The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-03 00:00:00

bee,. 8, 1844 MEETING OF MAGISTRATES. On Thursday a meeting of the Borough Magistrates was held to take into consid erat i on t h e reso l ut i ons , f t h e Watch Committee as to the alleged interference with the Police, Some conversation took place as to sending the deposi tions taken in Mr. Parker's case. when it was decided to furnish the4t, Mr. David Hodgson having said there was no s pirit of h ost ili ty whatever in the minds of the Watch Committee towards the m ag i s t rates , an d th ey h a d no Pone oter objt!ct in vi ew b ut to obtain information for the pur of inv estigating the conduct of one of their own body, to their own satisfaction. They had pre-judged nothing; and th ey were desirous to have the evidence in orde r to go through an examination, so that they might arrive at a just conclusion. The resolutions of the Watch Committee (as given in our last) were then read, after which Mr. Rushton rose tiscsaid that at the last meeting they had rather a warm i,,sion upon the matter, and the resolution that had been read was passed upon his motion. That resolution contained what he believed to he. essential to the good go yernmeat of the peoice force; and there was also added to of th that it sh ou l d " be entered upon the general order book e ta e force." '1 hat resolution passed unani °llsly-(polic Mr. Dowling who was ordered to r xecute the resolution, and so to enter it, called upon him (Mr. Rushton) the ne xt day, and said he had some doubts w hether the magistrates had thought of the fact that " the general order-book " was the property of the Watch Uommittee, or that, proy, the ag had no r ight to order entries in it eel mm . Immediately he istrates (Mr. Rush - o said, " W e have no right to enter it in the Watch Co)nim ittee's book • get it' book of your own, letter it with ' Minuses of orders' ' received by you from the Ma gistra'es, and enter the order there." He (Mr. Rushton) then had a communication with the Mayor upon the sub le Town iteict. He went over to his Worship, and saw him with and clerk He discussed n the ' question with them, . , upon his own r - sponsibitty. he excused Mr. Dow ling! from the specific performance of that part of the watch which related ro - tile entry of the resolution in . the t ch Committee's hook , desiring him at the same time 0 get a book of his own, in which to enter the order of leemeetin f the magistrates th e agistrates. He (Mr. Rushton) also said, that at the r s t asksr a mayosr ofthe 13/at L bo„k and co C mmittee. He then said to the ttnotber meeting he would take the further step of having of the magistrates forthwith ; but it was finally agreed that it would not be necessary, as he (Mr. tt,whlecould not explain the whole business at the first It, anu he tr • h ,might be h id therefore, now explained ustedehe.had e ese a rcised a sound discretion, in reYeriting the inadvertence being carried into effect of en •Mlng th-ir resolutions and orders upon the books of the notfon,.? 11 arch r, proceedings mmittee, with which they, as magistrates had K Lo do. (Hear, hear.) Up, n some pat ts of the of the Watch Committee, he had certainly something to say. He assured the magistrat , s, that it had epediug,. given him the greatest pleasure to read ttisepro- They were an approach to an harmonious ac tien between those who had but one interest at stake — he %to) Committee and the magistrates. The Watch the COMmittee bad adopted, as one of their regulations, substsnce of the resolution the magistrates had passed last 'week, and this new regulation the \ N atch Committee C ould enforce as well as the magistrates could enforce their order. They were, indesd, one and the same o : d and, and therefore, he hailed the regulation as a sign of a 131'4er:feeling in reference ,to these matters, body of' the Law with great pleasure emanating from theandgwohich he in the Watch Commitee. It was one of those things it : that Hwould redound more to their honour, and creti en, than any thing done by them for a long time pa• . t. must however, take the liberty of saying, though he agreed with these regulations, that he could not permit, upon a ny occasion, any doubt to be thrown upon the au thoi i ty of the magi s tr a te s to is s ue o r d • rs for the direction of the police force. He said this to save the right of the magistrates. He did not object to the form of the resole s i drawn tier, of the Watch Committee, which was skilfully ---" That it. is the opinion of this committee the above res olution [of th e mag i strates ] amount to a regulation of the Police f orce —(h e was very glad they had made it so)—and can only as such legally emanate from that committee." The words as such saved all cavil about the matter; but still the jurisdiction of the Watch Com mittee and the magistrates came very near to each other, and he wanted it to be understood that the magistrates h d a from then se,lves, to a pre- erninent right to give ord ers di rect l y the police force. If the Watch Com mittee should fortunately (for he should esteem it a very for ill any orde rs w hi ch the ma unate i gistrates is c sued such rcumstanc , h one pr as might be conveniently by them applied to their own regulations, and by adopting hem enlarge their own jurisdiction • it would give him the greatest pleasure ; and he was sure the magi•trates would issue no orders to the police force which the Watch Com inittee might not wholesomely adopt as part of their regu lations. He, therefore, begged to express the great plea sure he felt that the Watch Committee had, by the fram ing of this, recognised the propriety and importance of keepin g the officers of police beyond all interference; whilst, at the same time, he must save the jurisdiction of the justices by saying that their order was in force, as regarded them ; and, as the Watch Committee had made it a regulation, it was in force, as regarded them. There c ou l d b e no cavilling, then, upon the matter : the roagistrates had ordered the Commissioner of Police to communicate any interfr . ence to the Mayor cowhilst he Watch Cotnuittee had e ordered the Headonstable t to ~.°4lmunicate it to them, and they would lay it before the tureen them ; an '-'-‘ayor. There was, therefore, little or no difference be d in • conclusion, he was very glad to , tor • " y e that the " evidence be. sent to the Mayor, for the in ...Mato% of the Town Clerk and the Watch Committee." Mr. HoRNBY seconded the motion. si Mr. D. HonGsON was very sorry to hear the expres or which had been used with regard to the language of ,perfect Committee's resolution, for he could say, with one t sct truth, that among the !members 4 it there was only They entiment, I ; terra' y ' th a t among was to give efficiency to the force. tion Y • deprecated the assumption of their func div! in the regulation of the police, not that they were in 'dually jealous, but because they had a duty to perform in v-re maintenance of their position and the support of the law. They did think th t the order of the magistrates was an interference with them a • but they did not see any objection to it as turegulation. ' lt was a part of the whole t;,:gulations of the frce and the Watch Committee - othe r old not object to thereiteration of it. After one or two obssrvations the speaker said that the Head Con toto arid Commissioner had been required peremptorily carry out the order, by-one of the magistrates, by read ing t i' at the h ead of the force , and given to understand thorn y ti tha if he did not , t h ere wou ld b e a meet i ng of magistrates in e next day, for the urose of exercsing hir as his dismissal. lie p was told that if i he als t o e aske u d tralission from the Watch Committee to read the order, d i , e , same c onsequences would ensue. He (Mr. Hodgson) net think that this was a course. which any magis•rate, ea' Parte ought to have taken with regard to the Head sfonstable and Commissioner. However, the resolutions ,„.,_Te magistrates, such as they were, were distinctly fra o.e. to nrevent the interference of any individual member . a " the 'Watch Committee, without authority, but it they, r ninceagistrates, we re i n a position to prevent that. interte : _,s tr , it vvas not a lit t l e singular that an individual ma- Zsate should take upon himself, under any circumstan o,,etne exe rcise of hi s authority to suppress a portion of askrtelsolutions without calling the magistrates together to agreed that, whethe r it had their concurrence He quite was 14, in au exigency, such an exercise of authority hastep:Vhand right ; but, in this case, where was the sleau Wh y had him self s. . ~, Y were not a' trates consulted ? The to be irregular,• 0 . , he do s l t e ated he believed the whole what did in fact that it was illegal ; and, after all, lotion to the force: . preamble which had induced V. he only read a portion of the re he did nut read the . preamble he he to come to the decision. The though contained a charge against an individual, and dual act Il e awyer, lie should say that whether the- indivi dere' ..sed were guilty or not, he was guilty of no legal - ei ar i t i c l uu ; therefore, any magistrate publishing and des i egan g that preamble so affecti: g his character, would he actually o Pposed to a prose ution. He did not say it would sh e ti e,w he , 5 0, but he thought the it . iscretion e . xercised . by befors Constable a very sound discretion, in not going ilt , -.the force and publishing the resolution, as against w hol id " a l member of the Watch Committee—a man e o „,_,'ad not been convicted of anything the magistrates i'..,_`"9 take cognizance of. He thought the decision of the l'eagtstrat,s at their last meeting most extraordinary, and 4,22"ett( confess he was taken by surprise at. it. He re ustotzration cri " s ! _ i their decisions in general ; they were entitled to at the hand of every individual, and he th , t rnt speak o f them with disrespect. . But he h a d had egot ve ry much s i nce upon their proceeduls, and he Nyt.re o nversation with men upor. the bench (not here) . who the in i t ' l If' otls_surprised, that, whilst they complained of 1° a , i Lief"enee of an individual with their officers—not b ave , 5 the law, but to give effect to it—they should i not th ey w u r,o . .ealled together themselves to consider w . het ter be d ,. t", 1,1 warraut the interference by one of their own agres,4o-11Ppress one portion of the resolution they had the l ja s ß uBtIToN here said that he had been attacked by attyinz o _ _ 'ler stron again, il o : e e aker, but he did not mean to be provoked gly his feelings might be roused, into . !Mr. Hodgson what he had said last week, which (Mr. Rushton) had ' and ne richly deserved, a dismiss, or hold out which he deserved now. He guage to that effeet tO InVlr one no such thing as to threaten to int imidation, or ute any lan tered on ti,hgerteUdlatch to him, and said d . D "ling. Mr. Dowling came he fear,e the resolution could not e en. Committee Rusht on) '8 books ; and Coe n ( Mr. Wont to ask wit h hi m• Mr. Dowling then said " I your advice Me • d , and I hoPe . you . will give it to_ th _ , o . you think I o h e magistrates to the ought to submit this resolution of the force." th. (Mr.RN4 etch Committee before I read it huel:t not ; you are .eitheshten) said, " Mr, Dowling, you if Yott declin e tor el.. to obey the magistrates . or not , onet;'_..e.trinioned." ,I' their . orders the magistrates must u In t As using any sort of threat to Mr. i t w. _ g of dismissal , or holding ofthe kind, .8 utterl • , out anything Mr. _. ~ 3 untrue. Mr. irtiuODGSON.—I-le says so. _ gether. SEIToN.—It is utterly untrue: I deny it alto- Mr. n o m r. it wttrio was sent for, and during the interval. w rnld i us uToN, again denying the assertion , said he thas t h.P'edge his honour to thispoint. He n, '. th -- ' lB char h d bd e a been made, demand a formal vote from 4, magistratess, as to his discretion in waiving the of restduti ' 1411,_,r ons referred to. . very strong personal allusions were here made • yuesSr s . , H on • Ralabone and Rushton. rvi r. 01,i_, ,eiosoN skid he did not mean to take the matter tong: Tlineatiner in which it had beentaken up by Mr. Rush iteritlem roaring and getviculation that came from that s o , _. pn vet re best exhibit, d to the town in their native th e ") . _ He left him end his eetication to be estimated by ha , ;ow his (Mr. Hodgsen's) education and conduct " he n for • • Mr. _ hied in another school. ''''''. EARLa.-1 should like to have the opinion of the town on that point ; I think there would be a vast majo rity in favour of Mr. Rushton (hear, hear.) Ma. AD AM ii ODGSON expressed his sincere regret that for the first time these sort of personalities seemed to have been introduced among them. He earnestly hoped that gentlemen would remember the office they held, and the respect they claimed from the town at large, and that they would calmly and quietly discuss the various mat ters before them without induhdng in personalities. Mr. Rushton had asked their sanction for withdrawing part of the proceedings of the last meeting, and he thought him entitled to it ; but, again, he hoped that personalities would not be renewed, and that their proceedings would henceforward be conducted with becoming care and dignity. Mr. D. HonosoN denied that he bad referred to Mr. Rushton. Mr. Rushton, he said, had appropriated to himself what was applied to the whole body of magis trates; and he (Mr. Hodgson) should act always as he helix ved to be right, irrespective of any party. Whether he pleased or displeased he did not care. He was not going to be personal beyond what the state of facts justi fied, but Mr. Rushton most egregiously over-rated him self and his position if he fancied for tithe moment that he would overawe him (Mr. Hodgson.) He had sat with Mr. Rushton in the discharge of magisterial duty, and should sit with him again, irrespective of what occurred there. Nothing that Mr. Rushton had said should affect his conduct—not one straw. Ma. Ru 'tor.—The less you say of Mr. Rushton, * the bett ti please. Mr. Y rem , rked that Mr. Rushton was per fectly justi ed in altering a technical mistake in the reso lution; and he added that the resolution of the Watch Committee had been drawn carefully in such a way as to avoid all offence to the magistrates. Mr. Dowling having entered the room whilst Mr. Hornby was speaking, was examined by Mr. Rushton as follows: _ . . - _ _ Mr. RUSHTON.--I wish to ask you a question about the magistrates. It has been represented here that you state you wt re threatened with dismisi-al if you did not read the resolution to the polite-force before going before the Watch Committee. Mr. Dowling.—l have never made any such assertion. Mr. D. HonGsoN.—Have you not seated to the mem bers of the Watch Committee, and to Mr. Thompson, what passed between you and Mr. Rushton—that he did threaten you with calling the magistrates together if you did not read that resolution, and that you anticipated con sequent dismissal? Mr. Dowling.—l stated what I state now, that Mr. Rushton told me unless I read those orders, agreeably to the instructions or the magistrates, he would call a meeting of the magistrates. Mr. D. HODGSON.—Did you state no inference? Mr. Dowling.—No, sir. Mr. D. HODGSON .—Did you not state before the Watch Committee, that that was the sane thing as your dis missal ? Mr. Dowling.—l never recollect having so stated. Mr. D. FlonusoN.—Have you not stated that to Mr. Thompson ? Mr. Dm , ling.—l possibly might have stated that the magistrates had power to dismiss me. Mr. D IIODGSON.—Did you not state you considered that as a threat ? —that if you did not obey, that that would he the consequence? Mr. Dlwling.—l have never gone beyond stating—and I probably did state—that the magistrates had the power of dismissing me if they thought proper. Mr. D. HODGSON.—Have you anticipated that as a re sult ?—have you stated so or t,ot ? Mr; Dowling.—No, I have not. Mr. D. HODGSON.—Did you ask Mr. Rushton's per mission to submit these resolutions to the Watch Com mittee ? Mr. Dowling.—l did; and Mr. Rushton told me I was not to do so, but to read them to the force as the order of the magistrates. Mr. D. 11 ODGSON.—Did he tell you what he would do if you would not? Mr. Dowling.—That is, if I did not read them, he would call the magistrates together Mr D. HODGSON.—Recollect !hat you have given evi dence before the Watch Committee. Mr. Dowling.—He said, if I di.l not read them he would call the magistrates together. Mr. RUSEITON.—Did you come into this room and ask my advice because you were placed between two fires, — whether you should submit the resolution to the Watch Committee before reading it to the police force? I said, "no. go and fulfil the magistrates' orders—that is my advice." Did anything pass that would lead you to be lieve I had a hostile feeling, or that I exercised any threat. or held out any inducement? Mr. Dowling.—No. Mr. RUSHTON —Yon see, Mr. Mayor, the imputation attempted to be cast upon me is perfectly untrue. Mr. D. HODGSON said he would pledge,his honor that Mr. Dowling had stated, he conside►ed that if he had read those orders without consulting the Watch Commit tee, he should be called before the magistrates, and be anticipated dismissal. Mr. Dowling here appealed to Mr. Hornby as to what had passed in the Watch Committee. Mr. HORNBY said most distinctly he had not heard Mr. D , wling say before the committee that any threat had been used. He was not aware that he ever stated that his impression was that it would lead to a dismissal. After some further remarks of a somewhat personal na ture from Messrs. Rathbone, Brown, and Earle, Mr. Hodgson left the room. The resolution was then carried unanimously ; and on 'the motion of Mr. ADAM HODGSON, seconded by Mr. BOLTON, it was unanimously resolved, " that the magis trates consider that Mr. Rushton exercised a sound dis crPtion, in authorising Mr. Dowling to omit the in sertion in the general order book of the police-force of the minutes of the magistrates at their last meet ing." _ . . _ _ A vote of thanks was moved to the mayor, for his con duct as pre=idinz magistrate. and his worship, in reply, briefly acknowledged the compliment. The meeting then separated, being occupied nearly two hours. DOCK COMMITTEE MEETING ON THURSDAY. There were present—Mr. Moore (in the chair), and Messrs. Nicol, Middl e t on , Chil ton, W oo d , Henderson, Mann, Aikin, R ov d en , T o bi n , B o ld , M oon, Sandbaeli, Kendall, Evans, and Ripley. It was agreed to let 4000 yards of land on the west side of Brunswick Dock. at Is. 6d. a yard yearly, to M essrs . H o d gson a nd Co., for shipbuilding, until they could proeure another site—pos session to be given up at any time on six months' notice. A letter was r e ad f r om Mr. T. Wilson, accepting the terms upon which the committee agreed to let him !he land required for a ship-building yard at the Brunswick Dock, but expressing a hope that he might be allowed compensation for the build.ngs be might erect, or be per mitred to re-lease the land for the same purpose. Adis cussion ensued, the result of which was that the committee had no 'power with re-leasing. On'the motion of Mr. Nicol, the standing orders before discussed were adopted, to ne consi.lered in detail in a fortnight. The receipts of dock and light dues at Runcorn for the last month were £52,000 14s. 6d., being an increase of £6 Ils. 2d., as compared with the corresponding month last year. THE SUB-COMMITTEE OF WORKS. Mr. EVANS said, in effect, that when he was elected into that committee he was in Ireland, and his conduct was arraigned at the meeting as a justification of removing him from the sub-committee of works. The excuse was, that he was opposed to dock extension ; and what if he were ? If he were convinced that he ought to do so in degree at the time at which it was proposed, it was his duty to do so. He never did oppose dock extension alto gether. He had opposed docks at the south, because he considered it for the advantage of the dock estate to do so. With regard to the north, he thought it premature to apply to Parliament this year; but he had it always in contem plation that the Dock Committee should construct a large dock at the north; and indeed he himself was the main suggester and negociator for the purchase of the land, with a vie% to its being so appropriated hereafter. Hip opposition to what he conceived the premature con struction of docks in that quarter did not render him inca pable or unwilling to do his duty and carry out what was ultimately resolved on. So much otherwise ind ed was the fact, that the only improvements in the plans officially adopted were made by Mr. Aikin and himself. He re ferred to Mr. Hartley, whe her the half-tide basin which was added had not been suggested by him. Mr. HARTLEY said he believed that was Mr. Evans's suggestion. Mr. EVANS said he had thus shown his willingness to work on that committee, and his ability to be of use in the executive of dock management. His past conduct had received the approbation and sanction of the rate-payers, the merchants of Liverpool, aid the constituents of the committee. His election should have Vexed his past con duct out of view, and absolved him from their hostility. He was not there for the furtherance of any private views of interest, but the accredited and honoured representa tive of the ratepayers and merchants. Will one excep tion, he believed, he was the oldest member of that com mittee—certainly the oldest of the committee of works, at the formation of which he assisted. The ratepayers had had his conduct and views before them for nine years, and it was with a full knowleige of these that he had been elected without any interference of his own. When they flew in the face of that sonstituency, in order to disgrace one of the members of that committee, they were at issue with the public ; and they were on their trial, and not he on his. It might be said that that committee had a right to choose their own sub-committee, but that would not get them out of their dilemma, for they would be judged by the public not according to what they had a legal right to do, but what they were morally bound to do. On the part of those who sent him there, he claimed that station which he had had in the committee in former years, and from which he had been improperly removed. To remove him from an executive committee, where lie had acted a useful part, to a mere negative committee (the fihanc.), was an aggravation of the insult which had been offered to the ratepayers and merchants who had returned him into that committee by an overwhelming majority, in the ex pectation that he would he there to attend to their inte rests with unimpaired efficiency. It he were not on the committee of works, it was impossible he could perform the duties which the public expected. He concluded by reiterating his protest against the conduct of the com irettee with regard to him, and making a distinct claim to be reinstated, by some means or other, in his proper station. Mr. RIPLEY regretted that he had not been pres , -nt at the last meeting to join the minority, as no good reason had been shown why Mr. Evans should be removed from the sub-committee of works. Mr. MOON expressed the same feeling. Mr. Nicol, was glad Mr. Evans now thought the rate payers and merchants an important body, for be recol lected him speaking of them as little less than a fugitive body, in which he Mr. N. differed from him. After noti cing the hard expres-ions of Mr. E., such as " violent and unjustifiable," " insult to the rate-payers," &C., he came to the matter in question. The placing of Mr. Evans on the Finance Committee was proposed by one of the re presentatives of the rate-payers, and all the representa tives of the rate-payers present concurred. If, therefore, they were to be guided by the opinions of the rate-payers,, they, had acted correctly. He did not consider it an. insult to Mr. Evans, or to the rate pavers at all. Mr. Evans had objected to the act recently obtained, the carrying nut` of which was the work of the sub-committee, and it might well be supposed that it would be disagreeable for him to carry out a matter to which he was opposed. The fiinnce committee, too, was almost annihilated, all the members but Mr. Molyneux having retired, and he thought it desi rable to place an old member of the committee upon that sub-committee, along with the new members. The finance committee was an important one, and as Mr. Evans had on every occasion taken an active part in financi-d mat ters, he thought he would be a very valuable man. He did not consider the committee of works more executive than any other. Finally, he considered the committee quite justified in coming to the conclusion in which they had acted. Mr. BOLD said Mr. Evans had taken so active a part in council and in London in opposing the measure alluded to, that he did not consider he was a proper person to carry out the construction of the works. He referred to the Parliamentary Sub-committee. Mr. EVANS said he was not present when it was read, and he never thought it worth while to notice it after wards. Mr. ToBIN said he bad opposed Mr. Evans because be had used his strongest exertions to prevent the extension of docks. Mr. AIKIN said the same argument that applied to Mr. Evans applied to himself; bur he was satisfied that the various committees would not have been proposed as they had been unless previously sanctioned by a number of those who took the leading management in the affairs of that board. Great importance was attached to the fact that, because Mr. Bold, as one of the candidates of the rate-payers, was the mover, therefore it sprang from Mr. Bold and the rate-payers, and not from those holding in terests there. He, (Mr. A.) however, knew too much of the real working of party business to suppose that this was a candid or sincere view of the matter. Mr. Mann, for instance, who had only attended once or twice, would never have mentioned thenames for a committee if he had not been authorized to do so. He and Mr. Evans were not opposed to chick extension ; what they were opposed to was being hurried into an expenditure involving a million and a half to two millions of money, when it appeared to them that a dock could be obtai ed in Wallasey Pool for £5,000 which would take off the surplus from the do , ks of Liverpool. accommodate the lying-up ships, and Rive a space equal to the largest dock in Liverpool, besides pro viding a place for the deposit of timber either on the land or water. They believed and hoped that if they could have had a little more time, they would have been enabled to do that which would have prevented the opposition anti cipated from the docks on the other side of the water. He would not say whether the removal of Mr. Evans from the sub-committee of Works was intended as an insult to Mr. Evans or not, but he thought it was something like an in sult to the community which so recently voted him back there—not because of any political party feeling, but be cause they knew his efficiency in carrying out the works and advocating warehouses round the docks. Knowing his efficiency, it was wrong in the committee to lesson it. Mr. Tontrt considered that no insult had been intended to the rate-payers. They were sent there without any pledge whatever. For his own part he had voted accord. ing to his conscience. Mr. Evans was not a proper man to go on the committee. Mr. MANN said he bad certainly been requested to move the committee, but that was after he came into the room. Mr. EVANS, in reply, stated that when the Board of Works came with a report, their influence was generally so irresistible, that any one who beard it had seldom or ever any chance of p.oducing an alteratjon. Thus the Committee ot Woks was in reality the organ of the ge neral committee. Mr. Aikin and he had suggested great alterations and improvements in the plans adopted for the docks. There was evidence both of their ability and their will to do their duty. As to what he might have said about the rate-payers eight or nine }ears ago, and, no doubt, sedulously repeated by his political enemies, who were legion, still, in d fiance of this alleged insult, they had overlooked it all, for he supposed they had dis covered some little merit in him to re-elect him. Those who proposed him or. the committee to which he was ap. pointed, had, no doubt whatever, received their orders. With respect to his being placed on the Finance Commit tee as being an old member, if that were mentioned out of do.irs it would be laughed at. He knew ot where an old member ought to be, it it were not on the first committee of the docks. He (Mr. E.) was the oldest member of the sub-committee and the oldest member of the dock com mittee, except Mr. Tobin, and,thetefore, he should think, it he, like old wine, was of any value whatever, he oug ht to have been made use of, where he could have b een of the greatest service. To put him on a committee which had absolutely no duties; for they just opened tenders, which were mentioned there, and then accepted or not; to put him on that committee was, as he said before, an aggravation of the insult offered to the rate-payers and the merchants of Liverpool. Alter alluding to the un biassedyei nw gh m oo a uc n t, n , on e ft r i wn in uh ea w d, h ht i oa c dhi insinuate ei e nc h ou a ma , t l ee b l ta e hw e a n .t i e hn l e e s i c wr t i e ou d ua tl , ed l e b id w aa d ty twh theas st t c l a w r false. He would tell tiny one gentleman of that commit tee who chose to take it to himself, that he (Mr. Evans) would hold himself personally responsible for any remar k he might make. He considered it a daring outrage of principle, and one he could not permit without giving it the "lie" at once. (Confusion.) The CHAIRMAN called the speaker to order, noticing the language used as exceedingly improper. The party alluded to should he named, and no such language as that applied to the committee generally, which was a gruss in sult to the whole. He (Mr. E.) bad insinuated that the members of that committee had received orders to put him off the Board of Works. _ _ . Mr. EVANS said "certain members of the committee." The CHAIRMAN asked from whom? Mr. BOLD said he had receiv-.cl no such orders. Mr. HENDERSON considered the whole committee in sulted The CHAIRMAN remarked on the extreme impropriety of such insinuations cast upon the committee. For him self, be did not know the constitution of a single com mittee. - Mr. Toutx said be should have been insulted if he had ibeen ord.-led to vote for any committee. --- Mr.EvANs.—With respect to orders, so far as gentle men have declared that there was nothing of the sort, I am bound to believe them. Mr.. MANN disclaimed obeying any orders. Mr. EvANs said he had no objection to withdraw it. TheCH AIRMAN hoped hewould withdraw the others too. Mr. EVANS said he was hound to believe gentlemen when they made an assertion, bu - he saw no reason for their complaining of receiving orders, because it was the order of their party—another word for saving they yielded to the influence and dictation of one another. As to the opinion he had expressed with regard to any one who would assert that he would knowingly act contrary to his duty, h could not treat it otherwise than he had done. The CHAIRMAN said no such imputation had been cast upon Mr. Evans, and his remarks were therefore un called fm. Some explanation followed, to the effect that no such imputation was made, and Mr. EVANS then said he was bound in honour ttt withdraw the expressions. Mr. BOLD said Mr. Evans would not he deprived of the power of making improvements, because decisions were come to in the whole committee, and not on the Board of W(trks. The CHAIRMAN remarked that the improvements in the plans were not entirely confined to Mr. Aikin and Mr. Evans. Other alterations were made before they aiw them. Mr. EVANS said he was not aware of it. The CHAIRMAN.—However the thing is settled, and the oublie will have the benefit of it. Mr. EVANS.—Tbere were suggestions for great altera tion. Mr. AIKIN did not attach the slightest importance to any su2gestion he made; it only went to show that they were by no means inim . eal to the inter , sts of the docks, and that that was a good reason why Mr. Evans should be on the eub-Committee of Works. The committee adjourned at half-past three o'clock. COURT OF REQUESTS.-PARKER v. BROWN.. BILL. The Commissioner of the Court of Requests having adjourned the case from Friday until Tuesday, that he might consider how he should decide uvon it, it was ac cordingly resuoied on Tuesday moral ig. Both the parties, and several of their friends, were present, but the att ndance of others was very meagre. The COMMISSIONER said, that before he gave judgment he wished to put a question or two. . . The defendant. bzing sworn, said, in reply to questions put, that the applintion for payment of the promissory note was first made to his brother-in-law, James Brown bill, by Mr. Parker's clerk, ou the 2d Novemoer. e* De fendant was not 11' elf present, and his brother-in-law was not now her e was his brother-in-law, though of the same name, as ey were cousins, and had married two sisters. He supposed Mr. Parker's collector had called on his hi other-irr.law in mistake. Mr. Wigge. the collector, being called. said, he had called on the brother•in-law of defendant on Friday fort. night. the 9th instant. He had mistaken the man, as bath were watchmakers, and both of the same name. He did not see the defendant about it until Saturday fortnight. Mr. Parker, being sworn, said he had mentioned the amount to be due to his collector amongst other small debts, but he could not recollect the precise day. His suspicion had been raised (as he before stated) by the defendant. drawing his attention to the post-mark of the letter. But he would not have proceeded so hastily against him, had he not been informed that a member of the Reform Assoc'ation had declared that they would spend £l,OOO sooner than not turn him out of the ward. He certainly felt hurt at this, and therefore brought the matter forward. The COMMISSIONER then proceeded to give his deci sion with great slowness of utterance and at great length, but we can but give the heads of his •principal remarks. He said that the court had undivided jurisdiction in claims of £2, but between £2 and £5 it bad a concurrent juris diction with the Borough Court, in which last the ques tion could be investigated by a jury, and an appeal could be had to the courts at Westminster. lie remarked on the evidence of the two parties, and quoted several law authorities as to what constituted bribery and corruption. There were two modes i❑ which the court might come to a conclusion. One wa to nonsuit the plaintiff, which would not prevent him from proceeding in another court if he thought that advisable; arid another was to give judg ment to the defendant, in which case there would be no appeal, and penalties might he proceeded for in the higher courts. He had come to the conclusion that tie case was THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD one of such suspicion that the plaintiff could not recover the amount in this court. He had not, however, come to the conclusion to give judgment tor the defendant, for that would imply that there had in reality been a cor , transaction add a bribe, and a party could pro or the penalties upon that lodgment as con evidence. If he saw this to be a clear of bribery,_ he should have no difficulty in pronouncing his decision in that form, — which would be final; but, under the circumstances, he would not pre judice the plaintiff by the selection of courts made by his collector, a person whose conduct in this court he had observed to be universally re , pectable. He should not therefore give a conclusive judgment, because lie con sidered it no more than a case of suspicion. The plaintiff would, by the decision be should come to, h ave an oppor tunity of procee:ting against the defendant in another court, from which an appeal might be had to the supericr courts if any penalty were involved. He then decided that the plaintiff should pay the costs and be nonsuited. CONSERVATIVE CELEBRATION. On Thursday evening the Operative Protegant Conser vative Association, of Toxtuth. park, celebrated the tri umphant return of eight staunch conservatives from North and South Toxteth Wards, at the rece n t mun i c i pa l election, by a public dinner. The festive assembly took plac.. at the Royal Oak Inn, Park-road, when a most exlellent and substantial dinner was served in admirable style by the worthy host, Mr. Atkinson. The dinner room was tastefully decorated with evergreens andflowers, and a great number of flags and banners, inscrihed with various loyal. constitutional, protestant, and patrioti c mottoes were displayed upon the wal s. At the upper end, on either side the president's chair, were posted two large white placards, exhibiting the numbers polled by each of the conservative candidates, and the majorities by which their return was secured. At about seven o'clock the dinner was served, and upwards of 120 operatives, with the visitors and friends took their seats at the tables. Mr. John Longworth, the president of the society occu pied the chair, and Mr. Inman, vice-president of the so ciety, the vice-chair. On either side of Mr. Longworth were placed Mr. Jones and Mr. W. Mann, two of the newly-elected councillors. The tables were set down each side of the room, and at that on the right of the chairman were seated the following gentlemen :—Couti cillors Glazebrook and Lace, Mr. S. L. Trotman, Mr. H. G. Harbord, Mr. Jos. Cooper, Mr. Short, Mr. Hunting don, Capt. E eston, &c. On the left were Alderman Chilton, Mr. Councillor Harhord, Mr. Jas. Robertson, Mr. W. B Jones, Mr. J. Bunnell, Mr. R. Carter, Mr. J. Outran' ' Mr. Hunton, &c. On the cloth being withdrawn, the Chairman (wl:o is an intelligent opera tive) proposed, in neat and appropriate speeches. the following toasts, which were received with the greatest enthusiasm. The Queen," three times three; " The Queen Dow ager,", three times three; " Prince Albert, m.1:I the rest or the Royal f4mily," three times three ; " The Duke of Wellington, and the House of Peers," three limes three; " Sir Robert Peel, and the Conservative members of tl.e Louse of Commons ; and may the Premier ever adhere to those Protestant principles by which he was placed in power," three times three; "The Army and the Navy," there times three; "The Aldermen and Councillors of North and South Tosteth Wards," nine times nine. _ When the hearty and enthusiastic cheers, with which the last toast was received, had subsided, Mr. LACE, as one of the councillors present, rose first to acknowledge the compliment. He felt deeply the manner in which the toast had been received, and was delighted to meet so in tefligeni and respectable a body of those whom he re; re sented in the Town Council. He considered it indispen sabl, necessary that the councillors should meet and mix with their constituents, in order that both parties might be trade acquainted with each other's sentiments and opinions ; and while the councillors all went into the hall free to support their own opinions, still it was thei boun den duty, if they found those opinions did not concur with the views of their constituents immediately to re sign their seats. (Hear, hear.) Wiih regard to those religious subjects which came before the Council, al though he was not one of those who thought the council chamber a fit place for reli g ious debates, but rather that it was their duty to promote by every possible means the health and c..mfort of the lower classes, still he had not the slightest hesitation in saying that his principles were distinctly and decidedly Protestant. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers ) Let them refer to the history of for mer times, when the Papal supremacy extended over all Europe, and look at the ignorance and superstition of all classes, which resulted from its policy ; let them look at the fate of Spain in our own day, and the state of degra dation and misery to which the Roman Catholic religion had reduced that unhappy country, and it would be strange indeed it they could be otherwise than hostile to such an erroneous and mischief-fraught hierarchy— (cheers.)—and every man who did not join in support of the Protestant cause was guilty of a gross dereliction from a plain and sacred duty. After an allusion to the intro duction of the Bible into the schools under the direction of the Council, he remarked that he was in favour of per suasive rather than forcible measures for effecting the conversion of the Roman Catholics. but he did not see much hope of influencing the minds of the old; but he thought by placing the Bible in the hands of the young, the next generation of Romanists would be converted to Protes tantism. He was riot afraid of the Roman Catholics gain ing the ascetniabcy. It was not to be believed in these days that the knowledge and truth-seeking people of Eng land would be deluded by such a system of superstition and idolatry; and lie hoped rather to convert the Roman ists than feared they would seduce the Protestants from the pure faith. With regard to the boasted increase of Roman Catholics, he thought the priests had drained every penny from the pockets of their deluded followers, and had used it to create a false show ; and that although their buildings increased, there really was no advance in the number of their worshippers. (Cheers.) Several ex cellent lettere had been lately written by his friend, Mr. H G. Harbord, on tie subject of improvements in the Park, and he thought that. was a subject to which the Council ought to pay great attention. He wished to see ' the dwellings of the poor made comfortable—public walks—play-grounds, and places of amusement provided for their recreation—so that on a summer's evening, the labouring population might spend their leisure in such a manner as to secure health and happiness, arid by destroy ing vicious and drinking pursuits, to produce among them good and virtuous habits. (Cheers.) Mr. Councillor GLAZHBROOK expressed the great sa tisfaction he felt in accepting the invited n tot warded him by the worthy secretary, Mr. Bunton, to meet the Protestant Conservative Association of Toxteth Park at that festive board. He agreed with that society in think ing that all genuine, vital. and so id politics were based on Protestantism ; and he thought great praise was due to them fcir setting an example to a class of society more wealthy than themselves—he meant that next above themselves—of a firm adherence to such a sound princi ple, the adoption of which was equally important to all classes, Having based his politics upon Protestant ism, he coula then safely trust in the superstructure; and if he was asked why he was a conservative, he should reply, because he saw himself in possession of security to life and property, of a rational liberty, well defined and well explained, and of the right of private judgment; because he found himself in a country where the freedom of the press was a certain guarantee for the maintenance of true constitutional liberty ; and where the principles of the Christian faith were ever first acknowledged in all public acts— " Church" and State. (Loud cheers.) When be reflected upon the strides towards intellectual, commercial, and mitional greatness, made by this country during the few centuries it has ranked among the nations of the earth, and the vast cost of this advancement, and the comforts and blessings now in the possession of this country, and that other nations were still in a barbarous state, worshipping devils, thirsting for each other's blood, and ranging the .voods and wilds naked and untaught savages, he was enabled properly to calculate the position of England. It was reflections like these, and some such, which made him a conservative. This was the more needful, because their privileges were attacked by some; and close familiarity with them had lessened the sense of their value in the minds of others. (Cheers.) The mind and spirit of a man required nourishment and refresh- 1 ment as well as his body, and he came among his con stituency for the purpose of deriving new strength and encouragement to stand forth in behalf of principles they professed in common. "As iron sharpened) iron, so dotb the countenance of a man his friend"—(cheers) — arid he never came among them, but he received the en couragement he required, (Cheers.) They were not only attacked by open enemies, but injured by professed friends—(bear, near)—but he would have them never for get that theirs was an association of principle, not of party. (Hear. hear, and cheering.) He would cast off. party to the four winds of heaven sooner than relinquish one atom of the principles of truth. He would say that, let a man come to them recommended as highly as he might, of excellent eftiVate character and great commer cial elevation, unless he came on Protestant principles, reject him. He would not mention names, but they had acted nobly, and as he would have them on a late occca sion, when they rej• cted a gentleman of hi h name and distinguished connexions, because he possessed not this one thing needful. (Cheers.) Mr. Glazebrook con cluded by a further exhortition to prove ta;thlul to their principles, and sat down amid loud cheers. Mr. CounCillor HARBORD also returned thanks for the honour conferred on him by the meeting. It was pretty well known that he was a Protestant, and he was not ashamed further to confess that he was also an Orange man, as Oratigeisin was but the essence of Protestantism. (Cheers.) He was more proud of belonging to that body than he was of being a member of the Town Council— (cheers)--not that he lightly estimated the position in which their votes had placed him, but because he could better advance those right, honest, English, Protestant principles which he believed to be essential to the well being of the country. After a few other remarks Mr. H. concluded by reiter ting his thanks. Mr. Councillor JONES, in a neat speech, acknowledged the compliment. Mr. MANN said—As one of the youngest members of the Council, a.id representative f the last Ward, No. 16, it was fitting he should be the last to rise to acknowledge the honour paid to him, although he was proud to say that he represented a Ward shicii returned its principles by the largest majority to the Town Council. He would be, indeed, devoid of feeling it be was insensible to the very kind manner in which they had welcomed him amongst them that evening. He assured them he re ceived their invitation to dine with them with much gra. tification—not for the sake of exulting over their oppo nents, shin ugh their conduct on the occasion of the late election for North Toxteth Ward was exceecingly ques tietiable, putting the electors to the trouble and annoy ance of a contest with a counterf.:it candidate, whilst they held Mr. Holt's letter of reiusal to take the office if re turned ; neither did he think Mr. H olt well used by the withholding of the letter, and giving cause for suspicion of its sincerity. He was gratified, moreover and espe cially, by their invitation, inasmuch as it afforded him an opportunity of making a more intimate acquaintance with the operative Conservatives of the Ward, a body of men who, if they are true to their principles, must have learned, in common with himself, not only to tear God, but to honour the Queen, and to do their duties in those stations which Providence in His wisdom had allotted to them. They had all of them their several duties, commencing at their homes, amidst their families, and extending in their proper posi ions through all the reletionshirs of life; and he might be permitted to say, without intending it as a complaint, that the duties of their representatives were anything but of a light or artificial nature, occupying much time, constant attention, and frequently perplexi. g and vexatious; they had, however, placed the l lough in his hands, and it was not his intention to look back, and it would be his object to deserve the approbation of that great body the operatives of the town, whether clothed in a little brief authority or as a private individual. He had been anticipated by the preceding speakers in some re marks he had intended to have made, end would, there fore, not detain them further, but take the liberty of moving the suspension of the standing order of toasts, whilst he begged the permission of the Chairman to pro pose the health of a gentleman, (f high honour, respected and esteemed by all who knew him, one who had served them in troublous times, in whose shoes it was his pri vilege no less than his misfortune to stand—he said mis fortune, by reason of the disadvantage of the contrast — be need hardly mention the name of their late represen tative, Alexander Smith, Eeq. The toast was drunk with the warmest applause. Mr. Alderman CHILTON returned thanks to the corn pail' for drinking his health ; and apologies for the ab sence of Mr. Bushby and Mr. Sheppard were made. Mr. Alderman CHILTON then, in a highly complimen tary speech, proposed the health of the president, Mr. • Longworth. Tne toast was drank with three times three hearty cheers, and the Chairman returned thanks. Mr. ROBERTSON proposed the health of Mr S. L.Trot man, the late member for South roxteth, and expressed the great satisfaction all his constituents felt with respect to his public conduct as their rept esentive. Mr. Triomf/IN briefly returned thanks. and intimated that his retirement from the Town Council was only tem porary, and owing to other private engagements. The VICE-CHAIRMAN proposed the health of Mr. Joseph Cooper. a gentleman who had also served the electors in the Town-Council. Mr. COOPER returned thanks, and made some excel lent remarks respecting the state of the lower classes, end providing them with a more plentiful supply of water ; the paving and flagging of the courts in the torivn ; and of the necessity of a skip at the south end of the town for the Cheshire ferry boats. 11r. Cooper also intimated that he might at a future period be induced to offer his services as a member tot the Council. The VICE-CHAIRMAN proposed " Our glorious con s'itution in church aid state,' which was drunk with nine times nine cheers and •' Protestant fire," most of the company adding to the toast the Words "and no surren der!" Mr. JOHN DOYLE responded to the toast, and in an ex cellent speech enlarged upon the inroads making under our present Conservative administration upon the Pro testant church in these realms. Mr. THOMAS INMAN, in proposing the next toast, now felt it necessary to say a few words wi , h reference to it. All strong partisans were looked very coldly upon, even by the more moderate of their own party, and more espe cially by :heir political and religious opponents, such sub jects, therefore, should be approached in a cautious and deliberate manner, so as not to give umbrage to our more moderate friends, or to excite the feelings of our political enemies. This ought to be our general conduct, but in times like the present, when the Protestant institutions of our country are attacked on every side—threatened too, from that man who was carried to his present exalted po sition by the Protestants and conservative electors of Eng land, by a man who, w e must admit, 'is in the possession of talents of the very highest crder, who has raised his coun try from the depths of despondency, msery, and ruin, to her present healthy and buoyant state; has restored trade, promoted commercial confidence, banished disaf fection, and, by his management, has brought us a surplus revenue—in times, too, when associations of loyal meta are persecuted by the arbitrary interference of the Radical magistrates of our own borough, it is the duty of every British subject to speak boldly his opinions and to profess openly his principles. Three years since, he thought Orangeism must, of necessity, have been something very monstrous; he was now convinced that every consistent Protestant is at heart a sound Orangeman, without being as are of it himself, and without knoWing anything of the arcana of an Orange lodge. He would not trespass any further on the time of the meeting, but would prop,)se at once, " The Grand Protestant Association of Llyal Orangemen." _ _ The toast was received with the most vehement cheering and rounds of Kentish fire, again and again renewed. Air. R. HARBORD briefly responded to the toast, and stated the determination of every member of the order, whilst unflinchingly maintaining his principle,, to uphold the public peace and render strict obedience to the consti tuted authorities. Several other toasts were drank with much enthusiasm, and some of the company did not separate until a late hour. LOCAL AND PROVINCIAL NEWS. Mr. Henry Phillips Cooper, of Eastharn, and Mr. Thos. Vaughan, of Poultott• cum Spittle, have been duly ap pointed the High Constables of the Hundred of . Wirral, fur the ensuing year. ZOOLOGICAL TRANSIT.—A remarkably fine polar bear, two royal tigers, and a splendid tigers:, taken from Li verpool, were shipped at Hull, o❑ Thursday, for Ham burg. Sir Philip Egerton, M.P., by whom the foundation stone of Bi, kenhead Docks was laid on the 23d ult., has completed his sittings to T. H. Midge. Esq., for a whole length portrait, which is to be placed in the Town-hall at Birkenhead. POLYGAMY.—On Thursday last a man named George Morris, alias Moran, was brought. up at the Manchester Borough Court, charged with having no less than three wives. It appeared that be had married a woman named Sarah Wood, as his first wife, at the Collegiate Church, Manchester, some time ago. He afterwards married another woman, who now lives in Gun -street, Manches ter; and he has married a third, who lives in Liverpool. Be was committed to the assizes. A man of the name of Joseph Woods. was, on Thurs day, fined ss. and costs, by Mr. Rushton, for having broken a window of the Mayor's dressing-room at the Town-ball. His defence was, that he had been an attor ney at Leicester for eight years, and that, bring now ar rived at the very lowest state of destitution, he had bro ken the wind , w fc‘r the purpose of being taken into cus tody, and thereby provided with bread. He was recom mended to apply to the overseers. MANSLAUGHTER.—On Tuesday, an inquest was held hefole the Borough Coroner, on view of the body ofJohn Mullineux. The deceased, it appeared, was in a state of intoxication, in Milton-street, on the Ist instant, and quarrelled with a fellow of the name of John Lomax. whom be accidentally met, and with whom he had some slight previous acquaintance. From words they fell to blows, and, in the scuffle that ensue& Lomax threw him on the ground, and in the fall his left thigh was fractured. From the effects of the injury he languished in the North ern Hospital until Saturday last, and then died. A ver dict of manslaugater was returned by the jury, and Lomax was committed for trial. A respectable looking man, named Thomas Kean, was brought up on Tuesday, charged with having forged the will of a gentleman named James Baines. The case was opened at some length by Mr. Owen, vlicitor, at the con clusion of which the prisoner earnestly desired that a re mand might take place until the following day. He said he had Gair witnesses, whose evidence would bring home the forgery to another individual then in court. Mr. Rushton ordered the case to stand over iil next day. On Wednesday the prisoner was again brought up, and after some part of the evidence had been gone into, the case was further remanded till Friday, when the prisoner was committed to take his trial at the ensuing assizes. Hoorom AND EASTHAM.—The birthday of Sir W. Massey Stanley, hart., the worthy proprietor of Hooten and Eastham, was celebrated on Monday last with a series Of rural festivities of a most gratifying nature. The hon. bart. entertained near one thousand of his neighbours and friends to dinner, in a splendid marquee ; and several hundreds of the school and other children in the hall. In th afternoon the populace were amused with a profusion of rural sports which created great enjoyment and excite. ment, in which the family at Hcoton mixed most freely. The health of the bon. bart. was drank with the most hearty good wtll and uproarious applause. On Wednes day the worthy baronet entertained a large party to a ball and supper, which passed off with great (feat. EMBROIDERY.—We have just inspected one of the patent quaquaversal stands applied, among other pur poses, for needle-work, and pronounce it to be one of the most useful and ingenious contrivances of the present day. It consists of a beautiful enriched frame, in imita tion of carved work, in which the work is enclosed. and ever it is placed a thick plate glass. The frame is richly gilt, and supported upon a handsome turned pillar, inside of which revolves a rod with a joint and a screw, that enables the frame to be turned to any angle, and used either vertically or t orizon'ally, so NS to be applied at pleasure either as an ornamental tab.e or fire-screen, rendering it a very useful and flegant . ornament to the drawing_roo m . Others are in imitat ion of oak, rose wood, &c. ' and are really beautiful. We advise our fair readers to inspect them at the manufactory, 52, Bold street. SELECT VESTRY, TUESDAY.—In the Workhouse, the week beforelast, there were 1.791 paupers, who cost ls 10Id. per head, and .£167. 18s. in money. At the same period last year the number was 1,815, at Is. 7-td. per head, and £146. lls. *l. The number of out-doo..cases relieved during the past fortnight was 6,813, a t an expense of £758. 12s. I Id. ; be:ng, 213 cases and £ll. 12a. sd. less than at the corresponding period of L ist year . Th e oeport from the fever hospital at the Workhouse shows a still further increase of cases both of fever and small-pox, there having been upwards of one hundred cases within the ward , , attributable to the existence of epidemic pre vailing in the town. Cases left at the last redort, 66; ad mitted since, 37—total, 103. Discharged, 22; dead, 6 remaining of fever, on the 22d Noverr ber, 75. Small pox cases : left at last report, 1 ; admitted since, B—re maining, en the 23d November 9. Ophthalmia cases : left at last report, 5 ; admitted since, 4—total, 9. Dis charged, 4 ; remaining, on the 23d November, 5. On the motion of Mr. Arthur Henderson, seconded by Mr. Maynard. an increase of £lOO per annum was voted to the secretary's salary. A sub. committee was appointed t o confer with the Mayor respecting the intended new law of settlement.. The supply of good wheat straw for the use of the Workhouse for the next twelve months was contracted for with Mr. John Rimmer, of linyton, at 6d. per stone. CHARGE OF MUTINY-- On ftwyday Wu tam %-ir 4.a. ta ker and James Elliott were brought before Mr. Rushton, at the Police-court, on a charge of mutinous conduct on hoard a vessel in the American trade, called the Jrr,ey Tar. The testimony of John M'Kaiie, the captain, and Elias Lessueur, the mate supported by that of Captains Alexander and Bailey, the commanders of English ves sels, who were present at the time, showed that while the ship was lying at Trieste the prisoners !ell upon the mate and beat him severely, and upon Captain M'Kane inter. tering they also struck him. The men were afterwz.rds taken before the civil authorities of the port, and sent home in irons on board t..eir own vessel. Mr. Rushton highly complimented the c , plain for his temperate anl forbearing conduct; tl.e evidence scarcely establbled the charge of mutinous intention, but for the assault he ordered that the prisoners should fot felt all their wages and each pay a fine of £5, or, in default, to be imprisoned two months. MEETING ON TETE DUTY ON COTTON.—In accordance with notice give 4 by Mr. Cl , re, on Friday week, the Li verpool Cotton Broker's Association met on Thur day last, for the purpose of taking into consideration a me morial to the Lords of the Treasury, with a view to obtain the abolition of the duty or. cotton wool ;—Mr. M , rriott, the chairman presiding. The arguments used by Mr. Clare were, in effect, that restri ct i ons i n the free it of raw material for manufactures in this country were impolitic, and especially the duty on cotton; that our continential neighbours paid a much less duty, and that it was necessary for the comfort of the artisan and labourer, and in order that we might to that end be en abled successfully to compete with foreign , - rs, the 'duty shoUld be abolished. Mr. Clare proposed a rtsolution founded thereon. An amendment was proposed to the effect, that, as it was not the province of the association to move in the matter, the question should be considered that day six months. Mr. Clare's proposition was, how , ever, carried by a very large majority. IRON HOUSES.—We some time ago described the iron palace constructed by Mr. Lrycock for an African king. Since that time Mr. Laycock has received almost innu merab'e applications for plans of iron !looses from d,ffer ent parts of the world. He has now in his workshop, just finished, a very neat iron cottage, which he has just built for the use of two maiden ladies residing in the island of St. Lucia. It consists of three rooms, each nine feet high, viz., one room 20 feet by 14 feet, and two rooms 12 feet by 10 feet. There are six large jealousy windows, and two small ones over the front aid back doors; these and the floors are the only parts made of wood. There is an inside ceiling of iron in panels, and the roof is in wrought iron frame and covered with galvanised plates of iron. The walls are formed of double plates of iron, with a thin stratum of air between them, an arrangement that will prevent the passing of the solar heat into the interior of the building, at least through the walls, and keep the interior del.ghtfully cool. The weiet if the building is fourteen tons, and the cost rather more than £2OO. MRS. WARE'S . READINGS ON MUSIC.—OR Thursday sen'night Mrs. Ware gave tie first of a s ties of re idink;s upon this interesting subject, at the Union Rooms, Slater street, to a select audience, to whom her able and per spicuous manner of treating it, and the pleasing vocal illustrations by which her lessons were interspersed, seemed to afford the liveliest satisfaction. We can honestly assure our readers, and especially those who have families to train up, that, with respect to the correct principles upon which musical instruction ought to be conducted, and its difficulties simplified for the better comprehension of the young, they wilt receive much use ful advice and much pleasure by attending Mrs. Ware's lectures. In addition to the matter, which is excellent, and displays the possession by Mrs. Ware of a richly stored mind and elegant ti , ste, we must state that we never heard a lecture upon any subject more beautifully delivered. Mrs. 'Ware is evidently an elocutionist of a very high order. In the course of the evening Mr. Ware performed, in excellent style, and with great judgment, a fantasia on the piano-forte, and a capriccio upon the violin. The second of the series was delivered on Thurs day evening last, and was respectably atter,ded. by an audience which appeared fully to enjoy the excellence of matter and manner which characterized the former. We should really recommend the engagement (if practicable) of this lady to deliver these lectures at some of our public institutions. As an oratorical lesson merely, independent of their other excellencies, they would be invaluable. BALL AT THE TOWN HALL.—The fifth annual Cha rity Ball, of the Licensed Victualler's Society took place at the Towa- hall, on Wednesday evening ; the attendance, though not so numerous (approaching 600) as on former occasions, was of the most respectable description, fully justifying the patronage conferred upon it by the neigh bouring nobility and gentry. Among the company pre sent who took an active interest in either its proceedings or objects, we were glad to perceive Peter Greenall, Esq., M.P. and party, from St. Helen's ; John Lawrence. Esq, and party ; Sir George Munro, Bart.; Robert Jones, Esq.; P- Wright. Esq. ; James Wason, Esq.; J. Bent, Esq. ; Thomas Rees, Esq.; James Mulleneux, Esq. ; James Radley, Esq. ; James Miller, Esq., &c. &c. The refreshments were furnished by Mr. Towers, who, on this occasion, outdid himself. The music for the two rooms was under the direction of Mr. Horrabin, who was in attendance with the well-known Wellington-rooms band, whilst Mr. Parker's Royal Cheltenham band was placed at the foot of the staircase, who played, during the evening, some of the most popular and favourite airs in their usual excellent style. The whole arrangements were such as to reflect the highest credit on the managing committee, and will, doubtless, be rewarded on future oc casions by an increased patronage from the public. Per haps, however, the gentlemen composing it will deem themselves in some degree recompensed for their disinter es'ed exertins by the sight of so many lovely smiling faces assembled together in the enjoyment of a pleasura ble and innocent reoreation, whose ultimate object was the promotion of the interests of the sacred cause of Cha rity. The company broke up at a late hour, highly gr a rifi,cl by the whole of the evening's in ertainments and arrangements. PRESENTATION TO MR. BROWN, SUPERINTENDENT OF LOCKERS. --A meeting of the custom house lockers took place on Thu rs d ay even i ng , for the purpose of pre senting to Mr. J. Brown, a gold watch, and an address expressive of their esteem and regard for him, for the kindness and urbanity uniformly displayed by him in the discharge of his duties as superintendent during the 12 years he had been amongst them. Mr. Bell, one of the oldest and most respectable officers of the port, was called to the chair, and expressed the pleasure he felt in presid ing on so interesting an occasion, which was alike honour able to both patties. After highly complimenting Mr. Brown as a man and an officer, be said they were about to lose him, but there was the pleasing reflection that he would carry with him the approbation and respect of his brother officers. He felt honoured in being deputed by the subscribers to present the watch and address, of which he Le2ged Mr. Brown's acceptance, as a small but genu ine tribute of their regard, and hoped he might long live to enjoy the pleasing remembrance of that evening's pro ceedings, as well as the delights of conscious rectitude, and the full approbation of his fellow men.—Mr. Brown, in affecting terms, expressed the gratification he felt in reflecting, that while he had ever been diligent and faith ful in the discharge of his duty, he had so deported him. self as to leave behind him so many kind friends, and he trusted but few enemies; at all events he -could say he was not aware that be had ever needlessly given offence to any one ; feeling, as became his duty, a warm interest in the service, and in the character and conduct of its officers, he had always urged a willing and cheerful obe dience to its rules and discipline. He thanked them most sincerely for their very cordial reception, their splendid present, and very feeling and flattering address. He 'ft would certainly keep both by him, not only as testimo nials of the approbation of his brother officers in Liver pool, but, if requisite, as incentives to the continuing its well doing. He would only say it would always afford him the highest pleasure to hear of their continued una. nimity, happiness and prosperity.—A vote of thanks was then passed to the chairman and committee, in the course of which some appropriate remarks were made by the se conder, complimentary to the higher officers of the cus toms as a body. INFORMATIONS AGAINST PUBLICANS.—OR Friday, at the Police -court, the following publicans and beet setters were fined in the amount s ( w i t h costs ) attached to their names for various infractilns of the local act, chiefly for permitting drunkenness, or selling within hours, especi ally on Sunday,) when liquors cannot be supplied with law :—Stephen Lowry, beerseller, William-street, 60s. : Elizabeth Lynas, beer seller, Freemason's-rnw, (against whom there were several former convictions,) 50s ; Bar tholomew Golding, beerseller, Bolton-street, (tor permit ting men, women, and mere boys—known thieves, to dance and drink in his house,) £5. In the frille.ar ng the partb-s were acquitted :—Robert Ed. a ds, • a ing cellar keeper. (for pertnittng drunkenness.) Wi•bam Halliday, of the Commercial Ir,n, Da!e-street, al o was charged with hav'ng allow- d dru •kenness in his house. This case bad been adjourn .d from the previous Frtay. Inspector Burton stated that a: ten minutes past two o'clock on Sunday morning, the 17th instant, he heard a noise in the house, and on going in with police constable No. 256, he found six young gentlemen in the front par lour ; five of them were engaged in tossing ; one was laid full length upon the table, and another had his head upon the table. He considered the whole of them to be in li quor; three of them certainly were drunk. A decanter and glasses, one of which contained wine, were upi n the table. Mr. Halliday told him the parties were stopping in his house all night.—Police constable No. 256 con firmed this statement,—Mr. Harden, barri-t"r. art aced for Mr. Halliday He said the house was one of the most respectable inns in the town, and that it hau neon con ducted now for a perod of half a century without the slightest complaint. He contended that a distoictran must be drawn in the application of the law, between houses of this sort, where great conveniences were afforded to commercial men, and houses of another character. The parties found in the house were all inmates, commercial men, who, it being the end of the week , had ord ere d sup per to be prepared for them, and it was plac e d upon the table at a quarter to twelve o' clock. There were oily two bottles of wine served to them, which, being divided among seven, would not be suffi c i ent to make any of them drunk. In conclusion, he urged that Mr. Halliday had ch ne more than he was bound to do in providing for the comfort and accommodstion of these c•rnmereial men— which, indeed, was the only means of inducing customers to resort to his house. Mr. Harden then called several witnesses, who clearly proved that the parties were lodg ers, that only two bottles of wine bad been supplied ; that none of them w ere d run k ; an d that a l l o f t h, m wete in i bed n less than ten minutes after the rolice were in.— Mr. Rushton, in announcing the decision of the magis trates, said they were of opinion that a case of drunken ness had not been made out; but he thought it one for caution, because it was quite a mistake to suppose that a house like this was under any other law than the gene ,- al law. The officers had done quite right in entering the house when they heard the noise ; but, at the same time, the charge of permitting drunkenness had nnt•neen made out, and the defendant must therefore be acquitted. NO, ic~ at