The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-12 00:00:00

aristocratic, parliamentary, and legal circles, and the utmost
anxiety was evinced to hear the venerable Lord LYNDHURST
open his case against the Government. The attendance of
peeresses was not so numerous as has frequently been the case,
when an important debate was pending, occasioned, no doubt,
by the greatly diminished space allotted to their accommoda-
tion since Lord REDESDALE complained that the house was so
filled with ladies that it looked like a casino; among those
present were the Duchess of ARGYLL and Viscountess PAL-
MERSTON. Many foreigners of distinction were present, in-
cluding the MAHARAJAH DHULEEP SING, who now attires
himself in European costume. The members of the House of
Commons.mastered in great force, and were there represented
by Mr. GLADSTONE, Mr. LAYALD, and other men of mark
among the various sections of the people's house. The tall,
thin, and elegant figure of Sir FREDERICK THESIGER was
striking and conspicuous as he stood listening with evident
satisfaction and reverence to the speech of Lord LYNDHURST.
Mr. Justice COLERIDGB and several other members of the
judicial bench were among the privileged auditors stationed
about the steps leading to the throne.
When the venerable nobleman rose to speak every eye was
rivetted on his person, and all ears were eagerly attentive to
his eloquence. For a considerable time past Lord LYNDHURST
has abstained from senatorial conflict, and the knowledge that
he was to reappear in the arena, added to the importance of
t an occasion, otherwise felt to be one of uncommon interest.
In personal appearance, Lord LYNDHURST has suffered less
from the assaults of time than from his great age —now eighty-
four years—and the extremely laborious life he has led might
have been expected. He is still tall, and is as courtly in this
demeanour as ever. He stands erect, and although somewhat
slow in his personal movements, his mental faculties are still
alert and vigorous. His voice is yet obedient to his nicely
modulated ear; and although some of fine aural organization
affected to detect slight musical inaccuracies in his intonation,
the display be made on Thursday evening was one, in all re-
' spects, worthy of the first senatorial assemblage in the world.
Calm, self-possessed, and clear, he delivered himself of a
lengthened address, remarkable alike for its vast historical
knowledge, its lucid arrangement, and the convincing
character of the arguments founded on the cases quoted.
i He admitted that the subject under debate was one re-
Iquiring much delicacy in handling, lest it should assume,
on the one hand, the implication of personal dislike to
Ithe subject involved in it, or on the other might infer
a desire to limit the just and indefeasible prerogatives of the
crown. Against the first he appealed in eloquent and con-
vincing terms to the great personal worth and professional
eminence of Sir JAMES PARKE, declaring his conviction that
that distinguished individual was in every respect deserving
of the peerage ; but further that he was entitled to a full and
not a stunted share of the honours inferred in such a dis-
tinction. As regards the exercise of the royal prerogative,
he frankly admitted that the creation of a life peerage was
not an illegal stretch of the prerogative, further than that
he showed that it was far from unprecedented. His tour de
force however lay in the argument, which he supported with
great logical clearness, that such an exercise of the prerogative
was unconstitutional, inexpedient, and dangerous. The ques-
tion as put and successfully argued by his lordship was,
whether a Minister of the Crown, almost invariably the organ
and instrument of the House of Commons, shall or shall not
be entitled at will to modify and mould the upper House of
Parliament into obedience to his wishes by such a creation of
life or temporary peerages, as would denude it of its con-
stitutional independence. " The hereditary principle of this
house" said his lordship "is a great and important advantage.
It strengthens our desire to support the stability and con-
stitutional powers of the house. The hereditary principle is
entwined with every part of our constitution. We in this
house enjoy hereditary rights in common with the crown.
We mutually support and assist each other. As hereditary
legislators, we form a barrier and a defence to both branches

FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.

MONDAY MORNING.

Ilvx MAJESTY and the Court return to London in the
course of to-day, the royal sojourn at Buckingham Palace
'being to extend till the 22nd of March, the day after Good
Friday, when the QUEEN will return to Windsor, to spend
the Easter recess at the Castle. Among the regal notabilities
of the past week has been the institution of a new Order of
Merit, and the promulgation of the rules by which it is to be
regulated. This, when first spoken of as a matter in contem-
plation, was looked on as a vigorous step in the right direc-
tion, and the project was hailed by a general acclaim of
welcome. Henceforth, merit was to have an acknowledged
official position, and everyone rejoiced in " the good time
coming." In this, as in numerous other instances, it has been
found that

'ris distance lends enchantment to the view.

A closer inspection of the "Order of Merit" denudes it of.
many of the golden rays of promise with which expectation
had invested it. The " Victoria Cross," the badge of the new
Order, it is provided " shall only be awarded to those officers
or men who have served in presence of the enemy, and shall
have performed some signal act of valour or devotion to their
country." From this it is evident, that although the distinc-
tion will be bestowed without regard to rank or station, no
-tnerit will be recognised by it which is not of a military cha-
racter. Many shrewd, and not over-caustic observers, remark
an anomalous and absurd practice in a nation which owes so
much to a cultivation of the arts of peace, and which is de-
cidedly of a non-military character, resolutely shutting its
eyes, and refusing to see in its worthiest sons any merit which
is not entirely of a military order. To take an example,
familiar to all by the recentness of its occurrence, let attention
be for a moment directed to the admirable service rendered
-by the mercantile steam marine of this country, in the con-
veyance of troops and stores to the seat of war, with a
degree of rapidity and regularity hitherto unknown in the
history of war. The builders of these steamers, the contri-
vers of the mighty engines through the instrumentality
of which that invaluable service was performed, are not consi-
dered to have any claim to recognition in the "Order of Merit."
A prophet is of no honour in his own land, and men of science
are subjected to like neglect, if not even to more contumely, in
Great Britain ; their services are not only unrecognized by the
state as of any merit, but worse, if their merit should be espied
and honoured by the potentates of other lands, such acknow-
ledgment of " merit" must be hidden in their own country.
Cases directly in point have just occurred. Conspicuous
among the contributors to the great Paris Exhibition, were
one or two gentlemen belonging to Glasgow, and so striking
were their contributions, in point of excellence, that the E3l-
- of the FRENCH conferred on them the Order of the
Legion of Honour ; those gentlemen were ROBERT NAPIER,
the unrivalled maker of marine steam-engines ; Jour TEN-
NANT, of St. Rollo; proprietor of the largest chemical works
in the world ; and WALTER Cum% the highly scientific
calico-printer. These men, although considered worthy of
—decoration, by a foreign sovereign, have no claim upon the
" Cross of Victoria," the badge of the " Order of Merit" of
their own country ; but worse, they are forbidden to wear the
order of distinction, which their merits have earned for them,
among strangers. Our gallant allies have their Legion of
Honour, into which men of every profession, whether civil or
military, may be admitted, the claim to admission being
merit ; the British Sovereign has been advised to institute a
"new Order of Merit," from which every kind of merit, save
-that of a strictly military character, is carefully excluded.
Verily, as Sterne says, " They manage these things better in
France,"
Doubt has been expressed relative to the new Order, in
several quarters, on another account than that already

of the constitution; to proteet them from danger, from what-
ever cause it may come." "The hereditary peerage," says an
able constitutional writer, " is, in same degree, a check to
the power of creating new peers—whereas peerages for life
would obviously be liable to be given away with far less
caution and reserve. A peerage for life would probably be
used as a retirement and reward for the mere creatures of
the Ministry, and inefficient or worn 'out functionaries,
and a Minister would be enabled at any time to gain an
ascendancy in the Upper House by a sufficient infusion of his
own adherents." The defence of the life peerage project was
left principally in the hands of Earl GRAN VILLE and the
LORD CHANCELLOR, the latter of whom took upon himself
the entire responsibility of recommending the creation,_he- not
having consulted with the law advisers of the crown upon the
subject. He laboured arduously to defend the principle of
life peerages, and laid much stress on the bare legality of the
proceeding as admitted by Lord LvxDnuirsx. The. Earl. of
Denny supported the motion for referring the patent of the
Wensleydale peerage to a committee of privileges, which was
in effect to condemn life peerages. All the law lords who
spoke on the subject, except the LORD CHA.NCEBLOR, ex-
pressed themselves as adverse to the creation of life peerages;
Lords CAMPBELL and ST. LEONARD'S declaring their convic-
tion that such peerages are illegal. The discussion, which was
a protracted and unusually animated one, did not terminate
until nearly three o'clock,whenLord LYNDHURST'S motion was
carried by a majority of thirty-three. Whether the affair
will end in an extension of the patent for the Wensleydale
peerage into one of the ordinary form or not, is still gravely
debated by those who profess some knowledge in the tactique
of parliamentary proceedings. Some of these gentlemen pro-
fess to foresee a stormy debate on the same sullied in the
House of Commons as looming in the not diskint future.
Upon what ground .the discussion in that quarter is to be
based they do not state.
The same night which witnessed so arduous- a contest
among the Lords was one on which considerable "-expectation"
hung, in the Commons. Sir CHARLES Narxmliad a notice
on the paper, by which he hoped to " pitch into" the late
First Lord of the Admiralty. The veteran "salt" made his
appearance early, armed with lots of papers and heat's of
documents, with which he meant to rake Sir-JAMES " fore
and aft." He was evidently made up for misbief, and seemed
like young Norval

glanced at. Some affect to fear that it will be put in lieu of
that incentive to heroism, promotion from the ranks, which
has so recently been introduced with such happy results
and so favourable augury into the British army; if this
suspicion prove well-founded, the "New Order of Merit"
will speedily be discovered to be no great boon to the
army, while it is entirely useless as respects any branch of
civil employment. To anticipate dissatisfaction, or to prog-
nosticate mischance in a case where the movement has been
admittedly in the right direction, is no wise policy nor any
generous act ; and so hoping for the most favourable result
from an institution, the want of which has been long felt and
frequently complained of, the general public will watch with
curious scrutiny, and see how the " Victoria Crosses" are
bestowed; and will accord fitting honour to those whose
breast is decorated with the coveted badge.
The Parliamentary "sayings and doings" of the past week
have been notable in more respects than one. A great sensa-
tion was created in the House of Commons on Monday
evening by the sweeping measure introduced by Mr. ROBERT
LOWE, the member for Kidderminster, and Vice-President of
the Board of Trade. Every one felt that the proposal for
abolishing Town-dues upon goods imported into seaports was
specially levelled at Liverpool,' although—with the cunning
peculiar to the Manchester school of politics—he contrived to
mix up one or two other ports along with the great maritime
emporium of Europe. The antecedents of Mr. LowE would
have induced many to think that one wedded to a daughter of
the ORREDS of Aigburth would not have been desirous of
despoiling the town in which the wealth of that family was

accumulated ; and not a few considered that his not very
remote interest in the Weaver tonnage dues would have
restrained his hand in making an onslaught on the Liverpool
Town-dues. All who thought or agreed in this line, laboured
under a delusion ; and whatever reasons may have existed for
his following a contrary course of action, in him the Liverpool
corporation

" Found not a generous friend, a pitying foe."
The measure which he introduced on Monday night, in a speech
of keen, cold, unsympathising hardness, is one of great import-
ance to the threatened localities—of little or no significance to
the nation. It is generally believed and said in the Club-
-circles to be an emanation from the spleen of Mr. CARDWELL,
excited by the ejection of that consistent "personal patriot"
from the mis-representation of Liverpool. The project is said
to have been hatched nearly to maturity by him, and on his
quitting office to have been imparted to the Manchester
Plottersoagainst the interests of its seaport. These gentlemen,
in turn, ever on the alert to secure what will mortify their
rivals, if they cannot also benefit themselves, perceived in the
CARDWELL pet a measure which would serve the first of these
purposes, and they set theniselves with might and main to
compass its adoption by the legislature. In this object they
have been so far successful as to enlist a subordinate govern-
ment official on their side, and the display of Monday night
has been the consequence. In dealing with the alleged facts
of the ease, Mr, LowE displayed a large amount of careful and
somewhat showy cramming ; but was evidently not at all well
up in his lesson. In taking up the gage of battle in defence
of the Liverpool Town-dues, Mr. HOESPA.LL appeared to great
advantage. His ready coolness of manner, and the aptitude
of his illustrative arguments told well with the House,
and has established for him a position which many men of
equal talent and far greater Parliamentary experience have
failed to attain. It was immediately felt that he understood
the subject, and could grapple with its details, while he wasslso
manifestly able to comprehend and unravel the sophistries by
which the 'Vice-President of the Board of Trade sought to
disguise the real nature of the question at issue. Tlie demoli-
tion of Mr. LOWE'S assertion as to the bad sanitary condition
of Liverpool, was very happily done, while, at the same time,
it afforded Mr. HORSPALL the opportunity of paying a grace-
ful tribute to the professional skill and natural sagacity of
Mr. NEWLANDS, the Borough Engineer, whose services in
carrying out the sanitary arrangements of the British camp
in the Crimea, have not hitherto met with that publicity of
acknowledgment which they are admittedly entitled to. The
few but well ordered remarks of Mr. HORsPALL told well,
and considerably reduced the pretentious dimensions of Mr.
'LOWE, who in his reply considerably modified several of his
most showy averments.
The question, however; is too momentous a one to be treated
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,
hastily, and the enemy too unscrupulous and untiring to ad-
chester meu will Sut,—l have on more than one occasion, in the columns of
mit of apathy on the part of those who should strengthen the
your paper, recorded my protest as a Churchman against the
hands of their representative. The Man
slothful and irreligious custom which prevails in Liverpool of
exert all their influences, and bring all their wiles to bear in
shutting up the churches and chapels on the afternoon of the
favour of the measure. In addition to this, Mr. LowE, by
Loward_ 's
-day, and thus practically depriving many of the aged
declaring his bill a Free-trade measure, will have secured the
as well as children and servants, of the only op-
votes of many members who take names for things, and are d
ortiunlfirm' which they can avail themselves for attending
satisfied to be saved the trouble of thinking by being fur-
PpublieliNtVYo of
and driving many others to seek employment
or amusement wandering about the streets and outskirts of
nished with a plausible pretext for recording what can be
represented as a popular vote. These constitute considerable
the town.
- odds against a question which is made to turn upon legal
onnf
the!lis most inexcusable apathy to the
The consequences
peoi,
'right, and against which the ad captanduns vulgus plea ofritt.?if the clergy, are now begin-
diminished imposts can be so readily yet so groundlessly ning to manifest themselveSPii
wants of the
Lii,aall9zfere sacredness of
ahmavuesemsoenitonign
-directed. the Sabbath, and the demand feorde
those hours which the ministers of ielilgion
The House of Peers presented an unusually brilliant and 's own dev'
interesting appearance on Thursday night, great attraction hardaanna hasty judgmentlees
abrtdoned_eteomeca•er3:
evnt,_and.it
n to throw on the
being found in the expected debate upon Lord LYNDIIURST'S clerr;ntalLblame of the Sabbath deseerati(;so_mgeena
nclitilulreevheery places
motion for referring the question of life peerages to a emu- is not in anger but in sorrow that I do--
justness appears in the fact, theta is chiefly Ilnlertolfain%
raitteeof privileges. At Ave o'clock, the attendance of peers
s olaboaslf
move-
and visitors of distinction was very great, and the array of meatLiveoaosl,aaltdenolaten (air. two other.
placergteivittolivsns.t that this
strangers behind the woolsack and below the bar was such as where the clergy thinlipprroogpreersstio shut up the—
is but rarely witnessed. The question to be debated was the the Sabbath-day. In. the smaller towns there are,
everywhere, three services on the Lord's-day, even when
constitutional legality or illegality of the patent for creating thereisbut oaulems officiating minister; but here, with two
clergymen to
Baron PARKE a peer for life. The matter has excited muchlevery church, two services only are
;Aterest, and no small amount of discussion in the various attempted,

in a proper mood
To chide the thunder, it at him it roared ;

but he was disappointed, motions having preference of priority
cccupied so much of the sitting, that the gallant Admiral
had to postpone his long-threated castig,ation of Sir JAMBS
GRAHAM for another week.

During the week several matters, important in a parlia-
mentary sense, have taken place out of doors. Not a few of
the vacant parliamentary seats have been filled up, several of
them re-electing their former, and:a considerable number re-.
ceiving new occupants. At Leeds the Right Hon. T. M.
BAINES was returned without opposition on Wednesday,. as
was also, on the same day, Mr. SAMIIEL WARREN, Q.C.,..f0r
Midhurst. Mr. WARREN is new to parliament ; and in his
address to his constituents, after his election, the learned
gentleman declared his strict adherence to the constitutional
party, at the head of which stands the Earl of DER r,._ In
the person of Mr. WARREX the electors of Midhurst have
paid a graceful tribute to literature and mental culture by
electing him their representative. To a clear and sagacious
intellect, highly tutored and refined, Mr. WAJIBEN adds
sound religious and political views, warm sympathies, and an
ardent wish to benefit his fellow-men. As an able constitu-
tional and practical lawyer his accession to the legislature .
must prove highly valuable ; but as an honourable and
honoured member of the republic of letters, Us-admission to
the senate must be hailed as a triumph of no. mean or trivial 4
order. The Cambridge University election made favourable
progress ; and, so far as appearances could warrant conjecture,
the return of Mr. WALPOLE was from the first beyond.. the
reach of danger. This was tardily acknowledged by his oppo-
nent. On the close of Saturday's poll, the Hon.. Mr. Dlormali
withdrew from the contest, leaving Mr. WILPOZE master of
the field, and member for the University of Cambridge. The
Edinburgh constituency have indirectly lent their imprimatur
to the promotion of the literary element in the legislature by
the election of Mr. BLA.CK, an extensive and respectable
bookseller and publisher, as their representative, in the room
of Mr. MacauL.s.v, which they did on Friday last.

THE SABBATH QUESTION.