The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-04 00:00:00

I .7? EI A ND.

THE Earl of Listowel had a narrow escape last week. His
lordship had a large trap constructed for destroying foxes in
Convamore ; this was so well and ingeniously concealed that,
having- walked on it unawares, he was very nearly trapped
himself. In his efforts to escape from being tumbled into
the pit under the trap-door, his lordship dislocated his shoulder.
Two more agrarian murders have been perpetrated in the
county of Armagh. In the first case, a man named Grant, a
farmer, was barbarously put to death at a place called Silver-
bridge, between Newtownhamilton and Crossmaglen, by a
number of ruffians, who battered his brains out. The cause
of this fiendish outrage is said to have its origin in some dis-
pute about land.—The other victim was a man named Murray,
whose murder was accomplished on the road between New-
townhamilton and Keady, on the same evening. Deceased
had been at the fair of Newtownhamilton. As he was return-
ing to his home, he was surrounded by eight or nine persons,
who assaulted him with so much violence that his death re-
sulted. Several individuals have been arrested on suspicion.
DEATH OF COLONEL BLACKER.—The papers announce the
death of Colonel William Blacker, J.P. and D.L., of Carrick-
house, Armagh. The deceased, who was in his 81st year,
formerly filled the office of Deputy Vice-Treasurer of Ireland,
and was, perhaps, one or the oldest members in connexion
with the Orange Institute in Ireland. He held the command
of the Armagh Militia for a number of years, but feeling the
infirmities of age, he resigned the post to younger hands on
the recent embodiment of the corps. In early life Colonel
Blacker served in the line, and for some time held a commis-
sion in the 60th Rifles, when styled the " Royal Americans."
His extensive estates devolve on a nephew, Mr. Stewart
Blacker, of Dublin.
THE BIBLE BURNING.—The charge of burning the Holy
Scriptures, brought against Father Vladimir Pecherine (a
native of Odessa), was heard on Wednesday at the Kingstown
Police-court. It was proved that the priest hired two boys
with barrows to wheel out into the chapel-yard a large quan-
tity of books, amongst which were copies of the Old and New
Testament and the Protestant Prayer-book—that the heap
of books were burnt in his presence, and that scorched frag-
ments of the Bible were picked out of the burnt mass by two
or three persons; but there was no positive evidence that he
ordered the destruction, or that he was cognisant of the fact
of Bibles and Prayer-books forming part of the condemned
stock. The boys supposed that they were burning a lot of
novels and other bad books. There being no defence entered,
Father Pecherine was bound in recognisances —himself in 2100
and two sureties of 2.50 each—to abide his trial at the next

commission.—Apropes of this Bible-burning scatrial, the sub-
' ,sect was warmly discussed at a meeting of 3leath priests, held
at Kells, on Saturday week,. for the purpose of taking men-
' sures to insure the return of Bishop Cantwell's nominee. The
chairman upon the occasion was the Very Rev. Mr. MiTvoy,
a namesake of the popular candidate, who was also in attend-
ance, in order to make a full confession of his politico-religious
faith. Aftersome preliminary remarks, of the ordinary character
of all electioneering speeches, the Kingstown auto do
came under the notice of the very rev. chairman, who said)-
" We have seen those pious and learned and laborious ministers;
who have. within the last few weeks given the benefit of that
priceless blessings of their ministrations-tothepeople of Kings--
town, those ministers of the altars, thosersanctified servants of
the Lord about to be sent into the dock upon a charge which
these good' men have again and again declared to be false.
(Hear, hear;): Would you know what it the nature of that
charge is' that of committing to the flames a thing which
pretends to bet'he Bible, but which is a vileand blasphemous
perversion and corruption of the Word of Gods It is for com-
mitting to the names a volume which, if I myself;-in the absence
of Attorneys-General and Solicitors-General,. were going to
commit to the Carnes, I should take it up witirta pair of tongs
for fear of soiling my fingers (tremendous cheering), and so
with the tongs would I hurl it into the consuming fire !
(Renewed cheering.)"—The Newry Examine-, supplies the
following information with respect to the missionaries whose
names are so disag,reeably associated with the recent proceed-
ings at Kingstown. It is almost superfluous to menden that
the Newry paper is a fierce champion of the Romanist party.
" Father Vladimir Pecherine; the priest charged with burning
Protestant Bibles at l ingstown, is a Russian by birth;. and
a native of Odessa. The- other fathers of the same order are
also foreigners, with one 'or two Szceptions. Fathers Bag 4.-
enosas and Vanderaa are-Belgians, Fathers Theunis andiLeont
are Greeks, Father Bagsliatt is. as Englishman, and Father
Harbison an Irishman, endive believe a native of Dungannon..
The Irish house or convent'af the order is at Limerick, antlif
tbis.proeecution were carried out in that city it would require
all the troops in Ireland to-suppress. an insurrection theme;-
such is the reverence in which thesepriests are held by tbet
people at large. Even at Kingstown things look bad enough
abeady. Their chapel is operpfromt6ereloek in the morning:
411.9, at night, for the accommdation of the working people;.
and at every hour of the day iivrowded with devout worship
per!: It its rather unlucky that Ithetonly member of the order,
who is a Russian should be the clan against whom this prose--
cation, is directed, for it will excite Russian. sympathy in the.
people. Oh the whole we consider it a most indiscreet prose-
ci.Wcin,;: for it will create a general; feeling- of inaignation
throughout Ireland, which will mat be allayed, far a long time, ;
and, perhaps not without unpleasant consoligences:'
RI:M[I,Am og AILTAR DE rquivost.rioss—ile the advertising
coluanns of the Freemun's Journail-theretappears a long let-
ter, addressed to the inhabitant- of: Navan;. by Mr. Charles
Farrell; a, Dublin auctioneer of semeenoterand. a member of
the RoMish, Church. As an elector,of thelounty of Meath,
Mr. Farrell,. it seems, was presumptrApris• enough to imagine
that, wltilout compromising his religions opinions, he was at
liberty to;record a vote in favour ofTMr. Meredith,. the Liberal
Protestant candidate, to whom individually he—was-under many
heavy obligations. How far Mr. Farrell•wasaetray in his ro-
mantic notions cf freedom of electiiremay be judged by the
following:extraet from his appeal tce his fellow townsmen r—
" 26th Nmennlier, 1855.
_ _ _

"Haviiiwattended at the eight o'cliack-massyesterday morn-
• • 4. - ---1-1-aiunation when
I found myself obliged quietly to listen: forhalfam hour to a
most uncharitable and unmannerly tirr.de from thealtar, deli-
vered by the- ofhiciating priest, the Rev:. Mr..Bleirer who de-
nounced,. through, all the moods andi tenses, of Billingsgate,
every man,-and. myself in particular—for daring,: to. support a
Protestanttandidate for the representatien of -your- eotuaty in
preference to a.Citholic nominee of Du:_Cantwelk Disgusting
and scaricklons. as the Rev. Mr. Blak-o'ilaranguewas, I am
assured, brpersous who attended the subsequent masses, that
the language; of" Bather Callerl was avers worse,. so much
that sonce•of ithe. congregation left the -chapeli foaming with
rage, behremass• was over, rather than .listen tat such filthy
declamatihniifrom. the altar of God. Giese political; sermons
have madiaa sufficient impression on yeurminda without recall-
ing them, al•tiny length to your recollection; . bat a> few elegant
extracts mad,, not be, however, here eutiof plats), Toos were
told to ha-ware-of the craft of Mr. Merstlyth's supporters, as it
was usualbiuti night time they went; about; earmassing, like
prostitutes-and thieves, ashamed of their; open day—
that you the calling or business: which each, of. these fol-
lowed, aid. ew should not employ foe the -futureany- person
who would tiresome to beard the bishop, in his own, parish, for
it was 'his.welliknown wish that they- should rote•for and re-
turn a Cat hblio;.rs.ther than the best Ptotestantimalli the land ;
and after desiring the people to kneell dawn 'to .holy- e'ommu-
.nion, the Ray...M.r. Blake again bethought hitaselt.fer, with
the chaliest,partLy in his hand, he announced; that a special
train had. been hired to convey the parishioners.of Navan to
the meethawthat day in Kells, where-Ili:was the.desire• of Dr.
Cantwell, they should meet in thousands.. Smarting-with in. during the delivery of this- unhallowed: and uncon-
stitutionaLtlennaseiation, I thank Gad :I'.refrained„with consi-
derablediffitulty, from replying in thachapelloithe. misstate-
ments I wasobliged to listen to ; nar;can Iliope-that an appeal
of miria-toithe bishop will obtain me Any redraskseeing- that
these sacnus,are enacted in his ownparish,. andi in no other
througlithediecese,—of course, by\ lie...speeiall command and
authority:. I have no other way ellen to me,,therefore, to yin-
dicate. my cause- and my characterthan: to address you thus
and,. if scandal cometh from, this,publicatimi, let the
sin he.visited an the man who threw, the first stone within a
conseerated, bailing, where the accused halnopow.erof reply.
It is.someconoolation to know that tyranny, of this kind is op-
posech,by the edicts and canona...of our hold* faith;. and in any
other dlecese would not go unpunished for atsin,gle•nuartent."

AL 7 EVE]) REACW-TIVEG/0077ATIONs.

FROM TUX PR ~:S.)

the last twelve days Her,MajpilliS govehrdoent have
keen baslWiy, negotiating peace on Perini& deemed by the
oaperor of the French ta,be•satiVeastory,; and thus, if the
present prospect of peace be, defeated by any aches on our
• part,. Her Majesty would ihßve,.to diasolve parliament, not
against- Mr. Gladstone, orreven, against Mr. Disraeli, but
against the Emperor Na-of:demi ; .and the politic issue before
the poepile of England WlNaki he, whether they would carry on
the• war against Russia without the eeneurrenee, and against
the advice of our great, our prudent, and: mar faithful Ally.
The proposals for peace, have certainly nth been delivered to
the Emperor Napoleon; by the.Faissian minister at Paris, for
there is none; nor, we,.scarcely. need add, have they arrived
film St. Petersburg by, the pest.. But proposals for peace
have been submitted ,to the Emperor of the French, and
approved by him. Itis.quite unnecessary to state by the inter-
vention of what government this took place ; whether ty,
Sweden or Belgium., or, some other power. We shall not be
•
piqued into communicating. what may be inexpedient, tp
satisfy the enricatyof our less,informed contemporaries. They,
will scarcely pretendthat either the French or the British,
government, after, what passed at Vienna, would revive nego-
tiations without not only an assurance of the sincerity,. but of
the practiestk sincerbly, of Russia. Accordingly, after a
period of aetlye communications between Paris and London,
our readeramay rely that, on Monday, the 19th of Nownnher
last, the pivposals to reopen negotiations for peace, on, `csatis-
factory" terms, were formally delivered to the British, Govern-
ment, andthat, in consequence, a Cabinet Council was, slam•
moned,; and sat the. next day (Tuesday) for upwards, of three
hours. on, the sulaiect. From that moment until. the.preseut,
unceasing communications have taken place between all par-
ties: and powers interested, and, we have rewen, to believe,
with a far more favourable effect than in our last number we
presumed to anticipate.

DECREASED. CONSUMPTION OF BEER.7—Thelarge decrease
in the use of beer, shown within the last two years, cannot be
attributed to the increase in the quantity of any of the other
articles, even taken together. Beer has fallen off about
74,664,094 gallons. Now, by a liberal; calculation, reducing
coffee, tea, and cocoa into liquid measure, reckoning 11b.
.weight to make a gallon liquid, the increase, including. the use
arum and British spirit, does not exceed 17,430,414 gallons.
THE American merchant ship Spitfire, of 1549 tons register,
put into Plymouth Sound on Wednesday,. in consequence of
strong easterly winds. She left Foo-Chow-Foo for London
on the 24th of July, with a cargo consisting of 1900 tons of
tea. contained in 18,000 packages, and valued at about
£250,000. On the 23d of August she anchored in the Straits
of Alias, and in consequence of the strength of the current
the chain was brought under the fore foot and keel, which
tore off the copper and strained the ship so that in four hours
there were 22 inches of water in her. Undaunted by this
leak, and notwithstanding he was short-handed, Capt. Aire!,
proceeded on his voyage down the coast towards Anjer. The
pumps were kept going, the ship was trimmed by the stern
one foot more than the ordinary draught by bringing the
cargo aft, and sail was shortened when by the wind, so as to
keep her upright, and prevent damage to the tea. In this
conditioh she passed the Mauritius, encountered a heavy gale
off the Cape of Good Hope, and put into St. Helena with the
crew sick on the 7th of October. Here the United States'
consul and others considered that the cargo should be dis-
charged and the ship repaired, but the agent for Lloyds, who
went on board and examined her, the pumps, and log-book,
and questioned the officers, gave the captain written autho-
rity to continue the voyage. Additional hands being engaged
to make the complement 40—officers and men all told—the
Spitfire left the island on the 9th of October, and is now in
the Sound, the leak not having increased or decreased since
she left the Straits of Alias.