The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-11 00:00:00

etion to the home grower and steady prices to the consumer—will be fully attained. There is one particular feature in the scheme which is well worthy of observation. The right honourable baronet, it will be noticed, has not, like Mr. Christo pher and others, fixed a minimum of duty for the pur poses of revenue. At the same time, however, the " rest" in the scale, which occurs when the average price of wheat reaches 665., will, in practice, ensure the revenue a 6s. duty upon the great bulk of foreign wheat imported. From this point until the average is 695., no change of duty occurs ; and holders will, it is confidently anticipated, by those of our corn merchants best conversant with the subject, prefer entering their importations for consumption at the 6s. duty to the hazardous speculation of holding, in anticipation of an advance of nearly 4s. per quarter, when the advantage offered by such an advance is only the remission of Is. of the duty. Beyond thiS point—viz., between:66s. and 695., it is probable that the average price of British wheat will very rarely, if ever, rise ; and indeed, the certainty that upon the average reaching 665. a large quantity of foreign wheat will always be forced upon the market, may be expected in ordinary cases to in duce many holders to enter their stocks for consump tion before it arrives at that point, and consequently to pay into the revenue a higher rate of duty. With respect to the mode of taking the averages Sir Robert Peel has not attempted to make any material alteration upon the present system, with the exception of providing that the returns shall be made to the Board of Excise, and that a number of additional towns shall be added to the 150 from which returns are sent at present. One motive of the Right Hon. Baronet for this course has been the fact that the Tithe Commutations Act has been based upon the pre sent system, and that, therefore, the machinery by which it is worked would have to be continued for the purpOSel - of that act. The most material pOint, how ever, Which has weighed with him in continuing the system at present in operation, with the slight modifi cations above noticed, has been the conviction that, with the present graduated scale, the temptations to commit frauds by tampering with the averages would be so far reduced us to render the introduction of any new system unnecessary. We shall not attempt at present to enter into any arguments, or to express more than a passing approval of the merits of this scheme. 'We have no doubt that it will meet with the hearty condemnation of the anti corn-law party throughout the country; and it may also be received with some slight demur by a portion of the agricultural interest. We have no doubt, how ever, that when its real working is better understood than it can be as yet, it will receive the hearty support of moderate men of all parties ; and that even those who, upon principle, prefer a fixed duty to a sliding scale of any description, will, upon a mature examina tion of its probable operation, be induced to concur in its adaptation to the great object for which it is de signed, —the encouragement of the native agriculture of the country, whilst ensuring to the British consumer the chief necessary of life—his bread—at a moderate and steady price. So far as we can judge of the measure, in its present state, its operation at this moment holds out to the Community a reduction of the duty upon foreign wheat to the extent of 14s. Sd. per quarter. The average of wheat by the last returns is 625. 3d.; the duty under the existing scale would be 245. Bd., whilst under that brought forward by government it would only be 10s. per quarter. And when it is borne in mind that every lOs. in the price of wheat raises or lowers the price of bread Id. in the 41b. loaf, the benefit to the consumer from a reduction of 14s. Sd. in the duty upon wheat imported, or 11d. in the 41b loaf, will readily be ac knowledged. As a matter of course the philosophers of the Anti- Corn-Law League and their organs throughout the country are in a state of bitter dissatisfaction with this proposition. In particular, the ordinary serenity of the Morning Chronicle is lamentably disturbed; and his passion accordingly broke forth yesterday in a per fect storm. The able and statesmanlike address with which the measure was introduced by Sir Robert Peel is by this sagacious journal denounced as " a tissue of inconsistencies"—such inconsistencies as will, ire imagine, rather puzzle the Chronicle to reply to, by any thing more solid than this sheer and desperate raving; and, indeed, we more than half suspect that the most serious objection felt to the speech and to the measure, as well, of the Right Hon. Baronet, is excited by the fact that the former blows all the fallacies of the league -men "to very tatters," whilst the latter, by winning the approbation of all moderate thinking men, threatens to render Anti-Corn-Law agitation a losing and almost hopeless game. We are really not at all surprised that the splenetic fury which was manifested at the Council meeting of Friday, by the " liberal " members of that body, against the straightforward proceedings of the education com mittee, should be especially excited by the placard which they have issued in explanation of the system of education in future to be acted upon in the Corporation schools. The public had been sedulously taught to believe, by the Whig-Radical and Popish press, and the Roinish priesthood themselves had not scrupled to declare, in placards posted upon every wall throughout the borough, that that system was one of exclusion and intolerance—that it was one which had been spe cially devised to be grating to the feelings and preju dices of Roman Catholic parents, and which must, of necessity, insult and banish from the schools every Ro man Catholic child. And yet what are the real facts ? Where is the exclusiveness, the intolerance, the insult ing nature of the system ? These questions the ex planatory document issued by the committee has solved to the satisfaction of nine-tenths of the community; and hence the exceeding ire which is directed against it by the Liberal philosophers of our Council. The rules of the education committee " require every child to be taught to know the Bible—the great char ter of the Christian privileges—and to be brought up in the daily practice of the solemn duty of prayer to God," " But care will he taken that there be nothing in the prayer which can wound the conscience of any Chris tian of any denomination, and no children are required to learn any catechism or to go to church, if their pa rents object." Surely there is nothing here of exclusiveness or in tolerance--no evidence of any design to proselytize the poor children. of any Christian persuasion ! " Oh, but," we are told, " you require the children of Roman Catholic parents to read the Bible, and that their reli gion does not permit them to do, unaccompanied with the Romish comments." Yes, we do place in the hands of these poor children the word of God, un mixed with the perversions of man. We do place in their hands the whole truth of our revealed religion. We do " suffer little children to come" to the unadul terated fount of life and healing ; and you who deny them access to this privilege—the Roman Catholic priesthood who denounce this system—proclaim openly to the world (what you have maintained in years and ages past to be a libel upon the faith of Rome) that you dare not allow your flocks to read God's Word! The objection is not to doctrinal teaching in the principles of the Established Church. It is not to any effort to be made, or to the direct tendency of the sys tem, to draw away the faith of Roman Catholic chil dren from the creed of their parents. It is not that any exclusive prayer is in use within the schools—that any exclusive catechism is to be taught, or that they are to be compelled to attend the services of a church in whose faith they do not believe ; but it is, emphati cally and solely, because they are required to read, and know, the authorised version of the Bible—unadulter ated, unperverted by Popish comment. We ask then of every liberal Protestant—of every Christian Dissen ter ; we ask of those who have the most ardently prayed for the adoption of a system of education in these schools, which should permit the Roman Catholic chil dren to enjoy its benefits,—could the committee have conscientiously done more—conceded more—than they have done to promote this benevolent object ? They could not, and we say, unhesitatingly, they ought not. We are, indeed, twitted with the fact, that the Ro man Catholic children have left the schools. Be it so. W e acknowledge and regret it. But ultimately, and when the existing pressure is removed from them, we believe with the education committee that there are not many, even of the Roman Catholic inhabitants of Li verpool, who will " object to their children reading the Bible and praying together with the children of their neighbours." The Rotnish clergy, by the temporary retention in the schools of the masters appointed by the late education committee, and who seem to have been well enough disposed to become their partisans upon this occasion, have had full swing in their efforts to withdraw the children of their own persuasion. And though these particular children, being provided for now in strictly Roman Catholic schools—which Liberalism, we trust, has bled freely to endow—may not be permitted to partake of the benefits provided for children of all denominations, by the education committee, we have no fear that the Corporation Schools will be filled, and that, ultimately, the children of Roman Catholic parents, even, will not be driven from them by the misrepresentations of a clamorous and unscrupulous faction. We abstained, purposely, until the return of a Con servative member for the borough had been secured, from noticing the spirit which was manifested, in the course of the canvass of Sir Howard Douglas, by a portion of the Conservative constituency. We are perfectly acquainted with the circumstances out of which that spirit has arisen. We are not at all pre pared to defend or ev en to palliate them ; and yet we cannot but regret that, actuated by the pique of the moment—arising, we trust, far more from misconcep tion on their own part than from any real intention on the part of others to convey a slight upon them—our operative Protestant friends should have given vent to their feelings in a way which, although happily unpro ductive of immediate injury, is, at least, not calculated to benefit the cause of which we are confident they are the sincere supporters. We regret this manifestation of pique, and we be lieve our operative friends will, on reflection, regret it too; and more especially when they see with what evi dent delight the bare contemplation of a Split amongst the Conservative body is welcomed by our opponents. Strong as the principle of Conservatism is, in Liver pool, we cannot afford to allow it to be weakened by intestine divisions. We have an active and vigilant enemy watching us, ready to avail himself of any and every opportunity to re-erect the fabric of his lost su premacy. No wavering, no bickering, no insubordina tion is to be found in his ranks; and if we wish to preserve our present advantage—if we wish to keep ourselves from being trampled upon and insulted — Conservatism must be united and unanimous, and we must some of us even be willing to concede a little, and forbear a little, to preserve that entireness, which is strength. It is not our intention to enter into the merits of the question as between our operative friends and other sections of the Conservative body. Our candid opi nion is that both have been in the wrong ; but at the same time we must acknowledge that our sympathies are with the humbler portion of our Conservative bre thren. It is quite possible that in the earnestness of their zeal for those Protestant principles which it has so long been their study to promote and to defend, they may have, in the first instance, assumed a position somewhat too dictatorial, and attempted to lead when it was their duty, as a minority, to follow. But we are satisfied that nothing in their conduct can be pleaded_ in justification of the treatment with which it was vi sited by a portion of the Conservative body, and espe cially by a local journal which, on this occasion, has constituted itself the organ.of that body, and dealt out its denunciations against our Protestant operatives with a ferocity and insolence of tone which we are satisfied the influential amongst the Conservatives of Liverpool will be the first to disclaim and discountenance. We are confident that the proceedings and the manner as sumed towards the assembled operatives by a few gen tlemen at the meeting in Toxteth-hall will not meet, and ought not to meet, with the approbation of Con servatives generally ; and that it will not be maintained by any but a mere handful amongst them that their Conservative brethren who have toiled so ardently in behalf of the good cause in its days of peril and diffi culty, should, now that the gale of success has filled its sails, be elbowed aside, or passed over, as men who have no minds to think and judge for themselves, and who, if they do not " bate their breath" to the pitch of proper humility, must be at once " discountenanced and suppressed." It may undoubtedly be very desirable, in the opinion of some gentlemen who have succeeded in climbing into local authority through the instrumentality of this very body, that no "intermeddling" should be per mitted with respect to the mode in which they realise their past professions—that no check should exist to prevent principles and pledges from being violated and to obstruct those " arrangements," made in their vari ous coteries, by which the declared will of the consti tuency of the borough is sought by them to be de feated. The Protestant operatives—and that they are such and not merely " operative Conservatives " con stitutes iu some quarters the gravamen of their offence — have shown a quick eye to detect and a resolution to denounce these backslidings. But we are much mis taken if any serious offence has been taken by Con servatives generally against the late proceedings of the operative body, from which the ill-feeling manifested towards them has arisen ; and are confident that, un less by a display of passion, such as has been evinced within the past week, they forfeit their claims to the respect of their fellow-townsmen, no power, no body of men will be allowed either to insult or to put them down. We have ourselves ever taken a strong interest in the proceedings of the operative body. We continue to do so ; and if, by a return to the exercise of sober deter mination and to the maintenance of sound constituti onal and Protestant principles, without any admixture of passion or unworthy resentment, they will enable us conscientiously to approve of their proceedings, we are ready to pledge ourselves to support them to the ut most of our ability. They can easily afford to over look much of what they have construed, we believe without cause, into meditated offence against them, 'on the part of Conservatives, who are as little disposed as themselves to sacrifice principles to expediency ; and they are ready, we trust, to despise the threats which have been levelled against them from whatever quarter they may have come. . Let the Protestant operatives of Liverpool be true to themselves. Let them stand fast by their principles, and exercise them with no unwor thy disrespect to the principles of others, and we at least, as their advocate, will not in silence permit them to be either "discountenanced or suppressed." THE FEELING ON 'CHANGE WITH RESPECT TO SIR ROBERT PEEL'S PROPOSED MODIFICA TION OF THE CORN LAWS. The arrival yesterday morning, by express, of the third edition of the London Standard, containing a verbatim re port of the speech of Sir Robert Peel in introducing his new scheme of corn-laws, created the most intense excitement amongst all classes of the frequenters of our. Exchange. From the inquiries which we have made we cannot report very satisfactorily with respect to the feeling with which it was received. By the liberal party, of course it was not to be anticipated that any proposition from Sir Robert Peel short of a total abandonment of all his previously recorded opinions upon this subject, would be satisfactory ; whilst amongst those who call themselves "liberal conservatives," an impression appears to have gained ground, arising partly from the retirement of the Duke of Buckingham from the cabinet, that some measure of a more sweeping character was in preparation, and hence something resembling disap pointment with the measure itself has in the first instance resulted. We believe, however, that a very imperfect knowledge of the details of the measure very generally prevailed. In fact, we know that great misconceptions upon several material points are in circulation ; and we do not therefore believe that any fair criterion of the opinion of the merchants of Li verpool can as yet be formed. A very perceptible gloom, however, pervaded the market, which may in part perhaps be attributed to the loud dissatisfaction expressed by those of our Manchester neighbours whom business had brought amongst us. The gentlemen of the league from that town were especially bitter in their denunciations of the govern ment scheme ; and we heard of one gentleman in particular who fancies himself a conservative, and who declared his in tention, immediately upon his return to city of cotton bob bins and tape, to enlist himself amongst the monomaniacs of the league, and become forthwith an out and out repealer. MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. — About six weeks ago a Young girl, daughter to a poor woman of this town, went out one morning for the purpose of attending to her duties at the house of an individual in Pitt-street, who had engaged her for the day as a charwoman. From that day to the pre sent the girl has not been seen by any of her relatives or friends, and we need not say that her parent has suffered great misery in consequence. When ache did not return to her home at the expected time, her mother made inquiry at the house where she had been engaged, but it was found that she had never made her appearance there. Every means of discovering ber fate h ave b een resorte d t o , b u t wi th ou t suc cess. Sheis represented as about twenty years of age, rather short, and strongly built, with a tolerably handsome face. She was exceedingly deaf, and spoke very imperfectly. LOCAL NEWS We must not allow so striking a proof of thu popularity of Sir Robert Peel's government, as the uncontested return of a conservative member for the town of Liverpool, to pass without particular notice. Sir Howard Douglas ye,terday walked over the course—a most valuable addition to the con servative force in parliament.—London Standard of Tuesday. DISTRIBUTION OF Soup.—Quantity of soup distributed at each soup-house :—Pickop-street, from 19th January to 7th February, 40,937 quarts ; Flint-street, from 22nd Decemtier to 7th February, 66,397 quarts; Gill-street, from 22nd De cember to 7th February, 59,301 quarts. NEMESIS AND PHLEGETIION IRON WAR STEAMERS.— The iron steamers have been of the greatest use, and com manded as they are by gallant enterprising men, they have been doubly so. Captain Hall is the hero of every battle, and for hard work and constant wear and tear, he deserves something from our government.—Bombay Times, Ist Janu ary, 1842. BUILDING SOCIETIES.—We direct the attention of our readers to the prospectus in our advertisements of the Royal William Building Society. We understand that the gentle men forming the society are practically acquainted with the necessary details, and, from their well-known spirit and ha bits of business, the society bids fair, under their manage ment, to become equal to the best of these now numerous and valuable institutions. THEATRE-ROYAL.—The new pantomime attracted a bum per house last evening. From the lateness of the hour at which it concluded, we can only find space to say, that it is got up not merely in a style unusual in the provinces, but has never been surpassed in the metropolis, whether for the beauty of the scenery, costliness of the dresses, variety and ingenuity of the tricks and transformations, or the talent of the performers. It will doubtless have a capital run. It re flects great credit on Mr. W. J. Hammond, under whose di rection it has been produced. One scene, that of the palace of King Guinea, is strikingly novel. It was hailed with the most uproarious shouts of applause. The portraits of our beloved queen, her royal consort, and interesting family are cleverly and appropriately introduced. The audience testified, by frequent demonstrations of delight, their approval of this scene. The last scene is truly magnificent. The pantomime has not been equalled since the run of the celebrated Mother Goose. NEW CONSERVATIVE NEWSPAPER.—We yesterday re ceived the first number of a daily Conservative Newspaper just commenced in Dublin, and entitled the Dublin Morn ing Press. Until this new competitor started the metropo lis of Ireland had not a daily Protestant journal, though there are two Roman Catholic daily papers published there. In the prospectus it is announced that the Dublin Morning Press will advocate the highest style of Protestant politics. Its conductors conceive Protestant Ascendancy to be an ob ject inseparable from the desires of a Christian Patriot. Carried to the length which Scripture warrants—regulated by the principle which Scripture lays down, it would render Ireland, indeed, " Great, glorious, and free." The lecture to be delivered this evening, by T. W. Ren wick, Esq., surgeon, is the third, in a course of four lectures on physical education, now being delivered at the Literary, Scientific, and Commercial Institution, St. Anne-street. The two preceding lectures gave unbounded satisfaction to the audience, which testified its feelings of delight by frequent bursts of applause. Nor is this to'he wondered at, when it is evident to every one who gives Mr. Renwick a hearing, that he is completely master of his subject, has a happy com mand of language, seems to possess an unexhaustible fund of anecdote, by which he gives the most pointed and happy illustrations of his subject, and by which he keeps his hearers in perfect good humour. We do not remember to have list ened to lectures more completely combining the elements of instruction and entertainment ; and we must say that they miss a rich intellectual treat who neglect, or who have not an opportunity, to hear these deeply interesting lectures, on the now all-absorbing subject of education. HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—On the evening of Saturday last, about half-past eight o'clock, a daring and atrocious highway robbery took place in Edge-lane, about two hundred yards from Mr. Jackson's ropery. Mr. Simpson, an elderly gentle man, who lives at the Old Swan, was returning home, ac companied by Mr. Robert Nelson, of Edge-hill, when they were attacked near the spot in question, which is very lonely, by three men. One of the villains knocked down Mr. Simp son by a terrific blow on the head, tore away his left-hand breeches pocket, robbed him, and then rolled him into the ditch. Mr. Nelson, a powerful and athletic man, would, probably, have been a match for the other two robbers had it not been for the assistance of a large white bull dog in their service, which fastened its teeth in his thigh, while the villains rifled his pockets. After plundering their victims of all the money which they could find on their persons, which fortu nately was not much, the robbers decamped, threatening, however, to return, and blow out the brains of the parties if they gave the least alarm. On the same evening, but at a later hour, a labouring man, residing at the Old Swan, was knocked down near Whalley's nursery, but he recovered his legs and ran away. H is assailants, there is little doubt, were the same gang of desperadoes. CONSERVATIVE BON MOT.—After Sir Howard Douglas had been declared duly elected; a large number of his friends adjourned to the mayor's room to witness the ceremony of appending the corporate seal to the official document declar ing his return. The town-clerk then good-humouredly pro posed, that the corporation cellar should be opened, and the gallant general's health drunk by the gentlemen present. All seemed to relish the proposal ' • but, after some delay, it was announced that the keeper of the wine cellar could not be found. Some of the party were for moving off with the pro cession, others were for remaining until the key could be ob tained. After some delay, when it seemed likely that no wine could be procured, and several gentlemen were impa tient to depart, Mr. S. Holme caused much merriment by exclaiming,—" Never mind, Mr. Town-clerk, we don't need to be anxious about wine when we have such abundance of good spirits." At length the wine was forthcoming, and the gallant general's health was drank by all present in the best of spirits. THE TIMBER TRADE.—The circular issued by Messrs, Duncan and Ewing, timber merchants, of this town, con tains observations on the suggested alteration in the timber duties, which proposes to favour the importation of that ma terial from the north of Europe, at the expense of the colo nial trade. They represent such a measure as fraught with danger, and deem it highly impolitic to hazard the injury of so important a branch of trade as that with the North Ame rican colonies, for a doubtful prospect of increased gain by establishing a trade with foreign nations. The present trade in timber with our North American colonies is stated to have employed in this port during last year, 175,000 tons, a pro portion equal to one-sixth of the whole en: aged in foreign and colonial commerce entering that port ; and since foreign timber is almost exclusively brought here in foreign bottoms, the interests of our shipowners, shown to be involved to so important an extent, will also suffer by the increase of foreign trade, and that nearly in the same proportion as the displacement of colonial by Baltic timber, They then allude to the opinions which some have industriously circulated, setting forth the immense inferiority of colonial fir timber compared with the European, and show that each has useful properties which are not shared by the other; that although European timber is stronger and more durable than colonial (red pine excepted), and accordingly obtains higher prices, yet there are many purposes for which it is unfitted, and where colonial common yellow pine is used in preference, - and many to which the latter is equally adapted. They ob serve, that an increase of duty on colonial timber is at variance with the acknowledged principle of encouraging the importation of raw material, tends to oppress the poor classes, to whose wants it is more especially applicable, as being cheaper. At the same time they are not opposed to a reduction of duty on foreign timber, but rather recommend it tending to reduce the price to the consumer. After ad verting to the general distressed state of the whole trading community, they add, that the timber trade is of course involved in the same difficulties, though perhaps they are less serious than those of others. THE COTTON TRADE.—The annual circulars issued by merchants and brokers respecting the state of trade are most useful, not only as giving opinions on the present position and future prospects of business, but also in regard to the statistical information they communicate. Collmann and Stolterfoht, of this town, in their circular which has just made its appearance, in speaking of the decrease of home consump tion in the cotton trade, allege it to be vastly overrated, and, instead of the large amount of 83,000,0001 b., estimate it at no more than 23,000,0001 b., giving a calculation to show that the latter amount is nearer the mark. They agree with most other statements relative to prospects ; they are not sanguine as to a great increase in business, seeing that the losses ex perienced on produce and merchandise during the past year have involved no less an estimated sum than £100,000,000 sterling. But they look with some confidence to a healthier state of things, though they believe that the improvement will be slow, subject to many checks, and requiring great prudence on the part of merchants. They estimate the im port of American cotton to have fallen short of that of the preceding year by about 430,000 bags, while the large stock previously on band carried the supply to within 200,000 bags of what it was in 1840, the largest ever known, it exceeding that in the large crop year by 160,000 bags. Of long stapled cotton, Brazil, West India, and Egyptian, the excess of im port was 50,000 bags, and the East Indies sent 50,000 bags more. The total supply, therefore, including the previous stocks, fell short of the unexampled supply of the year 1840 by only 80,000 bags. The deliveries of American cotton showed a decrease of about 220,000 bags, whilst those of East India have increased by about 30,000 bags, and those of other descriptions have remained nearly stationary ; the total de liveries were 1,936,000 bags. The following letter from a minister of the Gospel, sent unsolicited, proves the value of Sydenham's Pills; indeed, comment is unnecessary : " Sep.ls,lB3B : —Sir:—l am not in the habit of recommend- ing patent medicines, yet I cannot withhold my testimony in favour of Dr. Syclenharn's .Anlibilious Pills, prepared and sold by you. My wife and myself being frequently afflicted with billions complaints, have had recourse to this valuable medicine for many years, and never take it without finding almost immediate relief. I never travel without it ; it is so safe, so mild, and yet so efficient in its operation, that I think it ought to be known and possessed by every one who feels the importance of keeping the stomach in a proper state ; this part of the system is like the main spring of a watch, if that be out of order the whole machine must be deranged. I have often recommended these Pills with success in my own circle, and if you think my testimony will promote their circulation, you are at liberty to make it as public as you please. Wishing you an increasing demand for this valuable remedy,—l am, sir, yours, &c., " THOMAS JACKSON, Brixton-place, Surrey, " Minister of Stockwell Chapel, and " Supply at the Tabernacle, Bristol. " To Mr. Rees, College-green, Bristol." EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF RAW SILK.—At the Police court on Wednesday, two respectablyTdressedpersons,Sohn Barlow Love, and Samuel Brown, were brought before Mr. Rushton, on suspicion of having unlawfully come into pos session of a large quantity of raw silk. The circumstances, so far as they have yet transpired, were as follows :—lt ap peared that a commercial house of Glasgow had, some months ago, sent thirty bales of Bombay silk to Liverpool, on con signment. It was put into a warehouse, and the warehouse man deposed to having received it, and placed it safely under lock and key. A few days ago, it was found that no fewer than 16 bales of the parcel had been abstracted from the warehouse. Information was given to the police; the silk was traced to Manchester, and the two prisoners were seen together at the railway station, so acting as if it was their property, or under their controul. It further appeared that the prisoner Brown had gone to different silk mills there, where he introduced the other prisoner Love to the princi pals of the respective establishments, as having it on sale. A gentleman agreed to purchase it at a fair price, but sus pecting that something was wrong,te paid them only £5 i n part ; and from the information whicA he afforded, the parties were taken into custody. Brow,n; represented himself as having been employed merely as an agent in the sale of the silk. On his person was found a letter addressed to him purporting to be from an individual named Orr, and dated Glasgow—to the effect that the silk was sent to him on sale ; and requesting him, as it was the first business the writer had put in his way, that he should sell the bales as soon as pos sible, and remit the money ; but that as the transaction was a private one of the writer's own, and not known to his part ner, he should address his letter solely to himself—to be left at the post-office till called for. It is remarkable, however, that the letter was dated the 26th ultimo; and it was stated in evidence that the prisoner had offered the silk for sale to a dealer on the 24th, two days before that date. Nearly t h e whole of it was found, and is now at the Police-office. The property abstracted from the warehouse was estimated to be worth about £1,200 ; and it appealed that the original packages had been cut open, and the silk re-packed in rather larger bales. Further evidence being expected in a few days, the prisoners were remanded until to-morrow (Saturday.) THE LIVERPOOL ELECTION, (From our Second Edition of Tuesday) This being the day appointed for the election, a large body of the friends of Sir Howard Douglas met in their respective wards at an early hour, and proceeded, with flags flying and bands playing, to Rodney-street, to the house of our re spected townsman, Sir Thomas Brancker, whose guest the candidate was, and which they reached shortly before nine o'clock,—part of them filing off towards the top of Duke street, and part—to proceed in the van—occupying Leece-st. By nine o'clock, the street became thronged throughout a great part of its length, and the numerous flags in the street, and banners, ribbons, &c., displayed from the windows, pre sented a gay appearance ; though doubtless the assem blage would have been much more numerous but for the piercing coldness of the weather. At about a quarter-past nine, Sir li. Douglas, accompanied by his son, Major Douglas, Sir. T. Brancker ' and several other gentlemen, made their a pp ea r a n6e, a n d ascended an open carriage in waiting for them, amidst the loud and re peated cheers of the assembled multitude, the nearest band playing " See the conquering hero comes !" In a few mi nutes, all being in readiness, the procession moved onwards from Leece-street, the carriage with the candidate and his friends being nearly in the middle of the line. It was pre ceded by a large, handsome flag, inscribed " Sandon and Douglas for ever!" followed by flags and banners from Scotland Ward. Next came Jolliffe's band, playing ap propriate airs, and next gentlemen of the Conservative Cen tral Committee, and numerous friends of the gallant general. Voters of St. Paul's Ward followed, also accompanied by numerous flags and a band ; and next, in like manner, Ex change, Castle-street, St. Paul's, and other Wards, each pre senting a respectable, but not very numerous array. Then came Stuhh's military band, in their handsome uniforms with brass helmets. Immediately behind, amongst numerous other flags, was a small one bearing the arms and motto of Sir Howard, and, preceding the carriage, a large and splen did new silk flag painted at the establishment of Mr. Trout beck, Hanover -street, also emblazoned with the arms of the worthy baronet, surmounted by the crest—a boar under an oak tree—with the motto " Look Sicker," the whole sur rounded by flags and warlike trophies. The carriage was drawn by four dapple greys, caparisoned in scarlet with blue, with postilions in corresponding uni forms. On each side, in front of the vehicle, was fixed a tree of evergreens, tipped with branches of red and blue ribbon. On the higher seat stood Sir H. Douglas, and on his right Sir Thos. Brancker, On the front seat sat Major Doug las, Samuel liolme, and Nicholas Robinson, Esquires. They were loudly and enthusiastically cheered at most of the houses throughout the whole route to the Exchange, by Bold-street, Church-street, the North Crescent, and Castle street, in all of which the flags and favours shown from win dows, balconies, and house-tops, and many of them waved by the hands of " ladies fair," gave ample and gratifying de monstration of their respect for the candidate, and their attachment to the redeeming principles of conservatism. Sir FL Douglas responded to these continuous tokens of attachment, by the most polite obeisance. Amongst the flags were several altogether new, with ap propriate mottos, besides most of the handsome ward flags. We noticed several inscribed " Douglas for Ever,"—"San don for Ever,"—" Speed the Plough, the Ship, and the Loom,"—" Church and Queen," surrounded by the Crown, —" Fair Trade ; Live and Let Live ; Good Wages and Eng .. lish Comfort." We also observed, with allusion to the new poor-law, " No Union Bastiles ; Those whom God hath joined let no man put asunder." And on some small flags were inscribed, " Plenty in the Land, and Loyalty in the People,"---" Scriptural Education," &C., &c. On passing establishments at which parties appeared with flags, &c., to welcome the candidate, those in the procession gave repeated cheers, whish were heartily returned ; and we are proud to record, that the office of our journal was espe cially honoured by loud acclamations of friendship and respect. _ . The usual formalities having been gone through by the ayor and town-clerk on the arrival of the candidate, they proceeded at once to the nomination. Sir THOMAS BRANCKER rose to propose Sir Howard Douglas as a fit and proper person to represent the borough of Liverpool in parliament. After a few remarks, which our reporter could not hear from the distance at which he was placed, Sir Thomas said that the gallant general had just returned from one of the most important situations that could be given to him by government, and he had not only given the utmost satisfaction to his own govern ment but all the sovereigns of Europe have felt satisfied with his conduct whilst administering the government to which he was placed. He was a firm supporter of the glorious constitution, a stern upholder of the crown, and a firm supporter of the just rights and liberties of the people. He would advocate those principles which supported all just reforms, but not those which desired reform for the sake of change. It was so very cold that he would not detain them longer, than just to propose Sir Howard Douglas as a fit and proper person to represent the borough. NICHOLAS ROBINSON, Esq. said it was not his intention to enter into details of the qualifications of S►r H. Douglas. He was satisfied that whenever he was called on he would discharge his duties with satisfaction, and devote his atten tion to the utmost of his power to the interests of this town, in conjunction with his noble colleague, Lord Sandon ; and after an absence of ten years, it was gratifying th a t h e w o u ld be returned in sueh a triumphant manner. (Cheers.) The MAYOR asked if there were any other candidate to propose. No one appearing, The TOWN-CLERIC declared Sir Howard Douglas duly elected. Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS Bart., M.P., next presented him ;elf to the assembled crowd, by whom he was greeted with he most enthusiastic cheers. He said, Gentlemen,—ln the course of a rather long and difficult public career, I have al ways found till now that I could hold in subjection all my finer and more tender emotions, and that I could call up the " sterner stuff" of my composition to meet any difficulty, however arduous, and to engage in the exercise of any un dertaking to which I might be called. I have only to add my good friends, that if we had been called upon to buckle on our armour for a contest, I should have felt so upon this occasion. (Cheers.) I most sincerely confess and lam not ashamed to confess it, that I do for the first time in my life feel overpowered at the stupendous and magnificent sight, and at the glorious manifestation of spirit that I see before me. I do so upon viewing them now at the moment. (Cheers.) Upon viewing conservatism here in a state of triumph, seeing positively what I see, all the emotions that are possible to swell a patriotic bosom are now N 1 ithin mine ; but when I contrast our present movement w:th periods now gone by for ten and seven years, when I remember the scenes in which I have acted here, I attended then the defeated candidate, all the feelings of disappoint ment and mortification which I then felt, are washed, glo riously washed away by this triumph now. (Cheers.) If any personal feelings may mingle in those magnificent feel ings which actuate us all here, if an honest ambition may have found indulgence, then I will say that no public man, in any undertaking in the world , ever was embued with, ever felt sentiments more powerful, more gratifying to his personal feelings, and more so to his fondest ambition. (Continued cheers.) You have assisted me, with the triumph of conservatism here. Allow me to congratulate you most sincerely upon that triumph, allow me to congratulate you most sincerely upon the example that this good and loyal town of Liverpool has held out to the conservatives of Liverpool —upon the effect which that ex ample has produced upon the parliamentary representation, and I am glad to say on the municipal representation also. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, it affords me great and peculiar pleasure that we here " walk over the course." We ought to be very thankful for the tender mercies of certain persons, who in consideration of our morals and our pockets, forbear to oppose us; but, gentlemen, I do not mean to taunt them with holding back,—(hear, hear,)—l do not mean to taunt them with our proud triumph. (Hear.) It is not the prac tise of the procession to which I have the honour to belong, to crow over a vanquished enemy, or to trample upon a fallen foe. (Hear, hear.) I consider, by the position in which I am placed, whatever the motive may have been, we have not here " divided the house ; "—hear, hear.)—they had not gone to the poll. (Cheers.) I do consider myself therefore not the representative of a party, but the repre sentative of all the constituency of Liverpool. (Cheers.) And I will faithfully and impartially do all in my power to act in conformity with the position in which your favour, and their forbearance has placed me. (Loud cheers.) I feel convinced that it would be out of place to say one word more of those principles for which my friends, have answered, and with which you appear to be satisfied. I shall lose no time in taking that high place which you have given me ; I hope to have it in my power to support the conservative administration to which the now elected House of Commons has given its confidence—(cheers)—to the conservative administration which has ever possessed the confidence of the other branch of parliament, and which is in possession of the confidence of the Sovereign. (Renewed cheering.) I shall do all I can to support—provided they carry out those principles that we have every reason to be lieve they will—an administration that has to perform the most difficult and important task of remedying all those monstrous evils which the whig-radical administration has brought upon this country. (Hear.) And God knows, gentlemen, they will have need of all our confidence and all our support. (Hear.) An exhausted treasury, a disbalanced revenue, and wars—l would apply to them two phrases of a great man—not only in themselves " little wars," but " un toward" wars—wars which, though they be little, are on fields distant and difficult to manage (hear, hear) ; and altogether they present two of the most difficult ques tions that the administration will have to deal with. Then there is the commercial system of the country to revise, the corn laws to settle, and all the other great questions upon which lam happy to see they have already given notice.— These will be the business of one of the most important sessions that has ever been held, and to all these and to every interest, local and general, of this great, mighty, and important place, I will devote myself with fidelity, with un wearied zeal, and with a determination to exercise all the faculties 1 possess. and to give all the time I have at my disposal, in order to make some recompence, and to show my grateful sense of the honour you have conferred upon me. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I do not know that I have anything more to add—you have done your duty as conservatives, most nobly, and most effectively—you have now associated my name with your triumphs. I shall now hasten to take that place to which you have elevated me, and there, gentlemen, I will discharge my duties to you faithfully and honestly. (Great cheering, during which the honourable baronet retired.) The proceedings then terminated. Sir Howard, attended by a body of his friends, accompa nied the mayor to the interior of the Town hall, where the return was formally completed. The indenture was sealed at once, and transmitted to Preston. Sir Howard quitted the Town-hall by the west door. As he ascended his carriage the new member was greeted by the assembled multitude with loud cheers. The bands and banners were quickly marshalled into marching order, the individuals present speedily formed themselves into proces sion, and the whole body speedily set out on their triumphal return. The bitterness of the day did not chill the ardour of the spectators, the number of whom was now considerably augmented, the windows on the line of march being graced with bevies of beauties, who exhibited red and blue favours. The steps and windows of the Athenreum, Lyceum, and other places, were crowded with spectator s , an d a d ense crowd flanked the procession throughout its whole progress. The line of march was somewhat varied, the route being now through Slater-street and Duke-street, whereby Rodney street was entered, from the upper end, near the Cemetery. A crowd had congregated opposite the residence of Sir Thos. Brancker, and these, with the parties who accompanied the procession, made up a vast multitude of auditors. The win dows of the houses in the immediate neighbourhood were filled with fair ones who wore the colours of the new mem ber. As Sir Howard alighted, he was again received with deafening acclamations. The whole party which had pro ceeded from the Town-hall in the carriage entered Sir Thos. Brancker's house, and in a few minutes they appeared at the window, where Sir Howard was again received with loud cheers. Sir HOWARD DouGLAS congratulaed the burgesses of Li verpool on the glorious triumph which they had achieved without a struggle from the enemy. After alluding to the defeats which h e h a d formerly .sustained, he said, if he had experienced some natural mortification at the disappointment of an honourable ambition, it had been a consolation to him while he was abroad to watch the glorious struggle which they were making at home, and that mortification was wiped out ten times over by the result of that day's proceedings. They had placed him in the proud position lately occupied by that eminent individual who bad been recently and so deser vedlyand Me assured th em h e would elevated to the bench, do his duty to the best of his ability. They had triumphed in a'righteous an d h o ly ca use, they had done their duty and he would hasten t o d o hi s ; and they might rest'assuredlhat he would do it to th e u t m ost of his power, associating him self with none but the supporters of the church and the con stitution. Sir Howard excused himself from any lengthened address, observing that he desired to devote the few hours whch he had to remain in Liverpool to paying his respects o several of those eminent conservatives who had assisted to place him i❑ the proud position which he then occupied, of member for this borough. Once more thanking them, Sir Howard retired. Major DOUGLAS said, he was entirely at a loss for words wherewith to express the feelings with which his heart over flowed. He had been present on two former occasions when the battle of conservatism was fought in this town, and the change which their perseverance and determination had wrought was wonderful. They had proceeded from triumph to triumph, till the enemy had not dared to show his face. It was fifty years since a similar triumphant display of con servative feeling had been manifested in Liverpool, which was, once more, an example to the country at large. The gallant old vessel of the constitution had weathered the storms and cleared the rocks and quicksands which beset her, and she had come triumphantly into port. Did they know why it was so? It was because she was made of good, tough, sound English heart of oak. The gallant major con cluded by thanking the burgesses very emphatically on be half of his father for the honour which they had conferred upon him. Mr. SAMUEL HCLME, being loudly called for, briefly ad dressed the multitude. He first alluded -o the ladies whom he saw gracing the surrounding windows, and said the smiles of the fair were ever ready to sustain them in defeat, or to cheer them on to victory. He called upon the multitude to turn round and give three cheers for the ladies. This call was most ardently responded to. Mr. Holme said Major Douglas had alluded to the vessel of the constitution, and had given one reason why she had weathered the storm, but there was another reason, to which he had not alluded. It was, that she was now manned by a new crew, and had a com mander on board who knew how to steer her. Mr. Holme congratulated them on the easy conquest which' they had achieved, and said he returned his sincere thanks to the other party that they had not put the town to the trouble and ex pense of a bootless contest. Considering their relative posi tions, the conservative party having many more on the re gistry than before, with a change in the corporate influence wrought by the result of the late municipal election, he thought thanks were due to them that they had wisely for borne to disturb the town with a contest. Yet they had seen on the walls of the town a placard signed Wiliam Rathbone, in which it was deemed necessary to give reasons why a can didate had not been brought forward on the liberal interest. That placard he might denominate the last dying speech, words, and confession of the Whigs, whose Reform Associa tion in Clayton-square was turned into a temperance hotel. Sir THOMAS BRANCKER addressed a few words of con gratulation to the assembly, after which three cheers were given for the Queen, and three cheers for Sir Robert Peel, when the crowd dispersed. Sir Howard Douglas, after being declared member for Li verpool, dined with a select party at Sir Thomas Brancker's, He left for London by the seven o'clock train, and a large party of his constituents met him at the railway station. On the signal being given for the departure of the train, they greeted the honourable - baronet with three times three en thusiastic cheers. Sir Howard was present during the intro duction of the corn question by Sir Robert Peel. COURT OF PASSAGE The Court of Passage for the trial of causes within the borough of Liverpool commenced yesterday, before Charles Crompton, Esq., Assessor. The cause list was unusually full. It contained 5 demurrers, 71 issues, 9 writs of trial, and 2 enquiries before the Town-clerk. The following are the most important cases which were beard yesterday : ACTION AGAINST AN ATTORNEY DRAPER V. JONES.—The plaintiff in this case is a poor widow, named Isabella Draper, and the defendant is John Griffiths Jones, an attorney, whose office, at the time the action was commenced, was i❑ Redcross-street. The action was brought to recover the sum of £2. 12s. 6d., the amount of monies the defendant had received on behalf of the plain tiff whilst acting as her attorney. Mr. JAMES appeared for the plaintiff; the defendant did not appear. _ _ Mr. JAmxs, after stating the case, called a witness, who proved that, by the desire of the plaintiff, he instructed the defendant to recover for her a debt of £2. 12s. 6d., which he did. The witness called upon the defendant many times afterwards, and the last time he admitted having received the money, and said that if the witness would go to Mrs. Brook's public-house, in Dale -street, and there wait for him, he would bring the money. The witness went there as he was desired, and waited till eight o'clock at night, but the de fendant did not come, nor had he since paid the money. The ASSESSOR left it to the jury whether there was any doubt in the case. The jury immediately returned a verdict for £2. 12s. Gd. The ASSESSOR, in directing the verdict to be recorded, said, it was most disgraceful for an attorney to receive money on behalf of a client, and not pay it over. IMPORTANT TO OWNERS OF LODGINGS. CHAPLIN v. BERTINCHAMP.—The declaration in this case stated that the defendant had agreed to take certain lodgings from the plaintiff as a yearly tenant, and that he had had them to his use and enjoyment, but that he had left them contrary to agreement, whereby the plaintiff had suffered damage to the amount of £8 Bs., which he now sought to recover. _ _ . _ _ ._..... Mr. lIENDERSON appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. BLACKBU RN E for the defendant. Mr. HENDERSON, in opening the case, said the plaintiff was a master mariner, who had a house in Islington, and the defendant was George John Bertinchamp, a French teacher in this town. The plaintiff was accustomed to let off a part of his house in lodgings ; and in July last he left his sister in-law in charge of his house whilst he went to Scotland, with authority to let the lodgings if she could. Among the many disadvantages which single men had they had one ad vantage, which was, that when they offered themselves as tenants for lodgings they were considered more desirable than married men. On this occasion Mrs. Mottley, the plaintiff's sister-in-law, was anxious to secure a single gentleman as a lodger, but failed, but she secured Mr. Bertinchamp, who waited upon her, and she agreed to accept him nothwith standing his being married. This, however, was not done without some arrangement. Mr. Bertinchamp had to make terms upon which he could be admitted ; and the whole question would be now what the contract was upon which he entered the premises. As he (Mr. Henderson) understood the inducement the defendant held out was that he would become a yearly tenant, and upon that contract the lodgings were let. He should call Mrs. Mottley before the jury, and she would prove that the agreement was to take the lodgings for a year, but that the rent was to be payable week by week, at the rate of a guinea a week. Before, how ever,• the defendant entered upon the lodgings, it seems there was some mistake about the time ; and his wife sent a note, which the defendant delivered himself, stating that they could not come so soon as they intended, and that they wished to make arrangements to pay from the day that they entered. He would read the note which had been written by Mrs. Bertinchamp, and brought by the defendant, to Mrs. Mottley : " Mrs. Bertinchamp presents her compliments to Mrs. Mottley, and regrets to say that in consequence of a mistake in the date of the notice, the people here insist on Mr. Ber tinchamp paying rent until next Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Bertinchamp hope that in consequence of becoming yearly lodgers, Mrs. Mottley will not charge them rent for this week, as they will be with, her next Monday, please God, without fail. An answer will oblige. " 47, Stafford-street, Monday Evening." Soon after this they went to the lodgings, and continued to occupy them for a considerable time. They then removed, and, in fact, left the house. Now, this they had no right to do, for he (the learned counsel) should prove such a contract as the defendant could not get rid of, and which would entitle the plaintiff to recover all the rent claimed, unless Mr. Ber tinchamp waa able to shew some reasonable arrangement for giving up the premises in the summary way in which he did. Mrs. Ellen Mottley was then called. She said she was sister-in-law to .the plaintiff, Mr. William Chaplin, with whom she resided, at his house in Islington. In July last, the plaintiff and his family went into Scotland, leaving wit ness in charge of the house, with instructions to let part of it, and she placed a card in the window, on which was printed the word " Apartments." The defendant, Bertinchamp, and his wife repeatedly called to see the apartments, and in the end? she made an agreement to let the lodgings to them for one year at the rate of a guinea per week. The agreement was not in writing. They were to come on the ith or Bth of August ; but the same day the defendant came with the note to witness from Mrs. Bertin champ, which the learned counsel had read. The defendant desired witness to send an answer to it, and she was about to do so when Mrs.•Bertinchattip herself called, and witness told ' her that she had read her note, and that she would not charge them for the lodgings that week, as they were yearly lodgers. They came to the lodgings on the 14th of August. Cross-examined by Mr. BLACKBURN E.—The defendant and his wife left the lodgings on the 14th of October, and they had never been since, nor had the lodgings been let. They had paid the rent weekly up to the 16th Octoher regu larly. The note from the defendant's wife was then put in and read. This closed the plaintiff's case. Mr. BLACKBURNE said he would take the opinion of the court upon one point. On looking over the particulars of the plaintiff's demand, he found that there was a letting from the 16th October to the 11th December, 1841 ' • but the ques• tion was whether, during that Ole, there had been any use and occupation. The ASSESSOR said there had been a holding. What en joyment there had been he did not know, but there certainly was a holding. , . Mr. BLACKBURNE then addressed the jury on behalf of the defendant. After the opinion of the assessor, the only question for the jury was, whether the defendant was a yearly tenant or a tenant from week to week. If he was a tenant from week, to week, he was certainly liable. , The witness who had been called had told her story very fairly, and it was quite idle to pretend to say the jury would not believe that she was speaking the truth. , The account of the con versation which had taken place between them, was much the same thing as the note from the defendant's wife, and as the defendant carried that note himself to the witness, it must clearly be considered as his own note. It was, how ever, entirely for the jury to say whether the defendant was a yearly or a weekly tenant. The AssEssol, in directing the jury, said he should think him a very singular minded man who would say, after the conversation with Mrs. Mottley, and the note from the de fendant's wife, that they had not become yearly tenants. First, there was evidence that such an agreement, for a yearly tenancy, was made, and then there was the note confirming it: but if the jury had any doubt that there was such a con tract, they would say so. The jury immediately returned a verdict for the plaintiff. Damages £8 Bs. ILLEGAL DISTRAINT-HANNAN V. JAMES AND OTHERS This was an action of trespass, in which the plaintiff claimed compensation, in damages, for an alleged illegal dis traint, made under the circumstances detailed below. The de fendants pleaded the general issue as to the first count of the declaration ; and as to the second, that, at the time the dis traint was made, certain rents were in arrear. Mr. James appeared for the plaintiff. None of the defendants were re presented by counsel. Mr. JAMES said this action was brought by Mr. William Hannan, of this town, against William Jones, James Bittle, James Rain, James Cassidy, Edward James, and Jonathan Ballantyne ; and he thought that, before the case came to a conclusion, the jury would be of opinion that it was one of the most vexatious and unjustifiable that had ever come within their knowledge. The defendants, however, had, to some extent, atoned for their actions by not coming into court to defend their conduct. The circumstances were these :---Some time in the course of last year the plaintiff took a public-house in the neighbourhood of No 1 Graving Dock, from Messrs. Sharp, brewers, who had themselves taken the premises from the defendant James, at the yearly rent of £l2O. He understood that it was a common prac tice for brewers themselves to take public-houses, and sub-let them to other parties, because by this means they secured the privilege of supplying the house with their own article. Such was the case here : Messrs. Sharp themselves were liable for the rent to the defendant James, and the plaintiff was to pay rent to Messrs. Sharp. On the 19th November last, th ree of the defendants, Jones, Bittle, and Cassidy, went to th e house occupied by the plaintiff, alleging they had been sent by James, to effect a distraint upon account of certain rents then due. Mr. Hannan himself was not in the w a y a t th e time, but the bailiffs were prevailed upon not to remove the goods till be returned. On his return he sent Jones to Messrs. Sharp, to know the reason why the distress had been put into the house, inasmuch as no rent was d ue f rom him. Jones returned saying he had not been able to do anything with Messrs. Sharp. Mr. Hannan then be gge d t h at t h e bailiffs would not execute the distress till he had seen Messrs. Sharp himself, and endeavoured to make some arrangement. Jones and the other bailiffs promised . that nothing should be done in the mean time ; but no sooner had Mr. Hannan left for that purpose than a cart came up, brought by The defen dant Cassidy ; a crow-bar was procured, and they not only gutted the house of all the articles of furniture and wearing apparel, but they took away whatever fixtures there were. In fact, they left the house a mere shell. During the course of this proceeding, full information was given to the defen dants that they had no right to do so, as the rent had been paid by Messrs. Sharp, and that if they persisted Messrs. Sharp would proceed against them to the utmost extremity of the law. Notwithstanding this they continued to carry off the furniture. Whilst they were taking the fixtures down they were warned that they had no right to remove them, but they persisted till they rendered the place almost value less. It was to recover compensation for these wrongs that the plaintiff had brought the present action. The goods, after being placed in the cart, were traced to the shop of the defendant Ballantyne, the keeper of an auction-room in Tithebarn-street, where they were sold. When he bad proved these facts, the learned counsel said, he should be entitled to the verdict of the jury for double the value of the goods taken under the alleged distress for rent due, the value of the fixtures taken, as there was a distinct wrong in taking them, and to compensation for the ti . evass. Anna Cousins, sister-in-law of the plaintiff, proved the tenancy of the plaintiff under Messrs. Sharp, and minutely stated all the circumstances of the distraint as opened by Mr. James. The plaintiff was obliged to leave the house in con sequence of it. Considerable business was done there. Andrew Cooper, a joiner, and Thomas Blackburn, a brass founder, proved the value of the property taken. The house hold goods were worth £2O, the fixtures £B, and a beer ma chine £lO. Mr. John Patterson, a commercial traveller, was the nest witness called. He said, that a week after the distraint he called upon the defendant James, to ask him why he had sent the bailiffs into the house. His reply was, that lie had done so because lie could not get his rent; that he was very sorry for Hannan, but that he had told Messrs. Sharp, whom he had often called upon for it, that if the rent was not paid, he should send for it in another way, and that the plaintiff knew all about it. Mr. JAMES then put in a receipt for £3O, signed " Edward James," which said—" 3d August, 1841, received the sum of £3O from Messrs. A. and J. Sharp, being one quarter's rent, due in advance, of the public-house No. 1 Graving Dock, due 3d November, 1841." The ASSESSOR remarked that if the rent was due in ad vance, there would be another quarter due on the 3d Novem ber ; and this distraint was not made till the 19th. Mr. JAMES put in a previous receipt, in which no mention was made of " due in advance," and also the original agree ment to let and take the house between the defendant James and Mesrs. Sharp, dated April, 1841. This closed the case. The ASSESSOR, in summing up, read the agreement to the jury. He stated that the house was taken on the 3d April at the yearly rent of £l2O, the first quarter's rent not to be paid till August. This would seem to contradict the notion that the rent was due in advance ; and the agreement having been only made in April, it was not likely that any subsequent one had been entered into. The simple question for the determination of the jury was—whether the rent was or was not payable in advance. There was no case against the de fendant Ballantyne. The Jury, after a few minutes' consideration, returned a verdict for the plaintiff—for the furniture taken, no rent being due, £4O (being double the value), for the fixtures £lB, and for the trespass £3O, total damages £BB. DOCK COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS A special meeting was held on Monday last, for the pur pose of considering the plans and the reports of the engineers, when it was moved by Mr. Horsfall and seconded by Mr. Henry Holmes, " That the west gates, as suggested by Mr. Hartley, be adopted." It was moved by. Mr. Tobin and seconded by Mr. Ripley, "That the plan of Mr. Hartley, as to the entrance into Canning Dock, be adopted." It was moved by Mr. Bold and seconded by Mr. Molyneux, "That the plan of the Salthouse and new dock, as laid down by Mr. Hartley, be approved." And as to the Dora' entrance into the proposed new dock, it was moved by Mr. Tobin and seconded by Mr. Holmes, " That Mr. Hartley's plan is preferable to Mr. Walker's." All of which resolutions were carried unanimously. MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY The Dock Committee held their usual weekly meeting yesterday. The following members were present :—Messrs. Sands, Horsfall. Barclay, Holmes, Middleton, Smith, Chil ton'' Nicol, Mellor, M o l ynenx, B o ld , Sh and, Tobin, Moon, Aikin, and Evans. Mr. SANDS. chairman of the com mittee, presided. The Sub-committee of Works reported that fifteen tenders had been sent in for excavating the proposed elongation of Clarence Graving-dock, and they recommended that that of Mr. John Williams be accepted.—Agreed to. The same sub-committee also recommended that the offer of Messrs. Joseph Jones and Son, to purchase a quantity of old building materials, and also one of Messrs. Preston and Co., for a quantity of old iron, be accepted.—Agreed to. On the application of the Surveyor, he was authorised to run the Coburg Dock dry for two or three tides, in order to clear the gates of sand and mud. The Sub-Committee for the Department of the Marine Surveyor recommended that a bell beacon be procured, of the same construction as the last, but with such improvements as can be made in the mode of hanging the bell. Two additional men (Win. Brookes and Thos. Brookes) were appointed to the life-bout establishment at Formby. The Sub-Committee for the Department of the Harbour Masters recommended that the dock masters be instructed to account to the treasurer weekly for the amounts received by them for the use of stages,—Agreed to. The Sub-Committee also recommended that one half of the deposit of one guinea, made by each shipowner when the stages were taken out, be retained. A long and unimportant debate followed, after which the committee dviided, when there appeared— For the recommendation of the sub-committee 12 Against it Majority The Dock Solicitor, in a letter to the committee, stated that he had seen in the London Gazette notices of application for bills by the Ellesmere and Chester Canal ennimi,,gior,_ ers, the Paving and Sewering Commissioners, and the Town Council of Liverpool, during the present session, and that he had been assured by the promoters of each that no clauses would be contained in them affecting the dock es tate; but that as soon as the several bills were printed copies should be forwarded to him. • On the motion of Mr. AixiN, Mr. Bold was appointed a member of the sub-committee for the department of the Harbour Masters, in the place of Mr. Chapman. THE NEW DOCK PLANS. The CH AIRMAN said the next business on the paper was the all-absorbing affair of the new dock plans. Mr. TOHIN enquired whether there was any thing to de cide but the one question of an entrance from Salthpuse Dock ? The Cu AIRMAN said there was nothing more. Mr. TOBIN observed that nothing had been said at the special meeting on Monday as to whether the committee ap proved or disapproved of Mr. Gage's plan. Mr. HOLMES.—No ; but we adopted a plan very different to his. Mr. HonsFALL said there were two or three members of the committee now present who did not attend the special meeting on Monday, and who had not since had time to read the reports, and examine the plans of Mr. Walker and Mr. Cubitt. When the committee came to a vote upon the sub ject he hoped it would be an unanimous one, and in order to secure that end he should like every gentleman previously to inform himself fully of the entire question. He thought they would all arrive at the same conclusion, if gentlemen would inform themselves of the matter ; for he should not like to press a division now if there was a question about their being unanimous. Mr. TOBIN asked Mr. Horsfall to what question he was alluding? Mr. HORSFALL said to the adoption of the plan of Mr. Hartley. The CHAIRMAN observed that it had been decided at the special meeting to adopt that plan, and the only question now remaining was whether there should be a communication be tween Salthouse Dock and the new dock ._ Mr. HORSFALL said it was only to avoid the appearance of a division that he made the suggestion. H e should like every gentleman to be fully informed of the case, for they could hardly call upon gentlemen who had not read the reports of the engineers to go to the vote. . . . . Mr. - EVAN s urged that the committee had already decided the main question, and that it was inconvenient to re-open it. Mr. HORSFALL admitted that Mr. Evans was right in point of form, but he repeated that it was desirable to wait till every member had read the engineers' report, in order to secure unanimity. . . _ The CHAIRMAN, said, that if Mr. Horsfall wished to post pone the decision of the committee, it could only be upon the point which had been left undecided. Mr. EVANS strongly urged the inexpediency of further delay. It struck him that they were carrying on their busi ness in a loose and indeterminate sort of way. Both the en gineers' reports were before them, a special meeting had been called, and in fact every means had been taken to put every gentleman in a position to vote upon the subject. • Mr. MOON said he should wish to have an opportunity of examining the engineers' reports, but at the same time it was not likely that he should differ at all from the decisidn of the committee. Mr. H ORSFALL repeated that Mr. Evans was right in point of form ; but one or two gentlemen had not read the reports, for sufficient reasons, and it would be desirable that they should do so with the view of obtaining an unanimous vote, if they could. If there were a difference of opinion in the committee he should regret it exceedingly. . Mr. MELLOR said he had not had - time to examine the records on this subject, but he had no intention of making any opposition to the decision of the committee. In fact he did not feel himself competent to judge between two such men as Mr. Walker and Mr. Hartley. . _ Mr. EVANS said if knowledge was not to be found among the members of the dock committee upon this subject, he did not know where it was to be met with. They had in fact exhausted the brains of every man who had touched it. Mr. BARCLAY reminded the Committee that every point but one had already been decided.. The CH AIRMAN said it would be extremely inconvenient, because one or two gentlemen had been absent on former occasions to re-open the subject. If the committee wished to postpone their decision that might be done. Mr. EVANS objected to any further delay. Mr. TOBIN said it might be desirable to secure unanimity, because there was a stir making out of doors. Mr. EVANS suggested that in order to make the proceed ings regular, a motion should be made. Mr. Aixtx added, that such a motion ought to come from those who desired time for further inquiry. If there was no desire for it on their part, he did not think any should take place. The CHAIRMAN said that gentlemen could only move that the subject be re-considered. Mr. Nicol, said the only question was, whether the in convenience of delay was not greater than the advantage of it. The SURVEYOR, in reply to a question, stated that it was very desirable the matter should be brought to a close one way or the other. Mr. MELLOR inquired whether the committee were una nimous in their decision on Monday ? The CHAIRMAN replied that they were. Before the dis cussion proceeded further, the Secretary would read a letter from Mr. John North, secretary to the Shipowners' Asso ciation. The SECRETARY then read the letter, which stated that on Wednesday, the 9th instant, a meeting of the deputations from the associated bodies had been held, at which it was resolved that, as they had not had an opportunity of learning from the public prints the proceedings which had taken place at the last meeting of the dock committee, to receive the re ports of Mr. Walker and Mr. Cubitt, they desired to be fur nished with a copy of their reports, and that the deputations might have an early opportunity of examining the plans re ferred to in such reports. Mr. EVANS asked what the object was of a document of that sort? What did it import? Why, it meant no other than a supremacy over the Dock Committee, and that the Dock Committee were to take leave from the associations to form their own opinions! The Dock Committee had com plied with their wishes, they had gained all the information that was necessary, they had done ample justice to theummittee sub ject, and the question now was whether the Dock Committee or the associations were to deciae ? The CHAIRMAN : Exactly. Mr. HORS} ALL : It just comes to this—that we are to vacate our seats at this board, and offer them to these gen tlemen. Mr. "&" yANs: We have been troubled long enough by their votes, and we must new disregard all thii kind of un warrantable interference. Mr. BOLD enquired whether there would be any objeAion t o allow the deputations to bee the plans and to read the reports ? Mr. EVANS said that for one he had no objection to letting them read the reports as a matter of taste, if the Course of their literary pursuits led them to it. Mr. Toting suggested that. the committee had better .finally decide upon the plan, after which there would be no objection t o th e d epu t at i ons see i ng th e p l ans and reading the reports. There were two reasons why lie approved of the opening between the new dock and the Salthouse; one was, that in c ase o f fi re t h ere would b e an additional exit for vessels, and the other, that one mi lit be made an import and the other an export dock. After a short conversation a motion was made and carried that there should be a passage between the two docks. Mr. II onsvaet, then proposed the following motion:— " The committee having repeatedly had under their anxious and particular consideration the several plans exhibited to them as to the best made of constructing and altering the docks, as contemplated by the recent Ant. of Parliament, together with certain resolutions of some of the mercantile associations with reference thereto, and having heard the opinions of all those gentlemen who have attended at the dock office for the purpose of personally expressing them, the committee deemed it their duty to examine the harbour masters and dock -masters thereon, as well as to call for the opinions of two of the most experienced and eminent civil engineers —Mr. James Walker and Mr. William Cubitt— being selected for that purpose. These two gentlemen attended here during five days, and in a minute and laborious manner examined into every point that could tend to give them useful information on the subject. They have, after mature deliberation, made separate plans and reports, differ ing from each other in some respects, which have been well considered by the committee, yet both confirmatory of Mr. Hartley's plans, to such an extent that the committee; hav ing given to the whole subject that ample consideration to which its great importance entitles it, " Resolved unanimously,—That Mr. Hartley's plans con tain the most judicious and best appropriation of the site for the intended new dock, and that they will proceed in the execution of them with the least possible delay, the trade of this port requiring their speedy execution ; and in so doing theyare convinced that they will promote the best interests of the port and of the public." Mr. .HOLMES seconded the motion, and it was unani mously carried. It Was next resolved that the plans and reports should lie on the table for a week for public inspection. The committee then separated. Maryport, in Cumberland, which has long been considered as a dependant of the port of Whitehaven, is now made into a separate and independent port, with bonding privileges. Mr. Thomas Todd, president of the American Chamber of Commerce. Liverpool, and Mr. William Brown, vice-presi dent, and Mr. Thomas Bolton, had an interview with the Earl of Ripon, at the office of the Board of Trade, on Tuesday. The Gazette of Tuesday contains the following :—The Queen has been this day pleased to appoint Thomas Robert 'Wilson France, of Rawcliffe-hall, Esq., to be sheriff of the county palatine of Lancaster for the year ensuing. LEOMINSTER ELECTION.—Mr. G. Arkwright, conserva tive, was elected member for this borough on Tuesday. DUBLIN UNIVERSITY.—The election for this university will take place this day (Friday), when Sergeant Jackson will be returned without opposition. PENN'S BATHS.—Owing to the bursting of one of the pipes connected with the warm baths there has been a tem porary stoppage of a part of the works, which has occasioned some inconvenience to the visitors of these admirable baths. We are sure nobody regrets the accident (on public grounds) more than Mrs. Penn herself, on account of the disappoint ment it has occasioned to many of her subscribers to the cold bath. We believe there is no establishment of the kind in the kingdom conducted, generally, with so much attention to the wants and comforts of the bathing community ; throughout the building there reigns the most perfect regu larity; attention, and cleanliness. To this we are happy to bear our humble testimony, and cordially recommend our readers to pay them a visit.—See Advt. MYSTERIOUS CASE.—INQUEST ON THE BODY OF A LAS CAR SEAMAN.—An inquest was held yesterday, before the borough coroner, on view of the body of Seedy Nasil, a Lascar, who had died at the Infirmary. Captain Alexander Adam, of the ship Fermosa, said that the deceased was one of twenty-two Lascars on board, and was shipped at Bombay on the Ist September last. For some weeks before they entered the channel the deceased complained of a pain in the chest, and spitting of blood ; and he consequently examined him, but as he could not speak English, could only guess at his complaint, which he took to be a cold, and ordered him to be kept below, with warm clothing and hot drinks. He never knew the deceased to be struck by auv body —nor so much as a rope yarn raised against him during the voyage. The deceased performed his work in a seaman-like manner, and was a favourite with all on board both fore and aft. Being a useful man witness kept him on the po o p un d er hi s own eye. The ship arrived here on the 16th ult., and it appeared was subsequently taken from his boarding-house in Brick street to the Infirmary, with another man, where he after wards died. Mr. Burgess, apothecary of the Infirmary, said the deceased was brought there on the 17th ult. He was labourinc , under frost-bitten feet, of whi c h on l y h e com plained, he had also symptoms of intim:nation of the lungs. He was treated for the former by Mr. Cooper, - the surgeon of the establishment, and by Mr. Baird, physician for the latter. He died on the Ist instant, and the usual legal application, being made for a subject for the lecture room of the Royal Institution, the body was sent there, and underwent dissection to a certain extent, by Mr. Lang, the lecturer on anatomy at the institution. Mr. T. Brandreth, surgeon of the Infirmary, said, that from information he had received, he went to the Royal Institution, on the day fol lowing (Saturday), and had the body furthe r di ssec t e d, i n presence of Mr. 'Alfred Higginson, surgeon and demonstrator of anatomy there. From the evidence of these gentlemen, it appeared that deceased had sustained very serious internal injuries which were the cause of death. The appearances were minutely described by both, and Mr. Higginson produced a sketch of the sternan, ribs, &e., in black and red ink showing the injuries. It appeared from their evidence that several of the ribs were dislocated from the cartelages causing injury to some of the viscera, but not to the lungs, and they were also partially broken. The appearance of the ribs was such as Mr. Higginson had observed in a case where a cart-wheel had passed over the chest, and it appeared remarkable that the deceased should have survived so long under the injuries, which must have been inflicted before death. An intelligent native of India, one of the crew, and a protestant, being sworn, as an interpreter, a Lascar was called to give evidence. He stated that be was a Mahommedan, and haviug taken the Bible in both bands, placed it on his head, and held it there until he swore to tell the truth. He stated in effect that on the passage the Serang, or boatswain of the Las cars, had about two months ago, whilst they were on the passage, struck the deceased three or four blows on the back with. a rope of about an inch thick. This did not, however, knock him down, and he afterwards continued to work. The medical gentlemen said - that such blows could not have produced the injuries spoken of. It after wards appeared that the deceased on landing had scrambled over several vessels at the quay, and had walked to his lodg ing-house without assistance, which they were of opinion he could not have done if he had previously received the in juries. The. strong probability then being that the deceased was -hurt by some person on shore,—more particularly as the lodging-house he had gone to was one of the roughest places in the town. The coroner adjourned the inquest for further evidence until to-morrow or Saturday. SECOND EDITION. Standard-office, Three o'clock LIVERPOOL CORN EXCHANGE,—Trus DAN' (Prom Messrs. R. MAKIN & SONS' Circular.) The import duties for the week ensuing are advanced upon Foreign Wheat to 255. Bd., on Rye to 9s. 6d., on Beans to 18s. 3d. per qr., on Flour to 15s. 51d. per brl. ; remaining upon other Foreign, and on all British Colonial produce, unvaried. Of English, Irish, and Foreign Grain, and of Flour and Oatmeal from Ireland, the arrivals into this port since our return of Tuesday last, are altogether trivial ; 9455 barrels of States' Flour, alone, forming a tolerable supply. The developement of the plan proposed by Sir R. Peel on the subject of the Corn Laws, and the table of the intended duties being now before the public, produced a considerably increased degree of dulness in the sale of all descriptions of both free and bonded Grain at this day's market. Extensive business, therefore, in any branch of the trade was wholly impracticable, and although in prices no definite reduction can be named, Wheat, and in general most kinds of Grain were apparently rather depressed in value. Good brands of duty-paid States' and Canadian Flour, however, being less plentiful, were saleable in limited parcels at Tuesday's rates ; but in home made or Irish little or no thing was done. Oatmeal was very difficult of sale and the turn cheaper. Wheat . Barley . Malt .. Oats .. Rye... ARRIVALS OF CORN From the Bth to the 10th Fehoutru • 1 ICANAI).(I FO- ' LAND. I WISH. I& U.STS - .1 RSICN. ITOTAL Qrs. Qrs.l 126 Qrs.i 334 Qrs.l 1272 1 Qrs. Beans Qrs. 8 Pease . Qrs. • 3 Shelled Barley . Qrs. Indian Corn .. . Qrs. Rapeseed Qrs. Oatmeal .. . . Loads; 660 117 Flour . Sacks\ 910 Ditto ... Brls. Into Runcorn, Ireland and Coastwise qrs. ; Oatmeal, ids; Flour, sacks .11.3 I —Wheat, -- qrs.; Oat qrs.) Barley EXPORTS.—Foreign. Wheat, qrs. ; Oats, qrs ; Beaus qrs • Indian Corn. - meal, 20 loads ; Flour, sacks, ' IV bris N healoac t, qrs. ; Beans, 20 qrs.; Indian Corn, Barley, , Flour, 35 sacks.--Coastwise. Wheat, 65 qrs. ; qrs.; Malt, —qrs: ; Oats, —qrs.' ; Bean Oatmeal,rs.; K? l ` -, s . ; 3 qrs. ; Pease, II qrs. ; Indian Corn, Flour, 44 sacks, 185 barrels. qrs. ; Oatmeal, Wheat Os. Average prices of Grain, for the week ending* Feb. 4, 1 Beans.. ass. 4tf• 1 Pease.. S3s. lld. Barley 28s. 5(1. 1 ars.. 20s. 1,1. I It) Aggregate average of the six w Wheat..6ls.lod. I Barley 29, ;. 'OatPeas( o. s. Beans.. 343.7 d. I Duty on Foreign Grain, &c. this We Wheat 25s.Sd. Barley gis. 4d. I Oats • . . 16s. 9 t Indian Corn.. iis. n Beans 'Ss. 3d. I Pease.. 16s. Ind. Corn Ditto from British Colonies out of F t Wheat.... ss. M. I Barley .. 2s. tid. I Oats ' Ilk Beans.. as. I P ease.. ss. I Liverpool Averages, week ending v Wheat. Barley. Oats. —g et). Qrs ..... 59 8 / 229 • Prices 495. sd. Os. Od. I sd. Os LIVERPOOL COTTON 'MARKET, 3 P.M The demand for Cotton to-day has been to a fair extent, say 4,000 bales, and Yesterday's prices have been generally realised ; yet the feeling is not much, if any, improved, though parties are apparently more reconciled to Sir Robert Peel's corn scheme, Which mature reflection 1 - - many to see and acknowledge as a decide' " boon to the country." The sales of the week amount to 27,720 bales, of which speculators have taken 3,000, and exporters 1,000 bales, prices close on a par with last Friday's quotations. At the public sale of Sea Islands to-day few buyers attended, tind.onty two or three lots found purchasers at d per lb. decline., ' • DESCRIPTION