The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-05 00:00:00

COGLAN.—For his own part he thought the mole-hill had been magnified into a mountain, in which a good deal of bile about the desecration of the sabbath bad been inter mixed. He only wondered that a single house had been left in Christian-street, and yet he bad not heard of a house there that had lost a single brick. An attack had been made on Mr. Whitty that he unjustly deserved, because if that gen tleman felt that a wrong was being committed, he (Mr. C.) was sure he would have interfered. If, however, the coun cil should be of opinion that an investigation ought to take place, he hoped it would be conducted in a fair spirit. (Hear, hear.) Mr. SANDS said there was a right and a wrong in every thing. The question in the present instance was to this ef fect :—Was the meeting at the theatre a right one? He quite agreed in the propriety of Mr. Birkett bringing the subject before the council, and he thought it would be just as correct in him to accuse Sir Joshua Walmsley of having cer tain intentions in view in bringing forward any motions he pleased, as for him to accuse the conservative party of being desirous for a display in introducing the present motion. (Hear, hear.) Mr. CASE quite agreed with Mr. Sands that there was a right and a wrong in everything, and he approved of the mo tion for inquiry ; but he thought it would be found, in point of fact, that the inquiry was at present going on, for he had just heard, from a member of the Watch Committee, that Mr. Whitty had made :I report. The MAYOR.—That he is instructed to make it. Mr. CASE.—No ; but that he has actually made it, although it has not come before the daily or weekly eom mitiee. I think, therefore, that the gentlemen who moved and seconded the present resolution might be satisfied that they have done good in bringing the circumstance forward, and that the object they have in view is in course of being obtained. Mr. H. LAWRENCE had no objection to adopt Mr. Case's view of the subject, provided Sir Joshua Walmsley would state distinctly that the committee had given direc tions to Mr. Whitty to make the report. The MAYOR said he understood Mr. Case to say that a member of the Watch Committee had told him that Mr. Whitty had the report in readiness. Mr. CASE observed that Mr. Freme was the authority upon which he made the statement. Mr. FREME said he understood from Mr. Whitty that In spector Murphy had given him a report, but he (Mr. F.) be lieved that that report had not as yet been presented. Mr. TouLmiN asked whether any instructions had been given by the committee, as a body, to Mr. Whitty to prepare a report ? Sir J. WALMSLEY could only say, in reply, what he bad already said before, .that nothing had been put on the books, but that, as chairman of the committee, he had given instruc tions to Mr. Whitty to report to the daily board, that it might subsequently come before the general committee, and it was his (Sir J.'s) impression that such instructions were given before the meeting broke up. Mr. Busintut..clenied that any such instructions weregiven_ before the breaking up of the committee, for he had remained to the close and heard nothing of :he kind, so that Mr. Birkett was fully justified in bringing forward the present motion. Mr. PROCTOR, as a member of the committee, would say, that he also remained to the end of the meeting, and that he had not heard any instructions given to Mr. Whitty, but he beard Mr. Whitty confess that he thought it would have been better if he had reported the circumstance to the com mittee. Mr. THORNHILL said he had seen Inspector Murphy's report, and that, when it game before the meeting on Satur day next, it would show that one hundred people were not present at the theatre, and that the proceeding of the meeting had not occupied more than a quarter of an hour. In fact, the reason that Inspector Murphy did not report it was, be cause be thought it so trivial. Mr. ISAAC HOLMES thought it proper to state that an in dividual who was present told him that the doors were not opened until five o'clock ; that fifteen hundred persons were present, and that the green flags were flying in the theatre. (Hear, hear.) The TOWN-CLERK felt it his duty to state, that if the , wetting took place, whether the meeting was during, or be fore, or after divine service, Mr. Whitty had a duty to per form, and that duty was, to report it to the chief magistrate of the town. (Hear, hear.) He felt, however, that he ought to accompany this remark with the following observation, namely, that he had never known the slightest failure of duty on Mr. Whitty's part before, if the present was a failure. Mr. SHELL thought the whole of the present proceeding a little out of order. (Hear.) The facts of the case were these :—Severaal members of the council met regularly for a particular purpose ; the person whose duty it was to report was brought before them, and they wanted to know from him whether a certain meeting had been held, to what extent, and for what purpose. This was the duty those gentlemen had to perform. accordingly, they met, and they chatted, and then they walked off—not one of them thinking it his duty to make a motion. Now, if Mr. Whitty was guilty of negli gence (which might be the case, though he was disinclined to credit it), those gentlemen were guilty of very gross negli genne in failing to bring his conduct before the committee ; because, as it appeared at present, they were appointed by the council to watch over the local interests of the town, while they merely chat over them and come to no resolution. It was idle to be-taking up so much time with matters of the sort • but, if the motion were carried, he thought the council would be bound to pass a vote of censure on those gentlemen who had neglected to perform their duty. (Hear, and a laugh.) The MAYOR did not wish to stand on his own rights per sonally, but be thought it right to let the council know that he had been just informed by the Town-clerk, that the pre sent was a matter that ought to have been reported to the chief magistrate and not to any committee. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Biltaarr declared himself willing to alter his motion to the effect just mentioned by the mayor, if Mr. Hodgson permitted him. Mr. HODGSON acquiesced in the propriety of the altera tion. _ _ _ _ _ _ Mr. H. HORNBY thought perhaps that Mr..Birkett would withdraw his motion altogether, provided it was the general understanding of the council that the mayor would cause a report to be made to him. (Hear, hear.) The TOWN-CLERK did not find fault with any report being made to the committee, but stated a second time that it was the duty of the head constable to have reported the circum stance to the chief magistrate. _ _ _ The MAYOR said he would most certainly have the matter sifted, and submit the result of his inquiries to thevouncil. (General cries of " Hear, hear.") Mr. BIRKETT said he would press his altered motion to a division, in order to show the town that the present was a matter which had a right to be taken up with promptitude. )sfr. BUSHELL said that he for one was perfectly satisfied with what the mayor had just promised, knowing that what ever he undertook to do he would do well. (Hear.) Mr. SMITH and Mr. HODGSON hoped Mr. Birkett would withdraw his motion under present circumstances. Mr. CASE thought it the duty of the head constable to re port to the Watch Committee as well as to the mayor. The TOWN-CLERK said that if he were the head constable he would report to both. It was understood that Mr. Birkett's motion was with drawn, on the understanding that the mayor should investi gate the matter, and submit the result of his investigations to a future council ; and the proceedings of the committee were accordingly confirmed. THE MARKETS COMMITTEE. The proceedings, resolutions, and reports of the Markets Committee comprising the removal of the Haymarket on the 15th of March next, were next read and confirmed. _ _ EDUCATION COMMITTEE. Mr. HARBORD requested to be informed who the parties were, if any, who attended the meetings of the Education Committee, and took part in the proceedings, though they were not members of the council. Mr. HORNBY explained that so far as the sub-committee of the South School was concerned, two gentlemen had been Omitted, when assistance was exceedingly efficient in the way of suggestion, but they did not vote. The gentlemen were Mr. Rathbone and Mr. Ramsden. Mr. HARBORD said it was a great piece of assurance in Mr. Rathbone to go, and a dereliction of duty in the com mittee to permit it. He would move that the proceedings of a committee so constituted be not confirmed. Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY explained that the allusion was merely to the sub-committe, which dealt with matters of minor detail. No persons were admitted to the meetings of the general committee whose reports alone were brought be fore the Council. He would ask how were they to deal with respect to the ladies' committee, if such a resolution as this were passed ? The lady visitors were most efficient, and to their exertions the schools were greatly indebted. Mr. G. LAWRENCE spoke of the great benefits which re sulted to the schools from the co-operation of visitors, and he intimated that he, had acquiesced in the regulation per mitting the attendance of visitors of the sub-committees. Other gentleman expressed themselves to similar effect, and ultimately Mr. Harbord withdrew his amendment. The proceedings were confirmed. APPOINTMENT OF ALDERMAN. The MAYOR called upon the Council to appoint an alder man in the room of Alderman Lathom, deceased. Mr. MORECROFT said he would propose a gentleman whose integrity, talent, and straight forward honesty of pur pose were well knowu, a gentleman who had been much esteemed while he had devoted a great portion of his time to the service of the public, as a member for Lime-street ward. He begged to propose Thomas Blackburn, Esq. Mr. EARLE seconded the motion. He hoped they would aain be ratified with Mr. Blackburn's presence in that. room, becaguse of the service he would be of to the Educa tion Committee. Mr. JouN SMITH would, as an amendment, propose John Walker, Esq., of Plumpton Terrace, Everton, a gentleman of talent, enterprise and integrity. Mr. ROBINSON seconded Mr. Smith's motion, on the ground that a man of business was better qualified to sit in the council of a commercial town, than a doctor, however great his talents. The voting was taken in the usual manner of choosing an alderman. Each member handed in a paper, containing the name and address of the gentleman for whom he gave his vote. The following was the result For Mr. Walker, 23—namely, Messrs. Gladstone, John Smith, Sands, Wright, Harbord, Case, Cooper, Houghton, H. Lawrence, Copeland, Toulmin, Barton, Alexander Smith, Rigby, .Wood, Proctor. Birkett,. Isaac Holmes, Robinson, Kilshaw, Leigh, and G. H. Lawrence. For Mr. Blackburn, 31—namely, Messrs. Shiel, C. H. Jones, Hugh Hornby, H. Holmes, Yates, Co lan, George Holt, Priestley, Mellor, Slater, Rosk e ll, M g `Kee, Barclay, re ' Y ' Bright, Quayle, Aikin, T. Holt, Morecroft, Wal 1 J. Holmes, Freme, Mather, Th orn hill, B oot h, J or d an , Moon, Woollright, Earle, Benn, and the Mayor. NEW MEMBER OF DOCK COMMITTEE. _ - Mr. BENN proposed Mr. Quayle as a member of the dock committee, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Mr. Leathorn. Mr. Quayle was a shipowner, and a gentleman of much experience in the business of the port. Mr. BOOTH seconded the motion. Mr. SANDS proposed Mr. Sandbach, remarking upon his high respec t a bility and intellig ence . M r. Quayle s seat, he observed, was disputed, and he could hardly be said to be a legal member of the council. Mr. ALEXANDER SMITH seconded the nomination. Mr. QUAYLE said, as an allusion had been made to certain proceedings, which it was said were to be taken a gai n st him, as respected his right to sit in that council, he felt called upon to say that after the most careful consideration of the matter, and the most minute investigation, he was convinced that he bad not merely a moral but a legal right to hold his seat ; and such being the case, he was determined to defend it to the utmost of his power. He had come to this decision, as well from a sense of his duty to his constituency, as o f hi s own personal honour. Some discussion ensued, in the course of which Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE defended the supporters of Mr. Sandbach from the imputation that they had been instigated by political feel ings. As a proof of this, he said he had himself been re quested to fill the vacancy, but he had declined. He must presume that in their next choice they were led by a desire to choose the most efficient member. The result of the division was, for Mr. Quayle 31, for Mr. Sandbach 23. Mr. G. HOLT, seconded by Mr. BOOTH, proposed that Mr. Benn should be chairman of the Dock Committee. Carried unanimously. COURTS OF LAW. The proceedings of this committee having been read, Mr. HARBORD moved that the propositions therein con tained be postponed to the next meeting. Mr. Ilarbord thought there was some impropriety in allowing dancing and dissipation to reign one day in the same building, while in another the poor victims of crime received sentence of pu nishment, which might perhaps be death. Mut.ir. EVANS seconded the motion, on the ground that the ion of private proprietors with the corporation are incon gruous. It appeared subsequently that the corporation have deter mined to undertake the erection of the whole building at the public expense. The whole cost is estimated at about £60,000 to £63,000 (according as the capitals 'of the façade be lonic or Corinthian), and £20,000 for the Hall, an addi tional building. Mr. COOPER, Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE, Mr. HORNBY, and others expressed themselves favourable to the report of the committee. The following are the names of the minority:— Messrs. Isaac Holmes, Thornhill, Mather, Harbord. and Evans. DR. BUCK AND MR. BACHELDOR At the suggestion of the MAYOR, who said he was given to understand that Dr. Buck was leaving town, and naturally anxious to have his case decided on, a consideration of the subject was resumed. Mr. H. LAWRENCE thought the • course he was about to suggest with respect to Dr. Buck would save the time of the council. He proposed, then, that instead of £4O, as recom mended by the Finance Committee, the doctor should have £6O a-year as a retiring allowance. Mr. BIRKETT seconded the motion. The TOWN-CLERK read the report of the Finance Com mittee, from which it appeared that they were of opinion the governor was not entitled to any allowance, but that his salary of £350 per annum ought to be continued to him until the end of the current year, namely, the Bth of August neat; and, with regard to the chaplain, they were of opinion that he was entitled to a retiring allowance, namely, £4O a-year, for life, commencing on the Bth of the present month. The town-clerk-also read a letter which the mayor had received from Mr. Bacheldor that morning, enclosing certificates from Dr. Brandreth and Surgeon Forshaw. In the latter, Mr. Bacheldor stated that he had for a long time contemplated the tendering of his resignation, in conse quence of his infirmities, and praying for a retiring allow ance. The certificates stated that he was subject to sciatica, gout, and epileptic fits, and that his general health had been impaired. Mr. H. LAWRENCE said that as he understood there was some difference of opinion with regard to the sum he was inclined to give Dr. Buck, he would withdraw his motion in favour of one which Mr. Bushell had to propose. Mr. BUSHELL then moved eighty guineas a-year be given him as a retiring allowance. Mr. PRIESTLEY seconded Mr. Bushel's motion. Mr. Mrs Lon. moved the adoption of the report of the Finance Committee. Mr. JORDAN seconded the motion. After a few words from Mr. COOPER and Mr. H. HORNET, Mr. BUSHELL, in order to produce unanimity, reduced the terms of his amendment from eighty guineas a-year, to what the figure was in Mr. Lawrence's motion, sixty. The question was then taken on Mr. Bushell's amend ment, when the numbers were— For it 39 Against it . Majority in favour of it .... —27 The following are the names of the gentlemen who voted in the division : _ For: Mr. Bushell's amendment—Councillors I. Holmes, HoithTho ; Citire; -"AirndbaCh , Wright. lEtarfOu ; H. Holmes, Sands, Walmsley, Aikiu, Woollwright, Priestley, Hornby, Yates, Robinson, H. Lawrence, Wood, Birkett, Gladstone, Bushell, Procter, Morecroft, Rigby, Kilshaw, Slater, Leigh, J. Smith, G. H. Lawrence, A. Smith, and Harbord ; Alder men Freme, Booth, She, Evans. Barclay, Earle, Benn, Moon, and C. H. Jones; and the Mayor. •Against it—Councillors J. Holmes, Thornhill, Copeland, Mellor, Bright, Toultnin, Cooper, Coglan, M'Kee, Jordan, and Mather ; Alderman T. Holt. Mr. H. LAWRENCE then moved that Mr. Bacheldor have a retiring allowance of fifty guineas per annum, commencing from the lth of August next, in addition to his salary for the current year then payable. Mr. AIKIN seconded the motion. After a tew remarks from Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Hugh Hornby, who bothconceived that the retiring allowance should commence from the period when he ceased to be in the ser vice of the public, a division was come to, when there ap peared— For the motion .. 25 Against it 25 The MAYOR having been called upon for his casting vote, said—l voted against the allowance on the division ; but, on reconsidering his state of health and the other circumstances in his favour, I shall now vote for it. (Loud cheers.) The following are the names of the gentlemen who voted on the division : _ _ For the motion—Councillors I. Holmes, Houghton, Sand bach, Wright, Barton, Aikin, Bright, Priestley, Yates, Toul min, Robinson, Cooper, H. Lawrence, Wood, Birkett, Proc ter, Morecroft, Rigby, Kilshaw, Leigh, J. Smith, G. H. Lawrence, and A. Smith ; and Alderman Booth. Against it—Councillors J. Holmes, Thornhill, Case, H. Holmes, Mellor, Walmsley, Woollright, H. Hornby, Glad stone, Bushell, Slater, M`Kee, Jordan, Mather, and Har bord ; Aldermen T. Holt, Freme, Sheil, Evans, Barclay, Earle, Benn, Moon, and C. H. Jones ; and the Mayor. It being then a quarter after three o'clock, the council ad journed until one o'clock yesterday, for the despatch of the remaining business. ADJOURNED MEETING. The adjourned meeting of the Council was held yesterday at one o'clock. The Mayor presided. The proceedings of the Dock Committee having been re ceived, their confirmation was moved by Mr. BARCLAY S and seconded by Mr. Boors. They comprised - among other matter an increase of salary to the secretary and to three clerks. Mr. ISAAC HOLIKE inquired whether the council had not power to prevent the proposed increase ? The TOWN-CLERK replied that the only restriction-of the council was as to the dismissal of officers. Mr. G. HOLT said that the salaries had been increased on account of increased duties. Mr. MELLOR mentioned that the labours of the secretary had nearly doubled within the last few weeks. Four sub committees had been appointed, who each met once a week, and the extra labour thus imposed upon the secretary, and he considered he was very moderately paid, considering the value of his services. ______ Mr. SANDS quite concurred in what had fallen from Mr. Mellor. Mr. ISAAC HOLMES should not °Nose the motion, but he thought that any individual, with 'a salary of £4OO per annum, was in very comfortable circumstances, and that salary was sufficient for the moderate duties of the office. Mr. BENN said that a more meritorious officer than Mr. Mason could not be found; and that since the appointment of the sub-committee he had scarcely any leisure time. The motion was then agreed to. HEALTH OF THE TOWN The report of the committee on the health of the town Ins then read; - It appeared that the-attention af- the com mittee had been principally directed to an examination of the small tenements bill, proposed to be introduced into the House of Commons in the present session, by Mr. Slaney. The Surveyor, and Clerk of Committees, and the Town clerk had been requested to report upon the bill by the com mittee, and their report were now read. That of the Sur veyor and Clerk of Committees stated, that they approved of the preamble, but they could not recommend many of its proposed enactments, (which the report specified), because they considered them impracticable, and calculated to de prive the poor classes of any house except the workhouse. In this report there were interspersed a great variety of valuable suggestions which we have not space to insert, for promoting the health of the town, by improved ventilation, &c. The Town-clerk in his report stated that he approved of the report of the Surveyor and Clerk of Committees, and he recommended that their suggestions should be introduced into a government bill, of which notice has been given by the Marquis of Normanby, but that if government refused, they should be embodied in an amended local bill, to be introduced in the following session. Mr. Case moved the adoption of the report which Mr. Kilshaw seconded. Some conversation followed, in which a variety of expla nations were made, between Mr. EVANS, Mr. CASE, the TOWN -CLERK, Mr. BIRKETT, and the MAYOR. Ultimately the report was received, and ordered to be printed for the use of the council. THE M AYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS The MAYOR stated that he had received a memorial nu merously signed from the inhabitants of Boundary-street, complaining of the stench arising from the sewer between Vauxhall-road and Kirkdale-road. The memorialists stated their belief that the nuisance arose from the refuse of the chemical or gas works in the neighbourhood being emptied into the sewer, and that it had been so offensive that, unless it were removed, they should be compelled to leave the neigh bourhood.—The Mayor, in continuation suggested that, as inquiries were being made into the subject, the memorial should be referred to the Finance Committee.—Mr. COOPER intimated that the nuisance would be abated speedily.—The memorial was then referred. The MAYOR stated that he had received a letter from Mr. Jones, complaining of not having been treated to his satisfac tion by the Improvement Committee, on the subject of an award made by Mr. Stewart and Mr. Bennison of the value of his property in Lime-street, required by the corporation for public improvements. It appeared that, on the award, the Improvement Committee had directed the sum of £l,OOO to be paid to Mr. Jones for his property.` He now stated, that nine months previously Mr. Stewart had valued it at £1,200; but now he said it was worth only £lOOO, although it had undergone no deterioration. Mr. Jones, in conclusion, requested a reconsideration of the case, or that 1,200 should be paid to him, which was less than he could have sold it for some time previously. Mr. BARCLAY said this was a matter purely between Mr. Jones and Mr. Stewart, in which the council could mot in terfere; nor could the Improvement Committee depart from the award. Mr. MORECROFT explained the circumstances under which Mr. Stewart had valued the property in the first instance, and also those connected with the award ; and said there must be some strange mistake on the part of Mr. Stewart, or that his conduct required explanation. Mr. EARLE, Mr. COOPER, and Sir J. WALMSLEY thought the council could not interfere. Mr. EVANS observed, that if there had been any mistake by Mr. Stewart, it was probably in the first and not in the last valuation. Mr. HODGSON thought the council ought pot to have any imagination upon the subject. He moved that the subject be referred back to the committee. Mr. MORECROFT seconded the motion. The TOWN-CLERK stated, that with regard to, the law, there could be no doubt that the award was final, unless mis conduct could be proved on the part of the arbitrators. He must say that there might have been some unaccountable mis take. If the report were referred to him and to the Improve ment Committee under his direction, no doubt the mistake would he explained, or the report justified. He would, there fore, recommend, that the party should have the satisfaction of a reference.—The subject was then referred back to the committee. THE WAREHOUSE QUESTION The MAYOR said the next communication he had to read was the following letter from Mr. North, secretary to the Association of Warehouse Owners : " Office of the Association of Land and Warehouse Owners, 2nd Feb. 1841. " TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR, IN COUNCIL. " SIR, — On behalf of this association we beg to acknow ledge the receipt from the town-clerk of the resolution of the council of the 27th ult., adopting the report of the spetial committee on the dock bill, which report has been submitted to special meetings of the association yesterday and to-day. " And our reply shall be very brief. With a firm and un alterable conviction in our minds of the impolicy, as well as the injustice of the dock warehouse scheme; feeling as we feel, that what is unsound in principle, and unfair in opera tion, can never be made acceptable by any modification of its injurious character ; we will not affect to conceal the ex treme reluctance with which we entertain the idea of com promising this great question. Nor would we now do so on any other consideration than that of the miserable inequality of a continued struggle in parliament between a class of in dividuals paying their own expenses, and a public body in command of a public purse ; and on this, probably our last appeal to you, we request that it may be distinctly under stood that what we partially yield we yield only to a power which in pecuniary means alone we cannot cope with. Strong, with this exception, in everything that should ensure and deserve success, we concede only to the force of circum stances what We deny to be either rightful or expedient. " With such preface in justice to ourselves, we now revert to the report, by which are proposed certain alterations in the bill, important, no doubt, as far as they go, and facilities not less important for the better working of the docks; and for the reason a l rea d y g i ven , we re ply, that if that report be fairly, fully, and faithfully carried out, according to its spirit, in settling the clauses of the bill, and in its progress through parliament, all parliamentary opposition to the bill by this association shall cease. But to ensure this, and for our se curity so far only, and not with any hostile intent, it may be necessary for us to present a petition, and appear by counsel against the bill, which we therefore reserve power to do if needful. " We observe with satisfaction that, under the 13th clause of the report, the necessary alterations in the bill, and the adjustment, in the spirit of the resolution, of all matters of detail, are referred to the Finance Committee ; and in order to the settlement, so far as may be, of all differences, and the prevention of unnecessary trouble and expense, we request to be favoured at their early convenience (and a sufficient time before the bill goes before the parliamentary committee) with the substance of their recommendations, and a copy of the amended bill. . . _ " We refer once more to the subject of costs, but not as supplicants ; we appeal only to the justice of the council. More than once during the last session of parliament the costs of this association were offered to be paid, as the price of concessions by us, then asked foi. That our opposition was reasonable the concessions now made to us at least prove : and we conceive, therefore, that we have a moral right to indemnity against the expense of defensive proceedings thus justified by their result. " For the Committee of the Association of Land and Warehouse Owners, " JNO. NORTH, Secretary." The MAYOR suggested that this document should he Ke ferred to the Finance Committee. The suggestion was adopted without eliciting any remark. THE HEAD CONSTABLE. The MAYOR said that, upon leaving the council-room yes terday, the head constable had placed in his hands reports concerning the meeting at the Queen's Theatre, and he called upon the Town-clerk to read them.—The substance of the reports will be found in the subjoined letter of Mr. Whitty, which was written at the request of the Mayor : TO HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR. Stu,—l have heard with regret that complaint has been made in council of my not having reported for your worship's information, that some kind of meeting had taken place on Sunday week, in the Queen's Theatre. Of such meeting I bad no official information whatever ; and, although the cir cumstance, some time afterwards, was mentioned to me by a gentleman in the course of casual conversation, I considered that as the proceeding had passed over without having excited the observations of the police-officers on duty, it was—how ever reprehensible—unworthy of further notice. From that moment the subject never again recurred to my memory. The instructions given to me are to afford protection to all, but to interfere as little as possible with the proceedings of any political party. To these instructions I have scrupulous ly attended ; and your Worship is aware that I have never made reports of public meetings, or public proceedings of any kind, unless when a breach of the peace had taken place, or had been apprehended. The proceeding in question, as mentioned to me, was unattended by any manifestation of of disorder, was unpremeditated, and never likely to be re peated. Had I been present, I would not have felt myself authorised to interfere, and, consequently, not called upon to take any subsequent proceeding. Your Worship, I am sure, will acquit me of all improper motive, in omitting to report on the circumstance, for it would be absurd to at tempt to conceal a circumstance published in all the news- papers Od 'Saturdaylikst I was ordered, by the Watch Committee, to make inquiry and report. The result of my inquiry, in the form of reports from the superintendent and inspector on duty, was early yesterday morning deposited in the hands of the secretary, and these, :by permission of the chairman, Sir Joshua Wahnsley, were shewn to you yesterday, immediately after the Council had broken up. Enclosed your Worship has copies. From personal inquiry I find, that on the occasion in ques tion Mr. John O'Connell had privately met, in consequence of agreement at the dinner in the same place on Saturday evening, a few friends previous to his departure for London. The circumstance having got abroad, several persons as- , sembled in Christian-street about half-past four o'clock. Their numbers have been differently estimated ; but all agree that they occupied only a portion of the opposite foot walk. The landlord of the public-house states that, not wishing to have a crowd opposite his house, he proposed to admit them quietly into the boxes and gallery of the theatre, the body of the theatre being then occupied by workmen, getting ready for theatrical representation the following night. The persons so admitted were addressed briefly by Mr. O'Connell, and then withdrew, the whole time of ad mission, address, and departure, not occupying ten minutes. There were no preparations ; no lighting up for the occasion ; no banners, except those belonging to the scenery. There was no charge.for admission, no collection made, no discus sion.—l have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, M. J. WHITTY, Head-constable. Watch-office, Feb. 4, 1841. The MAYOR said the town-clerk was prepared to give his opinion upon the legal part of the case. The TOWN-CLERK then said, that in looking into the act of parliament, his opinion was, that neither the head consta ble nor any of the constables present could have legally put down that meeting. The only act of parliament that applied to the subject was one which entirely depended upon money being taken, or tickets being issued for admission, or any contrivances to effect the attainment of either of those ob jects. If the meeting was either for public amusement or public debating upon any subject whatever, it was illegal, and, being a disorderly house, might be summarily punished. There was no doubt the parties might be subject to ecclesi astical censures, but beyond that the present seemed to be that description of case referred to in the Queen's proclama tion, which was read every session at the opening of the court, as to which " the visible displeasure of good men must supply what the laws cannot altogether prevent." He must say, however, that with regard to the persons working there in thOr ordinary calling, and who perhaps were guilty of a less moral and religious offence than those who had called forth the present inquiry, they would have been, and still were, liable to information for penalties. Mr. HoncsoN considered the letter of the head constable a very flimsy attempt at 'an excuse, as he bad told him him self that he did not thinehimself called upon to make a re port on any such matter. Mr. ISAAC HOLMES said he had been informed by a per son who was willing to coma forward, that at least 1200 per sons went into the theatre, and that there were from 400 to 500 in the street. After a:few words from Mr. GLADSTONE, Mr. BRIGHT, and the MAYOR, the conversation dropped. INLAND BONDING. The MAYOR said the next business on the paper was Mr. Birkett's motion on this question. He did not know, how ever, whether Mr. Birkett was aware that all bills affecting the interests of the town were under the special care of the Finance Committee. Mr. BIRKETT said he rose for the purpose of moving the appointment of a special committee, with full powers for opposing any bill which might be brought into parliament during the present session for inland bonding. He thought it better and more respectful to the council to state in the first instance that .he had a precedent ,for this motion, and next to state the reasons why he had taken up the subject at the present time. In the year 1833 or 1834 a measure for inland bonding was first introduced, by the then Chancellor of the Exchquer Lord Althorp. A meeting of merchants was called to oppose it, and the council of that day appointed a deputa tion to join the opposition out of doors, and the council paid the whole of the expenses. Mr. Sandbach, the father of the member for Vauxhall Ward; was the chairman of that depu tation, but owing to some circumstances the ministry went out, and the bill went out along with them. The question was not renewed till the session of 1839, when Mr. Poulett Thomson, president of the board of trade, brought it for ward. A meeting was called of the parties interested in this town, and a memorial was sent to the council asking'them to oppose it, but they refused. Nothing was then left to them but to appoint a deputation, and send them to London. That deputation met others from the outports, and they memorialised the Chancellor of the Exchequer, then Mr. Spring Rice. They had an interview with him which lasted for some considerable time, and the only reason which the Chancellor of the Exchequer adduced difficult for the depu tation to answer was the fact that that council had not spoken against but resolved not to oppose it. The measure was car ried through the House of Commons, but it was opposed in the Lords by the united deputations of which he was one, — and it was thrown out in consequence of the Duke of Wel lington considering it to he little better than a job. Last session it was again renewed at a more early period : it was opposed by Mr. Goulbourn in the commons. Unless ministers would consent that a special committee should be appointed to inquire into 'the whole question. A committee was appointed which sat for four months ; they took a vast deal of evidence, and when those who ought to have had an opportunity of answering the case for the measure were called upon, they wer restricted to four or five witnesses, all the time having been consumed by the other parties. On thatoccasion the Town council was again asked to interfere, by . the bye, a bare ma jority of one refused. The select vestry then took the matter up ; and it was only due to them to say that they did it un influenced by him, although ha had the credit of it, for he was out of town at the time. They made a special report to the inhabitants in vestry ; and among other matters they charged the Town-council with having abandoned their duty : one of the largest and most respectable vestries that ever as sembled in th town was called, and resolutions were passed unanimously, at least only from four to seven persons dis sented, that the select vestry should oppose the bill. The select vestry, therefore, immediately appointed a deputation to proceed to London, and of that deputation he was ap pointed chairman. He watched the measure as well as he could: he got as many witnesses summoned at the expense A government, on behalf of the town, as he could ; and, in consequence of the opposition which they raised in the upper house being made known, the government abandoned the bill. (Hear, hear.) It was for these reasons he had in truded himself upon the notice of the council, and he thought it was only due to himself to say, that he was practically ac quainted with the whole subject, and the manner of opposing any intended bill. He might be met with the statement that no bill was yet before parliament. That might be very true, but it should be recollected, that within the last fort night a large meeting had been held in Manchester, at which strong resolutions were passed in favour of an inland bonding bill. He had no doubt, therefo.e, that government would introduce one, and he thought it the duty of the council to be early, earnest, and sincere in watching over the interests of the town. Those parties who were desirous of extending the inland bonding system did not disguise the fact that it would be an injury to Liverpool. Was it not therefore their bounden duty, as public trustees, to stand up for the welfare of the town. With regard to the general subject then was no question that it would cause a very large addition to the ex penditure of the 'country in the provision and ,maintenance of a large extra number of officers. Besides the security of the revenue must be very materially weakened, as the system was now confined to the outports, government held posses sion of the property imported until the duties had been paid; but, in transitu they must piert with that possession. In inland transit the government could not refuse the bond of any man who said that he was the representative of property, though be was not worth sixpence ; and it was in evidence that oue suc cessful fraud, either in brandy or tobacco, would make the fortune of any man; therefore, upon the ground of extra ex penditure, of the want of security, and of unfair competition with the fair trader, it behoved that council to oppose the bill. If the council agreed with the principle of appointing a special committee, it was, on the one hand, due to them to say, that care should be taken that no wasteful expenditure of funds should take place, and, on the other, they should be satisfied it would be a bona fide opposition. To accom plish this, he should suggest that a committee of 9 or 11 should be appointed, of whom the members of the finance committee should form one-half. He begged to move the resolution. Mr. COOPER seconded the resolution, because on former occasions the council had not done its duty to the town, in defending its interests ; also because he believed that the best interests of the town had been absolutely sold for the object of getting the warehouse bill. He also supported the motion because the sense of the parish was decidedly in favour of and he thought if the committee were appointed according to Mr. Birkett's suggestions, it would be most likely to carry its opposition forward with vigour. Mr. EVANS opposed the motion in a speech of consider able length. He said that the question upon a former occa sion had every justice done to it, when the council decided upon the principle of non-interference. In doing so, he considered that they had consulted the ends of justice, which ought certainly to prevail over those of private and national interests. The vague apprehensions which were entertained by the warehouse-owners concerning that measure, he was quite convinced were entirely nugatory. Every bill which had been introduced had contained clauses carrying with them regulations which were completely subversive of any chance that they could have, in the inland towns, of carrying their projects into effect. When the question was brought before the council on a former occasion, it was found that Manchester and the inland towns entertained most hostile feelings against the corporation, and even against the people of Liverpool, in consequence. Was it right now to renew all their jealousies and dislikes which had been overcome, in a great degree, by refraining from acts of injustice against their rights. He hoped the council would not avail itself of the public fnnds, and lend itself to a party interest, which wished to have their interests preferred to the general rights of the country, at the expense of the public. The council had been neutral, and it ought to be neutral. It had never, and unquestionably it ought not to interfere to do that • which private interests alone were able to do. They could make a perfectly legitimate opposition; and they ought to make the legislature acquainted with their case, without the aid of that council. Mr. Evans then proceeded to argue that building warehouses in the interior could not injure Liverpool, and he ridiculed the idea of the vestry representing the wishes of the inhabitants on this subject, and that it was very impro bable warehouses would be built in Manchester. He further contended, generally, that the justice, as well as the policy, of the case required that Se bonding system should not be confined to the outposts. Mr. ROBINSON, in support of the motion, contended, that owing to the increased facilities of communication, and to principal articles of • import being sold by sample, there would be no great public convenience, whilst there would be a decided loss by giving the bonding system to inland towns. M. liusweLL said one thing was quite clear. Every member of the Council must have gathered from the speech of Mr. Evans, that he did not deal in wine. Mr. Evans dealt irs tobacco ; but,he (Mr. Bushell) trusted if the inland bonding measure should be carried, seeing he should be a sufferer by it, that Mr. Evans would give him a quid pro quo, and make him some compensation. He was often much enlightened, (he supposed he must say), by the speeches of Mr. Evans, but on this occasion, he had totally failed in en lightening him on this occasion. That circumstance, per haps, arose, not from any want of ability on his part to grapple with the question, but from his having become an advocate in a bad cause, and, therefore, he conceived he had entirely failed. First, Mr. Evans had told the Council that non-interference was the course they should pursue. Now, he (Mr. Bushell) declared, that non-interference in a matter of this sort, was, in effect, positive interference, because Manchester would go to Parliament and say, " Liverpool cares nothing about it—her Town Council has refused to interfere—the guardians of her local interests say they will offer us no opposition." (Hear, hear.) Was this " non interference ?" Was it not the very best argument with which their adversaries c ou ld be furnished? He repeated that by non-interference the Council armed the advocates of the measure with one of the best weapons against the in terests of this town. (Applause.) In speaking of this scheme, which was first brought under notice of Parliament by Mr. Poulett Thomson, Mr. Evans called it "visionary." He (Mr. Bushell) presumed that Mr. Evans was a particular friend of Mr. Poulett Thomson. Mr. Evans had expressed a firm belief, that only one or two warehouses would rise up in Manchester, if this privilege were 'conceded. What, then, must be thought of Mr. Evans as a political economist if such should be the fact ? What ! would he en tail upon the country the burden of £200,000 per annum in rearing up in Manchester a Customs' establishment, whilst the same amount of business might be done here without one farthing increased expense, for the sake of giving permission to visionaries to pursue a visionary scheme ! (Hear, hear.) But while on this part of the subjsct he might be permitted to say, " Is it to be supposed that, if this privilege is to be conceded to Manchester, it can stop there ? Will not Leeds ask for it, and if Leeds obtains it why not Birmingham ? If Birmingham succeeds why should not Sheffield, and if Shef field why should Wolverhampton be refused? (Hear, hear.) And looking at the question in a national point of view, would any man venture to tell him seriously that one additional pound of cotton, sugar, tea, coffee, or any other description of produce now imported, would be introduced or consumed by reason of the proposed change? In the management of their own private establishments—at least he found it so in his—they found it advisable to keep no more cats than could catch mice ; in like manner why should government raise up additional establishments, at an immense annual charge upon our already exhausted exchequer, to do the same duty, or rather to receive the same amount of• duty? (Hear, hear.) Although it had been argued by Mr. Evans that it was not the duty of the council to interfere in national matters, he believed he had been among the foremost in the town-council debates upon the corn-law question. (Hear.) How men could differ when it suited their purpose ! (Cries of " No, no," answered by "Yes, yes." Mr. SHELL: —I brought the corn-laws before the council, and perhaps I may have the pleasure of doing so again. (Hear, hear, from the liberal side.) Mr. BUSHELL continued.—Now with regard to the nuga tory clauses in the proposed bill, of which Mr. Evans had spoken, as effectual barriers to the ultimate success of the measure—they knew that it was argued, with regard to the warehouse question—let us get the principle established, and we will soon have the system carried out to its fullest extent. Now, in like manner did the council suppose that Manches ter was anxious to carry out only the present bill ? Would she not come again before parliament to obtain more extended privileges, before the bill had been in operation twelve months, or perhaps as many weeks ? (Hear, hear.) Mr. Evans had thought fit to beat down the expression of opinion by the in habitants of the town in this (to them) most vital question : he laughed at the idea of a vestry meeting, but he (Mr. B.) contended that at that vestry meeting, there assembled in considerable numbers those inhabitants whose representatives he now addressed on their behalf. It was the duty of the in habitants of the town to express their opinions, seeing that Liverpool was so deeply interested in this question. It was not correct, therefore, in Mr. Evans to sneer at the vestry meeting. He contended that there were two classes in that council who were bound, if they were consistent, to support the motion. They had had divisions on the warehouse ques tion, and the classes he alluded to were those who supported and those who opposed warehouses. Now the advocates of increased warehouses were bound to support the motion, be cause they had argued, if those warehouses were built round the dock quay's, they would facilitate and increase the trade of the port. To show these gentlemen what would be the efiect of the inland bonding scheme, he would read them an extract from a recently published pamphlet on the subject— " The customs' duties at Liverpool are four millions, and Manchester pays more than two millions and a half of these duties. The customs duties paid by the Manchester dis trict alone, are nearly a million more than the whole of Scot land, half a million more than Ireland, and one-eighth of the whole of England." Now if it were the fact that the produce, which was now bonded in warehouses in Liverpool, belonged—the most of it to Manchester ; if, as be learned by this pamphlet, the bond ing of goods here was to be decreased considerably more than one-half, what was to become of the new warehouses said to be built for the purpose of giving increased accommodation? (Hear.) Why, it was like lighting a candle at both ends. (Hear.) He saw no consistency in first building warehouses, and afterwards promoting a scheme which would effectually defeat the object for which they are proposed to i .. erected. Having shown that the advocates of dock warehouses could not reasonably oppose this motion, he would now inquire into the position (as regards the proposed privilege) of the Opponents of warelkinees: They said, at least had said, in that council, they had a right to advocate their own interests, against the interests of the public, and that he for one would not consent to• cut his own throat. Would lie then consent to cut the •throat of the body corporate ?' As stewards of the enormous amount of property which they had under their management, were they not bound to protect the interests of the corporation, and those of the town at large ? (Hear, hear.) Was there to be found in that coun cil a single individual who had the courage to say that he would protect his own individual interests against all aggres sion, and yet refuse to interfere, when the vast interests of the town, of which he professes to be a guardian, are assailed ? For consistency sake he hoped not. He thought, therefore, he should have with him on this question both the advocates and the opponents of warehouses. Again, would any man tell him there was a single interest in Liverpool which was not as sailed by this inland bonding question? Would not the porter sonesef - tiseetre be deprived of his labour, or be compelled to seek another field for it? Would not the business of the carter be affected ? Would not the warehouse owner ? Would not the broker ? And upon the principle that if you diminish wealth you di minish expenditure,. would not the tradesman in Bold-street be a grievous sufierer ? Would corporation land or corpora tion houses retain their present value ? (Hear, hear.) With all these interests at stake, he could not, by any possibility, understand on what principle the council should refuse to in terfere on this great question. (Heir.) It might be said they had no right to interrupt the course - of free trade, and that private interest must give way to public good ; but this was not a case of private interest opposed to public good. It was private interest against private interest, neither was it for the national good, but for the national injury ; because it would not increase the revenue a shilling, but on the contrary create an unnecessary annualexpenditure of several hundreds of thousands of pounds. He might have said something, for he did not lose sight of the enormous patronage this inland bondingscheme would give to government, but he refrained. He felt deeply interested in this great question, and therefore desired to avoid every allusion which could by possibility give rise to party feeling. In this they had all one common in terest: privileges had been conceded to the ports, upon the faith of which an enormous capital had been embarked ; these privileges should not upon slightgrounds be withdrawn. He had attempted to show that the public interests required no such sacrifices as Liverpool was now called upon to make; and whether this visionary scheme (to use the words of Mr. Evans) were supported by the President of the Board of Trade of the present or any other government the duty of this council is clear, and they are in duty bound to oppose this contemplated measure. Mr. EARLE' had not intended to have spoken one word, but as his name had been particularly mentioned — Mr. RUSHELL.—I beg to say that I mentioned the name of no person. Mr. EARLE.—But you must have meant my name, be cause you made use of expressions wnich I have used before. I beg to ask Mr. Bushell whether he did not mean to refer to me? Mr. BUSHELL.—I believe I did. Mr. EARLE.—I thought you did. Mr. EvANs.—l admire the good tone of this, at any rate. Mr. EARLE explained, that although he had expressed his intention to vote in favour of his private interest as a ware house owner, he had also said, that if the warehouses were found advantageous to the public, he should not allow his private right to interfere with the public welfare. Mr. AIKIN opposed the motion, on the ground that it was little on the part of Liverpool to oppose what was a just claim on the part of other towns. Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE supported it, not upon the ground of private interest, but because it was fraught with ;serious danger to the revenue of the country, and because he be lieved the scheme was brought forward by the government for the purpose of increasing their patronage. Mr. MELLOR said he would have supported a petition representing that the establishment of bonded warehouses in inland towns could not bring one shilling to the revenue, but rather be attended with great expense to the country ; but he could not consent to send a deputation, because he con ceived that its object was to promote private interest. Mr. SANDS said, that if Mr. Evans was right in saying that no possible injury could arise to Liverpool from inland bonding, it followed that no possible good could arise to Manchester and other towns which might have the privilege. The ground of his support to the motion was the enormous the machinery of the warehouses would re expense which quire. Sir J. WALMSLEY opposed the motion, and Mr. HODG SON supported It. Mr. SLATER, Mr. SHEIL, and M r . C ASE oppose d it. Mr. BIRKET T replied, lie said, that by th e di v i s i on he s hould have the satisfaction of seeing w h o were f or t h e t own , and who were against it. A great deal h a d b een sa id a bout private interests ; he admitted that he was there as an inte rested man ; but how different was th e s i tuat i on o f some o f the gentlemen who had spoken. • They had no interest in the pla and whether they sl e pt i n t h e town, or w h et h er te ; they slept in Abraham's bosom, could make no difference. The constitution of the co mm i ttee wh i ch he had proposed was a pledge: gainst wast e f u l expen di ture on the one hand, and of a bona fide opposition on the other. He thought the gent l ema n whohad spoken aga i nst t h e mot i on woul d b e f ar better sitting in the Manchester than in the Liverpool town council. Mr. EARLE.—I suppose that is what you call a clencher ! The council then divided. The num b ers were — For the !motion Against It majority against the motion The council then separated. The Lord Bishop of Chester will hold an Ordination at Chester on the 14th of this month. EAST Sulu:.Ey ELECTION. —REIGATE, Tuesday.—The " liberal" candidate attended the monthly market, which was held here to-day. He came into town with a very sorry accompan iment of followers, and arrangements were made for a meeting .of his friends at the Town-hall at 3 o'clock. The lion. candidate in the mean time proceeded to the Swan Inn, where, upon his on invitatio n , he joined the farmer's dinner. The " meet ing , was afterwards held in Town-hall, I and Mr. Alcock made a novel speech to the few who had as sembled. The current opinion among the electors is, that Mr. Antrobus w ill be r eturned by a much larger majority 'than the conservative candidates were at the last election. MEETING OF THE OPERATIVE CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION A special general meeting of the members of this associa tion was held last night at the large room of the York Hotel. One of the principal objects of the meeting was to consider the propriety of petitioning against the total and immediate repeal of the corn laws, in opposition to the agitation of the Anti-Corn Law League. The attendance was very nume rous, the room being nearly filled. DANIEL LEDSON, Esq., president of the association, took the chair. The CHAIRMAN rose amidst great applause from all parts of the room, and addressed the crowded assembly as fol lows :—I am much gratified to see so numerous an assembly of the operatives of our association present this evening. You have been called together for the purpose of agreeing to a petition—which will be submitted to you—to the houses of parliament, against the repeal of the corn laws. (Cheers.) You are aware that the anti-corn law league are issuing their pamphlets, and are getting up petitions in all parts of the kingdom, for the repeal of those laws. (Hear, hear.) The committee of this association have, therefore, thought it very desirable that we should hold this meeting, in order to ex press our opinions upon this all-important question. (Hear, hear.) In the Liverpool Courier of Wednesday week there is an able and admirable article in answer to the Anti-Corn Law Circular, previously issued, and, if you will allow me, I will read you one or two extracts from it. (Having read these extracts. the chairman continued his address.) After this I do not think it necessary that I should at all oc cupy your time with any further remarks, but I will leave them to those who are about to move the resolutions. One gentleman in particular, I am happy to say, is present who has studied the question in all its ramifications, and he will be able to give you some good arguments and statistical in formation which will bear materially upon this much agitated question. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, you are quite aware that the anti-corn law league are now paying compliments to the people. (Hear, hear.) As I remarked upon a former occasion, they fancy they possess such an exclusive monopoly of the people, that to venture to suppose that any of them could entertain conservative opinions would be a sheer flight of the imagination. (Applause.) They look upon the peo ple as their own peculiar domain ; they regard their under standings as a sort of quiet and snug preserve upon which they can sport to any extent. (Hear, hear.) But there is now a singular change : the people do not consider it part of their political creed to be indifferent to their country and dis loyal to their queen. (Cheers.) Mark the difference. The "people" immediately undergo a sort of transformation, in the opinion of these gentlemen. (Hear.) For a long time we heard nothing but compliments to the " sovereign peo ple" —to " the people, the source of all power." (Hear, hear.) The people had all kinds of flowery and resounding epithets applied to them—but the moment these same " peo ple" see the necessity of entertaining just notions of good government—the moment they cease to be the despoilers of the law and the deriders of religion—from that moment they sink in the estimation of these gentlemen. (Hear, and great applause.) They must not " come between the wind and their nobility." (Cheers.) They undergo a sort of trans mutation ; and the "sovereign people," the " source of all power," immediately sink into the category of " deluded vic tims of the tory party ;" they immediately become a drunken and reckless "mob," devoid of the power of forming just notions upon the subject of good government. (Loud cheer ing.) Such are the remarks of these aristocratic dispensers of gentility ; such are the rewards for an unflinching adhe rence to quiet and orderly opinions. (Renewed applause.) In the town of Liverpool the anti corn-law league may agi tate; the advocates of repeal may agitate and agitate ; but I am proud to say that it has always been the distinguished privilege of this town, swarming as it does with a dense and industrious population, to have exhibited to all Eng land an example of the greatest order and the greatest loyalty. (Loud cheers.) Within the walls of Liverpool the harangues of fanatical politicians have met with no sympathetic echo—(renewed cheers)—and I rejoice to say that when the voice of the people is heard in the strife of the electoral battle, it is loudest and strongest upon the side of conservative principles. (Immense applause.) Where else, I ask, in England, did the orations of chartism meet with more derisive smiles and listless. ears than in the Old Infirmary-yard? (Cheers.) And where, I may enquire with confidence, have the monstrous doctrines of socialism, from men and women, met with more execration and more abhor rence ? (Tremendous applause.) Our opponents are con tinually sounding in, our ears the great prosperity of the country and the great prosperity of our commerce ; 'I will leave you gentlemen, and the mercantile world, to judge of those two facts. (Hear.) But I will remark that whilst our navy stands unshaken amid the wreck of nations, our com merce will not only be protected but enlarged. (Hear, and applause.) Difficulties , always call forth the resources of a great people, and. ttse'Ygsources of England—though they may be crippled by whig;radical misrule—l am proud to con fess, are not yet exhausted. (Cheers.) She possesses an extensive commerce, and her capital, her industry, her en terprise, aided by a government. which will ever stand for ward in defence of her national honour—(hear, hear)—will always break down every barrier which may be opposed to her prosperity. But, however, it fortunately does not belong to any ministry to control that energy or to repress that spirit of enterprise which has given to the commerce of thiscouatry an influence and a sway which throw the recollections of Tyre and Carthage into the shade, and which has constituted the private traders of England the merchant princes of the world. (Immense cheers.) By nothing is that sway and that influence more extended than by the intimate bond of union which exists between the operative and the middle classes of the country. (Hear, hear.) It is associations of this kind, fostering and womoting that union, which have been called into existence by the continued presence in office of the strangest ministry—(laughter)—that this nation ever beheld. (Hear, hear.) On what point of national policy, may I ask, are they unanimous? (Hear, hear.) Is it upon this same question of the corn laws ?—(cries of no, no)—when the premier of England denounces it as one of the wildest and maddest schemes that ever entered into the head of reasoning man, whilst all the rest of his colleagues are unanimous for their repeal? (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) Is it upon the vote by ballot, when Lord John Russell indites a pamphlet to prove that it is at once useless and dangerous to the constitution, whilst the rest of his colleagues sitting on the self-same bench exhaust their declamation and record their votes in its favour, as the great requisite to the stability of their party ? (Renewed cheery - } Upon many other ques tions—in fact, gentlemen, upon no.great question of national policy is this ministry unanimous. . (Hear, hear.) Is it upon the war in Syria, which has proved that even under Whig bungling our courageous tars have not forgotten the traditions and the triumphs of a Howe and a Nelson? (Applause.) No. Upon each and all of these questions we have a divided and - a distracted adminigtraticirt; turning in herpless despair from their own disputes in the cabinet to the still more dreaded. discussions in the Commons' House of Parliament, which, I trust, will speedily terminate their miserable political exist ence. (Hear.) It is not to the country they must look for help. (Cries of " No, no.") At Walsall, in spite of the in timidation, in spite of the corruption that took place there by the supporters of the anti-corn-law candidate, I am glad to see that Mr. Gladstone has been returned as its representative to the House of Commons. Mr. Smythe, who has also been returned for Canterbury, remarks, in his address to the elec tors :—" He knew that he had a very formidable antagonist ; he knew he was opposed by the whole power of a doomed and a tottering government ; he had, besides, the opposition of a unanimous corporation ; he had a wealthy opponent. He (Mr. Smythe) came there in full opposition to all the in fluence of Downing-street, of the Canterbury Guildhall, and of Chelsea Park." But lam glad to say, gentlemen, that in spite of all this influence Mr. Smythe was returned by a ma jority of 163 votes—(loud cheers)—and that both he and Mr. Gladstone are now ready to record their votes in favour of Lord Stanley's Irish Registration Bill. (Renewed cheers.) And recently in Carlow—that Carlow which was bought and sold by the great agitator of Ireland, Mr. Daniel O'Connell —(hear)—we have a safe guarantee that at the next gene ral election a rich harvest of conservative victory waits to salute a requiem over departed whiggery. (Tremendous ap plause.) It is also true, gentlemen, that the patronising at tentions of this same government are not always reserved for the advocates of social order. (Hear, hear.) The lines now and then fall in pleasanter places for the violent assailants of the constitution, nay, even for the revolutionary incendiary himself. (Hear, hear.) It may be that when such an one carries his attacks to an unguarded length he may go through ...... _ - -- the trite formalities of transportation orimprisonment ; but what is transportation, or what is imprisonment, I ask, when perhaps their horrors are cheered by a snug and profitable clerkship in Sydney ? (Cries of " Hear, hear," . . and immense cheering.) Is this the way to reward those de serving members of society who, though they honourably oc cupy the lower grades, are still satisfied to do their unobtru sive duty to their country and to their families, and pursue an orderly and a quiet career ? I allude to the operatives whom I see before me. (Loud cheers, and cries of " No, no.") Whenever an election does take place, I trust that not only in the loyal town of Liverpool, but also in every borough and in every county throughout the country, the question may be asked of those who ask us to join in the work of destruc tion and misrule—" We see what you are going to destroy, what are you prepared to construct ?" (Cheers.) In the place of that venerable church which we have been accus tomed to regard with feelings of reverential affection, whose divines are so laborious in their vocation through good and through evil report, whose services have so often imparted to our hearts the words of consolation and the words of peace, what new Babel of sects are you about to call upon us to sub stitute ? (Cheers.) In the place of those time-honoured in stitutions which the civilized world admires and respects, which of your crude theories shall we adopt? (Hear, hear.) We refuse to be the prey of those vile parodies of religion that walk our streets, the dissolvents of all the purity and the graces of Christianity ; nor will we sanction those new fangled schemes of politics, those specious " charters" that come reeking to us from some midnight manufactory of treason and the torch. (Immense cheering.) No, gen tlemen, against these incitements we have a firm bulwark and buckler in upright and conservative principles (hear, and cheers) ; and so long as we see those principles thrown into discredit, so long as we have a ministry so unworthy, and so incapable of ruling the destinies of this great country (cheers) —so long as that ministry have a majority, however apparent and however vaccillating—so long we shall feel it t) be our duty in the town of Liverpo9l to unfurl the banner of the conservative democracy. (Tremendous cheering.) Gentle men, are we not banded together in a holy and a just cause ? (Hear, hear.) Are we not banded together to defend the institutions of our land ? (Cries of " Yes.") Yes ; and we will defend them. (Loud cheers.) Are we not banded to gether to defend our church? (Cries of "Yes.") Yes, and we will defend our national church because she is the holy, the just, the tolerant, and the pure church. (Loud cheers.) In conclusion I would say, that when the day of battle arrives we shall be found at our post (hear hear), and if our oppo nents will but meet us fairly we will meet them, whether it may be in the municipal battle, or in the parliamentary bat tle. (Hear.) We will give them fair and honourable battle. Trusting to the justice of our cause, we can afford to look with inexpressible scorn upon all the efforts, and upon all the agitation of the Anti-Corn Law League. (The worthy and eloquent :chairman then resumed his seat amidst loud and long-reiterated cheering.) Mr. I. LLOYD (late of the Liverpool Standard) proposed the first resolution. He spoke at considerable length on the repeal of the restrictions on the import of foreign corn. The people of this country were, he said, the periodical dupes of political frauds. ThAreform bill, the vote by ballot, the municipal reform bill, were frauds that had succeeded each other, and now they had the greatest fraud of all—the most magnificent humbug—the repeal of the corn laws. He ad duced a variety of arguments to show the evils that would arise from such a repeal. The wages of workmen would inevitably be reduced; land would be, thrown out of cultivation ; the great proportion of the agricultural population would be thrown out of employment, and would swarm into the towns, causing a further reduction of wages ; and entailing new burthens on the parish ; and if we become dependent for our corn on foreign countries, what would become of us if a general war were to come ? We, in fact, should be reduced to absolute famine. He thought that this country ought to look for an increase of her commerce and her general prosperity to her colonies in the East and West Indies, Canada, and New South Wales, which afforded ample fields for the enterprise and industry of our manufac turing and commercial population. Another evil of the re peal of the corn laws would be the draining of the country of much of its capital for corn, which would be employed in rearing manufactories abroad to our great injury. He moved the first resolution. Mr. MUNCASTER seconded the resolution, and it was car ried unanimously. Mr. ISAAC HOLMES then addressed the meeting at some length. He was received throughout with repeated cheer ings ; but we regret that the lateness of the hour prevents us from reporting this or the subsequent speeches. He moved the second resolution. Mr. R. JONES, jun., stated that he should prefer a fixed duty to that now in force. He cordially seconded the reso lution, which was also unanimously carried. Mr. JACKSON then moved the petition, which was read by the secretary, seconded by Mr. WATSON, and agreed to. A vote of thanks was then passed to the chairman, and, after giving three cheers respectively for Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, Lord Francis Egerton. the Hon. Bootle Wil braham, and other distinguished conservatives, also for the conservative press, the meeting separated. MEETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE The weekly meeting of the Dock Committee took place yesterday. The following members were present, Messrs. Benn, Barclay, T. Holt, H. Holmes, Smith, Aikin, Booth, Mellor, Tobin, Chapman, Ripley, Martin, Middleton, Evans, and Quayle, the new member appointed by the Council on the previous day. Mr. Berm, having been appointed Chair man of the committee by the Council, presided. The CHAIRAN after having announced that the Council had thought proper to place him in the chair, said the first business of the committee would be to elect a deputy chair man. Mr. AMIN moved, that Mr. Charles Horsfall be appointed. No man had devoted so much time to the affairs of the Dock estate, and therefore none were better qualified to occupy the deputy chair. _ _ _ motion MELT oit said he had great pleasure in seconding the I. Carried unanimously: The CHAIRMAN stated, that at the last meeting, Mr. Horsfall had expressed a wish that some record should be placed on the proceedings of the committee, of their sense of the loss they had sustained by the death of their late lamented chaiaman, Mr. Leathom. He believed that Mr. G. Holt was prepared with a motion upon the subject. Mr. G. Hovr said, that in the absence of Mr. Horsfall. he had been requested to move that the following minute be entered on the proceedings, as expressive of the feelings of the committee on the loss of their late chairman : "The committee, deeply lamenting the loss of their chair man, Thomas Leathom, Esq., are desirous of recording their lively sense of the unceasing industry and zeal with which he, during many years, watched over the interests of this trust, and of the anxiety with which he on all occasions evinced, to give thereto the benefit of his extensive local and commercial experience." Mr. BARCLAY seconded the motion. Mr. ToBIN enquired how many years Mr. Leathom had been a member of the committee ? The SECRETARY replied that he was one of the commis sioners appointed to enquire into the management of the af fairs of the Dock Estate in the years 1822 and 1823. He was absent from England from the year 1824 to 1828 ; on his re turn he was elected a member of the committee, and had continued a member of it until his decease. The motion was then carried unanimously. On the recommendation of the Sub-cominittee of Works, the walls of Queen's Graving Dock No. 2 were ordered to be altered according tua plan produced, which had been framed on the suggestioas*f several master sitipwriihts. . fire Wak reported to haNkbecartirl .-rftWard tbt: packet ship Sheffi.eld, lying in Prince's Dock, during the night, and half-a-guinea was ordered tote presented from the charitable fund to the shipkeeper for his vigilance. The remaining part of the business was then postponed till next week, in consequence of an adjourned council meeting being appointed for one o'clock. THE EXHIBITION OF PICTURES BY THE OLD MASTERS, AT THE POSTOFFICE-ROOMS. These pictures will attract great attention, and the con templation of them will correct the taste for the fine arts in this town. The proprietor deserves the gratitude of all for thus risking his very valuable property, and for enabling the amateur to enjoy a sight that cannot fail to be appreciated. His liberality is beyond praise, for allowing artists to copy . . from these works. No man but an enthusia - stic lover of the tine arts would give such permission, and we doubt not that the opportunity will be eagerly embraced. The catalogue contains in all twenty-four pictures, several of which have not yet arrived, but will be hung in the course of a day or two. The exquisite " Madonna," by Elizabeth . Serani, is amongst them No. 1 hangs over the door. It is painted by Pool Vero- nese. The subject, " St. Cecilia Playing on a Mandola."— This picture is remarkable for its delicacy of colouring and expression The arms and hands are very sweetly drawn The neck is symmetrical and graceful. The flesh is plump and firm. The face has a pleasant cast. The drapery is effectively thrown.—Paolo-Cagliari, or " Paul Veronese," as he is usually called, was bo rn at Verona in 1530, and died in 1588, aged 58 years. His principal works are at Venice. Although his colouring is less delicate than Titian's, he must always rank very high amongst the painters of the Venetian school. He was cotemporary with Tintoretto and Titian. His picture of the " Marriage at Caine " is a wonderful per- formance No. 2. Ponlormo— St. John Preaching." This is a singular picture. St. John is represented in the wilder ness, preaching to an attentive and numerous auditory. It is remarkable for colour, and may be considered a fine spe cimen of the early school of painting. No. 3. Riebens and Vandyck—" St. Jerome in the De . A painting from the hands of two such masters can- not fail to be admired. The present picture is known as "L' Ange au Plume." St. Jerome is seated examining a scroll, which is displayed across his knees. An angel or cherub is offering him a pen. A lion, recumbent, or couch ant, as heralds have it, is at his feet. The figure of St. Je- rome is magnificently painted. The limbs are muscular and finely proportioned. The face has a dignified and thoughtful expression. The countenance of the cherub is very delight ful. The drapery is finely put on : the folds are broad and massy • - the picture The ski in the 6aCkground very cleverly relieves This is a noble painting, and will bear the mi- nutest examination. This picture was once in the possession of Marshal Soult, from whom it was purchased by Mr. Bu chanan.—Rubens was born at Cologne in 1577, and died at Antwerp in 1640, aged 63 years. He is often styled " the prince of Flemish painters." On all subjects he was con versant. and applied his brush with equal facility. Land scape, portrait, and animal, allegorical, or historical paint ing, he was a complete master of. His versatility was asto nishing. His colours are glowing, and his execution perfect. Vandyck, Jordaens, and Snyders were his pupils. He was thrice married, and was highly educated. Rubens was not only remarkable for his genius as a painter, but also for his diplomatic abilities. He was entrusted with several mis sions, all of which he executed with satisfaction to his em ployers. He visited England in 1628, during the reign of Charles the First, and arranged the differences between England and Spain. He enjoyed the friendship of many of the sovereigns -of Europa.--Charles the First knighted Rift. • —Vandyck was .born in 1599, and died in 1641, aged 42. He was the pupil of Rubens, and, if not his equal in subli mity, was his superior in design. He is more chaste, though not so vigorous. His figures are easy, graceful, and unaf fected. There are many works of Vandyck in the country, all of which aro held in high estimation. No. 4. Jan ,Seen—" The Effects of Intemperance." A picture of much humour in design, and beautifully painted. It represents a Dutch boor and his " vrow " taking a nap after dinner. The remains of a plenteous repast exhibit their love for the " art gastronomic." Taking advantage of their " temporary absence," the cat is seen at the casement attacking the bird,—the dog is on the table at the pie,—the monkey is examining the ink-bottle,—while the children are diving into the vrow's pocket, and the servant lass and lad are entertaining themselves with a wine-flask in the back ground. This painting has great merit in all its details. It is not only a fine work of art, but bears a moral with it. All the subjects are well and most naturally expressed. This picture is from Mr. Beckford's collection at Fonthill. No. 5. Annibal Caracci—" Santa Barbara." The sub ject of this picture is taken from a Roman legend. In this small picture may be traced the characteristics of the Bolog nese school.—Annibal Caracci was born at Bologna in 1560, and died 1609, aged 49. He received the first principles of art from his cousin Ludovico. He studied with great care the works of Correggio, Titian, Tintorett, Del Sarto, and others, from whom his happy mode of colouring and expres sion are doubtless acquired. No. 7. Fra Bartolomeo—" Virgin and Child." No. 11 is on the same subject, and by the same master. These two paintings are perfect little cabinet gems. The colours are brilliant. No. 8. Sebastian del Piombo—" Christ bearing his Cross." _ _ This picture exhibits the very extreme of human suffering— not only mental, but bodily. The subject is taken from the affecting incident of the peasant taking compassion upon our blessed Lord, and offering to bear his cross. The peasant appears lifting the weighty timbers, while the attendant sol dier looks upon him with scorn and contempt. The face of the principal figure is finely painted : a thorn of the crown is deeply piercing the forehead, which almost appears to quiver with the pain. A splendid light is thrown upon the drapery, which is of a delicate blue tone. The hands are finely painted, exhibiting the strain that is upon them. The arm of the peasant is wonderfully drawn and painted : it be trays the muscle and power of a giant. The face is also re markable. The prevailing colour of the picture is a brown, of great depth and firmness. There is a fine breadth about this picture, and it may rank in the first place in this collec tion. It was sketched by Michael Angelo, and exhibits all the vigour and savageness of his powerful and active mind and style.—Sebastian del Piombo was born at Venice in 1 , 485, and died in 1547, aged 38. He was intimate with Mi chael Angelo, and frequently painted from his designs. He studied under Giorgione. His picture of " The Raising of Lazarus" was sold in London for 3,500 guineas. —Michael Angelo was born in 1474, and died in 1564, aged 90. Michael Angelo painted chiefly fresco. His sculpture is of the high est order. It is asserted by Mr. Buchanan, in his clever work " Memoirs of Painting," that there are very few, if any, of this master's works in oil. No. 9. Titian—" Ecce Homo." This painting exhibits meekness and humility, mingled with acute pain and suffer ing. It is a fearful subject, and is treated in a masterly manner. No one can look upon it without a shudder. The flesh, as does always the flesh of Titian, appears to have the blood running in it. Titian's figures are all full of life. This painting is from the gallery of Lucien Buonaparte.—Titian was born in ]477. and died in 1576, having thus lived nearly a century. He studied under Bellini. His works are nu merous, and at all times command the attention of amateurs. He may be considered a model for the imitation of all paint ers. His execution is brilliant—his imagination vivid and poetic. Titian painted in two manners—one is styled " the golden," the other " the silver." The colours used by him are never of a glaring nature. His portraits are unequalled for expression. It is said that he laid on his masses of co lour with his thumb. No. 10. Marcella Venusti—" A Holy Family." Painted with much brilliancy of colour, and great expression. It is a highly-finished performance. Venusti studied under Mi chael Angelo. We have now gone through about half the numberof these exquisite productions, and our notice of the remainder we reserve for Tuesday. STRANGE ADVENTURE.-SUPPOSED CASE OF FRAUD." An article under this head, which appeared in our publica tion of Friday last, and was copied from the Manchester Chronicle, contained several serious misrepresentations cal culated to do great injury to the character of a most deser ving and upright individual. We are, therefore, anxious to correct or retract them, and we think we cannot do so more effectually than by giving the following statement of facts. which have been supplied to us by one of the principals of a highly-respectable mercantile firm in Liverpool, on whose authority we can place the most perfect reliance. No blame whatever can be attached to Captain Frietas, than whom, we are informed, a more courageous or honourable man does not exist : " TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD _ . . . SlR,—The Activo, Captain Frietas, sailed from hence on her voyage to Lisbon, on the 30th October, 1840. She had a prosperous voyage up to the 3d November, when most tempestuous weather came on, which continued up to the 17th, when she shipped a sea, that, with the loss of the mate and three men washed overboard, left her a complete wreck. On the 19th, in the morning, the Danish brig, Sex Sondes. kende, Captain P. J. Junker, came in sight, and providenti ally saved Captain Frietas, and six of his remaining crew, all in an exhausted state, and some bruised and wounded. Capt. Junker succeeded on the Ist December to land Captain Frietas and his men, not in some Spanish port, but at Faro. Such was the manner of the abandonment of the Activo. " The Activo was afterwards met with on the 23d Novem ber, by the Danish barque, Johanna Maria, Captain John Christman, and was towed by him to between the islands of Porto Santo and Madeira, where, after having transhipped part of her cargo into his own barque, he then rigged the Activo with jurymasts, &c., and placing on board of her his taste and some men, directed her to proceed, as it is said, to St. Croix or St. Thomas. Captain Christman then made sail to Madeira, where, without mentioning what had haP pined, attempted to sell the goods taken out of the Mayo. f• ,, ~‘7l ja. ) .... -.-. -.. .4..__ s - 4'. ." M - ~.__. : V i - • . .." The circumstances of the case coming te,l7.fiktkplio were seized, and the captain fined two thousitml..a - red uiilreas—say about £6OO. " The preceding facts speak for themselves. The asser tion that it was sworn in the papers sent home by the cap tain, that the Active had been seen to go down after she was abandoned, is false, and cowardly the inuendo ! ! " Captain Frietas is well•known in Liverpool, and had been in the service of his late empioyers for more than 15 years, He had on board, of his own, about £lOO (he often insured, but not last voyage), and by the abandonment of his vessei he lost all. you copiec " The report, as given in the paper fro it, is false—scandalously and cowardly false.—Yours, " DUARTE BROTHERS and Co REMARKABLE BIRDS.—A person in this town is exhibit ing some wonderful little birds, which perform all sorts o curious and really clever tricks. THE BRITANNIA STEAM-SHlP.—This fine vessel, Captair Cleland, (one of the four Halifax and Boston mail s sailed yesterday evening, at seven o'clock ment of passengers, and an immense qu newspapers, &c. The Britannia, which v line that run with the mails, recently and overhauling at Glasgow, and is in every respect in ti order. The vessels are not exceeded in c - by any in the world ity of let fort or in spec THE ROCK HARMONICON.—The Rock Harm°, spite the unfavourable weather, has attracted many to listen to its dulcet tones. Since Mr. Davies' ced performing upon it, the original players improved. The variety of airs they execu' less : all tastes are readily suited. ask for an air, and quick as thought i,t style. Mr. Davies contrives to extract most pi. from the Harmonicon, surpassing even the inventor '4. On Monday evening Mr. Davies will perform, to enable th, who are not able to attend during the day to hear this mak cal musical phenomenon. Who would have thought of musical stone ? The head of Memnon, it is said, sound: when the first beams of the morning strike upon it—we do not believe it—nor should we have believed a recital of the wonders of the Harmonicon, if we had not heard it played upon. has coalmen- The visitor has but i in gc THE SDPPOSED MURDER AT WICHBOLD.—The followi: is the verdict returned by the jury in this case last night Found Dead.— Worcester Guardian. SPRING !—On Tuesday last, some young ladies, whilst out walking, picked several full blown primroses on the side of a hedge. Crocuses, single and double primroses, forget-me nots, and pansies, are also in bloom in the garden at Brony gaer, near this town.—Carnarvon Herald. Last week, as six young men were going down a coal-pi in the neighbourhood of Llangollen, to their work, the chair broke, precipitating them to the bottom ; the shaft being about 80 yards deep, they were all killed on the spot.— ' Cheater Chronicle. THE ARCHIAIEDIAN SCREW.—Had the severe frost which we have lately experienced continued a few days longer, the Humber would not have been navigable by steamboats on the present construction : the ice would have prevented the working of the paddle wheels. By substituting the screw, the difficulty would be obviated, as it goes through its opera tions several feet beneath the surface, and at a depth which no ice is likely to reach. Might not a steamer, furnished with a screw and strongly built, be of great use in keeping canals free from ice ?—Hull Rockingham. It is with unfeigned regret, that we have to announce a distressing event which has thrown the family of Warner Henley, Esq. into the deepest affliction. It appears that on Thursday evening last the third son of Mr. Henley, e' 13 years of age, had been shooting on the estate at Water, perry, attended by his father's gamekeeper, and on their return home, the young man being a little in advance, the gun of the keeper by some accident went off, and the whole of the charge entered the body of his young master. The unfortunate gentleman lived in the greatest agony for about three hours, when death put a period to his sufferings.- o.rford Journal. REIGATE BOROUGH ELECTION.—Three candidates are in the field for this borough—Lord Eastnor, Mr. d'Arcy, anr' Mr. Bedford ; the latter is an out-and-out radical. ' this Mr. Bedford is nobody seems to know, but he has p. forth placards and expressed his determination to give the electors of Reigate an opportunity, as he says, of asserting their independence, by voting for a liberal candidate. He has taken up his quarters at the Crown, and his supporters says that he is determined to go to the poll. The returning officer has fixed this day for the notiiinetion, and in the event of a poll being demanded, it will take place to-morrow. Lord Eastnor will of course be elected. THE LIBERAL PRESS.—Two conditional orders for crimi nal informations against Mr. Barrett, proprietor of the Pilot newspaper, were yesterday granted by the Court of Queen's Bench—one at the suit of Mr. Coffey, proprietor, and the other at the suit of Mr. Dunlop, editor of a certain liberal journal, which we are pledged never to condescend to name, supposed to have been established by Al r. Purcell, the coach 'owner and government contractor. Oh ! these libe rals, these liberals ! let them gnaw each other's vitals by all means. If the law had not stepped in to chasten their r"-- their end would be like that of the Kilkenny cats, tails only survived their mortal combat.—Dublin Pa. THE EATON FAMlLY.—Yesterday morning se'nni special train was engaged for nine o'clock in the morning convey the Marquis of Westminster and party from t. Chester Station of the Grand Junction Railway to London. An entirejy new first-class carriage was provided by the di rectors for the occasion, built by Mr. Truss, the companys coachbuilder at the Chester works. It is a most elegant structure. A second-class carriage was placed between it and the engine tender. The party consisted of the Marquis, Viscount Belgrave, Lord and Lady Robert Grosvenor, John Uniacke; Esq., and two Miss Uniackes. The 21 miles to Crewe was worked in thirty-two minutes, being at the rate of forty miles an hour. The noble marquis and all the party expressed themselves much gratified at the trip. Mr. Murray Gladstone, the engineer who constructed the line, was also with the train.—Chester Courant. THE STATUE OF MR. WILBERFORCE.—The statue of the late benevolent and pious William Wilberforce, which was shown to the public in the collection of statues and busts at the exhibition of the Royal Academy last summer, has been placed in Westminster Abbey, and now forms one of the or naments of that venerable cathedral. The statute repre sents the venerable philanthropist seated in an easy chair ; one hand holds a book, which is probably the Bible ; the other, the left hand, is placed on the breast of the figure, which is hahited in a sort of morning gown, and by clothing the figure in which'fhe angular outline of modern costume is avoided, and yet tha identity of the original is preserved. The legs of the figure are crossed, arid on the feet are slip pers. The whole attitude is indicative of repose and reflec tion. The head and features preserve a strong likeness of the original. The statue is placed in the north aisle, near the transept, and next to the old monument of Lord de Courcy, and very near to Chantry's monument of Sir Stam ford Raffles, which is also a seated statue. FATAL ACCIDENT.—THREE LIVES LOST.—A melancholy and fatal accident, attended with loss of life to three indivi duals, occurred on Saturday morning last, on the line of the Manchester and Birmingham railway, at Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, where a viaduct is being erected over the river Dane, somewhat similar to the one at Stockport. About seven o'clock on Saturday morning, three youths, named John Riley, John and Thomas Butterworth (brothers), and a married man, whose name our correspondent has not been able to ascertain, were pushing a waggon, loaded with bricks, along a temporary wooden bridge laid across the Dane, when one of the large timbers composing the bridge broke, and the whole fabric fell with a tremendous crash into the river below, carrying along with it the above four individuals, and several others who were on the bridge at the time. All the four above-mentioned, with the exception of John Butterworth, were killed by the materials falling upon them, and he was seriously injured. The body of Thomas Butterworth was buried under the ruins which fell in the river, and was not found at ten o'clock on Sunday morning. The whole of the unfortunate persons resided at Stockport previous to the commencement of the viaduct over the Dane.—Manchester Guardian. ECCLESIASLICAL APPOINTMENTS.—The Worshipful th Chancellor—Rural Dean of Chester ; the Rev. C. A. Thur low, Rector of Malpas—Rural Dean of Alalpas, and the western part of Nantwich ; the Rev. John Armitstead, Vicar of Sandbach—Rural Dean of Middlewich, and part of Nantwich ; the Rev. George A. Elliott Marsh, Rector of Bangor, in the county of Flint—Rural Dean of Bangor, in the diocese of Chester; the Rev. Charles Kenrick Prescot, Rector of Stockport—Rural Dean of Macclesfield North ; the Rev. J. Thornicroft, of Thornicroft—Rural Dean of Macclesfield South ; the Rev. Joseph Hordern, Vicar of Rostherne—Rural Dean of Frodsham East ; the Rev. Rich. Greenall, Incumbent of Stretton—Rural Dean of Frodsham West.—The Rev. Wm. John Kidd, late Incumbent of St. Matthew's, Manchester, has been licensed to the Perpetual Curacy of Didsbury, in the county of Lancaster.—The Rev. David Chas. Stewart has been licensed to the Perpetual Cu racy of Hutton Roof, in the parish of Kirby Lonsdale, in the county of Westmoreland, on the nomination of the Vicar of Kirby Lonsdale.—The Rev. James Wm. Charles worth has been licensed by the Lord Bishop to the Curacy of Woodhead, in the county of Chester.—The Rev. St. Vincent Beechy has been nominated to the Perpetual Curacy of Christ Church, Thornton, in the parish of Bispham, Lanca shire, by the Trustees of the Church.—The Rev. Thomas R. Bentley has been licensed by the Lord Bishop to the Church of St. Matthew's, Manchester, on the nomination of the Dean and Canons of Manchester.—The Rev. John Dobie has been licensed to she Perpetual Curacy of Royton, in the county of Lancaster. EXTENSIVE SEIZURE OF STOLEN PROPERTY Thursday last, Superintendent Beswick, of the Manchester police, from some information he had received, went, accom panied by Sergeants Livingstone and Lomas, to Halshaw Moor, near Bolton, and proceeded to a house there occupied by a person named Andrew, otherwise Roscoe, a butcher. There was only a girl in the house, who said that her father and mother had both gone to Manchester. The officers searched the house, and up stairs, found a bag containing 50 pounds of indigo. They then searched an outhouse, and found in it a further quantity amounting altogether to 5901b5. They also found a box containing a large quantity of jewellery and cutlery, the value of the whole of the property being nearly £3OO. Mr. Beswick then sent Lomas to the railway station to watch for Andrew, and directed Livingstone to stay in the house, while he himself watched outside. Andrew, however, never made his appearance ; but his wife came home about eight o'clock, and was instantly secured. The property was brought away in a cart; and the prisoner was brought up at the Borough Court, Manchester, on Saturday last, when Mr. Beswick stated the above circumstances, and said, that on the preceding Monday night, or early on Tuesday morn ing, the preinises of Mr. Bignold, dyer, of the Mount, Peter street, Manchester, were broken into, and a large quantity of indigo, corresponding in quantity and quality to that found in the prisoner's house, was stolen, but witnesses were not then in attendance. The prisoner, when asked what she had got to say, replied that she knew nothing of the indigo, and that the jewellery and cutlery belonged to a person named Graham, who lived in Bolton.—She was remanded until yes terday, when she was again brought up, and Mr. Beswick applied for a further remand, saying that the husband had not been apprehended. She was then remanded until Satur day.—Manchester Guardian. REFORM IN THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.—The fol lowing is an abstract of the report presented by the reform committee appointed by the Colleges of Physicians and Sur geons and the Society of _Apothecaries. It refers only to the first-named body. It states the grievances complained of to be—the want of a general registration of licensed practition ers ; the absence of uniformity of medical education and qualifications to practise ; self-election as regards the coun cils of the colleges and le court of assistants ; the exclu sion of licentiates of the College of Physicians from the li brary and museum ; the non-licensing of chemists and drug gists ; the non-establishment of a board of public health ; and the absence of some restrictions on the sale of quack me dicines. The committee having carefully considered these alle gations, recommends that all graduates of British universities, 26 years of age, now in practice, should be admitted as licen tiates of the college, without examination, on paying certain fees to be hereafter determined; the licentiates to nominate annually a certain number of their body, one-half of whom to be eligible as fellows, the 'nomination to be conducted by ballot ; the licentiates to have access to the library and mu seum ; uniform medical qualifications to he required at all the British universities, and a degree thus obtained to qualify for practice in the three kingdoms, the graduate becoming a member of the College of Physicians in the county where he res id es; graduate of such universities as have not assimi lated their course of study, to produce testimonials of hav ing fulfilled such a course, and to undergo an examination before the censors. There is to be only one board of exa miners, and one uniform system of examination, and the class of extra lieenoiates to be abolished.