The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-06-20 00:00:00

London, t 9 rench cora iing heard. •.", Lists so 0 1 ,7 r , stating but frorn s, I ex peril ii IS. It 15 ,e disrepo; i eh comma' h e 20,1848. :. ~~~~ WEST AND EAST INDIA COLONIES. NChi Tuesday, pursuant to a requisition, numerously and V eel o i l y signed by bankers, merchants, and traders of erpool, the Mayor convened a public meeting of the aktabitants of the borough at the Session's-house, Chapel-_ t, for the purpose, as stated in the requisition, " of tedering the late measures of the government in con hoW with the East and West India Sugar Colonies, and cost e ' r theY have been effective in carrrying out the views e tms .uPlated by the Slavery Abolition Acts; and also to Consider the expediency of giving our approval and sup pet to the resolutions recently moved and carried, in e ki r en, ce thereto, by our member, Sir Thomas Birch, in ;egpltiat_corn! ' nli ttea of the House of Commons." At twelve n e cck the Mayor, T. B. Horsfall, Esq., appeared upon and took the chair amid rapturous and pro % is . ' , leering from every part of the spacious building. l e „,„sis right and left we noticed a great number of our leg merchants and tradesmen. ae Tewli-CLERIC commenced the proceedings by T i ng the requisition which had been sent to the Mayor. to 41" MAYOII. then rose and said,—Gentlemen, I have alared the present meeting on the same principle on aff or ,;.l have convened several others ; for the purpose of exp re 'i s l l ) .g the inhabitants of this town the opportunity of 016, 0 ' 1 .4, in a legitimate and constitutional manner, try eir ee julions on passing events, whether those events are ,ustarices connected with the commerce of this coun thro' ur whether they are connected with British philan- A/Pr• (Cheers.) tliat r tj• saaND, in moving the first resolution, contended had failed act passed for the abolition of slavery in 1833 th e a iled in its anticipated effects. He complained that faii,gt!at measure th en propounded had so far s i gnally b en t!' , and that not b ecause it was not practicable—not haVse it ought not to have succeeded—but because there fade T , pains taken, b ecause th ere h a d b een no e ff or t s • 0 it Y those who had the power, to give it success. took id it was because, after the act was passed, a change th _ u s Place in the councils of the nation, and inconsistent, coy_erisonable, and unjust demands were made from the krruati,olnproprietors. Mr. Shand, after some other oh which ths' continued :—" I find that in 1833, the year in e abolition act was passed, the growth of sugar 410 counted to 3,646,205 cwt. ; at which time Lord Stanley , that so much had the quantity produced exceeded ;,consumption, that he really thought it would be an LZitisatage to the West Indies if they made less. They ki e , 1 • 00 0,000 cwts. annually beyond the consumption, i es ae said they would get higher prices if they made of r e Let m e o b serve, that from 1834 till 1840, a system N ated labou r un d er t h e name o f apprenticeship, k t . gult o havebeen established. I find th at the average for the next four years were very little less than . 1 11 o\ s . They amounted, on the average—and there is 3, 3 4 - RQ r s,}l, s _ch difference, the last being rather the most, to di: l ,l' 4 W cwt. But in 1838, by, I must say, an extraor etb-Y eaPrice of legislation —a shameful violation of . the eii*Pact of 1834—the apprenticeship was abruptl7, with- Ra 1 ,,, 1 4 consideration to the planters at all, put an end to. IN "was the consequence of this act ? The consequence h or :hat in the three following years the return fell off ,147 2 „•, 82 4,372 cwt., to 2,214,764 cwt., and in 1841 to 40' 4 , 18 cwt. ; aking a difference of more than ;alitorforthewt. annually. Results like these certainly many complaints. They led also to the most k ev slis efforts on the part of the colonists, who sought ila k i t „ t Y, Part of the world, and made many struggles, to pip labourers labourers for their deserted fields. Without stop toe's 'les'? to count the cost of so doing, I will refer to the pearclaent result. In 1842, which was the last of three tSi e s e quring which they had exercised the greatest ahrui procuring additional labourers, the production of ' which had fallen to 2,148,000 cwt., rose to 2,531,725 N e l:wid went on increasing, with the exception of 1846, t.242, 7 w, a very dry year, till in 1847 it again reached cwt. I may add at this point, too, that the :,heyl, 4 l,uics and Mauritius had not been standing still. 'qt come on with giant strides. So that in 1847 I§ll:rbduction of British sugar alone equalled, within a ' l 4a; t he Whole consumption of Great Britain. I might taqslat some length many of the modes in which the t t l'tq7„_ of the colonists themselves were thwarted by " e rurnent. But I have limited myself to this one tl t '':Ud it is the fact on which I ground my _ complaint,. b p d titystem of free labour has never had fair play, hc it has given such evidence of success that it ,kubt to be abandoned at the present moment. And I th,doned it must be—l say, abandoned it must be, if i;ouritish colonies be left to the operation of the Act e i",; (II r, h and cheers.) I said before that ° C"s t ea 'de he cost, yet I cannot but bring it to [ 'Re outsk e vou a r si of my argument. I must now add, that ', I 4;Y of procuring labourers, and paying such very . "? 8 , and in attempting the improvement, cultiva -Iksica an d manufacture of sugar has been so enormous ea h as as you considered the compensation to have hiti7uu high as you recollect the price of sugar was, N e , - , s Lias all been expended through these channels, and s ' } , i r ,gst. fall if we are to be brought into competition with 1 4 t PIO slave d ler—the man who grows sugar under it h ,',et of 1846 ea We did pledge ourselves under the "ation Act to an honest effort to make free labour : 1 4 S nli• And I s a y we h ave no t d one so ; that we atiollot allowed it f a i r p l ay ; an d I do not think this Ite,Lh'has done justice to the undertaking which they N eb tered upon. Lills 4lt LES LAWRENCE, Esq. briefly seconded the reso which, t oge th er with all the others carried on this s4 e as well as the memorial of the House of Com -4 and the amendments proposed, seconded and re- Itaill be found in our advertising columns. G l ll4l . ' V • RATHBONE, secon d e d by MT. C. HOLLAND, i t ' 4 an amendment to the first resolution, which was s:ld lost. kbaat HODGSON proposed the second resolution, ,doing so said, we as k th a t th e expec t a ti on w hi c h `',lll o , e ',,d out by the mini s t er o f th e d a y, a nd which was bia by the West Indians to be guaranteed by all that , t cl""lng in those arguments of morality—all that was ,' L ti 4 ,'sg in th ose p l eas o gu f humanity—all that was sacred Pell t , c onsiderations of religion—that that expectation thgah, lo fulfilled. Now, what was that expectation ? h i , 4 `saf; should be in a measure sustained while passing a`t iti stage of a difficult experiment ; 0111, e ls should be supported till the new social system consolidated, and that he should have th e honest 011 t 4 , 41 co-operation of the British people while carry dopa e new, and, as the West Indian alleged, the ha ipfor;:!Periment of the untried mode of cultivation you upon This was what was asked, and as Vt',;','• man I ask of you to afford this. I ask it as an Va l-4 'st I ask it as an Englishman anxious for fair ft4d that our engagements to the West Indian should l e ,`Zl. I am persuaded that the more the question it; lf;‘° o d, the more you will find the country true to r j r, l ed: i .; lll e to the memory of the great men I have men y qe to their eloquent efforts of twenty, thirty, or p h •aq L 4 ra. for the abolition of the slave trade and slavery Oci h iwill find that the country, true to herself, to her I j4 ti l ,`,, e s, to British feelings, will never acquiesce—never i•„11,-.' Permanently acquiesce in a course of legislation at ,N with her expectations, her consistency, her cha and her religion—(much applause.) 044". THOMAS NOLAN, in seconding the resolution tiN4., ° the questi on as b e i ng one o f common humanity_ aLlt Ls the negro, and one of c o mmon justice to the 01 stimulatingo lter. The measure of 1846 has had the the slave trade. The importation of W6 led a ss had been proved by Mr. Hodgson, had been yple Dro compared with 1844 and 1845. In addition t+t,l4 tl, o f afforded by the previous spe a ke r , M r . N o l an IL" evidence of Dr. Cliffe to the effect, that the a ed b,„ ship that ever captured a slaver was coin -44,1 ', t an Englishman, and he was dismissed the ser ,,taat since the West Indian islands have been "'a sugar plantations of Brazil have risen up to h t ?e oilteht• On such evidence, and there was abun ‘'Otai 4 s imilar kind, were they inconsistent as aboli ylii.,ll seeking for a modification or a repeal of that Itai 1 14 4 4 to h ad aggravated all the iniquity a ga i ns t w hi c h tikeet. England as a nation was guilty of it : let t Llarged on the West Indians. It was England's NO the sanction of England : it was supported by • kadLet the nation be just. That is the great h a L l id We take the next, the anomalous position r aces herself in. She is wasting the flower of k t .,%,,. 4 guarding the poisonous estuaries of the African ,tli E "ta,;',‘, at the very time that by her legislative enact 040131 e she is holding out a premium that renders g down of slavery impossible. I recollect, Sir, :if e t a rd - --and in this company I shall be easily cor 1, ad—and wrong—that so long as the premium or duty 1 1:It 4 ,r article exceeded such a per centage on its value, 1 / 4 ,,,tl it own smuggling in that article was impossible. S'',lit • Pl'emium on slave sugar by the act of 1846 . is so ~;} ' N,:ticoulates so much that it will be impossible . to ,Vtif; that most abhorrent of all systems of smuggling , t. t,a; in the lives of responsible beings like ourselves, b i i l s,,ia, 4° , ll of the same . God. This is the great ground IdNovAwe come ; and if we speak feelingly—and why - tket ; e tit e:l; :r • —of one portion of our community, the alci a !uterest, and it is a mighty one, let us not be ejr ett m include the West India proprietors alone. ,S t te r ,,lhe negro as his dependant ; and I regard "t. laths as inseparable. One cannot prosper by " q t eat of the other ; and that plilosophy, or s',l: i Ltu e aT t n e,b2Y, or whatever you may please to ' 4 ,,ta, Issue in ruin, that attempts to elevate 11,, t 1 `se Whether white or black, at the expense aittinPreiudiee of the man who employs him. I , o,„ "t •P i ns its w „ 4 , , , I will make one observation that will, c ( ;„' 1 through the heart of every man pre- I tiOe t `lat4 L re,as via as free-born Englishmen who love Jo ht tA ( let tsm. l help the insignificance of the speaker wsd th e taak s ' e 'rem the importance of the remark he is I speak to Englishmen who have en ap',AP„(l6;'''',aud protection of that blessing and mercy 4 14 , i glven to your country. I ask you to recal Y 4 a1 4 t -e : Si ngsextended to your own highly favoured °„',,elbember that God has honoured her in kip,'''Yth';'Pe, : ;,;` 4 has extended to her the blessings of a th'"g y' r ,` e, a preached Gospel, and a righteous law. , t l , -11 ,k kig t - ,.„ 4 , have, and everything you are, depends V'a °l sli s Pea ? - "ng blessing of God. Your ships, you!. ati a th, cctri merce,—those great pillars upon wawa : 1 44 bf ne,ss stands, and stands the envy and ` 4o :'4' s glehe,—these are some of her blessings. • at t),`Co b _With e y elled in the annals of the civilized world, a k ,,;(s, e o 'atti e ; 4 l l, s to make use of the means to uphold it t4 l .Dli e LL'At he in mercy hath given to us. Look u ote'sol4 l ll4, - 8 1 ' o t Paid to your country . during the recent (,‘ s eu .„ call it, of foreign kingdoms. See the f?)followed here ! England is freedom's ue;ed 'au • No • Panu . ve emen cri 5 ; 0 4 - h ti on ., S ed I said, sir, and I repeat it that she 'ter,, a eek' ll 4 ev er and that nothing but a suicidal act of aseia t , p l e 4 . o ,ear the arms of England down ! Do ng tf i t :roa e ° : ' „Ls there a foreign monarch banished fi " bere does he seek for a home but 4 siti/ Wh rt - ' a g and mighty arms of magnificent rh o • t 'ee l) - se was the arm that stretched across the lba kulkiklittad iod that snapped the African's chains ? ko t -4 , 0 to, ves freedom at home and abroad ; and to Ls ard ti • ma,, 'great est byr in the representative of one of e en —I mean the English merchant, 414ftsures stultified, but to require that the spirit and letter of the act of 1883 may be fully carried. out. lam speaking of English. merchants; and I fear lessly maintain that they are a pride and credit to the country to which they belong. Is not the name of a British merchant a synonym for taintless honour ? Does it not awaken the thought of intelligent enterprise, in domitable industry, incorruptible integrity ; and are not these terms the most mighty and exalted amongst men. (" Question.") I am speaking to the question. I am speaking of those merchants who are the upholders of ships, colonies, and commerce ; and allow me to beseech you and all around me, by the name of your common country, to adhere to the principles which have made England great amongst the nations ! Yes ! the greatness of England depends upon the manner in which she holds by the faith and integrity of her representatives in foreign lands, the honour, spirit, truth, and valour of all those names which are unmeaning until you localise them in association with the name of England ! Remember that God that made England great ! Seek your own real interests by studying His will ! Remember Him and say—" 0, that we had walked in the way of His com mandments. Then our righteousness had been as a river, and our peace as the waves of the sea. Happy are the people that are in such a state ; yea, blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God !" The rev. gentleman resumed his seat amid vehement applause, which was repeated at almost every sentence of his admirable address, of which the above gives but a few detached portions. THOMAS THORNELY, Esq., M.P., said :—Sir, the rev. gentleman who has last spoken has addressed the meeting with great feeling and ability, but I do say that that gen tleman has gone very far wide of the mark by supposing that Lord George Bentinck's committee, in the measures founded on their report., are to exclude slave-grown sugar. I am as old an abolitionist as any man of my age, and from my infancy I detested slavery ; but I declare that it is totally impossible to destroy the slave trade by prohi biting the importation of foreign produce. We, of the town of Liverpool, who are the greatest importers of the cotton of the United States,—why, we import three fourths of the whole produce of the slave labour of Ame rica. And we import a very great quantity of tobacco, the produce entirely of America ; and the rice grown in the southern states of America is also the produce of slave labour. Sir, I have as strong a sympathy as any one for the distresses of the West Indians, but let me remind this meeting that these distresses are by no means of recent date. And let me say a word about the management of the West Indian estates. Why, the West Indian estates were always under mortgage. I never heard of one that was not mortgaged ; and some houses in Bristol to whom they were mortgaged sent their own ships out, charged high freights (higher than they can charge when the navi gation laws are repealed), and these charges were so great that it seemed to me extraordinary how the sugar could be grown for the price it was and the proprietor not be in embarrassed circumstances. And indeed there is something about the cultivation of the West Indies that deserves a passing notice. Now I have many friends among the West Indian proprietors, and they have com plained to me about the embarrassed condition of their estates. "Did you ever see your estate ?" said Ito them. "Oh dear, no !" they replied. " Well," said I, " you are a planter there—that is, a farmer; you have never been within five thousand miles of your estate, and yet you expect that estate to bring you in a great revenue." Why, the thing is almost impossible. What would you think if a farmer in the neighbourhood of Liverpool was to live in Jamaica ? I admit the difficulties of the West pronrietors, but there are parties at home also suffering great difficulties. The cotton manufacturer is in great difficulties. I believe his present embarrassment is owing to the unsettled condition of Europe. But in their embarrassments they do not tax the West Indians, and why should you tax all the people of England for the sake of any particular interest ? Now, in 1842, the du ties on British sugars being 225. per cwt., our prices besides were 245. above the price at which sugars of equal quality were selling in this market. The revenue paid that year was £4,000,000, and an additional payment of £4,000,000 for the West India planters. Now, in that year I received a letter from Wolverhampton, the borough which I have the honour to represent, from a grocer; and the grocer said—" I beg to inform you that, owing to the enormous price of sugar, there is no demand for it for preserving fruit, and the people living about here are unable to get any remuneration for the fruit they have grown, inasmuch as they cannot afford to buy sugar to preserve their fruit." We got over that evil, and got over it as well as we could ; but the time has gone by for taxing one section of the country for the support of ano ther. I grieve over the distresses of the West Indies ; I grieve over the distresses of any part of the country, at home or abroad ; but I do protest, on behalf of the peo ple of the country at large, and on behalf of my own constituents, against paying a tax for the sake of putting a certain amount of money into the pockets of the growers of sugar. I wish just to make one remark upon the re port of the Parliamentary Committee, which has been already quoted from by Mr. Hodgson. I beg the meeting not to understand that that report is the unanimous re port of the committee. I believe the main report was carried by but a small majority.—Mr.Thornely concluded by moving the amendment. Mr. C. ROBERTSON, in seconding it, said the simple question before the meeting was this—are the consumers of this country, men, women, and children, to pay on every pound of sugar a tax of one penny for the support of parties connected with West India property ? and is it a measure demanded by a sense of justice at home, by the labouring population of the colonies, and by the colonies at large ? The resolution was carried. The Rev. Dr. M`NEILE next addressed the meeting at great length, and amidst repeated bursts of applause. In moving the resolution, he said, " I beg to say in the first place that it is not as an opponent of the principles of free trade that I address the meeting. (Cheers.) On the contrary, I am free to say, that if this world of ours was in such a condition that the principles of free trade could be carried out fully, fairly, and universally, I would not only most gladly agree with it, but most cordially rejoice in it. If it could be carried out fully, without reserve ; fairly without partiality.; and universally, without excep tion. (Hear, hear, and applause.) The most captivating theory has been presented to this nation, with a very vi cious, because partial, application of it. (Applause.) The effect has been electrical. I don't wonder at the success that has attended the hon member for the West Riding. (Hear and applause.) He propounded the theory I allude to, to the nation, with a very partial application made at the time—the exponent of that partial application confin ing it at the time to one particular subject, corn. (No, no ; yes, yes. A voice—read his speeches ; another voice —be has read them long ago, to your sorrow.) The sophism, the sophism I say was not perceived. That it is a sophism I think it will presently appear, because to this hour the hon. gentleman is not prepared to go the whole way. (" Yes he is.") Very well; I must continue my story though. The nation did not perceive the sophism ; The practical difficulties in the way of carrying out the theory were not felt to be such as should abate the stimulus given by the theory itself. (Hear.) The golden prize appeared within reach ; the right hon. Baronet the member for Tamworth was converted—(oh, oh, and cheers)—and the majority of the House of Commons was surrendered at discretion ; perhaps 1 might say without discretion. (Laughter and loud applause.) I wish to speak in excel lent good humour, as well as good taste ; therefore I shall say, they surrendered to the peace-promising, illustrious Richard. (Loud laughter.) Well, sir, what I complain of is this, that the hon. gentleman did not propose to go the whole way with his theory. (A voice, " Yes he did.") He applied it to corn, as he thinks, with success; he is ap plying it. and is sanguine of success, to shipping ; but why stop with corn and shipping—why not apply it to sugar ? (A voice, He does.") He is willing to apply it to sugar ; be it so. He says, " Have free trade in sugar, and you will have cheap sugar as you have cheap corn." N'dw, the gentleman who seconded the last amendment made an enumeration of this kind. I was surprised at his stopping with sugar also. Why stop with sugar—why not apply it to the machinery with which cheap sugar is produced ? (Hear.) Is he prepared to go the whole way now,—free trade in slaves? (A voice—" No, no,"—" Yes, yes." Reiterated cheering.) (A voice—" Slavery is not free trade.") Is the hon. gentleman, or any of his friends who move and second the amendments at a great public demonstration of this kind, prepared to come before the public and avow what one has now said, go all the way with free trade, even to the machinery which makes sugar ? (A voice—" Certainly.") Then let England know that— let the people of England understand that. (Applause.) Has the hon. gentleman such entire confidence in his system, in his principle, that he is willing, I ask again, to apply it not only to the produce, but to the mode of pro ducing ? Why then, if so, and if his friends be true to those principles, let him rise in his place in parliament, sure of the support of the country, and let him call upon the government to remove our blockading squadron from the coast of Africa altogether. If he be sincere in saying that restriction in anything must be protection to some thing, why then let him remove the restriction from the West Indies. They do not and they cannot smuggle men from the coast of Africa, and that restriction is a protec tion to the Portuguese, who do smuggle men. (Loud ap plause.) Let those gentlemen, then, call upon the govern ment to repeal the Negro Emancipation . Act of 1833, which they are bound to denounce as an iniquitous inva sion of the liberty of the West Indies, to get the cheapest labour they can find. (Cheers.) Now, I will suppose at the early period of the hon. gentleman's career to whom I have already alluded—when he was making an honourable independence at Stockport—l will suppose he had dis covered a species of machinery unrivalled for the produc tion of printed calicoes, much desired both in the home and foreign market ; I will suppose for some reason or other an act of parliament was passed suppressing that machinery, and that a posse of constables was sent to the mill at Stockport to prevent its introduction into the mill. Sir, with what indignant eloquence would not the hon, gentleman have denounced such a restriction as an abomi nation—a treason against free trade in machinery, as well as in printed calicoes. (Hear, hear.) What, then, it will be asked, do I advocate the extension of free trade so far as to advocate the revival of the slave trade ? (Hear, hear.) No ; but I tell you what I do. I show, I think, very fairly, by thus driving the argument to the extreme, its absurdity, if fully carried out—l show that the princi ple of free trade, fully, fairly, and universally carried out, is inapplicable to a world like ours—a chequered world, where adjustments are to be made—where compensations, balances—considerations delicately to be investigated, and carefully to be harmonised, are to be taken into account, the utmost we can do is to approximate the desired per fection. (Loud applause.) And if you can only approx imate in the removal of restriction, you should only ap proximate, and should attempt no more in the removal of protection. (Hear, and loud applause.) Suppose it has been found, as a vice of the machinery I alluded to just now, that it cut the fingers of every man, woman, and child employed at the mill ; and suppose that the people or the parliament of England rose in their majesty and said, " We won't have printed. calicoes, however cheap, if stained with human blood, pat them away ;" they would make the cases parallel* diad would that be a case for TIM LIVERPOOL STANDARD; free trade? Must free trade go4he whole length, and re move restriction from blood stained , machinery ? (Loud applause.) Free trade in slaves the principle fairly car ries them to. (A voice—" No, no.") Well, I am quite ready to- receive the tone of that " No, no," in abatement of the force of that argument, elicited perhaps in the at tempt to drive us to the wall in. an extreme, when the gentleman who spoke last asked who -would touch tobacco or snuff derived from slave labour, or clothes made from slave labour, or soil his fingers with gold dug by slaves. Was not that the same sort of an attempt to drive at the extreme, and be an extreme. (" No, no.") And will not a comparison of these two arguments— (lnterruption.) The felt unfairness of - an extreme in the other case is precisely what I want to produce. lam not pleading for extremes; I am showing the absurdity of pleading for extremes. (Hear, and applause.) Well, now,. sir, I have in the second place to say—this I am led to also by what has dropped from some of our friends — that it is not as a partisan of the West India proprietors I address this meeting. (Hear,,hear, and applause.) I have no connexion, directly or indirectly, except in the way of acquaintanceship and friendship, with. West India property. I have not a farthing connexion with it, never had, and never expect to have and so far lam not open to the retort which men so easily make who judge of others by themselves. (Rapturous and continued applause.) It so happens that the West India proprietors have, as I think, been very badly used ; and so far I feel with them and for them. (Applause.) It so happens that, as I think, they have got reason and justice in their present complaint and moderate demand ; and as such I am their willing advocate. (Applause.) After quoting a circular written by Lord Glenelg, the colonial secretary in 1835, in which the Government pledged their faith that no risk would be incurred by the owners of West India property, the rev. doctor proceeded :—The West India proprietors did not hesitate to go upon the faith of such an assurance l as this, and expended considerable sums upon their pro perty, improving it, availing themselves of opportunities afforded in endeavouring to make the best of the appren ticeship system, both as a matter of property and prepa ration for the coming freedom ; and then, in the midst of this, while they were struggling through this—while maintaining their ground as well as they could—while still doubtful, and all hearts were anxious about the suc cess or the non-success of the great experiment—when all who had laboured for the emancipation of the slaves were anxiously watching the result of this great nursery ' of freedom ; —in the midst of all this, the fatal act of 1846 passed the lgislature, stultifying their own arrangements —their assurances on official authority—and throwing the men who had estimated upon their good faith into the dust, exclaiming in the proverb which I have before quoted to you, Who would depend upon a British Act of Parliament ?" % Loud and continued applause.) This is a hardship ; and I ask if what is called a tax—a tax said to be 4s. upon the labouring classes of this country — is the tax, I would ask, of even so much as a penny in the pound, if it should amount to so much, upon sugar—to be refused, in such circumstances of oppression, of hard ship, of disappointment, of expended outlay upon pro perty on the guarantee of a great nation, reduced after wards by a single stroke to nakedness and barrenness, because the guarantee is broken ? (Hear, and applause.) England stood by and saw the guarantee given and bro ken ; and now those who invested their property upon the faith of that guarantee, come to England and say—lt may have been a misfortune, it may have been wrong, we won't say it was altogether wrong, we have not been alto gether right, we don't claim perfection—we might have improved our properties more perhaps, though we did what we could : but you stood by and saw it ; and we ask, will you throw us, naked and unprotected, to fight against slave labour, where the men arc tortured to be made to labour, when they are made to work eighteen out of twenty-four hours, whilst our free labourers work only four or five ? Will you throw us upon this ? (Hear, hear.) Sir, I asked it at first as a matter of fairness and of justice ; but now, further, I ask it as a matter of po licy even applying to the idol, cheap sugar. (Hear.) Will you put the estates in the West Indies out of occu pation ? Sixty-nine estates have been abandoned in the last year in one island alone," which must presently be a wilderness of jungle. Will you throw the British West India estates out of cultivation ? and will you, as they are thrown out of cultivation, the inevitable result of perseverance in the present bill, will you throw your own supply of sugar upon slave-grown sugar—will you throw yourselves into the hands of Brazil or Spain—will you make yourselves more dependent upon Cuba, Porto Rico, and Pernambuco—and will you expect from the tender mercies of slave-dealers, that when they have got the monopoly, they will give you cheap sugar ? (Loud applause.) Where are now the indignation with which abolition was called for—the energy with which emanci pation was followed up—the freedom with which compen sation was voted ? Where is all the eagerness, the zeal, the earnestness of our friends, the Society of Friends ? where are they ?—are they with us or against us ? Let them tell Lord John Russell now whether they are or are not against us—let them say in the face of England if they are for slavery or not. Are they for continuing these slavers, these steamers, this passing of human be ings between the tropics ? or are they for such a change in the law as will prevent this ? Let them speak out ! (Loud applause.) j:Mr. John Taylor—" We are for a change in the law."] I hope the gentleman speaks the known sentiments of the body ; and that it may go from this great meeting, which I can tell you is likely to pro duce its genuine influence upon the measures of the go vernment—(hear, hear)—measures which, up to Thurs day night, were not determined upon, which are to be brought forward on Friday, and which cannot safely be proceeded with, by aay ministry, without paying some regard to such a demonstration as this. (Applause.) I hope it will go from this meeting, that a gentleman took upon himself—(laughter)—to answer for a highly respec table body of Friends, that they are with us. (Loud applause.) I feel that I have already occupied much of your time, sir ; but a word to the government as well as to the people upon this point. My lords and gentlemen, you cannot afford to lose the colonies. (Hear.) Your East India possessions, even with the overland passage, will be of little value to you, if you lose another A mer i ca . (Hear, hear.) My lords and gentlemen, look to it. There is a point at which human patience ceases. (Hear, hear.) I do not preach that it ought to cease ; but I tell you, my lords, there is a point at which it does cease ; and I tell you there is a point of irritation at which individuals and owners of West India islands may cease to look for the protection of Great Britain; and throw themselves upon a nearer and a readier arm for help. (Loud applause.) My lords and gentlemen, look you don't provoke that recoil in the West India islands. (Hear.) Look how you strengthen the arms of America, perhaps destined in the next great shock of the world to cross the Atlantic as a conqueror, and retaliate all those woes ever inflicted upon her ! (Applause.) Take care, then, how you tamper with a great interest like the West India colonies, provi dentially given to you—carefully and wisely to be main tained—judiciously to be managed—kindly to be hus banded in their difficulties. (Loud applause.) You have done much for it ; it has cost you much (hear, hear) ; you have derived the benefit from all that you have ex pended upon it. (A voice—" No, no.") Oh, sir, lam persuaded there is not a member of her Majesty's Go vernment would say " No, no," to that branch of my statement. You have derived a benefit every way—you have derived safety from the west, and transit to the east. (Loud applause.) You have a revenue derived from it, and it is supporting it. (" No, no.") You have a colo nial revenue, and you must not call that expended upon establishments there a tax upon Great Britain. Much of it is levied upon the spot ; and this colonial revenue will be destroyed if the property from which it is derived be destroyed. (Hear, hear.) You will ruin also those im ports into your col onies of your own manufactures ; and hear me, lords and gentlemen, there is a chance of get ting a little support from some who in other respects might be disposed to oppose us. (Hear, and applause.) They are anxious that there should be a free import of our manufactures ; but we are shutting off that demand from the West Indies, and for throwing their estates into jungle—their negroes to nakedness, and to living under the branches of trees. (" No, no.") You will do so, if the estates are destroyed, as if a proprietor be ruined, all who depend upon him must be ruined. Will you force them to try more and more, as they are already, to do without their employers, working but a few hours in the day or week ; for if they get as much as, by help of the remarkable production of the soil, they are able to sub sist upon for the remainder of the seven days, they will not have further aims. My lords and gentlemen, take heed what you are about ; don't throw away the West India colonies ; and remember, it is in the outskirts of a great country that symptoms of decrepitude first show themselves. (Loud and continued applause.) Mr. CHRISTOPHER BUSHELL seconded the resolution; and the amendment to it was moved by Mr. W. BROWN, M.P., and seconded by Mr. CLAYPOLE. The last resolution was moved by Mr. H. LirrLEDALE, and seconded by Mr. JONES ; and after the usual vote of thanks to the Mayor, the meeting separated at near five o'clock. TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. On Wednesday, a special meeting of the Council was held, for the purpose of considering the propriety of pro ceeding with the Rivington Pike water scheme. Prior to commencing the business of the day, The MAYOR read a resolution of the magistrates, urging upon the aldermen and councillors the imperative neces sity of having their respective constituencies sworn in as special constables, and stating that two magistrates would attend in each of the wards, for the purpose of administer ing the necessary oath. He said that the magistrates had the power of compelling every respectable inhabitant to be sworn in under a penalty of £lO ; but a recourse to that extremity had never been necessary here, and he hoped and believed it would never be necessary in the loyal town of Liverpool. (Applause.) Mr. S. HOLME stated that his speech at the last Council relative to the Messrs. Willoughby, of Birkenhead, had been misreported. What he did say was, that the Messrs. Willoughby had only paid 2 or 24 per cent. for the altera tions made at the Birkenhead slip at their request, when they were bound to pay 7 per cent. according to the terms of their lease. THE WATER. QUESTION. Mr. Driffield then proceeded to read the proceedings of the Water Committee. It appeared that Mr. M‘Donald had estimated the quantity of water in the wells of the late Harrington Company at 3,000,000 of gallons per diem, and that Mr. Hawkesley hadestimated it at about 1,800,000 gallons, and that in consequence of these differences of opinion, Messrs. MacGregor and Kennedy had been ap pointed, as two disinterested and respectable parties, to ascertain the actual yield of the wells; and to report. The result of their experiments, three times made at each sta tion, was stated as follows : Hotham-street Station.—First series of experiments -414,274 gallons per day ; 72 cwt. of coal consumed. Se cond series of experiments at the same station, after the well had been down nearly a m0nth—:358;637 - gallons ; 72 cwt. of coal. Third series at the same station, at nigher level-225,674 gallons ; 391 cwt,,, the engine_ working twelve hours a day. Water-street Station.—First series of experiments -619,861 gallons ; 880 cwt. of coal: consumed. Second se ries, after the well was down a month-599,955 gallons ; 91 cwt. of coal. Third series, at the higher level, the en gine working twelve hours-406,929 gallons; n cwt. of coal. Soho-street Station.—First series of experiments, at lowest level-666,633 gallons;: 65 cwt. of coal consumed. Second series-644,119 gallons. ; 72_cwt. of coal. Third series -478,754 gallons ; 57 cwt. of coal, the engine work ing twelve hours. Bevington-bush Station.—First series of experiments -360,288 gallons ; 33 1 cwt. of coal consumed. For the second and third experiments the same quantity of water was allowed for this station, and the same quantity of coal. Windsor Station.—First series of experiments-809,831 gallons ; 54 cwt. of coal consumed. Second series -804,291 gallons; 55 2-10ths cwt. of coal. Third series, the engine working night and day-792,545 gallons ; 49 cwt. of coal. Green-lane Station.—First series of experiments -1,406,531 gallons ; 52 cwt. of coal and 26 cwt. of slack consumed. Second series—no experiments. Third se ries—no experiments, the quantities being given the same as before,. These made the total quantity: of water in these wells at lowest level and on the first series of experiments, 4,277,418 gallons; at the second series of experiments 4,173,824 gallons, and at the third series of experiments 3,670,724 gallons. It was then stated that, deducting the condensed water, the actual supply was only 2500,000 gallons of water that could be delivered to the inhabitants, being about seven gallons a-day for 450,000 inhabitants, and the Water Committee, under these circumstances, recommended the Council to prOceed without delay to the Rivington Pike scheme, the quantity of water to be found in the red sandstone of Liverpool being entirely insufficient for the wants of the inhabitants. After two memorials from. ward meetings on the water subject had been read, Mr. LACE moved the confirmation of the proceedings. He observed that the late experiments bad all shown that the red sandstone would be pumped dry in a little time, and very naturally so, because the rains from heavennever descended into it ; and these results had fully verified the professional opinion of Professor Ansted, who had exa mined the strata, and also the opinion of Mr. Cunning ham ; and, in fact the committee of the House of Com mons were so fully, satisfied that an adequate supply from the neighbourhood of Liverpool proper could not be ob. tained, that they declined to hear any more witnesses. What, then, were the council to do ? Were they to dot all round Liverpool with wells ? Now, at Rivington Pike the rain guages hid shown that there were 25,000,000 of gallons daily to be obtained, and with the exception of Aberdeen, the water was the purest that could be ob tained.. Some said—" Oh, but you are going to give us rain water !" Why, the people of Liverpool were now drinking rain water and also the water running from pri vies and water-closets. (Oh! oh," from Mr. Parker.) Perhaps Mr. Parker did not know that in drinking Liver pool water he might be drinking the distilled essence of a water-closet. (Loud laughter, and applause.) Then, it was said, "Oh ! b u t y ou w ill ax us heavily.' Now, did not believe that the taxes would be heavy : there might be heavy expenses connected with the Pike scheme in the first instance, but afterwards they would be light, and the council must recollect that they had, many months ago, agreed to proceed with the Pike scheme by majorities of 28 to 4. Besides, the council must recollect that they were under a penalty if they did not keep up a supply of water; and Mr. Harmood Banner had candidly admitted that a continuous supply was not obtainable from the Harrington wells. Then, with reference to the use of salt water for watering streets and extinguishing fires, the shopkeepers would, in the first place, object to it, and in the next the insurance companies would not insure if it were used, He, therefore, recommended the council to Proceed with the Pike scheme as the most feasible scheme that had been propounded, and he observed that if there was any real ground of complaint, it ought to be against those who had compelled the corporation to purchase the Harrington and Bootle Water Companies. He concluded by defending the conduct of the water company through out the whole of these protracted proceedings. Mr. TINNE seconded the motion, and said that, though his constituents had requested him to pause before he pro ceeded with the Pike scheme, he regretted he could not comply with their request. The Pike scheme had had to encounter opposition from many quarters, and particularly from those who wished the corporation to supply the town upon the old cistern system, Some were for the Bala Lake system, and others were for using the river water ; but he believed the Pike scheme to be the best that the council could adopt. Mr. JOSIAS BOOKER rose to move an amendment. He admitted that the Water Committee and the Town-Clerk had discharged their.duty in Liverpool and London with great assiduity and ability. He doubted whether the Council were acquainted with the provisions of the Ri vington Pike Act. He then read some of the clauses of the act, to show that 74 millions of gallons of water must be sent down the Douglas and the Yarrow, and two mil lions of gallons to a canal, and large compensation was to be given to mill-owners, and bridges and other works to be made, and all at the expense of the Corporation. (Hear, hear.) Now a dry summer would impose enor mous expenses upon the Liverpool Corporation, because large pecuniary compensation, something like ten pounds sterling a day, must be made to some of the mill-owners if they ran short of the quantity of water stipulated to be given them. He read the opinion of Mr. Wickstead, to the effect that. the anticipated supply from the Pike would most probably fall short in dry seasons, and he (Mr. Wickstead) was of opinion that the pipes from the Pike to Liverpool alone would cost as much as Mr. Hawksley had estimated the whole expense of the scheme at. He read an extract from the pamphlet published some few years ago, by Mr. S. Holme, in reply to Mr. Harmood Banner, in which the writer stated that he had a most abundant well in Liverpool ; so abundant that he was throwing away 80,000 gallons of the purest water daily, and that no matter how the Harrington wells were pumped, his (Mr. Holme's) well could not be drained. The Pike scheme was costing £630,000; the new sewer age of the town would cost £635,000 ; altogether the cost would be £2,000,000. Want of employment was creating Liverpool chartists, and the overtaxed shop keepers of the town were to be commiserated. He moved, as an amendment, that the whole question be referred to Mr. Robert Stephenson, to investigate fully, and report upon the locality from which the best supply of water could be obtained. The MAYOR said that Mr. Stephenson's opinion had been already obtained by the Water Committee. Mr. HARBORD seconded the amendment in a speech of some length, in the course of which he advanced a great number of objections against the Pike scheme, principally upon the ground of the impurity of the water, there being a great quantity, as he said, of vegetable and other dele terious matter to be found in it. Mr. SAMUEL HOLME followed, in a very able and elo quent speech in defence of the Pike scheme. He reviewed the three schemes which had been agitated—the increase of the supply from local wells, the Bala Lake scheme, and the Rivington Pike scheme—and he had no hesitation in advocating the latter scheme for several reasons. One was, that it would in the end realive an annual profit to the inhabitants. He was of opinion that the purity of the water there had been established beyond all question, by the scientific and practical men who had been employed to test it, and that Liverpool would be for ever disgraced in the eyes of the country if the Corporation stopped short now, and were satisfied with an intermittent supply. Upon the motion of Mr. Hodgson, seconded by Mr. Parker, the debate was adjourned until Friday. The adjourned meeting of the Council on the water question took place on Friday, the Mayor in the chair. Prior to the chair being taken, it transpired that Mr. Harbord had caused copies of a letter, written by himself and addressed to Mr. Holme, to be distributed in the room. The circumstance was noticed by the Mayor, who remarked that it was quite an irregular proceeding. Mr. DAVID HonosoN said, that the great opposition to the scheme of the Council was, on account of the enor mous expense it would entail on the town. The conduct recently pursued by the Council bad indeed produced an amount of agitation, and a want of confidence in them, in regard to financial matters, which threatened an almost dismemberment of society. (Hear, hear.) He did not object to the improvement of the town, and the outlay of money for general purposes ; but it should always be borne in mind that when rates were laid there should be a consideration as to the class likely to be called_on to to pay them, and their ability to do so. If anything tended to destroy , the confidence of the Council, he thought the universal feeling of the public against them on the question then under discussion would tend to do so. They would, he felt assured, be assailed from Council-day to Council-day, till they tried to remedy the excesses in the rates they had laid—(hear, hear)—ex penses which would not have been felt in the same way twelve months or two years ago as they are now. It was perfectly notorious to every man that the distress was unprecedentedly great ; and as a proof of it, he could state that there was actually more plate offered by persons of distinction, in order to raise money temporarily, arising out of the depression of trade, than could be taken up by parties in the habit of engaging in such transactions. He had listened with great attention to the discussions on the water question, anxious to hear what sound reasons had been given for agitating the constituencies and de stroying the confidence which ought to be given to the committee, and he was prepared to have voted against a continuance of it. though it might appear that they were stultifying themselves; but he was bound to say the ar guments and statements confirmed the good and judicious conduct of the engineers and committee. They had acted wisely and well. Though it would require with him strong grounds for opposing the decision of the commit tee, he did say that circumstances might arise to induce a change of opinion ; still he thought no great degree of Popularity would rest on those who voted for carrying out the scheme, and he had heard it said that not one man who should vote for it would be returned to the nest Council. He had cautioned the person making the de claration not to use threats, as not- one of them would have any effect on him, and, he believed, none on the Council. The Council was quite right in the course it had adopted, and so far as he had yet heard, he was pre pared to give it his support. (Hear, hear.) Mr. WOODRUFFE said the question was a most impor tant one, affecting the property and health of the inhabi tants, and more particularly the poorer classes ; and he was not yet convinced that they had not a supply of water, and could give that supply. As to the cost of Procuring water from other sources, and whether the en gineers were correct in their calculations, he would leave the matter to more competent persons. There was, how ever, a strong feeling out of doors, that the thing was only a job. That feeling extended to every person in the ward he represented, and, he believed,. amongst a great portion of the inhabitants, of, the town. He considered that, if the Council adopted the decision of the commit tee, they would do an injustice to themselves ; and that the public ' , a-Quid net be satisfied, until they had furthg, time. If the scheme were to go on they could not lose anything-by a delay of a month, neither would the truth lose anything ; and he put it to them as gentlemen of common sense and justice, in the name of the ratepayers, was there any hurry, and was there a pressing emergency yes)—why they should thrust it down the throats of the people. There was, as he had said, a strong feeling out of doors, and he hoped the Council would consider the claim made by the inhabitants, accede to their wishes, and postpone the matter for a month. He had heard a great deal for and against the scheme in Council, and a great many opinions out of doors, but he was not satis fied ; and he, with his colleague Mr. Thompson, went to Rivington Pike, to ascertain, if possible, the quality and quantity of water. They not only examined all the streams, but brought samples of the water, which Mr. Thompson had with him, and could produce if necessary. It had been said the water stank, and was not in sufficient quantity for the supply of the town. They walked a dis tance of twelve or fourteen miles, tasted the brooks and rivers, and took tests ; they also took occasion, when they saw a house or met with an inhabitant, to ask a question as to the quality and quantity of the water. With one exception they all agreed that there was an abundance of water, and that the quality was good likewise. (Hear.) Mr. Woodruffe then mentioned the names of several per sons who had resided at the Pike for fifty years, whose testimony bore out what he had stated as to the quality and quantity, and they also added that they never saw the stream dry, even in the greatest heat of the summer. (Hear, hear.) In what he stated, he alluded to the prin cipal Aream. He had no object in view but getting at a knowledge of the truth, and he felt himself bound to give that truth whether for or against himself. (Hear, hear.) A gentleman, who was a medical officer of the Chorlton Union, had assured him the water was good, and there was plenty of it, and so highly did he value it that he was about to bring the Pike water through pipes to his house, instead of using his own well. He had made some en quiries as to the Rivington Pike scheme being offered to Manchester, but from all he could learn, it appeared the plan alluded to, and which was brought under the notice of the Manchester authorities, was that of the South Lancashire Water Works Company, who, by their act of parliament obtained powers to purchase the Turton reser voir, and get the drainage of the Rivington Pike district. He thought the course he proposed of a month's delay could not make any difference ; and when they considered it was at the wish of the ratepayers, who were to find the money for the works, and they might be the sufferers, there should not be any objection made to it. The rate payers at present felt severely the pressure of the times, and all the money would be taken from their hard earn ings. He could bear testimony from the experience of his own business as to the pressure of the times, and the inability of the people to pay rates. The pledges now came from people of influence and the most respectable portions of society, and if he had £20,000 he could lend it on boxes of plate, and valuable security. (Hear, hear.) He appealed to the council that they should, instead of deciding the question hastily, give some consideration to the rate payers, and he asked them in the name of the constituency he represented, who held a large meeting, and were unanimous in favour of a postponement. He did not say they would not have the scheme, but an op portunity would be afforded of getting other opinions and further information on the subject. If they did not do that they would never satisfy them, and it was not a time to go in direct opposition to the great body of the rate payers. (Hear, hear.) Mr. PARKER next spoke for forty minutes, in opposi tion to the Pike scheme, which he said " was very like a whole," an expression, perhaps, better understood out of door than in the council. The dramatis personce of the drama were—first, the chief engineer, versed in hydraulics, Mr. Hawksley ; the next was Captain Francis, a gentleman whose name was not known to be in the military or navy list ; and the third was Captain Francis's son, who took the guage. He complained that one servant of the Corpora tion—Mr. Hawkesley—(No, no, from Mr. Lace.)—Well, at all events he was in the pay of the Corporation, and had been allowed to send in reports to the Water Committee, which were read, whilst Mr. M`Donald's was put under the table. That was neither fair nor just, and he took that as a specimen of the unfairness with which the Water Com mittee had acted. With regard to the capability of the Pike yielding the necessary quantity of water, he thought Mr. Woodruffe had made a straightforward statement, and he would not support Mr. Booker's amendment. Mr. Harbord had been attacked by the " Goliah of the Council," Mr. Holme, who had knocked him down, and smashed all the gallipots in his surgery, for having " changed his views" upon the water question. (Laughter.) But he (Mr. Parker) remembered Mr. Holme doing the same, but under different circumstances," for it should be borne in mind that, in 1847, when the question was mooted as to whether the salary of a certain officer connected with the Corporation should be raised, Mr. Holme made a powerful speech against it, whilst in 1848 he changed his opinion and voted for that very measure. The committee seemed to think that Mr. Hawksley was invulnerable ; but surely he had not been dipped in the Stygian Lake, and there was, perhaps, still room left for one arrow to reach him. Mr. Parker here read a letter of Mr. Hawksley's, in which the latter had stated that the present works were sufficient for present purposes ; and he stated that, till it could be proved that they could not get sufficient water from under their feet, he could not be satisfied. A great deal had been said about the Green-lane water ; but he (Mr. Parker) had been amongst a number of old women, who washed, and they told him that, by the use of that water, there was a saving, as compared with the Harrington water, of soap used in washing. (Hear.) Mr. Parker next paid a high •compliment to Mr. Newland3 and complained that that gentleman had not been consulted upon the water question. He thought that the Water Committee had placed that gentleman in a wrong position in not consulting him, and it was generally thought that the reason was, that though his opinions were not generally known, he wasconsidered as an " anti-Pike man." (Hear.) Mr. MANN supported the water committee. In the first place, he doubted the possibility of obtaining a suf ficient supply of water from our own locality ; and next, he was favourable to the Pike scheme, believing it to be the best yet brought before the public, and if it were carried through, the original cost would be all, the public being merely called upon to pay, in the shape of a reduced water rate, what they had hitherto been paying to the companies as a water rent. Mr. EARLE, after a satirical fly at Mr. Parker, our local engineers, and a portion of the press, contended that the best talent had been called into requisition by the water committee, and by that they ought to abide. After a some what wild and incoherent harangue, verging upon person alities, he said that great injury would arise if the Pike scheme was postponed. He wished that the unemployed operatives should be set to work upon it. Mr. Nicol, supported the Pike scheme. He thought the water from that locality must of necessity be purer than that which was derived from the downfal in and near Liverpool. Mr. DANSON followed on the same side of the ques tion, entering into a variety of statistics with a view to show from the charges of the water companies, and the cost, if the corporation worked the present wells, that the Rivington scheme was the most desirable. If the council carried out the scheme, he felt satisfied that here after the public would be exceedingly thankful. After cries of " Divide !" Mr. HUGH HORNBY urged a postponement, in order that the inhabitants of Liverpool might have the means of forming a deliberate judgment before the Council committed itself. If we had not a suf ficient supply of water, was the course proposed the best to supply the deficiency ? He hoped, however, that the committee would consent to a postponement of the motion, seeing that it would form no impediment to their hereafter reconsidering the question. Mr. JAMES HOLME followed with similar remarks. Mr. J. B. LLOYD also supported the committee, as did Mr. V. HIGGINS, Mr. TOBIN, and Mr. HOLT. Mr. LACE, in replying, said that all the committee asked as yet was that their engineer might go and survey the land, ask different parties at what rate works could be done ; and then they should come to that Council and re port whether or not it was expedient to go on with those. The numerous complaints of deficiency of supply received by the health and water committees showed the utmost necessity for proceeding; let gentlemen remember that a month's delay might cause the expense to be £50,000 more. It would take a month or six weeks to make the necessary surveys, and if Europe was settled in that time, iron would go up in price, and they would lose by that and other matters £50,000. He concluded by a defence of Mr. Hawksley, and the refutation of two assertions in the Mercury of Friday. A division then took place on Mr. Booker's amend ment, which was lost by a majority of 18, namely, FOR MR. BOOKER'S AMENDMENT :—Councillors— Messrs. W. Walthew, J. Woodruff, R. B. Henderson, T. Toulmin, T. Royden, H. G. Harbord, J. Rogers, G. Booker, T. Kaye, R. C. Gardner, W. Bennett, J. Booker, and Thomas Lloyd. Aldermen—Messrs. J. Cooper and J. Procter.-15. AGAINST IT.—CouncillorslVlessrs. F. Shand, J. Thom son, Jas. Holme, W. Rathbone, J. G. Morris, W. Pres ton, James Stitt, R. B. Hill, T. Littledale, jun., J. Tyrer, H. Hornby, J. Aikin, G. Holt, J. A. Tinne, S. Holme, J. A. Tobin, V. Higgins, H. Danson, J. B. Lloyd, W. Earle, J. Parker, J. Plumpton, G. H. Lawrence, A. Lace, R. Benn, and W. Mann. Aldermen—Messrs. D. Hodgson, James Lawrence, W. Nicol, E. Molyneux, J. H. Turner, T. Chilton, and the Mayor.-33. Mr. WOODRUFF then moved as a second amendment, the postponement of the question for a month. Mr. THOMPSON seconded the motion. Mr. COOPER spoke against the Pike scheme. He had been born and brought up within a mile of the intended reservoir. Some of the best and some of the worst water might be had there ; in summer the rivulets were shallow, and in winter they occasionally poured down in torrents as wide as the hall in which they sat, and no b an k o f a reservoir which Mr. Hawksley might be able to construct would be able to restrain them. Mr. BEririErr contended that the supply to be obtained from Rivington was greatly exaggerated. It would be advisable to postpone the matter for a month, and to bring Mr. Hawksley before the Council. Mr. RATIIBONE in a warm, and rather ill-natured, speech, supported the scheme, stating that there was a Company contemplated who, upon the evidence now before Parliament, would take up these water-works, if the Council did not proceed with them. Mr. D. HODGSON moved an adjournment, which was seconded by Mr. PARKER. Mr. LACE said there was no idea whatever of taxing the inhabitants ; the only object was to carry the inqiury through. The Council then proceeded to the vote, when there appeared for the amendment 20, and for the original motion 24, upon, which the Mayor dedared the motion carried. For the original motion :—Councillori James Holme, Rathbone, Morris, Stitt, Hill, T. Littledale, jun., Tyrer, Hornby, Akin, Tinne, S. Holme Tobin, Denson, J. B. Lloyd, Earle, G. H. Lawrence, liace, and Mann ; with 4,lderruen D. Hodgson, Nicol, Molyneux, Turner, Chil ton and the Mayor.. For the.ome nclmeni :—Councillors Walthew, Thomson Woodruffi.Preston, Holt, Henderson, Toulmin, Royden, Harbord,. Rogers, Kaye, Gardner, Higgins, Bennett, Parker,. Booker, and Thomas Lloyd ; with Aldermen J. Lawrence, Co oper,: and Procter. WEST- DERBY GUARDIANS. -At the weekly meeting, on Wednesday, Mr. Roskell took the chair. Mr. Appleby said that, week after week, they had sailors' wives coming before them, seeking loans of money, in consequence of the merchants sending their husbands to sea without allowing their monthly money. He thought that merchants ought to adopt a better system than the one now in use, of shipping men without making some provision for their wives during their absence. Mr. Peers said that the giant's stride, which had been suggested t o b e erected in the girls' yard, by the Rev. Mr. Badnall, had not been erected, in consequence of Mr. Dwyer, the chaplain, objecting to the exercise as being too indelicate. Mr. Jeffries said he agreed with Mr. Dwyer in thinking that it was a very indelicate exercise. The other guardians, however, were quite of a different opinion, and ordered the " stride" to be put up at once. It was re— solved to. continue the increase of salary to the able lair clerk. . . _ SELECT VESTRY.—The usual fortnightly meeting was held on Tuesday, the Rev. Rector Campbell in the chair. Messrs. Watson and Urquhart were appointed to the Workhouse Committee. The principal resolution of this committee which was confirmed, was to the effect that the number of Protestants and Roman Catholics in the Work house should be ascertained, and that the Roman Catholic inmates attending divine service on Sundays be attended by an officer of the establishment. The Industrial School Committee reported that Mr. Gillespie, the master, had requested to withdraw his resignation. Acceded to.—A letter from the secretary of the Medical Relief Committee was handed in, recommending that three dispensaries be established at the north end of the town, at which the poor should daily receive suitable medicines. Mr. Wylie opposed the plan as injudicious ; the Rev. Rector Brooks expressed his approbation of it; and ultimately it was decided by the laws of the Vestry that seven days' notice of motion must be given to each member in reference to the proposition. At the suggestion of Mr. Ferguson, it was decided that a meeting of the Building Committee be called forthwith, and that Messrs. M`Taggart and Browne should be added to that committee. BIRKENHEAD COMMTSSIONERS.—The first general meeting of the newly constituted board was held on Tuesday. Messrs. Highton, Bailiff, and Lightbound attended and took their seats, they claiming to be elected. in consequence of Messrs. J. S. Jackson, Ravencroft, and Watson not being duly qualified, at the time they were elected. This led to a discussion, in the course of which considerable personal feeling was evinced. The Town clerk being appealed to, said that if the three gentlemen objected to were disqualified, the circumstance would not entitle the three next on the poll to take their seats, though it might be a reason for a new election. The newly elected commissioners took the usual declaration of qualification, as also did Messrs. Highton, Bailiff, and Lightbound. The gentlemen named were requested to withdraw, but refused. Upon this Mr. Laird moved to the effect that they should be ejected, but they refused to do so, and the proposition was withdrawn,—the same gen tleman proposing that at the next and future meetings policemen be stationed at the door to prevent all parties entering, except the reporters and those whom the Town clerk should declare duly elected commissioners.—Mr. Bryans then took the chair, and after the appointment of the committees, Messrs. Highton, Bailiff, and Lightbound left the room.—Mr. Laird moved an instruction to the Ferry Committee to consider the propriety of reducing the ferry across the river to one penny, and also to establish weekly contracts on a scale similar to those paid yearly.— Mr. Fox seconded the motion.—Mr. Green said it would be well for the Ferry Committee to consider whether they might not reduce the fare to one halfpenny, and run three boats constantly from both the Woodside and Monks', Ferry.—The motion was carried. THE NATIONAL CONFEDERATION.—The first meeting of the members of this Association was held on Thursday evening last, at the Portico,—Mr. J. Ferguson in the chair. The chairman, in his opening address, stated in an able and comprehensive manner the objects of the members. Mr. Pool read the report, which detailed the evils of indirect taxation, the cost of the collection of the exorbitant amount (general and local), and embodies the following heads :—" That all necessary taxation shall be equitably adjusted, and be, as far as possible, direct. That capitalization of income shall be the basis of assess ment. That economy and retrenchment in the public expenditure be enforced. That the poor-rate be made national (to be assessed on capitalized income,) and free from government centralization. That all local taxation shall be equitably assessed. That all docks, and corpora tion and other public property, be assessed for local rates. That economy and retrenchment in local expendi ture be enforced." The report was received with much approbation, Mr. Heyworth moved its adoption, which was seconded by Mr. John Smith in a lengthy speech, and carried unanimously. The second resolution, prohibiting the introduction of party politics was also carried unanimously. Mr. Woodruff, who moved it, deprecated party feeling being introduced into public bodies, as detrimental to general interests, and urged an union of all parties for the general good. Mr. J. R. Jeffery moved the next resolution, expressing his opinion that the unanimity of the Confederation was a sure augury of its success. The other resolutions were passed with equal cordiality. Mr. Pool, in seconding that for the appointment of a committee, called the attention of the meeting to the necessity of the burgesses looking after their own estate, (the corporate trust,) and taking every opportunity of testing the sentiments of their representa tives on the question of rating the dock estate to the relief of the poor, and other local rates. (Applause) It was agreed that the memb ers o f th e assoc i a ti on in each ward should elect one person in each ward in conjunction with their respective chairmen. After some other busi ness as to regulation, &c., the meeting separated. TONTETH-PARK.--011 Friday, a meeting of a sub-com mittee appointed to inquire and make a return of all the property assessed to the relief of the poor, between £lO and £2O per annum, was held at the public-office in Toxteth-park. The committee was appointed at a meet ing held on the 9th of May last, and their object was to obtain the information as above stated, with the names of the owners and tenants of that class of property. Messrs. Lloyd, Short, and Appleby, the overseers, were present ; also, Mr. W. B, Jones, Mr. 0. Williams, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Fisher, and other gentlemen. Some expla nation took place as to the reason why the whole commit tee did not meet on Tuesday evening ]last, which had arisen out of a misunderstanding, and Mr. Macauliffe was exonerated from all blame. Mr. William Fisher was unanimously called to the chair. After some routine business had been transacted, Mr. Lloyd read a statement of the several assessments in each year, and the amount collected, which was as follows :—Rate for 1844, (25th March) the assessment was £10,897 4s 6d. ; and there was collected £5,736 4s. 11d., being 521- per cent.; 1845, assessment £15,998 Bs., collected £7,689 Gs. 9d., being 48 per cent. ; 1846, assessment, £10,224 95.. collected, £6,117 18s. Gd., being 59 per cent.; 1847, the first rate of ls. Gd. in the pound, assessment, £17,926 Bs. 4d., collected. £10,256 13s. 81d., being 571 per cent. ; 1847, rare at ls. 6d. in the pound, £16,197 155., collected, £6,829 Bs. 101 d; making 42 percent. A statement read by the Chairman showed the following result as to the assessment of property. North Ward—total number of houses assessed, 5,776 ; under £lO per annum, £2,940, £lO and under £l2, 541 ; £l2 and under £l5, £741 ; £l5 and under £2O, 681; £2O and under £3O, 386 ; £3O and under £4O, 136 ; £4O and under £5O, 51 ; £5O and upwards, 195. In the North Ward,—total number assessed, 5,246 ; under £lO, 2,110 ; £lO and under £l2 421 ; £l2 and under £l5, 660 ; £l5 and under £2O, 713 ; £2O and under £3O, 650 ; £3O and under £4O, 262 ; £4O and under £5O, 104 ; £5O and upwards, 326. It was stated that there was upwards upwards £l,OOO unoccupied houses in the township, principally ranging from £lO to £2O per annum. Mr. Macauliffe was in attendance with the books to give any information required for prosecuting the inquiry. Mr. Appleby stated that every diligence had been used in collecting the rates, and numerous sum monses had been issued. Some discussion of an irrelevent character took place, and it was agreed that the names of the owners and tenants of the houses from £lO to £2O, the number that have paid rates, or been summoned, and other information, which could not then be obtained, and when the whole is complete, it should be embodied in a report, and brought before the general committee. RAILWAY AFFAIRS. The traffic on the Chester and Holyhead Railway, for the week ending June 10th, was £769 12s. 7d. The Tiverton branch of the Bristol and Exeter Rail way was opened for traffic yesterday week. The Bolton, Blackburn, and West Yorkshire Railway was opened on Monday, with one line of rails. A train of no fewer than 53 carriages conveyed on the Eastern Counties Railway, on Monday, a great number of holiday visiters to the metropolis. Within the last week, numerous parties have been served with writs for payment of calls on Irish railways. This is not the course adopted by English companies, and is moreover a very foolish one. Grain, cattle, food, and merchandise for the London markets, viii the Eastern Counties Railway, for the week ending June 10 :—Beasts, 2,048 ; calves, 102 ; sheep, 8,263 ; pigs, 601; grain, 12,912 sacks ; flour, 5,834 sacks ; meat, 182 tons ; poultry, 16 tons ; fish, 190 tons ; fruit and vegetables, 210 tons ; beer, 163 tons ; wines and spi rits, 105 tons ; wool, 52 tons ; general merchandise, 2,255 tons; milk, 20,204 quarts; bread, 71 cwt. From official returns it appears that the amount of traf fic for the last week, on 3,791 miles of railway, was £185,320, thus accounted for :—£97,028 for the convey ance of passengers only, £47,885 for the carriage of goods, and a remainder of £40,407 for passengers and goods to gether, not respectively apportioned ; being an increase of £4,142 over the corresponding week of last year, when the mileage was 2,957. The average earnings per mile were £49, whilst in 1847 they were £6l. THE LATE RAILWAY COLLISION AT CREWE.--Willi am Carey, the bandmaster is still upon the invalid list, but is going on well. Henry Cos, paymaster's clerk, is still confined to his bed. Joseph Lynch, colour serjeant, is in bed, and in a serious position ; he is, however, going on pretty favourably. David Woodhouse, the drum major, although still lame, was sufficiently recovered to be able to go to barracks on Saturday. Captain Harvey is going on well. Captain Bethune is going on well ; he was out yesterday for the first time. Lieutenant Burden is going . on well, but is still unable to walk. Lieutenant Gaynor is going on well. Ensign Smith also is better, and has been out. Lieutenants Daunt and Bluntish, who have both removed from the Queen's Hotel, Manchester, are going , on satisfactorily. The non-commissioned offi cers have been removed to private lodgings ; the officers, with,the exception of Lieutenants Daunt and Bluntish, still remain at the Queen's Hotel. LIVE FEATHERS.—A fellow who had absconded front Manchester, was discovered a few days since sowed up in a feather bed on board an emigrant ship on the point Qf starting for the United States.