The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-12-07 00:00:00

tiberpooi gteinbatbf TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 7, 1852. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT, AT last, in spite of the Whigs, we have got a tudger worthy of a finance-minister of England. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER of the late government was precisely the man for his colleagues a nd his party. So is his successor. Put CHARLES 11 . DOD into one scale, and BENJAMIN DISRAELI Into the other, and let the men of figures tell the result. The comparison, however, is scarcely com plimentary to the present CHANCELLOR of the '' - XcIiEQuER; for we may fairly appeal to History t o decide whether any financier of any time or has more thoroughly appreciated and Performed his duties than Mr. DISRAELI, though roe do not approve of all his propositions ; and we bold it to be not the least praise - of the minister t ° say, that be has not gratified the anticipating curiosity of the public, which expected from his brilliant powers something very novel and original. l ire DISRAELI has not pretended to work any rsireeles. He has not coaxed or flattered any class 4 interest. He has not paraded any infallible Pri nciple, or prescribed any specific nostrum. T aking things as he finds them—adopting the rluelple of unrestricted competition, dictated to 11 111 as the verdict of the country—he has appli e d it uself, with single purpose, to the great considera t,4lB of maintaining peace, upholding the honour of be country, and promoting the welfare of the 1 1 /c °Ple. He has been both bold and cautious. He slighted the complaints and demands of no 2 88 of the community. He has favoured none mo re tha n o th ers . H e h as s h own h ow f ar h e i s 4 . 44 e penny -wisdom and pound-folly, taking fo r hie maxim th a t th e efficiency of establishments, and tot Mere retrenchment in their expenditure, is the true criterion of economy. 411 our readers are by this time acquainted with the leading features, if not with the details, of the the scheme of the Gov e rn men t. It h as b een eir subj ect o f too muc h cur i os i ty an d anx i ety —it s e cts are too personal—its author is too distin iished—to permit the supposition that any one te rested in politics will not ca r e f u lly p eruse th e bStatement of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. ekn owledging that certain classes have been much jutlefited, and certain others very considerably in bed by the recent policy of the legislature, Mr. eOI"A.ELI has abstained from granting all that the I t • ki plainants desire, because he believed it to be 1) : duty to do his best for the great body of the 4 131 e. He entreated, therefore, that the House tiap'°nlrnons would not judge of his scheme par- LY, but judge of it as a whole. The complaints ail th e suffe r i ng i n t eres t s h ave b een d u ly cons id ere d, such conc e s s ions have been made as were not the c IY to i n t er f ere w ith th e g eneral system, w hil e 4,,, c °nsuming classes have been materially bene te7. The first suffering class which he adverted t ar the Shipping interest. The modification of the th e " upon the mercantile navy of the country, eaboliti on o f un f a i r a d vantages grante d to t h e p l lavy, the repe a l of such laws and cu sto ms a s 4p ti e our mercantile marine of th e b e nefit s of t tit ; e , c Trade, Mr. DISRAELI proposes as wise, just, 1 1 ; 4 b eneficial measures. The claims of our Colo n': h ave been urgent in proportion to their injuries. qt: co nservative CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIE.- L4 t It a cknowledges the justice of their complaints, ' e w ith the commerc i a l pr i nc i p l e w hi c h h e i s b oun d 11, 111e 41 7 out, he sees one way only of relievin g to at present. Th e c l a i ms a nd the r e lief a pply t e a t to be Sugar trade, and the proposal is that sugar, 11:refined, instead of paying duty in its raw -e ' s hall pay the duty after it has been refined, k e , te ason being that foreign raw sugar contai ns ti t sacchari ne ma t ter th an th a t o f our own cold sillcreb When th e d u ty i s equ al on b o th, th e f ore i gner e le t eet Y has an advantage over the colonist. With the to the Agricultural classes, the position of UANc ELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was an D e . • Iti lly elan Y difficult one. With their sufferings he Be opd iti Ympathised ; but how to ameliorate their d N A un, without infrin g ing on th e grea t p r i nc ipl e e t -4. he had been obliged to accept, m us t h ave 1 11 ' most chi c anxious inquiry. The conclusion to liepic has come is that, except by partially re ti°3 th e farmers under the income-tax, diminish latee t ax on malt and hops, and otherwise inci liee r educing the burdens on that important t ille r : th e govern men t canno t a t p resen t do any -415f. et for th em. /i r t hus adverting to the suffering interests, t ik . tilsr t rAti„ AELI proceeded to consider the general th o e " of the coun t ry. H ere h e h a d w id er scope g tity tq a Pplication of th e p r i nc ipl e w hi c h it was hi s ter nou a PPly. Carefully, ho wever , an d w ith muc h 41 1)11 4r gilt, he refrained f rom carry i ng ou t t h e r a t i on at o nce t o a d angerous extent. sed the benefit of the pe o ple, consumers , h e pro qt..ll reduction of the malt and hop duties to kettiealf, thereby i nc id enta ll y b ene fi t i ng t h e do ;:eteellroducer. A f o rei g n p ro d uc ti on —b ecome a t rtied: 3r o f life for the mass of the community— tal3reper a ccording to the principles of Free-trade, Silb jeCt for a re d uc ti on of t axa ti on . I n I) IL, t ell " , a gradual abatement from 2s. 2ld. the:ttlof ° n Tea has been proposed for the ap (lle Legislature. at fi u mE-TAx 3 - the temporary expedient of a e t !la ne . red tee l er, and continued, b ecause it was ren essarY by the incapacity of succeeding • li t t he was, of course, a prominent subj ec t i. and the rn Ueration of the Government. The re- 4 1 4, inv estigation of a parliamentary co -11 sei ent d the suggestio ns o f man y p rac ti ca l an d 411 Inc tnen of eminence is, that nothing 4 PPr eet i m . ~ ta, c ation to justice is practicable with Ar. b , AELI lays down two undeniable pro- `° l lntry t. - Yet rittett 418 oufeltthis topi c : t h e fi rst ‘0 he no more liable to ex and the second, that precarious and per that direct taxa emptions than illeoltes should not be subjected to the of taxation. He therefore proposes recarious or industrial incomes of ' 13 , and E, should be reduced one rY. co nsiderately an d proper l y a d m i t ti ng I nto this category). The incomes of Justly suegests, should be taken at one- 01' one 6 . prec&riot mounting to rom r our defences, irrespective of the question of peace or war To meet all probable deficiencies from the reduc tions and expenditure suggested, and from other sources, it is proposed to include the salaries and funded property of Ireland in the income tax, and to increase the house duty from 9d. to Is. 6d., the amount derivable from the last source being still less than that derived formerly from the window duties. This is but a very meagre outline of the scheme suggested in a speech which will achieve for its author a reputation for financial abilities as great as he possesses throughout Europe for literary and oratorical powers. TO CORRESPONDENTS Q' We shall be happy; at all times, to receive communications on subjects of local or general interest ; and if ourfriends will be good enough to authenticate the same by their signa tures, for our own satisfaction, we shall feel obliged. A VISITOR requests us to hint to the conductor of the Pano rama of the Nile, that the description would not be the less entertaining if the digressions, in order to introduce moral hints, were less frequent. We are sure he will take it in good part. J• G. says that, in a treatise on geography, publiEhed by a Romanist fraternity, styled " Christian Brothers," the article on the religion of England treats only of their own faith. S. —B. should have the promissory note protested for non payment, and sue A. for the amount. The three days' grace are all allowed on bills and promissory notes, even if they are drawn three days after date. THE CASE OF THE PEMBERTONS.—We have received several communications with respeect to this case, the verdict in Which seems to be generally regarded as bearing hard upon the defendants, whose moral character and general amia bility of disposition is vouched for by many highly respect able parties, to whom they are known. We understand that Practical expressions of that feeling will shortly be given. ME LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1852. THE NATIONAL DEFENCES. WH!LE the lion of the League faction irretrievably damaged his ephemeral reputation by his absurd boasts and inflated declamation about the National Defences, the really popular party who are at pre sent in power have very properly devoted their attention to placing the kingdom in a better state of defence. 'When the cry was for taking off taxes, it was necessarily accompanied by a demand for cutting down expenditure ; and what more easy for amateur statesmen and successful demagogues than to reduce the Navy and the Army ? It mat tered little that the sage experience of the illustrious hero, now gone to his rest, had declared that our defences were inefficient. The self-confidence of the presumptuous upstart proclaimed that our best de fence was in bales of cotton ; and, though his pre diction of the profound peace of Europe directly afterwards falsified by the Continent being in the full blaze of revolution, the faction still ad hered to the cuckoo cry, and wildly dreamed of pacifying the fierce passions of lawless men by the mockery of Peace Conventions and similar rubbish. To the credit of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, he at tempted a step in the right direction by his propo sition for a militia force, but he had not the moral courage to persevere in demanding supplies for a proper addition to our naval and military forces ; and it has been left to his successors to justify the confidence which has been placed in them by car rying out this prudent precaution. It is a manifest duty to provide against probable, or even possible, evils ; and though the peace advocates twaddle about warlike preparations being provocative of warlike demonstrations, every sane man knows that an efficient state for national defence is the surest gua rantee for the preservation of peace. It may be said, by those whose wish is father to the thought, that there is nothing in the state of Europe to jus tify an apprehension of the present profound peace being disturbed; but this is a very short-sighted view of public affairs. The new-made Emperor of France has, it is true, made many professions of peaceful intentions,but all his previous acts have given the negative to his pro fessions. He has ostensibly commanded a reduc tion of the numerical strength of his army, but he has in reality made it more efficient, while the force of his steam-navy is being considerably and actively augmented. He may, after all, have the best intentions to preserve amicable relations with the ancient enemy of France; but who can foresee how long he ma) be able to restrain the anxiety of his soldiers to gratify their thirst for military glory, and their more prominent desire to wipe out the stain of Waterloo ? The interests of Great Britain are too mighty, for the prospect of their being im perilled to be left to chance, and the Ministry have pursued a wise course in taking such precautions as may help to guard against the risk of defeat. Although the increase in the estimates for the coming year will, it is said, exceed f 600,000, the improvements to be effected are of a comprehensive character, tending to materially add to the efficiency of our naval and military forces. To the former there is to be an addition of 5,000 seamen and 1,500 marines, while screw machinery is to be introduced into eight or ten line-of-battle ships. The army is to be rendered more efficient, by the addition to the artillery force of 2,000 men with 1,000 horses, and the equipment of 200 guns for field service. Orders have also been issued to hasten the preparations for constructing batteries in the Isle of Wight, and to expedite the works as much as possible. FREE LABOUR IN THE WEST INDIES. Now that the principle of unrestricted competition, as laid down by the Act of 1846, is by tacit consent to be maintained, at least for a time, it would be as well to bear in mind that the author of that Act, the late Sir ROBERT PEEL, was opposed to that inter ference with the Sugar duties which formed the leading measure of his successor, Lord JOHN Rus s ELL. The latter, guided by no principle but the selfish theory of his Manchester allies, to buy in the cheapest market, and caring for no interest, how ever important, nor the breach of any engagement, however sacred, responded to the demand for cheap Sugar, and in doing so ruined the West Indies, and directly encouraged the worst horrors of Slavery. Our attention has been more immediately called to this subject by a publication which has just been issued by the Colonial Sub-Committee of the National Association for the Protection of Industry and Capital throughout the British Empire. It is entitled, " The Case of the Free Labour British Colonies submitted to the British Legislature and British Nation for an impartial Re-hearing" ; and, if ever the cause of truth and justice is to obtain its due position in the councils of Great Britain, this case of the suffering West Indies will receive far more consideration than was bestowed on it by the untractable Earl GREY and his incapable colleagues. Nor is it a question in which West India interests alone have a share, for British commerce equally demands it, and humanity also, shocked by the sufferings of the hapless negroes in countries produ cing slave-grown Sugar. When the British Legis lature took credit for its humanity, in sacrificing twenty millions sterling, in order that Slavery might be abolished in our own colonies, not half the debt was paid, and the suffering owners of estates were told to look to two sources of compensation—the apprenticeship of their former slaves, and the advan tage of a British market, which was secured to them by the system of differential duties. They yielded to the appeal from the mother country, and abolished the apprenticeship ; and then, when it was a bare struggle to exist, their ruin was com pleted by the Whig-Radical surrender to the demand for cheap Sugar. With no resource for labour but the will of the manumitted negro, who, following the dictates of his uncivilised nature, did as little as possible, the planter found the produce of his highly paid six hours a-day brought into competi tion with the eighteen hours a-day forced labour of Cuba and the Brazils. The consequence was inevi- table, and England may now survey the fruits of her modern policy in ruined colonies, and Slavery more rampant than ever under slave-drivers over whom she has no control. The Manchester Free-Traders have boasted that England has saved a million a-year in the price of Sugar ; but they are short-sighted politicians. Five times that amount would not repaj' the ann to British capital in the West Indie sequent loss to trade in what was at one time )rolific source of commerce thropist may indulge in the ple he penny a pound 1 en wrung f the v abolished, nor can they anticipate much from the assistance of Government, with reference to a better supply of free labour; but justice and humanity alike demand that the produce of slavery should not by fiscal regulations be placed on equal terms with theirs. They seek no exclusive advantages, but a mere modicum of justice, and one which it is to the interest of the mother country to grant ; and though Manchester men may talk largely about the abolition of all protection, impartial persons will not forget that the abolition of differential duties, with respect to free labour and slave-grown Sugar, is, in reality, a premium on the latter. We may be powerless to controul the domestic legislation of either Cuba or Brazil, but, by affording a due amount of protection to our own colonies, we may virtually discourage a persistence in the slave system, and restore in some measure that source of British commerce which has so long lain under the incubus of Whig misrule. Let us hope that, now we have a Conservative Ministry at the helm of affairs, some advance will be made in a right direction, and England may once more attribute her national greatness to " Ships, Colonies, and Commerce." THE ROMAN CHURCH MILITANT IN ENGLAND. CHASTISEMENT OF WOMEN BY PRIESTS. THE social evils arising from Roman Catholic Priestcraft in Ireland have frequently demanded our attention and reprobation. Lawless, audacious, and disgusting ss have been the recent perform- ances of the Priests in that country, we were yet ha; lly prepared to bear that any member of their body would venture on the commission of the most shameless and unmanly of their practices in the midst of the Protestant people of England. On Thursday last, however, a case came before Mr. A'BECKETT, at the Southwark Police-office, which shows how truly it may be said of the Reverend Immigrants from Ireland, " Ccelum non animum mutant." As the case has yet to be submitted to a superior tribunal, we shall not assume the state ments of the complainant to be true, except where they were not 'contradicted by the professional adviser of the accused. MARY MURPHY, a young woman, the wife of a labourer living in Bermond sey, gave birth to a child some four weeks since. Before her marriage she had been a Roman Ca tholic, but since that event she had become a Protestant. Two or three days after her confine ment she received a shilling as relief from Mr. DANIEL DONOVAN, Roman Catholic Priest of "Webb-street Chapel, Berdmondsey, and she was also relieved by the Nuns of the Convent at Ber mondsey. Shortly after this she had her child baptized by the Rev. Mr. ARMSTRONG, a Protest ant Clergyman. Mr. DONOVAN thereupon called upon her ; and being informed by her of this fact, in answer to his questions, he struck her on the side of her head with his umbrella, and exclaimed, " Don't you think you have sent your soul to the devil ?" She replied, " She did not." The priest then retired. In three or four minutes he re turned, and, in the presence of the woman's land lady, struck Mrs. MURPHY three times with his umbrella, saying to the landlady, " Why don't you send those devils out of the house ?" It was stated that the landlady, a Roman Catholic, after wards took the bed from under the woman, and left her and her child to sleep on the floor. On cross-examination by the legal adviser of the priestly aggressor, Mrs. MURPHY was exposed to insulting questions about her marriage, which she answered satisfactorily. The defence set up for the accused was that Mr. DoNovAN, having " questioned the woman closely" (as reverend gentlemen accustomed to the confes sional are so well qualified to do) about the father of the child, and thinking that she was telling falsehoods, " rebuked her, at the same time gently touching her on the shoulder with his umbrella." This is the old plea which the lawyers call molli teo manes, &c , without the necessary preliminary of spewing a justification for the assault. Now, although there will assuredly be but one opinion throughout England upon such conduct and such a defence, it is most important that expression should be given to public indignation, and that the people who are exposed to the arts of the Irish Roman Catholic Clergy should be made to understand what manner of men they are. The condition of poor Ireland is the appalling result of the revolting tyranny of the Reverend DoNovANS. Sir FRANCIS HEAD, in his recent work, " A Fort night in Ireland," has ably investigated the source of the " Degraded Condition of the Irish people." The first question which that acute observer puts to himself is, " Have the Imperial Parliament and British Government been the cause of the moral degradation of Ireland ?" After enumerating the great things done by the legislature for the sister country since the union, he comes to the inevitable verdict of "not guilty." His second question is, " Have Irish landlords been the cause of the moral degradation of Ireland ?" and he is forced to the conclusion that the charge is " not proven" against them by the facts. He shows, too, that the Irish people themselves are not the guilty parties; but on examining the question " are the Priesthood of Ire land the cause of its moral degradation ?" he boldly affirms that they are, and appends a body of evi dence in proof of his assertion, which shows to the admiring reader of what the DONQVANS are capable. THE BUDGET As many of our readers may not care to wade through the elaborate statement with which the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER introduced his budget, we subjoin the heads of the principal items. The payments for light-houses is to be reduced to the extent of £lOO,OOO a year. The question of pilotage and ballastage is to be considered, and admiralty rights of salvage, anchorage, &c., abolished. The sugar duties are not to be altered, but sugar may be rened in bond. _ _ _ _ The malt duty is to be reduced one-half, and ld. per lb. on hops taken off. The duty on tea is to be reduced 41d per lb., and 2d. per lb. everyyear until it is oue shilling. The tax on incomes from trades and professions is to be reduced to sid., and begin at £lOO a year. On income from realised property it is to remain at 7d., and begin at £5O a year. On farmers the income is to be calculated at one-third instead of half the rent. It is also to be extended to rents and salaries in Ireland. The house duty is to be raised from 9d. to is. Gd. on private houses, and 6d. to is. on shops, and to begin at ilo instead of £2O a year. The navy estimates are to be increased £600,000, and the Public Works Loan Fund Commission abolished. while the phil eflection that le price of and suffer- ne nas saved in 11' nown t THE FRENCH EMPIRE. THE preparations have been so elaborate, that the public mind is not startled by the announcement that Louis NAPOLEON has been proclaimed Em peror of the French. There is, however, a curious mingling of fact and fiction in his assumption of the title NAPOLEON HI. It is a grafting of hereditary claim upon popular suffrage, which is more signifi cant of the future than suggestive of the past. The appeal to the eight million otes was a sop to Cer hems, but the title tells plainer than words that Louts NAPOLEON basis his claim to the Imperial throne upon the bare fact of his being the nephew of his uncle. Ile has carried out the work (which. LIVERPOOL BOROUGH SESSIONS. clear that up to that time there could have been no Con cert between them. Marks is then about to make out a draft on America, but at the suggestion of Fairburn it is not made out, and they go to the house of Fairburn, where I the additional money is given to Marks, and then the under his hands, has been slowly but surely pre ink) by taking up his residence at the Tuille and in order that no pecuniary difficulties may embarra government, owir e'er, a shall be The sessions for November commenced on Tuesday, in the Crown Court of St. George's Hall, before Gilbert Henderson, Esq., the Recorder of Liverpool. There were 25 prisoners for felony, and nine for misdemeanors. ;, in whic times a If this er g to the want of e power of issuing notes great as the means of paving prudence own a fleniy Murphy, one of the detective force, was next called. He apprehended Fairburn at Ford's public- house, in Back Castle-street. Kehoe was present, and asked Fairburn if he had received any commission from those two farmer-lookine men, who had changed money at Marks's ? He said no ; but expected some. Kehoe left then, and witness took Fairburn to the Police-office. On the way Fairburn said, " Why don't you t a k e M ar k s ? I was acting on commission : my commission will be 2i." Afterwards took Marks in Oldhall.street. On the way Marks said he cashed the money. Witness said they were afraid the draft was not genuine. Marks said he never gave drafts that were not genuine. On the way he also said he had not given Fairburn any commission, and did not intend to do so. At the Police• office Marks said there was an error of £45. Afterwards took him to the Police-office, and found a draft for 1170 dollars in his possession, and also a pocket-book, containing some memoranda. Two of them were put in. They were I 0 U's for £3O, due by Fairburn to Marks. Gross-examined.—Marks said the original draft was destroyed. Law - rence Kehoe was next called, and he corroborated the evidence given by Mr. Clough and Murphy._ _ - - . Mr. James Milner was then called. He said he was clerk in the house of Messrs. Brown, Shipley, and Co. He was acquainted with the rate of exchange between this country and America. On the 4th of November last, it was 104 per cent. According to that, the sum of £340 sterling would be worth , 51,666 in America. In answer to the court, the witness said 43'1170 would be worth £238 ss. 6d. sterling at the same rate. There were .B'4 90c. to the pound, or 4s. Id. per dollar, By Mr. Bolton.—At that price the sum of £35 would come to 43170 25c. The commssion charged for exchange was one per cent. . . . . By the Court.—Don't know what commission the bul lion offices charge. This closed the case for the prosecution. Mr. sergeant Wilkins then raised an objection to the indictment. He said ho hoped to show to the learned Recorder that in point of fact there was no case to go to the jury at all. This was an indictment for conspiracy. There were two counts in the indictment alleging that the defendants obtained money jointly under false pretences, and then there were two counts for the conspiracy. Until all the parties, or, rather, three of the parties, that is, the son and Fairborn go to the office of Marks, there could be no privity between the parties. It was not known that the parties were coming to Liverpool at all, They go to the house of Fairburn, according to the evidence of the father, at the instance of the railway guard, and by that of the cab-driver according to the evidence of the son, for the purpose of obtaining lodgings. Fairburn finds out that they want to go to America. Some converEation takes place, and then they go to the office of There the son, without any solicitation trc Fairburn, NAPOLEON may learned Recorder declined to withdraw the case from the consideration of the jury, though there might afterwards remain a question as to the value of the draft for the con sideration of a superior court. Mr. Sergeant WILKINS then delivered a most able and powerful speech to the jury. Unless he was greatly mis taken, there would be no ne:essity for troubling any other court with the case. He attacked, in strong terms, the character of the prosecutor, and also the police-officers who bad given evidence, designating the conduct of the former as infamous, and of the latter as inquisitorial and a violation of the principles of the constitution of the country. Besides, the officers contradicted each other, and therefore all they said could not be correct. But Mr. Clough, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Kehoe had done what the learned Recorder or even the Lord Chancellor of England would not venture to do. They had set up themselves to ask questions from the accused, and to cross-examine them with a view of getting admissions of guilt from them—and in fact a system of espionage was adopted, which had been so eloquently condemned as a blot in the jurisprudence of our continental neighbours. He then went over the whole evidence, contending that it was so beset with sus picion and contradiction as not to be relied upon, and in conclusion begged them to take the matter into their own hands, and form their own judgment upon the evidence they had heard, irrespective of any observations they might hear from the bench. He said this with every respect to the learned Recorder, for he had made the same observation in the presence of the Chief Justice the other day, and his reason for it was, because juries, from their business habits, were much more likely to come to a just conclusion. Mr. Blair also addressed the jury on behalf of Fairburn. Having watched the evidence very closely, he said, he was at a loss what he had to answer, or what portion of it bore against his client. After referring to the disreputable conduct of the prosecutor as calculated to throw discredit upon his testimony, he alluded to the fact of young Garner stating that, when he went to Marks for the second draft, Marks looked at the money, and said it was right—there was £l5O in notes, .£75 in notes, and £65 in gold. This would make the deficiency only about £29, which was to be explained by its being an error in making the calcula tions, all being done in a great hurry. Eight witnesses, of high standing, including members of the council and the vestry, gave the defendant Marks a good character for honesty and straightforward conduct as a trades Four witnesses were also called in favour of Feirburn. The learned Recorder then impartially summed up the case to the jury. The Jury retired at a quarter past seven o'clock, and after being out of court an hour, returned with a verdict of not guilty as to both ;:risoners. This case ended the Sessions. The verdict was re ceived outside the court with cheers from a crowd which had assembled in the neighbourhood. ALLEGED ASSAULT ON THE POLICE.- THE PLAIN CLOTHES' QUESTION. draft is made out by Marks. After that time Marks is never seen, and he (Mr. Sergeant .Wilkins) wanted to Con- know what evidence there vv .e was no evidence to the fals, , current mo pretenc Garner, purporting £340 in pretence Richard , f_ pre-concErt for the w York. to Richard payment of ordinary and then OF all the mischiefs inflicted by the late Administration, in their indecent haste to put the crowning capital upon the column► of Free-trade, perhaps the most fatal, in its ultimate results, was their rash destruction of that Charta Maritima of England, popularly known as the Navigation Laws. Under that famous act, the origin of which may be traced to RICHARD 11., but which owed its efficiency to the Republican Parliament under OLIVER CROMWELL, and was adopted after the restc CHARLES 11., this country distanced Holland in the race for comnacrcial superiority, and has since arrived at a pitch of greatness unparalleled in all history. It was of hifiuitely more im !y in N nations that this pre-eminence should be preserved; for upon our mercantile marine depends the efficiency of our , it any, was . They must navy, the only security for the integrity of the empire; and yet with ruthless hand the Whigs and their Radical allies threw this important interest open to unre competition with Americ. , Prussia, and other states, anxiously waiting to seize every advantage ; and left the shipowners and all dependent upon them fettered by their previous burdens. In accordance with the declaration of the Ministry, and the resolution of the House of Com mons, it was impossible for them to propose any re-esta blishment of the protective system ; but an instalment of justice will be afforded by the statement which Mr. DISRAELI made on Friday. He proposes to relieve the shipping interest from all expenses of lighthouses other than those actually incurred in maintaining them— e boon which he estimates will amount in the aggregate to £lOO,OOO a year. The anomalous system of pilotage and ballastage is to be investigated by a committee of the House of Commons, with the view of affording a practical remedy for the abuses now complained of. The right of one of the crew of a merchant ship to dismiss himself by entering the Royal Navy is to be dis couraged by withholding his wages until the termi nation of the voyage, and the injury remedied by corn- pensation to the master. The present system of salvage is to cease, and the right of a man-of-war to disturb a mer chant ship in her anchorage is to terminate. In addition to these concessions the subject of manning the navy is to undergo an adjustment by Parliament, which may remove many of the vexations of the present system ; and the question of stamps upon insurances, bills of lading, and charter-parties is also to receive attention when the de tails of revenue come more immediately under considera tion. Without attaching too much importance to the proposed measures of relief,—for foreign shipping will share equally in the advantage of the reduction for lights,—it must be acknowledged that the Conserva tive Ministry have taken a step in the right direction, and so far they have justified the confidence which was re- posed in them by the electors of averpool, when the ter returned them tcvD s Relieve placed in a more equitable pos the better enabled to ich they hay been ex naw offered to them m ters by such a triu lion of their burde Our Shipov I the competition t .nd though the boon Dns:derod but an instal- , be gratefully accept as an earnest of utu re, len a better feel victims County Court, J. Pollock, Esq.,) yesterday judgment in the case of the action brought Iry 'NT.. ,t Or. Empire, peat the v false pretence, but upon that prct ies incurred by In giving a Collins, bis FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT HUYTON. A fatal accident occurred on Thursday at Huyton, about six miles from Liverpool, to the London express train which leaves here at 5 15, p.m. About halfway between Huyton-gate and the quarry, the engine ran off the line to the left, and rolled over the embankment, but the screw-coupling, connecting it with the tender, broke, and the train, which consisted of three first-class carriages, re mained on the road, although, by the violence of the shock, they were forced on to the up line. The driver Joseph Hewitt, and the fireman, Thomas Banks TRIAL OF MARKS AND FAIRBURN, FOR AN ALLEGED CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD AN EMIGRANT. Yesterday, Mark Marks and William Fairburn were tried before the learned Recorder, on an indictment for misdemeanor, charging them with conspiracy to defraud Richard Garner; and also with obtaining money under false pretences from the said Richard Garner. The de fendants pleaded not guilty. Mr. Bolton and Mr. Brett appeared for the prosecution ; and Messrs. Sergeant Wilkins, Tindal Atkinson, Blair, Aspinall, and Simon, for the defendants. Mr. Bolton stated at length the facts of the case as they were afterwards detailed in evidence. After going over them as they would be proved, be concluded by alluding to the law affecting the case. The following witnesses were then called : John Garner the younger stated that he was the son of Richard Garner, who was a farmer near Burbadge, in Leicestershire. On Wednesday. the 3rd November. witness, his father, and a young woman arrived in Liverpool, his father and the female intending to emigrate to America. They went to the house of Fairbern, who k. eps a lodgings in Galton-street. In conversation with Fairburn, the latter recommended wit ness's father to get his money turned into a draft, as when people got to sea they became as helpless as children, and frequently lost their money. Fairburn said he had a ship going to America that day, it was full, but he had so much power over it that he could take two out and put two others into her, and it was agreed that his father and the young woman should go in the ship. Tickets were afterwards taken for the two. Fairburn said they must be very quick, for the ship would sail sooner than he expected. He then said they must go to the bank and get the money put into a draft. They went as quick as possible to the house of Marks, Mr. Fairburn saying it was the best bank in Liverpool. On the way witness said—" Let us go to Glyn and Co.'s," on which Fair burn said Marks' is the best bank in Liverpool. We got there at nine o'clock, and saw Marks. Took out of the money ten sovereigns for the passage, and Marks took 1 sixty-five, and seventy-five pounds in notes. Fairburn said more money was to be put to it, and they must go to his (Fairburn's) house and draw the draft there. Witness, Marks, and Fairburn took a cab and went to the house of the latter. Witness's father then gave five more notes to Marks. Fairburn said "be quick, the ship will be gone." Marks wrote a paper and gave it to his (witness's) father, and they hurried off to the pierhead, took a small boat, and went on board a vessel in the river. His father then objected to the berths which had been taken. Fairburn said it would cost £36, and it was no use going to that expense. His father gave Fairburn £l2 103. and witness £l5, and Fairburn went away. His father then gave witness the draft to go back to Marks to j Police-constables M'Grane (58) and Carlisle (260) ap draw money to pay the passage. They afterwards went to peared yesterday to support a charge against Mr. Light the shop of Marks and got £35. Then gave him the draft he received from his father, and Marks gave him foot, the owner and occupier of a pUblic-house in Gilbert another for it. Marks also gave witness a duplicate of street, for an assault upon them, alleged to have been the draft, and said if the money should be lost in crossing the sea, he (witness) could receive the money i n this committed by him on S un d a y morn i ng l as t. Th e ev id ence country. I of the complainants was to the effect that on Sunday [The three drafts were then put in and read. Th e fi rs t mor n i ng l as t, a b ou t 20 m i nutes past 12 o ' c l oc k , b eing in was drawn by the defendant Marks on E. Morrison and p l a i n clothes, they effected an entrance into the Co., William-street, New York, p a y a b le at three days' sight ,uid for 1170 dollars. The second for 1125 dollars, house of the defendant, and there found three women, and the tilled a duplicate of the latter. All were dated and a jug of ale upon the table. In the execu- Nov. 4th, 1852.] I tion of their duty they were assaulted by the The witness proceeded to say that he asked Marks to defendant, and one of them, Carlisle, knocked down. count the notes over again, as he (witness) did riot feel satisfied about a £5O bill. Marks then took the notes j They ultimately had to call assistance and convey Light out of his pocket, and said they were all there except a£s foot to brideweli. Mr. Owen was employed for the de fence ; and, after making a strong appeal to the magis- that they should be forthcoming. note which he had paid away. Having counted th em , Marks said there was £l5O and £75 in notes and £65 i n gold. Fairburn and witness then went on board the ship in trates on the bench, Mr. Mansfield and Mr. Crosthwaite, I Examination resumed.—Both the deceased persons the riv er . On their way Fairburn asked witness to give him called upon a vourg female, the servant of Mr. Light- were fou n d under the first carriage of the train, behind the draft, as they would most likely not allow him to go foot, who deposed that she had lived in his service the luggage van. They were much nearer Huyton Quarry aboard. Witness refused, went on board, and gave the previous to his buying th e p u bli c -h ouse i n whi c h he than where the engine ran off the line. 'Witness was of draft to his father, and kept the duplicate himself. Left the ship, and came ashore to try to get back the £lO paid lived. On Saturday night, after business was over, opinion that they must have been pitched forward by the in the first place for the berths. Fairburn said it was no she had seen the company who were in the house out of force of the engine. Saw a number of rails torn up on use, the money was lost, and witness had better go out of doors, but had omitted to fasten the front door. Her both lines. They were not altogether. Two or three town as soon as poss ble, for it was a nonmish place. In cross-examination, by M r . S erg e an t Wilki ns , on b e - master and mistress were about t o ge t su pp er , an d th e a l e ra il s were torn up, an d a f ew yar d s f urt h er ot h er ra il s were half of Marks, witness said his father was married to a drawn was for them. At this time three women rushed torn up. second wife. Did not know that he h a d been drinking all in, and, after resisting them as much as she could, she i By a juror. —The engine was on both lines. the previous week, or that lie had been turned out of a went to call her master to put them out, and whilst assist- first on the up line, and then crossed on to the down line, jury -box for being drunk. His father had not paid all his debts before leaving, and had since offered 10s. in the ing him to do so, the officers came both to the front and and afterwards crossed again and rolled down the em. pound. Had purchased some things from his father, and back door, and, gainin g en t rance , procee d e d to t h e bar, bankment. paid him £75 for them. Got a receipt for the money in and entered for the purpose o f p ursu i ng t h e i r exam i nat i on. Liverpool. On attempting to enter a second time, Mr. Lightfoot By the Coroner.—There were no rails torn up beyond The witness was further cross-examined, by Mr. Blair, placed himself at the door, refusi ng t o a ll ow th e m ; a n d where the engine got off the line. The wheels of the en on b e h a lf o f Fairburn, but nothing particular was elicited. was violently pulled away. They proceeded to put hand- ; g i ne were b ur i e d i n the embankment. The chimney and Re-examined.—His father left some fields and two cuffs upon him ; and he was taken by four policemen to d _ et e houses at Burbadgc. It is good land. The reason w hy bridewell. They refused to let him h ave on hi s h a t or m_ were both gone. One of the telegraph posts was witness asked Marks to count over the money was, his boots. He was bailed, an d came h ome a t h a lf -past 3 I broken. Witness had been pointaman on that part of because he thought he ought to have more money than o'clock on Sunday afternoon. His stocki ng s were then ! the line for seventeen years. appeared in the draft. wet through, be having only thin slippers on, He never By a juror. —After the old gentleman got hold of wit- By Mr. Sergeant Wilkins (through the Court).—The resisted after the handcuffs were put upon him. Mr. Watson, the gentleman from whom the d e f en d en t property was mortgaged for £7OO. It is worth about nose, they went back on the line towards Huyton about £1.200, purchased the house, was call e d, and confirmed th e ev i- forty yards, to see if there was anything on the line that Richard Garner, farmer, late of Cotesbach, was then deuce of the preceding witness. He had been with Mr. had caused the accident. The driver of one of the trains called. He described his arrival in Liverpool, his visit to Lightfoot from a little after 11 o'clock at night, and left with the rest of the company about t en m i nu t es a ft er 12 to Birmingham, leaving Liverpool at one o'clock, as he Fairburn's house, and the transaction with Marks. It appeared from the evidence that £350 altogether was paid o'clock. He saw the officer go into the bar, and subs e a passed witness, put up two fingers to him and pointed to Marks, for which the first draft for 1,1 7 0 dollars was quently attempt to put handcuffs upon Mr. Lightfoot, who back, but he did not stop the trr.in, or give him eey sib given. The next day he came ashore With the captain, ! threw out his arms, refusing to b e pi n i one d, an d thus lie nal. Did not know that the driver of the train said to and afterwards gave information to the police of the thought one arm might cross the officer's breast, and give transaction. ground for the charge of assault. He advised defendant him on his return at night, after the accident, "Didn't I Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Wilkins.—Am fifty-Ito submit, and he immediately did so. This witness tell you about that broken rail ?" Witness did not know eight years old. The name of the milkmaid is Ann Timms. firmed the evidence of the servant, as to defendant not hi s name. She was going out as my servant. My wife knew I was being allowed to put on his hat nnd boots, and being A relative of the fireman here stated that the name o f going to America. Sold some things to my son for about taken by four policemen to bridewell. £7O. Gave him a receipt for it before I left home. 'Was This closed the case; and Mr. Mansfield, in giving his the driver of the Birmingham train referred to was Camp not in a hurry to get off to America. Have satisfied all decision, s t a t e d th a t there had been i n j u di c i ous conduct bell, and that he had told him that he had cautioned the my creditors, paying some of my friends 105. in the pound. lon the part of Mr. Lightfoot. He did not think that witness about the broken rail in passing him at Huyton. Gave four of my children £25 each, anot her £3O, to my there was any blame attributable to the officers, who must wife £lO. and to Ann Timms £5. The money I gave be protected in the exercise of their duty. He would, By the Coroner :On looking at the line after the acci them was trust money, which I held from their eldest however. impress upon them that it was not necessary to dent witness saw a broken chair. The rails were torn up brother. Paid many bills before I left, I should think take such a man as Mr. Lightfoot to bridewell, when they from where the broken• chair was found. The broken from Michaelmas to the time I came away to the amount might have seen that he was not likely to do any mischief of about £2OO. iat home, and was cert a i n to b e f or th- com i ng , if summone d . chair was at the commencement of the curve. At th e By Mr. Wilkins.—Where are you staying in Liverpool ? The case was dismissed. point where the broken chair was found there was a mark At Mr. Walker's. What is he ? He keeps an eating- I AMMO= of the wheel across the line, as if the engine had gone off house near the docks. The reason I left the ship was because I thought there THE SHIPPING INTEREST. the rails there. The chair seemed to have been just was no such firm as Morrison and Co. at New York, and broken. The conclusion witness came to was that the because there was more than £lOO short. chair had been broken by the engine running off the line. Re-examined : I have ten acres of land and two houses It was not a common practice to signal by the hand. at present. Mr. Clough, superintendent of police, said he recol- James Livesey, the relative of the fireman above re lected Marks and Fairburn being brought before him. (erred to, here volunteered the following statement :—He The two Garners were there. Asked if they had any ' said that the engine -driver Campbell had told him that, charge to make. They said they had, and witness took it down. Young Garner said be gave them 65 soverei g ns, he was in charge of the train which l e ft Liver £7s in notes, and £2OO in small notes. I said that makes pool for Birmingham at half-past nine o'clock, en £240. Marks said "Yes, that's right, 1 had that." I T hurs d ay morning last, and that when he got near the then got bold of the draft, and said it was for 1025 dol point where the accident happened, he thought th e t ra • dol lars. I inquired what was the value of a dollar, and was an of was running off the line, caused by a bro' - - told it was 4s. 21. After some other conversation. I found there was a deficiency of £9l Os. 2d., and said it was extraordinary. M.rks said there was a mistake in the addition. I looked at the statement and saw none. Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Wilkins : Heard nothing said about a mistake of £5O. killed, and their bodies were subsequently found drewi fully mutilated and scorched. None of the passenger were injured. There were several gentlemen belonging to Liverpool in the train, who were proceeding to London on business. Amongst others may be mentioned Mr. J. C. Ewart, one of the directors ; Mr. W. Nicol ; Mr. Thomas Bouch, chairman of the Commercial Bank ; Mr. M. D. Lowndes ; Mr. Ambrose Lace ; Mr. J. G. Duncan ; Mr. S. Crasfield jun. ; also, Mr. Allcard, of Warrington. They were detained at Huyton a short time after the at - and were then forwarded by other trains provided purpose. The engine, which was named the V considerably damaged, but the carriages only in a trifling degree. An inquest was opened on Friday, before Mr. Driffield, coroner, but, after the bodies had been identified, was adjourned. The engineer has left a wife and six child ren; and it is something singular that his wife was left a widow under somewhat similar calamitous circumstances some years ago. The stoker was also a married man, and had several children. ADJOURNED INQUEST. HUYTON, MONDAY NIGHT The inquest upon the bodies of the engine -driver and fireman was resumed this day, at th the Huyton Gate Station. lu,en's Arms, near Captain Douglas Galton, of the Royal Engineers, was present to watch the proceedings on behalf of the Board paseing the witness now under examination, to him that there w;:s a broken arriving She was en rail. On Campbell further ,t Stafford, that the lint out of order at Huyton, and that on arrivi he named this to Mr. Woodhouse, an official on the line hat there was plenty of time to have drawn a to the line by telegraph William Marger, the guard of the train, was next ex. atnined, and gave it as his opinion, that the accident wa] mainly caused by the trait going too fast Just before i happened he thought it impossible for them to remain on the line, and prepared himself for the worst by holding on firmly. Mr. Adolphus Monfert, agent to Sir John Gerard was a passenger by the train, gave it as his op had been cau y the defective et This witness strongly condemned the state of the line at the spot where the accident took place. He had noticed it on the afternoon of Thursday last, as he was proceeding from St. Helen's to Liverpool, to join the ex press train for London ; and he gas of opinion that it was not safe for passenger traf f ic Thom a' Dutton and James Harrison, plate-layers on the line, deposed to the rails being rather out of order i const quenee of the heavy rains, and the bad " bottom on the line near Huyton. It appeared, however, these witnesses' statements, that there was a full meat of plate-layers stationed on the line . —..— Mr. John Lister, C.E., engineer of the Warrington arid Altrinchain Railway, who was a passenger by the train, gave it as ins °Onion that the accident was jointly caused h h a ea p v p y en r e a d ins. by the high r a t e o f spee d w hi c h t h e tra i n had attained, and the conditi on o f t h e ra il s consequen t upon t h e l ate the train I e w calculatedas proceedingth at justat the of f accident 6o m it es an ::our. He was much alarmed. It was taster tha n it was safe to travel on the narrow gauge. In answer to a question from Mr. Blenkinsopp, the company's solicitor, Mr. Lister stated that all lines were now out of order, the result of the late rains, and he instanced th e Great Northern, the South-Western, and other lines upo which „he had travelled within the last few days. 11 considered that five plate-layers in a mile and 200 yard (the number employed in that distance by the Londo and North-Western Company' Were quite suflicientt' nies employe Mr. Blenk ti were mere than other co-M-1 cient number of plate On one of the turor engine Unesses, conse deavoured'toshow observed by having a suffi •iver, C consider it neec g the line g that tho evidence of th 5 referred to,) should b ce between the several rain liallon o call hia CURIOUS CLJ ported at the tes' conversation, the jury nett LOOMS It was c of Trade. The first witness examined was Thomas Ashton, in charge of the paints and signals near the Huyton Quarry Station, and cicse to where t dent took I: OR duty on Thur aernoon Inst, and on tl or the train, an bout its regular time. Soon after pas, saw the train make a great "smash." Tne train did not proceed at a quicker pace than usual There are no points or sidings where witness first heard the smash. The train seemed to be coming steadily along until the crash took A curve commences first heard the smash. After the crash, saw the engine jumping from one side of the line to the other, ani then run on to the embankment. The dome flew off, and steam and fire issued from the engine. The train passed the place where the engine went over the embankment by thirty or forty yards. Witness then turned his red light and went towards the train. When witness got up to the train, an aged gentleman said to him, "Are you the police man on the line ?" Witness replied that he was. The gentleman then got hold of witness and said to him, " Come with me, then, and let us see what has thrown us off the line." He would not let him go until they had looked. Witness then looked about the train and saw the deceased persons. aid that he understood there were platelayers at work on that part of the line where the ac cident took piece on the afternoon of Thursday. If so, it The Coroner here s was important to have them calleC Mr. Blenkinsopp, solicitor for the company, promised