The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-02-09 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.-MONDAY. HAND-LOOM WEAVERS, gr~-r r. ~t ~ ~~r -.`.~, l 44s imperial = Parliament. On the order of the day for going into (.0,1,1:lit tee on the Ca nada Bill being read, _ _ Lord BitouGHast - moved that Mr. Roebuck should be heard at the bar, which was agreed to; and Mr. Roebuck was accord ingly heard at great length. The speech was, in substance, a repetition of that which he had previously addressed to the Clouse of Commons. It produced no discussion in the house, and the bill passed through a committee without alteration, and almost without remark. It was ordered to be read a third time on Thursday. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MON DAY Lord A. Conynghain took the oaths and his seat, Mr. WAKLEY' presented a petition from the Glasgow cotton spinners, signed by 990 persons, praying that, in consequence of the state►nants which had been made against the association in the public press, the house would appoint a committee to inquire into the constitution of that association, and into all its practices. .The petitioners stated that they did nut dread in quiry, and prayed the house to make the investigation as searching as possible. JOINT STOCK COMPANIES. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER gave notice that he should to-morrow, move for leave to bring in a bill to ameud the law relating to clerical members of joint-stock companies. This ,he did in consequence of the decision which had lately taken place in the Court of Exchequer. (Hear, hear, from the oppo sition benches.) Mr. HUME wished to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intended to renew the committee, and take any mea sures respecting the Bankyf•England ? . . The dki A NCEI.I.OII Of the EXCHEQUER said it was his inten tion, in the course of next week, to move the appointment of a committee on joint stock banks. On the motion of Mr. E. J. STANLEY, a new writ was issued for the Elgin Boroughs. in the room of Sir. A. L. Hay, ap pointed governor of Bermuda. Mr. FIN:LIMN begged to ask the noble lord (John Russell) whether the committee appointed to inquire into the condition of the haul-loon► weavers was likely to sit soon? Lord J. RUSSELL was not aware what progress the com ►nittee had made, or what steps they had taken with respect to the hand-loom weavers. As the hon. member had asked him a question, he would, perhaps allow him to ask him one in re turn. He wished to know whether the hon. member had given any order for the collection of mobs, to interfere with the put ting into operation the poor-law act ? . Mr. FIE.L.DEN said that as a member of the poor-law com mittee, he thought it his duty to send down two persons to in quire into the distress that existed in Lancashire, and the state of the labouring people there. Ile had given them written instructions, and he bad no reason to believe that they had done anything inconsistent ►pith them. If, however, they had done so, and that, in consequence of the steps they had adopted, disturbances had taken place, he should be as willing as any person that they should meet tire reward which the course they had adopted merited. POOR RELIEF (IRELAND) BILL. 0 On the motion of Lord J. RussEL, the order of the day for the second reading of the Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill was read. --After a - short discussion the bill was rrad a second time, and ordered to be committed on Friday next. PARLIAMENTARY ELECTORS AND FREEMEN. Lord J. RussELL moved that the house resolve itself into a a committee on the parliamentary electors and freemen bill: Mr. 11. lIINDE said that before the bill went into that stage he had an amendment to move, by way of instruction to the committee. It was, that the bill should be separated, and divided into two bills. 'the hon. member was understood to say that the noble lord (J. Russell) bad, in connecting the two distinct subjects of the ten-pound rate-paying householders and the freemen, treated the latter body of men most ungraciously, lie Cacti moved, " That it be au instruction to the committee to divide the into two bills." After a short discussion, the house divided, when there ap peared—for the committee, 158; for the amendment, 6 , 3; ma jority, 90. The house then resolved itself into a committee on the On clause 1 being put from the chair, Mr. T. DUNCOMBE sail that he should propose an amendment, which was intended to act as a most summary repeal of the rate-paying clause alto gether. It was to insert, in lines 16 and 17, the words " except such as shall have become payable from him (the rate-payer) previously to the 11th day of October in the preceding year. Lordi. liossELL said that the hon. member proposed to ex tend tat franchise to those who paid no taxes—a totally different principle from that intended by the reform bill. If he admitted this amendment, it would go to alter the ancient spirit of the constitution, and establish the principle that insolvency and beggary were as sufficient qualifications for voting as inde pendence and industry. A discussion ensued, in the course of which Sir E. SIIGDKN said he was against all alterations in the reform bill, which had worked better than he had expected it would. This he attri buted to the good sense of the people of England. • On the division, the numbers were—for the motion, 206; for the amendment, 107; majority, 99. After one or two amendments of small importance had been negatived or withdrawn, the bill passed through the committee, and was ordered to be reported. The other bills of the day being then disposed of, the house adjourned at a quarter to twelve o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS —TeRsDAY In the House of Lords many petitions were presented; some by Lord BROUGHAM, in favour •of the- vote by ballot, and against severe measures towards Canada, only remarkable, per haps, in consequence of the petitioners' omission of the usually respectful language required formally to be addressed to their lordships. The omission, it will he observed, was noticed by Lords Shaftesbury and Devon, and ridiculed by Lord Brougham Their lordships'adjourned till Thursday. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-=TUESDAY. In the commons, there were three ballots for committees re ga•ding the Roxburgh (county,) Ipswich, and Salford election petitions, and each committee was obtained. They caused con siderable excitement. The CIIANCELLOR of the EictiEQUER obtained leave tobring in a bill " to amend the 141 , 7 with regard to cle•iical members of joint-stock companies ;" also, to bring in a bill for the estab lishment of parochial schools in certain parishes in the High lands of Scotland. The other orders were disposed of, and Captain Boldero's motion regarding deserters in Canada being withdrawn, the house adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS-WEDNESDAY. The Speaker took the chair shortly before four o'clock. A great number of petitions against the rating; of Small Te nements bill, and oh other subjects were presented. CANA D. Mr. Hume presented a petition, agreed to in August last, at York, Upper Canada, complaining that Sir Francis Head bad violated the constitution of the colony. He believed the chair man and secretary of the meeting at which the petition was agreed to, were now rebels. (Hear, and laughter.) Sir E. KNATCHBULL said if the parties who signed the pe tition were rebels, the house could not receive the petition. Mr. Hustn.—The petition was agreed to in August, before the rebellion broke out, and ought to have been presented sooner. Mr. O'CoNNELL was of opinion the house must receive the petition. Parties were not to be attainted or considered rebels uuless convicted as such. The bel►ef of any hon. member on the subject was not sufficient. After a few words from Mr. GouLnunte, Sir E. KNATct►n[LL said he should not divide the house on the question or receiving the petition, however strong objection ►night be to it. The petition was then ordered to tie on the table. • Mr. .HUME said. as it was his intention to call the attention of the house to the allegations in the petition, he moved that it be printed. After a disultory conversation, the petition was ordered to be printed with the votes. Mr. Hums then gave notice that he should bring the subject matter of the petition before the house to-morrow, and, at the same time, move fur a copy of all bills which had passed the Canadian legislature since Sir Francis Head was appointed govern , r. • Mr. C. BULLER proposed the further consideration of the report on the Controverted Elections Bill until this day. week. RATING OR TENEMENTS BILL Sir H. VERNEY said he wished to postpone the second read ing of the Rating of Tenements Bill until after Saster, (Loud cries of hear, hear.) , Sir E. KNATCHISGLL suggested that it would be better for the bill to be read a second time now, and the hon. member Move for a select committee to inquire into the subject befoee Easter. Lord J. Russgt.r, was of opinion that the course proposed by his hon. friend (Sir H. Verney) .vas the most convenient which could be adopted. A desultory discussion ensued in which Lord G. Somerset, Mr. Pryme, Capt. Pechell, Mr. M. Phillips, Mr. Briscoe, Lord Sandon, Mr. Wakley, Mr. Aglionhy, Mr. Sandford, and Mr. Baines took part. Lord J. RUSSELL said he would undertake, on the part of the government, to move for a select committee to make inquiry into the subject of rating small tenements, and he would also promise that some member of the administration should attend the committee, but he could not pled g e hi m s e lf th a t th e govern ment would undertake to carry the bill of his hon. friend through pariament. Sir R. PEEr. trusted the committee would bring their inquiry to an end as soon as possible, as until the result was known the description of property to which it refe r r e d wou ld b e unsa l ea bl e and greatly aWeeted. Th - elseet;nd reading of the bill was then postponed until after Easter. On the motion of Mr. S. LEFEVRE, the common fields improvement hill was read a second time, • The hackney carriages (metropolis) bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday. Mr. MAKINNON postponed the second reading of the patterns and invention bill until this day fortnight. BANKING AND CU-PARTNERSHIP BILL The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the second reading of the banking and co-partnership bill. After a few words from Sir E. St - GDEN, the bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday.' LAW OF LILIEL On the motion of Mit. O'CoNNELL, leave was given to bring in a bill to amend the law relating to slander and libel. POOR LAW. IRELAND, In answer to a question from ..Ml.l - lE7a4s, Lord J. RUSSELL said he should move the second reading of the Irish poor-law bill on Friday next, and then, it' there was time, his right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer would move that the house resolve itself into a committee of supply. CANADA In answer to a question by Mr. MACLEAN, Lord J. RUSSELL said the instructions which had been laid o n the table of the house, relating to the future government of C 'nada, would not be forwarded with the bill to Sir J. Colborne, a.: that gallant officer would not act under those instructions. They were only to be acted upon by Earl Durham. The house adjourned at five minutes past six o'clock. SUPRRINTENDENTREGISTRATTON MA RRIAGES.—TWO parties wishing to be married put up their names in the office of Mr. Heywood (the registrar of this district) having specified St. James's Chapel, in Whitehaven, as the place in which they should be married. The minister of the chapel, moat honour ably feeling scruples as to the propriety of performing the cere mony with persons residing in a distant parish, wrote to the registrar-general to know if a certificate front a superintendent registrar would bind a clergyman to marry those presenting it, if both parties within the district, but out of the parish. The registrar-general has set the matter at rest by stating that the parties may be married at any church or chapel, being duly registered, within the district, and that it is compulsory on the Minister to perform the ceremony. This gives the opportunity ieepty„,„flesigoing fellow to en t ra p niinary girls_ into inarriagvs qtandestiuely, to the great misery of themselves and familir! eitabtrland P acque t. sf\ FORhIGY INTELLMENCE. SOUTH AMERICA. PEnu.—We have advices from Peru which mention that the republic had been divided into two states, called North and South Peru, and that Santa Cruz had been called to the head of the confederation. The only ports of entry for foreign vessels were Callao, Heranchaco, and Paytor. Immediately on the arrival of it foreign vessel, the captain must present his mani fest in his own language, expressing the marks and numbers of the packages, weight of the articles in bulk, and burden of the vessel, for which a period of tour hours is al:owed from the time of boarding. Anv excess foiled on board above the quan tity manifested is subject to confiscation it it exceed 5 per cent., and, if less than 5 per cent., double duties on such excess gill be charged. Those articles which will be admitted free of duty are coal, maps, and charts, quicksilver, prints, and books of in struction in drawing, natural and scientific curiosities, globes, presses and other printing materials, instruments for mining, tools of trade imported by artisans for their own use, surgical and mathematical instruments, tombstones, stills and machi nery, gold Awl silver in bars, dust, or coin, parcels of plants, except pulse for purposes of sale, spars, paving•stones, music paper, and books. The following articles are prohibited : guns, pistols, carbines, powder, indecent or immoral books and paintings, and lead except shot and in sheets. Vessels are to pay 11l dollars port duties on anchorage, and two reals per ton provided they land or load cargo. Whale ships are exempt from paving tonnage dues, unless they discharge goods over the value 4 . 205 dollars. MExico.—We have further acconots from Mexico. A slight earthquake had occurred there on the 28th Nov.; it lasted five minutes, but was productive of no serious injury. The minister of the interior had issued instructions to the governments of the departments to employ every means to suppress the abuses tx isting in the liberty of the press, to prosecute and punish all those who use the press as a medium fur circulating sedition and disturbing the tranquillity of the country. The Apaches still continued to ravage toe country of Chihichua. The inhabitants of Huejohlan assembled their forces, and, headed by Dr. M. Ruiz, a justice of the peace, advanced to meet them. The action was sauguinary and protracted; but, finally, the Mexicans were overwhelmed with numbers and compelled to tly, leaving a large number of their forces dead upon the field, among others their commander and several respectable citizens. The survivors had applied to the prefect of Baliza for additional troops. BRAZIL.—By advises from Rio Janeiro we learn that the new government had-been 'very energetic, and that public con fidence was much restored. Money was abundant, and the ministry were active in fitting out an expedition against Bahia, and it was confidently expected that the reinforcement of troops would soon change the aspect of things there. The market at Rio Jaueiro was overstocked with ordinary hysen teas, Lut good tea was wanted. The supplies of coffee had been abund ant, but generally of ordinary quality. Freight continued high. No vessels remained for charter. Specie was in demand at full prices. The stock of coffee to the middle of November was 15,000 bags. GLASGOW CONSERVATIVE OPERATIVES' ASSOCIATION. ( From the Scottish Guardian.) It will not be expected that the feport of a society like the present, and least of all when it has completed but the first year of its existence, should contain either fulness or diversity of detail. The objects which the association proposed for itself are few and simple, and its operations will be less observed in their silent progress than in their gradual results. The primary object of its projectors was to establish a rallying point for the friends of the constitution amongst the working classes in this city, and thus to unite their moral and political influence in the • defence of those great constitutional principles, which other sections of the working classes were combined to subvert. It was a new experiment in Scotland. It originated in the spon taneous feelings of the working classes themselves. It has been upheld and promoted by their unaided exertions; and it has been followed with success that has surpassed their expectations, that pledges them to persevere in their efforts, and that en courages them to hope for increasing prosperity and usefulness. DECLARATION OF PitINCIDELS. The fundamental principle of our union we presume to state in terms which have been exclusively arrogated by politicians of another school:—We are of opinion that the end and aim_ of government should be to promote "the greatest possible happiness of the greatest possible number." These lawilar and simple words, however they have been misapplied, we conceive to be expressive of a principle that lies at the basis of the Divine administration both in the physical and moral world. Philoso phers tell us that the common result of the disposal of the irra tional creation is and ever has been, the greatest posible amount of animal enjoyment_to ,the greatest number of individual., ; and a higher and purer philosophy has disclosed to us what human sagacity has failed to discover, that the object in the creation of man was, that he might honour and enjoy his Crea torlere, prepatory to the perfection of his enjoyment hereafter. We conclude, then, that the nearer the type of human govern ments—the government of families, the government of com munities, and the government of nations—is approximated to the benevolent genius of the Divine administration, the greater will be the amount of - virtuous enjoyment to the individuals and to the commonwealth. Bat while we borrow the expressions, " the greatest possible happiness of the greatest possible num ber," we repudiate the principles they have been employed to convey. \Ve go back for a just construction of tbem'to the elder philosophy—to the times of philosophers who explod e d " popular fallacies" which are as old as human nature, ages before the world dreamt of the advent of Jeremy Bentham—of poets who sung the praises of rational liberty, and chaunted the dirge of the tyrant, centuries before licentiousness was mis placed fur the one, and the owner of the soil for the other, by a poetical fiction of the Curn-Law Rhymer—of prophets and seers who penetrated the future with a keener glance, and fore saw the regeneration of a lost world through another vista, than my Lord Brougham—of philanthropists who laboured to restore the moral and intellectual glory of mankind, by disseminating higher arid more substantial principles than those of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Long before the age of a heartless and unprincipled Utilitarianism, there teas an eastern monarch distinguished more by his wisdom than even by his so vereignty over a great and privileged people--the only man in the history of the world who ever had the option of his own destiny,' and perhaps the only man who, with such a choice conceded to him, would, in preference to power, and riches, and long life, have said, " Give use wisdom and knowledge!"—a man who cultivated science and and the elegant arts, and studied the philo-' sophy of mind and matter—who devoted Zbe quiet of a peaceful reign to the search after iliegreatgood,aud made experiments upon his theories on a scale of regal magnificence, denying his eyes to no idesire, and withholding not his heart from any joy. But his labours and his gratifications resulted iu disappointment and vanity, till the light of eternal truth was revealed to his mind ; and he closed the record of invqatigations, which are as instructive as they are singular, with this memorablecorollary--' "Let us hear the conclusion , of the whole matter? Fear God,, and keep his commandments, f o r this is the whole duty of man;" —his whole duty, and by.necessarveonsequence,his whole in terest, and his whole happiness here, as a, preparation for a state of happiness perfect in its nature and infinite in its dura tion hereafter. Now this is a principle of the soundest experi mental philosophy, and what is of more importance, it is a prin ciple of Divine Revelation. And if it be the case, that the true interests of individuals and c'ornmunities are exclusively dependent upon the practical application of this principle, then are we entitled to assume that the Government of a nation will diffuse the greatest amount of happiness amongst the greatest amount of population, by instituting and maintaining a provi sion for the instruction of its subjects in their duty to God, suf ficient for their p,reshit, and expanding with their future neces sities. In other Word's; we regard it as the first duty of the state to institute, aad the paramount duty of the state to maintain a national chnrch for the religious instruction of the people, and national schools for the intellectual and religious education of their cicildren. We, therefore, adhere cordially and devotedly to the Church of Scotland, whose parochial machinery—its mi nisters, elders, deacons, and schoolmasters—we have seen to be entirely fitted to the religious, moral, and intellectual wants of a people; and we have pledged ourselves to promote, to the utmost of our power, its extension and adaptation to the rapidly increasing necessity of the country. We plead then, with our rulers, that prior to all farther poli tical reforms, they shall begin with a moral reformation. We presume to tell them, that so long as they are prosecuting poli tical. to the neglect of moral reforms, they are applying their remedies to the wrong end of the evil—they are attempting to sweeten the stream, while the fountain is impregnated with deadliest poison. Let them once convincelhe working-classes that their circumstances are to be ameliorated by a succession of political changes, and they will sow the wind to reap the wliirlwind. If they are desirous—and we are sure they are—to preserve the state, and promote the welfare of the community, let them invigorate the institutions that once exereised a moral influence upon the national mind, which rendered the people of Scotland the best conditioned in- the world. The institutions remain; but the overgrowth of the population has left them stunted and dwarfed. " Stands Scotland where she did ?" I,Vhileour rulers are urging forward political measures in rapid succession, let them pause for a moment, and turn their eyes to the social disorganization of a large proportion of the working classes of Glasgow; and let them ask themselves if their laws will ever make a people moral, or contented, or free ? They will find a ready answer in the conduct of individuals who are poli tical reformers to a man, and who, while clamouring loud and long for political freedom, were themselves swaying a despot ism over their fellow-men as dismal and atrocious a tyranny ever devised. Statesmen may give us charters and re-model our constitution, and legislators may swell the statute-book with enactments but what are these to a depraved state of society? Let statesmen and legislators unite in providing the country with the means of elevating, the moral and economical princi ples of the working classes, and they will strike at the root of the evil they seek to remedy. Let them furnish us wit h • the means a making virtuous and intelligent nAn, and we shall re pay the boon with orderly and contented citizens. Next to our religious and educstional establishments, we value the British constitution, with which they are inseparably con nected : and while we deprecate all changes which should tend to weaken the influence of any one of the constituent branches of the legislature, we are desirous to see every judicious amend ment introduced into the various departments of administra lion. We dissent from the advocates of an extension of the suffrage, although we might ourselves be invested with the political franh chise, to' . the event of such a measure being carried. But the introduction of even a ten pound qualification. according to the admission of its promoters, verged to a perilous extent on the vital principles of the constitution; and while we are in clined to believe that the franchise is in safe keeping, and that the constituency will generally exereisetheir privilege with pru dence and caution, we are persuaded that it. would be dangerous in the extreme to make any further reduction of the qualifica tion. For ourselves, we are not indiff erent to so i mportant a political trust; but instead of endeavouring, to bring the fran chise down to our own level, ttshall be our study rather to ele vate ourselves to the level of the franchise. And when we attain that elevation, we shall nether be afrail nor ashamed to tender our votes fur the church anti the constitution, without entrenching ourselves in the cowardly retre a t o f th e b a ll ot. These are some of the principles on which we were associated, and we invite' the workmen of Glasgow who think and feel in common with us, to make the same sacrifices with ourse l ves, and unite with us in disseminating them among the working classes. We would infinitely prefer the retirement of dome s ti c life to the destruction and excitement of political discu ss i on ; and we yield only to a strong sense of duty, when we come be fore the public to assert our opinions, and to seek to promulgate them. But our interests are identified with the maintenance of our institutions; and we shall do our best to preserve them. Humble as is our position in society, we feel that we are the descendants of great ancestors. and the legatees of great privi leges—an.l let burning shame descend upon the men of this ge tmration, if they shrink from the defence of the sacred and civil institutions, which have been bequeathed to them by patriots and martyrs, as their dearest birthright. WILLIAM KEDDtE, Secretary. Lord Brougham still calls Lord Glenelg his noble frit nd ; but it must be admitted, uses him in the same breath- roost ignobly. The late Bishop of Sndor and Man was the Right, Rev. W. Ward. D. D., prebendary, Salisbury. and rector pi Great Horkesley, Essex. He sm•ceeded the present Bishop of Ro chester, in 1837, who had filled the see from 1813. - ~f - ~LL~ it.ll TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. n E.LIVER The first quarterly meeting of the council was held on Wed nesday. ' The Deputy Town Clerk opened the proceedings by reading over the minutes of the last meeting. '{'_. '. FINANCE COMMITTEE. A further letter had been received fit:rn Mr. Samuel Knipe, stating that the council bad misunderstood the purport of nis former letter. Resolved—That it be refereed to the Town Cletk to report. Several communications were received from shipwrights, ac quiescing, in the determination of the council not to adhere to the higher rents for shipwrights yards f9rmerly resolved on by them, but to accept a lower rate of rent. Mt. Councillor PLATT wished to know bow many of the shipwrights had acceeded to the reduction? Mr. Councillor WALLACE Cu att LE said they had received an answer from one of the shipwrights, accepting and thanking them for the reduction made ; and the reason they had not more communications was because the 'reduction had to be confirmed by the council. Mr. Councillor PLATT begged to state that the shipwrights generally thought the present state of rents too high. He be lieved it had been proved that the shipwrights' business was a trade by which they could out live. He was not advocating their cause, but was very surly for them. The shipwrights of other parts had greater advantages than they had in Liverpool. He thought the shipwrights ought to be encouraged. 'They were a liberal corporation, and they ought to be liberal to the shipwrights. He considered the business of the shipwrights as absolutely the cradle in which thebusiness and the prosperity of the town had been cradled ; and when they considered the thousands that were supported by this business, he thought it ought to to encouraged. He begged to state that the ship. wrights as a body would be exceedingly thankful. He thought it only fair that they should. be so treated that they could com pete with the outports. What would be. the consequence if the shipwrights were driven in some measure away ? When there was a pressure of old business for repairs, they would not be able get workmen for repairs. He was willing to admit that the shipwrights had been uureassinable as to wages; but when they considered the risks they run of losing their tools in the docks, 4s. Gd. a day was not too much. He advocated his na tive town generally, not the cause of the shipwrights. The MAYou—Do you . wish to refer that part of the report of the finance committee back for their consideration ? Mr. Councillor PLAT'. begged to move that that part of the proceedings of the finance committee be referred back to their consideration. Mr. Councillor CooPEn seconded the motion. Mr. Councillor Cutt HLE said be was an advocate for his na tive town, and for the shipwrights as a component part of the town as much as his excellent. colleague, Mr. Platt. He had given a reason why answers had not been further received from' the shipwrights, because they very properly thought that the reduction proposed required the confirmation of the council. A part of the shipwrights had accepted the terms proposed, and oue of them who was one of the deputies had pleaded the cause of the shipwrights most ably. He thought the council would agree With him to wait and see what was the effect of the pro posed reduction. Mr. Councillor PLATT said, under these circumstances I shall withdraw my motion. The finance committee proceedings were then confirmed. The proceedings of the leases and improvement committee were then confirmed. WATCH COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS. The opinion of the town clerk was read on several questions proposed to him. Amongst others, he was of opinion that any member of the council not a member of a committee had no right to demand to take extracts of the proceedings of such committee without the sanction of such committee. Resolved that the four senior collectors should have £36. each presented to them as a gratuity for their zeal in collecting the rates, and that the two junior collectors should each have £3O. presented to them. It was stated that through the exertions of Mr. Capes Ashlin £9. 13s. per cent additional on the whole amount of'the rates, or £4500. had been collected, b e i ng an increase of about £l5OO. on the lighting, and £3OOO. on the sewerage rates. A vacancy was announced in the office of beadle, the last beadle having died. The M A you stated that he had received information from the coroner stating that a beadle should he appointed to summon juries, and he had therefore sent to the watch committee a communication to recommend stone person to act till the wish of the council shOuld be known. The watch committee recom mended Archibald Balfour as a fit person to fill the situation. The Mayor then read a letter from Balfour stating that hitherto he had only received policeman's wages, but he would be quite satisfied with £BO. per annum salary. Several recommenda tions were also inclosed. The Mayor also read applications for the appointment from a perso❑ named Thomas Lyon and from other two individuals. He had put the whole question before the council, and he awaited their pleasure to confirm or not the recommendation of the finance committee to confirm the ap pointment. After a short discussion the appointment of the watch com mittee was confirmed. The proceedings of the Market Committee and Town-hall Committee were then confirmed. CUSTOM-HOUSE COMMITT EE. The deputy TOWN-CLERK read the repurt of the architect as to the expense of erecting the new Revenue Buildings, and the causes which had conduced to the expense exceeding the or►gi nal estimate, as follows: ._ _ That as respected the completion of the buildings. he begged to submit the following as a statement ot the probable amounts of the several works required to be done, and which it would be his study to endeavour not to exceed:—;Masonry, £1593 18s; Brick-work. £lll9 18s. ; Joiners awl pafilenters, £2112 19c. hid; Painting , £215 IRs. Id ; Plumbing . and Glazing, £9BO lOs ' • Iron-work, £1735 I3s. 3d; .Plastering, £1215 I s . 1 0d ; Labourers' work, £260; Measurtug,./350; Contingencietats percent, £-121.45; !mak LSB452s. 4d. The paving and flagging of the area of Canning-place w a s being executed by the Commissioners of paving, &c., according to an arrangement between the Council's committee and them, and he believed the following were the proportions of the ex pense to which each party was liable: —Corporat ion, £2903 183 ; Commissioners, I:1309 2s ; total, £4903. . _ The amount. of the Corporation's proportion arose from the followinitudditions to the width of the streets round the budding viz.:—North side, 10% yards; south side, 81; east cud, 16k ; west end. 161. He then gave a summary of the foregoing statement, as fol lows.— Cost of the revenue buildings to the 31st October, 1837, £219,366 4s. 6d ; probable cost of completing revenue £:;:=15 3s. 44; Corporation proportion of paving and flag ging, ' 18s; total, £231,115 ss. 1.01. Expenselof foundation, as executed in stone forty-two feet deep. £64,307 ISs. 84; deduct estimated cost in brick and stone, £13.607 7s. 6d, which gives for expense of foundation, £50,700 41s. 2'l; cost of measurement not included in the original esti mate, the same being done by the surveyors assistant, £456 8c1; total, £51,156115. Cost of buildings, exclusive of extra depth of foundation, £172,958 14s; original estimate, £175,188 6s. ; excess £4070 7s. sd. This excess was said to have arisen from circumstances which were nut foreseen, (the necessity to change the nature of the foundationg,) and not in the works connected with th 6 build ings above the depth of the foundations originally content plated, and vrhich did not exceed 'the amount to u greater ex tent than could have been expected In works of so great mag nitude. It was resolved that there be a sufficient watch set by night and day at the revenue buildings, to prevent the injury and nuis ances which are there committed; and that four watchmen be appointed by night and day. Mr. Alderman Boont would now move that the council me morialize the Lords of the Treasury to remove the Stamp-office to the Custom-house. He thought it would conduce much to the convenience of the public to concentrate all the revenue offices in that building. Besides there was another reason; in the act of parliament for the building of the custom-house there was an express provision fur the removal of the Stamp office to the Custom-honse; and on the faith of that act the money was lent for the building. Mr. Councillor JORDAN seconded the motion. The majority of persons requiring stamps had offices in the neighbourhood of the Custom-house. The motion was put and carried unanivasitsly. The mayor to write a letter to the Lords of the Treasury. The proceedings of the committe.: for the pecuniary affairs of the churches, were then confirmed. BOROUGH COURT, AND COURT OF REQUILSTS COSIIIIITTEE. The 'rowN-Cr.s.ux read the report of this committee, which was confirmed. " That the committee have found it expedient to remove for misbehaviour, two officers of the Court of Reques', one a bailiff of the court, and the other a summons clerk—these removals "That being the committee have duly con s id ere d th e special refer subject to the confirmation o f th e counci l. ence made to them upon the report of the f ormer c o mmittee, and have proceeded thereon ; but that they are not yet prepared to report upon an alteration in the constitution of the Court of Requests. " That with reference to any such alteration, and also with respect to the great alteration in the law contemplated by the bill before parliament for the abolition of imprisonment for debt, it may be necessary to petition parliament for leave to bring in a bill as to the Court of Requests. "That this bill for!the abolition of imprisonment for debt may also make it incumbent on the council, in due regard to the in terests of the public, to bring the Borough Court hetbre par liament, in order to obtain for its judgment the extent of power against property of debtors, proposed. by the bill before par liament, to be given to the superior court in lieu of imprison ment. " That the committee are advised that circumstances render the present a favourable period for obtaining from the legisla ture other important improvements in the powers and jurisdic tionof the Borough Court. "That under all ciremnstatices,, the committe recommend that they should be empowered to take the requisite measures in the present session by petitioning for bills ; but the committee would wish to bring the subject fully and forcibly before the council prior to any more expensive proceedings. " That the measure proposed would be attended with an ex pense not exceeding Ea)." DOCK COMMITTEE runcIEDINGS. Resolved,—that owing to the great space occupied by vessels navigated by steam, the a►nount of tonnage paid by them is nut sufficient. Resolved, therefore, that a larger amount of. tonnage be charged, or that they be measured different from sailing vessels, in order to afford adequate payment. fur the room required by them. The committee reported that the Formby light had parted from her anchors on Sunday last, during the severe gale; re solved, that proper anchors be provided. Resolved,—that information be obtained as to the use of the bell, at the bell-ligbt. The report of John Jones, the superintendent of the light ship, as to the' damage done to the vessel by the American packet ship Independence, Proceeding confirmed. GAOL COMMUTEE. _ The TOWN-CLERK then read the report of the gaol committee to the effect, "That the surveyor had, since the last report, furnished them with a second report on the subject of a Hospital fur the Ga o l, on a scale to accommodate 16 males and females, and his estimate %vas within the limit before stated. They had also with his as sistance, made some alterations in the plan as to the first in tended sites of the new buildings, and . h a d directed hi m to l ay before the Council the plan approved by them. The committee strongly urged the necessity of immediately authurising the ex penditure for the improvements iu the present prison. Respect ing the appointment of officers, the committee had proceeded in accordance with the resolution of the Council of 22d of No vember last, referring the appointments to them (the com mittee.) The committee hail se.ected for recommendation to the Council, the Rev. Dr. But ks. to the office of chaplain of the prison, in place of the Rev. .1. Winstanley, deceased, to hold his office in manner provided by the General Gaol Act, of 4 Geo. IV. cap. 61, at the salary £l5O per annum. together with .1:50 per annum in lieu of a house, the latter allowance to. cease as a house is provided; he to hold uo oilier offi c e or ap pointment whatever: subject also to the terms recommended by the trustees, and approved by the Council on the - 22nd No%ein- L :k...;TA N DAR D. .1 tier last, viz. that the chaplain shall Vi,te the whole of his, time and attention to the prisoners in fieblic and private, as may be most advantageous to them', and esimeially in case the system of separate confinement as contemplated by the Secre tary of State he carried into effect, the chaplain shall iego larly visit in their cells, such prisoners as do not object to his assistance in consequence of religious scruples, to afford them religious and moral instruction. The committee further re commended Mr. John Ward Ramsdell as a schoolmaster at the Borough Prison, to hold his office during the pleasure of the Council, at a salary of £BO. The committee further recom mended Mrs. kleleu Norris as a schoolmistress for the Borough Prison, at a salary of £4O per annum, residence in the prison, and the same allowance as the female turnkeys, or with a fur ther pecuniary allowance instead of residence until the same could be provided. The committee had entered into contracts with Mr. William Aldersev, baker, and Mrs. Close, butcher, for supplying the prison with bread, meal, and butcher's meat, for the current year. They had effected these contracts after publicly advertising for tenders , and the prices at which they had contracted, would enablethem at the end of the year, to show a diminution in the prison expenditure in these articles. 'the court of trustees and the committee recommended to the Council, that a vote of thanks should be passed to the Rev. George Stokes, for his zealous conduct during the ten months he had acted as officiating chaplain at the prison, and that the pecuniary remuneration for his services should be the sum of £2OO, being the amount of one year's salary now attached to the office of chaplain." The proceedings were then confirmed. The MAYOR said he might perhaps take that opportunity of correcting an erroneous impression respecting the conduct of the gaoler, who was accused of harshness to the debtors. In conformity with the resolutions of the 9th of Dec. last, the gaol .had been put under new regulations, and the debtors had acqui esced in the propriety of it. Formerly the debtors jail had been a disgraceful and immoral place. Ile believed that the bench of magistrates weae of opinion that though the governor acted with great firmness, he had acted with great humanity. SAILOR'S HOME. The MAYOR read the following communication from Mr. James Aiken. "To the Mayor, Aldermen, &c, "Gentlemen,—Among the various improvements which so happily distinguish the present age, and particularly the town of Liverpool, there is, perhaps, no class for whom so much might be done, and for whom so little has been attempted, as for Bri tish seamen. There is no class more useful, none so friendless, who earn their wages with so much hardship, and spend them with so little benefit. " With the view to improve their character and condition, a meeting of merchants, shipowners, and others interested in their welfare, was lately convened at the Underwriter's Room, when the resolutions herewith, were adopted unanimously, and a Provincial Committee appointed to carry those resolutions into effect. The Committee so appointed deem it their first duty to apply to the Town Council for aid and co-operation in this important work, and they do so with the greater confidence, impressed strongly with the belief that the protection of the sailor will operate naateriall), in the prevention of crime. We abstain from entering into particulars here, but ate prepared to shew that the instances of detection bear no pro portion to the daily and hourly occurrence of the crime of plun dering seamen, the means thus obtained, sustaining a vast num ber of the worst characters, and producing effects most demo raiiziug and prejudicial to the good government of the town. "To mitigate the evil it is proposed to erect a building, where a large number of those seamen who choose to avail themselves of it, may be accommodated with board and lodging, and medi cal advice, at a moderate charge, their characters be registered, and where they may safely place their effects and money, which may be drawn out as re•luired, interest being allowed on the deposit, so that they may enjoy all the benefits resulting from a saving bank. When the sailor thus finds a value attached . to his moral worth, and the fruits of his labour secured, it is confidently ex pected that his habits will improve, and that those possessing characters at such an establishment for seamanship, sobriety, and good conduct, will meet a preference in the best employ, and thus create a distinction between the bad, good, and indif ferent, a point in which the shipowners and seamen are deeply interested; and that the objections which may at first be raised will soon give way, when the advantages to be derived become apparent. .‘ We are aware that the power of the Council to grant pecu niary aid is limited, and do not ask it, being confident of raising a sum sufficient for erecting and fitting-up a building by au appeal .to the public. The object we have in addressing you is, to solicit a grant of a piece of Corporation ground, on which to elect the building, to consult as to its site, and as to the ar rangements proposed, and we beg that your Finance Com mittee, or a Committee appointed for the purpose, will receive a deputation from us for the further consideration of the subject. (Signed) "JAMES AIKEN, " Chairman of the Provisional Committee." The resolutions referred to were as follows: " At a highly respectable meeting of the merchants and ship owners, held at the Underwriters' Committee Room, on Friday, the 22d instant, at two o'clock, for the purpose of considering the expediency of establishing a Sailors' Home in Liverpool : " John Cropper, jun., Esq., being called to the chair, the following resolutions were unanimously carried:— " Moved by George Grant, Esq., seconded by James Tyrer, Esq.,—that it is desirable to establish in Liverpool a Sailors' Florae, where seamen may be provided with board and lodgings at a moderate charge, where they may find protection from the present system of extortion to which they . are exposed, and where means may be taken for improving their moral condition. " Moved by James Aiken, Esq., seconded by Samuel Job, Esq.,—that a provisional committee be now appointed, to con sist of sixteen gentlemen, with leave to add to their number, together with a treasurer and secretary; five ma4mbers to form a quorum, who shall obtain information as to the probable ex penses of a building and establishment for a Sailors' Home, use their influence and exertion to obtain donations and subscrip tions, form a code of laws, and make a full report at a general public meeting,c to be called as soon as practicable. " The following gentlemen were then appointed on the com• mittee :—Sir John Salusbury, John Cropper, jun., Esq.; Henry Sandbar h, Esq.; Edward Cropper, Esq.; George Grant, Esq.; Adam Hodgson, Esq.; L. Heyworth, jun.. Esq.; Thomas Smith, Esq.; James Arkin, Esq.; Samuel Job, Esq.; John Lewis Phipps, Esq.; H. C. Chapman, Esq.; Richard Harbord, Esq. ; John Clint, Esq.; Joshua Edwards, Esq.; James Tyrer, Esq. " Charles Cutesworth; Esq., Treasurer. " Wm. John Tomlinson, Secretary, pro tem." The MA YOR said, perhaps the council would think it desirable to refer to the finance committee. The letter was then referred. • The TOWN-cr.Eux said, it would be understood that there would be the same legal difficulty as to a grant of land as to the grant of money, and which made it necessary at the last session to obtain powers, in their local act, to grant land to St George Hall and the Mechanics' Institution. Mr. Councillor EA RLE—fitri;4the act include powers of making grants for other public buildings? He thought there was a clause to that effect. The TOWN -CLERK said, he would examine the act: he had an impression that Mr. Earle was right. Referred to the committee. The MAYOR said the next was a letter from the Earl of Derby, stating that he had just received the petition, for the total abo lition of slavery, from the Liverpool Town Council, but as it might be some time betore be should again be in London, and have an opportunity of presenting it, he thought it better to re.. turn it. Mr. Councillor BLACKBURN begged to move that Lord Brougham present the petition. Mr..JoaDAN seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried. The MAYOR said he had received a letter from Lord Sandon, acknowledging the receipt of the petition of the council against slavery, and stating that he would take the earliest occasion of presenting it. He had also received a letter from Mr. Cress well, stating that a professional engagement had called him to Manchester, but if his colleague had not presented the petition he would take care that it should be presented on Thursday (yesterday.) A communication was read from the Churchwardens of St. Thomas's Church, requesting the council to refund the sum of £4O, given for certain seats for the ministers of St. Thomas's Church, which had been destroyed by the late alterations in the church.—Referred to the Finance Committee. A communication was read from the churchwardens of St. Michael's Church, respecting the erection of a gallery for the children of the churcfi.—Referred to the Finance Committee to communicate with the Church Expenditure Committee, as to the expediency of such a measure. The TOWN-CLERK said he was directed by the Chairman of the Borough Court and Court of Requests Committee to state that they would proceed immediately to fill up the vacancies of the two officers dismissed. THE POSTOFFITE, The MAYOR then called on Mr. Ramsden to bring forward his motion on the Postoffice, of which he had given notice. Mr. RAMSDEN then rose, pursuant to his notice, to bring for ward his motion on this subject. He commenced by reading an extract from the report of the commissioners appointed to in quire into the Postoffice, to the effect that facilities of delivery, cheapness, safety, and quickness, were the ends required in a postoffice. In asking the council to agree to his motion, he did not intend that they should pledge themselves to any particular opinions on the question, which he intended to leave an open one for the consideration of the committee whom he should have the honour to propose. He did not think that the Postoffice of Liverpool should be the only establishment unrefonned in this town. They, had made great reforms in their law courts, to the advantage of the public at large—the offices filled by the mayor, the town-clerk, and other public officers of the town-council. bad all been reformed, and, therefore, he did not see why they should not enter into the question of Postoffice reform. also. It was very true the Postoffice was not under their immediate control, but that council could use its great influence, which was very great, in the correction of evils of which he complained, and find some remedy for them; and the evils in the Postoffice system were great he hoped he should be able to convince the council before he sat down. Much had been said respecting the private boxes, but he should enter into that as little as possible. If he had the honour of serving on the committee of which he should move the appointment, he would go into the committee unprejudiced, and inquire whether they were requisite or not with an unbiased mind; but if they were found to be necessary, he did think that the Pustoffice ought to give the accommodation without expense, for he did not see why the town of Liverpool should be taxed £2OOO per annum for mere private emolument. If they were necessary, and the committee to he appointed thought they were, he did think that the public should be re lieved from the tax of £2OOO a-year ; bat as he had before re marked, he would say hut little on that part of the subject, for . he knew it was touching part of the question. One of his principal oijects in bringing that question before the council was, to do away with the necessity of sending young men to the Postoffice,. which occasioned great destruction of principle. They all knew the danger to young men when first brought into their counting-houses, in being . put to keep "petty cash," and " Postoffice cash," and in being compelled to idle away their time an hour or two every day in waiting for the opening of the Postoffice. They there gained acquaintances which they ought never to make, and made arrangonents for passing their even ings which ought to be passed in the domestic circle. All com mercial men knew that they frequently had young men whose principles were good when they left their parents, and who, being intrusted with the Postoffice cash, made bad acquain tances and were led astray. But that was not the only evil of the present system. At the Postoffice crowds were assembled every day which were a disgrace to the town; it was in fact so large, and increasing as the town increased, and would continue to increase, that if a reform were not effected the evil would become so intolerable as to force public attention to it. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.'.') The crowd was daily so great as to require the police to keep it in order, and he would ask any one there if they went fur their letters whether they could approach the office to receive them within less than a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, and running great risk of having their dress so discomposed as not to be fit to appear in the public street. the had gone for his letters and been obliged to watt a consider able time, and he thought such a state of things ought not to exist. Ile would suggest a simple plan to remedy•this evil, which, at the present time, was undigested in his own. mind. His plan was to increase the number of, wards, and make a re ceiving house in every wind. that is, sixteen receiving houses. He would have one or more letter carriers attached to each, and three mail carts to go with the bags at stated times front the central Postoffice, one to the north, another to the south, and One to the centre of the town, for the purpose of taking and re ceiving the bags containing all letters deposited in the Postoffice or receiving houses during their absence. It might be said that he was creating sixteen Postoffices in the towu— Mr. Councillor I3A tict.Av here rose, and suggested to Mr. Ramsdell the propriety of r e serving these details for the com mittee. Mr. Rainsflen had declared that he did not mean to press the council to- anything hut the appointment at a com mittee, before whom these remarks would be much better made, and he submitted to Mr. Ramsden the propriety of reserving them for that committee. He merely suggested this to Mr. Ramsden for his consideration, to go on or not as he thought proper. Mr. Councillor RAMSDEN had no objection to do so, if it were the opinion of the council that he ought to reserve them for the committee; but, for himself, he thought the subject of so much importance to the public at large, who really did not understand the question, that he begged to differ with Mr. Barclay. He thought he ought in some degree to develope the plan of Mr. Rowland Hill for postoffice reform. (Cries of "Go on, go cn.") The MAYOR observed that Mr. Ramsden was already in pos session of the chair, and must use bis own discretion. •M r. Councillor R3msden continued. They had a population in each ward of from 10,000 to 15.000 individuals, who ought to have this convenience, though it might be called a number of postoffices. He thought it possible that four wards in the neigh bourhood of the Postoffice might not require to be visited by the carts. but tbete were twelve that ought to be consulted; and they had no right to think of the increased expense, because that ought to be borne by the Postoffice, which received quite sufficient from the public to enable them to afford the required additional accommodation. He would not say more on the local Postrace'reforin, but proceed at once to notice M.T.11. H ill's plan, 4.n which he could not consent to be brief, because he believed it was not fully known by the public at large and by that council; few, indeed, that he had spoken with on the subject were really acquainted with it. He had been anxious that it should be brought before the council by some gentleman of more influence than himself, and therefore he had sent it to the Reform Com mittee, desiring that it might be entrusted to some influential member; but it had not so been taker. up, and he therefore felt it his-duty to bring it forward, and he now introduced it because he believed it was not really understood by the public and by that council. Petitions had already been presented to the House of Lords on the subject by the London merchants and Bankers, in which they stated— " That it is of high importance tathe success of the commerce, manufactures, and agriculture of this country, and to the pro motion of civilization in every form, that communication by post should be swift, certain and cheap. " That although such communication is now generally certain, vet owing to the frequency of transmission, and to the slowness ofdelivery, it is not so swift as it readily might be, and it is not cheap. "That these great evils of slowness and darkness are not pro ductive of any advantage to the revenue sufficient to counter balance their injurious effects. "That as regards the latter evil in particular, your petitioners are decidedly of opinion that the dearness of postage, instead of being beneficial to the revenue, is positively injurious to it, owing to the great amount of illicit carriage of letters under the present system, and to the great extent to which communication is altogether prevented. "That so powerful have been the causes acting against the Postoffice revenue, the chief of which being the high rate of postage, that during the last twenty years, whilst population has increased one-third, and education and commerce in a greater ratio, the receipts from the Postoffice have not increased at all." Signatures—the lord mayor, bankers, merchants, &c. That petition was presented by Lord Ashburton, better known as Mr. Baring, by whom it was warmly supported. The peti tion, he (Lord Ashburton) remarked, was on the subject of the Post-office, a most important subject, yet one much neglected ; the present rates of postage disturbed social life, and strewed impediments in the way of science • he considered a tax on the transmission of letters, where ca rr ied to the extent it was in this country, to be mffst ill judged and pernicious. The system re quired thorough reconsideration, and an entire reform. He re commended a pamphlet to particular perusal, written by Mr. Rowland Hill; thatpamphlet confirmed his impression that the grievances complained of might be remedied without asacrifice of the revenue. The remedies suggested by that gentleman were-Ist, A great reduction of.charges; 2d, The payment of charges in advance ; 3d, The equalization of the rate of charging. The expense of a Post-office establishment was the same whether the letters were conveyed twenty miles or two hundred miles, the only difference caused by distance being the simple expense of conveyance; and Mr. Hill, in his tianaphlet, had shown that the expense of carrying a letter to Edinburgh amounted only to a &nail fraction of a farthing. It was, there fore, an injustice to' persons in distant towns to impose on them the present charges. Mr. Hill proposed that no payment should be made at the Post-office, but that covers or stamped envelopes should be purchased to carry the letters free. Mr. Hirt calcu lated that a penny for a letter not weighing more than one ounce would prove sufficient. The government ought to give the matter their consideration, if it were only from the fact that the revenue was iujuriously affected by the present system. Lord Ashburton further observed, that whilst the consumption of soap had increased one-third in the same time, tea one-half, silk goods doubled, coffee more than tripled, cotton goods four fold in twenty years. yet the Post-office, in 1815, was £1,557,291, and in 1835 £1,540,300, being a small decrease of net t revenue, instead of a large increase during the same period. Another in stance Mr. Hill brings forward, which is very striking, the stage coach duty was in 1815 £1,557,221, and in 1835 was £4.550,000, being an increase in 20 years of £2,000,000, whilst no increase whatever, but the contrary has taken place in the Post-office revenue. If it be granted, then, that the demand for the con veyance of letter s h as increased during the last twenty years in the same ratio as that for the conveyance of persons and parcels, which can scarcely be doubted, it follows inevitably, that. front some cause or other, there is in effect a loss in the Post-office revenue of two millions. In France, where the rates of postage are not so exorbitant as in this country, the gross receipts are said to have increased from nearly £960,000 in 1821, to £1,480,000 in 1835, or 54 per cent. in fourteen years. The loss of the revenue is, however, far from being the most serious of the injuries inflicted on society by the high rates of postage. When it is considered how much the religious, moral, and intellectual progress of the people would be accelerated by the unobstructed circulation ut letters, and of the many cheap and excellent publications or the present day, the post-otlice assumes the new and important character of a powerful engine of civilization, capable of performing a distiugnished part in the great work of national education, but rendered feeble and ineffi cient by erroneous financial arrangements. In addition to the increased correspondence, which, from the causes already stat ed, would arise, it must be carefully borne in mind, that this species of communication would be made accessible to new classes, and those very numerous ones—domestic servants for instance, who constitute one of the most numerous classes of labourers, are, in general, so tar removed from their friends, as to have little opportunity of personal communication, and when to this we add, the separation occasioned by marriage, appren ticeship, the necessity of seeking employment, going to school, &c., we shall probably come to the conclusion, that there arc few families to be found throughout the country, and more espe cially in the manufacturing districts, without some member, or at least some relative, being so circumstanced as to create a desire for communication by letter. Mr. Hill alludes parti cularly to our respected townsman Mr. Thornely, the member for Wolverharimton, who stated to him, that at the Wolver hampton post-office, he was surprised to learn what a large number of letters were detained for poor people, until they can raise the postage. The letter-carriers offer them in the first in stance, and then they remain in the post-office perhaps two or three weeks, until the postage can be raised. There were, too, in this town, a class who had no means, from their poverty, of communicating with their friends—a class forming a popula tiou of from 507000 to 60,000 natives of Ireland, who, to 'com municate with their friends, must incur an expense of fifteen pence, when, probably, their wages were not more than 4s. or ss. a week; for the sake, therefore, of those 50,000 or 60,000 emigrants alone, he would advocate reforms which he, then stood up to urge upon their attention. tie could also go on and call their attention to what had been stated by llr. Porter, of the statistical department of the Board of Trade, who said,— that, in the present and future condition of society in this coun try, post communication may be placed amongst the wants of the poor, but it is a want which now must, for the most part, be left ungratified. He says," The opportunities which I have of procuring ('ranks, enable me to contribute towards keeping alive feelings of kindness and affection on the part of separated rela tives, which might otherwise becorrin blunted or obliterated by disuse. May we not presume that many young persons of both sexes, who are continually drawn to this metropolis from distant parts of the kingdom, and are thenceforth cut off from commu nication with their early guardians might, under different cir cumstances, be kept from entering upon vicious courses, to which the temptations are so great, and against which the re straints in their case are so few. He says further, facts have come to my knowledge tending to show, that but for the high rate of pilotage, many a letter would be written, and many a heart gladdened too, where the revenue and feelings of friends now suffer alike. In one instance with which I became ac quainted, a brother and sister had suspended intercourse for nearly thirty years—that they were deterred solely by considera tions of expense is proved by the fact, that on franks 'tieing given to them by an M.P., a frequent interchange of letters was the immediate consequence." The distribution of the Penny Ma gazine is an incontrovertible proof of how much postage may be reduced. The Magazine is sent to every part of the kingdom, and in considerable towns is distributed at the houses of the subscribers; but the penny charged for the Magazine includes not only the cost of distribution, but the cost.of eight large pages of letter-press and wood-cuts, and yet it is well known that the undertaking is a profitable one. In the neighbour hood of Bir mingham, to a distance of twelve or thirteen miles, the carriers are in the constant habit of conveying letters which they deliver at one penny each. It is very improbable that the carriers have any well-organized system of distribution, or course, therefore„ they must be paid something for the risk of breaking the law. Yet from the open manner in which they proceed, the risk may just lie as g reat. It is the opinion of a highly respectable mer chant andm inufacturer of Birmingham, that the number of letters distributed by these means very greatly exceeds, in his opinion, the number sent by the post. Mr. Hill goes on to say, that with respect to contraband conveyance it is beyond all doubt that it is carried on to a grea t ex t e nt. It is well known that in many parts of the country vast numbers are every day forwarded by carriers and -coach-proprietors. Not long ago a seizure took place in a carrier's warehouse of a bag con taining twelve nundred—ahnost all parcels, especially sueli as are sent at stated tittles, contain letters, and not uufrequently large packets are sent by coach, consisting of letters alone. Mr. Hill then says, " That fortunately this is not a party ques tion; men of eminence in each political party having expressed themselves favourable to great changes—shch as the Duke of Richmond, Earl Spencer, and Lord Ashburton, in the House of Lords; and Lord Lowther, Mr. Hume, Mr. Wallace, Mr. Warburton, and many others of the House of Commons, have declared themselves in favour of extensive reforms. The object in this proposed reform is not to increase the political power of this 'or that party, but to benefit all sects in politics and religion, and all classes from the highest to the lowest. To the rich, as to the least wealthy, it will be acceptable, from the increased facilities it will afford for their correspondence. To the tniddle classes it will bring relief from oppressive and irritating de mands, which - they pay grudgingly, and which they will censider intolerable when they are told that nearly the whole charge is a tax ; and, as has been before expressed, to the poor it will afford the means of communication with their distant friends and rela tives, from which they are at present debarred. It will give increased energy to trade;' it will remove innumerable tempta tions to fraud ; and it will be an important step to general edu cation, the more important, perhaps, because it callson govern ment,' still less of compulsion, but merely for the removal of an obstacl e crea t e d by the law to that spontaneous education which happily is extending through the country, and which even the op ponents of a national system will agree ought to be unobstructed in its progress." He trusted he had said enough to convince the council of the necessity of inquiring into the Post -office system, not only local but general, and he did trust, as he should con clude with a motiou in general terms, pledging no gentleman In any particular line of conduct, that the committee for which he asked would be appointed The plan of Mr. Hill was this : "That the mere carriage of a letter to the most distant place costs only the fractionof a farthing, and the management and expenses of the Footrace added, makes the postage of a letter to cost not more than Id. to 12. That the expenses of Post-office manage ment may be materially reduced by the Stamp-office issuing stamped envelopes, at Id for each letter,. as letters not having Ft BRUARY 9, 1538. the postage to collect may be delivered with so much facility, thattin Lombard-street 570 have been delivered in half an hour, whilst it took an hour and a half to deliver 67 letters, when the postage was collected at the time of delivery—or two minutes far each letter. This saving of time would allow the present Post-o ffi ce establishment to do a much larger business, therefore an increase of business would not bring any in cr e as e of expense, and therefore all increase of business would be clear profit to the revenue. His calculation was that the increase of businesii would be fourfold, thereby making the same revenue to the government as it' received at present. The revenue, in the yeas 1815, was £1,557,291, and in the year 1835, not more than £1,540,:300, being a small amount less than twenty years ago. With these general remarks he should conclude, as- he was merely moving for a committee of inquiry. A great number of public bodies had taken up the question, amongst whom were the common council of Loudon, the chambers of commerce of Edinburgh, Dundee, and Hull, and by the common council of Aberdeen, and many other important bodies; and he hoped therefore that the committee would be appoited. To secure unanimity he had in some measure changes his motion, and be now simply moved, that a committee should be appointed to inquire into the postotfice system, local as well as general. It pledged no gentleman to any opinion, and if he had the honour to be appointed, he would go into the inquiry without any pre judice whatever. Mr. JOHN SMITH rose to order. He thought it was not its order for a gentleman to give notice of one motion and bring forward another. The Ms-roa said if the motion were to the effect of the notice it was quite in order. Mr. EARLE said the difficulty could easily be got rid of by movint , the present mo ti on as an amen d men t on th a t f or w hich notice had been given. The Nlayou said that they were not bound by the mere words of the motion, and that, he believed, was the usual course in another place. (We understood him to allude to the House of Commons.) Mr. Councillor BRIGHT thought it was necessary to give no tice of a motion for quarterly meetings; Mr. Ramsden need not, therefore, confine hiinselfto the notice. The TOWN-CLERK said, as to the question of notice, if it were given in terms so particular as to put them on their guard it was quite sufficient. The MAYOR said the question, as now proposed, was for the appointment of a committee to inquire into the post-office sys tem, local as well as general. Mr. BARCLAY seconded the motion in a brief speech. Mr. EARLE thought it was as well that the question was re ferred to a committee, but regarding the heavy rate of postage in this country,. he did not see why they should not immediately memorialise the government. The question was now under the consideration of government, and if they waited till the next monthly meeting it might be determined. It was right that so extensive a commercial town should express its opinion to go.-° vernment, with whom it would doubtless have some weight. He should be very happy to move that the committee be autho rized to prepare a memorial on the subject, the Mayor to affix the seal. Mr. JOHN SMITH then rose to oppose the motion in iota He would occupy hut little of their valuable time, for the merits of the case, if merits there were, were in a narrow compass. As regarded the boxes of the post-office, - be apprehended as they were private arrangements between the postmaster and the' merchants, for the convenience of the latter, they (the council) had no right to interfere. If the merchants themselves did not find accommodation from that plan, it would long since have been abandoned; they had no complaints from the merchants, and, therefore, inteiference on their part was uncalled for. With• regard to Mr. Ramsden's wish not to have the boxes done away with, but have the charge removed from the parties at present paying, he must say, such an idea was preposterous, for if his wishes were complied with, every individual in the habit of re-' ceiving letters would require a box, and then the Custom-house' itself would not be sufficient to find accommodation. (Hear!) As to the extra number of receiving -houses, he doubted not. when the post-office was removed to the new custom-house, the' proper authorities would attend to it; and as the subject of post!, office reform was under the consideration of her majesty's go-' verament, he thought a memorial would be altogether prema ture and uncalled for. Holding these opinions, be should meet the motion with a direct negative, and he begged to move, that. it be taken into consideration that day six months. Mr. Councillor Woon seconded the amendment. Mr. Alderman BROWN did not subscribe to the doctrine hinted at that day, and mentioned distinctly at the last meeting of the council, that they should entertain questions only of a local na ture ; for when matters of great interest were, brought before the government of the country, he thought it the duty of that, the second commercial town in the world, to express to govern ment the views they entertained ou what affected the interests of the public at larg e. He had viewed that question with deep interest, and he did consider the pamphlet of Mr.• Hill one or the most valuable that had come under his observation. He had also consulted his friends, and from all he could learn, the advantages of the proposed reform were thought so great that nothing ought to be left undone that that council could do to stimulate the government to carry into effect; even if a > pecial ' council had been called to memorialise the government on the subject, he thought they would not have been stepping out of. their way. He hoped they would grant the committee, and thereby assist in convincing government of the great importance of the question. Mr. CueRIE thought the council could hardly be prepared to pass the motion, for if they at this day should sit down and form themselves into a committee to inquire into the Post-office sys tem, the general Post-office being situated 200 miles offLfor the. motion asked for an inquiry general as well as local—they would be entering on a task totally out of their power. If they were to attempt to carry that motion into effect they would be come ridiculous to their country. If Mr. Itamsden thought it advisable to try the system of 'Mr. Rowland Hill, he, for one, would gladly agree to memorialize in its favonr, but it was im-- possible they could enter into a general inquiry. As to the local inquiries at present he should not go at length into that ques tion, but with respect to the tax of £2OOO which it had been said. they were called upon to pay—though he thought the sum over stated—he agreed with Mr. John Smith that it was a voluntary tax, and the convenience which it purchased was so great that if the town were canvassed on the subject he thought the ma jority would be in favour of its continuance. He thought it im possible to deliver letters so quickly and conveniently as now, when the merchants could at once ascertain whether they had letters or not by looking at their box. Ile hoped Mr. Ramsden would revise his motion as to the aneral inquiry; and as to the local inquiry, changes were abouffo be itiacie at the Postoffice, by its removal to, the Custom-house buildings, and government was exhibiting a disposition to give Mr. Rowland Hill's plan a gradual trial. But a revenue of £1,600,000 a-year was not lightly to be trifled with. Mr. Councillor BOLTON, said, from the terms of the motion. it was his intention to oppose it; but if Mr. Rarnsden would. cousent to make it an inquiry of a local nature, whether better means could not be adopted to facilitate the delivery, and ti petition parliament for a diminution of the expense of postage, he would concur in the object, though at the same time he thought some observations had been made that were not war ranted. He maintained that the boxes were a great public con venience, and that the merchants got their letters half an hour, or perhaps an hour, sooner than they would by a general deli very. American packets were frequently arriving in a port like this, and at the present moment American news was of great interest; now, merchants might have that American news at their offices within twenty minutes after the Post-office had, opened, but if they were to be delivered they could not have them for an hour. He had spoken with some brokers on this subject, who received large remittances by letter, and one had .remarked to him that if the letters were to be delivered by carriers he would send a person to Manchester to receive his letters there, and come with them by the railway train. The mode of having boxes was useful; but if Mr. Rauneden would limit his inquiry to what local arrangements could be made, and what reduction could be elected in the rate of postage, he would agree with him. - Mr, Alderman EV.NS opposed the appointment of any com mittee as unnecessary. He agreed that it was quite quite well to give government a hint to look into the mode of improving the general establishment, either by Mr. Rowland Hill's plan or an improvement on that plan ; but he could not conceive the necessity for a committee, and he would recommend the dis posal of the question there at once. With regard to the corns mittee for a local inquiry, he considered Mr. Ramsden's object was to have the merchant's letters handed to carriers, and deli vered at their offices. (" No, no," and " Yes, yes.") Mr. Councillor RAMSDEN said he simply asked for a com mittee of inquiry, without pledging himself or the council to any plan is particular. Mr. Alderman EVA.NS.—WeII, if they were to go to govern ment and ask them to intrust the merchants letters to carriers, they would place themselves before government in a very inde corous situation, because, the merchants getting their own letters was a leading argument with them to get the Post-office removed to the new Custom-house buildings. But the idea of meddling with the local arrangements, when it was likely, with the change, that there would be an enlargement of the number of clerks, and great alterations in the new edifice—was, to say the least, prema ture. With regard to the doing away with the alphabet (boxes,) by which the merchants hact great convenience, and which the rest of the public had not, because they needed it not, be believed it was a convenience which the merchants had on the cheapest possible terms. The idea of giving merchants' letters into the hands of carriers, and entrusting to them the important cor respondence on which sometimes the very existence of houses depended, was preposterous; whereas, if they allowed them to• lie in the boxes as at present, they were either delivered to the principal, who was well known, or to a young man who was his recognised servant. But if they delivered letters to a hundred counting-houses, by one carrier, he must begin with one, and what then would be the position of the hundredth, while he was delivering the letters to the other ninety-nine, and receiving his postage 9 There were cases where a man who received, his letter, in the first instance, might avail himself of the oppor tunity to make his fortune at the cost of the man who received his letter in the last instance, by getting his information earlien. But they must recollect, that if a number of mercantile houses were always open, there was also a number of minor offices, with limited establishments, which were locked up at particular going gsAte out atndridn goods s e m i ght received, and arneactiiithreeyd might th ight e n q o u t a h y av u e . it c h le g r o k o s d — s perhaps they could not afford a sufficient number to have one always there'when the postman called, and what then was he to do with the letters ? Or perhaps the office might be open, and there might be nobody in but a little dirty boy that they would not trust with their letters . , or money to pay the postage. In that case he would go on, and when the principal or his clerk returned, he would be at a loss to know where the carrier was to be found, and instead of the letter-carrier facilitating the receipt of communications, he would be found to be an obstruc tion. Now, they were all able to go to the Postoffice and receive their letters, not from the hands of a letter-carrier, who would deliver them to number one to the delay of ninety-nine. As he could not conceive any alteration as yet contemplated by Mr. Ramsden that would not be a positive injury, he conceived the appointment of a committee would be altogether a loss of time, and therefore he should oppose it. With regard to the other question, giving government an admonition, or letting them know that we took a very great interest in the improve ment of the Postoffice establishment, he would concur in it ; but he conceived it was not necessary to refer it to a committee at all, except to draw up the address. Mr. Councillor BRIGHT said that in all the observations made he had only heard one interest mentioned, forgetting that there was a great mass of. inhabitants and tradesmen besides. He was willing that the merchants should have every facility af forded them ; they were, of course, the first interest in the town, and they (the council) had done all they could for the accom modation of that body. by procuring the removal of the Post office to the new buildings in Canning-place. But still the question interested a large mass whose interests ought not to be lost sight of. He did not mean to go into the question at length, nor into that respecting the rate of postage ; he should confine himself to the, local interests of the inhabitants at large. Mr. ltamsden contemplated that there should be a large num ber of receiving -houses and letter-carriers, and be (Mr. Bright) felt obliged to him for bringing the question before the council, but which he was of opinion would be much better discussed in committee than in that room. - Mr. Councillor 1 ) 14 tEsTr7ET wished to ask if the letters in London were not delivered with as much Punctuality and as early or earlier than bete. Thirty years ago it was the plan to have boxes in London, and the present system of delivery there had been adopted in order to relieve the pressure from"the win dow, which was so great that the young men had no chance of reaching it for a length of time, and it was found necessary to send their porters rath er t h an the i r young men, to make their