The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-10-09 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

the protection of those laws which they seek, to abrogate
are of an opposite opinion ; in the former, they see
everything to hope ; in the latter, a ready Means for
disseminating the dogmas by which they seek "to disturb
the peace of all this world." The firebrand trio, 1C01391n11.
LEDRII RoLux, and Mezzrxr, through the agency of
the Belgian press, aided, it is sorrowful to say, by some of the
English journals, have issued one of their bewildering dia-
tribes, whose purpose it is to excite a revolutionary_ mania
throughout Europe. This " trumpet-call "to republicanism,
as it is denominated, after announcing the fall of Sebastopol,
recommends a general insurrection all over Europe. It treats
of the enemy's camp as broken up into four—" the Russian
camp, the Anglo-French camp, and the two camps into
which Austria and Prussia divide the smaller states of
Germany." Among these camps it urges, that a common
direction and a practical accord are no longer possible,
and that, under these circumstances, " each people has
now but a single enemy to combat." The document goes
on to say :—" The party," that is, the Red Republicans,
" has need of a common centre of action, a common treasury,
and a common mot d'ordre," and its authors might have
safely added, an " uncommon amount of credulity." An un-
shackled press is really a wonderful instrument of intellect.
That same instrument—which is made at once the mouth-

piece and safety-valve of the most outrageous anarchy, and
the strongest bond of social order; which is alike powerful
in checking abuse and stimulating patriotism; which acts as
an incentive to virtue, and is strong in the resistance of
oppression ; which is the scourge of vice, and the obedient
handmaid of wisdom—is too important to be lightly esteemed.
Ministers may sneer at and demagogues may deride it ; but
while honesty of purpose, well-founded intelligence, and inde-
pendent position are secured for it, the frowns of power and
the seductions of popularity will be found alike futile in their
attempts to divert it from its legitimate functions, as the vigi-
lant guardian of the common weal, and the heroic champion
of public liberty.

An untrammelled and enlightened Press, like that in which
the British kingdoms rejoice, occasionally gives indication Of
a restless jealousy, and an itch for interfering in matters
which, at first sight, are seemingly beyond the pale of its
legitimate sphere of action. One of the remarkable indica-
tions of its value is to be found in the imperturbable placidity

with which, trusting to the press, the general public look on
at matters which, a century or two ago, would have convulsed
the country, raising popular indignation to express itself in
turbulence and noisy dissatisfaction. In these days, the

people trust to having their sentiments, their feelings and
their desires so expressed in the different journals, that Minis-
ters, and those superior to Ministers, may understand them.
The conflicts of journalism have now superseded the conflicts

of masses, and, in their more peaceful strife, the arms of
reason are more potent than those of force. All par.,
ties are benefited by the bloodless contests of opinion,
in which the combatants are marshalled only in an array
of hostile type ; still there are occasions on which it would
seem even this species of interference is officious. Such a case
has just occurred in relation to a presumed arrangement in the
Royal Family. A week or two ago, an averment slipped out
in a German paper, to the effect that the main object of the

visit of Prince FREDERICK WILLIAM of Prussia to the Royal

inmates of Balmoral was to " improve his acquaintance with
the PRINCESS ROYAL," with a view, it was intimated, of fur-
thering the ,accomplishment of a matrimonial arrangement

entered into some years since. The intimation at first seemed
to excite little attention, beyond that generally felt as, to the
singularity of many incidents important to the public inte-
rests of the British Royal Family and Crown first finding

utterance in the columns of German journals. Any allusion
to the subject appeared to be carefully avoided by the English

press, with one solitary exception, that of the Speeleitor. The
matter was, nevertheless, much canvassed in clubs and coteries,
and formed a topic of frequent and earnest discussion in pri-
vate circles. The Times has at last, however, broken silence
on " this very delicate and interesting subject," and, as usual,
in relation to subjects " very delicate and interesting.," the
Thunderer attuned his pipe to the utterance of a tolerably
Stentorian whisper. His denunciations of the indicated "pur-
pose" between the reputed " high intending parties." were
firmly breathed ; they were both loud and deep. The-public
were somewhat taken by surprise at the earnest and emphatic
tone in which the oracle of Printing-house Square forbade the
" banns." As in most other instances, where this potential
monitor condescends to interfere, the reasons for his interfer-
ence were as " thick as blackberries," not the least cogent of
which was an expressed vaticinatory dread that, in the event
of the alleged matrimonial engagement being completed* we
should ere long have the first-born child of our beloved Sove-
reign contumeliously returned to us as an exile ,and a State
pauper. Additional mounds of objection were of coupe also
adduced and duly commented on, not the leOpotent of which
was an expression of general dislike to `! the liouse of 110111 U-
. The game being once started, it was at once
assiduously followed up.. The Globe, doing her holiday.
attire, and bediiened with her most irridOcent smiles- and:
aspect, set herself to wile and- wheedle, a reluctant consent
from the frowning JUPITER. Half in simulated banter, and'
wholly in earnest, she mingled her blandest tones with the
most caustic irony she could muster, hoping thereby to driva•
the irrascible ruler of OLYMPUS from his. opposition. • The.
theme once ventilated, has been zealously followed up. Metropo--

litan dailies and weeklies, and provincial journals- of all orders-
and denominations have joined in full cry, and it will be odd!
indeed, if, through so complicated a cry, the matrimonial net-
is not thrown over the-royal objects of such general solicitude:
One feature, probably not the most commendable, connected
with this discussion is the pretended delicacy with which all<
the pack approach and mumble and mouth the prey instead of
worrying it. The grounds of objection urged against the
Prince it must be admitted are more legitimately chargeable•
against his family than against himself; and although it must
be admitted that of late the policy which has guided the Prus-.
sian court has not been of a very exalted order, still even
bitterest opponents aver that it is dictated by the personal,
feeling of the reigning sovereign rather than the free growth of
either the people or the princes of Prussia.
Of late the public mind has been greatly agitated, and since
the war began it has even been much chafed by reference, to.
the numerous absurdities perpetrated in various branches. of
the public service by a rigid adherence to the formula of an
antiquated and vicious routine. So loud a cry arose- upon
this subject, that a' cabinet was dashed to pieces by the- miler--
beration. On the formation of the new one, all that, theirri,
tated nation was told, would be changed ; merit and common
sense were henceforth to be the tests of admission to, plades of
public trust. How has this promise been operated on.? The
Gazette last week contained a list of promotions in the. army
consequent on the capture of Sebastopol. Three distinguished
Generals have been promoted to the rank of Field. Marshal.
The public, clearly understanding that this-promotion is the
reward of meritorious service, looks at the list, but finds no
name of Crimean reputation there. The three so richly re-
warded are Viscount COMBERMERE, the Earl of STRAyroan,
and Viscount HARDINGE, not one of whom ever set foot in
the Crimea. But, say the sticklers for the routine of promo-
tion, they performed noble service in the wars of fifty years
ago ! No one is inclined to gainsay or dispute that but com-
mon sense replies that they should have had their rewards for
the services performed at the time they were rendered. Such
a mode of rewarding services as that employed in' their case
renders the obtaining of such reward a mere accident of pro-
longed existence. How many of their brave comrades might
have been entitled to take precedence of them in this tardy dis-
tribution of honeur, had the peaceful portion of their lives been
sufficiently enduring ? Nay more, if the accidental outbreak
of the present war had not occurred, would not they also have
sunk into the grave undecorated by those honours which have
been achieved by their 'grandsons ? Such misjudged applica-
tions of reward are most pernicious in their operation. The
'veteran soldier scans with angry eye the ranks which were
once filled by comrades whose bearing, discipline, and
esprit de corps made him justly proud, as he sees them
now re-filled with raw and undrilled recruits, and with
heavy heart learns that the achievements of his own
toil and Sanger and the life-blood of his brother veterans
have only produced the stuffing of the line with beardless
youths and -the manufacture of a tardy hatching of in-
firm old men in the plumage of Field Marshals. Such a
mode of squaring the circle of age may pass for a notable
achievement in the War Department, and Lord PA.NMURB
may hug himself on the discovery that, by having the extreme
of youth in the recruit, and the extreme of age in the general,
he makes up what in mathematical phrase may be termed
the complement of the soldier ; as any two angles which one
straight line makes with another on the same side of it are
together equal to two right angles, his lordship may infer that
a youthful recruit and a serile officer being both on the same
side of the grave, divided by the single line of rank, will be
equal to two goOd soldiers. This" form of Horse Guards and
War-office logic, however, finds favour nowhere else. Rewards
for service are expected to be given for the service, and to the
persons rendering it: The hero who led the forlorn hope in the
assault upon the Redan can scarcely by any sophistry of rea-
soning be looked on as animated by a desire to win a wreath of
laurel for one who acquitted himself valiantly at Waterloo.

A SURPRISING DISCOVERY.—The correspondent of the
Augsburg Gazette at Rome vouches for the truth of the
following story :—" In a box in which he had collected alms,
a friar found a coin of five bajocchi that struck him as being
unusually thick. On examining the coin more closely, he
found that it had only'. a thin coating of copper, which he
gradually and cautiously removed. The holy man exclaimed
11a miracolo,' when he discovered a high forehead—' Santa
Madonna,' when a large beard presented itself—and ' Sant
Antonio,' when he learned by the inscription that the little
painting in his hand was the portrait of Blazzini,"

A READING-ROOM AND WIGHT-SCHOOL FOR
THE WORKING MEN OF KIRKDALE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Sxn,•4 wish, through the columns of your journal,, to
gain the ear and solicit the aid of those who take any interest
in the moral and intellectual improvement of the working men
in this part of the town, and I think this will be accomplished
most effectually if I plainly state the facts of the case, and
also the schenie I. am anxious to see in fulloperation in this
district, leaving it then to the benevolent consideration of
your readers. I find in this township of Kirk_ dale we have
upwards of 12,000 inhabitants, the most part of which are
decidedly of the working class, and among this class I find
that bad habit prevails to an alarming extent, viz.,—the
resorting nightly, after work, to some public-house or beer-
shop, and there wasting the evening in drinking or in dis-
solute society. In many cases I know this is but the natural
consequence of a miserable one-roomed home, from whose
squalid wretchedness the father of the family has been but
too glad to flee. In order to remedy in some way this evil, I
intend opening St. Mary's school every evening during the
winter from seven to ten o'clock, supplying it with all the
journals and magazines of the day, and also, if it can be
collected, a popular library, so as to induce the working men
to devote a part of their spare time to improving reading.
Then, again, I find that, there are *mat number of men in
this township who can neither read nor write, who would
gladly receive instruction during the winter evenings, if it
could be obtained. Therefore, to meet this want, I purpose
having a school for adults three times a week, and, in connec-
tion with both, a monthly lecture upon some popular and
important subject. But all this cannot be done without ex-
pense. I, therefore, beg of any, who may feel disposed to
unite in this scheme, to send donations in the way of
newspapers, magazines, and books, and also in money.
Subscriptions will be thankfully received by me at my house,
1, Grecian-terrace, Everton.—l am, &c.,

T. MAJOR LESTRIL

St. Mary's, Kirkdale, October 8, 1855.

MEMORIAL OF ARCHDEACON BROOKS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Srn,—What monument are the people of Liverpool intend-
ing to erect in memory of their good Archdeacon ? The
answer to this question, I think, ought to be, that they are
intending to do that which is most in harmony with the
feelings expressed by the Archdeacon when he was alive.
I know that he longed for the establishment of GIRLS'
Scnooas, providing a solid and religious education—not for
rich families, for they have the choice of all education—not
for poor families, for charity makes some provision for them—
but for the intermediate families: and not free schools, but
schools in which, on moderate terms; the most really useful
instruction might be combined with Christian teaching and
training;; and I know that such schooleare much needed for
the well-being of this town.
I throw out this hint under the infhtence of the feeling left
on my mind by the solemnity of yesterday; and if it meets
with a response ;.I am prepared to enterinto the subject fully
and at length.-1 am, Sir, your obedient servant,
X. S. Howson:
Collegiate Schools, Oct. 5, 1855.