The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-04-16 00:00:00

ent aetion. No agreement between the parties appeared in evidence. Mr. WATSON appeared Tot the plaintiff, and Mr for defendant. MURPHY The witnesses of the former represented the lodgings and attendance as worth considerably more, during the period alluded to, than the weekly sum which the amount tendered would cover. Those on the other side, on the contrary, placed a much smaller value upon the lodgings and services rendered, stating that the house, which was small, was at first in an unfinished state, and that when it was afterwards made rather more comfortable, the greater portion of the furniture, bedding, &c., was provided by the defendant. Mr. Magrath had a wife and several children, but these were waited upon by his own servants. The plaintiff claimed com pensation for the occasional services of Mrs. Occleshaw in domestic matters ; but this, it was contended in the defence. was given optionally and gratuitously, and that the defendant had given more than an equivalent in the suppiy of coals to the plaintiff's family. The charge made was 18s. a week for nine weeks, and 265. a week for twenty-eight weeks, and the amount admitted to be reasonable, and which it was con tended by Mr. Murphy was ample, was 12s. 6d., making the debt only £l6. 4s. 6d., which was tendered in November last. The final balance sought for, taking into account the £l7. paid into court, was £9. 12s. 6d. The examination of the witnesses excited some merriment in the court, but the case did not present any features of general interest. The witnesses variously estimated the value of the rooms occu pied at from Gs. a week up to 245. The learned JUDGE, in summing up, dwelt upon the extra ordinary fact that, so far as the evidence went, the plaintiff had taken the defendant and his falnily into his house with out making any agreement as to the amount to be paid. The JurY immediately returned a verdict for the defendant. PARTNERSHIP CASE.-BORROWING MONEY.-BOULT AND ANOTHER V. HOLLINS This was an action of very considerable importance to the commercial community, inasmuch as it involved the decision of the liability of one partner in a firm to debts or engage ments contracted, under certain circumstances, by a co partner, without the express consent of the former, and also other matters connected with partnerships. Mr. KNOWLES, in stating the case to the jury, said,': that the plaintiffs were Messrs. Boult and Addison, stock and sharebrokers, and the defendant was Mr. Francis Hollins, late of the firm of Booth and Hollins, cotton-brokers--both of this town. The action was brought to recover an amount of a little more than £BOO, a balance claimed by the plain. tiffs on a loan of money of within a trifle of £l,OOO. The whole amount was included in one item only, being the balance of the sum lent. Mr. Boult, of the one firm and Mr. Booth, and Mr. Hol lins, of the other, were on the most intimate and friendly terms, but between Boult and Booth alone should he be en abled to show had the transaction which gave rise to t he ac tion taken place. The concurrent circumstances, however, would, he trusted, sufficiently show the liability of the de fendant, the partner of Mr. Bitioth: In the month of Octo ber, 1839, Booth and Hollins experienced some pecuniary difficulties, and after borrowing several sums from other par ties, and having a bill to retire in London, Mr. Booth applied to Mr. Boult for a loan of £lOOO. That sum was, by the cashkeeper of the firm to which he belonged, paid to Mr. Boult on the 11th Oct., 1839, and on the sante day paid by Mr. Boult to Mr. Booth, as a matter of accommodation granted through the intimacy of the parties, and he trusted he should show, though not by direct evidence, that it was borrowed with the authority of the defendant Mr. Hollins, Mr. Booth's partner. Booth and Boult were alone present when the agreement to lend it was come to. To the first ap plication made for the loan Mr. Boult demurred ; but it would appear, from circumstances, that Boult had afterwards consulted Mr. Hollins ou the subject, and that the latter had sanctioned the borrowing. The money, almost as soon as received, was paid into the Albion Bank, in Castle-street, the bankers of Booth and Hollins, together with an addi tional £5O, and it was placed in the bank books to the credit of Booth and Hollins, for the purpose before mentioned. Boult and Co.'s cashkeeper, on that day, paid to Mr. Boult, who paid it over to Mr. Booth, precisely £lOOO, as directed by Boult,—namely,-£915 in Bank of England notes, a bank post bill for £B3 ltis Ild, and one sovereign three shillings and a penny, making the sum of £lOOO. The identical mo ney was paid into the bank, with the exception of the minor item of £1 3s ld (which Boult had forgotten to pay to Mr. Booth, but had returned to his cashkeeper the same after noon); and to this was added the additional £5O from Booth and Hollins's own resources. As the bill to be retired was to be taken up by the latter firm, the defendant had of course the benefit of the money as a partner ; and as Booth had left the country, he was consequently liable to the balance sought, some amounts having since been received, making the diffe rence between the sum lent and that now claimed, including interest thereon. The learned counsel then called a number of witnesses. . John Smith, cash-keeper at 'Boult and Addison's, proved the payment of the thousand pounds to Mr. Boult, to be lent by him to Mr. Booth, and described the kind of money. Mr. Boult the same afternoon returned the £1 3s. ld., which he had omitted to pay to Booth, thereby making the sum lent £998 16s. 11d. Booth and Co. were indebted to Boult and Co. at the time. Witness identified a cash-book of the defendants, in which (as it afterwards appeared) the £998 16s. 11d. was entered as received by the firm from Boult and Co. On cross-examination, he stated that Boult and Booth were not brothers-in-law, though Booth and Boult's brother Charles were. Booth had since gone to New South Wales. The money was paid on the 18th of October. He did not know that on the previous Monday Booth and Hol lins had dissolved partnership. Charles Book, brother of Boult the plaintiff, proved that on the 22d of October Hollins expressly admitted that the loan was for the benefit of the firm, and that he (Hollins) was liable to it ; but witness could not prove that Hollins had, previously to the loan, expressly sanctioned it, that sanction being stated to have been given in a conversation between the plaintiff Boult and the defendant Hollins, and and therefore not admissible in -evidence. Mr. Coppock, the attorney of the. defendant, gave evidence of admissions by Mr. Boult that the money was lent after the dissolution of partnership, and absolving defendant from all liability. After the examination of several other witnesses, the learned JUDGE summed up, laying down the law as to liabi lities of parties in such cases. If Booth borrowed the money after the dissolution of partnership, without the express authority of his late partner, that partner was not liable. The jury retired for a short time, and on their return gave a verdict fur the defendant. The only other case which remained to be tried was Ellis Taylor and others, which was an action for an excessive ilitratnt. Th e d e t a il s were p er f ec tly un i n t eres ting. With this case finished the spring assizes. M EETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE The there Dock Committee held their meeting yesterday, when were present Messrs. Benn, liorsfall,Barclay, T. Holt, Middleton, Quayle, Aiken, Booth, Mellor, G. Holt, Evans, Chapman, Ripley, Smith, Holmes, Moon, and Sands. Avir • idenn presided. The Finance Committee requested authority to print a series of questions to be put to the harbour and dock mas ters, and also for the use of the members of the general committee, relative to the management of the docks.— Ordered. On the recommendation of the Harbour Master's Com mittee, two persons were appointed dock-gatemen, in the place of two deceased, since the last meeting. In the same report, was a recommendation that in future the candidates for such situations be required to produce, from the surgeon to the docks, a certificate of the state of their health. Ano ther recommendation was, that the dock-gatemen be required to live as near as possible to the docks to which they were appointed. It was stated that one of the men lived in Tox teth-park, nearly three miles from his station. The recom mendations of the committee were confirmed. The master of King's Dock applied for an increase of salary. it was stated that at present lie had £250 and a house. A short discussion took place, at the end of which it was resolved that the applicant should he informed that the committee could not assent to the application, and that if he were dissatisfied, his resignation would be accepted. Mr. TOBIN then, according to notice, brought forward the subject of an increase to the salary of the North Harbour Master. He had only the same salary as the master of Prince's Dock, £3OO, and it was not sufficient, compared with his labour, which extended northward, from the south end of l'rince's Dock. He had in fact more to do than any master of any of the docks ; and therefore he (Mr. Tobin) moved, that the salary of the north harbour master be increased to £lOO per annum. Mr. RIPLEY said the office of harbour master was a su perior station, and it ought to be better paid than a dock master. . . Mr. AIKEN expressed a similar opinion. Mr. CHAPMAN said, as the business of the docks in creased, the harbour master would be much more wanted. Mr. BOOTII expressed himself in favour of the proposed increase. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN said the next business was the considera tion of a petition which had been received from the flatmen on the River Weaver, complaining of the port regulations which compelled them, to the injury of their health, to watch on board their vessels during the night tides, and praying for an exemption from them. This petition was signed by 186 flatmen. Mr. CEIAPMAN said, if flatmen weae exempted, ships would ask for the same thing. The petition was then referred to the Sub-committee of Works (we believe). Messrs. Chapman and Willis's letter, referred to last week, respecting the equalization of the dock dues on tonnage and goods, was next read, as well as a letter from the Ship owners' Association, signed by their chairman, Mr. Hender son, praying for the dues upon tonnage to be reduced to the same rate as those on goods. Mr. CHAPMAN then said, if the introduction of this topic would be likely to interfere with the passing of the dock bill he would let it drop ; but he believed the committee had full power to make the change which lie proposed. It was clear that a reduction in the amount of dues had been made under the old measurement, but shipowners had not had the benefit of that reduction in consequence of an act of parliament having passed which altered the mode of measurement. Perhaps Mr. Horsfall, as he was in the committee at the reduction, could throw some light upon the intention with which it was made, by stating whether it was bona fide in tended that shipowners as well as goods should have the benefit of it. Mr. EVANS though . t the subject could not be entertained. Mr. HORSFAL I. said the matt er was not, as Mr. Chapman . had now put it, n a shape that he felt at liberty to answer the question. Mr. CHArMAN said he wanted to . know whether, in the re d uc tion which was made, it was intended that ;hipping should pay £ BOOO a-ye.ar more than goods, and whether the intention of the committee had not been entirely frustrated by the act of parliament? Mr. Anus said, if any change were made the committee might get into difficulty. There were many v esse l s, for in stance, where the tonnage under the new system was less than under the old. Mr. HORSFALL said it c ertainly was intended th at t h e re duction should be both upon shipping and . goods. M r . Hors fall then referred to an article in the L i verpool Courier of Wednesday, and said it was calculated to produce er roneous impressions with regard to the committee. He hoped there would at all times be a sufficient sense of justice in the com mittee to remedy any defect or injustice. Mr. CHAPMAN repeated that lie would . withdraw the topic if it were likely to embarrass the dock hill. Mr. HoasFALL said a clause to effect what Mr. Chapman wanted could not be introduced, inasmuch ds no clause in a private bill could override the law of the land. Mr. SANDS said lie understood it was the original wish of the committee to effect a reduction on the dues on tonnage. Mr. HORSFALL said the committee had this remedy, that they could adjust the rates ; therefore, although the act of i Parliament might have began the work of injustice upon n dividua!s, the committee could remedy it. The course he suggested to Mr. Chapman was a r ef erenc e to the Finance Committee, to enquire as to the alleged inequality of the rates, and to determine whether it was of such a character as to justify the interference of the general committee. Mr. EvANis strongly opposed the idea of a reference, and defended the present arrangement; but said this matter would have received attention if the committee had not had so much upon their hands. Mr. CHAPMAN, seconded by Mr. SANDS, then moved a resolution to this effect. Mr. Ripley, Mr. Aiken, Mr. Horsfall, Mr. Evans, Mr. Mellor, Mr. Tobin, and Mr. Chapman, having spoken on the motion, a division took place, when the numbers were— For the motion Against it ..11 Majority against the motion.. 10 The committee then separated. VESTRY MEETING The annual meeting of the parishioners of Liverpool in vestry assembled was held in St. Nicholas's Church on Tuesday, and was very numerously atternled. The• Rev. JONATHAN Re.oogs took the chair. Mr. Lowkrngs read the summons convening the vestry which t!ppeared in the public papers. Mr. P,cicEnsi.EY, the vestry-clerk, then read the report of the select vestry, and Mr. HART, the treasurer, a summary of their accounts, as they appear in our advertising columns, when Mr. JAMES ASPINALL rose and moved that the latter he passed. Mr. ROBERT BRYDEN, before the question was put, beg ged to ask for an explanation of the item of £35 which ap peared in the account as expended in opposing the new poor law hill. Mr. BIRKITT, one of the churchwardens, said lie was happy in being able to afford the required explanation. After the meeting which took place at that church a few weeks be fore, it had been the unanimous opinion of the overseers that, in accordance with the directions of the vestry, the ex penses incurred in opposing the new poor-law bill should be paid. He came to the vestry on that occasion, not expecting that he should have been appointed one of the deputation to proceed to London for the purpose, but prepared to subscribe towards the expenses of any other gentleman who should happen to be appointed. However, after the expression of feeling manifested on the part of that vestry, the overseers thought the expense of the deputation should be paid but of the general fund. The sum charged for those expenses had not amounted to half of the actual expenditure incurred by the deputation, because, after it was charged, he (Mr. Bir kett) and Mr. Tinne had to go up to London again, and the expenses of that second trip to the metropolis were not en tered in the account. Mr. BRYDEN asked whether the fiat for introducing the new poor-law into the parish had not been in Liverpool be fore the expenditure was incurred ? Mr. BIRKETT replied that it unquestionably was. Mr. BRYDEN characterised the outlay under such circum stances as a waste of money. (Laughter and uproar.) Mr. BIRKETT said he had just spoken to Mr. Tinne, and that they had come to the determination, rather than there should be any objection to the passing of the account upon the ground stated, of paying their expenses out of their own pockets ; but they would take the opinion of the vestry upon the subject first. (Hear.) Some discussion. then took place respecting two of the collectors having been reprimanded, and concerning Mr. Cowgill, one of the auditors, having refused to sign the accounts. Mr. BRYDEN believed the churchwardens had the power of signing checks, though it was usual for the committee only to sign them, and asked whether the check for the £35, expended in opposing the new poor law bill, had not been signed by Mr. Birkett himself, and drawn oirMr. Hart. 'the treasurer ? Mr. BIRKETT said he never signed anything except what had been ordered by one of the quorum, and countersigned by the secretary. He knew not whether he had signed the check in question, but it' he had,authority had been given him so to do in the way mentioned. A RATEPAYER suggested the propriety of making Mr. Bryden a churchwarden. (Laughter.) Mr. EARLE said he had asked at the last vestry, and beg lged now to ask again, whether such a charge as the £35 was egal or not ? The CHAIRMAN replied. He supposed it was rather a difficult point to solve. It might, moreover, be a disputed point ; all he knew was, that for several years past such ac counts had received the sanction of the vestries. Mr. ASPINALL had got a statement in his hand which would show that the, parishioners were justified in going to parliament for the purpose of procuring the passing of one bill, and opposing two others. It appeared that there were 1200 warehouses in Liverpool, and that the assessment on those warehouses amounted to £191,200. The expenses in curred by going to London to have the one bill carried, and to oppose the two others, only amounted to £l6OO, and he would justify the necessity of making that outlay by a refer ence to the warehouse bill alone, the result of the opposition to which was this :—that in two years they had exonerated the parish from being assessed at X 25,000 by the corporation of Liverpool. (Hear, hear.) The parish ought to be thank ful. therefore, that the expenditure of the several deputations to London had been incurred, seeing that such benefits had resulted to the poor therefrom. (Cheers.) Mr. KNAPPER thought the parishioners had every reason to be satisfied with Mr. Aspinall's clear and sufficient expla nation, and that the item of £35 ought to he unanimously passed._ (Hear, hear.) • • • Mr. JOH N CLARKE did not consider that the churchwar dens had any discretionary power to lay out sums of money for the town at large, seeing that they were merely the guar dians of a fund raised for the purpose of supporting the poor. He would next touch upon another point, and in doing so he did not mean anything personal, but the sum of £lOO had been given for the purpose of insuring the life of a man who received a handsome salary for the duties he performed. Upon what principle this money was given he (Mr. Clarke) knew not, but he did not see how the parish funds could legally be expended fcr such a purpose. It was a bad prece dent to expend them in such a way ; it was, moreover, con trary to reason and contrary to law. He believed that at the very last vestry £lOO had been voted away for the ex press purpose of insuring the life of the man alluded to. That was an illegal assessment. (Cries of " Question.") It was to be an annual payment also. A RATEPAYER.—No, no. Mr. CLARKE said his recollection was perfect in this re spect. Mr. ASPINALL said that Mr. Clarke had not answered the statements he had previously advanced. His (Mr. As pinall's) allegation had been that the parish were fully justi fied in expending £l6OO to send deputations to London, when such an expenditure had the effect of saving the pa rishioners from being assessed at £25,000 by the Liverpool corporation. (Hear, hear.) Suppose it were his (Mr. Clarke's) own private property that he had been dealing with, would he not, as an honest man, act in a manner simi lar to that in which the vestry had acted in this particular instance? (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Mr. KNAPPER averred distinctly that the parish had a perfect right to recognise all incidental, expenses. The ves try knew what the law was, and it was unnecessary for Mr. Clarke to come there for the purpose of instructing them on that head. (Hear, hear.) If incidental expenses were not to be admitted, there would be an end altogether to the conducting of the parish affairs. Mr. CLARKE was proceeding to address the vestry a se cond time, but was compelled to desist amidst loud cries of " Spoke, spoke." Mr. HARBORD begged to put a case. In the event of a parishioner owing a certain sum of money for parish taxes, and that he locked up his house, and thereby prevented the seizing of his furniture for those taxes, it was to be presumed that the proper officers would apply to the authorities, with the view of getting into the house, to come at the effects. This was a parallel case to that in which the corporation had determined to have warehouses built, and to get an act passed whereby they should be exempted from the payment of taxes; and he (Mr. H.) would say that the churchwardens had acted perfectly right in going to parliament, for the purpose of ob taining power to make the warehouses subject to taxation. (Hear and cheers.) Mr. CLARKE said Mr. Knapper seemed to think that the parish had a right to act on the vote of a vestry contrary to law, forgetting that the vote of a vestry contrary to law was no vote at all. _ _ Mr. WILLIAM RUSHTON, overseer, asked whether Mr. Clarke was present at the last annual vestry ? Mr. CLARKE replied in the affirmative, Mr. RUSIITON asked why the gentleman had not made the same objections to the money items then which he had made upon the present occasion ? Mr. CLARKE replied that he had done so? Mr. Bus ti roN did not recollect that he had. (Hear.) Mr. BIRKETT begged to state that he, as one of the church wardens, had not acted in the manner alleged by Mr. Clarke; and, in proof of his statement, said he would have to refer to dates somewhat far back. Mr. Birkett then went into a long explanation. . . _ The motions were then put, and carried unanimously. Mr. ASPIN ALL then said, that after the exertions made use of by the churchwardens during the year which was past, the greatest compliment that could be paid to them would be to re-elect them for the year ensuing. (Hear, hear.) He there fore begged to propose that Mr. William Birkett and Mr. Isaac liut4inson be continued in the office for the next year. The motion having been duly seconded, was put and car ried unanimously. _ _ _ -., - Upon the motion of Mr. ASPINALL, Mr. Raymond Hough ton and Mr. John Wilkinson were appointed sidesmen for the ensuing year, and Messrs. Hutchinson, Gibbons, Rush ton, Muncaster, and Paton, overseers for the same period. Churchwardens were next appointed for Saint John's and Saint Paul's, so also were collectors and assistant-overseers, subject to the future orders of the poor-law commissioners. Mr. HABBORD asked whether it was the intention of the select vestry to nominate any one to the chaplaincy of the Workhouse ? The cIiAIRMAN replied—The select vestry, at the time of the resignation, requested that he (the chairman) would look out for a gentleman to fill the vacancy, but no one had been as yet appointed. Mr. ffuTciiiz , isoN: moved that the church-rate for the year be three-halfpence in the pound, which he said would cover the expense of the alterations at present being made at the cemetery, besides meeting all the other expenses. The motion having been seconded, was unanimously carried. Mr. HUTCHINSON moved that the usual gratuity to each of the parish clerks, in lieu of their bills of mortality, be £5O. —Carried unanimously. Mr. II uTCHINSON moved a vote of thanks to the honorary physicians and surgeons of the workhouse, fever-ward, and dispensary, for their services to the parish during the past year.—Carried unanimously. Mr. JOHN JONES moved that the sum of £5O per annum be appropriated in the aid of the Welsh service at Saint Paul's church, to be divided among the minister, the clerk, and the sexton. Mr. DOVER seconded the motion, and in doing so eulo gised the conduct of the Welsh clergyman of the church, as well as the Welsh residents in the town. The question was put and carried unanimously; and it was arranged that £35 of the sum voted should be given to the clergyman, £lO to the clerk, and £5 to the sexton. Mr. BIRKETT moved that the sum of £3O be voted to wards the expenses of the Church of St. Matthias.—Put and carried. Mr. KNAPPER moved that Mr. Wainwright of the Liver pool office have the same sum voted to him as he had last year—namely, £lOO. He considered it was necessary that a parish like Liverpool should have a person with whom they could communicate ; and Mr. Wainwright had been inde fatigable in everything he had to do connected with the fur thering of the interests of the parishioners. It was impossi ble that his services could be dispensed with. Mr. CLARKE was of opinion that the money could not be legally voted. _ Mr. BIRKETT had no objection to the money being voted, and wished to bear his testimony to the benefits the town bad derived from Mr. Wainwright's services. Mr. Birkett here detailed the services of the gentleman i n quest i on, and concluded by stating that they were indispensable. —r. asked sum d" • led whether the could be legally voted ? _ _ Mr. LowNoEs thought it could not ; but a recommenda tion to the effect could go from the vestry to the guardians, and from the guardians to the poor law com m i ss i oners. Hereafter the accounts of the parish would have to be audited very minutely. All the auditors had to do at pre sent was to compare the accounts with the vouchers, and if both were correct to pass them ; but in future it would be their duty to look into the vouchers much more closely, and to expunge those which would be illegal. Therefore the money to Mr. Wainewright could not be voted, and the only way by which it m i g ht b e pa id him was to send a recom mendation to th e e ff ect to t h e p oo r-law guardians. (Hear.) Mr. K NAPPER altered his motion in the manner suggested by Mr. L own d es, and it was put and carried unanimously. The business for which the vestry had been convened having here terminated, Mr. PROC TOR rose and said, that he considered i t a great privilege to hav e t h e honour of proposing a vote of than k s to their highly -respected and worthy chairman, the more es pecially as that might be the last time they would have an opportunity of so doing. He believed the meeting would all agre e with him (Mr. P roctor) in thinking that the i r chair roan had always dischar ge d hi s duty with that ki n d spirit and impartiality which bad characterised all his actions. (Cheers.) Th e motion having been seconded, and carried by accla mation, The CHAIRMAN rose and said he felt obliged for the kind manner in which they had received the motion. He should not be doing justice to his own feelings on the present oc casion if he did not take that opportunity, as it might be the last, for expressing the gratification be had always felt as to the manner in IF/Mph Lie ttad been treated in the vestry, and the way the affaira had been conducted. Little altercations they certainly had had, but they did not extend beyond that; .and if the managers of the different parishes in the kingdom followed the example of Liverpool in this respect, there would be a great deal less of that bitter acrimony of which they often beard. (Hear, bear.) He regretted very much, holding the situation he did, that he was henceforward to be separated from those who had the management of parochial affairs ; but with regard to the select vestry, he ought to say that he did not believe there existed any public body, who had so entirely thrown out of the vestry all other considera tions but those connected with the good of the parish, as had the vestry to which he alluded. (Cheers.) He was so cir cumstanced, living without the boundaries of the parish, that he could not in law be a poor law guardian, and, therefore, so far as the poor were concerned, he must separate from those to whom the management of their affairs had been en trusted. He regretted it because it had always been a plea sant duty to him to•join with those who were providing for the wants of the poor; but in any way in which his services could be available, the, public might on all occasions com mand him. (Loud cheers.) Mr. BRYDEN begged, at that stage of the proceedings, to observe that he had come to the vestry with no acrimonious feelings to any man, but that, having understood there w e r e some matters which required explanation, he had sought for, and obtained it; and if, in doing so, he had wounded any man's feelings, he begged his pardon. (Hear, hear.) Mr. ASPIN ALL moved a vote of thanks to the church wardens, sidesmen, overseers, select vestry, and vestry-clerk, for their exertions during the past year. The motion having been seconded, was unanimously car ried, and the vestry adjourned at half-past one o'clock. WALTON VESTRY MEETING The annual general meeting of the leypayers of the parish of Walton was held on Tuesday, in the church, for the pur pose of receiving the accounts of the wardens for the past year ; the nomination and appointment of wardens for the year ensuing ; and the laying of rates for the same period. The Rev. eHOMAS Moss, vicar of the parish, took the chair. Mr. THOMAS BIRKETr, one of the wardens, produced the accounts of himself and his colleague, Mr. Broadbent. It appeared that there remained due to them £36 10s. 4d., to meet which there were from £7O to £75 of collectable arrears. After having laid before the meeting a table of the amounts due from each township in the parish, Mr. Birkett observed that the amount received was in a greater proportion to the rate than was collected in Liverpool, where the arrangements for collecting were scientific. A LEYPAYER enquired what amount had been received of the whole rate Mr. BLRKETT replied £lO5O. The LEYPAYER next asked what the twopenny rate upon the whole of the parish assessment came to ? Mr. BIRKETT said, £1250, or more probably £l2OO. Some years ago it was £l3OO or £l4OO. They had collected, as he had said before, a larger proportion than was collected in Liverpool ; for instance, in Liverpool the collection ave raged only 75 per cent., but in this parish it averaged from 80 to 85. Formby was but a small township, but the whole of its rate had been received, and nearly all from Bootle and Everton. In reply to a question, Mr. Bias Err said, the Quakers would be summoned to pay their church -rates next week. Mr. HARDY said, he for one would pay his rates, and would not be summoned. He considered such a proceeding very just, and he was glad to hear the churchwarden say the Quakers were to be summoned. He (Mr. Hardy) would cease to have any connection with a party who acted incon sistently, and, for one, he would pay his rates with great pleasure. To be consistent himself, he should not vote for a rate, neither should he oppose one, because be conceived that those gentlemen who would not—he alluded to a cer tain class of persons—come to the annual vestry, where they could legally oppose a rate, or, when a poll was de manded, would not vote in opposition to it, were incon sistent. He could not, he repeated, see the consistency or the common honesty of men refusing to pay a rate, when it was become legal, and which they, by their attendance here or on the poll, might have rendered illegal. He had no sympathy for the principles of such men. lie had no sympathy with those who came to oppose the rate professedly, but who subsequently, from the caprice of the moment, turned round and proposed a rate ! He could act no longer with such gentlemen. (Hear, hear.) Neither did lie approve of the actions of others who might be reckoned as leading men in opposition to church-rates, and who con stantly opposed them, but who nevertheless universally sup ported the passing of the warden's accounts, legal or illegal. He could not see how such persons, could with consistency, refuse to pay their rates ; and under such circumstances he separated himself from them, and should pay his rate. (Applause.) Mr. BlRKErr.—Whatever your reasons are, I admire your conclusion. (Hear, hear.) Mr. SQUIRES moved that the accounts of the church wardens for the past year, be approved kid past. Mr. MOON seconded the motion. A LEYPAYER asked whether the churchwardens were at present £32 10s. 4d. out of pocket? Mr. 131RKETT replied that the parish owed it to them. They had also £5O to pay to Mr. Leigh, so that they were about £lOO short. A LEYPAYER.—What is that for? Mr. BIILKETT•—It was ordered two years ago, but Mr. Leigh has been willing to be paid the last. Mr. HARDY.—I suppose you are aware you cannot levy a rate to pay arrears? Mr. 13 titicETT.—l am aware of that; but in this parish as in others the accounts are current. The CHAIRMAN then put the motion that the accounts do pass, and it was unanimously carried. APPOINTMENT OF CHURCHWARDENS, The CHAIRMAN said the next part of the business was for the rector (lay) to nominate a churchwarden for the ensuing year ; and he had been authorised by the rector of Walton to act for him. In this instance, therefore, he begged to nomi nate Mr. Thomas Birkett as the rector's churchwarden. Mr. BIRKETT said he had consented to serve one year more, but no longer. Mr. HANNEY proposed Mr. Richard Squires as the other churchwarden. Mr. J. S. LEIGH seconded the motion, and it was unani mously carried. NEW CHURCH RATE Mr. BIRKETT said the next subject for the consideration of the vestry was, the rate for the ensuing year. It would require 2d. in the pound to complete the church, and to pay the usual charges ; but he did not apprehend that' after this year there would be any more rates proposed. A lone and desultory conversation followed about the re pairs necessary to be effected in the chancel, and it ended in Mr. Birkett undertaking to get them completed as soon as possible, to the satisfaction of the parish. He should obtain a new organ by public subscription. Mr. ROSKELL moved that a rate of 2d. in the pound be granted. Mr. Moox seconded the motion. The CHAIRMAN in putting it, decided it to have been car ried unanimously. . A LEYPAYER.—Mr. Hardy, where are your friends? Mr. HARDY.—They have all forsaken me. (Laughter.) OLD GAS COMPANY'S BILL. Mr. BIRKETT mentioned that the Old Gas Company, in their bill now before parliament, proposed to introduce their mains into this township, and he suggested the propriety of the parish petitioning for a special clause to be inserted in it requiring the directors of the company to repair the roads, which they might have to take up, efficiently. No general clause had hitherto been found effectual to accomplish the purpose. As the bill was now before the Lords no time was to be lost, and if a petition were entrusted to the Marquis of Salisbury, who was a complete man of business, and took great interest in the affairs of the parish, he thought the ob ject would be attained. A short conversation followed between Mr. Birkett, Mr. Roskell, Mr. Moon, Mr. Cartwright, and Mr. Andrew, which terminated in a resolution, unanimously adopted, empower ing the churchwardens to petition the House of Lords on behalf of the parish. RINGERS' BILLS, C.C. The bills of the ringers, singers, and the organist during the period when the church was closed for repairs were next submitted, and after some discussion ordered to be paid. The ringers also claimed £7 7s. for ringing 18 days after the death of the late King, and the accession of her present Ma jesty. There was some squabbling about this demand, but eventually it was ordered to be paid. A bill of £2 7s. 5d., presented by Thomas Hall, sadler, for repairing the parish hearse, was also ordered to be paid, but conditionally, if the board of guardians should refuse. RURAL POLICE Mr. CAATWRIGIIT Said , if the ;;try would entertain the subject, he wished to bring before the leypayers the great expense of the rural police. It appeared, from various pe titions presented from different townships, that the rural police cost them an amount equal to their poor's rate ! This was, of course, a great grievance with them, particularly as the police were very ineffective ; in short, the objects for which the police were established were not only not answered, but the expense was enormous. The system had been adopted in this county, and the magistrates having once sanctioned it had no power to revoke it ; and as it was both expensive and inefficient, he begged to move, " That the churchwardens, in the name of the parish, petition the House of Commons against the rural police in the county of Lan caster, such police being not only ineffective, but causing an expense to the different townships equal to the poor's rate." Mr. HENDERSON seconded the motion. Mr. JOHN FORMBY did not think the police any more in efficient than was absolutely unavoidable in the constitution of a new body. With regard to the expense, he knew nothing about that : he considered it a difficult and nice question to solve; but the police must not be pronounced inefficient. Mr. BIRKETT said that about the cost, there could be no mistake. In Walton, 10d. in the pound upon the rack rent was paid to the poor ; this year, consequent upon the intro duction of the rural police, they had had to pay another Gd., making 16d. instead of 10d. There could not, therefore, be any mistake as to the expense. A LAYPAYER asked whether the county rate was previously paid out of the 10d. ? Mr. BIRKETT replied that it was: and repeated that the Gd. had been added upon the introduction of the police. Mr. CARTWRIGHT asked how it was possible that a few men parading a large township could be said to be efficient? He thought the old fashion system vastly more effective. Mr. Moos.-1 think so too. Mr. ZWILCHENH ART said he never saw a policeman in the parish, and he could not understand how a few men widely distributed could afford the requisite protection. Mr. MOON.—For half the Coat we could have twice the protection. The motion was then put and carried PARISH PEWS. Mr. GANDY moved that the word " parish" be painted on all the pews in the church belonging to the parish. Mr. FORMBY seconded the motion. A long discussion followed respecting the pews. It wsa terminated eventually by Mr. Birkett promising that Mr. Gandy's wishes should be complied with. DIVERTING A CHURCH PATH Mr. HENDERSON stated that a path in an adjoining field and leading to the church had been diverted by Mr. Musker, and he wished the vestry to take some measures concerning it, as it might, were this proceeding allowed, be stopped up altogether in a year or two. Mr. MusKER was called in, and he stated that he had im proved the road by the variation, although it was 14 yards longer than the old path. It was done for the sake of con venience to the public, and every body must admit that it was a great improvement. He had not the slightest inten tion of closing it, and at the close of the season he would re new the old path. A minute was entered on the books to this effect. The thanks of the vestry were then voted to the retiring churchwardens, and the chairman and the meeting separated. MATIOMEDAN TRADITIONS.—The Mahomedans have a holy stone called Hagiar Alasnad, which is of a cubical form. They entertain a great veneration for this stone, calling it " the Pearl of Paradise," which by its brightness formerly gave light to all the territory of Mecca; but the sins of man kind deprived it of its brilliancy, and changed its colour to black. Their traditions of the place where it is fixed as a sacred talisman are curious. Adam and Eve, according to their creed, were separated after their transgression. Adam was conducted by the spirit of God into Arabia, and advanced as far as Mecca. His footsteps diffused on all sides abun dance and fertility. His figure was enchanting ; his stature lofty ; his complexion brown ; his hair thick, long, and curled ; and he then wore a beard and mustachios. After a separa tion of one hundred years, he rejoined Eve on Mount Ara faith, near Mecca, an event which gave name to the mount, and signifies the Place of Remembrance.--Freemasons' Quarterly Review far LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION STONE OF A NEW CHURCH AT ROCK FERRY. On 'Wednesday the foundation of a new church, connected with the establishment, was laid on an appropriate site in the Park at Rock Ferry. Although very little publicity had been given to the intended event, (it being the object of the par ties mainly intetested to commence the good work of erecting a sanctuary commensurate to the wants of a rapidly increas ing population), the attendance, principally of inhabitants of the locality, was numerous and most respectable, and the solemn ceremony, as well as the religous service that pre ceded it, passed off in a manner that will leave a lasting and pleasing impression on the minds of all who were present. The day, though with a somewhat chilly north wind, was on the whole cheerful and propitious. The company, includ ing a great number of ladies, attended divine service at 11 o'clock at the small hut neat temporary church at the junction of the lane with the Chester road. It is calcu lated to accommodate about 250 persons, and was nearly filled. The prayers of the day were read most emphatically by the Rev. T. H. Redhead, who will officiate as minister of the new church. The sermon was preached by the Rev. R. M. Fielding, the highly respected Rector of Beb bington, and was so exceedingly impressive and appropriate that we regret much our inability to give it entire. The rev, preacher took his text from St. Mark xvi. 15.: " And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." The reverend gentleman first alluded to the command in the text as obligatory upon our church in its missionary character, and then pointed out the duty it involved towards those at home in the following forcible manner : " We are assembled on this day to do that honour which is usually paid to all great undertakings, and of that nature our present undertaking most eminently is, since it is no other than to lay the foundation stone of a building, near this spot, intended to be consecrated to the honour of God— a temple in which he may be worshipped according to the ritual, discipline, and doctrines of our venerable and apostolic church—a visible habitation in which the minister and his people may meet at appointed seasons and advance the cause of godliness, the one pr e p are d t o p r each the gospel with all boldness and sincerity to every individual creature of his flock, the other to hear and receive the preached word, with all devotedness, humility, and ready attention. And that a work like this is intimately connected with the command in our text, and will ultimately tend to advance God's gospel kingdom upon earth, we cannot doubt, when we call to mind the declaration of St. Paul on this subject—" How then shall they call upon him, in whom they have not believed ? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a preacher ?" And how (we may further ask) shall one preach without a sanctuary? As then our blessed Lord, when he had:finished the great ministry he undertook on earth, left not the perpetuation of his divine instructions to the mere feeling of piety and regard for the souls of others, which he has infused into the hearts of his followers, but founded an order of men, united in a firm and holy society, of which he is the invisible head, who should be the depositaries on earth of his truth, and should be commissioned to keep it pure for ever and spread its bene fits over the face of the whole earth. So did those pastors and teachers originate a mode by which the objects of their divine Master could be best effected, the growth of Christianity be encouraged and spiritual instruction be brought within the reach of every creature; they set apart particular places for the public worship of Almighty God, where the word might be openly preached and the way of salvation be laid open to poor as well as rich. They took advantage of the zeal and piety of the early converts to Christianity to build churches on a scale of splendour and magnificence worthy so high a cause, and inculcated it as the first of duties that all their people should assemble themselves together there to perform the ordinances of religion. We could point, indeed, to many a noble and beautiful structure in our own country, raised by our forefathers, and which continue to this day lasting monuments of what they have done in former times for the glory of God—speaking evidences of the estimation in which they held the worship of the Highest in his holy temple ; and though we of this age cannot hope to vie in the beauty of our buildings with those that have gone before us, vet we may emulate their zeal, liberality, and devotional spirit in providing church accommodation for a growing population in our respective neighbourhoods, we may at least use our best endeavours to give every member of our Christian com munion the power of worshipping God under the roof of mother church, instead of leaving them the excuse, if not the absolute necessity of joining the ranks of dissent, to obtain the outward forms of religion at all. We may dispense those benefits, of which the providence of God made us the pos sessors ; we may put those of our brethren, who might other wise be destitute of the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ, in a way to receive this knowledge ; and so doing best promote their happiness and give the surest evidence of the faith that is in ourselves. And, my brethren, I cannot but feel, that as St. Paul spoke of a brother whose praise was in the gospel, so may I be permitted to extol the incipient undertakinc , of the founders of the new church about to be erected in this portion of my parish, as a work calculated to supply the spiritual wants of an increasing congregation, to secure to them toe ordinances of religion in their best and purest form, and continue to them the services and known energies of their own selected minister—one whose zeal they have witnessed, and whose pains-taking anxiety for their ad vancement in grace and godliness they cannot but have ap proved. If, then, we may truly believe that love for God and his holy religion, and care for the souls of others as well as their own, were the exciting motives that led pious Chris tians in other days to join together and liberally provide the means of public worship, we could not ascribe inferior mo tives to the many subscribers who have handsomely and largely come forward to raise the funds necessary to build and endow a church in this district. May the rising struc ture prosper in their hands ; may its architectural character be found worthy of its destined use and creditable to their taste ; may they long live to enjoy the privileges and partake of the services which shall therein be offered ; and may a dou ble portion of the blessings of the united prayers of a church loving and religious community alight on their heads." After service a procession was formed, the children of the schools connected with the church, consisting of about 120 of each sex, taking the lead. The clergy followed, and after them the committee, a number of gentlemen forming the rear. They proceeded a short distance down the road lead ing to the ferry, and diverging to the right, soon reached the site of the building, a well chosen elevated spot, near the west side of an extensive piece of ground, sloping towards the river, which is known as the Rock Park, and which on the east and north and south sides is already skirted by hand some villas and cottages. The ground for a considerable extent round the intended edifice was railed in, enclosing, we understand, the space to be appropriated as a cemetery. This large plot of ground, with truly Christian liberality, by R. W. Barton, Esquire, who himself resides at the Rock. The walls of the church were already raised to a height suffi cient to show its plan and extent. The block to be depo sited as the corner stone of the new temple was attached by a teaglc to two lofty poles, and the clergy, the committee, and others, more immediately interested, congregated round it._ Amongst them we observed the following:— Reverends R. M. Fielden,Rector, T. F. Redhead, Bick mare, Holmes, Clementson, Maynard, and Fearon ; Messrs. J. Nelson Wood, Wm. Chamley, H. Hutchinson, D. Can non, K. Dowie. J. T. Raynes, Henry Cram, Henry Barton, I. Needham, James Ackers, E. B. Lyon, D. Cram, H. Brown, W. Walker, R. Gorst, William Bird, William Daw son, H. J. Amey, Kemp, Milliam Forbes, William Dawson, jun., St. George, Edwd. Cram, Tyson, Edgar, Inman, Steel, and Peil. Many ladies also graced the assemblage by their presence, and we observed a large number of individuals in the humbler walks of life, who appeared to take a warm interest in the proceedings. The usual preparations being made, and the mortar spread, a glass jar, hermetically sealed, and containing some news papers of the day, &c., was deposited, so as to remain below the stone, by J. Nelson Wood, Esq. The Rev. RECTOR then briefly and appropriately addressed the byestanders. He said they had already opened the im posing business of the day, by prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God, in a temporary tabernacle, and were now met to lay the foundation -stone of another place of worship more worthy of His service, and calculated to meet the religious necessities of the population of the neighbourhood, which was, under Providence, rapidly increasing. The church was to be called " St. Peter's, of the Rock Ferry ;" and he could not help commending the name chosen as one which was singu larly applicable to a sanctuary on t h at spot , f or th e name " Peter' signified " a rock," and it was written in the sacred volume, that when our blessed Lord gave Peter charge over his flock, he said unto him, " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I shall build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Mr. J. NELSON WOOD, on presenting to the rector the glass case containing the coins of the realm, a newspaper of the day (the Liverpool Courier), and the names of the sub scribers to the church, Sce., said :—" Rev. Sir,—as chairman of the committee, it is my pleasing duty to place in your hands this glass case, to be deposited by you in the founda tion stone of the church this day to be commenced building, and to be dedicated to St. Peter ; and I trust that the bless ing of Almighty God will attend the good work now begun, during its progress, and, when completed, that He will also bless all those who may minister and worship therein, both in time and eternity." Mr. W. then read the following : This church to be denominated the Church of St. Peter, and dedicated to the public worship of Almighty God, in ac cordance to the doctrines, precepts, and promises of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and in conformity to the creeds, articles, and homilies of the Church of England, was com menced on Wednesday, the 14th of April, in the year of our Lord 1841, on which day the foundation -stone was laid, by the Rev. R. M. Fielden, M.A. Rector of the p ar i s h. Th e g round on which it wa s erected was the free gift of R. W. Barton, Esq., who, with the following, are appointed the first trustees, namely, the Lord Bishop of Chester, William Robinson, Harry Jenkins, and John Nelson Wood. The Rev. Thomas F. Redhead, 8.A., Incumbent. J. Nelson Wood and Anthony Nichol, Churchwardens. Hurst and Moffat, Architects. Wm. and John Walker, Builders." The Rev. Mr. BICKMORE then read the usual appropriate prayer for the occasion, in an impressive manner. The Rev. RECTOR then took the trowel, and the stone being lowered and squared, was deposited in its final resting place. The Rev. T. F. REDHEAD then addressed the Rev. Rector in a highly complimentary strain, in reference to his zeal and highly successful labours as a clergyman, since he had en t ere d upon his labours in that part of the country. H e t rus t e d that the respected pastor of Bebbington would long live to look upon its ivy-mantled spire, and long dispense the bless ings of a pure religion amidst a grateful body of christians, and that the church they were about to erect would prove to him a worthy auxiliary. For himself he hoped to find grace to be enabled to be the right arm of his (the rector's) mi nistry. When he (the rector) first happily came amongst them, most of the buildings in the immediate locality were built of brick, and many of them covered with humble thatch : now they saw around them numerous splendid mansions, and every thing indicated improvement and prosperity. He felt assured that he but expressed the feelings of all who heard him, when he expressed the gratificati on h e an d th e y mutually felt in witnessing the laying of that stone by the hand of their beloved rector ; he hoped it would please God to preserve his health for many years, and trusted that at the completion of the work that they had that day so auspi ciously commenced, he would again be present to give them his blessing, and to commend the church to the ,parishioners in an opening sermon. The 100th psalm was then sung, and the company left the ground. The church, which is to be built solely by subscription, is to be in the Norman style of architecture, and of good free stone. The design somewhat resembles that of Trinity Church, at Birkenhead. There will be a handsome spire, rising sixty-eight feet above the roof, and the whole will form a handsome object in that part of Cheshire, and will be conspicuous from the river, and from the opposite Lan cashire shore. The builders, Messrs. Walker, of Birken head, will no doubt do justice to the design of the architect, which is appropriate, and exceedingly pretty—considering the amount of funds to which it is limited. The Church will contain about 760 sittings, and will be so constructed that when the wants of the population require it, a spacious gallery may be added for additional accommodation. After the ceremony, a party of the clergy, the committee,. and their friends, to the number of upwards o f t wen ty, re paired to the Rock Ferry .Hotel, where they sat down to an excellent collation and wines, provided b y the worthy and obliging host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. King. The utmost attention was paid to the guests, who p assed a few convivial hours in the most agreeable manner. A. number of loyal and other toasts, appropriate to the occasion, were drunk, and many of them were responded to in eloquent terms, expres sive of feelings that were enthusiastically entertained by all who were present. The children of the schools, after the ceremony was con cluded, received each, at the bar of the hotel, a bun and an orange. Flags were hoisted during the day on the castellated little building at the pier gate, at the hotel, and round the site of the intended church. We may add, that on the cast and north sides of the ground, which comprises about a statute acre, there are several trees of considerable growth, and in rows, which will be, a priori, appropriate and decorative. The occasion gave rise to a holiday at the Rock, which is one of the most delightful and salubrious retreats within a short distance of this great emporium of commerce ; and the completion of the structure is looked forward to as a new and important advantage to the residents, and an additional inducement to others to seek health and retirement in that rapidly-improving locality. Within little more than twelve months from eighteen to twenty villas and houses have been added to the numbe r b e f ore b u il t, an d a st ill greater access i on is anticipated in the current year. TRADESMEN'S CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION. On Tuesday evening, the members of this association held their second quarterly meeting in the large room adjoining the York Hotel. The place was crowded to excess in con sequence of its having been announced that Mr. Cresswell and Mr. 'Wilkins were to be present. On entering the room Mr. Cresswell was warmly greeted ; Mr. Wilkins was una voidably absent. Mr. ALEXANDER Smurx, Jun., president of the associa tion, having taken the chair, commenced the proceedings by stating that at the last quarterly meeting at which he pre sided addresses were voted to her Majesty the Queen and Prince Albert, congratulating them on the birth of a princess. Since then answers had been received, which he would take the liberty of reading to the meeting. The first was from the Marquis of Normanby, and was as follows : " Whitehall, March 1, 1841. - " Sir,—l have had the honour to lay before the Queen the loyal and dutiful address, on the occasion of the birth of the Princess Royal, from the members of the Liverpool Trades men's Conservative Association, and I have to inform you that the same was very graciously received by her Majesty.— I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, " N 011DiAN BY " Mr. Alexander Smith, President." The next was from Colonel Anson. It ran thus : " Buckingham Palace, Feb. 21, 1841 " Sir,—l have this day had the honour to lay before Prince Albert the congratulatory address from the members of the Liverpool Tradesmen's Conservative Association, upon her Majesty's safe delivery of a Princess, and I am commanded by the Prince to convey to you, and all who concurred in this address, the expression of his Royal Highness's sincere thanks, for the gratifying sentiments it contained.—l have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, " G. E. ANSON. " Mr. Alexander Smith, Jun., President of the Association." The chairmen then said he believed the princess was going on well ; that she was likely to be an ornament to the Bri tish nation ; and that all the accounts received of her were very satisfactory. The members were met together that evening at their second quarterly meeting, at which they had the happiness to have one of their excellent representatives, Mr. Cresswell, present. (Loud applause.) He (the chair man) had no doubt of the sincere good feelings which per vaded the whole of the meeting on behalf of their friend, Mr. Creswell, but he trusted they would recollect that that gen tleman had been engaged in very arduous duties recently, and that his eminent services had been in requisition every day throughout the protracted assizes. Consequently he hoped they would make every allowance for him, and re member that it was no easy matter for a man to be engaged physically and mentally during the long period in which Mr. Cresswell had been engaged, without suffering in some de gree from the exertions he had been called on to make use of. (Hear, hear.) He was sure it afforded Mr. Cresswell as much satisfaction to meet the association as it could possibly , afford the association to meet him. (Cheers.) The nume rous meeting which he (the chairman) had the pleasure of seeing there that evening was a proof to Mr. Cresswell, if any were wanted, of their undiminished confidence in him, and of their anxious desire to show him the esteem and affec tion in which they held him. (Renewed cheers.) There could be no doubt but that conservative principles were ex tending in Liverpool. (Hear, hear.) Since he last had the pleasure of meeting the association, an abortive at tempt had been made by their opponents to return a mem ber to council for St. Anne's Ward. The result of that election, however, had been the return of another conserva tive to the Town-council of Liverpool, a very worthy and a very excellent man, and one whom he (the chairman) was sure would do his duty in the council as conscientiously and as zealously as any person in it. (Great cheering.) He believed the successful candidate, who had been a staunch supporter of the conservative cause so long as he had known him, and that was for a good many years, was known to most of the association. (Hear, hear.) He thought the result of that election must show their opponents that the conservative cause was steadily and firmly advancing in the town of Liver pool, and that when next November comes round the con servatives would find themselves where they ought to be— namely, in a majority and not in a minority of the Town council. (Cheers.) He (the chairman) regretted that their friend, Mr. Aspinall, who presided at their last meeting, was not present that evening. Au engagement out of town had prevented him from being present, otherwise he would have been able to report to the association of the successful issue attending the application made from the inhabitants of Liver pool with respect to the introduction of the poor-law into the town. He (the chairman) hoped that the poor-law would be averted, and that the people of Liverpool would go on as hitherto, managing their affairs themselves, without the in terference of London commissioners. (Hear, hear.) From all he could learn there was every probability of this being the case, and he was sure the excellent services of Mr. Cress well and Lord Sandon would not be wanting to further the views which emanated from the meeting held on the subject in Liverpool. At that meeting a petition had been most nu merously signed, which certainly ought to have weight, and he had no doubt it would have weight. He did not know that it was necessary for him to trespass longer on their time. Certain resolutions would be proposed for their adoption, which he had seen, and he had no doubt but they would meet with the unanimous approbation of the meeting at large. (Cheers.) Mr. RICHARD DAWSON proposed the first resolution. He said he had been called upon on the present occasion to pro pose a resolution to the meeting which he hoped they would receive in the manner it deserved. When they considered the situation in which the town was placed, having two such noble representatives, they should remember that Liverpool was the envy of every conservative town in England. (Cheers.) It was utterly impossible for anything to ex ceed the energy of Lord Sandon and Mr. Cresswell, in sup port of the constitutional principles of the country, as well as the interests of the town at large, and he hoped they would long be blessed with them. (Cheers.) He, therefore, ' begged to propose a vote of thanks to Lord Sandon and Mr. Cresswell, for the eminent services they had rendered. Mr. PEACOCK seconded the motion, and it was carried. Mr. CRESSWELL then rose. The learned gentleman was received with immense cheering, which having subsided, he spoke as follows :—lf I could for half an hour borrow the lungs of one of my worthy friends who has been cheering just below, nothing would give me greater satisfaction than to enter at some length into a statement of the view I take of public affairs at present; but I am sorry to say that my ex cellent friend in the chair has not exaggerated to you the in convenience I am suffering from fatigue and indisposition at this moment. Indeed I can assure you that nothing less than the pleasure of meeting a large body of my constitu ents would have brought me .from my sofa this evening. Perhaps you will readily believe me when I tell you, that I have throughout this day been struggling with great debility and loss of voice, and that I did not leave the the court above half an hour before I came into this room. (Hear, hear.) But to come and receive a renewal of the assurance that I have by no means forfeited your esteem, that you still think me worthy of being associated with your noble and excellent re presentative Lord Sandon (applause), and that I may be en abled to convey to him the welcome tidings of how you have received him and me—he in memory, and me in person this evening, with acclamations and renewed assurances of un flinching and unwavering support, is an ample inducement to me to make an effort to come and meet you. (Cheers.) It has pleased my hon. friend who proposed this resolution, to speak of the services of Lord Sandon and myself on behalf of the Conservative cause, and consequently of the consti tutional cause, for I believe them to be identical. (Loud cheers.) Although our voices may at times be weak, depend upon it, gentlemen, our votes at least will never be wanted. (Applause.) And if upon my return to town, when the battle of the constitution shall be renewed, I should not have re gained my voice, at least I will pledge myself that my vote shall be given for the good cause. (Cheers.) We have not as yet, during the present session, had any variety of battle in the constitutional cause, but one most fearful inroad has been made upon the constitution, as established even by the reform bill. (Hear, hear.) It was always predicted by Sir Robert Peel—for whom probably you and I have some respect— (hear, hear)—and whom we are willing to give credit for some degree of political sagacity and foresight, that the mi nisters themselves who brought in that measure would be the first to be dissatisfied with it, and try to change it, and that ere long too. (Cheers.) And, accordingly, having enjoyed their temporary triumph, when all the world went mad upon the subject, they found, as soon as the people had opportunity for reflection, and repented of the mischief into which they had been hurried, and that they would no longer support that precious ministry who had given them the reform bill ; they tried to introduce a new one, not, indeed, so much for this country as for Ireland—(cheers) ;—and in answer to Lord Stanley's bill, which was for carrying out honestly and fairly the law as by the present ministers established in the nation, they tried to overturn that law altogether! (Hear, hear.) They tried to establish a new system for the registration of voters in Ireland, a new constituency—(hear) ;—and I would ask any man of common sense, whatever be his station, how ever moderate his education, if we are to go on changing our laws from year to year, what does he anticip a t e th e const i tution will be, under which he is to live five years hence? If you are to alter and increase the constituency so as to meet the varying views of politicians from year to year, does it not become manifest to you at once they will never stop short ultimately of universal suffrage and vote by ballot? (Cheers.) If they have one in Ireland, of course we must have it in England too. (Hear.) Gentlemen, though i do not pro mise you to lift up my voice against such proceedings, for it may desert me; at least I hope my integrity never will, and that I shall ever give my vote in opposition to them. (Applause.) The next matter which has been referred to as a subject of interest to you to-night, is the question of the administration of the poor law in this town ; and a more important question can hardly be taken into consideration, because when you consider the immense mass of labouring population in this town, that many of them come from across the water, and have no settlement here, and who, if not provided for by the overseers here, must be sent home again, let us see in what position you will be in if the new poor law were enforced here as in other places. I do not mean to proclaim myself an op ponent of that law, because in many places, I believe, it has worked well, and for the good of the country. That I will maintain though it may be unpopular to do so ; but I do think that in large towns, especially with such a population as you have in Liverpool, it would be monstrous • and I shall have great satisfaction in opp os i ng , w ith my noble colleague, the introduction of that law into Liverpool. (Loud cheers.) I have been making some inquiries about it here, and I am told that if it were introduc e d an d r i g idly enforced, in order to alleviate the sufferings of the poor, when occasionally they are thrown out of employment, as you could not relieve them out of the house, you would be obliged to build a work house capable of containing from 8000 to 10,000 inmates. (Hear, hear.) We may be told we must have a uniform sys tem. What was the reason of that? how could you justify that? It may be very well to have a general law throughout the land, but you must have exceptions. What physician would prescribe the same physic for all maladies? You might as well say that every man should take Morrison's pills. (Cheers and laughter.) In each place you must act according to circumstances. Let there be a general law, but reasonable exceptions from it, and I will vote strenuously to get Liverpool, and every place under the same circumstances, exempted from it. (Applause.) I believe no one ever yet heard a complaint of the manner in which the poor laws have been administered here. I am told that in this respect you set a pattern to the whole kingdom : the poor are most bene volently taken care of, and at the same time the ratepayer is perfectly protected. I can conceive nothing better than that, and therefore I shall certainly assist most strenuously in op. posing the introduction of this law into this town. (Loud cheers.) Forgive me, gentlemen, if I do not enter into other topics. Allow me to thank you for the renewed assurances you have given me of kindness and support. I shall be most proud to receive your support whenever we have to go to another election, though I do not think ministers will ven ture upon one this year; but whenever they do, I shall be proud to stand forward to fight your battles again. (Loud cheers, during which the hon. gentleman resumed his seat.) Mr. CARSON said he had been requested to moNe the re solution he held in his hand. It was expected that the gen tleman named in it, whose ability and eloquence were well known to the meeting, would have been present—he alluded to Mr. Wilkins, (Loud cheers.) And it was the wish ot the society to express to him their grateful thanks for the exertions he made on th e i r b e h a lf at - the last municipal re gistration. (Hear, hear.) On that occasion it had been attempted by their opponents to palm upon the registry a large body of persons whose rates were paid by the Protector Society. Mr. Wilkins had, however, attended for several days, and the consequence was that that body of persons had been prevented from being placed on the list, and that the town had to fall back upon the sound registry of the preceding year, to which might be attributed, in a great de gree, the success that followed. He had great pleasure. therefore, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Wilkins. (Loud cheers.) Mr. PARSER, the newly-elected member for St. Anne's Ward, said he had been requested, since be entered the room, to second the resolution which they had just heard read. (Hear, hear.) He thought they bad great cause to be thank ful to Mr. Wilkins for his indefatigable exertions at the last registration, because they had gained victories under that registration which would terrify their enemies at all future contests. (Cheers.) They had often heard from their op ponents that the rallying point with them had been " the people" ; but he (Mr. Parker), as a conservative of the country, had cause to reiterate that word, and say " the people—the people." (Loud cheers.) Who are the friends of the people ? It was now evident, not only in this little community, but from one end of the country to the other, that the friends of the people were the conservatives of the land. (Hear, hear, and renewed cheers.) He stood before them as a tradesman, closely connected with the people, and he was satisfied that if the latter united with the merchants and aristocracy of the country, England would have a cable formed with which she might be triumphant against every blast. (Cheers.) They had also heard much of annual par liaments and vote by ballot, and in their own community they had one of those things carried out, because they had annual parliaments in Liverpool and annual elections. Let them, then, look back for the last four years and see how that system had worked. When first it had been commenced, four conservatives were returned to the Town-council • but what progress had been made since that ti m e ? (H ear ; hear.) And here he would observe, that the battle they were fight ing was not a momentary one, and that theirs were the steady and the sound principles which pervaded the country at large. (Cheers.) He had now to inform them that there were no fewer than twenty-nine conservatives in the council,—(re newed cheers,)—and that by the voice of the people he had the honour to stand before them that evening as the repre sentative of St. Anne's ward. (Great applause.) It was not to any burst of political feeling he attributed the victory they had recently achieved, but it was owing to the steady action of principle and conviction brought home to men's minds, that they would no longer be deceived by trickery. (Hear, hear.) They heard little at present of " vote by ballot," " annual parliaments," or " the people," but now their op ponents bad a fresh rallying cry : it was " the laws." No longer ago than the day preceding, they had their walls placarded with the big loaf and the little one. and a meeting convened in Clayton-square, at which no less a man than Sir Joshua Walmsley presided. (Laughter, and hisses.) if ever there was a subject upon which the people were deceived it was that of the corn-laws. (Hear, hear.) He would not enter into that question at present, though it was one that rested in a nutshell ; but if the corn-laws were repealed the granaries at the other side of the water would be placed at the mercy of our continental neighbours, and instead of a thriving population we should become a starving one. (Hear, and cheers.) He was sorry for detaining them so long, after the excellent speech they had heard from their noble and dis tinguished representative. To that gentleman and his col league they owed a debt of gratitude, and by a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether, they would place them both in parliament again when the opportunity presented it self._ (Loud cheers.) Mr..PROCT9R pro Posed the thanks of the association to Mr. James Aspinall, for his unwearied exertions on behalf of those sound constitutional principles for the protection and dissemination of which that association had been more espe cially formed. In doing so, he said that if he were in want of a subject on which to ground the resolution, he was sure the meeting which he had the honour to address would coin cide with him in thinking that a more worthy subject, or a more weighty subject than Mr. Aspinall—(a laugh)—could not be met with in the town of Liverpool; and when he spoke of his weight, be did not mean his avoirdupois weight, but his moral weight. (Hear and cheers.) He was sure they would agree with him in saying that Mr. Aspinall's weight among them was appreciated to the full extent, be cause, if they looked at his exertions on behalf of the trading community of Liverpool, he was certain those shopkeepers, as well as every other person interested in the prosperity of the town must have felt and seen his exertions. if they came to the carpenters and porters about the dock quays, he was sure those persons would agree with him in thinking that Mr. Aspinall had exerted for them an influence far beyond what could be expected from him. (Hear and cheers.) If they came to the poor man who had to receive his support from the parish, he, too, would admit that Mr. Aspinall's exertions had never been wanted, nor had he absented him self from giving his support to the vestry of Liverpool in fa vour of the poor and the distressed. (Renewed cheers.) Mr. HARBORD seconded the motion, and it was unani mously carried. Mr. CRESSWELL then rose and said he had been waiting until their excellent chairman had got through the business of the evening, in order that he might, before they separated, take the opportunity of proposing a vote of thanks to him for his conduct in the chair that evening. (Hear, hear.) While he was on the subject of proposing a vote of thanks to him, ha was quite sure they would all agree in thinking, that there was no more zealous, consistent, firm, constant or staunch supporter of the conservative cause in Liverpool than was Mr. Smith. (Hear, and cheers.) And he (Mr. Cresswell) begged to acknowledge from himself, not only as a member of the borough, and as a member of that association, but as a grateful friend, the many kindnesses he had received from that gentleman. He, therefore, begged to propose a vote of thanks to him as their chairman. (Cheers.) Mr. TINNE seconded the motion. It was carried by ac clamation. The CHAIRMAN then rose and said, that he had, on more occasions than one, felt it his duty to thank the association for the kindness and attention they had paid to him. He had substantial proofs of it in having been returned a member of the town-council by his neighbours in the ward in which he resided. (Cheers.) He had, from his infancy, he might say, been brought up in conservative principles. From them he had never swerved, and he did not suppose that any thing would induce him so to do ; the older he grew, the firmer he became attached to them. (Cheers.) He felt in finitely obliged to his friend, Mr. Cresswell, for the kind manner in which he had introduced the motion to their no tice ; he felt pride in having been one of Ali% Cresswell's supporters, and he could assure him and the meeting that it would ever be his pride and pleasure to continue to support him as he had hitherto done. (Great applause.) Ile was quite sensible of Mr. Cresswell's services to the town of Li verpool r he was very sensible of his talents ; he respected them, and he esteemed him ; and he trusted his connexion with the borough would long continue to subsist. (Hear, hear.) He begged again to return them his sincere thanks. The meeting then separated. TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. A special meeting of the Town Council was held on Wed nesday in the council chzrther, Town-hall. LETTER FROM THE PACHA OF EGYPT The MAYOR said that a memorial had been; sent from the merchants, &c. of this port to the Pacha of Egypt, returning thanks to the Pacha for permitting the mails from India to pass through his dominions. This letter was transmitted through Messrs. Briggs and Co. and an answer had been sent through the same parties. The Mayor then read the reply of the Pacha as follows : [Translation.] " Gentlemen—His Highness the Viceroy has ordered the undersigned to communicate to the Mayor, Bankers, Mer chants, and other inhabitants of the town of Liverpool, that their address has reached him. The sentiments expressed in that address are highly gra tifying to his highness, who accepts the good wishes thus conveyed to him, and will always exert himself for their realisation. • Mercantile interests and travellers in the countries under the rule of his highness will always enjoy that effectual pro tection which is the type of civilisation in all nations—and in strictly adhering to his system of civilisation, even in periods of the greatest ditlieclty, when his intentions were unknown, his highness has been faithful to his principles, and has given to his officers and to the people under his government, a les son that will bind them always in inure friendly ties to the enlightened people of other nations, for their mutual welfare. " Amidst the regrets which his highness sometimes expe riences at being unable to realise all the good he meditates, Providence grants him occasionally sonic consolation which conies as a soothing balm, and of this nature is the address of the mayor, bankers, merchants, and other inhabitants of Liverpool. The undersigned is charged to express the great satisfaction that it has given to his highness, and to convey to them his thanks. " The undersigned has the honour to subscribe himself, gentlemen, your most obedient and most humble servant, (Signed) " BGGHOS YOUSSOUFF." OFFICE OF DEPUTY TOWN CLERK The Towx-c LERK presented the report of the special com mittee appointed on the 7th instant, to take into considera tion the suggestions submitted to the council, by the Town clerk, on the appointments of Prosecuting Solicitor, and Deputy Town-clerk. The report set forth that the commit tee had taken into consideration the report of the Town-clerk, and the schedule for the division of duties of the Town-clerk and Deputy Town-clerk therein referred to, and that the committee approved of the suggestions of the Town-clerk, and also of the schedule for the division of the duties of the respective offices, with the amendments made by them ap pearing upon the said schedule. The committee recom mended the suggestions of the Town.clerk, and the schedule of duties, with such amendments, to the approval of the council. The schedule of duties, with some slight amendments, was read. It still contained the clause " The Town-clerk and Deputy Town-clerk to be severally responsible." The committee proceeded to report, that if the suggestions of the Town-clerk should be adopted, the services of 'Mr. William Shuttleworth, one of the clerks to the magistrates, in the office of Prosecuting Solicitor and Deputy Town-clerk, could be obtained at a salary of £BOO per annum, that being the amount of his present official income. It appeared to the committee that a salary not exceeding £4OO a year would be a sufficient compensation to the successor of Mr. Shut tleworth, as one of the clerks to the magistrates. The com mittee recommended that the successor of Mr. Shuttleworth should be the second clerk, and that Mr. Ellis, the present senior clerk, should be the first clerk, and that such should become the permanent arrangement. The committee re ported, that by this arrangement, there would be a positive saving of £3OO a year at the least to the borough fund. Mr. Snail, said he understood the clause as to separate responsibility had been struck out at his suggestion. The TOWN-CLERK said it was another clause that was struck out at the suggestion of Mr. Shell. On the motion of Mr. H. Hornby, seconded by Mr. John Holmes, the report was adopted. It was agreed that the appointment of a schoolmaster to the Borough Prison, at a salary of £BO a year, should be referred to the gaol committee, who were to report to the Council. THE DOCK DILL The report of the deputation on the Dock and Warehouse bill was read. It set forth that the bill had been met in its progress by various petitions in opposition to its provisions. The object of one pasty was to prevent vessels from paying the present rates ; of the Ellesmere Company to get more wharfage ; and of parties on the opposite side of the river to get better accommodation for landing on this side. The Council proceeded to the consideration of the clauses in the bill which had been altered during its progress. The several clauses were read, and much discussion arose upon the alterations which have taken place, and a few amend ments were framed. Sir JositUA WALMSLEY moved that the Dock Committee be instructed to frame amendments, to be approved by the Finance Committee, for making the powers of the trustees and the ship-owners to land from any vessel and warehouse goods subject to the right of the merchant to the benefit of any lay days to which he may be lawfully entitled ; and in the case of any such vessel lying in the intended new dock, to give power to the trustees, if the despatch of business should be obstructed by the lay days, to remove the vessel from such dock to any other dock. Mr. BIRKETT proposed an amendment to the effect that it be an instruction to the Dock Committee to prevent the exempting clauses from passing through the House of Com mons. lie said the corporation of Liverpool resembled A Shrovetide-cock, tied to a stake, at which every passer-by had a kick. (He ar , h ear, and great laughter. ) _ looked at the oppo s iti on t h e town met w i t h f ro m people lot, ging to all parts, he thought he should not be very wrong, when he said that the very objects had been gathered to gether against it. The cause of all this had been the intro duction into parliament, sour years ago, of the conservancy bill, which was framed in such a manner as to set their hand against every man, and every man's hand against them. (Hear, hear.) That was the first cause, and they had finished it last year by going to parliament, and attacking various in terests. Mr. Birkett continued, at some further length, to support his amendment, and concluded by calling on the council to stand up for the town, and not to commit a suicidal act by adopting the exemption clauses. Mr. GLADSTONE seconded the amendment, and in doing so said they ought not to give up that which in reality was not theirs to give. Mr. EvANs said they had given up nothing. It had been taken from them. They had been assured that the bills would be opposed, and that they never would have a con servancy or any other bill without ,having those exemptions interpolated in them. But it was no novelty, for he had fre quently stated in the counoil on former occasions that be fore the present Dock Committee came into office the old committee had a bill in which they admitted exemption for Runcorn, and that clause had not been opposed by Mr. Bir kett or those who held with him on the occasion. (Hear.) Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE saw no alternative but to submit to the exemption clauses, and that submission he would make most reluctantly. Mr. EARLE could not vote for the amendment, because lie thought it a side wind to get rid of the bill, and, though lie was opposed to it from the first, he would not lend himself to any underhand work of that sort. No bill could be got without some concession being made, and he was not acting improperly in yielding to the concessions in the present in stance in the situation in which they were at that moment placed. A division was come to, when there appeared— For the amendment Against it Majority.. For—Messrs. I. Holmes, Sandbach, Blundell, Cooper, Birkett, Gladstone, Kilshaw, Parker, R. Jones, Leigh, and J. Smith. Against—Messrs. J. Holmes, Houghton, H. Holmes, Thornhill, Case, Wahnsley, Aikin, Woollright, Bright, B . Hornby, Robinson, Morecroft, Slater, G. H. Lawrence, Jordan, WlCee, Platt, J. Hornby, T. Holt, Bulley, Freme, Blackburn, Booth, Sheil, Evans, Barclay, Earle, Benn, J. Holt, Moon, and the Mayor. For the atneudment-12 ; against it-30 ; majority-IS. ARRIVAL OF COMMODORE NAPIER. Mr. CASE begged to bring before the council the circum stance of Commodore Sir C. Napier having arrived in this town in the Oriental, and he thought probably the council would think it necessary to receive the gallant commodore with some tokens of respect. It was the intention of some parties to give him a public dinner in the town. The commo dore was at present confined on board the Oriental, which was performing quarantine. It was probable he would not come on shore before Friday next. He moved that a special committee of five be appointed to propose an address to Com modore Napier, to congratulate him on his successes, to ex press admiration of his skill in war and negotiation, and to concur with others in any manifestation of public opinion as may be deemed desirable. Mr. EARLE seconded the motion. Mr. CASE named the following gentlemen to form the com mittee—the Mayor, Messrs. H. Hornby, Earle, G. H. Law rence, J. Gladstone, and the name of Mr. Case was added. The council adjourned at half-past three o'clock. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Sin,—Aware of your readiness to do good, induces me to trespass on your valuable columns. A CASE OF REAL DISTRESS. A man who has been a faithful clerk to a concern in this town for about 26 years, had the misfortune to sign a bond for glass. Owing to the delinquency of the principal, pro ceedings are being taken to compel him to pay a mitigated penalty of fifty pounds. The poor man has a large family, and not the means to pay the amount. To prevent his fur niture being sold, a subscription has been set on foot, and by your giving publicity to the good intentions of his friends, I have no doubt success will attend their exertions. April 15, 1841. CHARITY. Subscriptions will be received at the STANDARD Office. MARCH OF INTELLECT.—Yesterday morning, a bill was pasted on the shop-door of a radical printer at the corner of Duke-street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, with the following written thereon :—" We have shut up the shop. We have all gone to take a holiday. Go thou and do likewise." THE CONVICT MISTER.—A defence has been published which Mister had prepared for himself shortly after his com mitment to the county gaol, before he knew whether his re latives would furnish him with the means of employing counsel or not—in regard to which it has been observed that " The only point which Mister makes, and which his coun sel omitted to put, is—that no blood was found on his bed room window, which must have been opened to have allowed the razor to be thrown from it ; and the inference attempted to be drawn from this circumstance is, that the spot of blood on Mister's window curtain is no proof of Mister's guilt, for the band that was bloody enough to leave the trace on the curtain must have communicated some mark to the window frame." It is well known that the convict did not scruple broadly to throw the guilt upon another person, of whose in nocence there never was a shadow of doubt, and whom the wretched convict's atrocious crime has reduced to the most deplorable condition of humanity. Alluding to this, a con temporary says—" The person aimed at is Mr. Cooke, the landlord of the Angel Inn, and who is now, unhappily an inmate of an asylum in Gloucestershire. To say nothing of the evidence of his wife, that he was in bed with her when the first alarm was given, and did not get up till Mackreth's cries for help, after breaking the second pane of glass, were a time uttered—to say nothing of his conduct after he did get up, which was obviously that of an innocent and humane man—and to say nothing of the thousand reasons why he should not, and the absence of any one imaginable reason why he should have committed the act, Macreth's testimony shows that he could not have committed it. Mackreth, after he received the first wound, felt a hand on his face and struck it off—the. hand could not have been the one that held the weapon. Macreth, before he received the second wound, was pulled back by a hand, which also could not have held I the weapon. Mr. Cooke has but one arm, and this Mister knew, for we find him metioning that peculiarity of the land lords to the parties fishing in the Teme, near Ludford Bridge, on the evening of the 19th. Mr. Cooke's most melancholy bereavement of reason may have been, in a great measure superinduced by the appalling spectacle that presented itself when he met Macreth, and by the apprehension, working on a nervous temperament, that the catastrophe would destroy the custom of his house." QUICKEST PASSAGE FROM LONDON TO BOULOGNE.— Bou LOGNE, APRIL 10.—This day, at a quarter before noon, the Magnet had absolutely landed her passengers on our quay, after a passage of no more than nine hours and 40 mi nutes from London, allowing for the difference of London and Boulogne time 11 minutes. The Magnet is a fine vessel, and the quickest it. the Boulogne trade ; but all who are in the habit of making the passage, and are competent to form a judgment upon such matters, ascribe her rapid trips in a great degree to the admirable seamanship of her com mander Captain Robert Stock, a gentleman no less distin guished by his urbanity and attention to his passengers, than by his indefatigable care and professional skill. DEPLORABLE ACCIDENT BY FIRE•ARMS.—A fine youth, named Jones, a grandson of Mrs. Humphreys, of Trepenal, near Llanymynech, was at a neighbouring blacksmith's shop, on the sth inst., when one of the men proceeded to clean an old gun. Not being able to unscrew the breech when placed in a vice, the thoughtless fellow thrust the barrel into the fire without first examining it, and the consequences were dreadful. The piece was heavily charged with large shot—it immediately exploded, and the poor boy received the penter part of the contents in his left breast and shoulder. Our readers may judge of the consternation and horror of those individuals who were present, and of others in the neighbour hood who came to their assistance. The sufferer was car ried to the nearest house, and surgical assistance obtained as early as possible, and in a day or two a somewhat favourable opinion was pronounced on the case, 4 ,,d it gives us much pleasure to find that up to yesterday the boy was going on well. Should he survive, his escape and recovery may be considered most miraculous. EXTRAORDINARY RAILWAY TRAVELLING.—EarIy in the morning of Good Friday, Birkenhead presented a most extraordinary appearance. The town was literally thronged with individuals who crossed at every ferry, almost all of whom appeared to wend their way to the railway station. The desire of the Liverpool public to obtain a glance at the " anciente citie" of Chester, and walk round its venerable walls, was so great that up to half-past two o'clock more than three thousand individuals left Birkenhead by trains, and upwards of seven hundred arrived from Chester. By the trains to and from Birkenhead up to six o'clock, seven hun dred and eleven more persons had passed along the line. So great was the demand for conveyances, and so determined were the people to satisfy their curiosity, and enjoy the day, that they willingly submitted to jump into horse-boxes, waggons for the conveyance of goods, or any other vehicle that could be procured. From this specimen of the vast transit on the first holyday since the opening of the Chester and Birkenhead Railway, we conceive that the directors must immediately " set their wits to work" to provide suitable accommodation for the conveyance of passengers on summer days of " cloudless sky," and especially during the Chester race week. The number of individuals in Chest e r was so great, that two extra trains were sent down after six o'clock ; by the first, consisting of twenty-four carriages of every description, five hundred and fifty-nine persons arrived at Birkenhead ; and by the second, five hundred and fifty eight ; and up to the arrival of the last train in Birkenhead, no less than six thousand had passed on the line during the day. A PRUDENT WIFE AND A STRON:G APRON.—Mrs. W., consort and help-mate of Mr. \V. merchant, of New York, was a very economical woman, anCI, if her eulogist was not mistaken, had a very strong apron. The circumstance, nar rated by the friend of Mrs. W., was as follows :—Mr. W. was a merchant in affluent circumstances, did a very heavy business, and conducted all his affairs with the utmost regu larity. Every department of business was completely sys tematised; even family expenditures were restricted to regular daily appropriations, and no surer is a sailing master of a ship to make his observation, work his traverse, and ascertain his exact latitude and longitude every noon, than was Mr. W. to have all his accounts nicely balanced, and ascertain his exact whereabouts in business every night. But as wise, prudent, and punctilious as he was, he could not withstand the temptation to overtrading during one of the great paper expansions; and when the revulsion came, he found himself embarrassed beyond all efforts to extricate himself. He had stood firm as a rock while many of the most reputable houses tumbled to ruins around him, but he could not collect money due to him from his best customers, and there was one re maining note of 10,000 dollars that would fall due in a few days, and he could devise no way to meet it. The notice came from the bank, but three days remained, and every resource failed. The first of these three days was as fruitlessly spent in try ing to force a sale of goods. Nobody had money to lend — nobody had money to purchase goods at any price. Failure presented itself with all its frightfulness. The last day of grace arrived, and horror was depicted in his countenance. Mrs. W., knew nothing of his troubles, and on perceiving him evidently in great distress of mind, she insisted on knowing what was the cause of his trouble. It was folly to conceal his ruin from her, and he condescended to make he acquainted with th e cause o f h er misery. " H ow much , she inquir e d, " w ill save you from failure ?" " Ten _. the sand dollar s ," h e rep li e d , " w i ll pay my last note in bank ; but sufferfor for want o f thi s I mus t su the theenefit gb drace of having my no t e proteste d , ass i gn my property the world as a of my credit ors , an d su ff er my name to "why to hy bless me, my bankrupt." "I s thi s a ll," sa id she, ' that sum without going dear Mr. W., I can supply you with hear the question which out of the house." Not waiting to hear up stairs, and in less he was preparing to ask, she . tripped telling the story, she returned time than I have occupied in a .. in change, which she with 17,000 dollars, in he , r ea a pron, s 11 few r from her daily allowance of had saved within a Nho y heard the recital of the circum market money. Adlof‘'Mrs. W., were highly delighted with stance by the friend it, save one sharp- n osed slab-sided YankLe, who would not believe, though an an gel had told it, till he had app li ed the g to it, to ascertain its probability. As he test of figures calculation, and was in the act of returning finished his l burst into a roarof his pencil to his pocket, le . laughter. All were turned upon him, and the narrator demanded eyes what he meant by such uncivil d e p ortment. " Nothing at all, stranger," said the calculator, " only I was thinkin' what a tarnal strong apron that etc woman must have had on to bring 17,000 dollars worth of change down stairs. I've cyphered it out on this here paper, and it will weigh jist half a ton, if there ain't a tingle. copper among the whole On't*" — Mdfctio Rep tlblican.