The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-16 00:00:00

LADIES' CHARITY 'ONE, La, Mrs. T. STEUART ( ROBERTSON GLADSTONI THE ANNUAL BALL for the TUTION, will be held Conn, in the Tow ;EFIT OF THIS INSTI ,on of the Mayor and HALL. on THURSDAY, the 29th instant. Tickets, 10s. each, (Refreshments included,) to be had of the Lady Patroness, 60, Chatham-street, Abercromby square ;at the President's, Union-court, Castle-street ;at the Institution, 115, Duke-street ; and the principal Shops in the town. The Doors will be opened at Eight o'clock. Carriages to set down and take up with the horses' heads facing Water • —No Money will be received at the Door LIVERPOOL FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM. ON SUNDAY MORNING next , the 18 th in stant, SERMONS will be Preached at ST. ANNE'S CHURCH, Aigburth, by the Rev. HENRY HAMPTON, Incumbent of St. James's Church. divine service to com mence at a quarter before eleven o'clock ; and at the PARISH CHURCH, Childwall, by the Rev. ARCHIBALD JAMES DOUGLAS, divine service to commence at half past ten, and Collections made in aid of the Fund for Building an Institution. CHESTER AND BIRKEENHEAD RAILWAY. THE SECOND CALL of ONE POUND per SHAR E on the New £5O Shares in this Company becomes due and payable on MONDAY, the second day of January next. The Directors hereby give Notice to the Proprietors, in accordance with the Act of Incorporation, to pay the same to the Liverpool Borough Bank, Liverpool, on or before the day above-mentioned; in default thereof the Shares will be come forfeited (Signed) WILLIAM DIXON, Chairman. Birkenhead, 12th December, 1842. The Transfer Books will be closed from the 20th of Decem ber, 1842, to the 3d January, 1843. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN , that the PARTNER SHIP lately existing between us, JAMES TAILOR, BENJAMIN LAW, and THOMAS M'ENTEGART, as brokers, dealers and chapmen, now or lately carrying on the said businessin Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, under the several firms of •‘ Taylor and Law" and " Thomas AV En taggart and C 0.," has this day been DISSOLVED by mutual consent. Dated this tenth day of December, 1842. JAMES 'TAYLOR. BENJAMIN LAW. THOMAS M'ENTEG ART. Witness—J. GALLOWAY, Solicitor, Prescot. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the business will, in future, be carried on by Messrs. Tilos. APENTEGART and JAMES TAYLOR, who will pay and receive all debts owing from or to the late Partnership. ASSIGNMENT. WHEREAS, THOMAS GURDEN, of Toxteth-park, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, licensed vic tualler, bath, by Indenture, dated the eighth day of Decem ber instant, conveyed and assigned over all his estate and effects to trustees therein named, for the equal benefit of his creditors, or such of them as shall execute the same within three calendar months now next ensuing the date hereof. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That the said Indenture now lies at my Office, No. 101, Mill-street, Toxteth-park, for the inspection and execution of the creditors of the said Thomws GURDEN ; and such of them as shall neglect or. refuse to execute the same within the time aforesaid will be excluded all benefit arising thereof. CLARE, Solicitor, Liverpool. MANCHESTER. SPREAD EAGLE COMMERCIAL AND FAMILY HOTEL, HANGING-DITCH, (BACK ENTRANCE FROM CANNON-STREET.) WF. WESTALL respectfully acq uaints the Commer • cial Public, and Families Visiting Manchester, that he has taken and entered upon the above spacious, conve nient, and centrally situate Hotel, (lately occupied by Mrs. E. Holden, formerly of the Thatched House Tavern, Mar ket-street,) and hopes, from the liberal system he intends to adhere to, in catering for the taste and comfort of his guests, to receive a fair share of public patronage and support. Mutton Broth, Soups, Chops, Steaks, Snacks, &c. provided Daily, from Ten till Two o'clock. A liberally-provided Table d'Hote on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday in each week, at Half-past One o'clock pre- cisely. The Wines, Spirits, and Cigars have been selected with the greatest care, and will be found of first-rate qualities. Capital Stabling and Coach-house. COMPTON HOUSE Darby CCOAK ROOM. J EFFER Y and MORRISH beg to invite the attention of Ladies VE to their new Patterns and Styles in LVETS, SATIN, AND OTHER MANTLES. In catering for the public taste for the present month, J. and M. have been desirous to introduce a Garment which shall combine Utility with Elegance, yet Warmer, and more adapted to the colder Winter Months than the CARDINAL, hitherto so much sought after this Season, varying in Price from Two Guinea to Four-and-a-Half Guineas. The Stock of WOOLLEN CLOAKS, in all their varied Styles, will be found, if not to exceed in extent, at least quite equal to any previous collection. Many of the best Patterns they are offering at Prices not to be competed with. Good Travelling Wrapper CLOAKS.. 16s. 6d. to 21s Fine Saxony Woollen Ditto .. 225. 6d. to 355. AN ASSORTMENT OF CHILDRENS' CLOAKS CLOAK ROOM, COMPTON HOUSE RECENT events have awakened so general a feeling of the momentous importance of securing a protection from fire to Deeds, Records, MSS., Books and Papers of Accompt, Cash, Gunpowder , and all Combustible Materials, that THOMAS MILNER and SON feel excused in again inviting public notice to their PATENT FIRE RESISTING DEPOSITORIES. Having submitted their one-chambered Boxes, of one inch in thickness, to severe trials in the prin cipal towns, they have received from the authorities of each the most satisfactory certificates of their efficiency for ordi nary casualties; and, being confirmed in their opinion by a ong course of experiment, that, under suitable modification of chambers and thickness of boxes, the peculiar principle of their Patent is capable of affording security wide" the severest ordeal likely to occur in calamities of the kind, they respectfully solicit the consideration of gentlemen interested in mechanical science to the subject generallyeand investiga tion into the pretensions of the various mean. of security in . 47 use, their own amongst the rest. M. and S. are prepared to submit their manufactures to public trial with any others of equal dimensions, whilst their comparatively moderate cost renders them extensively avail able. The Certificate of the satisfactory trial of their Boxes in Liverpool bears the signatures of the following gentlemen, to whom permission of reference is kindly given : THOMAS BOLTON, Esq. (ex-Mavor.) JOHN SHAW LEIGH, Esq. (ex -Mayor.) Sir THOMAS BRANCKER. BARTHOLOMEW PRESCOT, Esq. L. GRAHAM, Esq. R. FRODSHAM, ESQ. WM. STOCK, Esq. S. WOODS, jun., Esq. In addition to the above, Milner and Son draw attention to the following statements : A trial of Milner's Patent Fire Resisting Safes and Boxes having been announced by cards, issued to 500 of the scien tific and principal gentlemen of Dublin, which was adjourned from the Royal Dublin Society's premises, on account of alterations in progress thereon, took place at the Rotundo Gardens, October 7th, 1842. The fire, consisting of half a ton of coals, and fifty to sixty feet of wood and kindling, was lighted at one o'clock, with a box and powder safe, filled with papers, &c., in the centre. The whole were examined by the gentlemen present, whose signatures on the certificate were placed inside. Sir John Kingston James kindly conducted the proceed ings, and locked the box. At two o'clock, at Dr. Meyler's suggestion, a large sugar hogshead, with both ends knocked out, was placed over the top of the fire, which, quickly ig niting, caused a very fierce draught, and produced intense heat on the tops of the boxes, which were seen through the opening crevices of the burning cask most severely exposed. A little before three o'clock, Dr. Meyler, with whom the keys had been left by Sir John Kingston James, opened the box, and its contents, including several parchments with seals attached, were found to be perfectly safe. At half-past four o'clock the Powder Safe was taken out and opened, and the inner cell, with its contents, were still unaffected by the heat. It was again replaced in the fire of red coke, and kept in until six p.m. ; when taken out, after five hours' trial. al though the outer cell was red hot, the inner one and contents, on being opened, in the presence of Joshua Abel, Esq.. H. Richardson, Esq., M.D., Messrs. Thosand, Gardiner, Trouton, &c., were still as fresh and perfect as when placed in the fire. We declare our satisfaction with the result of these experiments, and our confidence in the perfect efficiency of this principle for the preservation of all combustible ma terials in ordinary fires. (SIR) JOHN KINGSTON JAMES, (Bart.) Cavendish-row, WM. FARRAN, Abbey-street, (SIR) Tmos. M`KENNY, (Bart.) Fitzwilliam-street, JAMES SHERIDAN, Church-street, JosHuA ABEL, 27, Eustace-street, ROBERT KANE, M.D., Professor, Royal Dublin Society, ROBERT HUNT, Crampton Quay, ANTHONY MEYLER, M.D., (SIR) EDWARD STANLEY , THOMAS GRIER, ISAAC M. D'OLIER, Gov. of the Bank of Ireland, P ( s . Rvv; T c sr E , a ße o g s istrar, Royal Dublin Society, RICHARD PUILDYB"NE' , C. H. MINCHIN, JOHN DOYLE, ROBERT LEECH, M.D. JOHN Lovell, Architect, WM. M. BENSON, GEORGE DAVIES. Committee of Manufacturer, , Royal Dublin Society. — RE S OLVED,—That having carefully examined the Fire-proof S a f es , produced by Messrs. Milner and Son, fire, we recom mend n, and witnessed t h e i r a pplication to po werful and continued them as articles DWA of aPPRD raved utilit E ST ANLEY, Chairman. 12th October, 1842. Messrs. Thos. Milner & Son, Office, Com M Oct. 24, 1842. Gentlemen,—At the late fire which consumed my ware houses, I regret to inform you that my Deeds, Pap ers , an d Accornt ,Books, which wer e deposited in two Iron s a f es. made by of Dublin, were com p letely reduced to ashes; The inconNenience and loss occasioned to me is very great. As I have now no faith whatever in ron Fireroof af es, (at least so styled,) I am induce d to pulchase yen Fire- S pro o f Boxes which have been so strongly tested. I am, Gentlemen, your humble servant HICKS. , RICHARD G. P.S.—Please send me a No. 10, wi th drawers, and No. 1 for deeds Hamburgh,29th August, 18-12. A Public Test of MILNER and SON'S (of Liverpool) PA. TENT FIRE-PROOF SAFETY BOXES, took place or, the Grassbroke, near the Elbe, this afternoon ; We. the undersigned, having been present'' during the whole time of the above, feel p leasure ini expressing our conviction of their perfect security in all cases of casual and ordinary fires. The Box was filled with papers, circulars, books, and old ledgers; in addition to which, Mr. Wenden, the repre sentative of the patentees, placed his watch inside ; the whole were examined by the gentlemen present, and were locked down by " Hemn H. C. Bleeker, 68, Admiralitatistrasse." The fire was composed of upwards of seven cwt. of coal, and a considerable quantity of wood, oaken slabs, and other com bustibles, solely under the superintendence of Mr. Thomp son, Manager of the Globe Foundry Iron Works. The Box was placed in the fire, and there allowed to remain for one hour and a half, during the chief of which time it was of a white heat. Much curiosity was excited respecting the watch ; but on opening the box, it was perfectly safe, and going a „x.l\ >PA I a -- deposited—thewhole contents were also pie ''- eluding he document on which this certificate is • e ROYAL LIVET", NDER THE For the RI EFIT of MRS. FITZWILLIAA and her Last Appearance. On which occasion there will be an Entire Change of Per formance, and Mrs. FITZWILLIAM will perform in Three of her most celebrated and popular Pieces. Mr. RICHARD HOSKINS and THIS present FRIDAY EVEND will be acted a Burletta, in Twt. Acts, entitled WIDOW BRADY; on, WHO'S AFRAID , . , he 16th instant, The Widow Brady be will sing Mrs. Fitz ny Dear After which. a new Vaude FOREIGN IMPORTS AND NATIVE EXPORTS Sam Buckland Mr. R. Hoskins. Emily Staples Mrs. Fitzwilliam. To be followed by the Farce of THE DONCASTER ST. LEGER. Mr. Brown Mr. R. Hoskins. e, called ,ogue of To be followed by the Monoy SARAH WIGGINS ; OR, A WIDOW VERSUS A BACHELOR Written expressly for and played by Mrs. Fitzwilliam ui wards of 900 Nights in England, Ireland, Scotland, and America, in which she will sustain Six CHARACTERS To conclude with the new laughable Piece, called DARBY KELI Mr. T. Lee, with the Song Widow Macree ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, GREAT CHARLOTTE- STREET. AMERICAN CIRCUS LAST FOUR NIGHTS. T HIS EVENING, (Friday , ) the 16 th instant, for the BENEFIT of the TWO CLOWNS, MESSRS. PENTLAND AND ROCKWELL. First Appearance in England of the American Rider, Mr. AYMAR. Mademoiselle CAMILLE LEROUX in her much-ad mired Act Of THE STAR AND FLOATING SCARF. VAULTING EXTRAORDINARY, on which occasion Mr. Lipman, the celebrated American Vaulter, will particularly distinguish himself. Mr. NORTH as the SPRITES. Mr. AYMAR will appear in a principal Act of Horse manship. *** The Proprietors of the American Circus respectfully give notice that their Liverpool Season will CLOSE ON TUESDAY next, the 20th instant, and that they will com mence their London Season, at the English Opera House, on Monday, the 26th instant. . Doors open at Hail-pas formance in the circle at Half-past Boxes, 25.—Pit, ls.—Gallery, Eid Seven o'clock TO CORRESPONDENT .—We find it impossible to monthly meeting on Thursday THE POLYTECHNIC notice the proceedings at t evening, until our next publication 'e are again compelled through the length of the Council report, to postpone the insertion of a mass of communica tions. If any of our correspondents do not see their letters inserted in the course of a publication or two, they may conclude that they are declined. Qbt Eibtrpoot &taiOarb. FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 16, 18 43 It is with no ordinary gratification that we call at tention to the decisive majority by which the Town council have again affirmed the principle of scriptural education in the Corporation Schools. Aided as the enemy was by the active co-operation of some Conser vative auxiliaries, the result is doubly gratifying, for it is the triumph of principle and the prostration of expe- diency; the ascendancy of truth over the degenerating errors of compromise, concession, and relaxation There is a lesson in the majority of Wednesday, which will have an effect in certain quarters where such ar intimation was necessary. We congratulate our fellow-townsmen on this fur ther victory, not only on account of the stable founda tion on which it rests, but on account of its practical utility. It will shew the opponents of scriptural edu cation that the Bible is more than a match for their sophistries however ingeniously reasoned ; it will con vince them that truth not only will prevail, but that it has prevailed. We congratulate the country, too, upon the issue of this conflict, because there is now no hope for the religious education of our poor juvenile popu lation being assailed by masked infidelity through a Liverpool medium. The debate was long, and not destitute of the ani mation which usually pervades oratorical warfare ; but there was little or nothing advanced in the course of it to call forth special remark. The speeches of Mr. North and Mr. Samuel Holme, which are given in full elsewhere, were the principal features in the discussion. Both took the very highest grounds, and both pro duced the best effect. Mr. North's was full of vigorous eloquence, with a mixture of graceful sarcasm. That from Mr. Holme, advocated the authenticity of the Scriptures, and impressed upon the council the practi cal inferences of that authenticity. The combination of the two produced a strong feeling—and, indeed, after Mr. Holme's had concluded the effect was so great, that the cry of " Vote" wasimmediately obeyed. On the other side the question there was only one address worth notice, and that was the expanded ora tion of Mr. Blackburn, who seemed to be speaking against time. He asserted that the Bible was not ab solutely necessary in the schools, because the children could not avoid collecting a great deal of moral and religious information from their copies and their ordi nary reading books. This is an idea so puerile, that we wonder how the mighty mind of Mr. Blackburn could retain it. All we can say to it that if it is worth while to sanction the teaching of the disjecta membra of religious truth, it must be much more worth while to sanction the teaching of the whole. He also stated that by Protestant principle he understood only uni versal charity, peace, and good will. Very true, those virtues enter into and form a component part of Pro testant principle, as we recognize it ; but is there nothing more ? Why, what does the very name de note ? Does it not exhibit to us, besides the virtues enumerated, the primary duty of protesting: against error ? Mr. Blackburn, then, has no valid claim to the title of Protestant if he admits only the least part of its meaning. We are not Protestant because we profess to have the Christian graces, although to be a genuine Protestant includes them, but because we pro test against all error which militates against the great ness and the majesty of our God and our Redeemer. It is somewhat curious that the majority which rejected Mr. G. H. Lawrence's famous amendment, should be 39—the exact number of the Articles of our Scriptural and Protesting Church. It is also worthy of notice, that the requisition for the public meeting at which it was decided to build the Church of Eng land schools, was signed by 39 persons. The principle of Scriptural education was affirmed on \\dnesday, in the Town Council, by the same number. Times are indeed changed for the better ; and in this, as in many other cases, they have been marked by singular coincidences. At a time when political news of general interest presents but few features for remark, not already dis cussed, we advert to circumstances of a local nature— in our opinion not less important, though less ex citing than national topics, and, consequently, for the most part, claiming only secondary consideration amongst ourselves and our contemporaries. The good internal government of a town ; the watching of its peculiar interests, as affected whether from within or without ; the exposition, in a fair and candid spirit, of the errors or defects that may appear in the conduct of those entrusted with its civil jurisdiction, are objects, indeed, which can scarcely be deemed partial or ex clusive—inasmuch as,—while the purposes desirea do not militate against other localities, but rather, in their achievement, rouse them to a similar struggle for im- provement,—their agitation (if we may so term it) must result in municipal amelioration throughout the whole empire. We shall, therefore, offer no apology, beyond this conviction in our own minds, for directing the attention of our townsmen, from time to time, to mat ters affecting, in the first instance, our local authorities —our homes, and our firesides. On the present oc casion we merely advert to an occurrence of a few weeks back, re s pecting the government of our boroug h g aol, which we purposed to notice at the time , an d which, though held in abeyance, still appears to demand some The facts upon which we shall found our notice in expL remarksln the ay aererlsinlply these : part of last month, an inquisition was held before Mr. Curry, the borough coroner, on view of the body of John Barber Love, who died in the gaol on the previous day. The deceased, who was 55 years of age, had been tried at the quarter sessions in the previous April, for forgery, and sentenced to three years' imprisonment and hard labour. That sentence we by no means impugn ; for the prisoner (who had once moved in respectable society) had doubtless been guilty of a very grave offence. It was, however, admitted by the governor of the gaol, as well as by the surgeon, that he was, from the time of his appre hension, in a very delicate state of health, and had frequently been in the prison hospital. While in the -room, after conviction Mr. Hightor he wfote some letters t appears, the duty of punishment devolves in such cases), finding, on en- luiry from the surgeon of the gaol, that in the opinion f that functionary he could undergo additional re- raint without injury to his then state of health — laced him in solitary confinement in a cell, where his food was only bread and water. At the expiration of three days he was removed to another and less rigorous place of punishment—namely, amongst the boys, in ward No. 10, after which he was again sent to the hospital, where, never having rallied, and becoming daily worse, he died in about a fortnight afterwards. " lle had complained of pain in his chest, was much relaxed, and had a violent cough." It was stated by the governor that the cell was boarded, and that it was the same as those in the hospital, with the exception that it had no light. He should have added, that it had no fire. The wife of the deceased said that he had been afflicted with dysentery for twelve weeks pre- viously to his being put in solitary confinement. The coroner, on the evidence being heard, said that, as an individual, he lamented that the man had, under the circumstances, been subjected to the confinement stated, as his treatment in that respect might he sup posed to have accelerated his death. He himself, how- ever, did not assume to judge so competently as the surgeon, and left the matter to the conscientious opi- nion of the jury. The latter returned a verdict, in the first instance, to the effect that the deceased had died by the visitation of God, in a natural way, but appended an opinion that the deceased, considering his illness, had not been properly treated in being placed in solitary confinement, as stated. The coroner, how ever, urged that such a verdict went to attach an im- putation which it was not perhaps meant to convey — both the surgeon and the gaoler having acted, in their official capacity, to the best of their judgment, and in of their duty. The surgeon said, ct exercis ition, that he had no conception that the solitary confinement would affect the prisoner's health, nor did he notice such effect when he visited him while undergoing it. On the contrary, if he had had a doubt he would have given the prisoner the benefit Mr. liighton also explained that he had only acted in strict accordance with his duty, as laid down by the authorities he was bound to obey; and on these assurances the jury, " good easy men," recalled the obnoxious appendage to their verdict, and reduced it to a simple finding of " died from natural causes." Such is a brief statement of the facts as they trans pired, and as recorded more fully by us, without con tradiction, at the time ; and they certainly give rise in our minds to some painful reflections. The unfortu nate man—whose original sentence, we repeat, we do not impugn—was evidently in a very feeble and de clining state of health throughout. His constitution, from whatever cause, was broken up, and he was in the last stage of mortal decay. He could scarcely be deemed a fit subject on whom to experimentalise in the matter of physical, and, we may add, mental en durance, involved in solitary confinement on bread and Due nourishment, hospital comfort, and com parative forbearance, were more likely to effect his re covery ; and the law, in the sentence properly pro nounced against him, never contemplated anything beyond his term of imprisonment, with hard labour, if he were enabled to endure it—not else. We have no maudlin sympathy for felons, whatever their former station may previously have been ; neither do we charge the goaler nor the surgeon with acting beyond the strictboundaries of their duty ; though we think that both might, in the exercise of their discretion, have con sidered a little more minutely, that solitary confinement, with such meagre diet, was to a declining man, who had been accustomed to some of the luxuries of life, a much more trying and severe alterative than to one in robust health, to whom they could only have meted out the same punishment. That the governor had his doubts of the culprit's power of endurance, is shown by the fact of his consulting the surgeon. There is a point, too, in the evidence of the former, which de mands some slight observation. He stated that the solitary cell was " precisely the same as those in the hospital," with the exception of the absence, in the former, of " the light." If such be the fact, (and we take it for granted from such a quarter,) either the punishment cells are far too " comfortable," or the hospital rooms are totally inadequate to the purpose of accommodation and care for which they are intended by the legislature; and the sooner an amendment is made in them the better, both on the score of good policy and humanity. What the contents of " the letters" were which constituted the new offence of the prisoner we cannot tell, as they did not transpire. This is, however, of little or no moment as affecting our argument ; for whatever their character, no great dread need be entertained, we think, of epistles from such a quarter being pregnant with "treasons, stratagems, and spoils." If the writing of letters at all—except such as are complimentary to a gaoler—be a crime, why facilitate its commission by permitting prisoners the use of pens, ink, and paper, which may easily be kept beyond their reach. If, on the other hand, the prison regulations permit the furnishing of the materials, and the keeper has the legal power to intercept and peruse the letters of prisoners, (of which last we have, how ever, strong doubts,) the simplest course, if they con tain offensive matter, is to destroy them in the prisoner's presence, and thus cure him for the future of his furor scribendi. These are, however, minor points. What we mainly complain of is the uncontrolled power given (as herre developed) to a gaoler to inflict a new and additional punishment on a prisoner after his judicial sentence—that gaoler being himself solewitness, judge, and jury—without the enquiry and immediate sanction of one, or two, magistrates. A prisoner for felony is, we admit, in the eye of the law, civilly and politically dead ; but he ought not to be so far outlawed as to be at the mercy or the caprice of any individual not clothed with magisterial authority, and merely a ser vant to carry out the sentence pronounced by a legiti mate tribunal. We fully recognise the necessity of strict discipline in a gaol, and of additional punishment being inflicted on delinquents who infringe the esta blished and necessary rules ; but we deprecate the ad judication, in such case, and the:measure and kind of punishment, being left solely in the hands of any go vernor—be lie who he may—much less, as in this in stance, in those of a young man, not of the greatest experience in the world, and who cannot be 'so well qualified as his superiors and seniors to appreciate those peculiar feelings, mental and bodily, of which, even culprits are possessed, in common with others of our species. We doubt not but such a power is given by the gaol regulations ; but its delegation is impolitic and dangerous, and as justice ought ever to be tempered with mercy, and the tempers of gaolers are frequently put to severe trials, the presumption is, that it may be exercised at times without that due consideration and discretion which would naturally characterise the de cisions of those, who, not being in immediate contact with the offenders, are unenfluenced by personal of fence. We would, therefore, urge upon the authorities, and particulary upon the Prison Committee, the pro priety of an amendment on this point. No new pun ishment ; no new deprivation or restraint, beyond those involved in his original and legal sentence, should, we think, be inflicted upon a prisoner without magisterial investigation, sanction, and signature. There are al ways active visiting justices, whose aid may readily be had on any emergency. Such a course would vindi cate the law from all suspicion of undue severity; ren der the management of our gaols as purely constitu tional and respected as that of our courts of justice; and remove from their keepers a burden of responsi bility from which, we doubt not, they would most gladly be relieved. LOCAL NEWS, ighton who was THE WHEAT CROP. — The wheat crop is coming up beau tifully every where, the seed having been got into the ground better this season than for many years before. It is so luxu rious in some places as to require eating down with sheep. The Lord Lieutenant has appointed John Al`Neile, Esq., of Parkmount, to be the high sheriff of the countylof Antrim for the ensuing vear.—Belfast M`Neile is an elder brother of the estimable incumbent of St. Jude's, in this town.] On Monday Evening last, a meeting was held in the Na tional School-room, Great Crosby, to take into consideration the propriety of erecting an organ, by subscription, in the Church. Rev. E. B. Chalmers in the chair. The meeting was addressed by a number of gentlemen who expressed their willingness to exert themselves in procuring subscriptions for so desirable an object, and the subject having met with the cordial approbation of the majority of the congregation, there is every reason to ;hope that 'Great Crosby will not long be without what is now generally looked upon as a necessary part of the temple of God. of Bidston- DEATH I s seen on Tuesday morning, in the neighbourhood hill, a large flock of wild geese, one of which fell -• • AT,. XX' )ItOWNIN An inquest w aowles, s held on Wed- f a man, named ROE :ay, on the bod 'ears of . . ship Iv attve. lying in ene ivlisso —Jck. He fell into the dock and before be could be got out life was extinct. INSPECTOR OF HACKNEY COACHES. Mr. Thom: Boothby, 'the keeper of Brick-street Bridewell, has beer temporarily appointed collector of penalties and inspector o hackney coaches and cars, the situation lately filled by Job' Martindale — *ARTISTS' FUND.—At the late hour at which the advertise ment of the Artists' Fund was sent in last night, we are unable to say more than briefly to, draw public attention to the committee's proposition of giving an engraving to each of the subscribers to the fund. It will be recollected, perhaps, that this step we advised last year. We shall say sometning on the subject on Tuesday. AMPHITIIEATRE.—This evening those two wags, Messrs. Pentland and Rockwell, the clowns, take their benefit, They will prepare, no doubt, something very humorous to amuse their friends. Mademoiselle Camille Leroux continues to be attractive. Messrs. Sands and North, also, maintain their reputation as dashing and clever riders. A new candi date for fame will make his appearance to-night. COMMITAL OF A BOY AND HIS MOTHER.. —Yesterday, at the Police-court,'Thomas Lunt, a shop boy for Mr. James Collinson, boot Ind shoe maker, Ranelagh-street, and Mar garet Lunt, his Mother, were committed for trial, the former for stealing, and the latter for receiving boots and shoes be longing to Mr. Collinson. It appeared the youth had been suspected for some time; and on going to a pawnbroker's in Highfield-street, officer 228 found several pairs of boots, which were proved to have been stolen. They had been pledged by Mrs. Lunt. The little boy, when asked what he had to say, replied, " I took the shoes and laid them down in the house." - - '" LIVER — THEATRE.—Mrs. Fitzwilliam one of the most amusing and accomplished actresses of the day is engaged at this theatre, where she is playing a laughable part in a farce called " Out of Place," ana Thenumber of chactors in a M ono p o lologue entitled " Belle of th ar e Hotel, or American Sketches." She changes her dress in the latter with the most surprising facility and quickness, dances a Pas Sylphide in a manner that draws forth the laughter of the audience " considerably," and sings several songs with much humour and vivacity. Mr. Hoskins is also engaged, his " Skirts in the Man about town" is good, and as original as ever. Mrs. Fitzwilliam takes her benefit to night, when a change in the performance takes place. ANOTHER COLLISION ON THE RIVER. —Yesterday, the magistrates were occupied a considerable time in investigating the particulars of a collision of the river, which took place on Monday afternoon last, between the ship Caledonia and a schooner called the Gipsy Queen. The parties for the schooner said they were lying at anchor, and had a look-out on deck, and that the Caledonia did not hail them till she was within twelve feet of them. The pilot, and others on board the Caledonia, stated that they hailed the schooner three times, told those on board to put their helm hard a port, and let go the chain ; which, if they had done, would have prevented the accident. The magistrates said there was no doubt the pilot was placed in circumstances of great diffi culty, but they considered he was liable to pay the damage. The schooner claimed £l5, but the details of the damage were to be left to the harbour master, and the award is to be made this morning. THE CHESTER. SCHOOL.—III another column will be found an advertisement announcing the appointment of Mas ters, and the objects sought for, at this establishment. We have ourselves personally inspected the premises and can pronounce with confidence that we never saw any more sui table and compact for the purposes contemplated by Mr. Brindley and made public through the advertisement. The arrangements are in every respect most complete, and the school-rooms and sleeping apartments are roomy and airy. The play ground is amply sufficient, and there is also a sui table space for gymnastic exercises. The School is situated in a peculiarly healthy and retired neighbourhood, and only about two minutes walk from the Parish Church. Mr. Brindley has secured also a number of acres of land, a large portion of which he intends to lay out as a garden for the amusement and invigorating exercise of the children, nearly half of the number of whom he has, we are glad to hear, al ready secured for the opening of the school next month. THE FUNDS, WEDNESDAY EVENING.--The business at the Stock Exchange was not of the least importance as re spects our own securities. There were very few bargains concluded, though prices continue fully supported. Consols for the Account closed 934 to 94 ; Bank Stock. 172 to 173 ; Three per Cents. Reduced, 944 to 4; Exchequer Bills, 50s. to 525. premium ; Three-and-a-Half per Cents. Reduced, 100-4 to 101 ; Long Annuities, 12, 9-16 to 3 ; and India Bonds, 455. to 475. premium. Business has improved in the foreign market. Speculative stocks have ahanced, and Spanish and Mexican lead the way. Spanish Actives have risen to 184 to 19; ditto New, 214; Mexican, 314 to 4; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 524 to 53 ; and ditto Five per Cents., 1014; Portuguese Five per Cents., 384 to 4; ditto Three per Cents., 224 to 334 ; Danish, 83 to 84 ; Brazilian, 69 to 70; Belgian, 102 to 3 ; and Colombian, 214 to 4. The jobbers are preparing for the foreign half-monthly settlement, which takes place to-morrow. THEATRE ROYAL.—Signor Hervio Nano in the Gnome King has excited the utmost surprise. His representation of the Baboon exceeds every thing in originality we ever saw. Gouffe, Mesurier, and all others, are completely distanced. His feats of strength—his facility in walking on apparently inaccessible places—are astonishing. He walks up the side of the proscenium, and under the arch, with as much ease as another would on a flat surface. Some of his tricks are done with much comicality and humour. The " Gnome Fly" is extremely well got up. The farce of " Liverpool Wives" is a very amusing trifle. The theatre closes next week, in - order to enable Mr. W. J. Hammond to prepare the pantomime, which is intended to surpass anything ever seen in Liverpool for humour, mirth, and magnificence. — To-night Signor Hervio Nano takes his benefit. He will appear in a new drama of interest, entitled the " Indian Maid," in which he sustains the part of Bibboo, a monkey. He also plays the Gnome King, the Baboon , and the Fly, in the melodrama of the " Gnome Fly." Nano is one of the living wonders of the day. MEETING OF VIE DOCK COMMITTEE.—The Dock Com mittee held their weekly meeting yesterday, when the follow ing members were present,—Messrs. Horsfall (chairman), Barclay, Holt, Holmes, Smith, Molyneux, Aikin, Bullet', Boyden, Tobin, Shand, Brarnley-Moore, Moon, Ripley, Middleton, Evans, and Nicol. The Sub-Committee bad no report of their proceedings to make. The Chairman stated that the Committee inspected Clarence Graving Dock on Saturday, for the purpose of ascertaining the best mode of making the intended lengthening. After some discussion it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Holmes, that the dock should be lengthened according to the plan proposed by the deputation from the Ship-builders' Association. John Pro bert, who has bee❑ a dock-gate man for 29 years, and is now aged 66, being infirm, was allowed an allowance of 15s. per week, for three months. An application from Mr. Hugh M'Bride, master of Clarence Dock, for the appointment of a graving dock foreman, and recommending Nelson Dunlop, was referred to the Harbour Masters' Sub-Committee. The Dock Solicitor reported. that notice had been given of the intention to apply to Parliament for several bills which would affect the interests of the dock trust: he was instructed to watch those bills and to report thereon. The consignee of the steamer Nithsdale, applied for the shed at the west end of the north side of Clarence Graving Dock to be boarded up for the safety of the goods placed therein.—Ordered on the report of the surveyor that the cost would amount to only £3O. The North Harbour Master reported that the work ing of the system for the accommodation of the New York liners in the Waterloo Dock had been satisfactory ; and it was referred to the Harbour Masters' Sub-Committee. to report with a view to accommodate all the five lines there. The committee then proceeded to some financial business, and shortly afterwards separated. THE LATE UNFORTUNATE COLLISION ON THE MER- Say.—We lately recorded the collision, in the night of the 30th ult, between the steamers Prince of Wales and Royal Victoria, by which oue man, W. Brown, a seaman and passen ger, instantaneously lost his life, and four others were seri ously injured, two of whom are yet in a precarious state at the Northern Hospital. With respect to the fatality, it be came necessary that•an inquest should be held, and the case involved a question of jurisdiction as regarded the coroner, owing to the late opinion of Lord Denman that coroners are authorized by the act affecting them to inquire into those cases only in which the cause of death and the death itself have taken place within the district for which, respectively, coroners are appointed. In the present case the evidence being somewhat conflicting as to the spot where the cause of them arose, our borough coroner applied to the Home-office for the necessary instructions as to whether his jurisdiction extended across the river, or was bounded by the mid chan nel. The accident, we believe, took place rather nearer the Cheshire than the Lancashire shore ; but on this there were different opinions. The following reply, from authority, however, settled the question at issue :—" We are of opinion that the coroner of the borough of Liverpool has no jurisdic tion to hold the inquest in question, and that the coroner of the county of Cheshire is the proper officer to hold an inquest assuming the place where the accident happened to be within that county.—W. W. Follett. C. Compton.—Temple, Dec. 8." The coroner said, that though the assumption, in his opinion, was a very general one, yet that he would not further interfere, but discharge the jury already empanuelled in the case, arid communicate immediately with the coroner for the county of Chester, which he did, on Monday evening last, without loss of time. Mr. Churton, the coroner for the distict including the Wirrall Peninsula, accordingly came down to Seacombe on Tuesday morning last, to hold the in quest. The body was taken from the dead house in this town in a hearse to the Seacombe slip, and the inquest was held in a commodious outbuilding on the grounds behind Mr. Parry's hotel. There was a great number of witnesses pre sent, but only a few of them were examined. Amongst those present were the two captains of the vessels, and other nautical gentlemen, including Mr. Askew, our har bour-master, also a number of strangers, it being understood that the case would be gone into in a nautical point of view, for the purpose of decidingmhether blame attached to either or to both commanders, or whether the collision was purely acci dental. The inquiry did not, however, involve that point at least to any satisfactory extent. Mr. Wardle appeared as so licitor for the owners of the Victoria, and Mr. Jenkins for those of the Prince. After great delay, for which we could not account, the jury viewed the body, or rather the face of the deceased, in an outhouse where it was deposited, a small square portion of the lid of the coffin, constructed for the purpose, being revealed. Several witnesses were then exa mined on each side, and some mutual blame was attached by one party •to the other, but the jury declined to prosecute this part of the enquiry to any practical result, contenting themselves with the general admission that the •night was somewhat thick and hazy. They were not in fact competent from their own knowledge or experience to decide the nautical question, and therefore perhaps wisely, stowed it off. We shall not, therefore, give a remark upon the con tradictory, and in some instances " curious" evidence addu ced ; but we cannot help expressing our opinion that such cases ought invariably, if the proceedings are to be rightly conducted, to be entrusted to a jury, of which at least three-fourths are nautical and practical men. The jury returned a simple verdict of " accidental death." Whe ther the owners of the respective vessels, or either of them, will pay their own repairs, or should either feel aggrieved seek to receive damages in the admiralty court, is a question which yet remains to be decided. The deceased was 62 years of age. He had come from North Shields, after a five months' voyage to join his family here, of whom his wife and twodaughters were present. A " BRUSH" BETWEEN A PAINTER AND BARRISTER.— " What were you doing at the time ?" Said a barrister to a portrait-painter on Monday last, in the Court of Exche quer, " I had my brush in my hand, and was colouring," replied the limner. "No doubt you were," rejoined the cross examining counsel, " and I fear—as you are doing now —you were colouring rather too highly." "Very possibly," said the portrait-painter, " that is mytrade, Sir, and Your's." The barrister, dead-beaten, sat down. A lawyer, not over young nor handsome, in examining a young lady, a witness in court, made many attempts to ac fuse her, and render her testimony contradictory and una vailing. She, however, remained calm, and proof against all frivolous questions put to her. At last, the lawyer, de termined to perplex her, said, " Miss, upon my word you are very pretty !" the young lady very promptly replied, " I would return the compliment, Sir, if I were not on my oath." ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL The adjourned meeting of the Town Council was held in the Town-hall on Wednesday. The Mayor presided. DOCK COMMITT Sir TuomAs BRANCKEII, said it would be exceedingly con venient if the council would consent to take the proceedings of the Dock Committee first, because this was the last day on which they could come before the council for confirma tion. If the proceedings were not confirmed to-day, they would be confirmed as a matter of course, as the ten days would be expired. The MAYOR said it was his intention to have mentioned this circumstance, if Sir Thomas Brancker had not intro duced it. The matter rested with the council. Mr. Nicol. observed that the dock proceedings would not take up much time in reading. lf, as had been remarked, they were not confirmed to-day, they would, in conformity with the act, he confirmed as a matter of course, so that, if the council meant to assert that right they must do so to day, otherwise the time would be past. Everybody knew how long the discussions on the education question were ; and the probability was, that after the discussion to-day no other business would be taken. Sir THOMAS BRANOKER added, that as far as the proceed logs of other committees went their confirmation to-day was not indispensable, but for those of the Dock Committee it was. The MAYOR asked the council whether the dock proceed ings should be now read ? (Cries of " Yes. yes.") Mr. BIRKETT suggested that it would be more convenient if the proceedings of the Dock Committee were placed higher upon the summons paper. This was the third time, within twelve months, that this very question had been mooted. • Mr. NicoL.—lt would answer much better, I think, to put the proceedings of the Education Committee the last upon the list. (Laughter.) The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK then read the proceedings, which have already been reported in the STANDARD, and they were confirmed. ADJOURNED DEBATE ON THE EDUCATION QUESTION In order to render the adjourned debate more intelligble to our readers, we may mention that the Education Committee, in their proceedings, put forth the following resolution—the confirmation of which was moved by Mr. MOLYNEUX, and seconded by Mr. HODGSON : "The Education Committee, looking back with satisfac tion to the proceedings of the past year, think it right to state the course which, after mature deliberation, they pro pose pursuing. By the established system, a sound educa tion, based upon religion, is imparted to all who will seek its blessings, without excluding any but such as refuse to read the Bible in common with their fellow Christians ; an excep- tion, therefore, for which the committee do not feel respon sible. The daily business of the schools commences and closes with prayer. The Bible is read daily, and all who will receive it have also the benefit of sound religious instruction, according to the liturgy of the Church of England ; but which last mentioned instruction is not enforced upon those who may conscientiously object to it; and therefore the children of Roman Catholics and of dissenters are not required to learn the Church Catechism, nor to attend church on Sun day. The committee would appeal to the dispassionate judg ment of all whether this system, alike removed from intole rance on the one hand, and the still greater evil of latitudina rianism on the other, is not such as should be maintained, and be alone maintained, by the Town-council; 'whether it be not admirably adapted to effect the greatest possible good, without violating charity ; for however they may regret that any should exclude themselves from participating in its bene fits, the committee cannot open wide the door of admission unless by diluting, so to speak, or accommodating, the Bible to the prejudices of those who refuse to receive it in its en tirety and purity, or, in deference to the same prejudice, by dispensing with its use altogether. For neither alternative is the committee prepared. The first involves a proposition inadmissable in a Christian community ; the latter would be in effect to administer secular instruction alone without in culcating a duty on the only sure basis of religious principle, a system which the committee conscientiously believe would make them the vehicle of a curse and not a blessing. Bath these are alike inconsistent with the sacred trust reposed in the committee in a nation where Christianity, in its purest practice, is established as a part of the law of the land. The I committee are persuaded that the town of Liverpool, tired of the continued agitation of this subject, will gladly receive the determination of the council to maintain the schools on the sound basis of religious principle, and therefore in the faith ful and earnest discharge of their duty the committee an nounce their purpose, under the authority of the council, to maintain inviolably the system of education now pursued in the schools, and while they allow to others, as fully as they claim for themselves, the right of acting according to the dictates of conscience, they would respectfully deprecate the continued agitation of a quEstion which, if the present reso lution be confirmed by the council, can scarcely be discussed to any useful purpose, nor without peril to charity and peace." To this resolution Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE, seconded by Mr. TURNER, moved the following amendment : " That it be referred to the committee to consider whether, after establishing in the Corporation Schools a system of re ligious instruction based on the principles of the Church of England, and in all respects in strict accordance with her tenets, such a modification cannot be made in the existing rules and regulations as would render the schools more avail able for the classes of the poor professing different religious opinions, by allowing their children the benefit of the secular instruction of the schools, the parents giving an assurance to the committee that their religious duties shall not be neg lected." The MAYOR having stated that the council would now proceed with the adjourned debate, Mr. PLATT requested, before it commenced, that the Town-Clerk would read the 92d section of the Municipal Corporations' Act. The MAYOR said his business was to call upon Mr. Aspi nall, who moved the adjournment. Sir THOS. BRANCKER said Mr. Aspinall was riot present ; he had the gout, and would not trouble the council on this occasion. The MAYOR observed that as Mr. Platt bad already spoken on the question, it could only be with the permission of the council that he could make any remarks. Mr. PLATT was not going to make any remarks ; he only wished the 92d clause of the'Municipal Corporations'Act read If the Town-Clerk had not . the act, he (Mr. Platt) had. The TOWN-CLERK then read the section, which enacts that the surplus funds of any borough shall be expended for the public benefit of the inhabitants and the improvement of the borough. No member having risen for a few seconds, the MAYOR said it would be his duty to put the amendment if no one rose to address the chair. (A cry for " Mr. Bushell.") Mr. BUSHELL had much rather it would have fallen upon some other member to commence the adjourned debate, but as the council seemed to think he ought now to speak on the important question before them he willingly obeyed the call. The question at issue appeared to him to resolve itself under three distinct heads. The first was, whether the council was prepared to maintain, unimpaired, the present system of scriptural education as adopted in the corporation schools. This being, as doubtless it would be, answered in the affirma tive, then, in the second place, the inquiry would be, was it, or was:it not, their duty in the just control of the corpo rate funds, in the exercise of their legislative functions as affecting the religious, moral, and social condition of this vast community, to attempt some minor good for those who could not, conscientiously, receive all the good which was placed before them. Then, in the third place, should the second proposition be deemed impracticable, the inquiry would be whether the corporation, seeing that its funds could only be appropriated to one, always admitted to be a large, portion of the community, ought not, according to the mu nicipal act, to cease altogether from being an educational body. Under these three heads he now desired, as clearly and as calmly as he could, to state his views on the question. He would now take the first of these propositions : was the present system to be maintained ? He thought if the con servative party acted with the consistency that they ought, and with which he was sure they would act—if they desired to maintain their principles—the present system established in the corporation schools must be maintained in all the pu rity in which they had already established it. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) What had been the great municipal struggle which had been going on in this town for the last six years? (Hear.) Had it been simply a struggle between two parties —whether one set of men should occupy the seats in that council, or another set of men should occupy them—whether one should walk in and the other walk out ? Ilad it been simply a question whether liberalism should reign or whether toryism should reign? He thought not. (Hear, hear.) They (the majority) had been contending for much higher princi ples than these, and having gained the victory it became their duty, as far as possible, to reap the fruits of it. (Hear, hear.) And, what had they done? When the conservatives came into power they found in existence in the corporation schools a system which was not in accordance with their views of a Christian education ; they adopted, therefore, the only course left open to them ; they made those schools that which they distinctly and properly ought to have been made, schools in which sound scriptural instruction was given to all who were willing to receive it ; they conferred all the bene fits which such a system could not fail ultimately to confer. (Hear, hear.) The Education Committee, in the document they had issued, which had been called a manifesto, had used the word " diluted." That was a word which, in his opinion, might very properly be applied to the proposi tion of Mr. George Hall Lawrence; for, to adopt his plan, would most certainly be to " dilute" the system already established ; it would be to impair, to injure, and to lessen, the usefulness of the Scriptural teachings which were now given in the schools ; and he thought he might venture to say that he should be able to show this very clearly. It was proposed to compel, as now, the reading of the Scriptures by all the Protestant children ; it was also proposed, that those children whose parents could not conscientiously consent that they should receive that instruction, should be permitted not to receive it—in short, that they should go without it. Now, the result, and, indeed, the natural consequence of such a system would be this—if you carried it out under the same roof, and upon adjoining forms—a Protestant child would say, " I am compelled to take these Scriptures, and to read them ; I am told I must not only understand the truths which are there written, but I must practice them if I desire to be saved ; whilst upon the neighbouring form there sits a child who is not permitted to receive these very Scriptures which I am told are essential to my salvation." (Hear, hear.) This, to his mind, presented an inconsistency which would lead, as he had said before, to the utter rooting out of that vital principle which they wished to maintain. It was on this ground, therefore, that he objected to the proposition of Mr. George Hall Lawrence, and on this ground that he should vote against the amendment. (Hear, hear.) He now came to the second proposition, namely, whether, having now established a system of sound instruction ; having pre pared sound education for all willing to receive it, without limit, with the daily and unrestricted use of the unmutilated word of God ; having fully established those principles for which they had contended, and to which, as Conservatives, they were pledged ; having gained the victory, and given all an opportunity of reaping the fruits of it, the question was-- and it appeared to him a new question which bad not been touched upon before—whether they could not, legally and conscientiously, without the sacrifice of any principle, give to those children who either could not or would not, for it amounted to the same thing, accept all the benefits offered to them, at least a portion of those benefits. (Hear, hear.) He had given to this subject much consideration; he bad devoted to it much time, much thought, and much anxiety ; and if he were wrong in making the suggestions he was about to make, he would not come before the council and beg, as some had done, the council to pardon him ; he would tell them that he had been sent into that council unfettered both in thought and action, and, having been so sent, he would ask no pardon for doing that which he believed to be his duty. (Cheers.) He asked for nothing to which an honourable man was not fairly entitled. (Hear, hear.) Were he to suppress the convictions of his mind, he should be equally dishonourable as though he as serted that which he knew to be grossly and wilfully false. He came, therefore, coolly and deliberately to the inquiry in the second proposition, which was this—whether, having accomplished all this good, (which he trusted they would continue to maintain so long as the corporation continued to be anieducational body,) they could not conscientiously, without any sacrifice of principle, do something for those who were, unfortunately , shut out ? His belief was they could do something, and he believed, further, that they ought to do it ; he was prepared to maintain that they ought, and he would now proceed to shew why they ought. (Hear.) It would scarcely be denied that the Roman Catholics were excluded from the coryoration schools. (Cries of " No, no," and " Yes, yes.") w hen he fought side by side, which he did, with the gentlemen he saw near him—when, perhaps, he might say he was in the front of the battle—contending for those great principles which were happily now triumph ant, he expressed a doubt, which was in print for anybody who chose to it, refer to, whether the Roman Catholics could receive these benefits ; he hoped they would, but he doubted it; and he then reserved to himself the right of considering, when the tittle should come, and it had now come, whether they could or could not do anything for those who were E eluded. (Hear.) Well, then, were Roman Catholics e eluded ? They were self-excluded, he admitted, but th were excluded; because if you applied a test which could not be swallowed, which could not be taken by them, that was, virtually, an exclusion. Who would say that Roman Catholics were not excluded from parliament before the Emancipation Act? Who would say that dissenters were not equally excluded from civil rights before the repeal of the Test and Corporation Act ? He was not there as the advocate of any party ; he was not there to fight the battle of conservative against iberal, but to deal with these facts as faithfully as it was in his power to deal with them. (Hear, hear, hear.) Then it had been argued that they would be justified in pursuing the rule of the lex talionis ; that, be cause their opponents adopted a system of exclusion, there fore they should do the same. Now the present Council of fered to all that instruction which their late opponents refused to give to any. There was, therefore, a difference between them. But why should they do that which their opponents had done, unless they wished to meet the same result as h ad visited their opponents ? ( Hear.) Let them look to their present position, and compare it with what it had been. What had placed them in their present position of a woful minority ? Their unbridled exercise of the power which they possessed had placed them where they now were. (Hear.) Should the Conservatives then follow in their steps? No, he replied, let them not; he trusted they would never legislate upon such a ground as that, but upon higher grounds if they were to legislate at all. It might be said that he was exer cising false sympathy with regard to those who were now shut out. He was willing to submit to the charge. Much rather would he bear the charge of false sympathy than he would bear with that of want of charity and injustice. (Hear, hear.) Having then, done all they could for religious in struction ; having, as it were, fed the hungry and clothed the naked, should they not do something for those whose neces sities were yet unappeased ? What was their position ? They were there, in that Council, as corporators,—public prosecu tors. What would be said to a criminal, a youth, brought before a jury, if he pleaded ignorance of the law in extenuation of his crime? Would that be a ground for mitigation of pu nishment? He was sure not ; the criminal would be told he mist know the law and respect it. But suppose he should rejoin " I have been born in Liverpool and bred there, but there was no attempt made to give me educa tion, so that I should know the law." He (Mr. Bushell) should, as a prosecutor, if this statement were made, feel himself in a dilemma that would be anything but satis factory to his mind. They might be told by an excellent friend of his, whose head was full of statistics, that where there was a limited instruction given there was more crime existing than there was in a state of utter ignorance. But what did that argument amount to ? Why, to nothing unless to this—unless you can give to the lower classes such an amount of instruction as would unfit them for, the station in which it has pleased God to place them, it would be better to give them none at all. Further, they had no religious test in their Infirmary, tor in their Dispensaries; they had no test in their other various charities. People were admitted there by reason of their poverty or their misery ; no religious test was exacted from them before they were received ; on the contrary, the part of the good Samaritan was acted, the doors were thrown open, and no questions asked. The poor went there when they required such aid, and the same atten tion was paid to all. They scarcely required a test in the Workhouse, which was an extraordinary fact ; or if they did, it was of so questionable a nature, that it scarcely amounted to a test at all. True, the Bible and the Testament were read by all in the Workhouse school ; but he had that very morning been informed by the master, that he never, under any circumstances, ventured to enter into discussion with regard to the truths of the Bible. But they went further there, for they acknowledged Roman Catholic teaching to be religious teaching by admitting Roman Catholic priests into the Workhouse ; the children were then separated into another room, and the Roman Catholic priest gave instruc tion after his own manner, to the children of his own per suasion, regularly two days in the week. This was an ad mission, at all events, that they did not deny that Roman Catholic teaching was Scriptural teaching. This was a very important fact. The council could not say there was no analogy, because they were not legislating for the Work house ; the fact was, they were legislating for the same community, and therefore there should be no preference in their system. (Hear, hear.) Now, he had a plan to pro pose, or rather, not a plan to propose, but a sugges tion to throw out. He had considered this suggestion in all its bearings, with a desire, if possible, to meet the ob jections under which the present system laboured ; with a desire to maintain the present system in the schools, to make it efficient by getting rid of the opposition with which they were daily and weekly beset. By getting rid of those diffi culties he hoped to cause the withdrawal of all opposition ; and he had no hesitation in saying that this might be done without any sacrifice of principle. He might be told that he was temporizing, and that we must not do evil in order that good might come; but be denied that he was doing evil, for if by some it was considered an evil, he considered it to be a good; if it was considered irreligious, he considered it to be religious • and that which they considered to be unjust , he considered to be just. Was it not, then, possible to form separate schools for the instruction of those who could not conscientiously receive the religious instruction' offered to them in the Corporation Schools ? He might be told that the law would not permit this, but he would answer for that ; he had taken some advice on that part of the question. If this plan for which he contended, could be carried out—if they could do that which their opponents desired, 'without a sacrifice of principle, without encouraging popery,—he for one was not there to quarrel about the details. Let Mr. Blackburn, or 'anybody 'else, he cared not who they were, of what party—religious or political—shew him a plan that would not deviate from those principles which he had laid down for himself, and he would throw party to the winds; he would co-operate with them heart and hand. He would then form a separate school, and make the terms of admission the possession of a certificate from a minister of religion, that the child received religious instruction at his hands. Would any man tell him, after what had been said as to the workhouse, that' Roman Catholic teaching was not religious teaching? Would any man in that Council get up and say be conscientiously believed no Romaro Ca tholic could be 'saved ? Let him (Mr. Bushell) hear that man ! Where was he ? They might commence the duties of the school with singing and prayer. They might confine their ducation to elementary instruction, in which there was no dan ger; do not teach philosophy, do not carry away the minds of children who were to earn their daily bread by the sweat of their brow, but give them the art of reading, writing and spelling. He believed that a child who could read his Bible was much more likely to come to the principles he advo cated than a child who could neither read nor write. Such was his opinion. If there was any misunderstanding about his views on this question, he begged that questions might be asked of him that he might be set right. He wished to be perfectly understood that he advocated the system now established in the Corporation Schools, and he would not consent to its being.impaired ; but at the same time he would advocate the justice and the necessity, the social necessity, the moral necessity, and the religious necessity of doing for those who were shut out that which we had an opportunity of doing—to bring them, if possible, to the exercise of those practises which religion taught, and to the knowledge of those truths which we were bound to teach. Would he let the priest attend ? No ; he would not recognise so far the prin ciples of the Popish religion as to let him attend — Mr, G. H. LAWRENCE.—Do I understand you to advo cate secular instruction in a separate school? Mr. BUSHELL. — Yes. Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE. — That is my amendment. Mr. BUSHELL. — Did you understand my first propo- sition ? Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE.—Yes. Mr. BUSHELL said if Mr. G. H. Lawrence properly un derstood the first proposition which he had laid down, he would see that there was an essential difference between them, which he (Mr. Bushell) could not yield. (Hear, hear.) Now suppose his second proposition could not 'be conceded ; he came in the next place to his third proposition, which was this : whether seeing that the corporation funds could only be appropriated to one portion of the community, they ought not to cease from being an educational body at all. To this he most distinctly and emphatically said yes ; he was an advocate for this third proposition, and why ? Why, simply because he believed that a greater benefit, a greater religious benefit would result to the community, and a greater social benefit too, if the corporation of Liverpool ceased to he an educating body. First and foremost it might not be known that the present cost of education in the corpo ration schools, to say nothing of the interest upon the first outlay, was £2 per head per annum. Now he would ask any member of that council, whether they ought not for £2 to educate four children per annum instead of one ? This was the first objection he had to the corporation being an educating body. Secondly, he was persuaded that the vital interests of the town had sustained injury from the long con tinued agitation of this question ; he was persuaded that some of the leading men in the town had been shut out from the council by the fear of this very question—men honour able in commercial life, and respected in private life, but who could not bear with this continual strife ; were not the clergy of the town the proper parties to be entrosted with the edu cation of the people? (Hear.) And if this were admitted, where were the funds to come from ? He had not the slightest fear that the funds would come. What man who had listened to the debates in that room, or who had read all that had been written upon the subject, and who knew anything of those who had so spoken and written, could for a moment doubt that funds would be forthcoming ? If the desire of some of those gentlemen—he might say all—were equal to the professions they had made, they would, if necessary, contribute the last mite they possessed, in order that the children of this town should be educated in the religion of our church. He was not himself a man of much means, but to show how far he would go in this matter, he begged to say he would put down his name for £lOO whenever the schools should be sold, to retain them to the church. Let others do likewise according to their means, and there would be no difficulty in educating the poor. (Hear, hear.) He had another word to say before sitting down. lie had been told, that if he, or any one, dared to lift his. voice against the fiat which had gone forth, he must look to his seat in that council. Now, he (Mr. Bushell) respected his constituents most highly ; no man re spected them more than he did ; and, moreover, he thought it was the duty of any constituency, if their representative made a pledge and broke it, to kick him out. There could be no doubt about that—(hear, hear) ; but could it be con ceived for a moment that any intelligent constituency in Liverpool, would desire to send their representative to that council not for the purpose of deliberation, but bound both in thought and action ? He would not think so degradingly of his constituents. His seat was at their disposal any day, for he occupied it not for his own benefit, but, as far as his ability went, for their's ; and, therefore, if they desired to get rid of his services all he could say was, that he was ready at any moment. But while he sat there, he would not con sent to be a mere puppet ; nodding and bowing as the strings were pulled by some dictator from without.—(Hear. hear.) He was there free and unshackled, and with a desire whilst he would not sacrifice principle to serve any party, to do ample justice to all.—(Cheers.) Mr. NORTH then rose. He said that as a new and reasonably modest member of the council, he had patiently listened for many hours to this debate, without any de sire to take part in it—not because he was unwilling, upon occasion, to7combat according to his ability for the faith which was in him, but because he thought there were there many abler, as well as older, men, in whose presence their inexperienced juniors were properly ordered to keep silence and lay their hands upon their mouths. It was true that, as the proposer in the Education Committee of the report now under discussion, as " the pious druggist " that was of Mr. Earle's fancy (hear) he had been always ready at any time, and under any circumstances, to take his full share of the responsibility of supporting it ; but as the debate proceeded, he confessed he found his own natural inclination to be silent gradually in creased, because he found, as they went on, that " with the aged there was not always wisdom," nor "in length of days understanding ;" that was, that town councillors, how ever exrerienced, and zealous, and active, were liable to the failings of minor mortals—(hear, and laughter,)—that they could betray a cause by their own indiscretion much more effectually than it could be assailed by any power he could hope to bring to bear against it.ln:short. he cantle to the con clusion to use another expressive phrase of the gentleman whom he had already named, that if he did but give rope enough to the supporters of the amendment, it might probably happen that there would be no occasion for him to obtrude himself at all. For this debate upon the part of the assailants of the Education Committee had presented nothing to his mind buta series of false reasoning because almost alwayswideof the real question at issue (hear, hear,) of morbid sympathy con jured out of circumstances having no existence except in the imagination of the speakers, and of the perversion, as it ap peared to him, too plain for answer, of a religious principle to mere party purposes. (Hear.) lle did not know whe ther, after all, he should not have finally determined to re- main silent, but that the thought occurred to bim that be might at least do some good by attempting a brief comment on some of the speeches they had heard, assured thereby, at all events of this result of his labours, that if he failed in imparting himself any interest to the debate, he might at least prevent the loss by evaporation of much of what they had heard by so condensing it, that it might be impressed upon all their minds for ever. (Hear, hear, hear.) Musing so long upon what had been said—and alone, he had almost said, for a friend of his near him had fallen asleep, over whelmed by all he bad beard—(laughter,)—an epigram occur red to him, as old as the days of his apprenticeship, uttered impromptu in the Court of Chancery, with regard to 'some noted speakers of that day, but who were all long since gone 'own into silence Mr. Leach made a speech, angry and wrong, , Mr. Hart played his part prozily and long, Mr. Parker, (of Lincoln's Inn, Sir, said Mr. North, not of St. Anne's Ward,) Mr. Parker made that darker, which was dark enough without, And then the Lord High Chancellor said, " Gentlemen, I doubt." --(Great laughter.) Not that there was such affinity be tween the eloquence so happily hit off in these lines, and that which the council had been rejoicing in, still less did he mean to impute that there was any analogy between the doubt upon Lord Eldon's mind, and the clear and lucid con viction which must of course irradiate the Mayor's when he (Mr. North) had done, but there was something in the ge neral character of the debate which had made the Quotation irresistible. Aud now for their individual sketches. They had begun with a lugubrious settlement of account between Mr. G. H. Lawrence and his own conscience; he would rather say, an attempted settlement, for when he had ended his speech, the account was quite as open, the figures all as ravelled, and the balance just as wavering as when he began. (Cheers.) " Oh, what a taugled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive" ourselves ! How devious, dangerous, and full of warning must that course always be which was trimmed daily to some ever varying, ever vain notion of liberality or expediency, instead of being steered right on by the fixed star of principle ! He wondered what Mr. Lawrence had been fighting for for the last seven years, for assuredly all he had won he had now flung to the winds ! (Hear.) " The duty of giving religious education to the poor" was the watch-word and gathering cry of the tory party in their upward struggle — ( hear, hear) —it was now their " tower of strength," and it would be,, please God, the Shibboleth of all their policy to the end of time, (Cheers.) After haying" fought this good fight" Mr. Lawrence deserted them, not in their hour of need, and therefore well, but in the time of their utmost triumph- Did he not say well, then, that this weakness was for their warning? Why it was intelligible upon no other ground. Loathing, as he did, the substance of Mr. Lawrence's amendment, he would not stop to criticise its form ; yet they might perhaps mark both the wisdom and the compliment of proposing to refer back this nostrum of secular education to the very committee who, by a majority of ten to one, bad already declared such education to be a curse. It was not for him to presume to lecture Mr. Lawrence as to his posi tion in the council with regard to his conduct on this ques tion ; but, in justice to himself and others, he thought he might take the liberty of suggesting to him the propriety of retiring from the Education Committee, with whom it was impossible he could again act (hear and cheers) of which opi nion he (Mr. North) thought the council would be, when he stated that to no member of that body was it at all known, until after the last meeting of the council, that they were to be exposed to this attack from their colleague. (Hear, hear, hear.) The next speaker was Mr. Turner, but he was not distinctly heard at his (Mr. North's) end of the room. in conclusion, however, that gentleman told the council in the original language that truth was very great and would prevail. No doubt she would prevail, but she would cer tainly owe no thanks to Mr. Turner for his speech—for , he had made a statement which, though not literally a viola tion of truth, was certainly the most unfair and uncandid distortion of it he had ever heard. Mr. TuRNER begged to move that the Deputy Town-clerk read the numbers. The MAYOR called Mr. Turner to order ; and requested him to wait till Mr. North had concluded. Mr. NORTH said, in continuation, that he was going to do justice to Mr. Turner if he would let him. That Mr. Turner had said, that since the change of system, the numbers in the schools had fallen off by about 280. Now, to enable him to make this assertion for a purpose, Mr. Turner had begun his computation, not as he ought to have done, if the assertion were to prove any thing, from the period when the new sys tem began, but from a date before that change, when all the Roman Catholics left the schools in a body. Mr. TURNER said he had only referred to the actual figures. (Callof " order" from the MAYOR.) Mr. NORTH.—Such misrepresentation as this could only damage in the recoil, and Mr. Turnerbad been well answered by Mr. Harbord, who told him that so far from the schools having diminished from the change of syst em, they had steadily and invariably progressed, and that they were rapidly in creasing now; to which he (Mr. North) might add also, the encouraging fact, that since this time last year the num bers had more than doubled. (Great applause.) The n ext champion was Mr. Hornby, of whose speech he admitted, with the greatest pleasure, that if it had been as substantial in its premises and as sound in argument as it was elegant in expression and gentlemanlike in tone. it would have been far above his (Mr. North's) praise. But it was little more than a romance from beginning to end, a pathetic, and, he was quite sure, honest picture of abused power and undeserved suf fering, but, fortunately for humanity, drawn only from fiction, and coloured by sickly senti:nentality. (Hear, hear.) lie (Mr. North) passed by Mr. Ilornby's denial of the right of the Education Committee to originate this discussion, though it should not be quite unmarked as a genuine specimen ei that liberal notion of liberty which claimed for yourself the utmost license, but denied to your opponent even the right of free agency. (Hear.) Neither should it be for gotten that this denial came from a member, or at all events from a sup porter, of the former 'Education Committee, who, in their abuse of power, in their " little brief authority, Played such fantastic tricks before high heaven, As made theemgels weep." (Cheers.) But let that error pass, for it was at once set right by the Town-clerk ; and he proceeded now to Mr. Hornby 's speech proper, which was principally directed to two points; first, the propriety of conceding something, even of principle , to the desire of rescuing these multitudes of Roman Catholic children from running about the streets—a fallacy which he should deal with by and bye ' • and, secondly, of an attemp t to enforce the same argument by endeavouring to prove that Roman Catholics could not have the benefit of the education of these schools without a wicked violation of conscience , which it would be tyrannous to enforce. An honest Catholic , Mr. Hornby said, could not attend these schools, meaning , of course, a Roman Catholic. Why not, Mr. Hornby ? Because the Education Committee insisted that the B ible should be read there ? But, could he be an honest Roman Ca tholic without the Bible ? (Hear, hear.) Who, then, were the tyrants—the Education Committee, who refused to desecrate their schools at the bidding of a Roman Catholic priest; or that priest himself, who would see the lambs of his flock pe rish, both here and hereafter, for lack of knowledge, rather than allow them to read the Bible ? (Loud cheers.) Mr• Hornby,drew an afflicting picture of a father's grief, balanc ing in his own mind the tremendous question, whether he should bring up his child in ignorance, or make him an apos tate from God by sending him to these schools—such apostace consisting only of the daily reading of God's own word. (Hear, hear.) Was not this a perfect demonstration of the hollowness of that argument ? (Hear,.) Why, to have mad e the argument good for anything Mr. H. should have proved that the Education Committee taught the oath of abjuration and not the Bible. (Hear, hear.) For one partof Mr. Hornby 's speech he (Mr. North) thanked him : he admitted that sect" lar education was, in the abstract, an evil, therefore he (Mr' North) only differed with him in this, that he would not do with him the evil which he knew of. (Hear, hear , hear.) It was difficult to collect the disiecta 'umbra of bs as to me an reply to Mr them, for the style of that g entleman was peculiar to himself, and,, lie confessed, he hoped it might remain so. (Hear , hear.) One ejaculation, however, be did remember of Mr. Earle's, and it was this, " They have put forth this mani festo only to frighten us !" Now to that he (Mr. North) directly assented ; he had hit off, as it happened, the very word of the committee, and in part their intention too ; but at the same time they had a higher object in view than that of frightening Mr. Earle—(hear, hear ;)—they wished to s ettle a question of which the town was weary, finally and justly , and that, with Mr. Earle's permission, they yet intended 1 0 do. Mr. EARLE.—Oh dear ! The MAYOR.—Order ! order ! Mr. NORTH.—So much then for his adversary's game ; le t him now endeavour to make good his own as well as a bad player might. Ile would not say anything of those'whom he was following upon the same side, except this, that the very best bit of kernel which he had extracted from all he had heard was contained in the short speech which the council had heard from Mr. Birkett. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Birkett said, it was a sin and a shame even to discuss, in a christian coun try, any proposal to have schools, or fragments of schools, without religion. (Hear, hear.) So said he (Mr. North) ; and that was the question, and the only question , which the council had to decide to-day. He would say more, that a school without religion was no school at all, thong!' might be, for anything be knew, what is called a mechanics institution ; and that be for one would never consent to play Hamlet with the part of Hamlet omitted " by the particular desire" of Mr. George Hall Lawrence. Mr. EARLS.—Oh, dear me, Mr. Mayor ! The MAY OR.--Order, order ! Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE.—AIIow me to say, Mr. Mayor -- The MAYOR.—Order, order ! Mr. North has not Yet concluded. Mr. NORTH.—I am sorry to raise so much commotion ! Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE.—I thought you had done, sir. Mr. NORTH.—Not yet, sir. (Hear, hear.) That the Education Committee should have come forward with a" avowal of their opinion and determination upon this mo mentous question, would, he thought, be a matter of co ngra: tulation to all who concurred in that opinion ; and he ha hoped—though, after the experience he had had, it w 3 l rather against hope—even that to those who opposed it it w oo, not have been altogether unacceptable in its straight - f orwaru and pacific form. (Hear, hear.) The committee had now appealed to the council ; they came there with their charter and their labours in their hands, asking either for an unliat ted renewal of confidence, or a revocation of their anpnin'. went, for no less decision than that would satisfy their 0' peal. (Cheers.) He rejoiced exceedingly that it bad com e to this ; they (the Education Committee) had now done some' thing, and that something they would not willingly undoil they had now upon record a confession of faith, of w hic there was no evasion—a test from which there was no escaP e .: there could be now no middle course—no " halting bet wee l two opinions." (Cheers.) They came before the countle, with a determination, resting, as it ought to :rest, upon t “1 immutable basis of truth and principle ; and the conn,cl must either affirm that determination, or they " made sh'ip's wreck" not of the committee and themselves, which ": comparatively unimportant, but, as far as moral pri nct Po was concerned, of the great trust which was committed them all. (Loud cheers.) He felt deeply, and would mak e no apology for speaking solemnly ; they were now upon ; great religious question, and therefore the Almighty hin o . e de said to them, " Who is on my side — who ?" Might H e g ul them to a right conclusion ! (Hear, hear, hear.) He o'°`; not go through the report ; it would be enough to remind t,''', council of what was now the single qualification for atlinissi °l ; into the schools. It was no forced assent to doctrines bowel_ pure, no compulsory attendance upon services howe ver ex the lent, that was now required in those who sought to be ti n objects of education in the corporation schools. ( 14 " e hear.) The door was now thrown open to all except thos who refused to read the Bible in common with their fellow; Christians. (Hear.) When he said that none were exclud n but those who by this refusal excluded themselves, could 'r say say more to spew the truly tolerant system adopted. (Be a ; hear, hear.) Could the door be opened wider? (Hear, bear.; Could more be done for the sake of peace and charity ,i (Hear, hear.) " Yes," said Mr. Blackbur n, echoed and, as he seemed to think, jockeyed by Mr. L a wrenc e, " you may admit the children of Rom an Catholics and dis; senters to secular instruction." He (Mr. North) presuni,et that, in fact, though' not in form, they w e re dis cu ssing . tn! two propositions. To his view both were e q uall y p ernicious (hear) ; but if he were asked to which he was least opposed, he should unhesitatingly say, " to that of Mr. Blackburn- , At all events, his had this merit—it was straightforwai d apu_ natural ; whereas he hardly dared trust himself to characterir the other. (Hear, hear.) To turn, then, to Mr. Blackburt.l_! motion ; and he would begin with respectfully asking b ias what its object was? He could not-- The MAYOR. ----it is my duty to remind you that you are_ now trespassing a little : Mr. Blackburn's motion is not l. present before the council. NORTH. —As he had said before, in point of form i t probably was not before the council ; he admitted the objee' was stil Order. sto o d motion blackb t Mr, 3 not disc of form both. _because tient; really t Sii that qn