The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-05-07 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS. C.H. will find his sugzestions attended to. The forger part of his letter we cannot publish anonymous authority. X.Z. Will our corn sp , ntient favour us with a call. We have no fear of making as arraugemeit satisfactory to him. We have received s. veral communications on the subject at present in agitation between the Magistrates and the Watca Committee. and are obliged for the hints. THE IRISH STATE TRIALS. The Attorney-General having on Saturday concluded Ais reply Jo the arguments of the Traversers' Counsel for a new trial, the judgement of the court, which it was expected would be pronounced yester day, is of course looked for with great anxiety. We have made arrangements for publishing an early Second Edition, which we expect will be ready by Eight o'clock, giving the whole proceedings in court yesterday. Ebr iibirpool Aianbarb. TUESDAY MORAING, MAY 7, 1844. We have the painful duty of announcing the sudden and unexpected death of the lion. R. Bootle Wilbraham, M P. for the southern division of this county, some particulars of which will be found in another column. An able and an estimable man, a sound Conservative and Churchman, and a zealous and faithful representative, has gone from amongst us; and we may go far, perhaps, before we find one worthy, in private life or in public, to fill his place. In Parliament Mr. Wilbraham never was distin guished, or sought to be distinguished, as a speaker; but his usefulness was perhaps not the less on that account. His parliamentary attendance was con stant ; and his vote, in support of the great inte rests of Conservatism, always to be depended upon. It was in furthering the private business of his constituents, however, that his value as a represen tative of this important district was most conspi cuous. From his place in private committees he was rarely,absent, and always unwearied in his devo tion of time, and talent of no common order, to the interests of this county. To those who have ever had to wait upon him as members -of deputations, or who have watched his career, no words of ours are necessary to exalt his merits or to extol his un varying affability and kindness, which will be ac knowledged equally by men of every political party. By this lamented event, a vacancy will occur in the representation of South Lancashire; and so short may be the interval allowed between the present time and an election, that we are compelled, against our feelings, to take this opportunity of urging upon our Conservative friends the necessity of prompt and vigorous steps to prevent even the possibility of a radical being foisted into the seat. The League, they may depend upon it, will fight hard for victory in this central seat of their agitation. There will be no lethargy on their side—no hesita tion to dip deeply into the stock purse, or, if neces sary, into the long pockets of its influential mem bers. conservatives must, therefore, be up and doing. A VIGOROUS PULL; and, despite of faction and League gold, there is loyalty and intelligence in South Lancashire sufficient to defeat their efforts, and seat as its representative A SOUND CONSER VATIVE. We are informed that a candidate will be promptly before the constituency, whose eminent knowledge of commercial and agricultural affairs will invite all Conservatives in the effort to secure hie return. Let the electors KEEP THEMSELVES UNFLEDGED, BE ACTIVE AND VIGILANT, AND LANCASHIRE'S CONSERVATIVE REPRESENTA TION IS STILL UNBROKEN ! We refrained at first from entering our protest against the principle of the bill now before Parlia ment, entitled " the Dissenters' Chapels' Bill," be cause we never conceived it possible that such a measure, so repugnant to churchmen and to the mass of protestant dissenters throughout the king dom, could have been seriously entertained by a Conservative government, or had the slightest chance of receiving the sanction of the House in which it has originated. That bill has, however, been brought forward, with the whole weight of government in fluence to support it, and the eloquence and talent of the Lord Chancellor to urge it forward; and having already been committed without a division, there exists now no moral doubt of its passing the upper house, and scarcely any, we fear, of its pass ing into a law. Against such a consummation, late though it may be, and hopeless its results, we feel bound to enter our protest and that of every Pro testant, of whatever denomination, and however differing in non-essential forms. We protest against it, as a sop thrown to appease the cravings of infidelity, and as a measure alike unjust and impolitic. What is it that this bill proposes to effect ? Pious trinitarian dissenters, in tunes past, have devised money, and in times to come will doubtless continue so to devise, for the endowment of chapels, meeting houses, schools, &c., in which religious instruction is to be imparted in the tenets of the various founders, such tenets being recognized and toler ated by law. A large number of these endowments have, in process of time, passed into the hands of parties holding other opinions than those of the founders—opinions which those founders held in abhorrence. Some hundreds of such endowments are at this moment held by unitarians—the property of pious believers in the Trinity perverted to the use of a sect which denies the divinity of the Saviour l— and upon an appeal to the law, as in the case raised respecting the disposal of Lady Hewley's property, it has been decided that such disposal must be in accordance with the intention, so far as it is discoverable, of the parties endowing. Against the carrying into execution of the salutary principle contained in such decision, the provisions of Lord Lyndhurst's bill oppose themselves. To prevent litigation, forsooth, we are not to ask whether wrong has been committed—whether property, left for the maintainance of places of worship in which the religion of the Bible shall be taught, has been per verted from its original uses to provide for the teaching of Socinian or Infidel doctrines—but to ask only "is such wrongful perversion of thirty years standing ? " And, if so, we are to give the sanction of the law to that perversion ! We are to legalize robbery, if the authors of such robbery have been for thirty years in possession of its fruits ! We are to go entirely upon prescription; to leave out of view the most material consideration, viz :—whether a charitable request is being used in consonance with the intention of the party bequeathing, or for the furtheiance of religion and morality, and consider only whether the perversion of such be quest to purposes beyond, and perhaps totally op posed and repugnant to his principles and wishes, has been sanctioned by thirty years of blind tolera tion on the part of those for whose use it was origi nally designed, or of fraud on the part of those seeking its wrongful enjoyment. We will not go at any length into a consideration of the clever anti plausible, although we regret that we must add Jesuitical, arguments by which this monstrous principle is defended by Lord Lyndhurst. There are some three hundred cases, in which be quests, for the use of Trinitarian dissenters, have been appropriated by Unitarians, and in which ac tions are threatened; and to prevent expensive liti gation, by which the amount of these various be quests may possibly be eaten up, Lord Lyndhurst would confirm such amount in the hands of its pre sent wrongful owners ! We care not, however, for this expediency view of the question. We ask what must be the result of such a measure as this, not only with respect to existing rights but to the deter mination of future bequests of a similar character. How are we to be assured that property left for religious purposes may not, under such a state of the law, come to be applied for the spread of Social ism and other forms of infidelity ? You have only to go through the successive stages, from Trinitari anism to Arianism, and from Socinianism to utter infidelity, with sufficient caution to excite no un timely alarm on behalf of the parties who might claim as the, representatives of the parties originally meant to be benefitted, or whose principles were to be inculcated at the expense of the foundation, to gain for any set of theorists, or enthusiasts, or worse, a legitimate and well-established title to such pro perty. And how does this bill provide against excessive litigation ? Why, in fact it offers a daily stimulus to such litigation. Under such a measure there must be, amongst those enjoying such bequests, as the Bishop of London assumed with great justice, a continual watchfulness of every expression dropped by preachers, which might he construed into erro neous doctrine—a continual jealousy lest forbear ance might lead to the ultimate establishment of such error. And hence continual litigation, and that of the most perplexing and expensive kind; viz., litigation to decide doctrinal points. There could be no peace under such a measure, which was not accompanied by utter insecurity of justice. But the most painful feature connected with this measure remains to be considered. What are we to consider of a government which, for a mere purpose of expediency, is thus willing to barter, not only justice —not only equity—but PRINCIPLE; which is content to hand over some hundreds of religious foundations, established for the propaga- tion of the pure faith of the Gospel, to the hands of men hostile to Christianity, and denying the God head of the Redeemer ? What security can there be for the Church itself—what security can there be for Protestantism, or for a Protestant Monarchy— under such a government ? Alas—alas ! We are fallen upon strange times ! Now, what is the duty of English Protestants— of English Churchmen—with respect to this bill ? It is true the question involved affects only, or most materially, the Protestant Dissenters of the empire, a portion of whom, the Calvanistic Independents, a correspondent of the London limes declared the other day were a less estimable religious body than the Unitarians themselves! But is there no prin ciple at stake here, in defence of which Churchmen ought to rally side by side with their Protestant, though dissenting, brethren ? There is, and a great principle, too. We have to decide whether the law is to give its direct sanction, in this case of the dissenters, to the appropriation of funds, devised for religious uses, to the diffusion of irreligion and in fidelity ; and, the first step permitted to be taken, who can say where it may stop—whether it may not in time violate the sanctity of the Established Church itself? We have given elsewhere our opinions upon the subject, which is just now causing such a ferment amongst the magistrates and the members of the Watch Committee; and should certainly not have noticed it in these columns had we not deemed it necessary to correct the statements in some remarks which appeared in a Conservative contemporary of Wednesday last, and which misrepresent the ques- tion now before the public and the authorities. In performing this duty we of course acquit the Courier of any wilful perversion of facts. The following are the remarks to which we allude, and which occur in an article defensive of the conduct of the magistrates, and especially of the Mayor and the Stipendiary, in the case of the recent movement upon the subject of Orangeism in the police force : " A question which is likely to excite some attention has just arisen out of the following circumstances. The Rev. Mr. Parker, one of the Roman Catholic priests in this town, complained, it avpears, to the municipal authorities that on the occasion of the last Orange pro cession certain members of the force, who are also mem bers of Orange societies, stopped before his houve, and gave vent to their feelings in opprobrious and offensive language." Now had anything of the nature, here said to have been complained of by Priest Parker, in reality occurred, we should have at once acknow ledged that the prompt expulsion of the offending parties from the police force was loudly called for . But no such thing ever did occur. No such thing has ever been said to have occurred. There has been no " last" or first " Orange procession" in this town ; and no procession in which " certain members of THE FORCE, who are also members of Orange societies, stopped before Mr. Parker's house and gave vent to their feelings in opprobrious and offensive language." It has never been attempted by any other journal, however rabidly opposed to Orangeism, to impute such outrageous conduct to the persecuted Orange members of the police force ; and it is rather an unkind cut that the first utterance of such a charge should come from a Conservative and friendly organ. In his anxiety to defend the purity of motive which has actuated the Mayor in this business— and which has never been impugned—our contem porary goes on to argue the whole question ; and although we commenced with an intention only to deal with the Courier's facts, we cannot resist no ticing such puerilities as the following : " Now, apart from the animus which may have led to these proceedings—and in that animus we are sure our excellent Chief Magistrate has not participated —we do not see much to find fault with in it. Connexion with an Orange society on the one side, or with a Ribbon society on the other, is universally recognised as a mark of strong religious and political opinion. And the character,of a partisan is obviously inconsistent with the duties of a policeman. The mere presence of an Orange policeman among a body of Irish Roman Catholics would be calculated to excite disturbance rather than to preserve the peace, as would the presence of a Ribbon policeman among a body of Orangemen. To require that they should belong to neither body is therefore only to exact from them that degree of neutrality which is necessary to the efficient discharge of their duties. It is not, as we judge, any interference with either political or religious liberty." We must protest, in the first instance, against the parallelism assumed throughout these proceedings between an Orange society and a Ribbon society. The former may be, as the Courier styles it, a so ciety of men holding "strong religious and political opinions;" the latter is a society banded together for the purposes of murder and midnight outrage. Orangemen contain amongst their body men of rank and property, and are more than tolerated by those who are not members of their body ; but who ever heard of a respectable Ribbonman ? who ever heard of a man that dared to confess himself a Ribbonman ? Why so atrocious is the character and practices of this society that it is denounced, and sought to be put down, by the most furious of the agitators and the most bigotted of the priesthood of the land in which it holds its secret and blood thirsty orgies ; and our contemporary, w ho is quickwitted enough in ordinary, might surely have seen that, in the ban sought to be directed against Orangeism, the name of Ribbonism was only asso ciated to draw down upon loyal men, holding, mayhap, " strong religious and political opinions," a portion of the execration which is due to men combined together, as are Ribbonmen, for purposes of treason and outrage. But the Courier goes on to inform us that " the mere presence of an Orange policeman among a body of Irish Roman Catholics would be calculated to ex cite disturbance, rather than to preserve the peace, as would the presence of a Ribbon policeman among a body of Orangemen" —a discovery which of course goes upon the assumption that neither can go amongst a body of friends or opponents without proclaiming his Orange or Ribbon membership; and he deduces from such premises the conclusion that " to require that they (policemen in general) should belong to neither body is therefore only to exact from them that degree of neutrality which is necessary to the efficient discharge of their duties." Really, really, this is sad twaddle; and we hope, for the credit of the magistracy, that they have some better ground for their proceedings than any that the Courier suggests. The presence of a Connaught member of the force in a Connaught and Munster faction fight, would be calculated to increase the row rather than veil it, as the Connaughtman's trunchion might possibly, by a kind of instinct, dis charge itself exclusively against Munster craniums, Vice versa' of a Munster member of the same force. Again, the men of the " black north," it is well known, are not in very good odour with the " ille gant" peasantry of the south; Repealers, and even Roman Catholics, are not upon very excellent terms with loyal Protestants—(by the bye, we have not heard a word in this matter upon the eligibility or non-eligibility of men who have been art and part in the offences for which Daniel O'Connell and his co-conspirators have been convicted by a jury of their countrymen !) Any of these opponent classes coming in collision, the one armed with authority and the other riotous and disorderly, might not lead to very pacific results; and we must therefore come to the conclusion, inevitable upon the Courier's pre mises, that Irishmen, of whatever creed or shade of politics, should be declared incapacited for the "efficient discharge" of police duties ! It is singular that we never heard a word of this police philosophy until now. It is more singular still to find a Conservative organ first broaching the doctrine of religious or political disability. Bye and bye, and to be consistent, we must go the whole length of maintaining that policemen ought to be men of no religion and no principles; and some philosopher may in time solve all our difficulties by the construction of a steam automaton police—pro bably cast-iron ones, to save the wear and tear of clothing, as they could be kept clean and tidy with the aid of a coat of paint once a year. Why not cast-iron policemen as easily as cast-iron clergymen, (of whom we have heard) in an age so fertile in in vention as the present ? THE FUNDS : SATURDAY NIGHT.—The English se curities continue fiat, and the business of the market was necessarily limited in consequence of the early hour of closing the market on Saturdays. Consols for money and the amount left off 99+ to I Three per Cents. Re duced, 981 to ; Three-and-a-Half per Cents. Reduced, 101+ to 4; New Three-and-a-Half per Cents., 1024 ; Long Annuities, 12 7-16th ' • Bank Stock. 194 to 196 ; India Stock, 286 to 288 ; and Exchequer-bills, 75 to 77 premium. In the foreign market there was no great change, as the general state of quotations will show. Spanish Three per Cents. left off 35 to 4; the Five per Cents., 244 to I ; Danish, 88 to 83 ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 61 to 4; the Five per Cents., 100+ to + ; Mexican, 354 to 4; the Deferred, 154 to 4 ; Peruvian, 29 to 30; Portuguese Converted, 444 to 454 ; Buenos Ayres, 35 to 37 ; Chilian, 102 to 104 ; Colombian, 14+ to 15 ; Brazilian, 80 to 81; and Belgian, 1014 to 1024. THE ORANGEMEN.—The following letter, dated 26th ult., from the District Master of the Loyal Orangemen to James Aspinall, Esq., was read at the last meeting of the Council :—" In answer to your further inquiry of yester day, I beg to state, the procession on Easter Monday was not an Orange procession, as such are diametrically op posed to our rules, and would not be countenanced by the authorities of our body. I find there was one Orange man in that procession. who has since then been suspended by the order for taking any part therein." Our readers may have seen or heard of a paragraph, which appeared in some Tractarian publication, stating that the Hon. and Rev. B. W. Noel had written a letter to the students of St. David's College, with' a view to induce them to withdraw from the Established Church. Although we differ from this estimable clergyman on some points, we could scarcely bring ourselves to believe that this statement, though put forth with so much confidence, was correct. On enquiry we are happy to announce, that the whole story is a fabrication from beginning to end. .lad such a project ever been entertained by any one, Mr. Noel, we ate authorized to state, would have given the weight of his influence to oppose it. THE WEATHER, during the past week, has again been clear, sunny, and delightful ; and the country is rapidly assuming her verdant summer garb, The field crops in this neighbourhood generally, indeed almost universally, appear to be most healthy and promising, but the long drought has retarded the " bulk " of foliage that would otherwise have appeared. The grass and wheat are never theless becoming thick on the ground, and a day or two's mild rain would do wonders both on farms and gardens— in which last there is a fine show of fruit blossom, which it is not likely will now be injured by night frosts. The barometer has frequently fallen a little, now and then, during the last ten days, but has almost as rapidly risen to about " set fair." There is, however, at the time of our writing (yesterday evening) a gathering of clouds that portend a seasonable and desirable downfall. THE POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY.-At the last monthly meeting of this society, Mr. D. Waldie read the first part of a most able paper on " Flame, and its practical relation to light, heat, and smoke, with especial reference to the combustion of coal," which he illustrated by diagrams and tables, to the great satisfaction of his audience. The second and concluding part of his subject will be sub mitted to the members aiad visitors on Tuesday next, and in our publication of that day week we shall endeavour to supply an abstract or condensation of the whole. Our scientific readers who have not yet attended these meet ings would, we feel assured, be much gratified by a visit, and any member has the privilege of introducing a stranger. The object of the society is to promote the advancement of new inventions, discoveries, and improvements, in every branch of practical science, and especially to elicit native talent. DEATH OF THE HON. R. B. WILBRAHAM, M.P.— It is with regret we have to announce the death of the .hove hon. gentleman, whoexpired on Sunday afternoon at 5 minutes to 1 o'clock, at Lord Skelmersdale's, in Portland-place, London. We understand that the de - 1 ceased had been unwell for some days previous ; but' nis illness was considered merely an attack of influenza, arid, consequently, not the least danger was appre- vended either by his medical attendants or relatives. rhe deceased was the eldvst son of Lord Skelmersdale ►nd brother of Lady Stanley. He was born the 27th' Octo er, 1801, and married the 22d of May, 1832,1 kliss Jessey Brooke, third daughter of Sir Richard Brooke, Bart., by whom he leaves several children. Lord Skelwersdale, Lord and Lady Stanley, Lord Al anley, Mr. T. and Lady Charlotte Egerton, and other families of rank are placed in mourning by the demise, mf the hon. gentleman. In 1835 he was returned to the House of Commons for South Lancashire, which county ►e bas successively represented in Parliament, in con junction with Lord Francis Egerton, to the time of his, .amented decease. THE STATE PROSECUTIONS.—What is to follow the judgment of the Court in the now pending application for a new trial, remains a profound mystery, save to the con spirators and their agents. And it must go very hard indeed with these enterprising gentlemen, supposing that the present motion goes against them—an event not very improbable—if in the chapter of accidents something do not turn up that may help to ward off until next term at least the long-protracted sentence of the court. The Evening Mail says, in reference to proceedings infuturo— "As it is understood that the Court has not been in the least shaken in its original decisions by the speeches (for the case was not arguable) delivered by counsel, and as, therefore, no time for deliberation would be necessary, judgment might be pronounced on Monday, and final sentence passed on Tuesday. And so they would, were this an ordinary case, and any person other than Mr. O'Connell the convicted party. But there is now a threat of a motion in arrest of judgment—one that will doubt less be carried into effect--and a boast—that of course will he attempted to be realiv.d--of the argument upon that point occupying the entire of next term, as that for the hew trial consumed the whole of:this. The judges of the Queen's Bench are conservators of t:republic peace. They are also trustees of the public time ; and it is their duty to prevent the whole business of the whole country remainirg at a standstill, and the interests of suitors being destroyed, while lawyers are paid, and not by the validity, but by the length of their argu ments—the rent-chest of the Corn-exchange being the exchequer whence their fees are drawn. One of the peculiar pr ovinces of their lordships is to prevent the ad ministration of the law and the dispensation of justice from being brought into ' ridicule or contempt.' We beg to call attention to the advertisement of the Church Missionary Society. —We are happy to learn that the meetings on the occasion of the approaching anniver sary will be held in the Collegiate Institution. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. THE MAGISTRATES, THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE ORANGEMEN. The meeting of the Town-Council on Wednesday last throws a little more light than we had previously upon the proceedings of the authorities with respect to the seven members of Orange benefit societies, who have been dis covered to belong to the Liverpool Police Force; and, we must say, the disclosures made do not very materially im prove the position of the magistracy. What is it that is urged in defence of the proceedings of that body, and in mitigation of the charge brought against them of having slighted, by the course which they adopted, the Watch Committee of the Council? It -was explained by the Mayor that the whole affair, so far as regards the ques tion of Orangeism in the police-force, originated out of a procession, " said to be an Orange procession ;" and which has proved, to use the language of Mr. Henry Lawrence, to have been " a paltry procession of a few lads, with yellow ribbons and a cracked drum." With the fact of such a procession having taken place, as his cue, the Stipendiary Magistrate bustled to the Mayor, with a face full of horror doubtless, and made to him " certain representations ;" but what were these we know not. W e can only gu e s s that they were representations• which had been conveyed to himself by the late Head Constable. Mr. Whitty, to the effect that there were a large number of Orangemen connected with the police-force. The Mayor sent for the Town-Clerk to share and advise with him upon the important representations of the Stipen diary • and, havin g so consu lt e d w ith th e L aw Offi cer o f the Council. suggested, very properly, that they should communicate with the Watch Committee. So tar, then affairs were conducted quite regularly; and had the May or's suggestion been adopted, the injurious collision which has since arisen between the Watch Committee and the Magistracy would have been avoided. But such straightforward course was not that advised by Mr. Rushton and the Town-Clerk. "The objection they had —we quote the Mayor's words as reported —" was simply this : they thought the matter might be kept perfectly quiet, and done in a qaiet way (I) They did not think it would be necessary even to consult the bench of Magistrates" (11) So far then, by his worship's own showing, no question had arisen as to conflicting jurisdictions, between the Watch Committee and the Bench. That body was not to be asked to lend the sane. tion of their authority to any coarse which might be adopted ; but, in a quiet way, Mr. Edward Rushton, was to assume the powers of a Fouche, the Mayor's room w to be converted into a bureau of secret police, and the community was to be astounded by some such master stroke of policy as was wont, in the days of the Empire, to startle France and the world ! But it will be asked—what, during all this time and all this awful secrecy, had the question of Orangeism in the police force, to do with the " paltry procession of lads with yellow ribbons and a cracked dram"—the assumed origin of the movements of the Mayor, the Stipendiary, and the Town-Clerk ? Had any one of the seven Orange policemen neglected to enforce order on the occasion of the procession in question ? We have never heard that such was the fact • and had it been, we should have heard of it soon enough. We assume, therefore, that no such neglect had occurred, and proceed with the doings of our secret tribunal. Mr_ Whitty, Mr. Miller, and Mr. Dowling were sum moned to its presence, and directed to make such inquiries as should enable the stipendiary and the Mayor—nut the magistrates, mind—to detect the unfor unate parties who were to be quietly done for. But, alas! before such con summation could be effected, the whole affair got out ! The Mayor would have us infer that this unfortunate con- tretemps occurred owing to the instructiues given to Mr. Whitty and Mr. Miller being laid before the Watch Com mittee ; and a contemporary declares that the proceedings in the Mayor's room, which should have been kept as "A POLICE SECRET" (!)—from whom ?—would never have been divulged but for the circumstance of Mr. Harhord, a member of the Orange order, being alsu a member of the Watch Committee! That both these conclusions are erroneous, we know; and in fact that they are so, is self evident. Mr. Whitty had informed the seven men them selves, and, we believe, the whole force, of the resolution to which the Mayor and st;pendiary had come—(that Orangemen were ineligible for the situation of police constables)—some days before the Watch Committee knew that anything of the kind was in agitation. Why should the Watch Committee fly up in indignation, if, whilst quietly, the proceedings of the Mayor and stipen diary had been regularly conducted, and Mr. Whitty's instructions recorded at the time in the proceedings of that committee ? Upon this part of the defence—for as such it appears to be given—we feel assured that we need say no more; and with respect to the disclosure of the great " police secret" by Mr. Harbord or any member of the Watch Committee, it was known to ourselves, and, we venture to say, to the Mercury as well, (who appears to have been well primed as to what was going on,) before either Mr. Harbord or any other member of the com mittee knew a word about the matter ! The doings in the Mayor's room, and the " Police Secret" of Mr. Whitty, having transpired we need not describe the alacrity with which the majority of the ma gistrates (who were themselves, in the first instance not to have been consulted) rushed to aid with their authority the Mayor and Mr. Rushton, and thus brought to a full head the very pretty quarrel in which they had got them selves involved with the Watch Committee. Knowing as we do the materials of which that bench is in a great part composed, we are not surprised at finding that Mr. Rushton's conduct received their sanction ; but it does strike us with some little surprise to see the names of one or two conservative gentlemen recorded. as the unenqui ring registrars of Mr. Rushton's or any body's decrees. If Mr. Rushton's secret police bureau had thought it po- litic and prudent to act. without the concur'rence or knowledge of the Watch Committee, there was no earthly reason, secrecy being no longer necessary. for persisting in the course of alight towards that body which bad been originally and unfortunately adopted; and we cannot but think that, on reflection, the gentlemen in question will be dissatisfied with their silent acquiescence in the pro ceedings of the Radical majority. We are quite disposed to acquit the Mayor of any desire to outstretch the authority of his office, or to shew any want of attention to the Watch Committee, throughout this affair. He wished to have communicated with that body. But it is not at all clear that Mr. Rushton and the Town-clerk can be excused so easily, Both these official parties appear to have set themselves ahnve, not only the Watch Committee but the bench as well; and this conclusion is not at all weakened by the explanation of the Town-clerk, that the Watch Committee were to be communicated with "at the proper time." Their pur pose was—and would have been carried out if the " police secret" could have been well kept,—first, quietly to pro nounce the law, and then quietly to weed the force; and then, possibly, the empty compliment would have been paid of informing the Watch Committee of their proceedings. That such project was not successful, and the committee rendered merely the recording body of the presiding genius of the police-court, we have to thank the able stand ronle against the encroachment meditated upon their powers by Messrs. Aspinall, Harbord, Turner, and other of its members, which we are happy to see adequately appre ciated by the majority of the Council. Whatever may be the opinion of the authorities to be consulted, with respect to the legality or illegality of the Orange order, and the eligibility of members of that body to situations of public trust. we are confident that the expression of public opinion which has already been elicited, will pre vent any further attempts of the bench, or a single, but eminent, member of it, to arrogate an authority which, if they do possess, which we doubt, might he wielded with out the very injurious result of weakening, by outward and deliberate slight, the moral influence and consequent usefulness of a body, to whose labours the public of Li verpool are so deeply indebted. A few words, with respect to the outcry which has been raised against Mr. Harbord, as a member of the Watch Committee and, at the same time an influential officer— not the Grand Master, as he is erroneously styled—of the Orange Order. It was urged by Mr. Rathbone, at the meeting of the magistrates. that it was highly improper for " such a Gerson " as Mr. Harhord to remain a mem ber of the Watch Committee. Let any member of the Council come boldly forward and propose tke opinion which Mr. Rathbone thus volunteered, in his capacity of magistrate, as a resolution in the Council ; and, if he succeed in the effort to carry it, he will earn the adulation of the Mercury, and—the indignation of the Council. With this challenge we take leave of the subject. MERCURIAL ELEGANCIES & AMIABILITIES. Our very excellent contemporary, the Mercury, is just now in anything but a sweet temper, which we are com pelled, in candour, to attribute to the rapid decline taking place in the number of his advertisements and in his circulation, and the increase of those of two or three of his contemporaries,—our own paper in especial. We are the more irresistibly driven to this conclusion from the fact that all, or at least the principal proportion, of his ire is directed against those contemporaries. We give a few specimens of the elegancies with which he bespatters us, in what he facetiously styles his notes " To Corres pondents," but what the world might appropriately call " Grunts from the Mercurial stye." We quote verbatim, and in order. /f The Crescent tiny tory asks—" Our half brother of Liver Court"— ' The conductor of a shameful paper"— ' The veracious Mail"— " The Crescent Cory"— '` Our friend of the Courier"—(Our friend is not ma terially damaging the Mercurial property, and hence, per haps, his being let down so easily and with so sweet a name.) These are but the titular insolencies of which the spleen of a falling organ vents itself. The insolence of remark is infinitely more disgusting and indecent. The conduc tors of a print acknowledged to be the least talented in Liverpool, or in Lancashire,—whose influence is solely in its " Houses to let", " Situations wanted," and " Wanted a maid of all work," &c.,—ought to be more modest. EARLY CLOSING.—We are glad to perceive that the boot-makers are about to adopt the now almost general system of early closing. GRAND CONCERT AT THE ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. —A grand concert is announced for to-morrow evening at the Royal Amphitheatre, under the patronage of the Worshipful the Mayor. It is for the benefit of Miss natnilton, of the Philharmonic Conceits, a highly ta lented and deserving young la,ly, who has for this occa sion, engagaged, at a great expense, a constellation of talent, instrumental, as well as vocal. Amongst the 14 stars" will appear the far-famed Herr Ernst, the greatest violinist of the day; Signor Paltoni, of ihe batten Opera House, London; Mr. John R.-eves, from the Theatre Royal. Drury-lane; Miss Keale, pianiste; Mr. S. Per cival, flutist, and many favourite . wive per former:. Mr. George Holden, will preside at tue ',la► e. and it is fulls anticipated that the entertainment will be a rich treat to th e musical world. LOCAL LITERATURE. We give the following selections from Punch in Liver. pool, No. 3. PUNCH'S FASHIONS FOR LIVERPOOL.—Coats for gentlemen are this season worn over the waistcoats, and give an extraordinary elongation to the back. They are t,uttoned before, except when confined by studs. As a substitute for gloves the back pockets are extensively used, which has the advantage of concealing the naked digits, and at the same time of allowing a glance at the dorsal formation, which is worn a little protruded for the pur pose. Slops, Chesterfields, and Down-the-Roads are scouted—the printer's devil suggests spouted—for this season, except where the fine quality and preservation of the under garments are modestly sought to be concealed. From feelings of philanthropy, no doubt, to encourage the distressed artisans of Brummagem—(Punch adopts here the pronunciation of Lord Brougham) —jewellery is extensively worn in the cravats and on the fingers ; and where the latter is the case, one hand only is worn in the back coat pocket, which mode has the disadvantage of disclosing only one-half of the dorsal extremity. Punch may remark that the riding whip, carried in the hand adorned with jewellery, is very graceful ; and appropriate especially for gentlemen who ride only in omnibuses or the packets. LADIES FASHIONS are out of Punch's line, and wil be expounded by Mrs. Judy, from her Mercurial establish ment in Lord.street. MARKETS.—Ships have been very slow of sail during the past week, steamers having been the only kind amongst which there ha: been any great movement, owing to the calm prevailing in the market. Lead is heavy. particu lirly pigs, of which great numbers are arriving from Ireland. Corks are buoyant, and Guinness's porter corks owing to the warm weather, are particularly lively. Cork soles may be said to be shelved for the season. Paper is stationary, except some Standard sorts, which go off readily. Brimstone is just now a drug, and treacle dull, although we have had a little demand for both this season from the Yorkshire schools. Yellow ochre and cinders have been taken off extensively for agricultural purposes, in lieu of guano, which is very scarce in the market. Soot has falh-n considerably within the last few days ; but although clouds have presented a lowering aspect, Punch has to record no fall in rain.—ln shares we have had little doing. Birkenhead Docks have been mentioned, but nothing done in them. All kinds of rails are steady, and maintain their position of last week, with the excep tion of Chester and Birkenhead, which were much gone upon on Wednesday and Thursday, at increased prices. stand-ups being sold at the rate of first-class. In banks there is no change—Burbo and West Hoyle remain as be fore. DISTRESSING CASE.—Punch feels it his painful duty to inform his friends, that the Old Church clock is still unwell, being as yet unable to strike. He complAns of great panes in his face; and from the circumstance of two or three large red spots appearing upon it every evening, which move about in a circular direction, Punch suspects the presence of St. Anthony's fire, although he is unable to state precisely the complaint of the sufferer, notwith standing be has studied Clockology ever since be knew what time it was. Friday, 3d May.—The clock is somewhat better, having recovered his voice. Saturday, 4th May.—The patient seems perfectly re covered, and is beginning a dispute with his brother on the pier -head upon the subject of time. The old clock maintains, that, in respect of his seniority, although not zoing so fast as his youthful opponent on the parade, the public ought to look up to him as the most enlightened authority. He of the parade retorts that the old 'un, because one of the light-fingered gentry, is not regular in his habits, and should not be trusted after dark. Punch regrets that he cannot himself decide the question between them ; and still more regrets that two such great authori ties as to time should differ. THE " CROPS IP I\l' IN THE N EIGHBOURHOOD.—Sinee the accession of warm weather, a good deal of hair has been cut, although there is still a great quantity of pro duce of this class which requires the shears. Carrots especially should be operated upon at once; and when grown upon exposed localities might be rooted up with advantage. Punch deprecates the use of guano as a fertilizer upon those facial localities which nature has doomed to be unproductive of a full crop ; and would advise the sprouts which have appeared to be clean shorn daily. A PATRIOTIC (!) LOCAL JOURNAL. We never wonder to see schemes, however absurd, ad vocated in such organs as the Manchester Guardian, pro vided their carrying out be likely to be injurious to the prosperity of Liverpool; but it has, we confess, a little surpri'ed us to find the following paragraph occurring in a journal published in this town. Let our readers glance it through. " THE BRIDGEWATER AND THE OLD QUAY CANALS, There has been much speculation of late respecting these canals, and many surmises afloat. as to what Lord Francis Egerton intends doing. One statement, which has gone the round of the public press, is, that the Bridgewater Canal is to be drained dry. and then to be converted into a railway between Runcorn and Manchester, and another, that it is to remain in its present state, and that the Old Quay Canal is to be made navigable for ships drawing not more than ten feet water, so that vessels might proceed from sea direct to Manchester to dischage their cargoes. This we believe to be impossible, as the Grand Junction Railway passes over the Irwell at an insufficient elevation for vessels of any considerable size to pass uder. Besides, Manchester cannot be made a free port, though she might have the advantage of bonding warehouses. The most feasible and most likely project that we have heard of, and it has come from a source supposed to know, is, that the trustees of the Bridgewater Canal are waiting to see the issue of the bill before Parliament for the construction of docks at Wallasey Pool; should that be granted, and on the terms expected by the Birkenhead commissioners, the trustees will themselves go to Parliament the next session for power to extend the docks at Runcorn, along the shore, and to join the Weaver Trust Canal at Weston Point, so as to afford every accommodation for that im mense traffic now carried on in connexion with these two canals, and which is expected to he much greater, as the salt brought down the Weaver, and at present conveyed to Liverpool for foreign shipment, will, it is affirmed, ere long proceed to Hull by railway after navigating the Bridgewater Canal to Manchester. Application will also be made to make Runcorn an independent port, as by far the greatest portion of foreign and coastwise merchan dise is brought direct to Runcorn, without the least ne cessity of calling at Liverpool, mad thereby the desire pre vails of saving the present charge of town durs, a grievance much felt and justly complained of. We hope, before long, to state something more positive on this great and useiul undertaking. The distance f rom th e en trance of the trustees' docks at Runcorn to Weston Point is rather better than half a mile, and, with the exception of some hundred yards, the land belongs to the trustees, by whom a large sum has been offered frequently for this small parcel, but without success • hence arises the necessity of applying to parliament; otherwise, we believe, all other matters are available for the completion of the works. It is also expected that when the river wall is carried out to its proper boundary, it will assist materially in cleaning the channel, so that, with the assistance of dredging for a time, a communication may be kept up between Liver pool awl Runcorn by steam-boats, at any time of the tide, thus bringing the two places within little more than an hour's trip of each other." And, now, what does the reader imagine is the paper which can publish such wretched trash—which thus gloats upon the prospect of any event which can damage the interests of Liverpool 1 It is that paper which Liverpool feeds to repletion, and which repays the obligation with slander and scurrilities against all that is dearest to the majority of its inhabitants. It is THE LIVERPOOL MERCURY I I One of the latest London bubbles is a society " for promoting the restoration of the Jews to Palestine."— Liverpool Mercury.—[A better plan by far than this— and, by the way, no bubble—would be, to send all the priests to their lord and master, the Pope of Rome.] A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.—The buildings formerly occupied as a nunnery at Coxaide, Plymouth, are about to be converted into a soap manufactory.— Mercury.—[The only difference appears to be this, that a building which is considered inefficient for making red necks, may be found quite effectual for making white faces.] THEATRE-ROYAL.—During the past week that clever actress, Mrs. Yates, and Mr. 0. Smith, have appeared in a succession of the peculiar pieces, for the getting up of which they are celebrated, and which have here been put upon the stage with great efficiency. On Thursday and Friday the attractions were increased by the appear ance of Madame Celeste and Mr. Webster in "the Polka," of which we have heard so much, and in which Madame appeared to great advantage ;—we say nothing of her partner. We cannot sre any thing at all ungraceful in this dance, as we have been told we should. On the contrary, it is very pleasing, well danced, and would be a favourite. This week the performances will be aided by Madame Celeste, who will appear in several favourite pieces. THE IRON DUKE.—We have previously noticed the extraordinary speed of this splendid steamer, and we have now to record the result of her first Kingstown voyage, which we should hope will satisfy the most sceptical and prejudiced that she is unrivalled. The most curious cir cumstance connected with her passages to and from Ire land is the fact, that both occupied precisely the same time, proving, as her voyage to Douglas had previously done, that her velocity is uniform under different circum stances. We give some derails, who have been kindly handed to us by Mr. J. C. Shaw, who accompanied her, and we doubt not but that nautical men will appreciate them as affording data for comparisons with other vessels. To these who are not nautical, we beg to state, that the distance from Clarence Pier, Liverpool, to Kingstown outer pier, is 114 nautical, or 130 statute miles : To Kingstown. Return trip. May 2. May 3. h. m. h. m. Clarence Pier to Bock Light 0 10 • • 0 9 Rock Light to N.W. Light-ship 042 . • 045 N.W. Light-ship to Great Ormshead 126 . • 135 Great O:mshead to Point Lynas 1 5 1 1 Point Lynas to Skerries Skerries to the Kish Light . Kish Light to Kingstown Total passage 8 44 8 44 She derived no aid from wind, inasmuch as she made a " head wind" both going and returning. The above pas. sages are considerably the shortest ever made between the two places; and we ought to be proud of a vessel which is entirely inch bted to Liverpool talent for her success ; Ind we doubt if the Ches'er and Holyhead Railroad will giver do much injury to our town so lung as we have such fleet steamers us the Iron Duke. May 7, 1844. THE MERCURY AND THE ORANGE OATH. For the information of the editor of the Mercury, we give here a copy of the qualification and oaths of Orange men ; and, that he may not again twit us with the insi nuation that Orangemen dare not print and publish their principles, we have procured and forwarded to him a cog of their " Laws and Ordinances," gratis : QUALIFICATIONS OF AN ORANGEMAN. An Orangeman should have a sincere love and venera ti m for his Almighty Maker ; a firm and steadfast fa thin the Saviour of the World, convinced that he is the mill' Mediator between an offended Creator and a sinful crea ture. His disposition should be humane and compassionate, and his behaviour kind and benevolent; an enemy to savage. brutality and unchri s ti an crue lty. H e s h ou ld l ove rational and improving society; regard with affection the protestant established religion, and sincerely desire to propagate its precepts. He should have an hatred of cursing and swearing, and taking the name of God in vain ; and he should use all opportunities of discouraging these prawn practices, especially among his brethren. Wisdom 1 104 prudence should guide his actions ; t em p erance and w briety, honesty a n d i n t egr ity, di rect hi s con d uct ; an d the honor and glory of his Queen and Country be the motives of his exertions. OATH OF ALLEGIANCE. lit William and Mary, cap. 1 sec. 8. I, A. 8., do sincerely promise and swear, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. SO HELP ME GOD. OATH OF SUPREMACY. 181 Anne, slat. 1. cap. 22. _ . 1, A. 8., do swear that I do from my heart abbot, detest, and abjure, as impious and heretical, that damn able doctrine and position, that Princes excommunicated , or deprived by the Pope, or any authority of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects Of any other whatsoever ; and I do declare, that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state or potentate bath, or ought to have, any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm. So HELP ME GOD. OATH OF ABJURATION. 6th Geo. 111. cap. 53. I, A. 8., do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify, and declare in my conscience, before God and the world, that our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria the First, is lawful and rightful Queen of these realm, and all other her Majesty's dominions and countries thereunto belong ing. And Ido solemnly and sincerely declare, that Ido believe in my conscience that not any of the descendants of the person who pretended to be Prince of Wales during the life of the late King James the Second, and since his decease pretended to be, and took upon himself the style and title of King of England, by the name of James the Third, or of Scotland, by the name of James the Eighth, or the style and title of King of Great Britain, bath any right or title whatsoever to the Crown of this realm, or any other the dominions tbere un t o b e l ong i n g: and I do renounce, refuse and abjure any allegiance of obedience to any of them. And Ido swear that I will bear faithful and true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Victoria the First, and Her will defend to the utmost of my power against all traitorous conspiracies and attempts whatsoever, which shall be made against her persons crown or dignity. And I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to her Majesty and her suc cessors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which I shall know to be against her or any of them. And Ido faithfully promise, to the utmost of my power, to supports maintain and defend the succession of the crown against the descendents of the said James, and against -all other persons whatsoever; which succession, by an Act, en titled, " An Act for the further limitation of the Crown, and bettet securing the rights and liberties of the subject," is, and stands limited to the Princess Sophia, Electress and Duchess Dowager of Hanover, and the heirs of her body, being Protestants. A n d a ll these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear, according to these express words by me spoken, and according to the plain common sense and understanding of the same words, with out any equivocation, mental evasion, or secret reserva tion whatsoever. And Ido make this recognition, ac knowledgment, abjuration, renunciation and promises heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true faith of S Christian. SO HELP ME GOD. The Queen Dowager continues to improve, and it ig not intended to issue any more bulletins. Lord Sandon, M.P., and Sir Howard Douglas, M.P. , had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Friday. TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.—The Rev. Robert Mc. Neill, M.A., late scholar of this College, has been licensed, by the Archbishop of York, to the curacy of Bolton Percy, Yorkshire. A deputation on the subject of sugar, including Lord Sandon, M.P.; Sir Howard Douglas, M.P. ; and Mr. Wiliam R. Sandbacb, had an interview with the Chan cellor of the Exchequer on Saturday. The Morning Herald of yesterday states confidently that Sir Henry Hardinge will succeed Lord Ellenborough as Governor-General of India, and that the appointment has been made at the solicitation of the East India Di rectors. A LIBERAL PAPER DEFUNCT.—The Shrewsbury News expired, after a protracted illness of seven years, on the 27th ult. It was the organ of the Radical faction of Shropshire, and has been driven from the field by th e Shropshire Conservative, a sound Protestant and Tory journal. THE GREAT BRITAIN STEAM SHIP.—Tbe efforts of Mr. J. M. Hyde, mathematical instillment maker, of this city, who descended by means of his diving apparatus to the bottom of the dock to remove the obstructions from the keel, on Monday last resulted in success, and this le viathan was liberated ; she now lies moored in the float ing harbour, near the Clifton Gas Works, where she is on view at a - moderate charge.—Brislol Journal. ELECTIONEERING MOVEMENT AT ABINGDON.—Mr. Duffield, who has represented the borough of Abingdon during four successive parliaments, has retired in conse quence, as he states in his address, "of the object of his political life having been attained in the establishment of a mini,try possessing the confidence of the country. Mr . Thesiger, the new Solicitor-General, bas issued an ad dress to the electors, and canvassed the town with the greatest success. THE COURT.—Arrangements have been made for the departure of her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, accompanied by the infant royal family, frogs Buckingham Palace for the Isle of Wight in the course of the ensuing week. Her Majesty will reside in com parative retirement during the brief visit of the court, which is not expected to extend beyond ten days or a fortnight. Osborne-house has been engaged for the use of the Sovereign for a period of only twelve months , commencing from the Ist of this month. The court will return to Buckingham Palace from Claremont this (Tuesday) afternoon. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.—Upon refer ence to Sir Robert Peel's speech in the House of Cool' mons, on Thursday night, as reported in the Times, it would appear that Government would not only require! , new bridge across the Menai Straits, but also a more di rect, perfect, and expensive li ne th an th e p ro j ec t ors o f this railway have hitherto contemplated ; and with all the re quirements now proposed by Government, and the diffi culties to be contended with in forming what Sir Robert Peel calls the most direct line, it is now strongly appre hendei this railway bill cannot be sufficiently matured to pass the Commons this session.— Correspondent . The budget of the Chancellor of the Exchequer has thrown a considerable damp on the tea market in town. At the public sale, which ciosed on Thursday, only 5,94 0 packages found purchasers, out of 36,840, at some reduc tion in price. The deliveries for consumption have also fallen off in a slight degree, compared with last year. !JP to the 30th of April, the total deliveries from London, In cluding shipments coastwise and for exportation, was 11,062,000 lbs., against 11,738,000 lbs. at the co: r, spono ing period last year. It is not supposed, however, that there is any diminution in the actual consumption, but that the difference has arisen from the dealers drawing upon srock in t he expectation that prices will be yet lower, and that, at all events, there will be no advance. WHITEHAVEN.—In consequence of the contemplated extension of the Carlisle and Workington Ralway to Whitehaven, the old-esablished steam company of the latter town have given orders for a first-rate iron steam vessel, to be built under the direction of Mr. Granthanir by which it is contemplated that the journey by sea will be accomplished in little more than six hours, and bit railway to Carlisle in two hours more. Such increase(' facilities of communication with these extensive uninio‘ and agricultural districts, must prove of the utmost ae: vantage to the population. Means of easy access will the: be affi,rded to the western portion of the lake distrio 6 Messrs. Fawcett. P res t on , an d C o . are t o coos t, u ct engines of the new vessel, and they are to be made ou the direct acting principle, now generally adopted in the 0 3 e 9 improved vessels. LIVERPOOL CATTLE MARKET, MAY 6. There was a very small supply of both Beef and Mutttn chiefly Scotch, at our market to-day, add there being a g attendance of purchasers, good Beef b rought from 6d t o In Mutton 6111 to 7d. HAY AND POTATO MARKET. „,, e str Hay, 7d to 10d ; Clover 60 to ( 91; Grass 3d ; Straw. " JO 3i I to 4d, Oat, 34d to aid : Potatoes, Short Tops, Is 8d to lid, Cups, Is 10d to 2s. LIVERPOOL : TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1844. 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