The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-17 00:00:00

MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. WASHINGTON, December 23, 1839. Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives : I regret that I c annot on this occasion congratulate you that the past year has been one of unalloyed prosperity. The ravages of tire and disease have painfully afflicted otherwise flourishing portions of our country ; and serious embarrass ments yet derange the trade of many of our cities. But, notwithstanding these adverse circumstances, that general prosperity which has been heretofore so bountifully bestowed upon us by the Author of all good, still continues to call for our warmest gratitude. Especially have we reason to rejoice i n the exuberant harvest which has lavishly recompensed well-directed industry, and given to it that sure reward which is vainly sought in visionary speculations. I cannot indeed view without peculiar satisfaction, the evidences afforded by the past season of the benefits that have sprung from the steady devotion of the husbandman to his honourable pursuit. No means of individual comfort is more certain, and no source of national ;prosperity is so sure. Nothing can compen sate a people for a dependance upon others for the bread they eat, and that cheerfa! abundance) on which the happiness every one so much depends, is to be looked for no where of with such sure reliance as in the indilstry of the agriculturist and the bounties of the earth. With foreign countries, our relations exhibit the same favourable aspect which was presented in my last annual mes sage, and afford continual proof of the wisdom of the pacific, just, and forbearing policy adopted by the first admi nistration of the federal government, and pursued by its successors. The extraordinary powers vested in me by an act of congress, for the defence of the country in an-emer gency, considered so far probable as to require that the exe cutive should possess ample means to meet it, have not been exerted. They have, therefore, been attended with no other result than to increase, by the confidence thus reposed in me, obligations to maintain, with religious exactness, the cardinal principles that govern our intercourse with other nations. Happily, in our pending questions with Great Britain, out of which this unusual grant of authority arose, nothing has occurred to require its exertion ' • and as it is about to return to the legislature, I trust that no future necessity may call for its exercise by them, or its delegation to another department of the government. For the settlement of our North-eastern boundary, the proposition promised by Great Britain for a commission of exploration and survey, has been received, and a counter project, including also a provision for the certain and final adjustment of the limits in dispute, is now before the British government for its consideration. A just regard to the de licate state of this question, and a proper respect for the natural impatience of the State of Maine, not less than a conviction that the negotiation has been already protracted longer than is prudent on the part of either government, have led me to believe that the present favourable moment should on no account be suffered to pass without putting the question for ever at rest. I feel confident that the govern ment of her Britannic Majesty will take the same-view of this subject, as I am persuaded it is governed by desires equally . strong and sincere for the amicable termination of the con troversy. To the intrinsic difficulties of questions of boundary lines, especially those described in regions unoccupied, and but partially known, is to be added in our country the embar rassment necessarily arising out of our constitution, by which the general government is made the organ of negotiating, and deciding upon the particular interests of the States on whose frontiers these lines are to be traced. To avoid another controversy in which a State government might rightfully claim to have her wishes consulted, previOnsly to the conclusion of conventional arrangements concerning her rights of jurisdiction or territory, I have thought it neces sary to call the attention of the government of Great Britain to another portion of our conterminous dominion of which the division still reniains to be adjusted. I refer to the line front the eterauce of Lake Superior to the most northwes tern point of the Lake of the Woods, stipulations for the telt of which are to be found in the seventh article of ty of Ghent. The commissioners appointed under isle by the two governments having differed in their s, nude several reports, according. to its stipulations le points of disagreement, and these differetices are, be sehrnitted to the arbitration of some friendly to or State. The disputed points should,be settled, line desi;;llated, before the territorial gaiertitnent, of it is one of the boundaries, takes its place in the s a state, and I rely upon the cordial co-operation of ta,l evernment to effect that object. fy reason to believe that distutbances like those .eieeed the neighbouring British Provinces will se !. se the sources of corder contentions,-orinter j,t •in the continuance of that good understanding 'it is the mutual interest of Great Britain and the I Stetea to preserve and maintain. : Ain the Provinces themselves tranquillity is restored, -- s our frontier that misguided sympathy in favour of what was presumed to he a general effort in behalf of popular rights, and which in some instances misled a few of our more inexperienced citizens, hassubsided into a rational conviction strongly opposed to all intermeddling with the internal affairs of our neighbours. The people of the United States feel, as it is hoped they always win e s warm solicitude for the. suc cess of all who are sincerely endeavouring to improve the po litical condition of mankind. This generous feeling they cherish towards the most distant nations ; and it was, natu ral, therefore, that it should, be awakened with more than common warmth in behalf of their immediate neighbours. But it does not belong to their character, as a community, to seek the gratification of those feelings in acts which violate their duty as citizens, endanger the peace of their country, and tend to bring upon it the stain of a violated faith towards foreign nations. If, zealous to confer benefits oit others, they appear for a moment to lose sight of the permanent ob ligations imposed upon them as citizens, they are seldom long misled. From all the information I receive, confirmed to some extent by personal observatiOn, I am satisfied that no one can now hope to engage in ,such enterprises without en countering public indignation, in addition. to the erest . ' penalties of the law. • sev ollW Recent information also leads me to hope grants from her Majesty's Provinces, who have sonilitleftiO: within our boundaries, are disposed to become peaceitil6re.. sidents, and to abstain from all, attempts to, endanger Die peace of that country which has afforded them an a review of the occurrences on both sides of thaine, it is Satis t factory to reflect, that in almost every complaint against our_ country, the offence may be traced to emigrants from the Provinces who have sought refuge here. Its the few instances in which they were aided by citizens of the United States, the.acts of these misguided men were not only in direct con-, travention of the laws and well known wishes of their own Government, but met with the decided disapprobation of the . people of the United States. I regret to state the appearance of a different spirit among her Majesty's subjects in the Canadas. The sentiments of hostility to our people and iustitutions, which have been so frequently expressed there, and the disregard of our rights which have been manifested on some occasions, have, I am sorry to say, been applauded and encouraged by the people, and even by some of the subordinate local authorities, of the Provinces. The chief officers in Canada fortunately have not entertained the same feeling, and have probably prevented excesses that must have been fatal to the peace of the two countries. I look forward anxiously to a period when all the transact tions which have grown out of this condition of our affairs, and which have been made the subjects of complaint and re monstrance by the two-governments respectively, shall be fully examined, and the proper satisfaction given where it is due from either side. Nothing has occurred to disturb the harmony of our inter course with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Naples, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, or Sweden. The internal state of Spain has sensibly improved, and a well grounded hopeexiats that the return of peace will restore to the people of that country their former prosperity, and enable the Government to fulfil all its obligations at home and abroad. The Govern? silent of Portugal, I have the satisfaction to state; has paid in full the eleventh and last instalment due to our citizens for the claims embraced in the settlement made with it on the 3d of March, 1837. I lay before you treaties of commerce negotiated with the Kings of Sardinia and the Netherlands, the ratifications of whic have been exchanged since the adjournment of Con gress. The liberal principles of these treaties wilf recom mend them to your approbation. That with Sardinia is the first treaty of commerce formed by that kingdom, and it will, I trust, answer the expectations of the present sovereign, by aiding the developement of the resources of his country, and stimulating the enterprise of his people. That with the Ne therlands happily terminates a long existing subject of dis pute, and removes from our future commercial intercourse all apprehension of embarrassment. 'Pee King of the Netherlands has also, in further illustra tion of his character for justice, and of his desire to remove every cause of dissatisfaction, made compensation for an American vessel captured in 1800 by a French privateer, and carried into Curaeoa, where the proceeds were, appropriated to the Use of the colony, then, and for a short time after, un der the dominion of Holland. _ that nrt: opinioa: The death of the Sultan, has produced no alteration in our relations with Turkey. Our newly appointed minister resi dent has reached Constantinople, and I have received assur ances from the present ruler that the obligations of our treaty and those of friendship, will be fulfilled by himself in the sai,:e spirit that actuated his. illustrious father.. ret to be obliged to inform you that no convention for cent of the claims of our citizens upon Mexico has athied i by the government of that country. The first formed for that purpose was not presented by "the __ of Me_xico for.the approliation of its congess, from that the King of - Prussia, the arbitrator in case of ,recinent in the joint' coonoission to be appointed by the ed -States and Mexico, would not consent to take upon elf that friendly office. Although not. entirely satisfied i toe cOurse:purSued by . Mexico, I felt no hesitation in icing in the most ,conciliatory spirit the explanation red, and also cheerfully consented to a new convention, rde.r to arrange the payments proposed to be made to our :ens, in a manner which, while equally jnst to them, was ned less onerous and inconvenient to the Mexican go . - unent. • - Relying confidently upon the intentions - of that erninent, Mr. Ellis was directed to repair to Mexico, and oinatie intercouse has been resumed between the two ntries. The new convention has, he informs us, been mtly submitted by the President of. that republic to its ;Tess, under circumstances which promise a speedy rati-, Lion ; a result which I cannot allow myself to doubt. nstructions have been given to the Commissioner of the ited States under out Convention with Texas, for the de rcation of the line which separates us from that Republic. e commissioners df both governments met in New_ Orleans August last. The joint commission was organized, and nrned to.. convene at the same place on the 12th of Oc - It is presumed to be now in the.performance of its uen r overnment of Texas has shown its desire to cal- Iv relations with us, by a prompt reparation for -tained of in the cases of two vessels of the United • America a convention has been concluded : .of its former treaty with the United States. •atified before the departure of our late Charge , Jiti that country, and the copy of it brought by : t.ftceived before the adjournment of the Senate .ssion.. In the mean while, the period limited .. , Ige of ratifications having expired, I deemed it consequence of the death of the Charge to send a special agent to Central America, to airs of our mission there, and to arrange with the an extension of the time for the ex.thange a ra- , sion created by the States which formerly cona of Colombia, for adjusting the claims —.mat, has, by a very unexpected con .der which it acts, decided that no - , e claims of citizens of the U. S. ;)y Columbian privateers, and were - ~its in the judicial tribunals. This J. S. to apply to the several Go redress. 'With all these—New 'cuador, a perfectly good under ... with Venezuela is faithfully, ear t country, in the enjoyment of :...aneing in p ros p er ity un der the o_,stinguished President, General , beral commercial convention has :la will be trzunnitted to the Se- in Empire of Brazil our relations .es our friendly intereowse with South America —the Argentine 17, quay, Chili, l'erg, and Bolivian .COofedera, zens in that quarter, but the obligations on the new govern ments which have arisen out of that Confederation to obserie its treaty stipulations, will no doubt be soon understood, and it is presumed that no indisposition will exist to fulfil those which it contracted with the United States. The financial operations of the Government during the present year have, I am happy to say , been ver y successful. The diffic u lti es under which the Treasury Department has laboured from known defects in the existing laws relative to the safe keeping of the public moneys, aggravated by the sus pension of specie pa y me nts by several of the banks holding public deposits, or indebted to public officers for, notes received in payment of public dues, have been surmounted to a very gratifying extent. The large current • expenditures have been punctually met, and the faith of the government in all its pecuniary concerns has been scrupulously maintained. Vie nineteen millions of Treasury notes authorised by the act of Congress of 1837, and the modifications thereof, with a *iew to the indulgence of merchants on their duty bonds, and of the 'deposit banks, in the payment of public moneys held by them, have been so punctually redeemed as to leave less than the original ten millions outstanding at any o ne time, and the whole amount unredeemed now falls short of three millions. Of these the chief portion isnot due till next year, mid the whole would have been already could the Treasury have realised the payments due to it from the banks. If those due from them during the next year shall be punctually made, and if Congress shall keep the ap propriations within the estimates, there is every reason to believe that all the outstandinsTreasury note. extinguished deemed, and the ordinary expenses defrayed, witshocrt imbepores: ing on the people any additional burden, either for loans or increased taxes. To avoid this, and to keep the expenditure within reasona ble bounds, is a duty, second only in imptirptanrocteectteihtnhhefphruer servation of our national character , and the citizens in their civil and political rights. The creation, in time of peace, of a debt likely to become permanent, is . an which many of the States are apparently approaching evil for which there is no e quivalent , . The rapidit y to w th it i h s condition, admonishes us of One, fourown not d the least important, is inamaipmoerrtatnot, is to keep the Federals Government impressive to be disregarded. . e and ouritsh alwaysest functions, e a ti c h o h n s d , i t s i h o o n ui t d o discharge, a with their exe rcise be required by any sudden conjuncture of pub lic li •nfairs—a condition to which we are always exposed , a nd w hich may occur when it is least expected. • To this end, it is i n di s pensable that its finances should be untrammelled , and its resources, as far as practicable, unencumbered. No c i r cumstance could present greater obstacles to the accom plishment of these vitally important objects, than the creation of an onerous national debt. Our own experience, and also that of other nations, have demonstrated the unavoidable and fearful rapidity with which a public debt is increased, when the government has once surrendered itself to the ruinous practice of supplying its supposed necessities by new loans. The struggle, therefore, on our part, to be successful, must be made at the threshold. To make our efforts effective, severe economy is necessary. This is the surest provision for the national welfare ; and it is, at the same time, the best preservative of the oanciples on which our institutions rest. Simplicity and ecoinily in the affairs of State have never failed to chasten andinvigorate republican principles, while these have been as surely subverted by national prodigality, under whatever specious pretext it may have been introduced or fostered. • These considerations cannot be lost upon a people who have never been inattentive to the effect of their policy upon the institutions they have created for themselves; but at the present moment their force is augmented by the necessity which a decreasing revenue must impose. The check lately given to importations of articles subject to duties, the de rangements in the operations of internal trade, and especially the reduction gradually taking place in our tariff of duties, all tend materially to lessen'our receipts; indeed it is pro. bable that the diminution resulting from the last cause alone, will not fall short of five millions' of dollars in the'year 1842, as the final reduction of all duties to 20 per cent. then takes effect. The whole revenue then accruing from the customs, and from the sales of public lands, if not more, will undoubt- - edly be wanted to defray the necessary expenses of the Go vernment under the most prudent administration of its af fairs. These are circumstances that impose the necessity of rigid economy, and require its prompt and constant exercise. With the legislature rest the power and duty of so adjusting the public expenditure as to promote this end. By the pro visions of the constitution, it is 'only is consequence of ap propriations made by law that money can be drawn from the treasury ; no instance has occurred since the establishment of the government in which the executive, though a compo nent part of the legislative power, hasinterposed an objec tion to an appropriation bill on the sole ground of its extra vagance. His duty in this respect has been considered ful filled. by requesting such appropriations 'only as the public service may be reasonably expected to require. In the pre sent ear lest direction of the public mind towards this sub ject, both the executive and the legislattire have evidence of the strict responsibility to which they will be held ; and, while 1 am conscious of my own anxious efforts to perform with fidelity this portion of my publiC functions, it is a,satis faction to me •to. be able. to count on a cordial co-operation from you. • • At the time I entered upon my present duties, our ordinary disbursements-s-without including those on account of the public debt, the post office, and the trust funds in charge of the government-'-had been' largely increased by appropria --Cons for the removal of the Indians, for repelling Indian hos tilities,* and for other less urgent expenses which grow out of an overflowing treasury. Independent of the redemption of the public debt and trusts, the gross expenditures of seven teen and eighteen millions in 1834 and 1335 had, by these causes, swelled to twenty-nine millions in• 1836, and the ap propriations for 1837, made previously to the 4th of March' caused the expenditure to rise to the very large amount of thirty-three millions. We were enabled during the year 1838, notwithstanding the continuance of our Indian embarrassments, somewhat to reduce this amount ; and that for the present year 1839, will not in all probability exceed twenty-six millionSs—or six millibrialess than it was last year. With a determinatiOrlOiso far as depends on me, to continue this reduction directed the estimates for 1840 to be subjected to the.seycest scrutiny, and to be limited to the absolute requirements, of the public service. They will be 'found less than.the i wenditures of 1839 by over five millions • of dollars. - The precautionary measures which will be recommended by the secretary - 6f the treasury, to protect faithfully the pub slic credit, under the fluctuations and contingencies to which lent reoiptS ando*cpenditures are exposed, arid especially in a commercial erVA like the present, - arc commended to your [The message . then proceeds to allude to•the sale of public niniciPal defences of the seaports and navy yards —the negontatioris•on the subject of the Florida war—the re port of the secretary of the navy—the mail service, and the revenue of the post-office department—the power assumed by territorial legislatures to authorise the sale of bonds by corporate companies, on the guarantee of the territory—the collection, keeping, and disbursement of the revenue—and the monetary affairs of the Union. The last topic occupies the greater part of the message. The following are the most important paragraphs.] The continued agitation of the question relative to the best mode of keeping and disbursing the public money, still inju riously affects the business of the country. The suspension of specie payments in 1837, rendered the use of depositbanks, as prescribed by the act of 1836, a' source rather of embar rassment than aid, and of necessity placed the custody of most of the public money, afterwards collected, in charge of the public officers. The new securities for its safety, which this required, were a principal cause of my convening an ex tra session of . 6itigress ; but in consequence of a disagree ment between the two houses, neither then, nor at any sub sequent periodVhas there been any legislation on the subject. The effort made at' the last session to obtain the authority of congress to punish the use of public money for private pur poses as a crime, a measure attended under other govern ments with signal advantage, was also unsuccessful, from diversities of opinion in that body, notwithstanding the an xiety doubtless felt by it to afford every practicable security. The result of this is still'to leave the custody of the public money without those safeguards which have been for several years earnestly desired by the 'executive ; and as the remedy is only to be found in the action of the legislature, it imposes on me the duty of again submitting to you the propriety of passing a law, providing for the safe keeping of the public moneys. and especially to ask that its use for private pur poses, by any officers entrusted with it, may be declared to be a 'elony, punishable with penalties proportioned to the magni nide of the offence. . _ These circumstances, added to known defects in the exist ing laws, and unusual derangement in the general operations of trade, have, during the last three years, much increased the difficulties, attendant on the collection, keeping, and dis bursement of the revenue, and called forth corresponding exertions from those having them in charge. Happily these have been successful beyond expectation. Vast sunis have been collected and disbursed by the several Departments with unexpected cheapness and ease ; transfers have been readily made to every part of the Union, however distant ; and defalcations have been far less than might have been expected, from the absence of adequate legal restraints. Since the officersot the Treasury and Postoffice Departments were charged with the custody of most of the public moneys received by them, there have been collected sixty-six millions of dollars, and ? excluding the case of the late collector at New York; the aggregate amount o losses sustained in the collection cannot, it is believed, exceed sixty thousand dol lars. The defalcation of the late collector at that city, of which Congress has been fully informed, ran through all the modes of keeping the public money that have hitherto been in use, and was distinguished by an aggravated disregard of duty, that broke through the restraints of every system, and cannot, therefore, be usefully referred to as a test of the comparative safety. of either. Additional information will also be furnished by the report of the Secretary of the Trea sury, in reply to a call made upon that officer by the House of Representatives at the last session, requiring detailed infor mation on the subject of defaults by public officers or agents under each administration, from 1789 to 1837. This docu ment will be submitted to you in a few days. The general results, (independent of the Postoffice, which is kepi sepa rately, and will be stated bX itself;) so far as they bear upon this subject, are, that the liisges which have been, and are likely to be, sustained, by any class of agents, have been— the greatest by bankers, including, as required in the resolu tion, their depreciated paper received for public dues ; that the next largest have been by . disbursing officers, and the least by collectors and receivers. If the losses on duty bonds are included, they alone will be three-fold those by both col lectors and receivers. Our whole experience, therefore, furnishes the strongest evidence that the desired legislation of Congress is alone wanting to insure in those operations the highest degree of security and facility. Such also appears to have been the experience of other nations. From the re sults of inquiries made by the Secretary of the Treasury in regard to the practice among them, I am enabled to state, that in twenty-two out of twenty-seven foreign gOvernments, from which undoubted information has been obtained, the public moneys ,are kept in charge of public officers. This concurrence-;oPoPinion in favour of that system is perhaps as great as exists on any question of internal administration. In the modes of business and official restraints on disbur sing officers, no legal change was produced by the suspension of specie payments. The report last referred to will be found to contain also much useful information in relation to this subject.• I have heretofore assigned to Congress my reason's for believing that the establishment of an Independent National Treasury, as contemplated by the constitution, is necessary to the safe action of the federal government. The suspension of specie payments in 1837, by the banks having the custody of the public money, shewed in so alarming a degree our de pendence on those institutions for the performance of duties required by law, that I then recommended the entire disso lution of that connection. This recommendation has been subjected, as I desired it should be, to severe scrutiny and animated discussion ; and I allow myself to believe, that, notwithstanding the natural diversities of opi n i on w hi c h may be anticipated on all subjects involving such important con siderations, it has secured in its favour as general a concur rence of public sentiment as could be expected on one of such magnitude. . . Recent events have also continued to develope new objec tions to such a connection. Seldom is any bank, under the existing system and. practice, able to meet, on demand, all its liabilities for deposits and notes in circulation. It main tains specie payments, and transacts a profitable business, only by the confidence of the public in its solvency; and whenever this is destroyed, the demands of its depositors and note-holders—pressed more rapidly than it can make ,eollections from its debtors—force it to stop payment. This loss, f confidence, with its consequences, occurred in 1837, and air.:rded the apology of the banks for their suspension. The public then acquiesced in the validity of the excuse ; and, while the state legislatures did not exact from them .their forfeited chltrters, Congress, in accordance with the recommendation of 44 - Le executive, allowed them time to pay aver the public _money ,thew held, although compelled to issue itreasnry notes to sUpply.the fie.,ficiency thus created. ,- It nownppears that there are other motives than a want of public eonfidence under which the banks seek to justify themselves in a refusal to meet their obligations. Scarcely were the country and government relieved, in a degreoe,. from the difficulties occasioned by the general suspension t or the a when a partial one, occurring within thirty months though former, produced new and serious embarrassmen ts, well alleged it had no palliation insuch circumstan ces in justification of that which had previously There was nothing in the condition of; commerce was endan ger a well-managed banking de ranged by no foreign war :e very tthe a c s o v a e a r t e r t taken t e o n place. the more manufacturing th a than industry was crowned and storehouses filled with a • tic wants, had left our g ranaries a'brradsn:clinnodf surplus for e xportatn. depreciated paper currency is entailed upon usual abu n d a nce of ou r_Ea n :r ta t : r i e iie s i s t s : s 'es i ,af t t h ei e • supplying m imidst s t o f this, our d ti o ut m t e a s n irredeemable and large Portion of the banks. They are not, hb;i 3 ; e t n a he exhibition . of a loss of public confidence, pressure from their depositors and note business, and exchange with foreign countries, which of holders, but they excuse themselves by alleging that the cur rentcdt)lrrs i c voe p fn e o at p a l si e lti , draws the precious metals from their vaults, would require, i n order to meet it, a large curtailment of their loans to a comparatively small portion of the community, than it will be convenient for them to bear, or perhaps safe for the banks to exact. The plea has ceased to be one of necessity. Con venience and policy are now deemed sufficient to warrant these institutions in disregarding their solemn obligations. Such conduct is not merely an injury to individual creditors, but it is a wrong to the whole community, from whose liberality they hold most valuable privileges—whose rights they violate, whose business they derange, and the value of whose property they render unstable and insecure. It must be evident that this new ground for bank suspensions, in re ference to which their action is not only disconnected with, but wholly independent of, that of the public, gives a cha racter to their suspensions more alarming than any which they exhibited before, and greatly increases the impropriety of relying on the banks in the ,transactions of the govern ment. . . A large and highly respectable portion of our banking in stitutions are, it affords me unfeigned pleasure to state, exempted from all blame on account of this second delin quency. They have, to their great credit, not, only conti nued to meet their engagements, but have 'even repudiated the grounds of suspension now, resorted to. It is only by such a course that the confidence and good-will' of the com munity can be preserved, and, in the sequel, the best interests of the institutions themselves promoted. New dangers to the banks are also daily disclosed from the extension of that system .of extravagant credit of which they are the pillars. Formerly your foreign commerce was, principally founded on an exchange of commodities, including the precious metals, and leaving in its transactions but little foreign debt. Such is not now the case. Aided by the faci lities afforded by the banks; mere credit has become too commonly the basis of trade. Many of the hanks them-, selves, not content with s ti mu l a ti ng thi s system among others, have usurped the business, while theY impair the sta bility, of the mercantile community ; they have become borrowers instead of lenders, they establish their agencies abroad ; they deal largely in stocks and merchandise, they encourage the issue of state securities until the foreign mar ket is glutted with them ; and, unsatisfied with the legitimate use of their own capital, and the exercise of their lawful pri vileges, they raise, by large loans, additional means for every variety of speculation. The disasters attendant on this devi ation from the former course of business in this country ate now shared alike by banks and individuals', to an extent of which perhaps there is no previous example in the annals of our country. So long as a willingness Of the foreign lender, and a sufficient export of our productions to meet any neces sary partial payments, leave the flow of credit undisturbed, all appears to be prosperous ; but as soon as it is checked by any hesitation abroad, or by an inability to make payment there in our productions, the evils of the system are disclosed. The paper currency which might serve for domestic purposes is useless to pay the debt due to Europe. Gold and silver are therefore drawn, in exchange for their notes, from the banks. To keep up their supply of coin, these institutions are obliged to call upon their own debtors, who pay them principally in their own notes, which are as unavailable to them as they are to the merchants to meet the foreign demand. The calls of the Banks, therefore, in such emergencies, of necessity, exceed that demand, and produce a corresponding curtailment of their accommodations and of the currency, at the very moment when the state of trade renders it most in inconvenient to be borne. The intensity of this pressure on the community is in proportion to the previous liberality of credit and consequent expansion of the currency ; forced sales of property are made at the time when the means of purcha sing are most reduced, and the worst calamities to individu als are only at last arrested, by an open violation of their ob ligations by the banks,- a refusal to pay specie for their notes, and an imposition upon the community of a fluctuating and depreciated currency. These consequences are inherent in the present system. They are 'not influenced by the banks being large or small, created by National or State Governments. They are the results of the irresistible laws of trade and credit. In the recent events which have so strikingly illustrated the certain effects of these laws; we have seen the bank of the largest capital in the Union, established under a National charter, and lately strengthened, as we were authoritatively informed, , by exchanging that for a State charter, with new and unusual privileges—in a condition too, as it was said, of entire sound ness and great prosperity—not merely unable to resist these effects, but the first to yield to them. Nor is it to be oveilooked that there exists a chain of ne cessary dependence among these institutions which obliges them, to a great extent, to follow the course of others, not withstanding its injustice to their own immediate creditors, or injury to the particular community in which they are placed. This dependence of a bank, which is in pro f ortion to the extent of its debts for circulation and deposits is not merely on others in its own vicinity, but on all those which connect it with the centre of trade. Distant banks may fail, without seriously affecting those in our principal commercial cities; but the failure of the latter is felt at the extremities of the Union. The 'suspension at New York, in 1837, was every where, with very few exceptions, followed,'as- soon as it was known ; that" recently at Philadelphia immediately affected the banks of the South and West in a similar man- ' ner. The dependence of our whole 'banking system on the institutions in a fcw,large cities, is not found in' the laws of their organization, but in thOse of trade and exchange. The banks at that centre tss which currency flewssand• where it is required in payments for merchandise, hold the' peWer of Controlling those in regions whence it comes, while the latter possess no means of. restraining them; so that the . iihie - of . individual property, and the' prosperity of trade, through - the whole interior of the country, are made to ,depend on` 'the . good or management Of the banking institutions in the great seats of trade on the seaboard. . But this chain of' dependance does not stop Isere.—lt does not terminate at Philadelphia or New York. It reaches across the ocean, and ends in London, the centre of the credit system. The same laws of trade, which give to the bank's in, on ts ptin stern O - cipal cities power over the whole banking systef tli Vssitssd' States, subject the former in their turn, to. the ruo yjsoivilf in Great Britain. It is is not de n i e d that ,tlie sus fish:AM i the New York banks in 1837, which ' Wag followed - iii' - iita i succession throughout the Union; wasprodticed by an appli cation of that power; and it is now alleged, in extenuation of the present condition of so large a portion of out banks, that' their embarrassments have arisen froth thesaiiibicause. ' bt ,l From this influence they cannot•now entirely; eteape, foriit has its origin in the `credit currencies of 'the twisCountrieis it is strengthened by the current of trade and exchange, which centres in London, and' is rendered almost irresistible by the large debts contracted there by our useichants, our banks, and our States. It is thuS that an introduction of a new bank into the most distant of our villages; places the business of that village within the influence of the money power in England. It is thus thatevery'new debt which we contract in that country, seriously affects our own currency,.and ex tends over the pursuits of our citizens its powerful influence. We cannot escape from this by snaking new banks, great or small, State or National. The same chains which bind those now existing in the centre of this system of paper credits, must equally fetter every similar institution we create: It is only by the extent to which this system has been - pushed of late, that we have been made fully aware of its irresistible tendency to subject our own banks and currency to a vast controlling power in a foreign land, and it adds a new isegu meat to those which • illustrate their precarious situation. Endangered in-the first place by their own mismanagement, and again by the conduct of every institution which connects them with the centre of trade in our own country, they are yet subjected beyond all this, to the effect of whatever mea sures policy, necessity, or caprice, may induce those whO control the credits of England to resort to. I mean not to comment upon these measures present or past, and much less to discourage the prosecution.of fair commercial dealing between the two countries, based on reciprocal benefits ; but it having now been made manifest that the power of inflict ing these and similar injuries, is, by the resistless law of a credit currency and credit trade, equally capable of extending their consequences throUgh all the ramifications of our bank ing system, and by that means indirectly obtaining, particu larly when our banks are used as depositories of the public moneys, a dangerous political influence in the United States, I have deemed it my duty to bring the subject to your no tice, and ask for your serious consideration. Is an argument required beyond the exposition of these facts, to show the impropriety of using our banking institu tions as depositories of the public money ? 'Can we venture not only to encounter the risk of their individual and mutual mismanagement, but, at the same time, to place our foreign and domestic policy entirely under the control of a foreign moneyed interest? To do so is to impair the independence of our Government, as the present credit system' has already impaired the independence. of ouebanks. It is to submit all its important operations, whether of peace or war, to be con trolled or thwarted at first by 'our own banks, and then by a power abroad greater than: themselves. I cannot bring my self to depict the humiliation to which this Government and people might be sooner or later'reduced, if the means for defending their rights are fo be made dependant upon those who may have the most powerful of motivss to impair them. Nor is it only in reference to the effect of this state of things on the independence of our Government or of our banks, that the Subject presents itself for consideration ; it is to be viewed also in its relations to the general trade of our country. The time is not long past when a deficiency of foreign crops was thought to afford a profitable market for the surplus of our industry; but now we -await with feverish anxiety the news of the English harvest, not so much from motives of commendable sympathy, but fearful lest its anti cipated failure should narrow the field of credit there. Does not this speak volumes to the patriot? Can a system be be-. neficent, wise, or just, which creates greater anxiety for in terests dependent on foreign credit, than for the general prosperity of our own country, and the profitable exporta tion of the surplus produce of our labour ? The circumstances to which I have thus adverted appear to me to afford weighty reasons, developed by late events, to be added to those which I have on former occasions offered, when submitting to your better knowledge and discernment the propriety of separating the custody of the public money from banking institutions. Nor has any thing occurred to lessen, in my opinion, the force of what has been heretofore urged. The only ground on which that custody can be de sired by the banks, is the prpfitable use which they may make of the money. Such use would be regarded in individuals as a breach of trust, or a crime of great magnitude, and yet it may be reasonably doubted whether, first and last, it is not attended with more mischievous consequences when per mitted to the fohner than to the latter. The practice of permitting the public money to be used by its keepers as here, is believed to be peculiar to this country, and to exist scarcely any where else. To procure it here improper influ ences are appealed to; unwise connections are established between the government and vast numbers of powerful state institutions ; other motives than the public good are brought to bear both to the executive and legislative de partments, are an for ds aed e i lfis . h I c t on is ib m in a a d ti a m t i h s, - e leading to o f banking special instituions and their stockholders throughout the union, to legislation, use their exertions for the increase of taxation and the accu mulation of a surplus revenue; and, while an excuse is afforded, the means are furnished for those excessive issues which lead to extravagant trading and speculation, and are the forerunners of a vast debt abroad, and a suspension of the bank at home. Impressed, therefore, is I am, with the propriety of the funds of the government being withdrawn from the private use of either banks or individuals, and. the public money kept by duly appointed public ,agents ; and believing, as I do, that such also is the judgment which discussion, reflec tion, and experience have produced on the public mind, I leave the subject with you. It is, at all events, essential to the interests of the community and the business of the government, that a decision should be made- - * * _ * * . # # - .-* M. VAN BIJRN Mr. Macready will make his debut at Drury-lane as Mirebeth, which is to be revived with new scenery, &C. TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDIrrS7 A. special meeting of the council was held or Wednesday, for the discussion of several subjects the coisideratiou of which had been adjourned. PURCHASE OF THE BIRKENHEAD PROPERTY. The MAYOR said that the first business ef the council would be the proposed purchase of the.Birke4ead property. The deputy town-clerk would read the minas of the last council on the subject. This having been done, Mr. CURRIE moved the confirmation of therecommenda-, tion of the Finance Committee, for the purchase of the above named property, characterising the proposed Pirchaie as one that was exceedingly judicious and desirable.' Mr. PLATT seconded the motion, thinking taat the matter was one of immense importance to the corporation, as well as calculated to advance the interests of the community at large. . • Mr. Alderman Strinr, was opposed to the-ptrchase of the property, and thought that not many years w eed elapse be fore the corporation would have t o regr et. their purchases on the other side of the water: He thought it his duty to state this but he would not take up the time of the council in what he knew would be useless opposition: Mr. MELLOR opposed the motion on this ground—The proposed purchase would cost £65,000, which, at two per cent. per annum,. would be £l3OO a year '• and whatever benefit might result from the p urc h ase h erea fter, the present inhabitants of the town would be deprived yearly of the use of that sum. . . Mr. BLACKBURN observed that Mr. Mellor was wrong in his calculation. There would' not be a lots'of two per' ent. on the whole amount of , purchase money, but only on that part of the property which did not yield any return. There would, therefore, be no need of a sinking fund, except for one-fourth part of the purchase: : ' If he was wrong the town clerk would correct him. The motion was then adopted without a division. MR. °KILL'S SALARY. Mr. SHIM. said the motion he was about to make was matter of simple right, which he believed was vested in every member of the council. Any one there might do it, and no one, he believed, had any right to make any .opposition. lie moved, therefore, that the Treasurer be ordered to make a return of all monies paid out of the Corporation fund to Mr. Charles Okill, since his first connexion with the Corporation, in 1815, up to the present time, distinguishing the amounts paid as a fixed salary, from those paid for special and distinct. services ; and stating, as accurately as possible, the particu lar service for which the different sums were paid, with the dates of the order of council 'relating to each sum, and that the return be sent to each member of the council as soon as practicable, but not later than the summons for the next meeting of the council. . . venienee to Our piti• Mr. - CURRIE arose and was about to address the counci when Mr. SHELL said if he had anticipated any opposition to his motion, he should have endeavoured to enforce it by argu ment. He must, therefore, throw himself on the good feel ing of the council, to hear what he might . hate to say on any part of the subject that might arise. Mr. CURRIE said he merely wishes to remark that the motion was so reasonable and proper, that no member of the Finance Committee could possibiy have any objection to it. He adMitted at once the justice of the principle and would second Mr. Shell's resolution. So -farfront any member of the Finance Committee desiring to keep back information of the nature mentioned, he, himself, at the last Council, had intended to give all the information now sought for, and he should unquestionably have done so if it had not been that he was a' little irregular, which prevented him. He had, however, told one of his friends, on the other 'side of the table, that if he thought proper to ask for the information, he had it with him and would put the Council in possession of it. It was not asked for. He had the same document containing the information now, but if they thought it more proper that the information should come before them in a formal manner, of course there was no member of the com mittee could have any objection. • • Mr. SHELL protested against the production of the infor mation in any form but that called for in his motion. • .` The MAYOR was about to put the motion, when Mr. SHELL said he did not know what object Mr. Cu rrie had in saying that he was ready to produce the document at the last Council. He (Mr. Sheil) recollected that IVIr. Currie Made two distinct speeches on the question,—one on the motion and one reply; besides a distinct reply to him (Mr. Sheil). Mr. Currie said he had the document and was ready to produce it now. He (Mr. .Sheil) considered it very, sin gular that Mr. Currie had not prodOed it when the subject was first brought forward. Mr.: Currie did state all that Mr,. Okill had done for the corporation, since 1815. He detailed all Mr. Okill's circumstances very minutely, but be did'nof state the other side. Why did he not produce the other sid6 , of the account ? This, -he believed, was the way lawyers proceeded when bridging actions ; they stated all on one side, laid down all their allegations, and. left the parties to produce the other. side of what they had to set off against their statements. Surely the gentletean wh6 came into" that Council as a representative of a portion of the public of Liverpool was not to conic forward as an advocate of expen ditUre, without putting the people in possession of all the facts. Both sides of the statement ought to have been given, as well what Mr. Okill had received as what he had done. Mr. CURRIE avowed himself somewhat astonished at what" had fallen from Mr. Sheil and particularly at his a pp earin g not to know why he (M r . Currie) had broughtforward the . subject. It could not have been forgotten that he brought it'forward a's"chairman of the Finance Committee, ip cense quence of a memerial-froni Mr. Okill.. He (Mr. : Curtie) it would also be remembered, was the first person who-men tioned the necessity of postponing the subject for a month, in, order to give, time to every PerF°ll for consideration and. inquiry. That necessity was doubted, but it ultimately turned out that he was right. Mr. Shell asked him why the state ments on the, other sitle had, not been :read.. The' report in the reference of the subject to the committee had been read, and this 'set- forth Mr, °kill's - services ;. lidield Alderman Evans that: ballad the.staternint 'olthe money paid to Mr. Okill, and would produce it it he (Mr.. Evans) would ask for it. . The first part of the proceeding's' turned' out to he irre gular, andihe statement was notisked for; - ' ' . • Mr. SIIEII4 said:gr.. Currie. tinl Aloe answered the charge that he bad brougliefOrivard,litit'ltelfed given a one-sided statement. - 'He dinged Mr. litlutrreAdith , haiiing acted im properly, in havingbrought ftvgg i a,--ei4e,sicled statement, , ... The•Mkv . on arose; and p ' lli r i CtollitiOn,'`iWhidi - W - di. Carried. without a'clivisionwiTl9iim'inn-b- W,u-mat sill Id _.:.__ • __ L E,y„);•,/ rep , A . WATCH RATk.;—TIIE r...ewes et.K.A u iesais m . , , dOnisoie:..' . -.-, •-' :--,.,. ' ' - The M.tyon stated thattlie next InratifelVdP tti6 - o'nsi .. aeration of the cotineirwai ii. ebninitiniclition'titni - the select vestry relative th the previouslirciceedinguol•the council on the subject of the watch rate.— • --.144 , ;..... The-Tow b.", ! 6txttx:reati,the following crimywication :-. 7. .,, Atal:noting : of the Seleet Vestry, held,h4.he.Raard- . rooin, in FenWiek-street, on Tuesday, the 7th: day Of .dauti • ' . AKY, 189, di i .,' - ' 7 ,, -- 4 rlince. Rector titOo-Kg,i ll ‘,We l lgifi 4 . , .. tkic Y.i.4o.74terk leiN ing laid 10 ' e.o 3 ,,lSestry the tom - lii - tilill; of the town-clerk, cot Viitig'6, 6Opv of the-par i TkittiFif licitjce as to watch rate ',7 11 "the resdution Of* c u9affat IlAte Ming op, the lst'January instant, .. r ~,...„,,,,,,, lA c it auliears to this board that the bill 'Tro- - 3 , valoo. ,cWed by the corporation for continuing' in the n miCti'teie • iadi'etlonary power - Of laying 'a rite to the ad ditionatextent provided by the act of last session, will not xiieefllid'ineWs and objectS of the parishioners as -: embodied in thrift iieS6liitiiiir , 'et their last' general, vestry : and they thereßreiitie -the council will b e ple ase d 'to re-consider the: subject;'inittO instruct the town-clerk to solicit an act hav ing for its object the direct exoneration of the parishioners from any 'rate beyond the amount authorised to be' levied by thomuracipal corporations amendment act. . Resolved.-- , -That, if the' council be plcaied to carry out the. views of the parishioners aSateheCipressed, the select ves try are prepared, and now:offer, to contribute one-half of the expense of such application to parjiament. • Resolved- , -That a copy of thet'e'solution of the general ves try be transmitted, along with the foregoing resolutions, for the purpose of representing tdAlit council the repugnance of the. parishioners .o.,the act of last session. • • : ' Resolved—That a copy of the foregoing resolutions be transmitted by the Churchwardens to his worship the mayor, with a request that he *ottlillity the Same-before the council at their next meeting. • ..- i: , sitten.:, i. ie- .. ` • • Extracted from the minutes, . ' M. D. LOWNDES, Vestry-clerk. The TOWN-CLERK then proceeded to say that he thought it necessary to remind the council, as figures were not always recollected, of the exact position in which the corporation stood in reference to the parish, in consequence of the mu nicipal act 0f.1835. Before the passing.of that act, a watch rate was levied in the parish ; but the effect of the municipal act had been to throw on the corporation the burden of pay ing for the parish of Liverpool £11,500 of county rate, which, to the fullest extent, was paid by the corporation, indeed, to a greater extent. This payment was now made altogether direct to the country, consisting of the expenses ,of gaols, payments for prOsecutions, the payment of the coroner, and the payment of a balance claimed by the county to the amount of about £2OOO. He was therefore quite borne out in say ing that the corporation fund, either directly or indirectly, had to pay upward's: of £11,500. . There was then to be con sidered the effect of the late decision, which had relieved the corporate estate frinn the payment of parochial taxes to the amount of £3500, so that the short effect of the municipal bill, with reference to the county-rate and the watch-rate, was to throw upon the corporation the payment of £B,OOO, which the corporation had not previously borne, so that the parish was a gainer by that-amount, and also a gainer in the better lighting of the town, involving a charge of £7OO, and a gainer with respect to the advantage of a day and night po lice. The town-clerk then alluded to his report on the sub ject, in which be had suggested that a clause should be. ob tained, giving to the council the power of appropriating their surplus revenue to the payment of such portion of the watch rate as was beyond the maximum rate collected and payable in the parish under the old watch-rate, and at the same time giving the council a discretionary power to levy that overplus (not, however, to exceed 6d. in the pound;). and he con ceived that he was going to the fuil extent of his duty to pro pose that the council should .take that discretionary power.. Until-that re,solinion of the seleet vestry had been handed to the mayor, he had not been aware that there existed any dif ference of opipion on the subject of the corporation taking that diseretiohary poWee, , • His own notice, which had ap peared in the newspaperi j distinctly stated that the object of the bill was to apply for ' discretionary power to, apply any surplus of the' corporate fend in.or towards the payment of the watch-rate ; and, moreover, the notice given by the ves try-clerk was couched in terns not very , different from'his (the town-clerk's.) The' town-clerk" read the resolution of the select vestry, which, he contended, asked-simply that there should be a discretionary power on the part of the council; not that they ahould be altogether relieved from the obligation of levying. It was out of his power to advise that the council should part with that discretionary power. A time might possibly come; as had happened under the old corporation, when it would be necessary to make use of every branch. of the revenue—he alluded to the period when a part of the revenue was susPended. He thou..ht that the council should remain in possession of a discretionary power to levy according to circumstances ; for it was too much for the parish to anticipate that circumstances might not happen in the course of years which would fairly justify the'council in levying the additional amount, which, by law, they were empowered to levy. It would be for the council to consider every year whether they would confine themselves to the old maximum rate,- leaving the parish a gainer by £BOOO, or whether circumstances did not make it imperative on them, in discharge Of their public duty, to levy the addi tional amount. He hoped that the revenue of the corpora tion would continue, and that the council would be enabled to relieve . the parishioners from any levy beyond - the old maximum rate ; but he thought it his duty to give his most distinct opinion, that the council should not part with a dis cretionary power. For that opinion he was responaible to the council and to the town. Mr. Is A.AC .Homess entirely differed from the town-clerk. He concluded that it was proper to concur with the parish in entirely getting rid of the bill. The individual who brought forward that bill in parliament, neter contemplated its apPli cation to such boroughs as Liverpool, when they possessed a great revenue. It wasmerely intended by Mr. 'Raines, who introduced the measure into parliament, that it was to apply to such boroughs as Leeds, Manchester; Bolton,. Bir- , mingharn, &c., where there were no borough funds to which they could resort. The parish authorities and the town-clerk Were at variance in Opinion, relative to` `the saving which the parish obtained by the Muhicipal bill. ' It was stated bfthe parish that the county-rate amounted to £lO,OOO, and that the corporation was exempted from the payment of taxes to: about £3000; making a difference of Only • £6OOO, which was the" additional burden cast upon the corporation. Now,' when the present Council- enjoyed an income of £23,000 -per annum more than the old corporation, surely so trilling . an additiop might be easily borne. With respect to the appli cation to parliament, to give' the 'council a discretionary power to lay a bettoqh wak444e,.:they- possessed that power at present ; for the maximum rate of the bill under diciission was 6d in the pound ; but the act expressly said it • was not to exceedfid thereforei - if they levied a rate by vir tue of that bill, it might only be the sixteenth part of a penny, and that would' be sufficient to satisfy all the provi sions of that act. If the parish of Liverpool were not to ; derive any benefit s in being eased from taxation, in the name of goodness, 'of what .advantage had been the municipal reform ? He considered that the parish of Liverpool had a right to demand the rescinding, of the measure. At the vestry meeting which- too k p l ac e, when the resolutions were passed to empower the churchwardenato apply for the repeal of the act in question, there were .certain gentlemen, who, althongh they did not expressly state that they were autho rised:by the dominant party in that council, to say that the council did not intend to carry the act into effect, yet by' their language they implied that they were so authorised. Mr. Holmes concluded with the following motion :—" That this council concur with the parish of Liverp ool, that it is proper'to apply to parliament for the rescinding- of the act, thislsibppflarieaatsioreag.tstrdhasllbe easily borough—and that the expense o f such y t parish." COOPEk said it was the' e or g n en e e b r y al t h i .this opinionco ancil and the Mr. parish." out of doors that the churchwarden s . ad the support of the public in their endeavours to get the ac t alluded to rescinded, so far as a re garded Liverpool. It was quite wrong in the council to say to the community generally, as they were saying, " We are going to levy sixpence in the pound, and we will tax y ou whether you . are agreeable or not." Ile, for one, should de cidedly oppose the vesting in the council of any such power; and lie thought that those individuals who were favourable to the clause would hesitate in approving of the proposed ap plication to Parliament, if they had sat with him and seen the number of appeals against the payment of the parish rate. Out of thirty-six thousand persons rated, fourteen thousand only.had- paid, leaving twenty-two thousand who had declared themselves paupers and unable to pay. He se conded the resolution. . - Mr. CURRIE remarked that the sentiments of Mr. Cooper were not to be considered as those of the council, but of Mr. Cooper himself. The council had never said that they would tax the public, whether the, public were agreeable or not. On the contrary, the notice of the Town-clerk was an act of 'forbearanee ; for it Wass never intended to avail themselves- of the powers conferred by the bill, except in cases when it would be prudential to de so, and until that time should ar rive, the Town-clerk and the council were willing that the act should lie in abeyance. Why, then, was it attempted to impress upon the public that the council were disposed to annoy and oppress them ? He should be sorry that anything was either said or done to cause a difference between the corporation, and the parish, for which there was not the slightest reason. The - very object of the proposed bill was to obtain what the parish desired, namely, to relieve the coun cil from the obligation of levying the rate. • Mr. WOCLRIGHT said that the select vestry wished to im press upon the - public; that 'the :Council, were desirous of taking from them all that, they could get. Such was not the case, as was proved by the fact that the council had the power to levy the £B,OOO which they. themselves paid., The old corporation had never paid a farthing towards the public expenses. He could not help feeling, all the time that Mr. Cooper was speaking. that his observations were addressed, not to the Mayor, but to the gentlemen who sat opposite to the Mayor (the reporters.) Mr. Alderman EARLE:---It is nothing but -an electioneer ing trick. , Mr. JOHN SMITH observed, that the impression on his mind had been that the proposed bill was to place the town in exactly the same position as it had been before the passing of the recent act. He could assure the council that there would be a great deal of jealousy if the council obtained the power intended to be applied for; for the public did not know how, when obtained, that power would he exercised. Mr. Alderman Evans admired the modesty of the proposal made by some gentlemen. .The council were asked to de- Prive.themselves of the discretionary power, and to pay the eipense of making a confession of their imbecility. He should like to contrast the capability of the council to decide on the subject• of the public interests with thatof the select vestry. They (the council) were the real representatives of the peo ple ; but what were the vestry ? He wished they were under that organisation which would give to their proceedings that order and regularity, and that responsibility, which the pub lic had a right to claim. The power had got into the hands of four or five men, many of whom were actuated by a desire to gain notoriety. Look at their acts ; and if he might judge of their capability from that, he should allude to their absurd efforts to put the poor rates on the dock estate. After acts of that sort, he did not consider that the select vestry could be said to represent the people ; they were not supposed to do so in a general way. The fact of lodging the proposed discretionary poiver in the hands of the council did not at all .suppose that the power would be abused. The council was the proper depository of all power. He did not think that too much power could be given to it, because it was responsi ble in every way ; and if the public had anything to complain of, there was the proper place to seek .for redress... Brit for the select vestry to come forward and-ask the representatives of- the people to denude themselves of any power was not onlys-le would avow,thesword--impertinence to the council, but an insult to the Constituencies that sent them there. Mr. Alderman?SllClL should be sorry . to • see any of the public monerexpended in a contest between the corporation 'and the parish.* He should at once vote for the power of levying to be insthe• select vestry, if they,could by any fair means be styled the, representatives of the town. As he was well known to entertain strong views in favour of giving.to all an equal-participation in the right of protecting themselves from taxation, and as the present system of electing the select, vestry was diametrically opposed to those views , he could not" consent to• place in theshands of the vestry any power .of which he could deprive them. The system was founded on the principle that the rich' alone could have a right of levying taxes. The rich man:might have twenty-four votes, whilst the poor r man could have but one. For that reason, and. that alone, he should certainly support the propriety of giving to the corporation the proposed,power, because they were elected on a more general principle. Mr. G. H. LAWansNcis believed that if ever there was a well-regulated-parish it was that of Liverpool. He thought it very. hard that, when speaking on this subject, persons should be taunted with speaking to the press, and foe'elec tioneering - purpOS'es; rather thaii from a wish to promote what! •they conceivedAy he., the, ,gonst,of the tolvh. He thought., however, that Alm ~ c ouncil ilddld not abandon the prin'ti6l6- ihititi4nseleilirifiithee• did he think thatsthis .11 1 -usac valt9Asnista)usissiasslo,as by placing ,the power in the hands of thecouWfor,at ought to recollected, thatit* ri they had ii . etifi s eKcsilieY hitd the power•of levying a bo i-ough4atesswlatabsviaalds he supposed, put the matter on the saws fßotims,,,,-,ly t isis these views, he should adhere to the. town-crerfeS Bourox was opposed tativing any power to the pa rish. Ile staisl thatit,eught also,. to be borne in mind that although 1...85100n1Y was leviidStlienetual expenditure of the police, &c: . 44 -6 cthouaht it,letter that, they should retain the 'discretionary power of levying a watch-rate, than, in case of necessity; resort to a borbugh-rate. - 11 issasy LawituNOS: disclaimed, any etalcurrenee, the ppinion that. there was an inclination on the part of the . Connell -to throw burdens upoh the public. He; however, Couhl‘getino disadvantage in acceding to the proposal of the Parish. It had been said that the council were the repre sentatives of the public, and so they were to a certain extent ; :but; SiSlesslid not wish to be personal, he should - not.enter into thatsuhject. Mr. ,Alderman - EaLE.---Say what you like ; yen can do st no ha - tins'- Mt•AH. LAWRENCE.—Un.der the present municipal act many persons had no vote at all, though he did not on that account say that the system of representation was unfair, as was said in many quarters. He hoped that the corporation and the parish would not proceed to extremities, for it would be foolish to waste their money. in litigation. (Cheers and laughter.) . Mr. Bump- thought that the proposal now made was not calculated to allay the anxiety which prevailed, and suggested that a select committee should be appeinted to take the re port of the Town-clerk into consideration. The TOWN-CLERK, in reference to what had been said by Mr. Woolright, 'stated that there. was now thrown on the borough fund the sum of £BOOO, to the exoneration of the parishioners of Liverpool. Until the act of last session, however, the council had no power to levy that 0000 unless there was no surplus. The Town-clerk then proceeded to show what would be the result to the parish if the whole six pence in the pound should ever happen to be levied. Six pence in the pound, on the rental of Liverpool, would yield £20,125, which, as the council had heard from Mr. Bolton, • was less than the actual amount of the watch expenses. s:lf the amount of the old watch-rate, £Bs27—the additional sum for better cleansing, £7OO, and the amount to which the . parish had been relieved from county-rates, £11,500, were added together, they would produce a total of £20,727; and if from that were deducted the sum saved to the corporate . funds by exoneration from the parochial rates, there would remain £17,227, which, being deducted from the whole sum yielded by tare levy of sixpence in the pound, would leave a balance of £2898, which the parish would have to pay. But so long as the council did not exercise the power of levying, the parish would remain a gainer by upwards of £BOOO. Mr. ISAAC HOLMES, in reply, said that if he had not fully made up his mind upon the measure of applying for a com plete repeal of the bill then under discussion, what had then transpired in the council would have caused him to advocate it. He was happy to find that Mr.• Woolright completely accorded with him in opinion that there was no surplus fund. He (Mr. Holmes) contended that there never had been a surplus fund since the new corporation came into power. At present this corporation expended from. eight to ten thousand, pounds per annum more than the old one. (Mr. Rathbone and Mr. Bolton—" No, no.") He was ready to prove his assertion from thepnblished docursients; and would enter upon the subject the first opportunity. It had been stated that the council had power to levy a borough-rate,* if the funds were not sufficient. Then why object to • the re scinding of thishill ? The select-vestry had been abused in no measured terms. It was said that they were no repre sentatives—that they were merely chosen by four orsfive individuals; but what was the case of this council? One third of the : whole council were merely chosen by two or three individuals—(Mr. Mellor here rose to call Mr. Holmes to order . but 'the Mayor decided that he was in order)--and one-half of those gentlemen were actually the rejected of the people. The vote was then taken. The motion of Mr. Holmes was lost by 39 to 13. For the motion there were—Councillors D. Hodgson, I. Holmes,' R. Houghton, W. Preston, J. Barton, J. Cooper, J. Lawrence, T. Robinson, H. Lawrence, J. N. Wood, It. Gladstone, R. Johes, jun., and J. Smith. • Against it—Councillors J. Holmes,--W. Thornhill, H. R. Sandbach, G. Quayle, T. Case, H. Holmes, J. Mellor, E. Filcher, T. Bolton, J. WoOlright,'R. Bright, W. Rathbone, H. Hornby, R. V. Yates, C. Bushel', T. Morecroft, G. H. Lawrence, T. Coglan, J. S. Leigh, J. Platt, W. M'Kee, F. Jordan, W. M. Duncan, W. W. Currie, D. Mather; Alder men R. Shell, T. Booth, J. Hornby, T. Leathom, G. Holt, R. Benn, W. Earle, J. Moon, E. Evans, T. B. Barclay, T. Bulley, T. Holt, E. Harvey ; and the Mayor. Absent—Councillors B. Frankland, G. Wright, T. Sands, J. Priestly, W. Lassell, J. Carson, 'l'. Blackburn, R. Rigby, E. Segar ; Aldermen R. Roskell, C. H. Jones, and W. P. Freme. The MAYOR then observed that it would be necessary that some reply should be made to the select vestry. Mr. CASE thought that the matter did not seem to be properly understood by the select vestry, and be suggested that, in order to effect a complete understanding, and to save the expense of litigation, a committee should be appointed to confer with the vestry. Mr. CURRIE said that as it would be necessary to follow the matter up, he should move the following resolution : " That this council, animated by an anxious desire to pro mote the utmost harmony and good understanding with the members of the select vestry, regret that they,cannot concur with the wish of ;that body that they should relinquish the power in questiMS; but, with a proper regard to the arrival - of a period when it .may be necessary to avail themselves of that power, they utterly -disclaim any present intentionof doing so, and sincerely hope that such a contingency will never Occur." ',Akin BOLTON seconded the motion. Mr. Alderman EVANS could not conceive the use of it, because the council had already decided the question, and 'left no discretion whatever. He did not want to contend for the right to be ,arrogant in the matter; but he considered that the council ought to maintain its own position and its oss • n slishitys..and he - .did say that this motion was a conces sion not consistent,svith the dignity of the council, and alto gether uncalled for, and would be absolutely useless in its effects. It was undertaking to say what they would do in future. Mr. Ittiiilos:t did not take the same view of the motion as Mr.:Evans:did: He thought that it was merely a cour teous reply to the, select vestry, and called for by the wish of the council, as expressed by his good friend Mr. Lawrence,; - that they should not throw away the public money in law charges. It was a mere act of courtesy, which, as a public body, the select vestry were entitled to ; and although that body should forget what was due to themselves, the council ought not to forget what was due to their own character. The TowN-CLERK said it had struck him, on hearing the resolution of Mr. Currie, that, if it were placed in juxtaposi tion with that of the select vestry, it might appear as if the council were giving up the position which they had taken. He had, therefore, framed the following :—" Resolved—That while this council is animated by an anxious desire upon all occasions to promote the utmost harmony and good under standing with the members of the select vestry, they regret that they cannot concur in the wish of that body that they should relinquish the power in question ; but with a proper regard to the possibility of the period arriving when it may be necessary to avail themselves of the power, they utterly disclaim any present intention of doing so, and sincerely hope, as they fully expect, that such contingency will never occur." Mr. CURRIE consented to withdraw his motion, and to move that which had been drawn out by the town-clerk. Mr. BOLTON seconded it. Mr. COOPER said that he could not but look upon the whole proceeding as an attempt to take money out of the pockets of the parishioners without an act of parliament. If the council wanted the power of levying a rate, why did they not go for a borough-rate, by which means the public would not be called upon to pay without knowing what they had to pay for. Mr. BustiELL much regretted that it should go forth to the public that the interests of the parish were not duly consi dered in that room. He considered himself as one of the representatives of the parish at large, and could not under stand how the interests of the corporation and the parish could be disunited. As one of the representatives of the pa rishioners, he should always feel great distrust in acting con trary to the opinion of their legal adviser; for although he entered that chamber prepared to apt on his own opinion, the opinion of their legal adviser would always ' have great weight with him ; it ought indeed to be departed from with great care and caution. Mr. B. concluded with a few obser vations on the remarks mad e by Mr. Alderman Sheil, to w hich that gentleman briefly replied. The motion was then agreed to without opposition, and the council separated. REPRESENTATION OF ST. ANN'S WARD. burgesses Theindependent and Conservative of St. Ann's ward dined together, on Tuesday evening, at Mr. Holden's, in Richmond-row, for the purpose of commemorating the re turn of Robert Jones, jun., Esq., to the town-council. About sixty gentlemen sat down—the largest number the room could accommodate ; had there been more convenience the attendance would have been trebled. The chair was oc cupied by James Parker, Esq., and the vice-presidents were Robert Garratt, and John Cooper Grocott, Esqrs. The en joyments of the evening were materially increased by a variety •of excellent singing, by Meisrs. Holden, George, Caerns, and Lunt, under the able leadership of. Mr. J. Taylor at the, pianoforte. • Non nobis Domine having been chaunted, The PRESIDENT rose and said, before he submitted the list of toasts which he held in his hand, be must be allowed to make an observation on the position which he now occu pied. He should. like. to.•-ha.ve seen one,of those gentlemen who had been foremost in. gaining the victory they were met to celebrate in his situation, and it was with extreme reluc tance he took the chair. The first toast was one which called for no remark ; it was a pure Conservative toast, and there fore it called for no remarks. It was, Her most gracious Majesty the Queen, and may she long ; live in the hearts and affections of a loyal people. (Three times three.) National anthem, " God save. the Queen." The next toasts were " Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, the orna ment of her sex, and the rest of the Royal Family " The Duke ;' " Lord Lyndhurst and the Conservative Peers ;" " Sir Robert Peel and the Conservative Members of the House of Commons ;" all of. which were most enthusiastically applauded. The PRESIDENT briefly, and in appropriate terms, intro duced the toast of " Our ; glorious, Constitution in Church and State." (Great applause.) • The Rev. Mr. PICTON 'said he .rose with mingled feelings of gratitude and pleasure to respond to the toast which had been so unanimously and so heartily received. He rose with feelings of gratitudC,',.because he saw himself surrounded by those who were, ever staunch supporters of that Constitution for which our forefathers bled and died ; he rose also with feelings of pleasure, because he found himself in the-midst of those who were warmly attached to the interests of that Church, which had for its end the glory of God and the sal vation of man. (Cheers.) It became the ministers of the Gospel at ,all. times, but especially in. times like the present, to stand boldly forth in the defence of their. Zion, when they saw her assailed and opposed. bY•open and avowed.enemies from without, as well as by false and pretended,friends from within. (Hear, hear.) He was not there, he would wish it to be understood, in the ehaiaeter of a political partizan (hear) ; he was there as a humble, guest at that table, which had been prepared in lienoar_or_the,return to the town coun cil of a gentleman whose principles and integrity every true conservative could but admire. (Cheers.) The principles of that gentleman were sound and good ; they were fraught with every tendency calcalated to promote, not only the ge neral good, but likewise to give efirciency and stability to that Church which had for ages past proved a blessing to our own-country, and to every other country whither its princi ples and doctrines had•been carried and promulgated. (Loud cheers.) With these feelings of gratitude and pleasure, and with these few remarks, he begged to conclude by cordially thanking the meeting for the manner in 'which they had heed pleased to notice the Church .of which he was a very humble minister. (Cheers.) . • The PRESIDENy said the next was the toast of the evening, for it was the health of the conservative member for St. Ann's Ward' (loud CheerS) •, but, before they drank it, he begged to Offer a few remarks. What was the position Of the ward : ope 'month previous to the contest in which the conservatives, had gained the victory ? (Hear, hear.) Why, it wai looked upon as decidedly in the hands of-the radicals; indeed a. ftiend .of his, tos.whose, political principles, however, he was opposed, had frequently boasted to him; " We have • nothing to do but 'to wallt.byer the course." ~(Hear.) ' Mr. Jones came forward not .Va•grati6: his own vanity, but, like `iltruesqes.ervativein principle and practice, he said the ward I iiii.;ltY dee t;st` Tor Want Of - a contest. (Cheers.) • The gervatives. then mustered their forces ; they stormed the. tadelLtbra, Ala& a breach in the walls ; and they planted . rxlie standaVaWeoWaervatisfri . tirieteriniis Upon the ramparts. .(Clfeetit) .Viglitadicals were completely defeated. (Cheers.) - And hyoyllora syks,the victory won ? Was' it achieved by the rich, the in thief - 1170 irilMatits "dr - the ward'? ' rlt was achieled acid A.T6W:tradesuienaVito were asso; elated with hitu. (cheera.), They formed themselves into a..tirin band, And eafried allbeftire them. (Hear.) Of those tradesmen.' none were more active than Mi.. Holmes. (Hear.) By. whom had .the. radicals , been-.driven from the representa tion of, the town but by the tradesmen ?'. (Hear.) In like manner it was'the tradesmen of Liverpool who would ere long drive the radicals from the town Council. (Hear.) At qte . same time some little allowance nnist be made for our oppo nents, satiated as - they were, for the strong' feeling they had manifested at their-defeat-hi this ward. • When it' was found that the citadel was Carried, a council of war was held, and a very old political engineer=one of twenty years' standing. -was called in for the purpose of forming ,a mine.. That mine bad been sprung, and an explosion had taken place; but it had rebounded with infamy upon'the parties who in vented it. (Cheers.) It had made Mr. Jones stand higher in the 'estimation of the burgesses of the ward, and of the town at large. (clieeis, , ,) 'When the supposed heavy charge against Mr. Jones'Wii!s ; nkaiied in the town council, what was the consequence? Dia t not Mr. Jones court inquiry ? and what did Mr. Bushell and the conservative members say ? Why, that they would be the first to raise their hands against him,! (Hear.) - The council passed a resolution for investi gating the affair ; no less than 'seventeen witnesses were ex amined ;. and great' credit was due to the Town-clerk for the manner in which he presented the inquiry. But when he (the Town-clerk) brought forward his report, how was it received ? (Hear.) Mr. Beim, the alderman of the ward, said, " I am proud and glad that the. inquiry has been made; Mr. Jones has come out of it free, and 1 am thankful for it." What said the chief magistrate? Did lie not say that a full investigation had been made, that an impartial decision had been given by the Town-clerk, and that every gentleman in the council .ought to be satisfied with it? (Cheers.) But this would .not do ; the sting was too smart, and another scheme must be resorted to : they said, " We must drive Mr: Jones into a corner, and then we shall manage him." (Hear, hear.) They proposed a committee, a majority of which were radicals - ; Mr. Jones even seconded that, And another investigation took place ; ',and what was the 'result of this third trial? Why, that Mr. Jones was fully acquitted of any participation, directly or indirectly, in the charges brought againstbiin. Great credit was due to the Conservative . ketiticinen who investigated the affair for their patience and care ;liAel' he (the President) been one, he should not have consented to put in a clause with a qualifica tion. In order to screen Mr. Coglan 'from a prosecution, a clause was inserted in the report, to the effect that the charges were neither frivolous nor Vexatious. He (the President) knew why that was introduced.. The ,Radicals, being a ma jority, said, " we agree that Mr. Jones must be acquitted, but we fear for Coglan ;" and, consequently, to screen Cog lan, they voted that the charge was neither frivolous nor vexatious. (Hear, hear.) The President concluded by pro posing 'the health of Mr.. Jones, which was received with four times four. • Mr. JONES, on rising to reply, was greeted with renewed cheers. It gave him pleasure, he said, and he felt delighted to see so many of his respected friends crowded. around. They had met to do, him the honour of celebrating his return —a return fraught with vexation and disappointment to him self—but neverthelets it had been a glorious victory. (Hear.) He had no ambition to gratify in going into the council— (he'ar)—but, seeing the niaimerin which this ward had been grasped by their Radical opponents, he thought it high time for the Conservatives to oppose, them. A few Conservatives met on the very eve of the election ; they united their forces; and they gained their victory. (Cheers.) The troubles they had bad to contend with since, had, whilst they lasted, been very annoying; but he had the satisfaction of saying that they had terminated in a victory even greater than the. first. '(Cheers.) The mac,hinationsaif thg party calling themselves " liberals" had indeed been such, that he trusted the Conse rvatives would not only deprive them of the goveenment'in the Councils of the town, but in the councils of the nation.. (Hear.) The standard they had set up in the late inquiry had been the standard of party ; and he would appeal to all who had read the evidence, how poor in other -respects were their pre tences. There was one.circunistanee in the case which ap peared to have escaped the notice of the press. When the 'subject was first mooted by Mr. Berm, the motion : went to the effect that it should be referred to the Town-clerk to re port. - Mr. Coglan, ,supported, and was satisfied with that proportion. Now if Mr. Coglan, at the -following meeting had 'come prepared with a resolution, to the effect, that during the interval between one meeting and the other, he had become dissatisfied-with the Town-clerk .as.,,the referee, there had been no complaint ; buthe did not prepare himself till after the decision of the Town-clerk had been - announced to the council. Mr.. Benn, on the decision being read, said he was satisfied with it, and that he felt gratified the matter was at an end"; bilt Mr. 'Coglan was not, 'and he wished to go into details. The MayOr told 'him he could not, unless he intended to conclude with a motion,.to which he replied that he should. Mr. Rathbone then Wok 'a piece of paper and prepared a motion ; Mr. Coglan continued speaking, and when he had concluded, the council were kept waiting' for several minutes before the motion so prepared by Mr. Rath bone was moved: Mr. •Rathbone had previously passed it over to Mr. Coglan to see if it suited.; and finding it did, he (Mr. Rathbone) immediately seconded it. (Hear.) Now was it prudent for any individual to enter the council-cham ber, and arrogate an importance whin did not really be long to himL-•because he might fancy he possessed knowledge and experience superior to those of any other member; or of the eloquence hepossessed, and the learning he had achieved, to become the- ready factotum of their opponents of the radi - cal party ? (Hear;' hear.) Mr: Coglan, in the first instance, was : perfectly satisfied with the course proposed,- and con tented to abide by its issue. There must have been :Time well organized committee at work to carry the matter further, that told Mr. Coglan he ought to be dissatisfied, and that they would prepare what he should propose. The venom was therefore prepared by Rathbone, and vented by Mr.• Coglan. (Hear... He(Mr. Jones) had already 'said that in entering the town-council he had no ambition of his own to gratify. He felt, in dOing so, that he Ow - 4a duty to the ward, namely, : to endeavour : to rescue it from the , grasp of the radical party, ; he bad succeeded — (cheers) — and he hoped the time was not far distant when the standard of conserva tism would be permanently unfurled and planted in it, (Loud cheers.) With this hope. he begged the meeting to accept his thanks for the honour conferred upon him - ,• but before'he concluded, they must permit him to say that, little as was his ability, he had acted conscientiously in the discharge of his duty, and that he hoped to serve them in a way to reflect credit upon himself, and prdte advantageous to the burgesses of the ward. (Clieers.) /VII. ISAAC I-10LtIES then jocularly intimated to the corn pany that there had -recently: been aitecond;!tngetitigatt:,t_ e Angel, at whi c h it h a d been determined that a lamentation should be composedlor the:lo4a - of St.' Ann's-!,Ward,; believed that" one of `their: friends: would oblige the al company by singing that lanlentatibn, as: wellas the, l.ynepta r i tion of Mr. Joseph ;Mason. - t d.)r.n.lFl moil Mr. GEORGE then sang the following parody : : p Oh, cruel were the voters who would not vote for me, And cruel was the lirewer, who such a sight could see— Oh, cruel are the tories, toget h er t h e y are l eagued,. . By liberals an d radieals.uo longer are deceived. .. Mr.-IsAac lioLuEs.-.-It.wai afterwards determined that all the. fallen angels shout .join in thciameritation.; an d t h e company will now hear the lament of the fallen angels, aliaB the radicals. Oh, cruel was the town-clerk, committing a great sin, rr g make so cruel a report, not even worth a pin ! And cruel .were the j, t d,, es , in their judgment•they did s t ray , With their cruel ouster order to drive long shanks away. • Oh, cruel of St. Ann's, to become a tory ward, For liberal cant and promises they now have no regard— Our curses on the 'torie s that ward they've fairly wo n , There's Segar a n d poor Tommy COg, completely are undone. Oh, cruel are the f reemen whom we wish to buy or sell, But yet our gold th ey w i ll not take, and that we know full well; For Billy and for Elphinstone we offer'd bribes in vain— They spurned our bribes, and will not vote for radicals again. Then since we are in sore diStress, we'll make our lamentation 'Gainst Robert Jones and Isaac Holmes, We'll vent our in. . dignation— Our curses on those tories, they care not for our frown, We wish them from the council, we would drive them from the town. Mr. ISAAC HoLmEs.—And it was determined ,that the whole should conclude with the lamentation of Mr. Joseph Mason, which you will now hear, with a liberal offer Oh, cruel were the voters who would not vote for me, thr_li - v-..;n And cruel was the brewer, who such a sight could see I: , -715,-:! Then, since I'm now a cast-away, I'm always to be.f0und,.... r ..-- Licens'd to give my best advice on payment of five pound. 4 • The song elicited much laughter and approbation. on e in an address oefouciolneisiiidaenra- The CHAIRMAN then gave—" The Conservative Mem bers Mr.loe fnllength. the tAh A. Town-council." oHwHenoi alludedco t i t c r i l te . os ' conservatii , e members ts The conservative s had - had met with in the ton, spoke of the rising prospec now twenty members in the council, and, if they had fair P l ay,. they would have been able to muster as many councillors as. the radical party. That day intelligence had been brought of a rule having been granted relative to Everton Watd, and. • he supposed that there was now every reason. to. expect that.,, the representatio n of Everton Ward would be given .to conservative. (Cheers.) The speaker here. proceeded to detail very minutely the case , 4,4 verao.uation .(that. .of .John.... Davies) which took place at the recent municipal contest in. Everton Ward; he stated that the • names orthe three radi cal canvassers who had knowingly brought forward a non elector of the name of John Davies to poll for •a registered burgess of the same name could be brought forward; and he concluded his observation on this point by stating that he practise had no doubt whatever that s i m il ar frauds had been practised by the radicals in every w ar d i n which they _could them undiscovered. He th en alluded to the case of Mr. R. Jones, to the bitternes s and pertinacity w ith which it had been urged, even aft er an acquittal had been given i n b y the town-clerk, and it had been shown to the satisfactions of ever \ reasonable mind that th e accusations were completely a n ": founded. He said, that. although it had been proved th there was not a tittle o f ev id ence t o support the two chargesat of Mr. Coglan, Mr. Coglan had not the manliness to come forward to apologise, either to the town or to Mr. Jones, for having brought those two accusations, but he had gone, like a sulky child detected in a falsehood, into a corner, nursing his anger, and sucking hi s own venom. He (Mr., 'Holmes) repeated that, unless Mr. Coglan came forward to apologise for his unfounded statement, the shame and the reproach would rest upon him. Mr. Holmes proceeded •to give an outline of the evidence adduced on behalf of Mr. Jones, which completely disproved the charges brought against him, and showed that they had originated in direct falsehood. Mr. COOPER also rose to return thanks. After a brief . allusion to several proceeding s on.the part of the council in the policy of which he did not concur, he called attention to. the fact, that two or three additional schools were intended: to be built at the expense of the corporation. He hoped, the inhabitants of Liverpool would never rest satisfied unless. these schools were appropriated to the education of the chil dren of parents of the established church. ..Cheers.) For, `le had ever, contended, and mus t still hold; th a t so l ong - •• . • he children of Protestant s could not, with a due regard to principle, be sent to these schools, they were deprived of the right of participating in the funds of the corporation which were applied to the Purposes of education. (Hear, hear.) He would say a word or two with regard to the watch -rate. (Hear,. hear.) He happened to know that the bill which, authorised a watch-rate to be levied, was framed with the in tention of giving that power only to such towns as Leeds, Manchester, Bolton, and Birmingham, where there had been previously no corporations, and consequently no funds. It was never contemplated to extend it to Liverpool, and there fore'he should support the churchwardens in their endeavour to procure its repeal, as far as thi s t own ' was concerned. (Loud cheers.) Mr. Cooper concluded by proposing tbe. healths of the Membe rs for the County. (Cheers.) Mr. ISAAC HOLMES, with a neat and approptiate intro duction proposed the h ea l th of the chairman,, the conserva tive candidate for St. Ann'S Ward, at the next election. He spoke highly of the character and ability''of Mr.:Parker, and expressed a hope that the conservative eleettlri would do their duty when the day of battle arrived. (Mueli cheering.) . The CHAIRMAN, on rising to respond, was receive with He Stated that,ifiiirmittistittefollnwt ethnethbuesniatsotic applause, thi osvni elination, he would much rather remain in the quiet of retirement than mingle in the turmoil of a - political life: It had been hinted' to" him, that he should be , proposed as the conservative .candidate at. the next election for St. Ann's Ward; and he then stated what he now re peated, that if, at the last hour, no,treore efficient and descry' , ' j ug gentleman could be thund to come forward, he would Sa crifice his personal feelings, and, like his friend' Mr. Jones,, do all that lie could to rescue the wall frOm the hands of the radicals. (Much applause.) Thechairman then referred to, the Dr9l/en profession s of economy of tale dominant party in.. the town council, tothe importance of the warehouse and the: education questions ; and, concluded by saving,. that if 414 sere vices should be needed, he should not he s it ate in corning. forward. *(Cheers.) Mr. R. JONES gave—" The Members for the Borough.' (Loud and long continued applaese.) The•CHAIRm AN, with a suitable enlogium on their valu able services, proposed—" The Chairman, Committee, and Canvassers of St. Ann's Ward." (Applause.) Mr. R. GAIIRAIT, one of the vice-chairmen of the evening, and the"chairman of the ward committee, returned thanks. The CHAIRMAN next gave—" The Honorary Secretary of St. Ann's. Ward, Mr. R. Harrison." (Cheers.) -Mr.,R. HARRISON, in responding to the toast, said,' that the consideration which induced him to accept the honour. able position of Secretary to the Ward was, because he con sidered it might render him an opportunity of advancing those principles in,which he had been instructed, and which he hoped he would always uphold. He had previous to the achievement of the late victory in the ward, almost despaired of seeing the efforts of him se lf an d colleagues crowned with that success which the cansethey espoused so richly merited; but the testlt of the late contest,' in having their hopes re. alized, had dispelled all doubts, and he was convinced that on any future occasion, by a mutual .co-operation and a deter.: mination of purpose, they would he enabled triumphantly to contend with their opponents. He thanked them sincerely for the manner in which they had received the. mention of his name in connexion with the toast, and he begged to assure • 'them, so long as he enjoyed their confidence, he would never shrink from lending his aid, however humble, in carrying out those principle s they all so highly-esteerited. .(Loud cheers.) The CHAIRMAN next proposed-H" The vice-presidents of the evening." (Cheers.) Mr. GRocorr replied, alluding to his office of assessor of the ward, and stating that his endeavour on all occasions had been to act with impartiality. (Applause.) s The health of John Formby, Esq. was next given from the chair, and a hope expressed that at the next municipal elec tion he) would have a seat in ,th e t own-council. (Great ap plause. Mr. FORMBY replied, stating that in two or three years hence be might perhaps aspire to the honour, but he thought that for the coming contest the conservatives were already very well provided. .He then referred to the harsh course which had been pursued in the case of Mr. Jones, and made several observations on the fact of a certain newspaper having persisted in maintaining that Mr. Jones was guilty, even as... ter be had been twice acquitted. Such conduct, he observed, would not have been tolerated in the case of the humblest individual, after a jury of his countrymen had aqnitted him. The newspaper in question, having, however, received no. tice that an action would probably be brought, had become silent, and not said a word since. The CHAIRMAN proposed—" The 193 burgesses who re corded their votes in favour of Mr. Jones." Mr. HOLDEN, the worthy host, replied, and in the course of his remarks gave a synopsis of the evidence he had given before the committee of inquiry on the case of Mr. Jones. That evidence, as he stated, distinctly gave the lie to they: statements of one of the opposing witnesses. The CHAIRMAN gave—" Mr. Wilkinson and the Conier vative Tradesmen's Association of LiVerpool." (Applause.)! Mr. WHatisisoN briefly responded, and concluded bygiv r ins " The Conservative Ope ra ti ve. Association of Liverpool. " ' (Applause.) The chairman, with a number of the gnests:then departed.H but the . festivity was afterwards continued under the presi dency of Mr: Grocott, and several gentlemen addressed the meeting on local topics, amongst whom was 'Mr. George Wright. . COURT OF QUEEN'S . BENCH. . .TJ E. QUEEN v. AUAYLt. • Sir W. Follett was instructed to move for a rule nisi for a quo warraizto, commanding the defendant to show by what authority he claimed to exercise the office, of town councillor of the borough of Liverpool. It appeared that hid-candi dates, a Mr. Shand and'Mr. Quayle, tried for the office. At first the majority of votes was declared to bein favo ur o f M r . Quayle, but ulti ma t e l y i t was discovered that both parties had polled the same number of votes. It was subsequently, however, discovered that a system had. been adopted of per sonating the votes of voters who were not at the time.in the country, and thus Mr- Quayle appeared ito'have more votes than he really was entitled to. Undeithok circumstances, the majority was in favour of Mr. Shand. It 'wes . further discovered that the vote of a person named Evan Jones, who had voted in favour of Mr. Shand, had been struck out, through a mistake which he had made in answering affirma tively the question put to him, whether' he had before voted at the election. It was held, that haVing once .Voted, he could not vote again, and accordingly his vote. was struck out ; but he entirely mistook the question, as he meant to convey by his answer that he could not vote again. Rule granted. HUNGARIAN NATIONAL PRIDE. --The pride of the Ma gyar, which is one of his strongest train, leads him to look down on every other nation by which he is surrounded with sovereign contempt. All foreigners are either Schwab (Ger man), or Talydn (Italian) ,• and it is difficult to imagine the supercilious air with which the Magyar peasant pronounces those two words. As for his more immediate neighbours, it is worse still ; for the most miserable Pararl-ember (poor man, peasant !) of Debreezen would scorn alliance or inter course with the richest Wallack in the country. 1 remember the Baroness W telling me, that as she was going to Debreczen some years ago with vorspann, she : was accom panied by her footman, wholappened to be a Wallack ; and, in speaking to her, he was overheard by the Magyar coach man using that language. The peasant made no observation at the time ; but, as they approached the 'town, he pulled up. and desired the footman to get down ; assuring the lady at the same time, that he meant - no disrespect to her, but that it was quite impossible that he, a Magyar, should endure the disgrace ,of driving a Wallack, into Debreczen. Entreaties and threats were alike vain : the peasant declared he would take out his horses, if the footman did not get down—Which he accordingly did. The Germans are scarcely better treated : it was only the other day, when Count M—, an. Austrian officer of high rank, was calling on Madame R---, that her little son happening to let fall some plaything he had in his, hand, the count applied his glass to his eye, and politeli offered to find it • for him. The child, however, WA - Iw% could hardly speak, had already learned to hate ;•flnd itt-4 sparing vocabulary it found the words " blinder Schwirr which it launched forth with all the bitterness it Could inns ter, in answer to the polite offer of the astonished count.-- Pagees Hungary and Tranoydvania, I I