The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-05-28 00:00:00

tIVPPORT )1 Mr. 04-ildit, 04 40800 FE PERFORMANCE* DURING THE SUMMER Sy.A.SONI WILL 'COMMF.NCE AT 11 LF.PAST SEVEN.-DOORS TO 3E OPENED AT SEVEN. e BENEFIT of. Mr. and Mrs. YATES, ay the Last Night of the ADELPHI COM - --- - , ___e BOLENO FAMILY, and Miss C. WEB STER and Master WEBSTER. 'THIS present FRIDAY, the 28 th instant, willbe repealed, 1 for the last time here, an Original Drama, called • AGNES• ST. AUBlti; OR, ME Two Husaasns. Produced under the immediat direction and superintendence of imme d iate . Yates Monsieur St. Aubin . Monsieur Darcourt Mr. Thomas Tomkins Doligny, alias Sims.. Mr. Paul Bedford. Madame St. Aubin Mrs. Yates. kfter which, a selection from Mr. YATES' celebrated enter tainments, called YATES AT HOME ; . OR, TEN MINUTES TABLE TALK. Consisting, of Anecdotes and :Imitations. To conclude with (for the last time % litre) a New Comic Pantomime, with New Scenery, Machinery, Tricks, &c., called HARLEQT TIN AND THE FLYING LADY; FOR, THE WITCH OF THE MAGIC KITCHEN. 1 under the direction of Signor Boleno and Mr Produc Wieland. - Mr.. CLARKE has much satisfaction in announcing that he . has effected an engagement with Mr. MACREADY, for Ten Nights, which will commence on Monday next, May 31, when will be presented the Tragedy of MACBETH. Macbeth, Mr. Macready, his first appearance here these four years. In order to give every possible effect to the Plays in which Mr. MACREADX will perform, Mrs. WARNER, (late Miss Huddart,) of the Theatres-Royal, Drury-lane and Hannarket, has been engaged, and will make her appear ance on the above evening, in the character of Lady Mac beth. An arrangement has also been made with Mrs. SALS BERG, (late Miss Phillips,) of the Theatre-Royal, Drury lane, on her return from the United States, who will make her first appearance in England, since her return from America, on TUESDAY next. In order to afford equal facilities to parties to secure Places, the Box Plan for Mr. MACREADY'S Nights will not he open until MONDAY MORNING, when Places may he secured from Ten until Three. No Performance on Saturday Evening. TO CORRESPONDENTS After much deliberation we feel compelled to decline the temperate and well-written letter of " A Wesleyan Con servative." Ilis intentions are excellent, and his sugges tions worthy of serious consideration, but we cannot agree with him precisely in all his remarks. The conservatives • are acting on the defensive, to protect the poor and de - serving from the machinations of crafty and designing men. Whilst we are ready to concede that a just and in. dignant protest has been issued against such characters and conduct, we cannot, for the life of us, perceive any connection between such a proceeding and a " tied up : holding" of the laws which our correspondent, in common with many conservatives, is wishful to amend. It is unne cessary to allude to the other observations of our corres pondent, as, for anything we know to the contrary, the allusion which has caused his a nimadversions may be the product of a radical—at all events it has been repudiated publicly by the conservatives. ebt Etbrrpoot &tanbarb. FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 28, 1841 We are much. mistaken or the people of Liverp • _ will deem the lectu) icy of the Factory Irruptionists as perfectly deserving of contempt, as the selfish pur poses which it is not denied they have in view. Be these thy gods, 0 Millocracy ? Be these the "school masters abroad " by whom Liverpool is to be whipped into a knowledge of all the various benefits that are to from altering our laws in favour of negro slavery and alien husbandmen ? But the answer of the peo ple of Liverpool, like that of the barons of old, will be, nolumus leges Anylice mutari. Why, if we had been given their several theses to examine, and did not know the authors, we would have said they were the productions of some of the lOwest-form pupils of some mechanics' institute—some juvenile tyros in Adam Smith—that they had but very imperfectly learned their lessons—and that it would be quite time enough for them to undertake the task of instructing others, when they had acquired a little ele mentary knowledge—some slight smattering of a sound political economy—themselves. It is just from such men. as these we should expect such a blunder as that of which Sir R. Peel gave so pleasant an account in his overwhelming speech on the sugar question. Ashworth, the Quaker, presented the Baronet with a pamphlet, which he was so sure would make him a convert, that he said, " Friend Robert, read that ; and if it do not make thee change thy mind, I will give up the cause." Well, the good-natured Sir Robert read the pamphlet ; and what was the consequence? Why, that he was more confirmed than ever in his own views by the arguments set forth in it ! Now does Mr. Ashworth keep his word ? He has got his answer; he has lost his wager; is he not bound, as a man of honour, to pay the forfeit ? He certainly ought to keep his engagement ; but so far from thinking of anything of the sort, this jocular, sporting Quaker non, rni ricordo, and was the very first to open the Anti-Corn-Law hop at the Amphitheatre on Mon day night ! What signifies the enlightened, sound, and impartial judgment of the FIRST MAN IN THE 'LAND to decide upon a question of this kind, in the estimation of persons with minds so incrusted with prejudice that nothing can reach the seat of perception hut what accords with their own prepossessions. They are incapable of appreciating it ; they have neither ears to hear, nor eyes to see, anything but that which falls of immediate gain, and seems to ith their vie favour their intense acquisitiveness. Hence their , theses, commonly called " speeches re the most absurd and incongruous productions th zood in tact only, like the pamphi estly by Mr. Ashworth, to cc inn any man of moderate discernment against the y are meant to support. So they by prejudice, that they are incapable of perceiving the drift of their own argumentation. They can mouth and prate indeed, and " split the ears groundlings," but only make the " judicious by a painful exhibition of imperceptiveness as to the true bearing and consequence of their own statements. propositions which the blinded at of the Amongst the travelling lecturers, there is, we believe, no man greater in their estimation than Mr. Cobden, of Manchester. He is their Coryphwus, and cock o: the walk ; and he " does chanticleer," in their opinion pains to been mo J thing" ; but there is nothing more obvious than that he is, in reality, a most shallow, uneducated, and igno , rant man. It is his ignorance which makes him con , fident and conceited; did he know better, he woulc be mor to admiration. But it would be easy to shew that this man is more profoundly steeped in prejudice and ab all the rest. He has only taken greater lex himself and delude others ; he has elaborate at stultification--that's all. He t that " little learning which is a dangerous This " cock of the mill," it seems, has challenged all Liverpool to . match him at discussion ; but if the speech he gave on Monday night be a specimen of his powers; we can perceive nothing in it that would in- duce Liverpool to send out a cock sparrow to engage Does he imagihe that anybody would be at the trouble of replying to such ranting and nonsense as " They came there to protest, in the name against the most iniquitous law that ever was mac world's history—a law purposely designed to starve thousands and tens of thousands of the poor people o tountry,—a law which was intended to inflict the pert scarcity on the land—(" Shame !")--a law whieh could no other result than the production of a general scareit was a law so gigantic iu its iniquity that it had the des imps ironing a nation, on a spot of earth not capable of lug 'them, and which was designed to keep the co wretched —(applause)—a law which violated the mos vious principle of nature. They had provided on the fi the earth a thousand-fold more than they required, at this law denied to the inhabitants of that spot the ril supplying, themselves with the food necessary to their hea tnd subsistence from other parts of God's earth. He said t merely a law which violated the law of nature, ha aw which violated the express injunctions of God hi nd as he was speaking in a place where occasions is meetings were held—(Oh, oh !)—meetings cal: as, at all events—(l aug ht er an d a ppla u se, cries o," followed by hisses.) He would most reveren an authority which should have weight. at all even hose who sometimes assailed them, although th not be many of them then present." !la hombastical, hyperbolical trash, and doWnrigh food, is not worthy of an answer anywhere; a seem ' Sc r: say that it is a fair sample of n ‘ cock But as the " devil can quote " these millocrats, it e 29, that the whole w them for a patrimony ! No difference, in the j, between ineunt and tuum—all was giveii to tl loryinen that were hereafter to arise in Manchester fliere was nothing said in Scripture about the Duke - Buckingham's estate." Mark that ! Thii is Mr. bfleit's doctrine, and this is some of the wholesome itruction he wishes to impart to the poor, unin 'acted, ignorant people of Liverpool ! The people Liverpool are patient and forbearing, or we know 54,1/&_18 itinerant league-man would be treated. Ihe iolti ht It) higliNPlit/ It dill fikkinii AN ff1N1E.?..3 4ui.vowil t 4thi 44a611p f 1a Ifotognv /Innen are seeking to ate; the Ipided geptr the plain English of the matter ; and here is their fa vourite mountebank avowing the intention, and seek ing to justify it. Come forth, Mr. Owen ! here are plenty of people now to keep you in countenance! Your social community cannot fail to extend rapidly. The millmen claim a commonage throughout the king dom—nay, throughout the world. No vested rights —no previous acquisition—no length of possession— nothing, in short, is to stand in the. way of their inor dinate cupidity. Admirable schoolmasters and enlightened expounders of Holy Writ! Mr. Cobden next proceeded to speak of distress in Manchester, which he represented as extreme; but he had the candour—or rather, we think, we should call Pious hat inconsequential sort of stupidity which happily companies and neutralises everything intended to be ;chievous that comes out of his mouth—to avow that it was NOT FOR THE SAKE OF THE POOR that he came here. Let this also be noted. These robbery commending millocrats distinctly admit that it is not for the sake of the poor, but for their own sakes alone, that they are agitating about the corn-laws. Mark ye poor ! Well may we say that these men are I your friends, and that it is from no love to you at they call out for a cheap loaf and a ruined hus- Lndry. THEsz are the very men who /rave made you )cat. The manufacturers of cotton have been the manufacturers of paupers. The mills have collected the people in dense masses ; machinery has thrown the people out of employment, or reduced their wages to the lowest point at which life can be sustained ; production and the instruments of production have gone on increasing till they have sa turated all the known channels of demand ; the millo crats have made immense fortnnes, wrung out of the toil and misery of the poor; but at length the cupidity of their gains has received a check, and, kind souls! — injured innocents !—they have turned their attention ' to the probable advantage of robbing the gentry and landed interest, and trafficking in their ruin. But who will assist them in this most profligate and atrocious attempt ? Will the poor whom they have made ? We trust not. Who will then ? Why just those whom their words may deceive, and their money can bribe ; for they are rich—exceeding rich—and they care not how they lavish their wealth—how extensively they employ the means of corruption, so there be any prospect of effecting the great spoliation which they meditate. We shall take another opportunity of further dis cussing the merits of the pundit Cobden—the most erudite, but, at the same time, the most transparent blockhead and humbug of the whole crew. The Dublin papers give the particulars of an affair which is not undeserving of attention, as it exhibits the activity and vigilance of the Pope's church in our fo- reign dependencies, and shows, at the same time, that the advances which she is making abroad are not al. ways carried on with that smoothness which she might wish for The government of the Romanist Church at Gibral tar, it would appear, has been, time out of mind, in the wands of a local council of elders ; but this adminis- xation not being found sufficiently vigorous to satisfy ;he growing ambition of the church generally, it was letermined to overturn it, and to put in its place the absolute authority of a single monarch. This determi nation, it appears, was taken by Doctor Murray, the titular Bishop of Dublin—under what pretence, or claim of jurisdiction, we are unable to discover; but having gained over the Pope, he found no difficulty, no matter what his claims might be, in forwarding a work that seemed likely to advance the church's cause. Doctor Murray accordingly selects the man—an Irish priest, named Hughes—and having obtained all the necessary confirmation of his appointment from the Pope, sends him out to Gibraltar, with the title of vicar apostolic," to rule despotically over that por tion of the Ro man bishop's pretended diocese. For a short time this Hughes walked circumspectly, and avoided giving any offence to the council of elders; but at length he threw off the mask—began to play " Lord Peter"—denied their authority—helped himself to whatever he pleased—swept all the fees of the coun- cil into his own coffers—refused to account with them —and so highly provoked them, that they sued him at law, obtained a judgment against him, and had him thrown into prison, where his vicar- ship now lies, " chewing the cud of sweet and bitter fancy," and moralising, no doubt, upon the uncertainty of human greatness. Meanwhile, Murray and his priests in Dublin memorialise the Queen to discharge Hughes—of course as a spiritual person, profanely seized upon by a secular court. But her gracious Ma jesty signifies her commands that the parties complain ant must appeal to her colonial secretary. They do so; but his lordship informs them that the law must take its course, and that he cannot by any means come to the rescue of the unhappy vicar apostolic. But neither are the council of elders at Gibraltar idle : they have published a manifesto, declaring war against Murray; and thus the quarrel stands in as beautiful a fix as one could wish. We regret we have not room for this document, which is addressed to the Most Rev. Doctor Murray, Roman Catholic Arch bishop of Dublin; but we shall make a few excerpts, which cannot fail to prove interesting : You have attributed Mr. Hughes's imprisonment to the jealousy and cupidity of Spanish priests. The only Spanish priests resident here are the jesuits, whom this Mr. Hughes has himself introduced, contrary to law, for the purpose of carrying out his imprudent and foolish measures. Your im putation cannot be supposed to apply to them, and can only be aimed at two Italian priests (the former vicar and curate of our church), who have been displaced to make room for Mr. Hughes and his jesuits. These two truly worthy eccle siastics—who, during a residence here of forty years, have deservedly acquired the veneration and esteem not only of their own flocks, but of all the inhabitants of whatever creek —are entirely innocent of the imputation now cast upon them ; and, so far from having instigated the proceedings against Mr. Hughes, they have incurred the public displea sure for not stepping forth in the cause of their former flock ; they have, in fact, most scrupulously abstained from all in terference, notwithstanding the injustice of Mr. Hughes in withholding from them the scanty pittance which, under his hand, he undertook should be paid them from the church funds, and leaving them dependent on private charity for subsistence ! Again, sir, it has been said in your Morning Register that "for year after the Irish soldiers in this garrison were with out the religious consolations dear to their hearts—that there were clergy there, to be sure, but that they did not speak English, and, therefore, were unable to render to the soldiers the best offices of religion." This is absolutely false !—the . catholic soldier did not want for spiritual assistance. Ever• body here knows that the two before-mentioned priests - sess an adequate knowledge of the English language tor a, necessary purposes ; and, moreover, you yourself well know that, for some years past, there has resided in this place an Irish priest—supported partly by government and partly from the church funds—whose duty it is to attend exclusively to the religious wants of the soldiers. How then, sir, can you, knowing this, suffer such a statement to pass uncontra dieted ? The catholic population of this place, exclusive of the soldiers that may happen to be quartered here, exceeds 1200 souls, a great proportion of whom do not understand English. Of what use was it, then, to thrust upon them an Irish vicar? Is it to be said that the general convenience is to be sacrificed to the three or four hundred Irish soldiers that may happen to be garrisoned here ? And that the latter, in addition to having a chaplain at our expense, are also to have our vicar to themselves ? The public must not be deceived ; the truth is, the soldiers serve as a mere pretext, the real object being to place all churches in the British colonies under theexclusive manage ment of Irish pi iests, so as to give them as extended a grasp as possible over the whole British empire. The catholics of Gibraltar protest against such a plan. We have no more affinity or natural connection with Ireland than with Canada or the Cape of Good Hope. Let the Irish priests go among those of their own nation, (where they will have enough to do in all conscience,) and let us have pastors to our own taste, and whose habits and feelings are identical with ours. Let this Irish priest depart from us, and you will perceive how soon we shall return to that religious harmony which we enjoyed till he came among us. The catholics, including all the respectable inhabitants, held public meetings, and resolved upon seeking redress at any cost. The elders deemed it their duty to invoke the aid of the law, and commenced a suit in the Supreme Court. Mr. Hughes appeared to defend it, submitted to the juris diction, and put in his plea; and, finally, after much delay on his part, the cause was heard, when the elders proved, by the most overwhelming evidence, the legality of the rights which they claimed, and the court pronounced a decree in their favour. Then it was, for the first time, that Mr. Hughes discovered that the court was incompetent, and he refused to obey its decree. But, happily for us, Sir, we are living on British ground, and every fair and conciliating resource having been in vain tried, in order to bring him to reason, the law was finally allowed to take its course, and he was committed to gaol for his obstinate disobedience to the decree. Now, most reverend Sir, are we to understand that you and your clergy mean to assert that there is any man in the Bri tish dominions, however exalted his rank, that shall dare to consider himself above the law, and shall with impunity set at nought the decrees of the English court of justice? What ever excuse may be made for the ignorance of the Propaganda of Rome upon this point, you, Sir, as a British subject, ought to know, and must, at least, confess, that Mr. Hughes is now only suffering the natural consequences of his own unwarrant able disobedience to the laws of the land—of his own stupid obstinacy. Mr. Hughes was not wanted here. Before he came he was acquainted with our institutions ; and, if they did not suit him, he might have stayed away—he might have remained at Adam and Eve Chapel—he might haxe continued to distinguish himself for the squabbles which his peculiar 6 alents have been continually raising in his Franciscan con vent in Ireland. But he chose to come hither for the pur pose of undertaking to effect a revolution inour institutions ; and if he has not had the talent and ability, or the good for- fimPlictilOPOt; 1134114Stititill 41)$, i d . A s tits via trg p Improslono 404 nPk, Intgtili."-P tip ~iacity. We shall conclude with the closing passage of this manifesto, remonstrance, or what it may be called, and we request particular attention to it : Finally, sir, by calling together an assembly of your diocese to discuss our local affairs, you would seem to arrogate to yourself a spiritual jurisdiction over us. We strongly pro test against such an usurpation. You are assuming an au thority to which you have no title. We are not within your province—we never formed, and never will consent to form, a dependency of Ireland. Keep here, if you please, as here tofore, an Irish chaplain for the Irish soldiers : but for our selves, we want no Irish priests, and that you may not attri bute this, our aversion, to mere passion or caprice, we must be plain with you (though not so explicit as we might be), • and inform you that within this present century we have had the experience of four Irish priests. The first was in 1802, expelled by the governor-general O'Hara, at the request of the catholics, for conduct which you would not like perhaps to be made public. The second was also ejected from the church by the congregation' in 1806, under the sanction of the governor-general Fox—also for reasons which are noto rious here and recorded, and which you may learn, if you desire it. The third, not many years ago, voluntarily left the garrison, and his history we may also furnish, if desired, or inquiries may be made at the house of the widow lady where he lodged ; and the fourth gentleman, this Mr. Hughes, has scarcely been here a year, and has set the place in a flame, which nothing but his prompt departure can ex tinguish. There is very ample and edifying information regarding all the before-mentioned divines, which we can furnish to their reverences of Dublin , should they continue to take an interest in our concerns, and desire to prolong this public discussion.—We remain, &c. Gibraltar, 28th April, 1841. (Here follow the signatures.) We hear of nothing from all sides but the utter failure of the budget agitation ; but there is one item in particular on which the failure is as egregious as it is undeniable—we allude to the proposed reduction on slave sugar. This budget was altogether too base and abominable, and after a few futile attempts to intro duce it into the market,—the agitation market, we mean,—it has been altogether withdrawn, or nearly so. Ashworth, the Quaker, was the only one•of the " MIS-, sionaries" that ventured to squint at it on Monday night, and then his only way of dealing with it was to sneer at those who would protect the blacks, as " hu manity-mongers." His words were these The English people paid annually £3,300,000 to the proprietors of the soil of Jamaica on account of this mono poly of sugar. This preference of 4d. per lb. to the West Indies pressed more heavily than would be imagined on pri vate families. He had calculated the cost in his own family, and found that it amounted to 1:10 Bs. a-year. That sum be had to pay on account of the monopoly of the West India proprietors. Every labourer that used only one lb. of sugar a-week paid directly to those men, who were previously lave-owners, and whose only claim on us for this preference as, that they bad manumitted their slaves for £25 each. .7hese men, however, had now turned humanity-mongers; hey had endeavoured to cajole the people by appealing to heir humanity on behalf of those slaves, and under this ,lea they wanted to continue the tax of 4d. per lb. on sugar, 'or their own especial benefit, and not, be it remembered, 'or the advantage in the slightest degree of the negroes. Hear, hear.) One really does not know whether most to admire be lying, or the hypocrisy, which disclose themselves n this passage. It is tainted with falsehood in every ?art. The first sentence contains a rank misrepresen tation; for the English people pay no such money as is there alleged to the " proprietors of the soil of Ja maica on account of this monopoly." There is a dif ferential duty of 4d. per lb. as between Colonial and Brazilian sugar, but it is a duty which they pay for their own benefit, —a duty which they wisely and cheer fully pay for the preservation of their colonies,—a duty which they pay not for the gain of a few, but for the advantage of the many. The second sentence contains another falsity ; for nobody ever complained of the duty till those itinerant agitators endeavoured to get up the grievance. The people, of course, felt the rise in price which took place subsequent to emancipation ; but they mani fested no " ignorant impatience" on the subject ; they attributed it to its true cause, and they looked forward with confidence to a favourable change taking place in a little time—and in this expectation they have not een disappointed But Mr. Ashworth finds that the differential duty ruts him to an expense of £lO Bs. a-year in 'his own _amily. We have no knowledge of his " family ac counts," and therefore have nothing to say on this point, but that we are particularly happy to hear he contributes so much to the good of his country. But lastly, not content with these assertions, he proclaims that appealing to the humanity of the people on behalf of slaves is only " cajoling," and that those who do so are mere " humanity-mongers 1 " Well, it is better to be a humanity than an in-humanity-mon ger ; and what does that man deserve to be called, who after being a " humanity-monger " all his life, sud denly quits the profession for filthy lucre's sake, and then denounces those who follow it (with a sincerity of which he was incapable) with all the zeal and bigotry of an apostate! Thus seeking the emancipation of West Indian negroes indeed, only a pretended, hypocritical, and not a real regard for suffering humanity ? Will this member of the Society of Friends dare to call it so ? He will scarcely do so ; then what is the diffe rence in principle between emancipating in one coun try (where you have the power), and defending men against slavery in another (where you have not) to the utmost of your ability ? Has emancipation given us a discharge in full from all further demands of huma nity ? May we draw upon it, as Papists do upon their treasury of saintly works of supererogation, and sin upon the strength of the excessive good that has been already achieved ! We tell the in-humanity-mongers of this good Pro testant realm, that the people will be neither cajoled nor papistified by any such nonsense. The people begin to see through them thoroughly, and will never be persuaded that the apostates and hypocrites who ma nifest the most brutal indifference to the helpless, mi serable African—when their gain is at stake—can pos sibly feel any real concern for them. Their very persons will, most likely, become as odious in their eyes as their arguments appear shallow, deceptions, F and contemptible to their understandings. We direct attention to an extract from the Fleet Papers, now in course of publication by Richard Oast ler, Esq., a prisoner in the Fleet at the suit of his late master, Thomas Thornhill, Esq., to whom the papers are addressed. In the extract we have given in ano ther column, our readers will see a practical illustra tion of the persecution and tyranny of the free-trade brawlers. We have not taken adequate notice of Mr. Oastler's productions, and, in expressing our regret for the neglect, we cordially recommend them to the serious attention of all classes in these peculiarly agi os- I tated times. Sir Robert Peel, on Monday, gave notice of a most important motion, the decision upon which will be looked for with the utmost anxiety throughout the country, this day. That motion was of " want of con fidence" in her Majesty's ministers. Sir Robert Peel is justly applauded for the manly. and decisive course which he has taken at this important crisis. Was it to be endured that the incapables should keep crawling on, making all their arrangements in the most leisurely manner, utterly regardless of the contempt in which they are universally held, and decline either to resign their offices, or dissolve the parliament ? One or other is all that they are asked to do ; but neither one nor the other did they show the least disposition, or make any haste to do; wherefore it was high time to force them. They must be smoked out, poked out, worried out, or any way got out; for assuredly the House of Commons would ndt be doing its duty by the country if it suffered a ministry to continue in office which was only supported by a minority of both Houses of Par liament. We anticipate the triumphant success of the motion. Certainly if it fail, it will be to our mind quite an in explicable affair. It is true these same ministers escaped from a resolution to the same purport by a majority of 20, some fourteen months ago; but this period has been ample to give proof of their utter un fitness for the places they occupy, and to have satisfied the judgment of the most sceptical, and changed their opinions on the subject. Indeed, the rejection of the first item of their budget by a majority o f 36, is equivalent, in our mind, to a vote of want of confidence. _ vv In the event of Sir Robert Peel's motion being car ried, it is to be hoped that the incapables will have the decency immediately to retire : but if not, they must be forced to dissolve parliament. The conservatives can then force the m to do this, and un q u estionably they will. We shall be enabled , we expect, to give the result of this most interesting trial of conclusions in a second edition. EXTRAORDINARY FACT.—Whilst a gentleman of w ey _ mouth was eating an egg a few mornings since, to his great surprise he found a large pin in the centre of the yoke. It was much corroded, and broke easily.--Dorset Chronicle. 1, /irk L o d j iitood for 4 4doOriti trot night, but Sir 11, Peel's resolution w'Old, doubtless, take the precedence of all other business. EPS',OM RACES.—The Derby stakes were won on Wed nesday, by Rawlinson's Coronation, Lord Westminster's Van Amburgh being second. For the Epsom Stakes on the same day, Mr. King's Dahlia came in first, Mr. Walter's Sir George second, and Mr. Wright's Folly, third. THE CORN LAW AGITATION. — The movement against the agricultural body still continues, but we are sorry to see that it is not met with that promptness, energy, and perse verance which ought to characterise the defenders of the best interests of the country. Petitions ought to be sent from every parish in the kingdom against the foolish proposition of mi nisters, relative to the corn laws, prior to the decision of the question on the 4th of -June next. Much has already been done, but more remains to be effected. it is not necessary to remind our readers that the commercial and agricultural interests are intimately connected, and that Liverpool, like every other place, ought to put forward a prominent and straightforward opinion on the snbject. ' • - • AN AMUSING SIGHT.—The British Queen is now on view at the Cobourg-dock ; the admission charge is sixpence—the proceeds of each day's exhibition is appropriated to the relief of the wives and families of the missing President. A very handsome sum has been already collected, which has, in fact, kept these poor creatures from starving. We hope that this tempting weather and these lovely evenings, will induce crowds of visitors to inspect this noble vessel. AMATEUR THEATRICALS.—The amateurs, who, a few weeks ago played at the Amphitheatre, for the benefit of the Blue Coat Charity, will re-appear this evening at the Liver, for the benefit of Mr. Marshall, a very deserving and clever actor, through whose instrumentality the amateurs were ena bled to go through their parts so creditably. The entertain ments will be found elsewhere. There appears plenty of in ducement for those who feel amused in amateur theatricals. We believe some of those who appear are esteemed good actors. MR. WILLouGnBy Wniss.—We perceive that our young townsman, Mr. W. Weiss, is already winning " golden opi nions" in the metropolis. In the Athenaeum of last Satur day, we find the following highly-gratifying mention made of him in a critique on Miss Roeckel's concerts :—" Apropos of bass singers, Mr. Weiss, a young countryman of ours, was heard on the occasion. He p ossesses a v o ic e so rich and ex tensive, as may enable him, if he studiously and intellectu ally cultivates it, to challenge the Lablaches and Staudigls of Italy and Germany." CHARGE OF EMDEZZLEMENT.—ALLEGED PARTNER SHIP.—A respectable young man, named James Bates, was placed before Mr. Rushton on Tuesday, charged with having embezzled a sum of money, belonging, to Mr. Henry Hay ston Docker, drysalter and sack dealer.—Mr. Davenport and Mr. Wardle both appeared to witness the proceedings in be half of the prisoner.—Mr. Docker deposed, that the prisoner had been employed by him to receive goods, and whenever he re ceived the money for them it was his duty to hand them over to him immediately. On the 13th and 20th of April last the prisoner sold 150 sacks on his (witness) account, which amount to £9 13s. 9d. On Saturday night, the pri soner called at his (Mr. Docker's) house, when he (Mr. D.) asked him if he had received the account due from Mr. Pitts. He replied no, and soon afterwards left the house. Between ten and eleven o'clock on Monday morning he (Mr. D.) called at Mr. Pitts's for the money, when he was told that the prisoner had received it on the preceding Saturday even ing. He proceeded to his warehouse, and found the prisoner there. He asked him if he had received Mr. Pitts's account. The prisoner replied that he had not. Soon afterwards he asked Mr. Docker to step up stairs, where he told him that he had received the money but he had lost it out of his pocket. Mr. Docker• gave him into custody. Mr. Docker said the prisoner was not his partner.--Bower Tristram, a clerk with Mr. George Pitts. hide merchant, Park-lane, stated that he purchased a number of sacks, in April last, from the prisoner. On Saturday last the prisoner called upon him, and produced the invoice and was paid for them.—The prisoner, in his defence, said, he always considered himself a partner of Mr. Docker. His name was on the lower door of the warehouse : it was written in chalk.—Mr. Docker said, the prisoner had the keys of his warehouse, and he wished him to give them up.—The prisoner replied through his solicitor, that lie had no objection to give up the keys, but as he had possession of them lie detained them, in the first instance, thinking they might be material to his defence to show that he was a partner.—Mr. Rushton said, he would allow the prisoner to be liberated on bail, himself in £BO, and two sureties in .£lO each. OPERATIVE PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.—A numerous meeting of the Protestant Operative Association for St. Anne's Ward was held in Christ Church school-room, on Monday evening last. The chair was taken by the Rev. F. Ould, and the meeting was addressed by the Rev. G. Mans field, Rev. P. Brown, Mr. Crisp, Mr. Mathews, and Mr. Ratcliff. St. Anne's bids fair to be a most important branch ; and we trust that every operative, of sound Protestant prin ciples, residing in that ward, will join it and partake of its advantages—one of which is access to the valuable library of the Parent Society, situated at the depository, Elliott-street, REV. HUGH M‘NEILE AND DR. BUTLER—We beg to remind our Protestant friends, especially among the working classes, that the weekly Protestant Operative Meeting will be held next Monday evening, in St. Jude's school-room, Oaks-street, when, we understand, it is Mr. M`Neile's in tention to give the sort of rejoinder it deserves, to Dr. Butler's scurrilous letter. We hope to give an accurate re port of the rev. gentleman's speech in our paper of Tuesday. The Protestant operatives of London have sent a requisition to Mr. M'Neile, asking him to attend a great meeting to be held on the 16th June next in Exeter-hall, at which the rev. gentleman has consented to be present. Lord Kenyon will ,ake the chair. - • ROBBERY OF A COUNTRYMAN..—Ann Jones, Edwa, Webster, and Margaret Campbell, were yesterday charged a the police-office with having stolen a £2O Bank of England note, and £3 in gold. The prosecutor, an elderly man, in the garb of a countryman, stated that having received this money, he was on his way home, when he was accosted by the two female prisoners, whom he accompanied into a pub lic-house, where he was robbed of his cash. The note was afterwards tendered at a shoe-maker's, is payment of a pair of boots, but the keeper of the shop not liking to change it, took it to the police-office. Both prisoners left, saying they would call again for the change, which Jones did several times. At the suggestion of Mr. Dowling, the female pri soners were remanded till to-morrow, to see if the note would be identified. 'Webster was discharged. SECRETING TOI3ACCO.—John White was yesterday placed before Mr. Rushton, charged with having secreted about 451bs. of tobacco on board the American ship Nicholas Biddle, which arrived at this port on Friday last, from New 'York. He was convicted in the penalty of £lOO. On leav ing the dock he said, addressing the captain, " I shall meet you on Yankee ground some day, and I'll introduce you to something good." He was immediately ordered up again, when Mr. Rushton told him he intended to have recom mended him to the consideration of the board, but in conse quence of his disgraceful conduct he would not receive the recommendation of the magistrates.--Another of the crew of this vessel was convicted in the same penalty for having 1111bs. of tobacco concealed in his hammock and on his person. BREACH OF CONTRACT.—James Montgomery and James Callaghan, chain-makers, were put forward before Mr. Rushton on Wednesday, on a charge of having broken a contract into which they had entered with Mr. David Logan, to serve him for one year, from the Ist of April last, but they had never entered his service since. The prisoners alleged in their defence that they dared not go to work, in consequence of a dispute existing between Mr. Logan and his men, who, the prisoners stated, would injure them if they went to work. Mr. Rushton told them that any person interfering with them would have been brought to justice, and that, therefore, formed no answer to the charge. They were sentenced to be imprisoned in the House of Correction for three calendar months. TILE BRITISH LION.—As Mr. Wombwell's menagerie was about to proceed from Ashbourn to Uttoxeter, on Mon day, the keepers, on opening the tops of the waggons, as usual, to admit air to the animals during the journey, found to their surprise that the lioness had produced four fine cubs. She had previously littered five, on the first of January last, which is an occurrence unprecedented in this country. The lioness, though only seven and a half years old, has produced twenty cubs—all of which are strong and healthy—fifteen being in Mr. Wombwell's menagerie, and two in the posses sion of the Zoological Society of Manchester. Thus is na turalised an animal which, by a wise forethouht of our fore fathers, was made symbolical of the strength o g f Great Britain. Metaphorical lions have so long been indigenous to this coun try, that it is quite " refreshing" at last to get a few real ones. CHURCH ACCOMMODATION.—A few months ago, Lord Francis Egerton, with his characteristic liberality, placed a floating chapel at Preston Brook, under the pastoral care of the Rev. W. Dodgson, of Darsbury, which is intended for the accommodation of the watermen trading on the Bridge water Canal ; and we have now the gratification of recording a similar instance of his lordship's sympathy with the spiri tual wants of this much-neglected class of men, in having provided another chapel of the same description, which is stationed at Runcorn, under the charge of the Rev. Fred. Masters, the vicar, for the purpose of affording religious in struction both to the flatmen and the sailors trading to the now extensive and commodious docks at Runcorn. Mr. Masters, on Sunday last, preached a most excellent sermon to about 200 people in this rank of life, who are at liberty to attend without any charge, all the seats being free. CONSCIENCE.—In the month of February last, Mr. Barnes. druggist, Fishergate, remitted to Messrs. Evans and Co., druggists, Liverpool, a £lO note, and after waiting some days in expectation of receiving an acknowledgment, without its arriving, he again wrote to them, and was in formed by return of post that his letter and remittance had not been received. An inquiry was immediately commenced at the post-offices, &c., but without effect. As the number and other particulars of the note was known, it was eventu ally traced into the hands of aacattle-dealcr, but he could not tell to whom it was paid. So long a time having elapsed, it was never expected that anything more would be heard on the subject ; however, on Friday in last week Mr. Barnes was agreeably surprised on receiving a letter, without name of place, or date, couched in the following terms, and containing a £lO note :—" Inclosed is £lO in lieu of what you sent to Messrs. Evans, Sons, & Co., Liverpool, some time back, and miscarried." It would seem that the party who had stolen the note had been cons cience-stricken, and has taken the best possible means of easing that uncomfortable monitor. —Preston Pilot.—[This paragraph presents in its details a singular coincidence with the fact mentioned last week in our pages, of £2O being returned to Mr. Albright, of Blackburn, under precisely the same circumstances.] THEATRE ROYAL.—The Adelphi company's engagement closes this evening, the entertainments being for the benefit of Mr. and Mrs. Yates. The Pantomime is a very smart affair. The opening scene is a burlesque upon the " Moun tain Sylph." Mr. Wieland, as the Sylph, excited consider able laughter by his ludicrous imitations of Taglioni, and his affectation of gracefulness. The manner in which he glided about—now appearing and now vanishing —was extremely entertaining. His interruption of the marriage contract, and his disappearance through the table and floor, was mensely funny, and capitally managed. Some of the tricks are new. The dances are more than ordinarily good. Miss Webster is a most graceful and charming Columbine. Mr. D. Boleno is decidedly the best Harlequin we have seen since the days of Ellar, when he was at his best. Mr. Boleno's figure is good, and he executes his pas and t- :is de force with neat ness, lightness, and grace. The Clown and Pantaloon talk but how eloquent was his mute too much : they ought to give expression by signs, not words. Grimaldi hardly ever spoke ; ness ! Messrs. Boleno, however, possess wonderful agility. —On Monday next Mr. Macready will make his first appear ance for these four years. Wherever he has played this " trip," he has been eminent l y successful : at D ublin be has drawn immense houses. " Richelieu, and " Morley," and other dramas, will be produc ed here during his en gagemen t. We hope they will bring " money in abundance into the house. We expect that Mr. Macready will prove attractive, as many inquiries have been made on the subject of his ap pearance. If Mr. Macready does not draw, we may conclude that none else will. That his will be a prosperous engage ment, is the universal opinion. CONFIRMATION.—On Tuesday next, as we announced a few weeks since, the Lord Bishop of the Diocese will hold a confirmation in this town. The youth connected. with the district of St. Bride's will be* of on the Thursday following, and on the evening of that day the Rev. J. H. Stewart purposes to have service in the church, ,when no doubt he will improve the occasion according to his accus tomed ability. The rev. gentleman has issued an address to his congregation, calling their serious a ttention to the impor lance of this subject, the whole or a part of which we hope to be able to give in the STANDARD of Tuesday. 3fll ?TT When Ley Majesty aklaidu 4.paar, 4 barOitg, Jr tiil Oxford knight, out of whig materials, she ought, for the mere credit of her character for discernment, to append to his coat of arms the motto "ex nihilo :nihil tit," which a very classical tailor of our acquaintance used to translate—" nothing made out of nothing never fits." The tailor, of course, had his own peculiar way of viewing the matter. llis wish was, no doubt, to impress upon poste' ity the fact that without cab bage there could be no well-made garments. But her Ma jesty, knowing their nature, could not be suspected of an inclination to retain any of the materials upon which she worked ; and, as the head of " a respectable establishment," she ought, undoubtedly, to indicate in some way that in cases where " gentlemen's own materials are made up," she is not answerable for faults arising from. deficiency either of quantity or quality. . Having unfortunately omitted this precaution, however, there is nothing left for it but for her Majesty's ministers to guard in the best way in their power against the consequences of the omission. If we possess no means of separating the genuine from the counterfeit—the sterling from the brum magem—we have no resource except to regard every article of her manufacture—every thing which comes out of the shop—whether measures, peers, or knights—as partaking of the unsoundness of the materials out of which we suppose them to be fabricated. When a whig ministry, therefore, presents to the country any measure heralded with magnifi cent promises, we are bound to view it as if the motto " ex nihilo nihil fit" was stamped upon the face of it. When the ministerial " mountain is in labour," we should not look for anything larger as the result of its accouchment than a " silly mouse." When we hear a flourish of trumpets, we should prepare only for the entrance of Tom Thumb. Or should any inflated mortal, of whig material—any Sir Ro bert Fuz Buz, or Sir Joshua Buz Fuz—any Viscount Hum Fum, or Right Honourable La Flam—graciously offer his transcendant person to the admiration of her Majesty's lieges, the prompt reply to all his flattering tales should be "ex nihilo nil," or, in our tailor's homely vernacular, " It's all very fine, gentlemen, but—it won't fit !" And such, we durst venture to predict, is the answer which the constituency of Liverpool will be prepared to return to any ministerial candidate who shall solicit their suffrages at the forthcoming election. Should Sir Joshua Walmsley persist in submitting his claims to be a laughing-stock to posterity, or should Lord Palmerston, or Mr. Labouchere, or any other ministerial incapable be tempted to stand in the pillory along with him, the honest burgesses will shake their heads at the magnificent offers of cheap loaves, cheap sugar, cheap everything, and remember that it is only a Whig who offers these tempting articles. " Out of nothing conies no thing ;" and bread, even, would be dearer at any price when eaten in such worthless company. It won't do, gentlemen protectors. GREGORIAN PASTE.—Those who are afflicted by the toothache, should try the Rev. Mr. Gregg's Tooth Paste, it is said to possess excellent qualities for alleviating the pain. POCKET PICKING.—Three youths were committed for trial at the police-oflice, on Wednesday, for stealing a silk handkerchief from the pocket of Mr. Arthur Ashley, Jun. THE PRESIDENT, STEAM-SHIP.—No tidings, on which any dependence can be placed, have yet been received of this ill-fated vessel. It having been supposed by many that the " very large steamer seen by the captain of the Conde de Palma," arrived at Lisbon on the sth inst. from Rio Janeiro, on the 23d of April, in lat. 31 24 N., long. 40 23 W., was her Majesty's steamer Dee, from Antigua, which arrived at Portsmouth on the 11th inst., Mr. Macregor Laird, the se cretary to the British and American Steam Navigation Company, applied to the Admiralty for an extract from the log-book of that vessel, and was favoured with a copy. It appears that the Dee was on 23d of April in lat. 41 58, long. 35 39. All conjecture, therefore ' that the " very large steamer," seen under canvass, and apparently disabled, was the Dee, is at an end, and increases the belief that the steamer seen was the President. Her Majesty's packet brig Lapwing, Captain Coglan, with the Mails trot Jamaica and the Leeward Islands, which is expected to bring some intel ligence respecting her, if not several of her passengers, has not yet arrived. As may well be imagined, the relatives and friends of the crew are still in a state of suspense bordering on distraction. COMMODORE NAPIER.—We perceive, from the last ad vices from Malta, that the officers of the Squadron gave a grand ball at Valetta. During supper several speeches were made. That of Admiral Stopford was remarkable, for, while doing justice to the conduct of all the military who partici pated in the recent events on the coast of Syria, he observed that Commodore Napier had taken too much credit to him • self in the various orations he pronounced in England rela tive to his campaign in Syria and Egypt.—Admiral Stopford, considering the serious aspect assumed of late by the insur rection in Candia, despatched, on the 16th, to that island the ship Benbow and the Tyne frigate. The consuls of Eng land and Greece were said to be in communication with the revolters, who continued masters of the country. News from Suda was brought to Alexandria by the French brig-of war Bougainville down to the 2d instant. The insurrection was then still gaining ground, and the Greeks had formed a ' government of their own, and installed an administrative body elected by the people. THE ANTI-CORN LAW LEAGUE. — The " crimps" were at work again at the Amphitheatre on Wednesday evening. Curiosity being fully satisfied by the stupid exhibition of Monday, there was a great falling off in the attendance on their second appearance on our stage ; but as they are lavishing their money with an unsparing hand, their mere hirelings are sufficient to make a decent show in the mob way, and their auditory, though much deteriorated in point of quality, was still strong enough for the, purposes of row ing and shouting. We will not weary our readers with a rechauffe of Cobden and the rest of them on this occasion ; the only diffeaence between this and the former exhibition was, that the present was enlivened by a pugilistic combat in the pit, and a general scrimmage which made it necessary to send for the police. One or two conservatives attempted to gain a hearing, but they were put down by hired ruffians. This, we suppose, is what the impartial whigs call " dis cussion !" However, we are on the whole well pleased with this visitation. It will serve to fill the mind of every rational man with loathing and disgust towards the faction, and we trust, to animate the conservatives to the most determined opposition to their schemes. A correspondent of the Lon don Times gives the following :—" Although the anti-corn law meeting in the Amphitheatre of this town was a total failure, the defeat of the Manchester agitators would have been more signal if the conservatives had condescended to have met them to expose their selfishness and electioneering trickery. Mr. Wilkins, barrister, attended the meeting ex pressly for that purpose, but finding that our conservative body had decided upon allowing their proceedings to pass nu , noticed by them, was unwilling to interfere with the local ar rangements. It would have been a high treat to have seen ; the small fry of whiglings writhing upon the hook of so ex ; pert an angler. Had there been any opposition, the meeting and its promoters would have cut a more ludicrous figure than they did in Manchester." - CHURCH EXTENSION.-It will be observed from our a vertising columns, that besides the other episcopal duties to be discharged by the Bishop of Chester, in this town, during the following week, there are two newly erected churches to be consecrated. This must be gratifying to every friend of the spread of moral and religious benefits throughout our community, and to every member and friend of the esta blished church in particular. These churches are the result of a combined effort for the extension of church accommoda tion made last year in Liverpool, which together with the church of St. Bartholomew, in Naylor-street, consecrated in February last, has given three large and not inelegant churches to the town. The sound church-principle of an endowment has been carried into effect in regard to each of these churches, and in all other respects, whatever seems essential to the integrity and permanency of the church has been kept in view. Clergymen have been appointed to them all, with the unanimous voice of all the trustees, in whom the public vested the appointment, and we may venture to anticipatn that large congregations will soon be attached to each of them. It is to be hoped that every subscriber to these valuable objects, would make a point of being present at the consecration of one or both of these churches, EVERTON AND KIRKDALE FLORAL AND AGRICULTU RAL MEETING.-Yesterday, the first exhibition for the season of the Society for the Promotion of Floral and Hor ticultural ImproVement in the townships of Everton and Kirkdale, for the show of tulips, plants, fruits, vegetables, &c., was held at Mr. New's, Derby Arms, Kirkdale, and gave unqualified gratification to all who witnessed it. The day was remarkably fine, and sunny throughout ; and the company was most . numerous and highly respectable, in cluding a large assemblage of the wealth and fashion of the town and neighbourhood. The show was the most splendid that has yet taken place; and the flowers and fruits produced sufficiently evinced the utility of such exhibitions in encou raging the delightful sciences of floriculture and gardening. A spacious tent was pitched for the show, in the grounds be hind the hotel, fitted up in a most • tasteful and appropriate manner, and surmounted by national flags ; and when the whole was plenished with the plants on show, and numerous exotics and rare plants, brought by friends of the society who competed for no prize, the whole formed a rich and variegated temple of Flora. The mayor of this town is patron, and was present on the occasion. The exhibition of Cinerarias, from the nursery of Messrs. Scott and-Co., near-Manchester,attracted much admiration. A splendid specimen of the ongora Maculate, from the stores of S. Parker,_ Esq., of Aigburth, was much admired. Mr. Skirving, of Walton Nursery, with his usual feeling of cordiality to the society, (without shewing for competition) added much to the effect of the exhibition, by a display of fine and rare plants, amongst which was one, the peculiar botanical name of which we did not obtain ; but we may state, that it was acknowledged to be " a beauty." The following is a condensed statement of the principal prizes, for which we are indebted to Mr. Thompson, the active snd clever secretary of the society :-1 ULIPS-1, pair of 6 blossoms, Mr. W. New, Kirkdale ; 2, Mr. T. Harrison, West Derby; 3, Mr. J. Windward, dito. Feathered Bi zarre.-1 and 2, Mr. Gandy ;3, Mr. Turner ;4, Mr. Soorn, 5 and 6, Mr. Gandy ; 7, Mr. Roby. Feathered Bybloemen-1, 2, and 3, Mr. Gaudy ; 4, Mr. Rob j; 5 and 6, Mr. Turner; 7, Mr. Harrison. Feathered Cherry -1 and 4, Mr. New ; 2,3, and 6, Mr. Turner ; 5, Mr. Gandy ; 7, Mr. Windward. Flamed Bizarre-1 and 6, Mr. Harri son ; 2 and 3, Mr. New ; 4, Mr. Turner ; 5 and 7, Mr. Soorn. Flamed Byblcemen-1 and 2, Mr. Turner ; 3, Mr. Whalley ; 4, Mr. Soorn ; 5 , Mr. Smith ; 6, Mr. Gandy ; 7, Mr. New. Flamed Cherry-1, 2,4, 5 and 7, Mr. Turner 3, Mr. Whalley ; 6, Mr. New. STOVE PLANTS.-1, -. Woodhouse , Esq.; 2 and 3, R, Leyland, Esq. Orchidaus Plants:-C. S. Parker, Esq, Ericas.-1 and 2, Messrs. Scott. Triflora-R. Leyland Esq. Pelargoniums.-1 and 3, C. S. Parker, Esq. ;2, Mr Thomas Davies. GREENHOUSE PLANTS.-71 and 3, Mr. T. Davies ;2, It Leyland, Esq, HARDY SHRUBS.-1 and 2, Mr. Thomas Davies.-First basket of plants, C. S. Parker, Esq. ; 2 ditto, J. C. Shaw Esq. ; 3 ditto, - Woodhouse. Esq.-Best Cut Flowers- J. C. Shaw, Esq. ' • Best Two Pines - R. Allison, Esq. ; Bet Grapes, black and white-T. B. Molyneux, Esq. ; Gooseber ries, best prize-the Rev. J. Brooks ; currannts-W . Freme, Esq. ; apples-Mr. W. J. Gaudy ; pears-Rev. J Brooks ; strawberries- - Woodhouse, Esq. The prizes for the vegetables were awarded to the follow ing gentlemen .-Messrs. Makin, Leyland, Molyneux, Moss Allison, Leatherbarrow, Philips, Shaw, Gandy, and Freme. STEAM R E GULARITY. - REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE.- At a dinner at the City of London Tavern of steam propri etors, on the sth instant, Mr. Wolverly Attwood,!.M.P., II the chair, Mr. Christopher Claxton, the managing director of the rea t Western Steam-ship Company, in eulogising the excellence of the Great Western's machinery, which had carried her nearly 130,000 miles without a disappdintment, or missing her advertised hour of sailing, stated that he felt confident in predicting that at half-past two o'clock, on the 14th, the Great Western would arrive in King-road. At that very time, we have been informed by our Bristol corre spondent, her smoke was seen from the hills in the neigh bourhood of King-road, and she anchored at King-road at seven o'clock. t)11 PRN9Eff Pll,olllool' WitA? 14 CtitAiNt 4.4 voz, ir t ioupsWw - 4 fir' RE4V:III)NI4 'V Ws. I rt f 13,fiaPe4104 LETTER 1 TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL ISTANDARD Now that the " heavy blow and great discouragement" le veiled at the prosperity of the West Indies has, for a time at least, been averted, and their present position and prospects for the future have been brought prominently before the public eye, it seems a fitting time to offer a few suggestions, with the view of leading to the adoption of such measures as may be instrumental in inspiring fresh vigour into their de ' efining energies, and thus carrying out, to a successful issue, the noble experiment of transforming 800,000 slaves into free British subjects. To say that this experiment has already been crowned with success, would indeed be hurrying to a premature conclusion; for unless it can be proved to the world that these colonies can, under the operation of the free labour system, produce a sufficient quantity of their staple commodity, to supply (along with that from the East) the consumption of this. Country on moderate terms, we well know, from the experience of the. past, that renewed, and probably snore successful attempts, will be made to break down the bulwark of protection, which at present prevents the influx into this country of the sugar produced by the toil of the slave ; and if ever that " consum mation, so devoutly to be dreaded," should arise, "farewell —a long farewell"—to the prosperity of the West Indies, and to the high and palmy hopes, in which the philanthropist has indulged, for the gradual amelioration and prospective libe ration of the unhappy African race throughout the world. Something more was expected from the measure of aboli tion than the emancipation of a number of British slaves; it was the affirmation of the principle, that the labour of the freeman is in the end cheaper than that of the slave, which, as a necessary consequence, would lead to the universal su perseding of the dearer by the cheaper mode of production ; and though this hope has as yet been lamentably disappointed, it is solely, we believe, because adequate precautions were not taken to ensure its fair trial. British emancipation should have been accompanied by every possible measure for ensuring the production of cheap sugar without slavery. When the supply of slave labour was taken away, a supply of free labour should have been afforded. The masters, de prived of their slaves, should have been at least allowed, if not encouraged, to procure labour for hire from every acces sible source. It is much to be regretted that the highly respectable party in this country, who have laboured so energetically—so dis interestedly—for the emancipation of the slaves in our own colonies, and whose benevolent intentions extend their ample scope wherever still, in the world's vast family, " Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn," should have not only relaxed their efforts in the good cause, as if the victory were already won, but should have actually, from mistaken views of philanthropy, been the principal means of thwarting the colonists in their attempts to remedy this evil. Regret for the past is, however, useless ; but we trust that they have now begun to view the aspect of affairs in a different light, and that, in the same spirit in which they have lately so clearly affirmed the paramount claims of prin ciple over party, they will now second the West Indian body in their endeavours to procure the means of tryingfairly the experiment whether, after all, free labour is not cheaper than that of slaves, when the number of the producing class is pro perly proportioned to the quantity of the article to be produ ced. The great object to be kept steadily in view is, the pro ducticii of sugar in the British West Indies at less cost than anywhere else. We have there the finest soil and climate in the world for the growth of the sugar cane ; the greatest amouet of capital and skill for conducting the various opera tions of the manufacture; and we conscientiously believe that the only element wanting, to carry out that object success fully, is a sufficiency of hands to provide for two circum stances which slavery secures—combination and constancy of labour .n densely-peopled districts such as India, we know tha, ,e cost of production is less than even in the Brazils, while i our West Indian colonies it is at present infinitely greater ; he sole cause of the difference being, that while in British India there are several thousand inhabitants to the square mile, in British Guiana there is but a solitary one. In the one country a poor native will toil a whole day, and thankfully take a penny as his reward • while in the other a daily wage of four guilders, equal to 6s. 13d. sterling, with rations, is offered publicly in the newspapers, to as many able-bodied labour. ers as will accept it.* Here, then, is a field for the unbounded exercise of the stateman's legislation, the philanthropist's benevolence. On the one hand we have a superabundant population, sometimes perishing for want of food by thou sands during the frequent famines with which their land is desolated ; while on the oiher we have millions of acres of the richest soil on which the sun looks down, in danger of being abandoned to the rank but useless vegetation with which nature in tropical countries so soon blots out all traces of the industry of man, or still covered with primeval forests, for the lack of that labour which the other is so well calculated to afford it. What nobler purpose can employ the energies of every lover of his species, than the endeavour thus to supply the deficiencies of the one from the superflui ties of the other ! Such an act, like its kindred one of mercy, " is twice blessed ; it blesseth him that gives and him that takes :" for, just in proportion as we draw off the supera bundant population of India, thus relieving the moral ple thora with which she is oppressed, we ameliorate the condi tion of those who are left ; we do infinite service to those who seek in other lands the field for their labour so overstocked in their own; and, on the other hand, we incite to greater exertion the present labourer, who, for want of such a stimu lus, is fast sinking from the state of an industrious operative, to that of an indolent squatter, and stimulate the land to greater productiveness—thus benefiting both the owner and the tiller of the soil, increasing the wealth and the power of our country in one of the most vital branches of its prospe rity, extending one of the best markets in the world for the products of our manufactories, and exhibiting to the civilized world the noble spectacle of a great nation, alleviating the distresses of one portion of her subjects, by the same wise and comprehensive means with which she stimulates and develops the latent resources of the other. No one denies the expediency of relieving our own over burdened population at home, by affording to those who are willing the means of carrying their labour and skill to other distant regions, where they will prove the means of living in comfort arid happiness, instead of lying inert, as they too often do here, for the want of an opportunity for their exer cise. And much as has already been done in this country for the encouragement of emigration, no one but regrets that those efforts should he so much crippled, for the want of the funds necessary to extend its benefits to all classes of our poorer population, who are willing to devote the industry of their hands to the improvement of the country to which they are migrating. Precisely in the same position that Australia stands to this country, do the fruitful islands and regions of the Western Indies stand to the teeming millions of Hindostan—with ,erhaps this difference, that the urgency of the case is sti' eater in the latter than the former. For although ' mite of the West Indies renders them unfitted for ..00uring classes of the white population of Europe, they are quite as well suited, in every respect, to the dusky native of Hindostan or of Africa, as the vast plains of Australia, or the boundless prairies and dark pine forests of America are to the hardy sons of Britain ; who, in both, are so rapidly making the " wilderness to rejoice, and the desert to blossom as the rose." And in the case which we are thus faintly advocating, there is no lack of the means of effecting this transference of the labour of man, from regions where it is in excess to those where it is so much wanted. The colonists have already, under the sanction, and with the co-operation of their local government, collected funds and organised plans, whereby this desirable change may be effect. ed, under such restrictions and in such a manner, as shall leave no ground of complaint even to the most scrupulous. Why, then, we ask, should those exertions be frustrated. 4ose energies paralysed by the operation of a law, hastily ?assed at a moment of excitement produced by the outcry of a few individuals, to stop what they called a revival of the slave trade ? This -law, in its strictest sense, was only intended to be in operation for such a length of time as would enable the experiment, already begun, to be properly tried. A sufficient time has now elapsed for that purpose—the experiment, limited and partially injured in its operation by certain causes, particularly by the disproportion between the sexes of the emigrants, consequent on the sudden derange ment of the plans of its founders; has now been fairly tried : the reports of parties authorised to make their inquiries and observations are before government, and we challenge any one to assert that it has not been attended with as complete success as any of the numerous migrations of portions of the human race from one hemisphere to another that have taken place in modern times. The Coolies, already settled in Guiana, are both able and willing to work ;t their bodily strength, from the use of good and nourishing ood, in place of the poor pittance of rice which formerly was their only sus tenance, has been much increased ; their prejudices of caste and attachment to their heathen worship are fast giving way before the light of truth, and the exertions of Christian mi nisters, combined with Christian instruction ; they give every indication of being happy and contended, except in the wishes they so often express, that their relatives and coun• trymen in general -were there to share in their prosperity. That these are no idle rumours nor unfounded assertioT any one taking the trouble to make the necessary inquiries may a scertain for himself. We are in no way interested to sway the opinions of the public in the way we advocate, save in the anxious wish we feel to see the best interests of our fellow-men consulted, and the greatness of this mighty na tion still increased and further developed by the right use of the legitimate means she possesses within her own ample do minion. No country on the face of this earth possesses such extensive means of ameliorating the condition of the count less varieties of the human race who own her sway as our own beloved land ; and, holding as she does this proud posi tion among the nations, it behoves her, through the inst ru mentality of those who preside over her destinies, " toim prove the talents committed to her care." Let us not per mit our great national advantages " to rust in us unused," but in an enlightened spirit of human dealing, let us turn our opportunities to good account, by spreading the-benefits of civilization and the fruits of industry wherever our influ• ence-is felt or our example maybe imitated. . • What would be thought of the state of sanity_of the m who, after purchasing at a great price a splendid estate, os tensibly for the purpose of trying a great experiment in the amelioration of the condition of his tenantry, and of improv ing the system of cultivation, as an example for his neigh bours to follow, should, at that stage of the proceedings, relax all his efforts, and calmly look on while field after field were being abandoned to a state of nature, and the inevitable consequence stared him in the face, that his dependents, for whom he professed his intention of doing so much, were thus deprived of the field for their labour, and must either remove to other scenes, or become, like their forefathers, content to live on the spontaneous products of the soil. We should look upon our West Indian possessions as a grand field, for which this nation has paid a pur chase money ' of £20,000,000, on which to try the grandest experiment that has ever yet engaged the attention of the world; an experiment which, if crowned with success, as we most fervently hope it may, will as surely produce the release of every slave from his galling bondage, throughout the world, as we are accus tomed to infer that effect will follow cause. The whole question will turn upon this point, " if slavery produces cheaper sugar than free labour, slavery prevails ; if free labour produces sugar cheaper than slavery, then slavery dies out from want of a motive for preserving it." Experience has already amply proved, that all the well meaning plans that have been as yet devised for the extirpa tion of the inhuman traffic in slaves have been totally inope rative, nay, positively prejudicial to the unfortunate cause they were meant to serve ; for as long as it is manifestly the interest, in a pecuniary view, of one man to tax, e v en to the death, the thews and sinews of his fellow-man, so long will there be individuals found unscrupulous enough to follow such a road to the acquisition of wealth. But once clearly demonstrate to the slave owner, by actual experiment, on such a scale as must carry conviction with it, that it is more conducive to his interests to liberate his slaves, and pay them for their labour, and you insure his adoption of your recommendation. The wages that are at present given for labour in British Guiana are so very high, that it has only been by the coun terbalancing effect of the high prices that have for some time been realized, that the most skilful planter has been able to work his estate at all to a profit, and it is very evident, that unless he be speedily relieved by- the effects. of an extensive immigration, from the payment of such exorbitant wages as are now offered, that he cannot long struggle ir. the face of the great decline of prices in this country, which is now all but certain to prevail. The cost of producing a cwt. of * This, though quoted as an instance of the scarcity anc consequent high price of labour in B. Guiana, is not intend ed to be stated as the average of wages in that colony, which though still very high in proportion to the price of provisions &c., which generally regulate them, are certainly considers bly lower, 0/0 fill'? 1f140; titi ARM roy lito fi4pif et p 4 Ai 4410Piti9 at too i 49;, 4di t PrflAkati l may Gwort tionast in the ii array a the trede, tia shipped a t less than two-thirds of that price, Such a state of things cannot long continue, and if, in the course of another year, the planters are not relieved, or, rather, are not permitted to relieve themselves, the abandon ment of at least that portion of the West Indies—the very richest and most productive of the whole—is vitable. Many proprietors are already on the brink of ruin, and now only continue their exertions in the hope of better times. Arrangements can very easily be made by which any ahuses to which this, like all human measures, is liable, may be totally prevented. One precaution would suf-- fice—a law that should commit the whole process, from the first invitation to emigrate down to the emigrant's comfort able settlement in the colony, to a special and responsible public authority; and after they are once settled in their future home, iere is no class of her Majesty's subjects whose rights are more scrupulously defended from egression, than the labouring population of the West Indies, in every district of which there are stipendiary magistrates stationed, for the sole purpose of preventing any act of tyranny or op pression to the coloured population. There is no part of her Majesty's dominions where religious and moral instruction is more accessible to the poor; none where there is a more ample field for the labour of the industrious ; none where the industry of at least the natives of the tropics is so libe rally rewarded. Everything seems conducive to the success of this most desirable measure, and the philanthropists of this country have only to throw the weight of their influence into the scale of public opinion, to insure the removal of the middle wall of partition which at present stems the stream of immigration from flowing over a country thirsting for its fertilizing influence (To be continued.) THE CORN LAWS We copy the following letter from the Albion of this week, as many of the facts and arguments advanced therein are not only important, but will, we feel persuaded, if attended to, be productive of any result but that which our contemporary has so long and so strenuously endeavoured to arrive at. LETTER V. TO LAWRENCE HEYWORTH, ESQ. SIR,—I had purposed, in this letter, to have held up to your view the Quixote fallacy of what you are pleased to de signate "universal free trade" : but this, I find, must be deferred to next week. -1 , 4, now deal with your assertion as to the cruelty of the You say, in your letter, that they (the corn laws) CRUEL": and " dishonest", and that they produce wide-spread poverty and destruction of human life." Now, sir, what is here quoted is either true or false. I see, how ever, no reason for supposing it to be true, as the thing is asserted only, not proved. No instance of cruelty, traceable to the Corn-laws, is brought forward ; and there is reason, therefore, to believe, that none could be produced. It is im possible to believe an unproved charge of cruelty. So neither is any instance of the " destruction of human life" brought forward. This we may also reasonably designate an unfounded assertion. When a respectable and independent gentleman, such as Lawrence Heyworth, Esq., makes such assertions as these, he should not do so without proof; for even His ipse dixit cannot supersede the necessity of facts. It is not for me to show that the corn-laws are not chargea ble with cruelty. I shall not place myself in the absurd po sition of attempting to prove a negative ; it is for you, sir, who make the affirmation, to substantiate it by fact, or, at least, to attempt to do so ; and then, and not till then, will. the assertion be entitled to refutation. On no point have the corn law agitators laid more stress than on that of the cruelty of the corn laws. Mr. Villiers avers that they have " borne down the productive classes ;" and you, Mr. Heyworth, assert they have caused " our wretched operatives to pine away under the twofold evil of dear bread and want of employment." Every circumstance of destitution, of starvation, of suffering, and of death that could at all be twisted into such a position as to pass off as the result of the corn laws has been thus metamorphosed into an argument against them.* But such Jesuitism can only tell on the swinish multitude. Unthinking men may re ceive such assertions as well as authenticated facts, but none corn laws 4104. It now devolves on you, sir, to show that the corn laws, by facts clearly traceable thereto, are cruel. In the mean time the assertion to that effect can only be treated as untrue and contemptible. I have not, however, done with the charge of cruelty. I repel, as unfounded, such a charge, when applied to the corn laws ; but I beg most distinctly and unequivocally to retort the charge upon you and the noted corn-law confederacy. I charge on them the crime of cruelty. I do more. I bring forward proof direct that the charge is well-founded. The Leeds, and Manchester, and other mill-owners are now principally referred to : they originated the repeal agitation, and claim for themselves the merit of the philanthrophists. They are not philanthrophists ; they are unworthy the name ; and, if they would redress the wrongs of the labouring classes, let their " charity begin at home." Examine one of the children working in the factories of these philauthrophic corn-law repeaters, and then say on whom the charge of cruelty rests. "CHARLES BURNS, AGE 13. " 1. What were your hours of working at Mr. Hives's, of ,eeds ?—From half-past five in the morning till eight at 2. Had you any time allowed you for your breakfast, en ?—No 3. Nor for your drinking ?—No. 4. How much time had you allowed you for your dinner ? 7 orty minutes. "5. Had you sometimes to clean the machinery at your inner hour ?-17es ; and had to wipe all the machines. "G. How long did that take you generally ?—About a luarter of an hour, and sometimes twenty minutes. " 7. Pray how often were you allowed to make water ? Three times a day. " 8. And were you allowed to make water at any time that you wanted?—No ; only when a boy came to tell you it was your turn ; and, whether we wanted or pot, that was the only time allowed us : if we did not go when he came round, we could not go at all. "9. Could you hold your water all that time ?—No : we were forced to let it go. " 10. Did you, then, spoil or wet your clothes constantly ? Every noon and every night. " 11. Did you ever hear of that hurting a n y body ; Yea there was a boy died. " 12. Did he go home ill with attempting to suppress his urine ?—Yes, and after he had been at home a bit, he died. " 13.—Were you beaten at your work ?—lf we looked off our work, or spoke to one another, we were beaten. " 14. If you had not gone so fast as the machine, should you have been beaten ?—lf we let the machine stop halt a minute, we should have been beaten. " 15. When you retired for the purposes of nature, how . long would they allow you to stop ?—lf we were longer than five minutes, we got beaten ; and if we stopped longer, they would not let us go out another time, when it was our turn. " 16. Was the mill very dusty ?—Yes. " 17. What effect had it upon your health ?—The dust got down our throats, and when we went home at night, and went to bed, we spit up blood. " 18. Is it not, likewise, in what is_called hot-water spin- ning, extremely hot in these mills ?—Yes, very hot. " 19. Is not the place full of steam?—Yes, and the ma chinery throws off water perpetually ; so that we are wet to the skin by the hot water. And, in winter, as soon as we get home, our clothes are quite stiff with the frost. " 20. What did you get for your breakfast and drinking ? —1 had tea, sometimes coffee, and butter and bread ; and my tea, for fear of wanting to snake water, I used to throw out of the window. " 21. In either of the mills that you were in, Mr. Mar shall's or Mr. Hive's, were you allowed to sit down ?—No. " 22. Were you not allowed to sit down during the whole of the day ?—lf we did we should get beaten Lwe had nothing to sit on, unless we sat upon the frame by getting upon it. " 23. Is it a common sort of thing for you children to be beaten in this sort of way ?—Yes ; there used to be a scream ing among the boys and the girls every time of the day, and they made black and blue marks on the shoulders. " 24. Where was this ?—At Mr. Hives's. " 25. Are accidents often occurring at these mills ?—Yes. " 26, State any that occurred within your own knowledge ? —I had a sister who worked at Mr. Marshall's, and she got killed there by accident. "27. Were you able to attend the night-school?—No. " 28. Were you able to attend the Sunday-school ?—I was not able to go : I should have been too late : I had to rest on the Sunday morning."i' This, Mr. Heyworth, is a sample of what is going on in the premises of pour friends of the corn law league : judge, therefore, whether they are the philanthropists they repre- sent themselves to be : judge whether they ought to be con sidered the friends of the working-classes. " Cruel," did you say ? Show a single instance of cruelty, traceable to the corn laws, that can be compared to this. Were further proof necessary that the corn law repealers aro not the friends of the people, I could add it. But the fact, that government has been obliged, by act of parliament, to secure a holiday to the factory children on Good Friday and Christmas day, shows their philanthropy in its true colours. As the repeal agitation originated, as already stated, with the manufacturers, we have a right to examine who and what they are, and whether their views have any claim to confidence. I think they will be found wanting; and, Although the manufacturers should not all be . involved in indiscriminate condemnation, yet there are facts which bespeak them any thing rather than the friends of the people. They are grossly inconsistent. " Thus a man may work his factory till half-past eleven on Saturday night and begin again at half-past midnight on Sunday night, mani festly depriving his workpeople of the holy rest, and yet he may be a stanch supporter of Sunday-schools, and be even trudging, at no ordinary pace, to his post as a Sunday-school teacher. Yet he sees uo harm in all this : trade requires it, and religion has nothing to do with trade ! so say the world, at least. He swallows a camel on Saturday night, and strains at a gnat on Sunday morning, taking care to distribute, by the way, some very convincing tracts against infidelity and Sabbath-breaking! Or, a man may be held up as a pillar of a religious society who gives a little child, eight years of age, one shilling per week for working in a factory, telling her mother, who applied, after she had been some time em ployed, for ' little more wages,' that he can get plenty at ninepence ! and this same person shall give, in the same year, one thousand pounds towards building a sanctuary for the worship of God !" But this is one of your friends of the people ! A philanthropist ! A Reformer ! An advocate for the repeal of the corn laws ! Bah ! I will conclude this letter by a brief quotation relative to the over-working and tyranny of the mill-owners from a speech by the late Mr. Sadler :—" Can any man." says he, " be fool enough to suppose, that, were the corn laws abo lished to-morrow, and every grain we consume grown and ground in foreign parts, that such individuals would cease to grind the faces of the poor ?' " I am, sir, with the utmost respect, yours, &c. May 12, 1841. JAMES B—N. * The manner in which the Rev. Mr. Giles treated a case of destitution at the late corn law meeting proves this asser tion. What he said on this case had no bearing whatever on the corn laws. t Parliamentary Report. THE CORN LAWS TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD ---- Sirt,—You were good enough to insert in your paper of the 11th inst., a letter I addressed to you on the subject of the corn laws, in connection with some strictures, which a correspondent of the Livenpool Courier, under the signature of W. S. L., had made on a letter from Mr. Gladstone, on the same subject. To-day I observe, in the same journal, a further. communication from W. S. L., purporting to be in reply. So far as I am able to comprehend the gist of W. S arguments, they amount to this—and in so much coincide apparently with Mr. Gladstone's views : namely, that in good seasons, our home production of corn is sufficient for all. our consumption ; but that in bad seasons, it is not. What, then, is the remedy proposed to meet this exigency is bad seasons ? To admit foreign corn, at a reduced duty, on condition that Germany, Prussia, Russia, and other coun tries should at a sufficiently diminished rate of duty, admit our manufactures, for their consumption. But here I would would ask, what is to prevent these countries, after we have admitted their corn, still requiring a money payment, taking advantage of a relaxation in the law, in favour of their corn, and telling us—which they may de in a few years—that they do not wane our manufactures, and that they can make theijt, cheaper and better for themselves ? Hence, the error, as 1 , t appears to me, that the great " corn cricks " of the day fa ll