The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-01-15 00:00:00

LIVER THEATRE, CHURCH-STREET FOR THE BENEFIT OF MRS. W A Y L E T T, AND LAST NIGHT BUT ONE OF HER ENGAGEMENT. THIS present FRIDAY EVENING, the 15 t h i nstan t , the Entertainments will commence with the new Bar letta of NAVAL ENGAGEMENTS. Idmiral Kingston _.:eutenant Kingston Mr. Higgie. Miss Mortimer Mrs. Waylett. To which will be added, fur the first time in this Theatre, a new Barletta, entitled THE LADIES' CLUB. Major Mortar (of the U. S.) M. Tilbury. Mrs. Fitzsmyth Mrs. Waylett, in whii:h she will sing " I'll never be married agaiy" In the course of the E ven i ng , Mrs. \VI-LETT will sing Irish Ballad, " Kate Kearn e y" — new Cavatina, " When Night Elves Dance''—Duet, " Evening Bells," with Mrs. Barton—new Ballad, " I sigh for the Woods." To conclude with fhe splendid romantic Drama entitled PETER W ILKINS ; OR, THE FLYING INDIANS! Peter Wilkins.. Mrs. Waylett. Phelim O'Scud Mr. Raymond. Tickets and Places to be had of Mr. J. FOGG, at the Box office, from Eleven to Three. Boxes, 3s. ; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Gd.--Second Price, Half past Eight : Boxes, 2s. ; Pit, Is. ; no Second Price to the Gallery. THE THREE CARACCI. , UNION GALLERY, SLATER-STREET. ARRANGEMENTS having been made foi; .. the Exhibition of these Paintings in Glasgow, the Proprietor begs re spectfully to intimate, that they will be REMOVED at the CLOSE OF THE PRESENT MONTH. Jan. 7, 1840. JOl - 11s; BENTLEY, Keeper. TO CORRESPONDENTS CLEARING TILE FOOTPATIIS.—T. G. complains that while the inhabitants of the town are required by a bye-law to clear the footwalks opposite their houses, particularly after a fall of snow, and while too, a large sum is annually levied for scavenging, the public thoroughfares where there are no houses, have not, during the frost, been cleared of snow, and rendered safely passable. He instances the whole length of the footwalk on the east side of the east wall of Prince's Dock, and indeed the whole line of walk from the bottom of Chapel-street to the Clarence Dock have been left without cleansing by the police or proper authorities ; that they have been in a very dangerous state ; and that delay in the transaction of business, and some serious falls,' threatening limb and even life, have been the consequence. He thinks that if it be not the duty of the police to do the needful, it would be well, at such a season, to employ a number of the destitute poor at moderate wages in the re quired work. " Query" will perceive, from an article which appeared in our last publication, that his communication has been, in a great measure, anticipated. The lines on " Farewell" are marked for insertion in our next. "An Inhabitant of Toxteth 'Ward" wisher us to put the public on their guard against a man who is going round, in that neighbourhood, on the mornings of each Sunday, collecting small sums, as he says, for the purpose of build ing a new churn, to be called St, Mary's. This "new church" is a Roman Catholic Mass House. Many parties have been induced to contribute thief mites, under the idea that the proposed erection is to be in connection with the Established Church. If the individual alluded to has a spark of honesty about him, he will immediately refund those sums which have been given under this false im pression. Several poetical contributions which have been forwarded to us shall appear as soon as we can find room for them. Elie Riberpoot ietanbarb. FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 15, 1841 We have been favoured with extracts from a private letter, dated Monte Video, October 28. It appears that the steamer from Buenos Ayres had arrived on the day previous, bringing 220 passengers and accounts that the conferences between Admiral Mackau and Rosas had terminated on the 25th of October, when the admiral presented an ultimatum which was to be replied to on the 28th, so that certain accounts migh be expected, in a day or two, whether there would bet peace or war. Up to the date received nothing was known as to what had been proposed. There were no preparations made among the French vessels of war, of which 18 were lying at Monte Video. It was therefore concluded that peace was to be made if pos sible. The next accounts will probably announce the final adjustment of the affairs of Beunos Ayres. According to the last advices from Buenos Ayres no man was safe there that possessed any money, when a want for it was felt. It was no uncommon thing to see in the morning a dozen dead bodies, with their throats cut, thrown into the public ground. In our publication of last Friday we intimated the probability that a considerable increase of taxation must shortly be submitted to; and, at the same time, expressed our firm conviction that, even whilst impos ing new burdens, it was in the power of a wise govern ment to make such modifications of our existing sys tem of taxation as would give a material impetus to the manufacturing and commercial industry of the country. We shall now proceed, according to our promise, to point out a few of those duties to which we then alluded, the modification or abolition of which would, we conceive, be desirable, and the amount of which we would gladly see levied in some other and less objectionable form. The first to which we shall advert is the duty upon cotton wool—the staple of our most important manu facture. 'The impolitic nature of this tax—of all taxes, in fact, upon the raw material of articles of export — was fully admitted by Lord Althorp, when conceding the abolition of the duty upon printed calicoes ; and a distinct promise was then held out that its continuance was to be merely temporary. Yet a period of nearly ten years has now elapsed, and no effort has been made to procure its repeal. The duty is one of that nature which does not press itself upon the attention of the masses, but effects its portion of mischief silently and unobserved. Its pressure affords no handle by which hired agitators or an incendiary press can work upon the passions of the many-headed multitude; and hence, it is left out of the catalogue of grievances with which these ingenious gentlemen, from time to time, enliven the dullness of this dull world. It yields a considerable revenue to government; and hence the consideration of its repeal is gladly postponed by the philosophers of Downing-street, whose concessions are generally regulated in accordance with the amount of popular clamour which can be brought to bear upon them, and uniformly take the direction which is pointed out to them by trading agitators and political quacks, in preference to that which a careful regard to the permanent interests of the community would dictate. By the superficial observer it may, indeed, be said that a tax of one-eighth of a penny per pound upon raw cotton cannot press very heavily upon, the commu nity, individually, or even upon any particular classes. We admit that it does not press very severely upon the British consumer of cotton goods; yet, so far as its pressure is felt, the cotton duty may with perfect pro priety be designated a poor man's tax. The rich can not estimate it in the very triflingly advanced price of the few fabrics of cotton which they consume; but it enters more largely into the price of the working man's clothing—into the price of his fustian trowsers, his cotton shirts, and the wearing apparel of his wife and family, which, in nine cases out of ten, are exclusively composed of that fabric. It is not, however, this inequality of which we com plain. It is not as it affects the consumers at home that the tax is impolitic, but as it affects the manufac turing interest, from the merchant downward to the operative classes. It is impolitic, inasmuch as at least three-fourths of the whole amount which it produces is levied upon the export trade of the country, and is extracted from the profits of the merchant and the ma nufacturer, or—which, we fear, is nearer the truth — from the wages of the labourer. It is a direct bonus given to the foreign producer at the expense of native industry—if not of native capital ; and it operates precisely against those fabrics most—(the coarse and heavy descriptions of cloth and yarns)—in which we are the least able to bear competition with foreign ma nufacturers. On this ground alone, a due regard for the com merce of the country imperatively demands the remo val of the duty. It is a fact, well known to most of our exporting merchants, that for years past the foreign demand for our heavy cloths has been gradually de creasing, and that the profits upon these articles have now almost entirely disappeared ; and although the decline of this branch of commerce may, to some extent, be irremediable,—owing to the rapid growth of manu facturing industry amongst other nations, and the adaptation of their tariffs to protect that growth by excluding those fabrics which require the smallest por tion of skill, and are within the scope of their infant manufacture,—yet it is evidently the duty of the go vernment of this country to take care that such decline is not accelerated by the impolitic continuance of this tax upon the raw material. We might instance, along with the cotton duty, a number of other imposts, levied upon articles almost exclusively used for manufacturing purposes, and from which a very inconsiderable amount of revenue is de rived, the reduction of which would be received as an mportant boon to the manufacturing interest, as well as to consumer Amongst these are the duties upon dyewoods, upon a variety of drugs, foreign gums, &c., most of them the products of our colonial possessions, and extensively used in the different processes of dye- ing and printing, as applied both to cotton and to woollen goods ; and we are confident that a reduction of these might be so judiciously arranged Os, without materially affecting the revenue, to give a very mate rial impetus to the foreign and domestic trade of the country. In advancing these few suggestions, it may be urged that ours is not the source from whence they ought to originate. The manufacturing interest, we may be told, should be the first to speak out on matters which so largely affect their immediate prosperity. We admit that such ought to be t:l3 case, although we may re mark that Liverpool is also largely interested in any question affecting the foreign trade of the country. The towns of Manchester, Bolton, Preston, &c., should undoubtedly take the lead in advocating, through their representatives in parliament, these and similar mea sures of financial reform ; but the fact is undeniable, that if even possessed of the will,—if ready to lay aside the dishonest outcry against the corn-laws, which a factious liberalism holds out to the deluded people as the universal panacea for all the evils which its own imbecility has created,—the large manufacturing towns have no influence in the House of Commons. The race of shallow and impertinent gabblers, who presume to represent the opinions and wishes of the manufacturing interest,—the Philipses, the Gregs, the Ainsworths, et hoc genus omne,—are perfect ciphers in St. Stephen's; and if the model of a spinning jenny or a power-loom could be placed in a conspicuous position in front of the Speaker's chair,' to remind the house that the ma nufacturing and commercial interests of the country require occasionally the notice and the aid of the legis lature, we could well dispense with the whole brood of them, for any benefit which their various constituen cies derive from their legislatorial wisdom. 'We were told indeed the other day that one of these enlightened gentlemen—Mr. Mark Philips—had actu ally, on two different occasions, during the ten years for which he has represented the borough of Man chester, done—what, reader ? Twice, this eminent vender of tape and fringes had actually—placed a notice of motion on the books to repeal the cotton duty ! Actually written six or eight lines, in the orthodox form of a notice, and signed his name or his mark at the bottom ; and as deliberately withdrawn the same, as a matter of course, on receiving a minis terial hint that the subject was inconvenient, accompa nied perhaps with an invitation to dine at Lansdowne House, or the offer of a presentation at the next draw ing room. 'When the commercial interests of the country are resigned to the guardianship of such legis lators—when this noodle race of statesmen are recog nised as the exclusive organs of the national industry, we shall indeed have sorry hopes of witnessing much change for the better in cur commercial or financial policy. We shall return to this subject again, in order to no tice the operation of one class of duties in particular which more immediately concerns our own commu nity. "We allude to the stamp duties upon bills of lad ing and policies of marine insurance, which we believe to press with very prejudicial effect upon our merchants and shipowners; and we need scarcely remark upon the importance, at the present moment, whilst menaced with the prospect of a foreign war, of cultivating assi duously the interests of the latter class—the owners of our commercial marine. Looking, as England must look in every emergency, to her navy for protection, a wise and paternal government ought undoubtedly to value and to study the prosperity of the merchant ser vice as the nursery of the seamen who man oiir fleets in the day of peril; and that prosperity, we trust, we shall be able to show, on a future occasion, May be materially advanced by a modification of the duties in question. We hope that by the appointment of a committee to examine fairly and candidly the merits and disadvan tages of the vexata questio of the Dock Warehouse Scheme, some amicable compromise may be made between the belligerent parties, so as to prevent the unnecessary waste of public as well as private money in a three months' fight btfore the House of Commons. This subject ought to be settled in Liverpool, because, if two parties go to London to quarrel there, the land holders of Cheshire and Lancashire will step in and carry away the kernel, while the people of Liverpool are wrangling about the husk. The question is one of considerable difficulty. The town of Liverpool, with its increasing trade, has an undoubted right to adopt every improvement for facilitating commerce : but it must not do so to the ruin, or even injury, of those who have embarked their money during the last century in giving those facilities which the public bo dies until within the last few years were unable to bestow. If warehouses are necessary, they ought, in justice to those who have so large an interest in that description of property, as well as to the merchants who do not want warehouses at all, or who have al ready warehouses of their own, to be built out of a newly-created trust, and not out of the general dock estate. They may, to secure uniformity of manage ment, he placed under the control of the Dock Com mittee; and they ought to be authorised to borrow money on security of that property alone, and not on the credit of' the whole estate. Many may say they cannot mortgage the docks and warehouses for the entire cost. Mr. Evans, however, says that they will yield 15 per cent. ; and, if so, a great surplus revenue will accrue, which may go to liquidate the bonded debt. A change in the constitution of the Dock Trust must also take place. It ought to consist of thirteen ratepayers and eight councillors—not eight self-elected aldermen, but eight popularly-elected councillors; and, lest the mercantile interest should reduce rates too low, the Town Council ought, as at present, to have a veto on their proceedings. This question might have been settled last year had anybody else than Mr. Evans been entrusted with it ; but as this gentleman was determined to run a-muck against every vested inte rest, and carry everything in his OWII way with a high hand, the Dock Trustees were shamefully foiled—as they will be again, unless they, as well as the ware house-owners, are disposed to concede a little. We repeat that this question ought to be decided in Liver pool, not in London. At the Council Meeting on Monday after considerable discussion had taken place, as to the propriety of the Mayor's attendance on the committee appointed on the motion of Mr. Earle, his worship made the following remark in reply to Mr. Bushell:— " Mr. BUSHELL disapproved of the mayor's attendance on that committee, because it would give a preponderance on the side of warehouses. If the council had a pledge from the mayor that he would not attend the committee, then it would render unnecessary the addition of another member ; but, unless he did that, it would be necessary to have another, in order to equalize the numbers. The MAYOR most readily met Mr. Bushell's suggestion, and he hoped the council would excuse his attendance." Why did his worship take a part in the proceedings of the committee on Wednesday last ? Let him be ware how he interferes with the deliberations, from which he has given a solemn pledge to abstain. A body of insane individuals—we call them " in sane" on the authority of Lord Melbourne—who have formed themselves into a society, 'under the designa tion of the " Liverpool Operative Anti-Corn-Law As sociation," held a public meeting on Wednesday even ing, at the Music-hall, for the purpose of petitioning the legislature fQr a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws, and also to address the electors of Walsall in favour of Mr. J. 13. Smith, the " insane" candidate for the representation of that borough. The president of this "insane" meeting was Sir Joshua Walmsley, who has had the Quixotic hardihood to offer himself as a candidate for the representation of Liverpool. The proceedings at the meeting to which we refer are scarcely worth anything like a serious remark. The usual stock of declamatory abuse of the landed and agricultural interests was expended on this occasion, while the silly and fanciful dogmas of the self -conceit ed free -trade philosophers were duly uttered with most oracular gravity. Sir Joshua spoke with a degree of enthusiasm on the subject of the corn-laws, which strongly reminded us of the emphatic declaration of Lord Melbourne —that none but an insane person could think of abolishing the corn-laws. The would be member for Liverpool congratulated the working classes on their advocacy of the anti-corn-law nostrum; that is to say, he congratulated them upon the prospect of low wages and rui ne d tra d e — upon the discourage ment of British industry, the abstraction of British capital, and the prosperity of foreign trade and manu- chives. If the. operative classcii of Liverpool are such madmen as to wish to brie down these consequen upon their own heads, it is not our fault : but we think better of them as a class than to suppose that. they can he so oblivious of their own interests. We feel surprised that Sir Joshua Wahnsle, [lewd have given utterance to the shallow sophism that " the corn-laws had enhanced the price of food, and obliged the community to pay almost double for the necessa ries of life; for the price of corn, instead of being as it now was at 60s. and 70s. per quarter, would, with a free trade, be down at 405." It is scarcely consistent with Cocker to say that 60s. is nearly double 40s. ; nor is it consistent with fact to assume that from 6os. to 70s. is the average price of corn under the operation of the corn-laws : from 50s. to 60s. would have been much nearer the truth. Still less is it consistent with reason to assert that corn would be absolutely cheaper under the operation of the free-trade principle. Rela tively it would be so for a season; that is to say until a monopoly of the supply could be secured by foreign growers and English importers of grain. But even supposing that the price of corn could be permanently kept down—which could never be done unless an unre stricted supply could be secured—the working classes would derive no benefit whatever from the relative cheapness of that necessary of life. It should be re membered that the Anti Corn-Law league would never have expended a farthing in agitating the question of a free trade in corn, if they did not calculate upon such a reduction of wages as would enable them to compete with the foreign manufacturer. We intreat the work ing classes not to suffer themselves to be gulled on this point. Let them reflect whether, with a reduction of 6s. Bd. in the pound in the amount of their wages, a reduction to the same extent in the price of corn would be any benefit to them. The thing is palpably prepos- terous We feel no surprise, however, when we find Sir Joshua Wahnsley declaiming against the protection af forded to our colonial products. The free trade philo sophers are certainly consistent' in one thing:---they profess the most ineffable hatred towards every thing which is of essential advantage to Great Britain. They would fling British agriculture to the dogs, and would express no concern if all our colonial territories were submerged in the depths of the ocean. " Success to foreigners" seems to be their ruling maxim. They say that "if we could take the productions of other countries, duty free, in exchange for ours, we should have more manufactured goods to return to them." Indeed! How much more of our manufactures was taken by the corn-growing countries of the continent during the time that corn was introduced free of duty into Great Britain ? Had we not to pay six or eight millions of hard cash for foreign corn in the course of 1838 and 1839 ? If the productions of other countries were introduced, free of duty, for home consumption, what would be the inevitable consequence ? Foreign manufacturers would immediately undersell us in our own markets. It is utter nonsense to assert that with, all the appliances of British skill and industry, and with wages reduced to starvation point, we could com pete with foreign manufacturers. Labour must neces sarily be cheaper on the continent than in this country, even supposing the trade in corn to be perfectly free. The large amount of taxation neceitary to pay the interest of the national debt renders it impossible that we could compete with the lightly taxed manufactu rers of the continent. But this is not all. The mere addition of the cost of freight and the importers' pro fits to the price of foreign corn must render corn dearer in this country. The consequence of the free trade principle would therefore be, that the cabinet-makers, shoemakers, tailors, saddlers, coachmakers, and hatters of Hamburg, Bremen, and other parts of Germany, would supersede the same classes of British tradesmen ; Belgium would obtain a monopoly in the iron market; and France, Belgium, and Prussia would exclusively supply this country with manufactured fabrics in silk, wool, and cotton. That man must certainly be " in sane" who imagines that such a state of things would be of any advantage to this country. We cannot but admire the candour displayed by Sir Joshua Walmsley in preventing any opposition to the views which he propounded to the "insane" meet ing of Wednesday evening. The mild and gentle manly tones in which he threatened to eject Mr . Palmer and another gentleman from the meeting ex hibited in a strong light the amenity of his disposition , the urbanity of his manners, and the strict imparti ality of his conduct. It would scarcely have suited his purpose to allow any one to undeceive the working classes on the subject or the Anti-corn law humbug. He acted most prudently in refusing a hearing to Mr. Palmer. It would have been inconvenient to have permitted that gentleman to demolish the flimsy and shallow reasonings of our would-be representative. His command over the police saved him from this painful humiliation. We observe that the corn. law repealers concluded their proceedings on Wednesday by giving " three cheers for the Repeal of the Union." This fact con vinces us that the operatives of Liverpool had nothing to do with the meeting. It was evidently composed of Mr. Rosson's Irish brigade. We can scarcely believe that any decent English operative would venture among such a set of vagabonds. Any resolutions emanating from such a meeting, even with Sir Joshua Walmsley as president, must be unutterably contemptible. We understand that it is the intention of many in fluential natives of the Principality, resident in this town, shortly to convene a public meeting, for the pur pose of petitioning the legislature against the proposed scheme for uniting the dioceses of St. Asaph and Ban gor, and of abstracting from the amount of their sine cure incomes, for the support of a bishopric at Man chester, whilst so many livings in North Wales remain so inadequately endowed. We are glad to hear that a provisional committee has already been formed, and that steps have been taken to insure the attendance of several eloquent opponents of the above obnoxious plan. We shall feel happy in rendering all the assist ance in our power to forward so praiseworthy an object as that which our Welsh friends have in contemplation. The inhabitants of several places in North Wales have already taken the initiative in this matter ; and we have no doubt that the exertions already commenced will be followed up with becoming spirit by the Welsh inhabi tants of Liverpool. We trust that one of the first topics that will engage the attention of Parliament, during the approaching session, will be the progress of the repeal agitation in Ireland. A glance at any of the Irish papers of the present week will convince even the most sceptical that the spirit of disaffection is rapidly spreading, in every direction, throughout Ireland. At the great meeting which took place last week in the county of Westmeath, upwards of 50,000 persons attended. When appealed to by Mr. O'Connell, this vast multitude declared them selves unanimously in favour of repeal. It is now as evident as daylight that the Popish hierarchy and priest hood are decidedly in favour of the repeal movement. The dinner given the other day at Mullingar was at tended by great numbers of these reverend and right reverend agitators, all of whom spoke, in the most un equivocal terms, in favour of separation from England. For instance, Dr. Higgins, the titular Bishop of Ar• dagh, declared that the Roman Catholic Bishops "would never he found to stand aloof, when the cause of the nation and the interests of their people were in ques tion ;" adding that " they had the example of some of the Popes of Christendom, who boldly advocated the rights of their people." But, as if these boasts were not sufficiently explicit, he proceeded to say—" We look upon the part which we are now taking in the struggle as an imperative duty, and we have one and all arrived at the determination of becoming repealers, because we have ceased to place hope on any other efforts." Is this language sufficiently strong to convince the Globe and Morning Chronicle that the priests are at the bottom of the repeal movement ? If it be not, we request the attention of the ministerial scribes to the speech of another titular, delivered at the same meeting. The Right Rev. Titular, Dr. Cantwell, of Meath, said—" I am convinced that the repeal is a holy cause, for I am of opinion that it is the only means by which we can hope to make our country prosperous —our people happy—and the throne more secure. We will, then, one and all, priests, bishops, and people, unite in a cause that is to bring happiness to our native land." This plain and intelligible language must surely dispel the delusions of the ministerial press. It proves that the Romish hierarchy are bent upon the disaernimment of the empire. This is the great object linelkow ever glibly they may cant about the security of th At the meeting to which We have referred, the titular of Ardagh boasted, that in his diocese alone, he couhi number one hundred Clergymen repeaters, and ex pressed a hope, that before many months should pdss away, he should be enabled, with the assistance of his clergy, to enrol - four hundied thousand Fepealers. When such boasts are thus openly made by the Rom ish prelates of Ireland, it is high time to draw the at tention of Parliament to the subject of this repeal movement. We trust that a single week will not be allowed to elapse before some spirited member of the House of Commons will boldly take up the question, with a view to the interference of the government. Let the boasted loyalty of the Melbourne ministry be tested upon this subject. LOCAL NEWS We are glad to perceive that the Rev. D. James and the churchwardens of St. Mary's, Kirkdale, are collecting funds to relieve the poor of that populous suburb, at this inclement season. Mr. James is to preach on their behalf on Sunday next. It would be well it church collections were to be ge nerally made,—the churchwardens distributing the funds so raised to the many who are now sufferers ; and especially to those whose necessities require to be sought out. It is in this way that the Church of England would prove " a blessing to those who are ready to perish." TESTIMONIAL OF RESPECT TO JOHN DIXON, EsQ., EN GINEER TO THE BIRKENHEAD RAlLWAY.—Passing Mr. Doke the silversmith's shop in Lor&street, yesterday, our attention was drawn to a very hand Some silver salver ex hibited in the window. On inspecting it we found the fol lowing inscription neatly displayed in a c i rcu l ar s hi e ld i n th e centre :—" This slight testimonial of affectionate regard pre sented to John Dixon, Esq., civil engineer, by his pupils, at the close of the works on the Chester and Birkenhead Rail way, January, 1841." The salveris executed in Mr. Doke's first style; it is costly and tasteful, and will form a useful and ornamental appendage to a sideboard. The value is 30 guineas CAUTION.—There appeared in the Guardian of Saturday a paragraph, copied from the Birmingham Advertiser, re specting a robbery committed at the houge of Mr. Smith, New Inn, BroMsgrove-street, Birmingham, by a person pro fessing to be a Frenchman, who had' been stopping there a short time. A person exactly answering the description took lodgings at No. 44; Dale-street, on Wednesday last, under the name of Mr.- Charles, stating that he had just arrived by the London train, and representing himself as a traveller in the shawl trade. He left the house on Friday afternoon, and returned in a rew.minutes, saying he was compelled by un foreseen circumstances to leave Manchester that day, paid his lodgings very honourably, and wished the landlady (Mrs. Barnes) to reserve his bed until his return, which would be on Tuesday without tail, offering, at the same time, to pay a week's board in advance ; but she, seeing the apparent honour of her lodger, declined to receive the money. She had oc casion to go up stairs shortly afterwards, when she soon as certained that Mons. Charles had walked off with a black single-breasted surtout and a black velvet waistcoat, the pro perty of a boarder—a Mr. Myddelton Jones. It has since been learned, that he booked himself for Liverpool the same evening. Mr. Jones was possessed of an accordion, which he was playing on Thursday night, when Mr. Charles ex pressed his particular attachment to musique; and he proved his attachment, by carrying off the instrument, along with the coat and waistcoat. No doubt, before this time, some body in Liverpool has experie nce d the ben e fit s o f his pa tronage.—Manchester Guardian. LAWTON'S GAME PIES..:—•" Mine host of the Rainbow,' William Lawton, deserves a patent of nobility for manufac turing Christmas pies. They occu-py the attention of all e-pi -cures. They are most pi- quant in flavour, and we pi ty any body who wants a pi -lot to point the way to them, or a pi-onecr to cut into their recesses. Such estimable works as Law ton's cannot be pi -rated. There is no gam-mon in these game pies, which, punning apart, ought to be placed on the pi-nnacle of game. DANCING.-Mr. flarwood's classes, we perceive, will shortly be recommenced. Th ere are f ew p ro f essors o f the art of dancing so well qualified as himself to impart graceful deportment and that air of ea se an d p ro priety whi c h, if taught early in life, often in mature years proves a passport to good society. TESTIMONIAL TO SIR JOSHUA WALMSLEY.—The prize " Englynion " composed by " Penfelyn," in honour of Sir Joshua Walinsley, for his kindness and hospitality shewn to the Welsh bards, at the Eisteddvod last year, has been printed in gold, and a copy may be seen in the window of the STANDARD office. This elegant mark of respect was executed at the STANDARD printing-office, and we think may fairly lay claim to admiration for its richness and taste. The original was presented to Sir Joshua last week, in an extremely hand some oak frame : and we believe he is very much gratified at this acknowledgment from the Ancient Britons. The Rev. W. Farley, curate of Mottram, having been appointed to the curacy of Trinity Church, Salford, was pre sented, by the poor attending Mottram Church, with a purse containing 25 sovereignss, accompanied with an address ex pressive of their regret at his removal, and of their gratitude for his zealous and kind services among them. The teachers of the Church Sunday School, at the same time, presented him with an elegantly bound pocket bible as a small tribute of their regard for his valuable assistance in the school. — Manchester Guardian. SQUINTING.—The removal of this disfigurement in the personal appearance of individuals: is now beginning to be generally appreciated. The success which attends the opera tion, and the high gratification it yields to the patient, are in themselves a high recommendation. A fellow-citizen and neighbour, who laboured under extreme obliquity of vision, has, under the scientific operation of Mr. Bainbrigge, of Liverpool, been entirely relieved of an intolerable squint, suffering, as he expresses himself, more inconvenience than pain during the operation. We understand that Mr. Peacock, the skilful house surgeon of our infirmary, has provided himself with the proper instruments, and is ready to perform the desirable operation on any one that offers.—Chester Chronicle. PILOTAGE.—IMPORTANT SUGGESTION.—We have con versed with several captains of vessels, and particularly with Captain John Gowan, of the Falcon steamer, running be tween this port and Belfast, on the subject of the charges for pilotage out of and into this harbour. Captain G. states, that at Belfast the charge for piloting steamers is reduced one-third, in consideration of the pilots havinc , less trouble in bringing them out of and into port, than they have with other vessels. A sailing vessel, too, if the captain of her re quires a steam-tug, and obtains one, is charged only the pilotage required from a steamer, one-third being deducted, to go towards the cost of the steam-tug. In Belfast, too, there is no charge of pilotage required, for a steamer, it she does not take a pilot, but works her own way in and out. _Here, if a steamer is once seen and recognised outside by a pilot-boat, she is charged the full amount of pilotage, even if she passes the boat and does not receive a pilot on board. Captain G. is of opinion that the reduction of the pilotage on steamers or ships towed by steamers is reasonable and just, and ought to be adopted by the pilots committee of this port. It would be an inducement to captains to employ steam-tugs, and thus ensure the safer and speedier entrance or departure of their vessels, when they might otherwise be deterred by the heaviness of the expense. The time and trouble saved by the pilots, by the employment of tugs, is also a consideration in favour of the reduced expense. It is somewhat remarkable that on Thursday night, while Cap tain Gowan was expressing to us a wish that his suggestion might be thrown out, the captain of a b arque f r om Bahia, belonging to Messrs. Miller and Russell, came up, and stated that while outside that day, he had refused to take a steam-tug, under the impression that he would easily reach the river with the same tide. Unfortunately, however, the wind became south easterly, and the consequence was the vessel got upon the East Wharf bank, where she then lay, and as the tides are taking off, and will yet fall about two feet, if she were not got off soon, there is no saying what may be the damage she will sustain, or the cost the owners may incur in the event of the weather becoming stormy. The employment, indeed, of steam-tugs, ought, we think, for the safety of shipping, and consequently for the general benefit of the port, to be encouraged by all reasonable means, and the charging of steamers, or of vessels towed with the same pilotage as vessels worked out or in under sail, appears to be so far an unjustifiable tax upon the proprietors. The saving of a tide, and even sometimes of a single hour, may enable a vessel to dock a day or half a day sooner; and may in some cases save a vessel from loss or damage, should it come on to blow, and bringing her cargo to an earlier and more pro fitable market. It should be considered, too, that the cap tains of our regular trading steamers are themselves nearly all as well acquainted with the channel as the pilcits. We shall probably hereafter revert to the subject of pilotage ge nerally. Meantime we submit Captain Gowan's suggestion to the serious consideration of the committee.—From a Cor respondent. MEETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE.—The dock com mittee held their weekly meeting yesterday, at the office in Revenue-buildings. Mr. Bean, the deputy-chairman pre sided, and the following members were also present :—Messrs. Barclay, T. Holt, H. Holmes, Middleton, Smith, Booth, Horsfall, Mellor, G. Holt, Evans, Martin, Ripley, and Tobin. The usual routine business, such as the passing and confirmation of accounts having been disposed of, a report from the sub-committee of works was presented, recom mending certain alterations to be made on the quay of the Queen's Dock. Mr. Evans, however, suggested that in con sequence of what had recentiy passed in the council, it would be desirable to set aside all intended alterations on a e dock quays, at least for the present. This suggestion was adopted, and the report merely received. Several letters and reports were read concerning the location of fire-engines at some of the graving docks ; and also a proposition to board up, on the west side, for the sake of protecting goods against the weather, the shed on the west side of George's dock. Both these subjects were referred to the sub-com mittee of works for their determination thereon. The sub committee, for the department of the harbour and dock master, reported that they had investigated a complaint made by Henry Hughes, a pilot, against the pier -master of George's pier, and had dismissed it ; also that they had in vestigated a charge preferred against the pier -master of Queen's pier, of having received 5s from the master of the ship Newport, contrary to the bye-laws, and that the charge had been proved. The penalty for this offence is instant dismissal, but the sub-committee, in consideration of this being the first offence of the pier-waster, during thirteen years' service, recommended the general committee to severely reprimand him, and admonish him, as to the conse quences of any similar offence in future. The pier -master was accordingly called in, and reprimanded by the chairman. On the recommendation of the same sub-committee, Richard Williams, a dock-gateman was discharged for having been in toxicated at tide-time, on 31st of Dec. last, and on the Ist Jan. inst. The sub-committee of works presented a report, from which it appeared the master of Waterloo and Victoria docks, having requested an advance of salary, the sub-committee proposed that for the future he be remunerated as the master of Prince's Dock, after the rate of a farthing per ton unon the tonnage worked by th e docks, with 440 a-ye ar addi tional for house rent. It was stated that at present he re ceived £2-10 per annum, including a house. Mr. Evans thought that the tendency of the system of paying so much f,er ton was to overcrowd particular docks. Mr. Horsfall said it certainly was attended with some inconvenience, but in the whole it was found the best plan in practice. Mr. Ripley disapproved of it. The Chairman objected to it on the ground that it sometimes occasioned disputes, and that much valuable time w as necessa rily consumed by the dock master in ascertaining the amount of tonnage to which he was entitled. Mr. Evans said, unquestionably this was not the best system, as the dockmaster by it was naturally agi tated by a sense of his own interest, and therefore could not give his undivided attention to his strict duty. The re port was then referred back to the Sub-committee, with in structions to revise the whole system of paying dockmasters, some of whom it appears are paid by a fixed salary and others by a per centage on the tonnage. An application from the master of the American ship Rob Roy for the return of some graving dock dues paid by him under the circumstances de tailed in his letter, was referred to the Sub-committee for the Harbour Masters' department. The committee then , adjourned. —We beg to draw attention to Mr. Shade's advertisement of piano -fortes. From his stock a good in strument may be chosen at a very low pride. PIANO-FORT} We can, from wperience, highly recommend Mr. Eggle ston's Vegetabl e Paste as a cure for the tooth-ache.—Sie adv. PORTRAIT OI THE GREAT LIVERFOOL.—A very cleverly drawn and faithful portrait of the Great Liverpool steamer, drawn by Mr. Kempe (her second officer), has just made its appearance. This sketch is spirited. In the back-ground we have a view of the city of Malta. The middle is occu pied by the steamer, while the foreground is judiciously re lieved by two or three small Maltese craft. The original drawing has been charmingly resketched on stone, by that very clever artist, Herclman. This lithograph will enrich the portfolio of any collection. PIANO-FORTE TUNING.—There is nothing so indispen sable to the attainment cf a good ear for music, in learners, as the perfection of an instrument. Very often we have remarked instruments to be - somewhat out of tune, when the reply has been, " Oh, Miss So-and-So is only learning." We make this remark, as we Perceive Mr. Venables, the instrument-tuner, from Chester, has become a resident here. and has commenced busineSs, under very good auspices. •He possesses great musical knowledge, both theoretical and able to perform whatever he professes. LIVER THEATRE.—" Peter Wilkins," the most popular of all popular fairy tales, has been most excellently drama tised at the Liver. The scenery is really beautiful, the greater portion of it has been painted t'or the occasion. Mrs. Waylett plays Peter with great naivete and spirit. Mrs. Barton plays Eureka very nicely. The duet sang by Peter and his winged love is very pretty. Mr. C. Marshall quite surprised us as The Wild Man. He is equal to Gouffe in activity. The sleeping scene is very amusing. Mr. Ray mond as an Irishman, Mr. Tilbury as a cautious Scotchman, and Mr. II iggie as a cockney, were diverting in the extreme. This is one of the best pieces produced this season, and draws a tremendous halt' price. The first piece—" Mary the Maid of the Inn is a drama that cannot fail to delight all who are fond of the horrible.—Mrs. Waylett to-night takes her benefit ; so sweet a singer ought to be encouraged. We believe she will introduce, in the course of the evening, a new balled, of Mr. Lee's composition, called " I sigh for the Woods." SUBSCRIPTION CONCERTS.—On Tuesday evening, the third subbcription concert of the season took place at the Theatre Royal. This concert was decidedly the best of the season. It went off admirably, and appeared to give very general satisfaction. The overture to William Tell was en cored. The precision and spirit with which it was given did the orchestra infinite credit. Bishops old but charming ballad of " Meet Again" was delightfully sang by Miss WOodyatt and Miss Dolby. Mr. Hobbs's ballad of " The Dying Girl to her Mother" was very charmingly sung by the composer. It is a very clever composition. Blagrove's concerto " Mayseder" was excellent. Mr. Blagrove is de- cidedly the first V• eitlicr for brilliancy of deimaid's song, . Lindley's list of the d execution, or quality of tone Miss Woodyatt, r sung like a Siren _ Fantasia" went off with ireat . eclat. The concluding duet, "Oh Maiden Fair," by Paisiello, sung by Miss Woodyatt Mr. Hobbs, was really a great treat. It is a most deli ciouS composition. The second part opened with Mendel shon's sublime overture to " Midsummer Night's Dream." " Sweet Willie" would have been delighted to have heard it. It was admirably played. Rossini's " Cruda sorte" went oil very fairly. The next composition, " Bata Bath" was a gem._ The old veteran's accompaniment was really spienum. D lag rove s enort trom i - ecnatscheic was very beautiful, and narrowly escaped an encore. " Felicitia" elicited applause. Schubert's song of "The Wanderer" was delightfully sung by Miss Dolby. This lady is wonder fully improved since her last appearance here. The next song, " The Captive Greek Girl,' composed by Mr. Hobbs and sung by him, was most undeservedly encored. Mr. Hobbs certainly made more of it the second than the first time. The movement of quartett, two violins enor and . , violoncello, "God preserve the Emperor," by Haydn, was worth any sum of money to hear. It was deliciously played. The concert concluded with a ballad by Miss Woodyatt, and a trio of Weber's. Those who were present will do Mr. Ashton the justice to say that the concert was admirably got up. The selections were tasteful, judicious, and had sufficient novelty to be pleasing. The fourth concert will he got up in a fortnight. The house was well warmed and comfortable. MORAVIAN MISSIONS.—We beg to draw the attention of our readers to a most forcible appeal (which will be found elsewhere) made upon their feelings as men and christians in behalf of the Morevian missions in Greenland. The hard ships that these devoted people undergo for the purpose of spreading christian knowledge is but faintly shadowed forth in that appeal. The present cold weather can but faintly give us an idea of the bitter winds of the north, and if we complain when the thermometer is hardly below Zero, we ought to extend to our christian brethren much sympathy, kindness, and support to enable them to withstand " the pittiless pelt ing of the storm," braved for a work indeed of love, when it stands with them at 50 degrees below that point. We are certain that no one perusing the highly interesting statement to which we refer can refuse them succour. It will be noticed that in St. Petersburgh there is a society formed for the pur pose of gathering subscriptions and affording relief to these kind-hearted creatures, but the funds at present are low, and require the aid of the benevolent. It will be observed that several ladies and gentlemen in this neighbourhood have un dertaken to receive subscriptions. SEAMEN'S WAGES.—At the Police Court, yesterday, a black named Thomas applied for a balance of wages alleged to be due to him, he having performed a voyage from British America to this port as an ordinary seaman. It appeared, however, that the applicant was no seaman at all; that he could neither hand, reef, nor steer, and that if he could he had incapacitated himself from doing so for 17 days, by hav ing indiscreetly contracted a loathsome disease. A small balance of Ils. was, however, allowed him.—A seaman named Mills also applied for wages due on a similar voyage, in another vessel. He, too, had shipped as an able seaman, but was altogether incompetent, and even owed money to the ship. The application was dismissed. OBTAINING MONEY UNDER FALSE PRETENCES Police Court, yesterday, a man named John Duff was placed at the bar, charged with having accepted of several engage ments to go to sea, but after receiving monthly notes from the parties respectively, got them cashed, and refused to proceed on any voyage whatever. Mr. Aikin lamented that the case did not fall within the jurisdiction of that court, and advised the parties to proceed against him by action. The prisoner was necessarily ditcharged. •At the JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.—Seven boys, named Rooney, W. Travers, Milligan, Johnston, Roberts, Curnell, and L. Travers, were yesterday placed at the bar of the police-court, on a charge of attacking parties with snowballs, and also with cutting some bags of sugar in two carts witd intent to ,steal. They were found in the fife-room of the Glass Works, Great Howard-street, where they had no right to be. Mr. Inspector Tyrrell said they were all well-known thieves ; that the pro prietor of the glass works had fixed an iron grate to keep them out, but that they broke it down and returned to the premises, which they used as a rendezvous. Near the pri soners were found numerous bones of geese and turkeys, which they had doubtless stolen. They were each committed to the House of Correction for 14 days. STEALING FROM A SHIP.—At the police-court, yesterday, a man named James Howley was charged with having stolen a sheet of sheathing copper. The case was proved, and he was committed to gaol for one month. ASSAULT.—A man named Thomas Walker was yesterday charged, at the police-court, before Mr. Aikin and Mr. R. V. Yates, with having violently and unprovokingly assaulted a gentleman on the previous day, to whom he was totally un known. He struck the complainant on the face and bled his nose. He had before been committed for a breach of the law, and was required to pay 405., or be imprisoned one PROMISES OF FORGIVENESS TO OFFENDERS.—At the police court, yesterday, a young woman was charged with having stolen some wearing apparel, which had been hung up in a yard to dry. There could be no doubt that she had committed the delinquency, which, indeed, she admitted to one of the officers, when apprehended, but another having proved that he heard the prosecutor promise to forgive her, if the articles were returned, Mr. Aikin, who occupied the bench, in the absence of Mr. Rushton, said that from the promise made, the prisoner must be discharged ; and he strongly admonished and dismissed her. THE HALIFAX AND BOSTON MAIL STEAM-SHIP ACA DIA.—The latest advices from Boston at New York, up to noon on the 19th, state that the Acadia, which left Liverpool on the 4th of December, had not arrived at Boston at four p.m. on the 18th, which leaves her out 14 days. The last four Liverpool packets which have arrived—viz., Roscoe, Stephen Whitney, Columbus, and Sheridan—have each res cued the lives of the crew of an English vessel, and brought them to this port.—New York paper. RUMOURED DREADFUL ACC l DENT.—Ruinours have been prevalent in this neighbourhood, that on Monday last a most serious calamity happened on Whittlesey Mere, the ice breaking, and, it is said, upwards of 100 lives have been lost. From inquiries we have made, we have reason to fear this rumour is not without foundation, though various reports still continue.—Cambridge Advertiser of Wednesday. INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.—The members of the Loyal Duke of Norfolk Lodge held their annual ball at the house of Mrs. Naylor, Black Horse and Rainbow Ta vern, Cheapside, on Monday, the 11th inst., w h en u p war d s of one hund re d persons attended. The suit of rooms appro priated for the occasion were well adapted for the accommo dation of the visitors, and gave general satisfaction. The dancing commenced at half-past eight o'clock, and continued until an early hour in the morning. Much praise is due to the worthy hostess, for the handsome manner in which she provided and accommodated the visitors with refreshments, in her usual plentiful and elegant style. The company re tired highly satisfied with the evening's entertainment. Great praise is also due to the band furnished by Mr. Phil lips, for the very able manner in which they contributed their part to the evening's amusement. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.—The following circular has been addressed by Lord J. Russell to the supporters of go vernment in the House of Commons :—" Downing-street, Jan. 2, 1841.—Sir,—The meeting of parliament being fixed for Tuesday, the 26th inst., I take the liberty of very parti; cularly requesting your attendance on that day.—l have the honour to be, your obedient servant, "J. RUSSELL." RIBBLE NAVIGATION IMPROVEMENT. - Having from time to time availed ourselves of each fitting opportunity for reporting to our readers the. progress of that most important and formidable part of the Ribble improvement undertaking, the excavation of the rock, we have, at length, the great gra tification of announcing the full realization of the hopes we have held out of its speedy and perfect completion. The work is not .only completed according to the original pro spectus by the engineers, but has been c arr i e d near l y fi ve feet deeper, and d ou bl e the width which was then proposed. The excavation, as now accomplished, will give a depth, in that part of the river, of full twenty feet, at ordinary spring tides. The width also will be adequate to any vessel that ever ploughed the main of BriJam. The two walls upon which the framework of the coffer dam was erected, techni cally called " inidfeathers," are all that now remain of the once immense bed of rock ; and these a week's fine weather will be amply sufficient to remove. Considering the state of the weather of late, and the ponderous nature of the opera tions, the greatest credit is due to the directors, the con tractors, and all concerned, for the activity and persevering enterprise which have characterized their proceedings throughout. Of late, the men have been working night and day, in order to effect what is now happily accomplished,— tae entire removal of the impervious rocky bar, before the period of the forthcoming high tides.—Preston Chronicle. We are given to understand that the Marquis Conyngham has entirely seceded from the whigs, and that his lordship will join the conservative phalanx at the Duke of Welling ton's banquet, immediately preceding the opening of parlia ment.—Kentish Gazette. We are exceedingly sorry to hear that Captain Alsager, the worthy and able conservative member for East Surrey, is labouring under very severe illness—indeed, 'great alarm is felt by his friends as to his recovery. REPEAL PALSEHOODS. — One of the speakers at the anti corn law meeting at Portsmouth, said "It was not the landed gentry who fought the battle of Waterloo ; they had too many comforts to induce them to stay at home." What rubbish and falsehood is this ? The owners or heirs to thou sands of acres were present on that memorable occasion-- but how many cotton lords ? A PLEASANT PIECE OF WORK.—In the Eastern Coun ties' Accident we ought not to expect any tolerable arrange ments, lor all persons conversant with railway matters are aware that the directors, or at least a portion of them, have been for a long time pleasantly and profitably employed in the amiable operation of cutting the proprietors' throats, so that all the shareholders of common prudence have backed Out The Railroad Quarterly Journal. REPLY OF DR. BUCK TO THE CHARGES PRE FERRED AGAINST HIM BY CAPT. WILLIAMS. (Continued from our last.) SECOND C " Second,—Whether the allegation made by the chaplain to the inspector of prisons, that the schoolmistress had been proselytizing the Protestant prisoners, and that two female prisoners of the latter persuasion had by her influence left the prison Catholics, is founded on facts." The statement made by me to the inspector of prisons was, that I had heard, some considerable time since, that such an event had taken place, so far as related to two prisoners, not generally ; that I - had no means of proving its truth or falsity ; that I had never heard the names of the parties, although different officers of the prison had conversed with me on the subject, some one of whom, but which I could not remember, had been my informant, my present impression being that the matron had been that person. I confess I never expected to hear of the circumstance again, and can only regard this charge, though sp seriously worded, as a sort of make weight, to help towards my removal from The evidence produced, though not supporting the fact re ported to me, and mentioned by me to the inspector, at least shows, that circumstances quite sufficient to arouse the sus picions of the chaplain of this prison have taken place—cir cumstances requiring, as I should have thought, the interven tion of the justices, that proselytes may not be made to the Roman Catholic religion. For lst.—lt has been elicited that the schoolmistress, in opposition to her known duties has, with the knowledge of the matron, against• the matron's well understood duty, without the permission, and contrary to the known will of the chaplain, lent a Roman Catholic missal to one of the prisoners, she well knowing at the time that Dr. Buck had then the sole right of lending such a book to any one iu con finement. 2ndly. It has come to light,—that on a second occasion hen she knew she had no right so t o d o , i n con t raven ti on o f nown will, and right to be consulted without lent to an chaplain's l Catholic m !colic' prisoner a second Roman 3rdly. The evidence produced, mistress had Roman Catholic boot Lows that the sel _ iu her pons the prison, without the knowledge of the chaplain, and con trary to the laws of the prison. Ellen Norris says, " I am the schoolmistress of the pri sop. I am of the Roman Catholic persuasion. I have never spoken to any prisoners as to their particular religious tenets, I frequently do not know their religious tenets. I generally have an idea from the schools they . go to before. Ido not always ask th e ques ti on . I l ent a Catholic prisoner a Catholic prayer-book, without applying to the governor or chaplain. She never had, possession of the books out of my presence. I believe when I first went there. I once lent a sick girl one, Miss Davies knew of it. I have only an almanack of my own in the prison now, and have not had any books of my own there for some time." -ith. That the chaplain had expressed to the govei fears that the children would be converted to catlA and also to the matron, which could not have been in the absence of all cause she says, an observation once fell from Dr. Buck, that the children would be converted to catho- sthly. That the governor had spoken to Dr. Buck, on the subject of Miss Davies the matron, being, through her inti macy with the schoolmistress, and Roman Catholic publi cations, lent to her by the mistress, tinged with Roman Catholic opinions. In fact, though the governor could not, me of his cross-c at the t —,amination, speak decidedly on the subject, only saying in answer to the question, " Did you ask me to speak with her on the subject. I may or may not have done so. I won't say that I did not, but I cannot say that I did. I said that Misi Davies and the school mistress had been reading Roman Catholic books, and some of them said that Miss Davies was likely to become a Catholic. I said I hoped she would not." In continuing the conversation, I will not say whether I asked the chap lain to speak to her or not. This whole examination is so curious that I call your attention to it. By the magistrates—" Did you request Dr. Buck to speak to Miss Davies about catholicism or not ? " I will not say whether or not." By Chaplain—" Do you recollect speaking to me about the sacrament as relates to yourself? " I do. " How long is that ago ? " About three or four months. '" Did not the conversation take place on that day ? " I solemnly swear it did not. I said I should be happy to see the sacrament administered in the gaol. " Have you lately had a - conversation with me about Miss Davies? Yes. " Did you in that conversation speak to me about the Ro man Catholic doctrine ? " Not on that occasion. " Have you at that time spoken to me on the subject of Miss Davies being lightly to be tinged with Roman Catholic doctrines ? " I have. " Was the schoolmistress's name mentioned in such con- versation " On a former conversation it was. " On any occasion did you ask me to speak to Miss Davies ? " I wont say I did, or I did not. " Have you reason to think this has been a subject of con versation among the officers ? " I heard it from some of the female officers." fithly.- Miss Davies's extreme sensibilit. man Catholic feelings has been brought to light. I rt al an extract from my journal, " Sunday, March 4th, 1838.—Visited Eliza Lefroy (twice) —An awful instance of sin followed by horror and despair. I prayed with—and for her; her shrieks at the thought of dying, and appearing before the judgment seat of Christ, were most appalling.. The inmates of the infirmary were very much affected with the spectacle, if not by my remarks, for I took the opportunity of afterwards addressing them." " Monday, March sth, 1838.—The convict Lefroy died last night at half-past eleven all appearance not alleviat ,- ing, 1 Cor. xv. s(►-" a regard to Ro- The horrors o. ier mind to Subject of address this morn- The death of the believer and the un- zany a weeping eye—and I hope heart. It was season of solemn awe, which I trust a Covenant God may bless to good." Miss - Davies's present impressions of this death, and of this discourse preached two years and seven months since, is thus elicited in evidence—of course designed to prove nay unfitness as a chaplain. As to the death.—" I recollect visiting a prisoner Lefrov , out two years ago, chapla the hospital. I ciOn't know that she was in despair. 1 he"ard her screams. •She was in great agony before she died. I did not know it was from fear of going to hell." • As to the discourse.— about a female prisoner. priests, and died in despair I remember his addressing them He said they had trusted to their I hare heard him use the term priest in the pulpit. 1 have not heard the female prisoners talk about it. lam not aware it caused any disquietude in the prison. I have heard mention made on several occa sions, allusions to the Roman Catholics similar to those I have explained. I cannot remember words : is a general impression. Dr. Buck's attention has not always been re- ceived favourably by the Catholic females. I have never heard why so, in a manner I could explain. I have found some slight difference in the doctrines in the prison to what I have been accustomed to elsewhere. I have noticed it myself." Miss Davies is the only witness who speaks of any pri soners being hurt in mind by any remarks I have made in preaching, except Mrs. Norris, the schoolmistress, who told the child or children who complained that they were cer tainly mistaken. The chaplain thinks it right to observe, that he has never attempted to hide his opinions; that the employment of a Roman Catholic schoolmistress, in a prison in a Protestant country,—he as chaplain having no real control over the school, but only, and that for a comparatively short period of late, a superintending visiting office,—is inconsistent with the Protestantism of the country, and the wellbeing of the Protestant children in this prison. A teacher is expected to explain what is read, and when the Scriptures are in use, must explain them. There is—to show, I presume, the extreme liberality of the schoolmistress in matters concerning religion, and how un likely she is to attempt to proselytise—a remarkable piece of evidence produced : " Dr. Buck took away the Bibles, and after much diffi culty, considerable delay, and entreaty, she at last obtained the favour of having one Bible in the school—being, in the meantime, much hurt at the abstraction." Here you will observe that the usual, and best known or der of things, is reversed. The Protestant minister denies the use of a Bible—the Roman Catholic hungers for it, as needful food for his children. A singular circumstance this in a prison having more than six hundred persons within its walls, every one of whom who can read (if the chaplain's directions have been attended to) being supplied with a copy of the New Testament during the first six months of imprisonment, and an Old and New Tes tament complete during the residue of his or her confine ment. Now we will inquire whether there was any powerful mo tive inducing the chaplain to think that, as a school-book, the New. Testament was more appropriate for the children than the Old Testament. Miss Davies swears—" 'When first the schoolmistress came, she taught in the morning from the Old Testament, and in the afternoon from the New Testament. " The Bibles were withdrawn, for Dr. Buck said he in variably came in ,when she was teaching from the Old Tes tament. They were withdrawn by the chaplain for that reason. His visits were generally in the morning. They had their lesson in the afternoon in the New Testament. Still, notwithstanding this, I know in the evening they were employed in the reading the New Testament. One Bible has been given at the schoolmistress's request, that she might read to the girls. They have all Testaments." Mrs. Norris swears—" I never confined my instructions to the Old Testament. The New Testament was always read in one part of the day. It was read in the morning about nine o'clock. This was the case ever since I went." Thus Miss Davis says, upon her oath—" Old Testament in the morning ; New in the afternoon." Mrs. Norris -says--" New Testament in the morning ; the Old, of course, in the evening." Whilst, gentlemen, I was thinking over this incongruity, this apparent difference, this (of course) unintentional con tradiction, I fell into a reverie,—and fancied that, in the course of my reading, I had met words to the following effect, which seemed to have some little though assuredly not a very perfect resemblance to the matter :—" Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council sought witnesses against him. to put him to death, butfound none ; yea, though many witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two witnesses. Gentlemen, it is frequently through failures, in what are deemed by many the smaller points in a case, that the weightier matters may be more perfectly judged Of. I trust this want of strict agreement will not pass away unheeded. The mystery of the Old Testament being removed as a school book, and New Testaments substituted, is easily un ravelled. Whenever your chaplain entered the female school, which, on an average, since his appointment, has been at least twice or thrice weekly, and at all hours, from nine in the morning till four, or later in the evening ; if the scrip tures happened to be in use, he always found the pupils oc cupied in reading those parts only of the historical writings which abounded in hard names, and which were the least calculated to impart important 'truth to the infant mind. Never did he find the Psalms, the Prophesies, or any part of the New Testament being read, but most generally the books of the Chronicles of the Kings. He then thought, and still thinks, he used a wise discretion, in cutting off the opportu nity oikeeping the children in ignorance of the word of God. Testaments were supplied, and since that period, he has rea son to believe, have been properly used. On this charge, therefore, I have to state that Captain Williams has unintentionally overcharged the statement I made to him—he ascribes to me what I never said. The amount of my information to him was, that it had been re ported to me by some officer of the prison that two persons had changed their religious tenets through the influence of the schoolmistress. A statement this which I certainly be lieved to be very possible—and very probable, and nothing has transpired on the inquiry to weaken, but on the contrary, much to increase my former impressions ; I know the fact was reported to me by an officer of the prison as undoubted ; I know that I spoke at the time to others concerning it. THIRD CHARGE. " Whether the statement made by the Chaplain to the Inspector of Prisons, that a prisoner had been punished for praying in his cell at two o' c l oc k i n t h e morning, is founded on fact.!' As this particular instance was one which I informed Cap tain Williams, was included in the many cases referred to in my letter to the magistrates, as I told him at the time, I knew not the name of the party suffering, nor the officers concerned, nor did I see any way to establish the fact by di- rect testimony hick ougl from it. Loth t: ase at t I can only r€ means of increi time came distinctly being maclea sing the damages, my not in common fairness to have bee iken as covering this case. 'parated iu search of fau had C trom the cours any qu >n proposed by one who comes riot have been more candid. Wilhan Dr• Buck, tell f no circum- have wi hich Sic it in ya ich your own- eyes power to establish bring against you a founded ou fact—l of his offic ns, I should were re Davies ou amongst men—l chaplain, sug :ig you till I hay accomplished ned me of the purpose of his secret exa- Inspector thu have known how to conduct myself ; I spoke to him, as to my equal, as to a man of honor, as to one who had ,no ulterior object in view—l freely spoke of evils I believed to exist. My reward is insult, degradation, and ruin. FOURTH CHAR " Whether the chaplain has intentionally endeavoured to create an erroneous impression on the minds of the magis trates to the disadvantage of the matron and the female offi cers, by. making an entry in his journal, dated February 16th, 1810, and to the effect that he found the female prisoners amusing themselves on the Sabbath by reading aloud from a story book, he well knoA.ing the same to be a moral tract. published by the Society for Promoting Christian knowledge." iday, 26thFe )n, and saw, I every believe, every person in _ 1, and all tl and in the —the Hospitals, girls' women in the untried ; a story book, by way . , books have obtainedan entrance and are no proper substitute for the :ed are twofold, as I of am without my knowled, ,criptures on the Lord's Day. The impressions likely to be prod se very simple harmless words, which, when they 1 by the magistrates in committee, called forth no that. I have ever heard of either towards myself, Miss )r any of the female officers. The entry might have t leading to any results, had not :riminatory evideuoe against the licity had been used towards the n search c sted that d . _ magistrates rthat the Society for Promoting Christian Know ledge had been dishonoured ; that the matron, and her sub ordinate officers, had been dreadfully outraged in their feel ings. My conduct cannot, after all, be so greatly depraved, when such an apology for a charge, such a phantom, is dressed up in the solemn language of accusation. Ex his disce omnes. I have said that the impressions likely to arise from this entry were twofold. First, that a book which the chaplain thought not fit for Sunday reading, and not so suitable for prisoners as the Bible, was in use in two wards. Secondly that the book, such as it v Captain Williams asset as, was there contrary to his will. s that Dr. Buck well knows the which is contents of the tale, called the two shoemakers )ositively contrary t Buck, a gentleman of the highest emi e town, who has read this tract as it is called — though it is in reality a story book of 76 pages, pretty closely printed—states, that the work can in no proper sense be called a tract, in the modern use of that word ; it is a mere tale of amusement.* Another friend, upon whose judgment he can fully rely, has read the work at his request, he not now hav ing time to do so ; that friend assures him that the publica tion neither deserves the name of a moral nor religious tract. It is a mere tale, a common story book ;and what some might call its religious reflections One friend of I) matron Captain Williams a Are generally most unserip or imparting useful infor- mes that Dr. Buck knew that it was published by a certain society, which also was not a proper assumption, as the chaplain only learnt that circumstance by the evidence produced against him. He assumes also, that what this society publishes must necessarily be good, and ought to be received as sterling by every clergyman, whereas the chaplain is one o f a l arge b o d y o f the crgy who think that that society issues a great deal of error, opposing the spirit of the Scriptures, and the doctrines upheld in the 39 Articles and in the Liturgy of the Church of England. To understand this matter fully, I read the following ex tract from my journal, dated 14th February, 1838, " Mr. D. Hodgson, V.M., here this day. Declined the assistance of a ested by Miss H., as also any dis s, on the ground of every inmate of earing , some portion of the Wo r d o f G o d exp l a i ne d • •I committee of ladle the place 1- 'The rule there laid down has been the rule there recognised by me, and was well known to every officer of the prison. The use of books beyond the limits of the boys' school is only of very recent introduction, and only extorted from me byfrequent importunities against my better judgment. - I will now call your attenti on to the introduction of a col lection of tales and tracts, the unauthorised use of which in the prison has led to the present charge. A lady well known to hold religious sentiments, removed to the greatest possible extreme from those of the established church—whose creed, being rather negative than positive, may be thus understood,—The writings of the old and new testament are not the inspired work of God the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ is not the eternal God. Men are not pardoned only through the atoning efficacy of the blood of Christ, nor jusihed in the sight of God by his imputed righteousness. The Holy Spirit's agency is not essential to Divine instruction. There is no state of eternal torments. A lady, I say, with this negative creed, so adverse to the opinions of every honest churchman, accompanied by a magistrate of this bo •ough, of the same religious opinions as herself,-j• wished to , stribute amongst the female prisoners - a certain number of and actually did give one or two into the work )fficers to read to the prisoners, (I have quoted ''-) without the pe rm i ss i on or knowledge - chaplain, he 'being the only person autho rised by the law of the land to di_tribute books for general reading amongst the prisoners. _ _ publications, words on of t' Miss Davies ,erefore, whethe e under the ch ;ood, bad, or indiffe- rvation, under very sus that no nergnn firmly believir truly,holds to any creed without wishing that that creed may be extended, and be received by others. knowing the vestry duties, be al] The lady t law, collected the books, and brought them into She knew she could not, in accordance with her lowed to be read by the prisoners. before alluded I to paid a second visit t o th e nr i so n • ••• , • rs to have pri ery properly interfered and advised her to see the chaplain ; she added he had not allowed the others to be read. The chaplain was accordingly sent for, and had some disputation on the subject—but fully and firmly declared (and in the presence of the matron,) his un willingness to have any tracts distributed. He would, how ever, examine them, and if unobjectionable, allow them to be read on the week days. The lady left the publications in the hand of the chaplain, expressing her hope that be would exa mine them and allow them to be used. She thought them more calculated to do good among the prisoners than the bible. I dissented from that opinion, and laid the tracts on my shelf, intending, whenever I might have leisure, to read them, and then to act as my judgment might incline me. Now, gentlemen, you have it in evidence that bliss Davies. well knowing my objections, did contrary to my known will, enter my vestry, take a copy without permission granted, (there must, indeed, have been more than one copy taken, as.l found two in use at one and the same time in different parts of the prison on the same Sunday, when the bible should have been the only book in use,)--that. Miss Davies gave it into the possession of a prisoner, and that in going through two of the three day rooms, i. e., two thirds of the female prison, on a Sunday, he found two books being publicly read to the assembled prisoners, to the exclusion of God's word. He ascertained at the time that the title of one of these books was " The two Shoemakers," a production be bad never read, but which naturally appeared to him to be a mere book of amusement, something to gain the attention—but as much fit for comparison' with God's revelation as darkness to light, as sin to holiness, as error to eternal truth. I refer you to a part of my quarterly . report, dated January 14, 1839. " I would suggest to the magistrates the propriety of allowing some small portion of each day-even if that time be limited to five minutes—in which the prisoners might, if they wished, have the permission to read the scriptures : for so strict are the rules, that no man under confinement has, oaring this season of the year, the power or permission to look into any book. That a system so restricted should be ad vantageous to the moral improvement of the mind no man can suppose. Ido therefore trust the magistrates may deem it advisable to correct what I must designate this great evil." Distressed at finding many immortal souls immured in a prison for crime, occupied in reading a light an d m i sera bl e tale, instead of the scriptures, during that small portion of the Sunday which constituted the chief time they could by possibility devote to reading, —to hearing the'word of God, to considering the love of God to man ; with indignation at this profanation of God's day, your chaplain ordered the books to be removed, and entering his vestry in much distress of heart, at the reflection of the awful ignorance of those by whom he was surrounded, and the obstacles thrown in his way when sincerely attempting to lead prisoners to read the word of God, he made the following entry . " Visited every part of the prison, and saw, I believe, every person in confinement,—the hospitals, girls' school, and all the wards. Found the women in the untried ward and in the vagrant ward reading a story book by way of amusement. These books have obtained an entrance without my know ledge, and are no proper substitute for the scriptures on the Lords day." Is there a word in the entry concerning Miss Davies's conduct in acting contrary to my orders? In breaking through the proper rule of her duty ? Nothing of the kind; but simply such an entry as the circumstances of the case called for : for the gaol act commands me to make entries in my journal of all such things as arise out of my performance of duties as chaplain in the prison ; and no one will deny but that this was abuse against my office, coming under my personal ob servation in the performance of my duty of going through the flay rooms to ascertain that prisoners were properly employed on the Sabbath day. 1 have not heard that Miss Davies or any of her officers have been rebuked on the subject, or even warned not again wilfully to oppose the chaplain's undoubted right to regulate the general reading. No : the only person to be censurod is the chaplain, because he opposes, all reading except the word of God amongst the prisoners on the Sabbath day. His religious views are not liked—his reverence for the scrip tures not approved—his zeal for the welfare of souls deemed absurd. The opinion of the matron of the prison as to what constitutes proper reading for female prisoners on the Sun days, is to be regarded as of more importance than his who is sent of God, by the laws of the land, and under the sanction of an 'express act of parliament to make known to perishing sinners the way of salvation. The supposed outrage of the matron's feelings is to be atoned for. The real outrage committed on the chaplain's in ascribing to him an intention to mislead the magistrates is only a necessary part of the important and most honourable office of charge i ofaninss in m pectoryof prisons ! estimation so frivolous—so vexatious, that I am astonished it should have found its way before you. The person who can say that under all the circumstances of suspicion by which these tracts found an entrance into the prison, the surreptitious abstraction of them from my vestry, the use of them in preference to the word of God amongst the vagrant classes and the untried females of a prison on the Sabbath day—the person who will say that my simple inoffen sive entry deserves to be represented as a wilful, a corrupt misleading of the magistrates, really must form an opinion very different to that which would be arrived at by most of his fellow men. In t their I sions c ter the derstai even tl most , been 1 writers pends motive men a opinion pervert Such i speakii ments removi talente quiry I your e dence notwit every that y( the «•o halve! preach the ser posed that t many but arr deuce rank o belief, tent a up) to ruin a of his tion ol Psalm meats non te Yoe. know could The admit 1 do u Yoi durin; light guilt, pressi suppo scale. these port port. know Bard t Ler h swear Dr,. E was s Put in at the Th me at ittol three the Tr Dr. coma gistra June, it, contr vern told told eso the I 14 fier my ha ar (la: an FIFTH AND SIXTH CHARGES " Fifth.—Whether the chaplain when - officiating on the sabbath, has not indecorously . called th e a tt ent i on o f t h e pri soners to a portion of the 106th Psalm, new vers i on sung by them that day in the prison chap e l, warn i ng them against the use of it, and characterising it to them as ' blasphemous.' " Sixth.—Whether the chaplain has not on one occasion addressed the prisoners iu the prison chapel, on the subject of the number of punishments which had taken place for misconduct there, implying doubts as to their having so mis conducted themselves, thereby reflecting upon the officers, and weakening their authority and influence over the pri cnriers." I must, gentlemen, necessarily blend the fifth and sixth charges together, although a clear difference in their force and bearing against me is discernible, the one attaching indecorum only, the other, the exciting the spirit of rebellion and much other evil. The same general reasoning, is, how ever, necessary in both cases, the consideration of each sepa rately, I shall not omit. * It is one of Hannah More's religious novels, as they are called. t This gentleman is one of the senior j ustices now en quiring into my conduct, as a minister of Jesus Christ, the only wise God and Saviour.