corruption at all ; for what had been the object for which it was contracted ? (Cheers.) It was to improve the town for them and their suc cessors; and it was for the meeting to say whether it was better for them now to reap the benefits, or have left it for their suc cessors to do so. He was not going to say anything more on that part of the subject, but he would allude to some of the blessings conferred upon them by the present corporation. Mr. Bolton had remarked on the respect they paid to the wishes of the people. Was their very first act in accordance with the wishes of the people ? (Hear, hear.) It was well known that at the day of election for town-councillors, five of their political partisans were rejected by the people. What did they do? They got them elected into the council as aldermen. (Great cheering and uproar which prevented the speaker from proceeding.) They surely could not be afraid to hear these charges when the parties were present themselves to answer them.. (Cries of " Question," in which the Mayor interposed.) What then did these gentlemen do in the respect to the wishes of thepeople ? The next subject he would refer to was, the manner in which they had discharged their duty in the election of their officers. Their first step was to elect a very respectable man, Mr. Radcliffe—a political partisan—with a snug salary of £2,000 a-year. (Hisses.) They next elected Mr. Crook de puty town-clerk—(uproar, in which the Mayor interposed)— with a snug salary of £7OO a-year ; and this too when an equally respectable man had offered to do the duties for much less—a gentleman who had been accustomed to the office, and who would, if elected, have afforded equal, if not greater satis faction than the town-clerk himself- (Uproar.) They next appointed Mr. Wyberg with £5OO a-year. They next elected Mr. Hall, as sitting magistrate, with £1,300 a year, and this they did from the public funds to do what the magistrates of the old corrupt corporation, as Mr. Bolton would call them, had done fur nothing. (Cheers,) Mr. SHIEL said he disclaimed having come to the meeting with the intention of takidg part in it. (Laughter.) At his time of life when the top'cif his head was going a little grey,and the hair was departing, he was too prudent to risk his reputa ten on a false assertion. (Laughter.) Mr. Shiel addressed the meeting for several minutes.. His observations, however, were in substance the same as those delivered by Mr. Bolton; in addition to some personal remaiks which he made to a person in the body of the meeting, who, as Mr. Shiel thought was in terrupting him. lie strongly advocated the principle of the right of the people to elect the members of the corporation. , CHARLES WILKINS, Esq.; the barrister, who some years since distinguished himself in Manchester and theether factoring towns in Lancashire, by his exposj of the political in consistencies with& late Mr. Cobbett, here stepped forward on the balcony, and said that he trusted he might he allowed as a British subject and a temporary resident in Liverpool, to ex press his views on the subject, for the consideration of which that meeting had been avowedly. convened. He was the' more an4ious to do so, because as yet he had not heard one sentence ;that even glanced at the question. They had been amused by the recriminations of the old and new corporation. With their squabbles he had nothing to do, nor would he allow himself to be drawn int o th e i r quarrel. " A plague on both your houses," said he. (Here some one in the crowd asked, " Who sent for you?" Ile begged to assure that meeting, with as much solemnity and veracity as the gentlemen who preceded him, that previous to his entering that- meeting, he 'laid not " the shadow of an intention of addressing them." (Here Mr. Wil kins imitated the manner of Mr. Shiel, the previous speaker.) But although he would not consent 'to be one of the corps dramatigtie in this rounicipal exhibition ; yet as a spectator he would infer thathis previously-formed opin ions of corporations 'were correct. 'Admitting the charges orr both sides to be true that the.former corporation had been lavish in their expendi ture, and dishonest in entailing debts upon their posterity — admitting also that the present corporation had given equal Proofs Of delinquency; that they had adopted views avowedly liberal, but really tyrannical, for party purposes, did it not tend to show that power has a tendency to corrupt, and that he who, like Scott's Davie Gellatley, when clad like his fellows, was the object of their esteem •and _compassion, but when clad in the party:colaured garb of power and place became the objett 'of heir hatred and derision ? 'For his - part hecared not whether' the corporation were typified by the sleek Falstaff-like person. ages Who lately graced the civic chair, or whether it selected as its representative one who gave not such outttard proofs of thriving on corporation viands—whether its functionaries exhi bited in the Dandy-Dinniont-like costume of the late distuilnirs of the night; or in the buttoned, buckramed,'and batoned-ani form. of. the Bens d' armerie who now parade the streets: He hatflearnt enough of mau to know that power had a dominion over:his integrity and judgment; thirt id nine Cases•-ont of ten it rendered him tyrannical to his fellow and degrading to him . self. It was the possession of that power that rendered the late corporations in Ireland so objectionable; and the same cause in men of different pretensions, ho; of like propensities, would produce the same effect. He knew Ireland well, and, as a ne cessary consequence," he loved'lreland;' hp had visited her to become acquainted with her; he had no prejudices to foster, no preconceived opinions to maintain, his vlsit was one purely of inquiry; and he was compelled to confess that she contained more physical advantages than any otherland which it had been his font:lie to visit, (and he had seen a great portion of Europe;) that he was al so f orce d t o confess that her political advantages' THE - LIVERPOOL STANDARD. were few. He had beheld her shores indented with harbours ; and, While he admitted the majestic ocean, inviting to her sci ence and enterprise, that admiration was clouded with hitter melancholy when he beheld the waves rolling back again totell the listening world that where Heaven had distributed plenty man had spurned at its bounty, and introduced anarchy, deso lation, and want. (Cheers.) He had seen the peasant go forth, at Heaven's bidding, by industry to meet his wants ; he had seen him water his path with the sweat of his brow, and re turn disconsolate at night to his breadless and almost shelter less children, telling them in moving accents that man had interfered between him and his God, who had covenanted that man should live by the sweat of his brow. (Hear, hear.) This and more he had seen; he had shared with the sufferer in his last potatoe, and was it to be supposed that he could entertain any other feeling than that of affection for a country, of whose kindness and hospitality this was an example. No. But, whilst he deprecated the municipali ties and powers which had assisted to bring those evils upon Ireland, his feelings should not so far get the better of his judg ment as to induce him to assist in leading men from one evil to a greater. He knew the angry feelings, the political prejudices, and the religious bigotry that pervaded all parties, and the mea sure proposed by the conveners of that meeting would only he to transfer the means of tyranny from one party to another. Let them abolish corporations —a term he had always con sidered synonymous with nuisance—and both parties would be upon a level. Before he concluded, he wished to make one other remark. Flatterers were always dishonest, and he would give the same advice to a multitude as to an individual friend " Depend upon it that he who flatters you means to use you for his own advancement." (Cheers.) He had some time since attended a meeting at Exeter-hall, in London, which was convened for the purpose of national education. At that meet ing, Lord Brougham, in one of the most eloquent of his elo quent speeches, drew so humiliating and appalling a picture of the ignorance and consequent depravity of the lower classes that he (Mr. Wilkins) had almost brought himself to believe that England was centuries in the rear of European nations. This picture was drawn to excite the sympathies and loosen the purse-strings of his audience. Judge, then what was his (Mr. Wilkin's) astonishment a few nightS afterwards at hearing Lord Brougham equally eloquent in such of the growing intellect, the march of mind, and such Brougham-like cant when advocating the necessity of granting greater politi cal privileges to the people. Now he would adopt neither of the noble and learned lord's positions, but he would be honest enough to tell them that he did not believe that the larger portion of that meeting had brought with them sufficient reseaich and deliberation to decide upon so grave a subject as that which they proposed to decide. He himself belonged to a profession which imposed upon him the necessity of making himself acquainted with the constitutional history and law of his country: but with all his leisure and frequent opportunities he daily and hourly became/more and more conscious of his inadequacy to so mighty a task; and yet they were called upon, to suit the party . views and prejudices of a junto, amidst the uproar and feverish excitement of that meeting, a tithe of the proceedings of which they could not be acquainted with, to decide a question upon which, after very grave deliberation, a most im portant portion of the House of Commons and a lane majority of the House of Peers had arrived at a different conclusion. He was not one of those who joined with the thoughtless in their unmeaning claniour against the peers; he knew them to be in the aggregate a valuable component of the British constitution, and, as men,:high-minded and honourable. With these views he most cordially seconded the motion of Mr. Horsfall, and lifted up his voice against this most unwise and unconstitutional interference. (Cheers.) ' The Mayor here apprised Mr. Wilkins that the motion of Mr. Horsfall had already been seconded, to which Mr. Wilkins replied, that being the case, he could only cordially offer to it his support. The speech of Mr. Wilkins was cheered throughout in the most striking passages. Mr. COGLAN rose, amidst the impatience of the meeting. He said their meeting to petition was a constitutional measure, and was not an insult to the House of Lords. The interests of Eng land and Ireland were connected, and the Irish people would never rest satisfied till they had got equal justice.—(lnterrup tion.) They were indebted to one gentleman in the gallery, (Mr. Wilkins) who might he termed of the juste-millieu party (a laugh) for his eloquent speech, and who had at last come to the conclusion that both parties were wrong, but that he would support one side.—(Great laughter and applause.) Mr. Coglan then referred to Mr. Horsfall's remarks upon the recent corpo , ration appointments, and contended that they were filled by gentlemen at half the salaries of the old officers. Mr. TAYLOR rose, amidst loud cries of divide. He said the measure of the Lords, if carried into effect, would invest the Crown with a very dangerous and unconstitutional power. Mr. LAWRRNCS HEYWORTII, amidst cries of question, con tended that it was foolish for the Lords to act as they bad done, as it would give such power to the liberal ministers as would enable them to destroy the House of Lords altogether. The MAroa then read Mr. Horsfall's resolution and Mr. Bolton's amendment, and proceeded to put the amendment. On the division, he declared it to be his opinion, strengthened by that of the town-clerk and his assistant, that the amendment was negatived. His worship then proceeded to put Mr. Hors fall's motion, which he declared as his opinion, together with that of the town-clerk, to be NEGATIVED (!)also. (Laughter) The Mayor said he had expressed his opinion to the best of his judgment, and should be ready to divide on the question again before the meeting separated, if it was wished. Mr. BRANCKER then moved an adjournment, amidst great confusion, which was seconded by Mr. Rowr. M‘NEILE. Mr. Ron INsoN moved, as an amendment, that the meeting do dissolve, which was seconded by Mr. HORSFALL. On the question being put, three-fourths of the meeting held up their hands in its favour; for the motion for adjournment only three hands were held up, amidst loud laughter. Mr. RoitiNsoN then, seconded by Mr. BRANCKRR, proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, for his impartial conduct in the chair, which was carried by acclamation. The MAYOR shortly returned thanks, and the meeting sepa rated at half-past three o'clock. THE GREAT REFORM MEETING IN CLAYTON. SQUARE. On Friday evening, in consequence of the defeat of the re formers at the meeting at the Session's-house, the band, at whose instigation the Mayor was induced to call and preside over that meeting, issued a proclamation calling upon the re formers of Liverpool to assemble in Clayton-square on Mon day, (yesterday) at 12 o'clock, in order to address the King and the House of Commons, respecting toe Irish municipal corporation reform bill. At the appointed hour there might have been a thousand per sons collected in front of the Bull Inn, and in the room of that house which opens upon the balcony, we found Messrs. Coun cillors Coglan, Blackburne, Egerton Smith, Shiel, and Thomas Bolton, together with Dr. Collins, Messrs. James Mulleneux, R. V. Yates, Lawrence Heyworth, and some other radical philosophers less known to fame. With respect to the gross number in attendance in the square—this is always a sore sub ject at reform meetings—we pronounce •that it did not at any time exceed two thousand. We came to this conclusion by actually counting the number of persons who stood in two lines where the crowd was most dense, namely, from the front door of the hotel towards the centre of the square and in the opposite direction. In the first we found 40, and in the second 50 per sons. However, as we hate even the semblance of illiberality, we will call the length of the crowd 60, which will give, sup posing the mass had been formed into a perfect square, 2,400; but, allowing for the roundings off of the corners, when we name 2,000, we do so out of pure charity and comeassion for the cause of reform; indeed, were we to award strict and impartial justice in this matter we should be compelled to de duct at least 20 per cent. from that estimate. Mr. James Braucker at half-past twelve o'clock was called to the chair and opened the business of the day. The speech'of the worthy gentleman was delivered with his usual fervour and elegance of expression. He told his auditors that they were called together in consequence of the defeat which he had . sus tained in another place on Friday. The Sessions-house had been packed by the villanous tories on ,that occasion. The Mayor, in the course of the proceedings. at that meeting, had said that he would not dissolve it, and had also said that he would not preside over any other meeting which might be. called at any other place. He (Mr. Brancker) .was one of those who thought that the Mayor of Liverpool should meet his fellow townsmen and preside over them whenever and where ever they chose to assemble, and he hoped that no future Mayor of Liverpool would ever hold a meeting in the Sessions-house again. Mr. Braucker, after talking some time about tory trickery, and the House of Lords as opposed to the rights of Ireland and of the right of Irishmen to govern themselves, who the tories considered were only fit to be beasts of burthen, said that the English municipal reform had fixed a dagger in their hearts, and that the Irish bill would, if carried, complete their destruction. • Colonel Williams moved the first resolution, and was followed by Mr. William Earle, who re-echoed what his gallant leader had uttered, namely, some very stale abuse of the House of Lords and of the old corporation of Liverpool, of which he (Mr. Earle) Was a Member. This resolution having been put and carried nem. con., the Chairman announced that the next speaker would be " that old warrior, Thomas Bolton," who immediately advanced to the front of the balcony, and in his appparance and address to the audience forcibly reminded us of a rag fair old clothesman. The speech of the "old warrior" did not, lidwever, contain a single sentence worthy of being repeated. He concluded by moving the secon I resolution, which was se conded b y Mr. Crawford Logan, and put and carried by ac claination. Mr. Richard Vaughan Yates, the next bufo who made his appearanCe in this serio-comic drama, moved the third resolu tion, the substance of which was, as far as we could catch its import,. " the deep regret of the meeting that the lords should he opposed to the passing of the Irish municipal reform bill, &c. &c." This gentleman informed the meeting that he had actually been in France, and, therefore, knew a. great dealabnnt Plena corporatiOns which, as they were under the immediate and direct control of the government of that country, possessed in his estimation an immense advantage .over those of England. We have neither time nor space to notice the remaining speakers, 'except "in a hump." All that was said by them consisted of nothing more than dull variations of the same tune, unenlivened by 'the slightest spark of genius or talent, and with mit posse'ssing a single original idea. Had the first speech of the chairman been read over deliberately and distinctly in the aviary of the Zoological Gardens, the least talented parrots of that establishment would have spoken as effectively as Mr. Law rence Hey Worth; Mr. George Vandenhoff,'Mr. Wood, (who was introddeed to the meeting as the brother of Mr. Alderman Wood, of London,) Mr. Hornby, or Mr. Egerton Smith, the gentlemen who successively. addressed the very meagre asse m bl age o f per sons who were cMitent to listen and applaud what they heat d. All the other resolutions, together with the address to the King and the petitiOn to the House of Commons founded upon them, were put and carried without a dissentient voice. The meeting was altogether the most contemptible thing of the kind we have ever seen. The 'managers" or it felt that it was so—they felt too that their attempt to agitate a question about which the people generally care nothing whatever, was a signal' failure, and that they had lost, .as a party, any little ephemeral importance which they might have possessed in more stirring times. MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SELF-DESTRUCTION. Ode of the most dreadful and premeditated murders which it has ever been our duty to record, was committed in this town last Satur day. • As several incorrect accounts of this horrid transaction have been given to gratify public curiosity on the one hand, and to put money into the pockets of catchpeimy printers and the vendors of such trash on the other, we simply give the evidence of the various witnesses, (in addition to one or two facts which have come to our I knowledge) taken subsequently upon oath before W. F. Curry, Esq., and a respectable Jury, yesterday, at the Session's-house. At three o'clock on Saturday, a jury was summoned, who, after having been sworn proceeded to the house of Mr. Jones, Rodney-street, in whose house the unfortunate woman had been for about four months as cook. Her body was laid upon the floor of the front kitchen, and presented a most shocking appearance. The right side of the face was covered with blood, and immediately underneath the right ear a wound of the size of a shilling was observable. The other side of the face did not present any other than a perfectly natural appearance. Her cap was laid upon a basket which was placed close to the spot where she was standing when she received the wound. Upon examining it there was a hole made, just above one of the strings, by the pistol ball some thing larger than a penny piece. The jury minutely examined the body and then retired. After a short consultation it was agreed that they should meet again yesterday for the purpose of investigating the melancholy circmstances attending the death of the deceased. Ac cordingly at half-past nine they assembled in one of the rooms in the Session's-house, in Chapel-street. The coroner immediately pro ceeded to take the evidence. The first witness called was the daughter of the person in cus tody charged with the murder. Sheesaid—My name is Sarah Diann. I am nineteen years of age, and live servant with Mr. Jones, at No. 46, Rodney-street ; I knew the deceased, her name was Grace Avery, she also lived servant with Mr. Jones, she was M years of age ; my father's name is William Dalin, I don't know his age ex actly, but think he is about 37 or 38, he lived in Nottingham formerly where he was employed in a lace-warehouse, he last lived in Man chester ; my father lies eight children living, seven living at home at Nottingham, and I make the eighth, the eldest is about 21 years of age, and the youngest is between two and three years of age ; I first became acquainted with the deceased in London, about seven years ago ; my father, mother and our family then lived there ; my father and mother lived together with the family hi London, they were not separated at that time, I am not aware that my father and the deceased were intimately acquainted in London ; the deceased was living in service in London, and she used sometimes to come to our house ; when we left London we removed to Nottingham, to which place the deceased also came, and where she had also been before several years in service ; the deceased used to come to our house in Nottingham, as she used to do in London ; I did not live at the same place in Notting. ham that the deceased did ; after I had been in Nottingham about twelve months I left and went to Manchester, where the deceased had removed to, she took a house at leusholine, near Manchester, where she took in washing, and I went to her to assist her ; my father used to come over from Nottine s ham to Rusholme to see the deceased ; I lived with the deceased in Rusholme about six months and then left to Clive with Mr. Jones, in Market-street, Manchester; I lived with Mr. Tones in Manchester about three months and then came to Liver pool where I have been about five weeks in the service of Mr. Jones. in Rodney-street ; the deceased had been in Mr. Jones's service about three months, where I found her when I came to Liverpool ; my fa ther came several times to Manchester from Nottingham to see the deceased, and once or twice staid all night, hut he slept in a different room from that of the deceased with whom I slept during the time he staid; my father was employed in Manchester by Mr. Mills, the drug gist, in Market-street, whose shop is about a mile or a mile and a half from the house in which the deceased formerly lived at Rusholme ' • I have heard that my father had annoyed the deceased very much when we lived in Nottingham; I have hoard my mother say that he did so as well as the deceased herself ; my impression was that an improper attachment existed between deceased and my father; I think he paid her more attention than he should have done ; I have heard deceased frequently complain that he annoyed her by following her from place to place ; my father has been twice in Liverpool since I have lived with Mr. Jones, in Rodney-street ; the first time was about a month ago ; the deceased told me when we lived in Nottingham that my fa ther wanted her to go away with him ; sho also told me that he wanted her to go away with him from Mr. Jones's, in Rodney-street, the first time I saw him here about four weeks ago ; my father came to Mr. Jones's, in Rodney-street, when I saw him first in Liverpool, which was about a month ago, I cannot recollect the day ; I did not let him in, but upon going down stairs into the kitchen 1 found him and the deceased together, they were in conversation together, he staid about an hour upon that occasion ; I don't recollect what they were con versing about ; my father appeared in a good temper, he was not an gry, to the best of my recollection there was no altercation between them ; when he went away he did not say where he was going nor when he should return ; a day or two after my father had left, the de ceased told me that my father had made a proposal to marry her, but she said she never would; that was the answer she (deceased) gave him ; I never heard my father threaten, " that if the deceased would not marry him, he would destroy either himself or the deceased ;" I never heard any ono else say that they had heard my father say so. At the be g inning of last week I saw my father pass the window of the house in Rodney-street ; I cannot say on what day that was ; I was standing at one of the bed-room windows ; I did not see my father again till he called at the house on Saturday last ; he called on that day between ten and eleven o'clock in the forenoon ' • I do not know who let him in ; I was upstairs when he came in; when I came down he was in the back kitchen, which is used as the cooking kitchen, not the kitchen to the front of Rodney-street, the other ; the deceased was there ' • I did not know that my father was there till I went down and found him ; I don't know how he entered, whether through the front door or hack ; when I went dawn he was standing with his back to the fire, and deceased was going about the kitchen about her work ; they were talking together when I went down ; my father asked me how I was ; I inquired how he got in ? he replied, " the way I don't intend to go out ; ' they were conversing together, hut I do not know what about. I asked my father if he was cross, but received no re ply ; I judged he was angry from the answer he gave me ; I observed nothing in his manner different from his usual conduct, a little cross, but nothing further. My father was not in the habit of taking liquor. 1 heard him ask the deceased " Will you have me ?" I don't recollect whether these are the exact words he , used, but they were to that effect ; deceased replied, " She never would." • [A note was here handed- into court, stating that, Duffin, the pri soner, had7atteropted to hang himself in Bridewell, but was cut down before life was extinct.] Evidence continued.—Soon after this time deceased went into the scullery to clean her candlesticks ; she was standing at the time ; my father went into the scullery and stood. for some time with his hands behind him ; she passed into the scullery two or three times during the time he was in the kitchen ; I also went into the scullery after the deceased and my father; I had no particular reason for g oing there ; they were not in co nversa ti on a t the ti me • d ecease d was standing close to the boiler, near where the chips are kept, and which is fixed against the wall; I did not take notice of my father being agitated ; deceased and I were both cleaning candlesticks; we were about a yard asunder; it was about four or live minutes after I went into the scullery that the circumstance took place ; I asked my father if he would go home, as soon as I got into the scullery, but he gave no answer ; my father had his hands behind him, under his coat, and drew out a pistol ; he was not talking to any one at the time; I saw my father hold his arm out and level the, pistol at deceased, he fired immediately. As soon as deceased fell I ran out of the kitchen, lent was so much alarmed that 1 cannot say whether I or my father ran out first ; I did not see any pistol till after nay return to the kitchen ; it was lying on the floor ; I ran to the street door and saw a police man ; there was no person in the house but myself, deceased, and my father ; I gave no alarm until I saw the policeman ; I did not tell him at that time what had happened, but merely asked him what time it was; I did not know whether I ought to tell him, or leave it till my mistress came home from market. The policeman then went to the end of Mount Pleasant, and I called after him; he came into the house with me ; I went with him into the scullery ; deceased was in a sitting position on some sticks which were in a box near the boiler, and her head reclined on a knife board; she appeared to be quite dead; she appeared to be in the same place where she had fallen ; I saw blood on the neck of the deceased, and against the boiler •, I did not know where the wound was, but saw blood running down the neck ; my father was not in the kitchen ; I cannot say how he got out ; there is a road from the kitchen into the yard ; I saw the policeman take the pistol up from the floor ; my father left his watch, ten sovereigns and four shillings and sixpence, there was a piece of paper in the purse, but I cannot tell what was written upon the pa per ; all the articles were in the purse ; he laid it down on the dresser a short time previous to going into the scullery, but did not say any thing at the time ; I gave the purse into the hands of my mistress when she came into the kitchen, I have not seen it since. It was examined in the parlour in the presence of a policeman and my mistress? I had never seen it before. Richard Kenney sworn.-1 am a policeman; I was on duty in Rod ney-street on Saturday last ; about twelve o'clock at noon I was called to by a young woman, (the first witness,) who inquired what o'clock it was? I told her about five minutes to twelve; she went immedi ately into the house of Mr. Jones, and shut the door ; in a few minutes afterwards she came after me a second time, and told me there was some one in the house, but did not say what had happened. I went into the house, along the lobby, and saw the back doors open ; I asked her what was the reason of their being open, and she began to cry ; I went hit° the back cellar but saw nothing wrong there ; she then said go into the front; I went and saw the deceased- sitting on the box of chips, with her bead leaning against tee wall ; she appeared to be quite dead; I saw blood on her neck and arms and on the floor; I thought it proceeded from her right ear ; I went out and called another policeman; we went in and laid the deceased out upon the floor. I found 'the pistol about a yard and a half from the deceased; the one now produced is the same; it appeared to have been lately fired. After we had laid the deceased upon the floor, 1 went to Mr. Jones's office to acquaint him. I asked the young woman why she let the woman kill herself ?—she said it was a man that did it ; I said is it the man that I have seen loitering about some time,' and she answered yes. I' had frequently noticed the man about that neighbourhood, and had inquired his business ; he told me that he had a sister living • in service with a family in the neighbourhood, and was in the habit of sending out his clothes to wash with those of the family; I have not seen him since, but could recognise the man whim I have seen loiter ing in the neighbourhood of Mr. Jones's house. William Thomason sworn.—l am a policeman ; I was on duty in Falkner-street, on Saturday last; about twenty minutes past twelve I found the prisoner in Falkner-street, opposite Bedford-street; I first saw him walking along Falkner-street, and then cross over towards some waste ground, where there was a cart ; he attempted to sit upon the shaft hut fell backwards ; he was proceeding towards the railway station before he attempted to sit down ; he appeared to be lame and walked very slow ; I asked if he was sick, but he made no reply' ; I asked him if he had had any liquor, and lie said"no ;'.' I asked w'here', he lived, and he replied " where." , He made a very strange noise in his throat, and I took his handkerchief off; I then weneto,get a doctor, (Mr. M'Culloch,) and by his directions took him to the In- , firmery. Thienas Roberts, constable, sworn.—l received information of the circumstance from Kenney, who brought the information to the court, and produced the pistol ; I was then ordered to go in search of the prisoner, mad after some time learnt that a man had been sent to the Infirmary, supposed to have received his injury by falling from a house ; took 'the witness, Sarah Duffin, with me in a car to the In firmary, who immediately reaog,nizecl the prisoner as the man who had committed the act. On his recovery took him into custody, and lodged him in Bridewell. The bottle containing the liquor was given into my charge. • James Coglan, surgeon, sworn.—l examined the body of the de ceased on Saturday' afternoon last. I found a large lacerated wound on the right side of the head, close to the fore part of the ear. I exa mined the wound, and found the ball had proceeded in the direction ' of the neck close to the base of the skull. -There was no other wound but that one. 1 opened the head, and found that the bones at the base of the skull were very much shattered—several pieces of bone were driven into the lower part of the brain. Both the internal and - external carotid artery were severed, and I found a pistol ball lotl*ed in the Sphenoid bone in the centre of the base of the skull. he brain was not injured by the ball, but by the pieces of bone which were driven in. From the nature of the wound I should judge that the pistol was fired close to the head. The ball is.a pistol ball, and bore marks of the screw. In my opinion death was produced by the injuries above stated. The depositions were then read over to the prisoner ; and, upon being a sked by the coroner if he had anything to say to the Court touching the death of Grace Avery, he replied, after a ereat deal of hesitation and questioning by the officers who stood with him in the prisoners' box, " I don't know what you mean." The Coroner then inquired whether he wished to ask the witnesses any questions, to which he replied, in the same hesitating*ay, " I don't know—l can't understand you." The jury, after consulting together for two or three minutes, found a verdict of " Wilful Murder" against William Dalin, and he was accordingly committed upon the Coroner's warrant to take his trial at . the ensuing Liverpool Assizes. The prisoner was brought into court about two hours after the pro ceedings commenced. He was accompanied by four of the officers of the prison,*and had a very wild and agitated appearance. His eyes were almost continually directed to the skylight of the building. He ' would sometimes open his hands, and then stare themt n a ; e wi u tti p he on cdoilidnotr idconsiderable ea - Na s forceminute t,p o o n r tthweor,ai inrailing afterwards unaer throwing whch li e V them standing. pear to take any notice of the coroner, or the jury, or any o f the persons present. When the jury returned their verdict he attempted to get away from the officers, saying " Don't keep me here all day, my good men. I want to he going." During the progress of the investigation, the coroner very properly cautioned persons present connected with the press, not to insert any opinions of their own which they might gather from the evidence, and which might, at present, prejudice the prisoner before the public. We quite concur in the justness of that observation ; and, we have re frained from giving anything in addition to facts as they were detailed in evidence before the court. It is high time, however, that the dreadful accident and penny-a-line nuisance was put an end to. The public mind' is frequently misled and the ends of justice sometimes defeated, by the labours of persons going about the streets selling what they call " full, true, and particular accounts " of certain events which are false and exaggerated from beginning to end. DUTIES UPON MAN I'FACTU OED GOODS.--We.haVe it on good authority that it is, in contemplation to raise the duties upon all uiat,,;lured goods imported into the East Indies from this country, should ministers any longer delay to equalize the du ties upon Eat and West India produce. PLEASURE EXCURSION.—We feel great pleasure in directing the attention of our readers to an advertisement which will be found in another part of our paper, announcing that the Cole raine, steamer is about to be dispatched on a pleasure excur. ; sion to the north coast of Ireland., and the Western Hebrides of Scotland. The parties who embark on this trip will in the' 'course of a week have an opportunity of visiting. the Giant's Causeway, and the Testing places of the ancient kings of Scot land, and of viewing the magnificent scenery -of the western coast of that section of the United Kingdom. Entptrial Varliament. HOUSE OF LORDS.--THURSDAY. ARBROTH AND FORFAR RAILROAD BILL. On the motion of the Earl of Camperdown, this bill was read a third time and passed. Some other bills were respectively advanced a stage. The reception of petitions was the only other business brought for ward this night.---Adjourned THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. The change of the weather from the chilling coldness of win ter to something like the warmth of spring, has, by inducing the trees and shrubs to put forth their leaves, and the flower s t o exhibit. their varied tints, given 'to theie gardens a lively and very beautiful appearance. Some additions have been made to'thejeoilection of 'an i als, but the' most important and the most interesting' is expected to be pr-sented by the female Elephant, ~•ho, we are 'informed, is in that condition " which ladies wish to he who' hive their lords." Should this be the case, and we believe there is no reason •to doubt the fact, she will be the •first of her race who has ever become a mother in this country. ' A:public company is now formino-lor the purpose of pur chasing this concern' from its present proprietor, Mr. Atkins. The gardens contain something more than seven statute acres to which ten acres more may be added. The whole seventeen acres will be sold to the company at the price.given for it, three shillings and seven pence per square yard. For some other land, also adjoining the gardens, ten shillings a yard has been refused, and the site of Brougham Terrace was sold about three years since for twilie shillings a yard; the company will therefore obtain possession of the estate upon very favourable terms: HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY. DUBLIN STEAM-PACKETS. Mr. O ' CONNELL presented a petition from the Dublin Steam packet Company for leave to bring in a bill to enlarge the powers of their act. Sir M. S. STEWART said that he should resist this proceed ing, subject, of course, to the correction of the Speaker as to the regularity of the proceeding.. A bill had already this session been brought in on this subject, and thrown out on the third reading, and on the largest division he had known to take place this session on a private bill. Now it was proposed to bring in , another bill. The proceeding he should resist as most irregular,• except the Speaker informed him that he was in the wrong as to his impression of its irregularity. The SPEAKER explained that on a former day a petition had been presented for leave to present a petition. That petition had been referred to a committee to ascertain whether sufficient cause could be shown for the special leave required, the time for presenting private bills having expired; and that committee had reported that leave ought to be given to present the petition as prayed. Mr. O'CONNELL said that there was not only the leave of the committee, but that the bill sought to be introduced was not the same as that which had been thrown out on the third reading. Sir M. S. STEWA RT observed that it was on the same subject, and, till he heard to the contrary, he must deem it the same bill in the view of the standing orders of the house. That being his impression, he should resist it in this preliminary stage. He did so, not from any particular hostility to the bill, but becauie he deemed the proceeding to be contrary to the principle and practice of the house regarding private bills. The SPEAKE R r e p ea t e d t h a t the present petition was in per fect accordance with the practice and proceedings of the house. If, after the time named for bringing in private bills, any pe . ti tion were presented to bring in a bill, the apptitation being founded on special circumstances, the petition was referred to a committee to make its special report, That had been done, and leave was given by the report of the committee to present this petition ; the leave given was the act of the committee, not of the house. It reported that leaae ought to Ze given-to present the petition. Sir M. S. STEWARI certainly Mit:light, at feast, notice ought to have been given of the; intention to present this petition, sti that the house might h ave an opportunity of deciding on the correctness of the proceeding. Mr. ROBINSON observed that it was important to proceed with regularity regarding private bill s; , b u t, as t h e r e h a d b een a spe cia report, he thought there ought not to be objection to the petition for a bill, and it being requisite to refer that petition to a committee. Mr. O'CONNELL said that this proceeding was quite regular, and that it was in accordance with the frequent practice of the house. A petition for leave td present this petition had been presented and reported upon, the committee giving leave to present this petition. The ord er f or b r i ng i ng in the bill within a certain time had been dispensed with, but, according to the report, on justifiable grounds. So much for the reeularity of the proceeding. As to the character of the bill, so far from it being the same bill as the one heretofore rejected' on the third reading, he begged leave to inform gentlemen that it was not only not the identical bill, but that it was a measure of a very different character. It was certainly a bill to enable the com pany to increase their capital; but instead of doing so un restricted, it did so on unlimited responsibility. (Hear.) Petition presented, and referred to a committee. • MARINE \ ircSoa•ANcEs. Mr. RoalNsoN presented petitions from Beaumaris, Carnar von, and the underwriters of the city . of London, praying for a repeal of the stamp duty on marine insurances. The honour able member stated, in the couhe of his speech, that the pro duce of the existing duty did not exceed £200,000. Formerly when the exports amounted to £88,000,000, the produce of the marine insurance duty was £3OO,(XX). Since that period the exports had increased from 88 to 120 millions, while the amount of this duty showed an inverse ratio, for it was reduced to £200,000. Petitions ordered to be laid on the table. Stone other petitions were then presented, and the house was counted out at about five o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY. --- - - The seamen (Scotland) bill, the Southampton docks bill, with several other bills, were brought up from the House of C9tII.I,IIQIIS andsead &first time. - - The report of the committee On the Irish constabulary force bill, with some amendments, was agreed to. THE IRISH. CHURCHES. The Earl of RIPON moved 'for a return of the funds in the hands of the commissioners for building new churches in Ire land, and of the number of applications which had been made to the commissioners for the building of new churches in Ire land. In the course of his "speech his lordship proved tbctt the means of the commissioners were very inadequate to the pur poses for which they were appointed, but that this was an im-s. portant considero.tion before any ulterior step was taken with reference to the established church in Ireland. The returns were ordered.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMIONS.-FRIDAY. An immense number of petitions praying for the'repeal of the `• taxes on knowledge ",were presented. THE BUDGET. The house having gone into a committee of ways and means, The CHANCELLOR proceeded to bring forward, his financial statement for .the year. He prefaced it by referring to the re tduction already made on account of the civil government. In 1825 the cost of the several departments was £3,763,000; it now was £2,780,000, showing a reduction of £976,000. The calcula tions of , last 3 , ear on the subject of income and expenditure were fully realised by an excess of income of £292,000, which ap peered over his estimates. The income of the current year was -calculated at £46,980,000, and its expenditure at £45,205,000. He calculated, therefore, on a surplus of £1,774,193, exclusive, however, of paymentson account of West India compensation, &c:; on that account, 'the largest payment to be made this year, it would be £1,111,863, reducing his surplus unfortunately to' £662,230. He compared the imports and exports of the four years 1828 to 1831 inclusive, and the four years 1832 to 1835 also inclusive. These totals showed an average annual increase of imports of about £960,000, and of exports of £15,449,000. He also entered fully into the produce of the excise, and parti cularly eulogised the conduct of parliament in repealing the beer duty,; and the malt duty, he estimated, would this year produce £5,660,000. The stamps, he estimated, would produce ;£3,575,000. - Though the stamps bill would cause some diminu tion, it would also cause increase, so that he expected one would meet the other; and, therefore, he considered the total amount would not be affected. But this calculation was made exclusive of the proposed alteration of the duty on newspapers. The postotfice revenue had produced £1,540,000; but it would be below that amount, in consequence of the reduction of the postage on letters to, ,from, or.passing through France, result ing from the French treaty on this subject- He commented on the increased prosperity of Manufactures and agriculture—the advatice la the prosperity of the latter interest he attributed to tbepoor laws amendment act. As 'to the use to be made of the surplus,lo stated that, agreeably to the recommendation of the excise , inquiry commissioners, he pro osed the reduction 'of the paper duty one-half, and the repeal of t he duty on stained paper. 'fie shmild,thereby lose eventually 250,000; but this year only £125,000. .A loss of £20,000 would be sustained by' the Post qffice, in consequence of the French treaty. The mode of re ceiving the probate duty was to be altered, it being now paid beforehand;. the loss would be £20,000. By the reduction of the South Sea, . . duties there would be a loss of £lO,OOO. With respect to the stamp duty on newspapers he feared he should have to sustain a double fire from his friends behind him and from the honourable gentlemen opposite; but to both he' would take the liberty of representing the position in which that question stood at the present moment. He said tnthose who asked for the total' repeal of that duty, " Do you think that any minister could come down to the house on such a financial statement as I have just made and propose that £400,000 out' of the surplus of £662,000 should be devoted absolutely to the repeal of the stamp duties on newspapers ? Do you think that, even if a minister were so disposed, he could inducethe house to accompany him in such a scheme ?" He knew full well that the house would not accompany him, and even if the' house would accompany him, he was not disposed to make the propo sition, because he had always considered this a fit subject for taxation, and so long as the newspapers asked the government to transmit them free of postage through the land, it was fair and just, and legitimate and right, that they should be made a subject of taxation. He was, therefore, not disposed to enter into a proposal for their total repeal; but he would go further and say, that in the present state of public opinion, if he were to make such a proposition it would, be rejected. [Mr. Hume was understood to signify his dissent from this opinion.] Did ,any hon. gentleman doubt it ? Well, let him bring forward a motion, and make a stand. Let this house see who' those were who, in the present state of the finances of the country, wished to apply £400,000 out of £600,000 to the repeal of stamps on newspapers. But he said it was material to deal with this branch, of the subject. He adhered to the opinions which hehad pronounced last year, on the motion of the hon. member for Lincoln, that the present stamp duty on newspapers was not to be continued or maintained. The . proposition then made and acquiesced in by him (the Chancellor of the Exchequer). and promised by him to be carried into effect on a fitting occa sion, gave him a right to ask of the house ' if not to support, at least to consider his propositi on . Were hon. members aware of that state of things going on in society? (hear, hear.) Did' they know the position in w hi c h the present -state ef things placed the administration of the law, the security of property, and the safetyof the revenue itsel ?—(hear, hear.) Upon these grounds, and also for the sake of .the ,good order of society, he should call upon the house to repeal a portion of the duty on newspapers. The illicit trade in unstamped papers had been going on for a considerable time—it began in London, where they were circulated in open defiance of the law, and rapidly extended itself through the country. Under these circum stances active measures• were resorted to in order to check it. Prosecutions were carried on, imprisonments and penalties werel inflicted—in short, the powers of the law were exhausted, and I notwithstanding all this the sale eontinued—(hear, hear). — Gentlemen would do him the favour of believing that this was , 1 one of the most painful parts of his duty—itwas onewhich had to abundance of obloquy and reproach. both in and out of that: house; but more particularly out of doors: He had been in 1 communication with the parties interested in the reduction of the stamp duties. He had seen the newspaper proprietors, and' they admitted that it was impossible to meet the case as it now stood—(hear, hear). The reason was obvious—the temptation to violate the law was too great n —(hear, hear). , In Ireland, in order to put an end to illicit distillation, they had tried laws which, it , hid been justly remarked, were more fitted for the meridian of Turkey—they even punished the innocent fur the guilty, and resorted to almost every kind of violence, and with out effect, for it was always impossible to maintain an unrea sonably high rate of duty on any article. The only plan, then, was to fix the duty below the insurance on smuggling, and this was what he proposed to do, and what be trusted the house would go along with him in doing. What did they apprehend? Was it of revenue ? He would tell them that, it was going, and that it would go, so that they were losing their revenue if they did not adopt the principle of reduction :—This they might at once see by the-following returns:— • DUTY ON NEWsP-APERs. Gross Revenue. Net Revenue. 1831 • • • .4586;t100' 1832 574,000 1833.... 1834 .. '537,000, .Of late there had b een a s li g ht increase, but that was but a small part of the subject. The real question was—WOUld they countenance such a system of violation of the law, which, though bad in itself, was still more mischievous in the way of ' example. (Hear, hear.) In Ireland, already agenOes had been established for the sale of the unstarived, so that to stop them without reducing the duty was impossible. He believed that some hon. members in that house were such advocates for the total repeal. of these duties, that they wouldTatherleave the' matter as it now stood, than that there should be a reduction to one penny. If hon. members opposite were afraid of giving an MA Mg; unlimited license to newspapers, they ought to support him in the reduction he contemplated, and in three years he had nd doubt but that the result would be, that they would have alt larger revenue derivable from that source than they had at present. (Hear, hear.) He did not wish to advert to matters personal to himself; for he was resolved to abide the"hazard of what he had proposed, confident that it would be deemed rea sonable by the houso and would be carried intofull.effect. He should persevere in his scheme in order to save the revenue, to defeat the existing Combination against the law,, and to put an end to vexatious prosecutions. (Hear, hear.) This was ne cessary to be done in order to support the fair trader who paid the stamp duty. If these were not grounds for repealing a tax, he knew not what grounds could be considered as sufficient; (hear,) and theiefore it was that he proposed that the duty . should be reduced from 4d. (minus the discount) to Id. The amount of loss he had also calculated. He intended that the reduction should take place from the sth of July. He had con: suited the parties Whose property was invested, and it was their opinion that the reduction should take place as speedily as post sible. He calculated, therefore, upon a loss of revenue upoit three-quarters of the year, and, as he estimated the loss for a whole year at £230,000, the loss for this year would be £150,000; He had no doubt whatever that there would be an enormous in crease not only in the number of newspapers and advertise; meats, but in the paper'duty also. One thing more he would say. He must and would resist the applications which had treed made for a reduCtion of th e d uty on 'lrish newspapers to one halfpenny. lie was obliged to resist it, for it was not, udder all the circumstances, feasible. A large reduction was made td theta as'it was. They claimed to be transmitted, and they had the right to be so, through all the post-offices in the empire; but, having the mine privileges, they had had a right to bear the same burden. He did, however, contemplate a small relief to' 'them, to which, ind e ed, the y were entitled. If they now paid a stamp duty of 2d, without a discount, and ebtaih e d a re ducti on of only one-half without a discoUnt, th e y wou ld not reduce.thsti. price of their paper one penny without a loss to the atiourit of the discount. Besides this, they were threatened with. gigs , British competition, and this to a certain extent ht prepar'l: He should, however, to counterbalance this, afford em a great reduction in the duty on advertisements: He had in this,-how ever, another object. He Wished to try it partly as an experi ment, which, if it should answer his expectatiOns, he might re duce to practice in England also, bUt he could pot venture to try" it upon the larger scale at once. As he had, on a former oe-. canon, proposed the reduction of the duty on insurenceson farming stock, and he now proposed to extend - that to farming buildings. The former had given relief to the farmer to the ex tent of f. 30,000, and this would give relief to the extent of £15,000 additional: There were certain other small taxes, the repeal of which w ou ld g i v e re lief t o t h e extent of about Ls:oo°, which would give " 'a total repeal of taxes to the amount of £351,000 in this year, or £563,000• if theyavere to be taken off upon the whole of the year. He thought, however, 'the lose Would got be so great as his estimate made it, for, in proportion as those reductions came into operation, the increased con sumption would greatly redeem the reduction in the amount of duty. (Hear, hear.) The 'Right Hon. Chancellor, after stat ing that he could not reduce the marine insurance duty, that he intended to repeal the 50 per cent. additional "on spirit licence duty, and, adveiting to some other matters, concluded by mov ing.that " a stini of £8,000,000 he granted for the service of his majesty." A lengthened conversation ensued, in which Mr. Hums, Mr. GOULBOURN, Mr. ROBINSON, Sir ROBERT PEEL, Mr. P. THOMPSON, and other Members, took part, after which the re solution was agreed to. • The report of the bishopric of Durham bill was agreed to. .A new writ for Kilkenny was moved for in the room . of Sullivan, who had accepted the Chiltern Hundreds. Adjourned. A DVERT TO MR. BE A N, EDITOR OF TAE ALBION. SlR,—it is not for the purpose of affording you any satisfac tion, but that I' may put my se lf r i g ht w i t h t h e public, that I con descend to take this notice of the garbled statement which you have, with yeur accustomed want of truth, published in your paper of this day. You admit one thing which is material to me, that you called my conductt ungentlemanly; you, however, have carefully kept back the fact that I asked you to recall thafexpression; instead of doing so you repeated it, and it was then that did: you the honour to cane you. You called the attentio a female who was at the back desk to this circurosta by saying, "mark that." I told you to recollect, and not orget, that you had been caned. It is true that I did not wish to hurt your person, and therefore merely hit you on what, is called the seat of ho nour, but I found that with you honour is out of the. 'question. You assert that the foul language was used only by me ; fortu likely there were witnesses who will vouch for the feet, that you Balled me a blackguard before I told you you "'era d—d craven coward. . • In conclusion I have only to say, that if I receive any fustket provocation frpm so Contemptible a thing, as yourselkl will make such an impr es si o n on y our assinine hide as you will not readily forget, for I find that, not having a particle of gentle manly feeling, this is the only way you can be made to feel the reeentment of an henourablemind. , —With the tleepest eoutempt I remain THOS.:TINLEY. Liverpool, 9th May , 1836. FLOWER PAINTING.--We -have 'seen tome very beautiful specimens of flower-painting, by Mr.:Kelly, (who, we perceive, will make a short stay in Liverpool, as teacher,) auctreeceeinend them as splendid proofs of what can be done in this department of the arts. These specimens may be seen at Mr. Lacy's, Boltl street, and Mr. Bdrland's, Church-street. , • ' COURT OF PAS . SAGII.--.lt is said to be the'intention of go vernment to .appoint Mr. Charles Crompton to the office of Assessor in the Court of Passage orthis borough, in the•room of the late Mr. Henry Roscoe. The appointment will give general satisfaction. BOTANIC GAamtst.--Th e annual report recommendsthit the' sum of four thousand pounds shall be borrowed for the purpose' of completitig the new garden. Tho committee also submitted to' , the meeting some alterations in the existilig , rules. They pro. , prosed that, in future, proprietors, with their families, eiaopt sons of twenty-one years of age, be admitted gratuitously to view the garden ; that they have the power to give tickets for the admission of strangers on payment of one shilling each; and that each proprietor be allowed to nominate bne subscriber, paying a guinea annually, with the privilege of a personal ad mission gratis, and to the introduction of a friend on payment of one shilling. With a view to increase the funds of. the insti tution the committee suggested that the plants Should be sold to any person wishing to purchase them, at prices lobe regulated by the Visitors, and that in order to secure a more punctual at tendance of the visitors, they be entitled taieceiveplantO ortho' value of five shillings e ac h visit, so long as the total aunt does l not exceed £lO in the year. CORONER FOR Wtosst.-;—The long expected contest for;the coronership came on at. Wigan, on Saturday last. The candi dates were Mr. Itogerson, surgeon ; Mr. Grimshaw, town-clerk; and - Mr. Leigh, attorney. At the close of the election the num- Leigh, 13; G r i ms h aw, 1 . Th e ma bers were—Rogerson, 19; jority being 'in favour - of Mr. Rogerson, he was accordingly appointed. LIVERPOOL TIDE TABLE. Days, Arm Ern.— Pestivals,b)s. MAX., H. St. n. 11 . F. r. Tuesday lO ' 7'21 756 12 5 Jupiter rises 7h 17m morn ,Wednesday 11 827 853 13 6 Jupiter sets Oh 6m morn Thursday I2 917 9,44 14.8 Ascension Day. or Holy Tht Friday, 13 .10 0 10,19 15 7 Mara rises 3h limo morn Satuirday, 14 10 36 10 53 16 1 Venus rises 6h 20m Rpm SUNDAY 15 11 11 11'26 16 5 Sunday aftgr Aseension •Day Monday l6 11 43 11 58 16 3 • fSunieilipseil, viiibl, • itiarketo. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARXET, MAT 9. Since Friday the Rarkei has continued quiet; the salesamountway to bates daily, *ithout change. • "LIVERPOOL CORN EXCHANGE, MAY 9. There has been rather more doing in Wheat during the week, and prices have advanced Id to 2d per bushel. Several lots of Oats have been taken off the Market at Id per bnehel advance. Up to Friday there Was a good demand for Oatmea l , and` prices 3d to 6d dearer. On Saturday, in• Manchester, there was but. little sold deliverable from this port. The small stock, of Irish Flour here, and the increased value of Wheat, have caused holders to demand rather higher prices ; the sale* have been but to a moderate extent, however, and the advance par.. Mill) , realized. To-day higher prices were generally demanded for most articles., Flour and Oatmeal in particular, arising from much higher , limits having been received from Ireland, but the state of the country ,markets here does not warrant an expectation that Anything like such , increased value will be soon obtainable. LONDON GAZETTE..-....FRIDAY, MAY 6. ST. JAMEPALACE, MAY 4, 1836. This day the Baron de Cetto, Envoy Extraordinary and, Minister Plenipotentiary from the King of Bavaria, had an audience of tbe' King, to deliver a letter from his Sovere : To which he was int r od uce d by Lord Viscount Palmerston, his Ms' jestv's Principal Secretary a State for Foreign Affairs, and condficted by Bir Robert Chester, Knt., Master of the Ceremonies, ST. JAMES'S-PALACE, Aram 20. ' The King has this day been graciously pleased to present Mr. Ben• jamin Smith a stick of office, and to direct that he may cllrry the same when on duty, by virtue of his appointment as Secretary to the 'Cap tain of the lion. Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. BOARD OF GREEN ,CLOTH, ST. JAMES'S PALACE, MAY 6. The Leid Steward of his Majesty's household has beeu pleve4•d SG: appoint Thomas Shiffner. Esq., to be Paymaster of the Itionehrailein ) the room of George Talbot, Esq., deceased._ - - • INSOLVENTS. - . ' May 4—Edward Dorset, Newgate-market, Loudon, butcher:. s—John Peart Birley, Luton, Bedfordshire, plumber, BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED. Edward Lawrence Ireland; Birmingham, ftWor. • . BANKRUPTS. Jacobi Ahrenf.'id, Liverpool, merehant; to, surrender Mat 2 1 J, 17, at the Commissioners' Rooms, Manchester. Solicitors, Mr. Sale,. Manchester, and Messrs. Baxter, Lincoln's Inn-tieldi, London, John Whitehead, Woodford, Essex, dyer.. ' Wiliam Briscoe Lilly, Birmingham, coal-merchant.• Robert Jones, Bangor, Carnarvonshire, printer. Henry Hale Eve, Bath, pastry-cook. Thomas llugg, Buroughbridge; 'Yorkshire, cOrn-nierchant. • ' DIVIDENDS: • • May 30, R.. Morrison, New Gloucester-street, Hotton - Note:squarer 'London, carpeuter—Mny3o, G. Levi, ove n ' wEd &ester-- street, London, merchant—nay 28, R. Martin, Sydeisharp, Rent , grocer—May 29, S. B. Hemmer, Ely-place, I .ontiort, mtlichant—MaY • 27, 0. J..G. Hawkins, Upper Beigrave-street,'Londike,lsorirding house 'keeper—May aB, H. N: Ward, Bread-street-bill, Lornion;inekhant---:. .June 8, P. Jollity and W. J. Spurrie r , Poole, merchants--June 16, y r' Ryie:37, Coventry, dyer:—June 16, ti. Harris, Coverrrry j .Cornfactor. --- June. 1, G. Stockley and T. Wakelin, Ke n il wor th , W arw i c kshire, comb-manufacturers—May 30, T. Young,• 'Newcastle-upon-Tyne' grocer—May 27, J. toftos:BriSta, 'druggist—June 6 R. Kilsby. 011 " head St. Andrew, Wiltshire;victualler—May 30, B:TroctOr. Radford, Nottinghamshire; lacerriaker—May 'B, J. Brooks', Greif , Yatinoutb , grocer. CRTFTE 'To be granted, unless cause E be s ho wn to the contrary on or before' the 27th day of May.. H. Lock, Bracondale, Norwich, millwright-3: Tulle y, ' born, bazaar-keeper —A. W estley, Assembly-plac e , Kennington; liver,. 4 stable-keeper-4. L or d , B i rmingham, merchant-. DanieL Bath. N a inerchtint—R. J e lli coe, Turnwheel-lane, Eiowgate-hill; Londonicace ,. 1- chatit,—W. Ayli ng , G reat Portland-street, Maryleboue, London. Cu"- mist—M. Kirkland, Manchester, mustin-manufactiirer. AVERAGE PRICWOF SUGAR. fLoga The average price of Brown or Muscovadougir, computed the returns 'made in the week endirig the 3d day •of May, I °"'"' is 40s lfd per cwt., exclusive of the Duties of Customs paid or PO able thereon on th e i mportat i on t h ereof i nto Great Britain. - MARRIED. On Saturday the 23d tilt „ at Sta,nmore, Middleiez, by the Bel__• o f W. lq'Grath, Eradshaw Swainson, y ou niest . 9011 Charles Swain Son, Esq.;Cooper Hill, to Mary,'thilytraughter of Thu' Woodville, Esq. • DIED. OnWeqnesday last, at the Cemetery douse, after alingering illnesg, the Rev. Wheeler Milner. On Saturday last, at Woolton, Mrs. Threlfall, aged 89 years_i_e_....„l. L IVEII4 3 OOL : PRINTED AND PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY'ANA FRrDAY -IVLORNING, BY RICHARD PATTISSON, At N 0.4, NORTH CRESCENT, CASTLE-STREET. W:47 , 4717,4 „PUrth e I Pply to For fr, Daily -6,e; is expect °rtottssua f Mediate Messrs, Far 4, • - .G. lao• tug e 230 : s 1418 gage 4 lly to Ai `••••• °4IY flip ▪ fixed!• hay. Pars The n. s„ f ,Pateh ; Bu~ `ur' iti n f t . 411 res ' e 'ght 0, t*, A t eile , (l b 4Pp1y),,14 0 4 1 I t ‘` of 1 ip enha ti Regattas ''4, 116 ` ; kt I l s e 'u s 7.th ; rei zt ; Pa „ stai ite th c Otherhi P I R` OR t i n ,„°f thE r oper %t re r ePar 2 8 ; ( t i , Li 4 114 Po o 'use] k tili3rth (Ire: