The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-23 00:00:00

ft. (Cheers.) They ha've prepared a petition on the sub ject to both houses.. of parliament, and I think I shall be only doing justice to the shipowners of this "port, if I read -an extract from that petition, which will show you the Motives and the feelings by 'which they are actuated. '(Hear, hear.) " That your petitioners feel especially called upon to assure your honourable house that the shipowners of Liverpool, being impressed with the useful and beneficial application of the town and anchorage 'dues by the corporation, hare never complained of the dues so levied by that body, that they have never -con sidered them as a tax pressing upon British shipping; that they have never made any application to parliathent, or to her Majesty's government, to be relieved therefeom ; and that if any representations to that effect have been Made to your honourable house, they have been made in error and Without proper inquiry." (Applause.) This forcible repudiation, emanating "from the interest which this bill is intended to - relieve, cannot fail 'to arrest the attention of the' members of the houses of parliament, when they are called on to pass a bill which appears Ito the to be for the, first time in their , annals, an open, avowed, undisguised, and unjustified attempt, at the cen t scation of acknowledged rights. (Hear, hear.) _ I will Proceed to give -you my reasons - for consid er i ng " as no relief of the burthens on British shipping. 'speakers lave forcibly put before You the works have been undertaken and on by the cor nevi of this pnrt; in cmnection. with se which I consider absolutely essential to its .. n ' a Y saY, ever increasieg commerce; works which as has been justly stated, have become More of a national , than a local character, but which it will be impossible to out, if the revenues of thedorporation are eth° - Unless by increased taxation ; and it is bee; that that will not be done, and that I frel cc th e very first measure which would follow the tAa..— their °rthiS bill, would be the increase of the dock' rates 'to maximum airmunt (hear, hear), that I hold the bi' will be a. leurthert on laritish shipping, and a positive r ei.irect injure. to the trade of this port, and. the trait etrriethseurrourAing towns. ) The vice-pi eta tioe ,Pleird of trade has ( conjured up iu his own image, le -: the ghost of restricted trade, hut, if this bill becomr -eves eve may see, and he may see, that ghost of res" and diverted trade, changing its habitation Mersey to the Dee, where he thinks it will utti. elisr . (Lau ghter.) ' Great stress has b een l a id on eeserential dues which have been levied Within this pn, Arid the vice-president of the board of trade has hrough, Prominently forward a case of great hardship. I will not 4 , enY that these differential dues; caused by antagonistic Crests,nter have proved great obstructions to o the dommerce of pit would have ly- raised tra d eellutation 'of' the vice-president of the board of , in my mind, for candour, if at the same time hie had atated to the house that there was then before the house eirbfil--I mean the antalgarnation bill—which, in the course . 7 1 'c ry short time would abolish the double dues exist ;Mt within the Mersey, and which, on that bill becoming law, would terminate the grievance :for which he sotteht to en bill gage the sympathy of the house. (Cheers.) I f this ~ I be studied. I knew, in fact., that there are points in 't which would ebe a boon to the shippi ng i n t eres t o f th i s ;tlrttr y ; bet I think I am only . speaaing the sentiments . ° O l- brothe r x cleit be teropt thipowners when I declare th a t we s h a ll nd to receive benefit s o f suc h a na t ure at the ee 11e72 ; 6 0 and eacrifice of that great . principle which has "er ePheld the commercial classes of this country--the Protection of great and existing rights. (Applause.) i le ldr- Robert R an ki n seconded the resolution. Ile said 'hi m l 114 agreed with the gen tl eman w h o had preceded whic h was th e spoliation ofjust rights,l and not the j relief he th at interest which it. was intended to proteCt. (H ear , ea r.) lie himself had only resided in the town about e f o r years, b u t hi s ships had. been trading to the ilrt upvvards of 40 years, and though he had paid, and i a: still paying, largedues to the town, he was not one of these who desired to deprive the corporation of what he residered to be its legal rights and property. (Hear, to ll e ) He did not feel that the bill if passed would be a si7 fto the shipping interest. His experience of govern teeaures would rather lead him to expect the oppo s result. Let them take as an illustration the Merchant er'e n o's Fund. They had there accumulated something ine - „"°- 101 s, the interest of which, added to their yearly oree'• enabled thorn to give very handsome sums to eril°o-out seamen, and to their widows and children. Ai n su m Was taken from them and appropriated to make A) , .11e deficiency at the outports, and so they speedily lost 4 interest in 't The same was the case in the instance see th ~,,, i . '440 ,e . Marine Board ; and he had little doubt that it would tanal?Pen to the town dues, if the present bill were _Ved into a law. (Hear, hear.) Instead of decreasing their rates it would raise them to the maximem; and,the r „sequence would be that, instead of Shipping being .i.iietviDired, heavier burthens than ever would be placed on th e ~,1 1, ,!ar, hear.) He; trusted then that. one and all in tvenieutrlorlito—shipowners, merchants, and tradesmen, auto co-operate and lend their best support to- defeat O;4Mr Measure of spoliation. (Hear, hear.) 1* . 1 - Aiken on coming for Ward was received with suoae.,‘ applause. He said he rose for the purpose of har a rt ing the resolution, and he did so because allusion .tak„„ s ' ve ,kinade in that resolution to a trial which had tiro — , 'Nate relative to the legality of those dues. At the wa : 'Jett trial had taken place, it so happened that he and il ne or the parties'who took - a part in the p proceedings, th at th e then, then, he would say, clear p r O o f h a d b een oiv en (Apph„ e c lues belonged in right to the cortioratioto estatdasc) The right-of the corporation was clearly Obt tril on that occasion. (Hear, hear.) lie had no to Be a r a.t Che t i 'would be very interesting to many present ri theoryh of how those dues came into the pos . - 4, en of pration of Liverpool, how they P;I:elldecl from different persons until they got them. reoZ e wer e formerly transferred' to the Corporation of et y L :, and from that boar to the late Lord Molynetix. t rd Molyneux sYear s they were leased for a thousand the corporation and the late Lord sold the fee :ha (--1- eas never'"the Property. ' Now, the title to that property era been before "questioned, until 1930, a quarter eouitzury 8. nee, B. nee, when a doubt was raised whether they before nay :gaily collected or not; most - trial took lace "t he da l'ersl c biefJustice ; the most eminent counsel stat ed, ,y rve.ve engaged. . The result, was as, he har T he the re wf satisfied! arties ge- or the corporation was opposing were Was br etr they.. , took a bill 'of excentiOns. e.... clear ° PPoil e „ n e n o. to an inquiry, and it was found that their ti e.,: a ' s pr o 6 ad hot- a kg "lo ' statist' 'upon. (Heer.) . Thc t , NOn to be, clear and complete. As it 'ye but that the corPeheporation had a good title to those The requa e PS there might b some articles- that ^.. and th e nodification, the cor e poration could modify . them, th 3 . bad b li e tree een modi fi ed to ! the ehtire satisfaction of ut i and cornmerce of Liverpool. ' (Hear, hear.) Pri ' 4P ba sed 1 11 ••h If h,- a opposition to the bill on a mutt ig e'eap4enriPle: Allusion had been made to the amount iae ( bet i4tl" had expended. He would say, all on e„sen atform knew the fact, that the town of Liverpool ..r e " i eased those dues and had ' a right to them without _, i g called u 'oeeti ee , Pon to expend - such amounts, but they had ef he [ 'coded for the benefit of the trade and commerce if ti t , Port, What would the Board of Trade have done anciat(l,c,,e_t_ of con b Y had had the management ? He held that it would confiscation if the dues were taken from them, t 4 n o ;lrgiwritly he did not believe that if ever it reached Mee t . a ; e " . e, of Lords it would pass, but that the govern- Plac ed l 'ul , l, when it 'met the eyes of the members, be ke esur et a large minority. He did not believe that such a Or T rad e c ould be passed. The Vice-president of the Board th at „Ole based the whole of his arguments on the ground ° al' th`e'earii?p i those dues would be an ac t . ofjus_ti . ce Zhlhount e Plug interest& It was no - stich thing. The e d i , 11 some things were Is ed which raised 8931. OVA), - se were levierl in roods and there was no doubt if ti, At the co ' - '. ' 1 , ..._ . nsurners of thoesogoods pay the dues, and It:hi it would be for the benefit of all the community. tAty wuee,n s aid that they were radicals, and he dare say taotealere' liufficiently radicals in some cases, bet not Ihea tel Zion gb to destroy their own property. (Hear, t ore c O o srle argued that the dues were the property of the 'taa e `WO‘Olon, and that their right to it ought not to be Sr. eOrotta them. But the government was about to do ti T he : s u- des were as much the property of this' corpora (Hear tid e i, Y were formerly the property of Earl Sefton. the ' "car.) It could make no difference as to whether it v,!'iroPerty belonged to several individuals, or whether % t oe, c_Mged to one. But the bill now, before the House pot to demolish the property, merely becarseit did Aike n to one, but to many. . (Hear, hear.) Mr. ,:.%. _ concluded by givin g the resolution his most ---' rat support. , A r . a eao • pouth next came forward, , also to support the Teuttion, and a ft er making some introductory observe .tOu_o• reex.pressing his concurrence in the observations of e'(_el vious speakers said, the bill which had been .pro the d t and which was the subject of the meeting adopted see principle that the prope.rty of a corporation ' 'stood on different ground from property belonging to private melee:teats. '' Ile deniedhat that principle was correct ; besides, it' did not allow of any compensation. Eineh , besides, not be the case with and herecgoan7erutloe the property of a %private individual, eodrprrnoinf wtheeredual 'were taken away from them, the 411 ,4 th entitled to compensation as a private individual. 41 , l ? had most carefully look.ed over the bill, but he cer tainly could not, see the drift of it. (Hoar, hear ) It the to have one of these things in- eiew.e2that 'le tow dues should be entirely abolished ; or,' that they should be collected by the customs, and then handed over tdl4l'the Board of Trade. These points he, argued at con 17:erable length, for the p ur p ose o f s h ow i ng their injus , and th en said he would point out, not only what had \v eil done, b ut what would. be required:, 1 First, h e Mould ask—Are we prepared to have the dues abolished ? 1 p they were not ; for, if he abolished, the e ,;111;1?Ing wner interest—he would speak his own sentiments, as ot h 'Po, and, he b e lieved,- the sentiments of many th e. Z B- -must look forward to be.very heavily taxed. I . f , dues were taken away, how were their sa,e se ., b e e "vo docks, now reaching pearly, five miles,. to la ea `ent up? How was the a ccommodation for , the' whiesksarily large and increasing tra ffi c to be kept up, sibi e ", even now was not sufficient. It was almose impose the „ 1-0 find carriage room. He was happy to say that ite eea `,. r ade was' increasing, and, ere long, it would be; length of to have a larger line of road along the whole 'l` o ',.' _of the docks-if they intended to Corry on the trade, 4"w"itlhat, the money must come: out of the dock estate, bpd rai s en th at could , 'done, the money' Could only sv onid 2 ,2 1 by increasingti th e r ated. He contended that it t ale : te u e an act` of spoliation for the Board of 'Trade to atie Ce dues arising from the commerce of 'Liverpool, Of 1,,P.Pl them for the purpose of ipiprovirig.the harbour' eol,7',lYhead. He concluded by expreSsing his cordial ,reoba„tion of the resolution. seee",,e, Chairman then, if any gsntlemart had an few"a"-It.Tept to move to the resolution.— No person coming N.. e ior that ~etir , „ ___ , Purpose, the resolution was put 'to the sse eileeeellu unanimously carried, amidst the applause of kr.T ° "Y• , sai d „ robrose Lane proposed the third resolution. He wh preceding speakers had stated the manner in chi.tne corporation of Liverpool had, from time to The la reasetl, I that &ffirmed, NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL ! SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1856 laidupon them a light burthen, :they ;will have a heavy one laid updn them by the powers above. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I should like to know what they will have' to fcongratulate themselves for ? (Hear, Heir.) I shall pasi over, sir, the 'subject Of our title, beeaUse we have not that to deal with here-rand it 'the Maneheater manu facturers have such .a very contemptuous opinion of dun title, Why don't they try it? (Cries of Hear, hear.) Courts of law are . opeti to them aS *ell d's to the Merchants who tried,the question semayears ago; and if they have Suet' confidenee in the opinion of their town-clerk, who Made . a:Sp'eech df an hour and a half long yesterday; why do .hey opt instruct hint to dispute the title in some of her Majesty 'S courts of law, where the question would Very abort be brought to a decision ? (Hear, hear.), But it is something new, something dangcnittS, , 3611160)1kt 6tnin-' ens, - when a title which has been again and again disputed, and again and again iffirined in Courts ot'justice, now to be dealt with by an ex pose f acto . law throtigh the '.medium of government and parliament, Ifsuch be the,case; iraw man's property, or any nutnber of men's property, whi c h has been, proved over and over again to bc"perfectly good. and valid in title is thus to be. dealt With e .what man is safe? What man in looking at the of property . - . can say that on some occasion 01,A:1th - et-fit may not be eon -, sidered for the benefit 9f the ; public tht; be shoold part :with it---atifl What is his Security ? (Rear, hear.) The object is. to got all the. control and minagernent of the, ports ;of the k 7 ngdom into the haids of the:governnient, and to have their where' revenues uncontrolled by Parlia -rnent,, Oita to - wield a vast 'exereise of patronage and political power. , (Hear, hear.) why, air, supposing This bill Carried. and the revenue and expenditure in thehands of the government, then 'see' the' intitienee Which *lithe exercised upon our ,parliameritary 'elections ".7 ' - (Hear.) Look althe State or facts which exists ,in. such boroughs a3,Chatharii; ROCheSter; Devonport, and>thers where large .covernment NI orks are' altried on and : large patronage exercised. .We simply have the members for those boroughs the creatures-of the ministry of the day.— Whatever ministry happens to, be its place, whether'Whig or Tory, the elections which take place folloWs the career of the ministry of the day. Ate we to turn Liverpool into a rotten borough of that deseription ? Is it tiir that our ancestors and predecessors ha've hibehredancl,:toiled, and rendered Liverpool the glory of the commercial world as she. now exists. (Cheers.) t say that wo should as one man raise our Voices against it..and use every lawful means to make our voices heard—(Bear, hear, and cheers)—and to avert what cannot but be considered a seilions injurY to the town and to the commeri e . which 'she carries on.: (Cheers.) New, it is a good maxim which, advises peoPle to let well aldne., All those who frequent this ;pert of ours, Liverpool, are unanimous in giving us credit for:the' accommodation she posseises, and also .for the cheapness of that accominodatinn, in Which re*ect she is Siiperior to all, or nearly all thei_portS %l the MOO Kingdom. .I was told the other day hy..a , highly respectable merchant cif Liverpool,. who imports teas from China, .that he. II nports them into LiVerpool,,notwithstanding all the dock dues which are so much 'complained or, that .he can pay the dues, warehouse the gdods hero, - tenet thee& on by rail way to.. London, - and sell them' in the ' London' market Cheaper, in conseqpnee of the low. Charges here, than if he brought them direct into Lon.don.. , (Oheers.)' But. it. appears ;that we haYe sortie formldable'riYals, : and among them the ancient and loyal 'city' of Chester, (Laughter.) Mr. Lowe tell&hs that a great deal of the trade of Liver pool flows, under the walls of th a t anc i en t c i ty . (Laughter.) Sir, I cannot help thinking, from that and other fteints in Mr. Lowers : speech, that the ancient authority he consulted on many ofthese points most have been his grandmother. (Ilear, hear, and laughter.) . That ancient and venerable lady, no doubt, has her reminis cences Of the time when the 'packet-boat sailed from Parkgate to Ireland ; • and .vessels , came down the ,Dee from the Walls of Chester with banners floating and music playing, carrying the Droduce of the dairy farms of the county of Qhester, to feed the appetites of the hoe unable corporation of' the city of London. - (Laughter.) One .would imagine that if all that great wealth flowed into the. city of Chester,in consequence Of the enormous charges of the port of Liverpool, .the :citizens of Chester would be amongst the foremost to hail this bill: as• the greatest boon'they could receive. But what was the fact P The citizens of Chester 'met the other day And unanimously determined to oppose the hill by every means in their power. Sir, we lindw something of what government managernent.4s. (Cries of hear, hear, and cheers.) We know something of the way in wh ch government conducts its own affairs. (Hear, hear.) e t th e M l ea r n • t o do i t their own business better before t ey begin to undertake the business Of Others. (Hear, hear) I will give you an instance of government :management as respects goods passing 'through the port of Liverpool, Which carte tinder my own knowledge. Some time ago a transport vessel going to the seat of,War lay in the Cove.of Cork. There was a. quantity of ordnance stores to be conveyed to her from:the Tower of London. Now, ever , y , man oCeomnion sense who knew anything about the way of sendinaoods to Cork-would naturally have taken them to the wharf within a stone's throw of the Tower, and 'put them on board the 6ork„ steamer, , which - would hive tie liveredthetn alongside the vessel in the Cove of Cork ate!' expense of abOut 253. per ton. . That , is • not the government way of doing bitstheis. They ..have a very much more magnificent way tha n th a t: - They had the roods carted through the streets of London up to Cam 'den Town. . There. they are put into the London and NorthiWesterdrailway. By the railway they come dolvii to Llverpoot ' ''There they are put into carts. again, and taken to the Clarence dabk. Thei 4 e they are Put -on hoard the steamer,' and conveyed to the ditY'of Dublin. There. they, are again . taken :out, put into carts. and carrie d across the city to the railway station., 'They are put into the Great Southern and Western railway, and carri e d to the the city of 'Cork.' (taughter.) They are not,:however, yet at there place of destination;_ they have, still nine miles of land-carriage before 'them. ' They are put into carts Again and taken to the quays of the C o v e ; p u t i n t o lighters, and conveyed to the vessel destined for them.- (Great laughter). Now, sir,,my informant , tells Me; that the , land-carriage of nine miles,:,_ from Cork' to Coe, actually cost More money than the' whole transit :Tr Londomtbi Cork WOuld have taken by the ordinary you . .(Laughter:). . These:be thy gods,. oh (Cheer .) Israel I le TheSe Are the men to conduct the a ff a i rs 'of liiVerpthil o teach us how to manage our, port. and 011ie aecOm" =da tion to shipping! (Hear, hear.) Sir, one Balaklava Is quite enough!' (Oreae s cheering.) They who want to know what government have dorie, should look at the colonies. (Hear, hear.)• Why; governments, with their gross mismanagement and ignOrance, and bliindering, have driven the colonies very close to the verge Of rebellion ; and it is only since the colonies have been left to manage their own affairs_thatthey have:succeeded and are prosperous. (Rear, hear.) . Look at what Live/. ; pool has done fo r hb rse lf ! ' Ou r grac i ous Q ueen, a f e years ago, honoured. us by a visit to this' .port, which 'she had never before seen. There was not a heart In the breast of any man connected, with Liverpool 'which did not throb 'higher than before, when her . most.. Gracious Majesty was seen in her progress through, our stredta. Dismal as was the Weather, wet'as was the day", many of us were glad to, get soaked to the skin in ,rain in order that we might catch a glimpse of- her countenanCe'as, ahe went through our streets. She went on the. river. She went up and down in a steamer appointed to receive her, and saw the .various works actually completed. and id progress. She saw the vast fcirest of masts extending for miles—she saw the:noble avenues through which the com+ merce of nearly the whole world pours in a eeaseless tide. She Saw the vast piles of warehoiases,where riches almost beyond price are accun 3 ulatect:for . the benefit ,of the World at large. Bet, eh, sir, 1 'fear,. that in the train were some who; looked with gangrened and jealous eyes at all the( wealth, success, and prosperity. Tnere were some who saw that in all the arrangements .connected with the great extent of commerce carried on here, there was poWer, there was place, there was patronage, there was.political eapitalsaw. it with envious eyes,and said, that, muat.be ours—locat management is all very good; but government management is hetter... There is something to be made out of something which we. can get hold of, which we, can make* use of politically. Aye,. and there' was something 'More.' .It may - have been, if not then, at. least: since; 'that some; disappointed' politican, whpse relation with, Liierpool' did not cause to an end of the most satisfactory 'Char acter, may have in this' manner wreaked his vengeance upen those with whom he had had a former connection (Hear, hear.) Sir, on looking•at the bill, and 'the long speech of Mr. LOwe, and comparing. one with another, I, say that if the bolts were shot by Mr. Lowe, they were . moulded by different hands. (Hear, hear:). ;I, gay the voice is the voice of • Jacob, 'but the hanls are the hands, of Esau. '(Rear, hear, and cheers.) Sir, it is not my intention, to detain the meeting, as there are other gentlemen.who have to speak after me, but I must'say that, if the government are really serious in their" intention to takeaway the burthens on shipping, we need not go . far to•pbinf out some abuses , which they would do well to consider before meddling with what they do not understand.; )( will tell you - one—the British Con sular System throughout the world,rwhickis becoming a crying disgrace, and afcrying nuisance, and it is high time that it should be chaa;ged. (Hear,. hear.) Who doesmot recollect having seen in the papers, the other ; day, of a gross attempt at *hat I am really ashamed to characterise as fcaud, though it• deserves 'no' better name, of a consul lnPernainbuCco insisting on the , eaptain of a Liverpool ship to bring in his vessel over the bar, when it was scarcely possible - for - her to pass it, even if empty, And insisting, on, herillscharging her clirgd there,:that'he he rafght-get the salvage, amounting to some thousands of pounds on it. (Hear i -hear) A like piece of plunder was perpetratel on a previous ship, 'lait'7Captain Davey,. to; his honour,.diSregardedthe threatsheld over hini, brought. ;his ship home, Under great risks,. and saved to the'otinerS l l and the nnderwriters a large sum. of money, fat whiCh he. '; ;was 'justly rewarded and complimented. (Rear, h ear; • and cheers.) - Lei them begin to .change ..this - system of tyrannical: and grinding - oppression, ,before they attempt . to relieve , -a- portion of . the .shipping; inte reat Iby'• the spoliation of the. just and ~l awful rights of Other 'people.. (Cheers) 'Look agaix,i ; at :our ' local marine,board, It consists ofgentlem en of Liverpool,. who. devote their tithe and influence to the discharge of' its duties, and it was only this Morning that I saW, by one"of the, local : papers, that they haVe mAnondsllvyhsyer in aheir resignation to the-Board of Trade. ence'and th e practiaed by ly fact, that local- Mliids' d B a ini nn i mi b h ea ic a h us i e. i o s f o th co is n ' s a t ho an m tir inabl interf er ..• the Boa r d of .Trade. (Hear, hear.) It would , seem, in bat everything fe; own aintrawirhsiewhitvh:laitrabltuon;loenrdinuttaoiirersto ,40a t 0 0 0 t r o o h n a d v o e n, , , , , w o h p e o r r it r hi til i i s n a t o e m res ( t ) , r, the, world is centered, Mid. men who canuotinanage their haffigahirtsitoererofot,r out. ' (Laughter.) It is dictate to us the events one freedom is left usi,whether we in manage our (Flear;hear.) At .all rt hat will . h e the next, thing attack p we have ed,i butaioltark , ds we bertv.of seeelt left.' I; suppose have it, we Will use it on all proper occasions. (Cheers.) I see among the various coats of arms which decorate this hall, one upon which my eye has always dwelt with plea sure since .childhood—" D eus nobis haw otia fecit "—God has bestowed these blessings upon us. Sir, Providence • has . done much for this noble town. He 'has bestowed on us one of the finest harbours in the world, and He infused into the breasts of those who went before us, a spirit of enterprise and a eptiait of self-sacrifice, to make the best use or those noble gifts of nature. They have been well used.. if success is the measure of the propriety of conduct of those who • *tilt before us, we have it. Where is the port in the World that Can compete with Liverpool,. 'except New York, in 'the progress of its commerce? . .. Every fifteeri , years, within the last century and a half; the .commerce of this:, port has doubled itself, and If it. has - been so • - up to the present time, what will it be fifty years hence ? hear.) Who can set bounds to the progress of our trade) With a grosting intelligent-people, and - with a manufaCtur ing population at our back, coming their manufactures to every quarter of the civilised World, who can prescribe a limit to the domnierea of Liverpool ss (ilear, hear.) The ,day Allan -not come when.its noble efforts;. hitherta:. blessed 'With sach abundant success. are to he controlled, dwarfed anA, destroyed ; by per Sons *he do not understand the nature of wliat- therare doing.. With unhallowed hawk they are interfering -W;th the 'pillars of. that noble temple Which science, niinufthe'ture awl Commerce ,has raised around us. Le : . i tbe i m.take care, that in. pulling the temple down they do nnr, nring,rnin on their own heads. (Applause.) ' • Th e re s o lution w as carr i e d by mho:lain Mr. R. A. Maefie proposed the nest resolution. II th e y had been addressed by the highest' representatii( the county interest, if he 'Might use the term, himself also an honourable .member of the banking interest. They had been, addressed, also, by representaOes of 'the shin owning interest, by merchants whom' they all—respected, and to whose judgment they had always bowed, and they had also been addres, of two professions, one of them the law; . might permit him, a humble manufacturer, to addreidthem also a few Words. (Hear, hear.) He th e m or e' r e a d i ly addressed 'them, because, as a manufacturer, he might perhaps ha enabled to say a few reords•whiah might be of advantage to his brother manufacturers of IttatiChester and that district. In his speech at the Manchester meeting, the May 4 of Salford said that there, was soarcely a person who went along the streets, and . certainly no female, however humble, did.not contribute in her dress to the tel.. levied by the eon-oration of Liverpool. (Laughter.) Now, what it he should say that the firm with,which he was connected paid dues, or,- at all 'events, imported and consumed pads that were liablelo duties many times, more than were paid by rill the ladies and females of . Manchestere—(heare Ivoir)--arid., yet he did not complain. IF the question was one' for s an adjustment of rates, he Might Say—" Well, let us examine them, and reme dy what is partial ;" but what they were now slaked to do Wall to cancel acknowledged rights. They were asked to consent to be defrauded of property which they. felt 'had been secured to them by just and lawful means. (Hear, hear.) He had met no one in the town that had disputed the right of the eorporatioti to the ding, 'though one friend had certainly said that he would , like to be quit of them. (Laughter.) Perhaps they would all like tole qnit of them. (Hear, hear.) But that was a different thing in helping other parties to do wrong, to obtain for themselves that end. There was unanimity in the meeting, and there. was unanimity in the town, o n th e subject, but there wale if anything, still greater unanimity among the press on (hear bees.), —by which the hill was, in the Most indignani and forcible terms, denounced as a measure of spoilation and robbery, and in direct violation of the most sairedt principles of the congtitution. atm, hear.) Pre referred to that unanimity • among the press, because he wished to suggest to the government, who had made theinselves responsible s ,for the •meashre, ',that when those leaders of public opinion who sat in judgment on then and things thus 'spoke, they should be cautious . how • they look upon any bill' of which themselveS were snspiciour. It was a measure of injustice, and in that opinion he believed everyy. mail would agree: (Cheers.) Ite Could not distinguish between the rights of • property held by individuals and ,that held by a number-of individuals —a public body. - No later would dare draw a distinction between them, but the amphibious bsings, half lawyers half merchants, who .presided at the board of trade, had the temerity to attempt it. .The darporation were the trustees of the public, and they had been .faithful to their trust. (Hear, hear ) He would not -detain them by entering into a calculation of the extra burthans which Would be thrown on Chem if they were deprived of this property, bitt 'it was a question which they should well ponder. If the dues amounted to £lOO,OOO, and the `population were taken at 400,000, the-less would be ss. a ydar to each tndiviclual i and ,that loss would fall. chiefly upon the poor and induitrious elasees.. Mr. Mac& then proceeded to enumerate what the 'Corporation had done.for the people in; the establishment of baths, the, opening of parks, and' the collehticia of public libraries for their use, and urged that' while nothing had been done for thos& who Were -oalleci the better claims, the. corporation had shown their. regard for their trust' by Using all their means chiefly for the interest of the pox. He then continued to say that the greater part of the trade of this town was in counection with, the docks. Nearly all the, traffic 'that' passed through the streets was likewise Connected with: the docks I therefore, he contended 'hat it - Was not the trade of Vie town of Liverpool, but was the trade of the whole nation —nay, he might say of the whole world. There was. another absurdity in the case which they bad to defend, and that was—there was a difference .to: be made between pro perty held by a many, and property held by a few. He would say that there could be no difference; and taking Property under such ''e'reurnstancee, :was doubling' the injury, But the government was going to do so. They were-going-tti--take away - the dues - which - were their own exclusive rights. He sheeld call it the plea of the smuggler,' as there Could be no difference iu the dealing with one, 'cely made, he was going' to say, the robbery property more than another; and a 'government doing so, greater. (Applause.) But the resolution he was about to as (Here Mr. n r. ec m esta fi ry e that e : l ° d h t s y r h:O s s ti o .u d s t P i d e o o: c . ni yir h O b i r i ll e c a r b li e e a d d f t u i ' n t w . a ohr advertising columns) The first subject touched upon in that resolution is the docks. The Manchester men are m e n who have been in the habit of going forward ; but in this instance such did not appear-to be the case. They complain that we take the dues to widen our 'streets and improve our town. He (Mr. Macfie) would tell those gentlemen that it was all for, .their benefit,, for if they had not had to convey their cotton and timber through thosteeets from the docks, Liverpool . would not have been called upon to widen the 'streets, The making of good approaches to the docks was as neceissary.as it was to make their land-roads to the town. (tiPplause.) Now, he would ask those gentlemen to give him the definition of a port. What is a pert? It was not •"merely the quays and warehouse, but a port Is the nucleus of different matters, , streets, lanes, quays, and all the accommodation necessary for carrying on the trade. Another complaint was, that they were about to purchase Birkenhead, just as if the whole nation ,would not receive the benefit of the two sides of the Mersey being united in one.. But he would ask them how they were to, carry .on the trade of this great town-=how were thei' to find accommodation—if they were.not allowed to retain the dues ? They claimed these in fairness and as a matter of right. ,He denied that the corporation had been guilty of extravagance, and said on that head th e y h a d a r i g ht t o judge of the future by the past. He thought that they had i right to apply to their friends in- the northern counties— he meant Lancashire, Cheshire, and the west of Yorkshire —to give L t v e e m r p t o h o e l i r a s s u e p v p e o r r t t h , e as y c t o h u t t e' d w b e e re in as G d l e a e s p g ly ow in , teforr osperity depended a s much on the prosperity t o rhe f setierd L i Pi y il ' e . as 'Liverpool's prosperity depended en them. lie then stated that he remembered a person, quite a swell, 'but not in that town, employment was ? He being a great dandy, 1 0h ! I employ myself as a physi eiinnud.gl"'7 shk ß ies u dr t e' t vp h lh a ya t t was,h wa is en n ' o t the question—the question is, did any one employ him ? (Laughter.) He would ask Mr. Lowe who employed him to set the Liverpool people right ? (Hear, hear.) Where has he ever tried his hand at it before ? (Laughter.) Has he tried •it in London ? Let him try what be can dd there, and then he might come here and give us his experience, and let us know what he pur poses to do for us. gr. Macfie concluded amil considerable cheering by propotitig the resolution,. which, he stated, had his most cordial support. by representatives i t finally, they Mr. Charles Saunders seconded the resolution, expressing a hope that when the statements which were put forward there that day with such truthfulness, as well as unanimity, went forth, the wonder would not be at the effrontery of Liverpool in the defence of its rights, so much as at the effrontery of Mr. Lowe and his colleagues in bringing before' parliament snch a bill of spoliation, the introduction of howerer i he, hoped the good sense of the House of Commons would reject. (Chaers.) 1 The resolution WAS unanimously carried. Mi. William Rathbone came torwardy to propose the next ♦resolution, and was received with Fond applause: Having read the resolution, he said it was one.tvhich scarcely needed ;an-old stager like him to come forward to support it. None iwho knew anything of the mismanagement of central boards Ivrould*ish tO'see their local managetnebt. transferred: Ile !was rather.su r p r iS e d a t t h e mo d es ty, not •useally belonging to members Board of Trade, _but ha was still' •rnore::Surprised at his his . -inkfession, of the vice - pr esident tr.ihe . • "moralittog He shaitcl.io .thought..lawyer—no acitOliwyer—wriuld havaxentared to say that n if property belonged to a corporation it_raight be spoliated, but iT itlieTOnged to an individual it, was safe. •That was not his,(Mr: Rathbooe's) .morality, and he hopedit . wer be the morality of those. around him. . All : the) leasehold property of Liverpool was corp Orate pioperty, and would Mr. Lowe say .that if the goyernment were hupgry, they might slip into that?' 'li e W ou ld ask hoW hiS.,friends of i the • Lon 7 tion'iind,Nottli Western Great Western, and Great Northern Railway companies,which were all ' corporations would like a hungry gove rnment ,t o take hold of their inilliOns which were engaged in those lines ? (Hear, hear.) Yetit ttetually ainPutited to that. lie would say-a word .o his-friends Manchester.. They had a corporate interest:in their gas works, by which alllli&irriprovernentit in Manchester were Carried, 0,44 He chOnld liketo know what the gentlemen 1:4 , Marnhestm whei,wera'so;lrety ivieicenii4gainst Liverpool-.. ( 4 )Y, God knew—be did not) --would say, if a hungry government wished to have a pull at their gas works. ( Hear, hear.) They had just. as much right to the gas works of Manchester as to the town dues of Liverpool. (Hear, hear.) He was one of those who contested the question whether time, employed-the town dues, and he should not there fore say,one word Upon that subject A more important peint he thought for them now to consider *a§ whether they really had a title or not, and then whether parliament had the right to take theth away ? Now, he contended that if they had any right to those dues parliament could not take them away without compensation. A preceding speaker, Mr. Aiken, had referred to the trial which took place as to the legal right to the town dues paid by the merchants frequenting that port. It was quite clear that upon that occasion it was laid down th a t th e p ar ti es paying those dues were legally bOund to pay them,,and could not be exempted. (near, hear.) But then it 'Wag said that they were paid to a corpoimtion, and therefore parliament had a right, at any time they thought fit, i to take away these dues. Now he contended th a t t o take away those dues, without compensation would be t a viola tion of the principle of the,Municipal iteform Act. When that act was passed, it was settled what properties cor porations should'possegs. It was provided expressly that corporations having tolls and dues should hold them, and should apply , them.for,the purposes mentioned in the act. Therefore he contended that, it was contrary to law 't o • • iple than that of coinpeniation that Manchester had shown any abu he application tolls,-Manchester merely it te niflted to' deny their They need not diseu mieipal nes'to the he,questioil of title there. the pp , ft of rpool, and, it would be as way, as it be to take - h ?ar e hear.) He from any one in that mmn 'leaded that the very principle_ of was opposed to such a mea had read the bill, would - see `ared that all individual Di 1 not in having property consider what were the to which his property was subject ? A min , ce of proporty upon . the north side of gave a, greater _price, becauie he knew r 10 per Cent. upon the rental 111 would "" hear.) . . What,. he _..King from the Duke one-tenth of the dues of Covent Garden mar taking from Liverpool' one-tenth of its dties of hear, hear.) The only difference was, that ne ease it was one tram and in the other. it was Now, what would be the, next step ? Let tds in Cheshire take care. there was the river The river Weaver had heron* so productive carriage of salt to Liverpool that there s riot one,farthing of eounty rates paid there. Would the merchants of Liverpool, If they saw that bill pass, to the legis'ature and seek to reduce those tolls .to the nareixpenses of keeping the 1 4 1 r in order and let . the aty gentlemen„pay the county rates? (Rear, hear.) , begin, the principle and it was impossible to know it Would stop. . Who knew but that the next thing to tell a man who had a corner house to round it iictpal .Reform A( Ti who foils onid be ' co: bought a rament-strE would be the difference Of t these dues were their own or not. But when the decision of the court deeared that they were so, although he was known to.those around Hui as a radical'reformer, he hoped he was not an unprincipled revolutionist. (Loud cheers.) If the government pointed to their boards in L'Ondon, the Ord nance, the Admiralty, the Horse Guards, he would answer Balaklava. (Cheers.) He thought Mr. Lowe should have had:more modesty than to ask to take the business of Liver pOol.into the hands of.the. government, When the business which they had upon their hands. was so ill conducted. The Marine Doard, a body of most respectable and most efficient - men, had glien up their charge, and why ? because, they were so bothered-,--49 use an Irish phrase—by the interference of the governmea. (Hear. hear.) This proposal was worse than Fox's East India Bill. Some of them Clad seed how custom-house patronage had been mis used, and Nfoilld agree with him that they should ,he thorough Haters of any mere Wells being planted upon Liverpool., They would understand what that meant. They, would not have Liverpool made a sacrifl _ ) Wells to protested secure Mr. Haytet's interesi lit that Wrong agrinst the mismanagement of centril - bOards like centralisation, , (Hear t heir.) le desired.that lo board's should' have the ,local management, and if an inspector was: appointed to come down and see that affairs were Well managed, he would be rather in favour of such a measure. Nothing more than that would be necessary to keep their local property managed as they would wish to have it. If the peoph of England understood this,question, the ministry would-lose their bill; and if they attemptedlo pres3A, he hoped they would lose their places. (Cheers.) Ile did not He actfiot think it neoessary to detain them any-ion Ile should have made a capital speech, but mime of his friends bad taken all the big bits out of his mouth. (Laughter.) Mr. Rathbone then concluded, amid loud applause, by proposing th Mr. r. A. itamittod seconded the resolution; declaring resolution that the m of centralization against earnest protest If a reasonable play w abolition of town dues, he shoal i not be grepared to oppose it, but when the country had had the advantage of theta he did not think individual towns should be tilled on to bear the expense arising from their abolition. This bill would not tetrioVe"the butthens, but simpl and solely transfor the management of the property into the hands of the govern ment. Perhaps the next thing would bo to transfer the dock dues, and take the Management of the doeks.under their own p - otdotion. (11ear, - hear ) Ile could not then go to the dock office, as he did . on one occasion, see the dock trustees, and tell them that there was a large steamer coming to the port for which there was :no sufficient accommodation. What was the answer he received ? He was told to state *hat he ranted, ancl,everything should be done which' he required. The consequence was that a ship measuring 15 feet across, and requiring dock gates of 80 feet width, was immediately accomtnodated. (Rear, hear.) If he had had to apply to government the ship would be lying in the river at the present,tioment. (Cries of hoar, hear.) Mr. Christopher Bushell came forward to support the resolution, and. was received with applause. Ho 'opened by congratulating "the meeting. - upon" ,the thorough good temper which had been displaYed. When out considered the attempt which was being madec• one felt hii.blood boil. with indignation. Ile might very milli. have comprehended that the Strongest language' 'would have been made use of to express the indignation which-prevailed in the mind of every' honest man who had heard the course which the government-proposed to take in regard to the bill. - (Hear, hear.) The municipal institutions of thU cenntry constituted, as they had done since they prevailed,,the great bulwark to guard the liberties of the people. (Hear, hear.) These municipal institutions, in all their various ramifications ; formed the basis, not only of the liberties; bat of the prosperity. of the country.—(Hear, hear.) Ite need not enter into that suhject; or proceed: to chew that it was as he had said. Every man who had studied the question knew perfectly well that the liberty and prosperity of the people of a country *ere bound up ,in their - municipal institutions. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) If there,were do funds to administer ; and no interests to pro teet, municipal institutions became a shadow, not a substance. It was not pretended that the town of Liveittdol had mal-administered its funds. (Rear, hear.) No one in the cottimunity had any direct interest in the docks. They were administered for the national good, and he should confess that he regardel with astonishment the boldness of the government at venturing to bring such a bill before the Comnions House of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) It-seemed to him to be not only a slur on the integrity of the government t9-bring in sach a bill, bat it was a direct insult to the reptescntailYea of the people to place Huh , a measure framed in such A spirit, before them.- If he could lieTieve measure; it was possible for the House of Commons to pass sach a hill, he Should feel that the integrity of the country was fast ; going away but.he, believed in his heart that there was in the minds of the people so much higher 'a seuse.of right and justice. at .the present., time • than at any other period in the history of this land; that it was ,imposaible- their representatives could , so' 'administer the sacred trust delegated to them as to pass such a measure. But if the House of C.,mmonq "did pass it, then ho would say . "'Thank 1:31-ed, h and he said - U. with all reverence— oc Goat we have a House of Peers." (Applause.) The resolation was carried by acclamation. Mr. DatVson moved the adoption of the petitions—one to the House of Conimons and the other to the House of Lords—against the bill. in doing so he' referreU to the spirit which pervaded the speech of - .Nlr. Lowe in the 1-louse of Commons in asking leave to introduce the bill, and that spirit he urged they had aright to reprobate in the strongest language. In his speech Mr. Lowe put the Liverpool town does in the category of false and improper uses of public funds, and he (Hr. Dawson) might observe that he thought it a sound principle that if there was no abuse of public funds by those to whom they were intrusted, the government should have no pretence or right of interference. (Hear, hear.) The cases which Mr. Lowe enumerated were cases where public funds had been abused and appro.= printed to other purposes than those intended, bu t that was not the case with the Liverpool town dues, and their intro duction among such a category was merely for the purpose of raising a prejudice against them, and misleading the house. (Hear, hear.) They were mixed up with the passing dues of Dover, Ramsgate, and Whitby, places which formerly obtaine , l the right to dues to provide them as h .rbours of refuge for ships in distress, bat which for years past had been levying the dues without beieg in any way able-to discharge any of the duties on,which they were dependant. (Hear, hear.) Was that the case with the Liverpool town dues ? (Cries of No, no.) The Trinity House at Hull was next enumerated, and there it was font:id that in one year, out of an income of £28,000, £7,000 or £B,OOO was unaccounted for, and the remainder spent in a most extravagant manner. These were the eases with which Mr. Lowe classed the Liverpool town dues, and that was the manner in which he sought to blacken a just and lawful right by the most unrighteous means. (Loud cheers.) There had been -a complaint made that the Sarah Sands and a Brazilian vessel .had discharged her cargo in the river, and had to pay double dock dues. It was true that they had to do so, and of course would be liable to the dock rates, but that would be remedied when the amalga mation with Birkenhead - was completed. Now he Would ask, who it was that provided the funds of the dock estate ? They were not levied for the benefit of Liverpool alone—it was a national property, and the nation reaped the benefit of it. If, before Mr. Lowe had made the statement he had made, he had attended in that town he would have learned something more of the matter than he knew ; he would have known that there was not a tax levied on the shipping, and that it was only levied for the working cf the estate. Had the hon. member attended the dock committee ho would have learned a good lesson, as the affairs of that committee were so admirably managed. It would be well if many of the members of parliament had been educated in that committee, because the dock estate had been managed with such care and attention, that it had raised theirnow most magnificent port, to the finest port in the world. (Hear, hear.) He repudiated the charges that had been made aF,ainst the dock committee—or that there were any defalcations on their part. What were the dock dues granted for ? They were granted to the port of Liverpool, and much of the prosperity, not alone of Liverpool, but of the kingdom, depended on their being retained. (Hear, hear.) He would not squab ble about the question.as between Manchester and Liver pool, because it was a question involving much more impor tance, as it was not only those two places which were'con cerned in it, but it was a question affecting the whole nation. The Manchester people might rest contented that they were not going to be hoodwinked by the misrepreientations put. forth.by Mr. Lowe, for its far as legislating went, they might take' a boy from the Blue Coat School who could give him lesson. Such men , as Mr. Lowe thought that persons living in the.proviaces. knew nothing; but• of that he would be taught better. The bill he designated as a homoeopathic dose , as to the ,reduction of, taxation, and condemned the practice of members of parliament traducing the honest mine of a community without knowing the circumstances of the case. Mr. Dawson resumed his seat, after moving a resointicaito the ' effect that a petition si g ned by the M a y or , on behalf of ths meeting, be presented to both Houses of Parliament. [We' refer our readers to onr advertising columns for the petition proposed by Mr. Dawson.] Mr. John Sidney, in seconding the resolution, said he feltiin common with the m ee ti ng, that a great robbery was about being perpetrated upon them. It was asked,' by whom ? Some said by Mr. Lowe; but he would say it was by the Government, whom they had a rig ht to look up to, He could only say th a t every po i nt in the subject had been . sowell touched upon, that it had left him little scope, hut it was a question of the greatest importance' to all—the humblest as well as the greatest men. When the question got before such men as Lord Derby, that his " poor Bootle sands" should be given up, he thought it would beset right. Fur where would be his tenure ? If the House of Con:awns should pass the bill, what would the 'Aids say to it? Pray is not, he asked, our tenure as good as theirs.? All he could say on the subject was, that he cou'd not believe that the Commons House of Par liament would ever pass such a He concluded his observations by referring to the scandalous misrepresenta tions which had appeared in the London Times newspaper, (with which, it was well known, he said, Mr. Lows was their Iri Weaver might t e benefit of the public. ,(Hear, hear.) Ho ex pressed a hope that the resolution he was about to propose would receive full support, and that the petition adopted, and the exertions of their Mends in parliament would show the danger of introducing such a bill as this one and put a stop to it. (Cheers.) Mr. Lace concluded by'pro posing the resolution. Mr: Ralph Brocklebank seconded the resolution. He said the whole subject had been exhausted, Or very nearly so, by the preceding speakers, but yet he considered it his duty, as well as his privilege, to stand up there and raise his voice in protesting against the principle of the bill which sought to deprive the burgesses of• Liverpool of rights to which they . were clearly and legally entitled. (Hear, hear.) In the introd uc ti on o fth a t measure b y M r. Lowehe thonght that gentleman had rather disingenu ously stated , that 'the measure to take away the town dues to which he specially referred was to relieve the shipping interest of that port of an enor mous tax. Now, what Was the fact ? It would relieve the shipping interest of no Charge whatever. lie con sidered that the probability was that If ever the dues were taken away, which. God. forbid, ' from Liverpool, the shipping interest was not unlikely to- be more taxed than it had been. He felt - convinced as a shipowner, and he might speak on the part of shipowners, and say they would not attempt to derive any advantage. - -and he spoke also as a merchant, and,felt colivideed the merchants of Liier pool would net atteriapt to derive any advantage— from a reduction of these tolls which was sought to be carried through by means unjust and illegitimatea (Hear, hear.) In commercial phraseology he would ask whether Mr. Lowe and the Board of Trade really belieVed the people of Liverpool were in the habit of putting their hands to so Much waste paper as to accept that bill? (Hear, hear.) He declared that they would not. The unanimity which had been expressed at that meeting would send the bill back to the place from whence it came with a protest. (Heir.) The strenuous exertions of the corporation, aided by able and wiling hands in the House of Commons, would have sufficient . energy to send back that bill .to the archives of the Board of Trade, there to remain he trusted for all time, .to come: (Cheers.) He begged leave most cordially to second the resolution. Mr. J. A. Piaton came forward to support the resolu tion, and. was received with loud Cheers. ite taid—Mr. Mayor and, fellow-townsmen, it wonld be very bad taste in me, at this periodl of the Meeting, to attempt to inflict a long.speeeh upon you; fr I can very well Synipathise with those who have been standing so long, and how painful it. is in be placed under similar circumstances. But; as a native of this town, as an Owner of property in the town,.and one feeliny a deep interest in .its prosperity and its progress, I have been requeiled to say a few ,words,-, and they shall be but few, upon the present occa sion. ; Sir, there is an anecdote told of a certain Manches ter worthy, a great advocate of free trade, where it was Profitable., He went trp'with a deputation to London, when the late Sir Robert Peel was about to abolish the cinty upon certain articles in which' that 'gentleman was interested. He went to oppose .the abolition of r those duties.!adth all his might. When he ha lan interview lerstood , that ere an ad Ho* ( ies it then, that anornal What w m_ of of posing his, reply ? . " oh, Lord " said he; (Laughter.) all for ourselves in •thi "we ar Now, it really- appears as irour anohester, yesterday, have been acting on the 65 the gentleman of whOm I have spokep. Sir, the principle carried out to •a 'and in a legitimate manner, is a fair and it, let private, and public, and corporate ted. If the, nation requires to take from dividual .or body of . individuals, any Res "which hare beetihitherto enjoyed, and to which lave been hitherto entitled, let them be dealt fairly let them be fully compensated, and no one can have iAht to complain. Hitherto on that subject, culvert and.respect for vested interests, has been the•pre filing principle in our legislation, and a vested right, 3wever injurious it may have been to the public at .rge, howese r questionable in many instances the title 3ay have been, up to this time has always been respected, 'and if taken away, has uniformly been compensated for by giving its full value for it. If time would permit, I could mention numerous instances of this fact, but I must pass them over., But it would seem that we have now tuned over a new leaf. After so many reforms, we begin to estaleisti a new principle. Compensation has hitherto been the order of the day. • I .am afraid that if the dill now before the Hpuse of Commons passes, we shall have to substitute for the word "compensation," the word "confiscation." (Hear, heat%) ,And where it is to end no man living can foresee. But, sir, there is such a thing as being too sharp —as being too clever—as being too foreseeing, or fancying one's self so. There is such a thing as going out for wool, and coining home shorn, and I very much fear our M anc h es t er f r i en d s an d neighbours, many find that upon this occasion they have only been— supposing they should succeed--a cat's-paw for a higher power which uses them for its own ends, and will then throw them' off , when it has no further use of them. (Hear. hear.) Sir, in the report of the meeting yesterday in Manchester, there is w good :deal said about plund e r, a b ou t th e t i tle being rotten which we hold respecting our town dues, and abOnt the liberality of the government incoming to the rescue and taking them out of our hands. They seem to have taken it for granted throtig;hout the whole of the proceedings, that if the bill passes, the enormity of town dues will immediately cease—that there will be no more town dues levied upon goods, and that the enormous sum which is now paid, I think 41. a bale on cotton—(a voice: twopence)—or 2d., upon' a bale worth probably 101. or 151., will at once and for ever cease, and halcyon days be in store for the city of Manchester. Now, lam afraid they are reckoning without their host. (Hear,. heir.) I hold the bill in my band. I read it carefully over; and cannot, I declare, find in all its provisions, anything which would warrant the idea that the town dues are to be done away with at all. I have looked also over the speech of Mr. Lowe very carefully, and there is samething in that speech of a very significant character to which I beg to calf your attention. He talks about the various ports and the conveniences of the harbours. He talks about the works which the, "'government" have been prosecu ting at Ramsgate, Dover, and other places. He then goes into the gut.; et ef the funds which governmen t have He as their r esource ier carrying en these works. H said in regard to Ramsgate that " there are certain char- opou. shippitor entering that harbour, as also a tax upon rails, and that, if these sources of income should fail, or if they should not be strlicient to e arn' on the works in Ramsgate"—What then? " Some other source of revenuei must be found out." Very well. 'Now, I find, on lo which refer to the ° hie over the bill, that the only clauses 11th, and ',sth. subject of abolition at all, are the 1011 i, - Clause 10 says":-:-." That all taxes, so collected bY,the comtnis,sioners of customs, Szc., shall be paid'Overto her Majp s t mast er-general, in such man ner as the Beard of T ha id d s e s P s o a ti t all direct." The money, you see, is paid into the .ggeon)veernment. How is it-to be laid out ? " The PaYmastee paid to him, under the provisiensrcV thi s, apply such man all monies ner ag.thle Board of Trade shall dire e e?, act t in .esltsee also, in,the 9 5th clause, the folio wing:—" Her Ala sha ll, by an order in council, from time to time, d eclare that all or 'any taxes, to which the 'second part of th e 'shall be' reduced in amo un t, or shall be abollshtriin There is, therefore, full power' given to her Majesty Council, simply means the ministry for the ti in me being, or the Board •of , Trade; tinder their influence, to levy d ues , t o reduce them, as they choose, to raise them again, if they please, to their fornier amount, and to do with the money absolutely whatever they please. (Cheers.) I see no restriction whatever. 1 see uo control on the part of Parliament. Parliament is out bf the question. It is . simply a fund at the service of.the-ministry df the' day to ',devote in w h at manner they please, and call' it by thenitne of giving advantage to commerce. (Hear, hear.) Depend upon it, sir, that if this - bill be carried out, .the youngest person noyv thing, no, noteve,i grandchildren, *ill never see the abolition of these dues—and. the Man chester men will find out, to their cost, that if the Corpo ration of Liverpool chastised them with the whip, the Government will chastise them with scorpions —that if we friends in M lain exten connected), and giving_ his hearty support t o t h e reso l ut i on. . (40Platise.) The Chairnian, then put the resolution, which was unanimously adopted, amidst -the cheers of the meeting, On the motion of Mr. David Hodgson, second e d b y Mr. Torr, a:irotent thanks was acetified to the Mayor, who was greeted with eritliusiistiCand, hearty cheers. :This concluded "the business of th:e day ; and after giving three cheeti fok the . . Queen, the meeting separated + A T a puBLI:0 -MEETING of. the' Inhabitants -LA- of the Borough of Liverpoool, held at ST. GEORGE'S HALL, .on FPIDAY, the 22nd day Of-FekitarY, 1856, con vened by the Mayor;in compliance with a Itequilition most numerously and respectably aigiff, , d,ito Protest against the principleof the "Local Dues on Shipping Bit.", to agree to a Petition to the Muses of P.rliameut against the pro posed Bill, and to adopt such other measureis its may best rt so monstrous and - • unjust an innovation, )11N STEWART, Esq., Mayor, iu the Chair. tend to are Letters were read from Charles 'Turner, Esq., Hugh Hornby, Esq., J. A. Tobin, _Esq . ., William Earle, Esq., J. H. Turner, Esq., and Biehird Brooke,- Esq.i regretting their unavoidable absence from the Meeting. It was moved by Jour; PEMI3ERTON HEYWOOD i Esq., eotided by GEORGB HOLT, Esq., and Resolved unanimously,—That this Meeting has learnt with a,tonishment that a bill has beenintrothiced into Parliament by the Vice• President of the Board of Trade, by whic'a it is proposed to deprive the Burgesses and Oorporation of this, and many other sea port towns in England, Scotland, Ireland, and :Wales, of the Revenues which they now lawfully derive from Dues on Goods and Ippidg It was moved bp S. R. GRAVES ; ESql, seconded by ROBERT RANItIbi, Esq., and Resolved unanimously,— . That the Dues on Goods "carried in Ships and the Anchorage on Ships, (ilzo latter being the only charge made on Ships by the Corporation, and only One Shilling and Threepence per ship, an amoutt too insignificant to notice,) now received by the Corporation in the Port of Liverpool, have, existed for upwards of Oil hundred yeirS ; that they formed part of: the ancient rights of the, Crown, and were sold by the Kings of England, 'with the Assent of Parliament, to the parties from whom they were purchased by the Burgesses and .Corporation of•Liverpeol, and have been declared 'to be their lawful property, after a full inquiry before the Lord Chief-Justice of England and a Special Jury. It was moved by AMBROSE LACE, Esq., seconded by RALPH BROCKLEBtrrK,.Esq., and Resolved" unanimously, -That the - seen of one handfed and forty-nine .thousand pounds was levied by rates on property on the Blrough of Liverpool during the year 1855, for sanatory and other public purposes, independent of the sum of one hundred and eighty-three thousand one hundred and forty-six pounds levied,in, the t same year for the support of the poor, and that the proposal contained in the bill now before Parliament to throw , on. the burgesses of Liverpool a large Aim= of debt, contracted on .the faith of-the eon. tinned enjoyment of their property, and also to throw on them the expense of protecting, --gnarling and facilitating the traimpOrt of upwards of a Hundred Millions' Worth of property which passes through the port every- year, is contrary to every principle cif low and justice. • A ft was ` moved. by it. A. Afecnr., Esq., seconded by CHARLES SAUNDERS, Esq., and Resolved unanimously,—That the trade and commerce of the kingdom have been greatly- benefitted - by the expendi ture of the Revenue derived from the Dues collected in Liverpool, of which more than it Million Sterling has been expended in widening or forming. new lines, of , approach to, or ConniuniCatiolis anionist, the Docks, which now extend five miles in length, and -afford accommodation to. four millions and a-half tons of Shipping yearly,lindlittitivhich Dhaki thO Corporation of Liverpool- receive' no Revenue whalever. That more than Seventy Thousand Pounds has been expended for purposes connected with the Conservancy and Iraproveinent of the Port, and upwards of Thirty Thousand Pounds in-building a Lighthouse at the entrance to the River; whilst the Corporation is under legal obliga tion to eKpead One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Pounds in constructing a :Landing-:stage fur the use of Sea-going Steanierii, and also to • expend not less than Sterling tq kievelope ,the commercial advantages. 'Of the Docks of Birkenhead. That the Works, when completed, .will render; Liverpool the most commodious Purt in the world, but that sack great and costly plane cannot lie carried into execution if the-Corporation of Liverpool is deprived of Two-thirds of LaitiConie. - • Xt yi.ao moved by WILLIAM RATHBONE, Esq., seconded by FRANCIS A. gAMILTON, Esq.,.and - • Resolved wagnisnously,- 7 - That , this. Meeting_protests against the proposal to transfer the 'Management of the Funds of this and other Po. ts, from „parties resident on the spot, and .eeply interested in, and thoroughly acquainted with, t all local questions to a Government Board, not pos ressed either of knowledge of the wants of the several Ports, or of any real interest in their prosp erity, all experience having shown that Local Management is generally superior to by Government Boards. It was moved by HENRY DAMSON, Esq , seconded by J osx SIDNEY, Esq , and Resolved unanimously, —That the Petitions to both Houses of Parliament now read be adopted, and that his Worship the Mayor do sign the same en behalf of this Meeting. The Mayor having left the chair, it was moved by DAVID HonosoN, Esq., seconded by JQHN Toax, Esq., and • , Resafved by acclamation, --That the warmest thanks of this Meeting be and and are hereby presented to his Wor ship the Mayor, for calling the Meeting, and fot impartial conduct in the chair. To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of (heat Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled. . The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Liverpool, iu Public Meeting assembled, HUMBLY SJIEWETH, That your Petitioners have learnt with astonishment that a Bill has been introduced into Parliament by the Vice- President of the Board of Trade, by which it is proposed to deprive the Burgesses and Corporation of this and many other sea-port towns in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales,.of the Revenues which they now lawfully derive from Dues on Goods and Shipping. That the dues on goods carried in ships and the anchorage on ships (the latter being the only charge made on ships by the Corporation and only Is. 3d. pership, an amount too insignificant to notice) now received by the Corporation in the port of Liverpool have existed for upwards of six hundred years; 'that they formed part of the ancient Rights of the Crown, and were sold by the Kings of England with the assent of Parliament, to the parties from whom they were purchased by the Burgesses and Corporation of •Liver pool, and have been declared to be their lawful property, after a full inquiry before the Lord Chief-Justice of England , • and a special jury. . That the Sum of. X 149,000 was levied by Rates on Pro perty in the Borough of Liverpool,,during the year 1856, , for Sanatory and other Public purposes, independent of the Sum of £183,146 levied in the same year,fur-the Support of the. Poor,• and that the proposal contained in the Bilk opst„ before Parliament to throw on the Burgesses of Liverpool L ., - large amount of debt contracted on the faith of the continued , . enjoyment of their Property, and also to throw`on them the '. expense of protecting, guarding,-and, facilitating the trans port of upwar ds of Xloo,ooo_ worth. of Property whi c h passes through the port every year, is contrary to every principle of law and justice. • That the tirade and commerce of the kingdoin have beau greatly benefited.by the expenditure of the revenues derived from the Dues 'collected in Liverpool, of vvh4 more than : £1,000,000 sterling has been expended in widenitig:er— forming new lines of approach to; or communication ;amongst, the Docks, which now extend five miles in length, and afford accommodation to four millions and half tan' of Shippi ng yearly:from which Dpeks the Corporation• of •, Liverpool derive no revenue whatever, ' , • • - - - • • • v... •••.. •• s.a.••••, • ••• • V That more th an £70,000 have befm expended.f4r.pgr,-. poses .connected with the Conservancy and Iniproirethent of the Port, and upwards of £30,000 in buildkng a Lighthouse at the entrance of the river, whilst the . Corporation asunder legal obligation to • 'expend t130,000-in c,oestructing Landing -stage for the use of .sea,geing: Steamers, and als o to expend not less than £2,000,000 sterling to develops the commercial•advantages of the Docks at Birkenhead ; th a t the works when completed will render Liverpool th e most commodious port in the World ; but that such great and costly plans 'cannot be carried into execution if the Corpo ration of. Liverpool is deprived of tiro-thirds of its income. That, your PetitiOnera protest against the • proposal to transfer the Management of the funds of this . and other ports from parties resident on the spot, and deeply interested in; And , thoroughly acquainted with, all local questions, tea Government not Possessed either of knowledge of ttrewatitof Board,thseveral ports, or of any real interest in their prosperity, all experience' havinn shown that local management is greatly superior to management by Gtivoria.;. ment Boards. -tour petittoners, thervfore, humbly- pray Pat the Said Bill may not pass into a law, as its operation will be most prejudicial, not only to the interests of your Petitioners, but subversive of the rights of property hitherto held sac, ed in this country, an d most d etr i menta l, as your Petitioners mos t humbly submit, to the interests and trade and commerce of the kingdom.