The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-07-03 00:00:00

---LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY.

" Did you, or did you not, oppose, and if you did, what were
your grounds for opposing, this great work ?" (Hear, hear.)
The proprietors, unfortunately, generally held shares in small
quantities, and were therefore completely passive, and the
directors could do with them what they liked—but let the
shareholders, through the council, at least know want their
directors had done. (qe hear.) o,re gentleman, if
he was correctly reported, a directoi of the Lan-
cashire and Yorkshire Company, said he was sent
to oppose it. He hoped the question would be put, and
that the shareholders would get from tho directors what the
grounds of their opposition to that measure had been, by which,
in his opinion, and that of the country generally, they had
materially damaged the interest and the prosperity of their
lines. (Hear, hear.)
The Mayor : The great Western company did oppose.

Mr. Hornby said there could not be the least doubt that the
opp3sition had arisen from the Great Western and the Birken-
head and Chester Railway Companies. He most fully agreed
with Mr. Dover, that nothing could have been more inju-
dicious on their part.

Mr. AldermanHolme : Suicidal. (Hear, bear.)
The proceedings were confirmed.
The Coroner's account, amounting to £29 13s 6d, was
referred to the finance committee.

The Mayor's communicat!ons comprised a letter froni Sir
Duncan Dl'Dougall, acknowledging, on behalf of the officers
of the Royal Lancashire Araery, the vote of thanks which
was passed to them at the previous meeting of the council,

SUNDAY MUSIC.-BAND IN THE BOTANIC GARDENS

A memorial, which has the signatures of Rev. Mr. Banastre,
8.A., Mr. W. Ratbbone, Mr. J. S. Mansfield, Mr. W. Earle,
Mr. R. Shell, Mr. Mather, Mr. J. Wybergh, Mr. J. B.
Smith, Mr. P. Holt, Mr. Melly, Mr. C. Rawlins, and several
other of the leading men of Liverpool, was read. It prayed
the pormissiJn of the council for a performance of a band of
music, which the memorialists intended to provide at their own
coA, in the Botanic Gardens, every Sunday, between the hours
of half-past two and five o'clock.
Mr. Alderman Bennett suggested that as the memorialists
were willing to provide the band they be requested to change
the day, and to fix upon Thursday instead of Sunday.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Alderman Preston moved, that the memorial lie on the
table.

Mr. Alderman Gardner seconded the 'notion, but at the
same time repeated the offer which he said he had made in the
committee, of paying part of the expense of a band to play
twice in the gardens between Monday and Saturday.
Mr. Sheil moved, as an amendment, that it be referred to
the gardens committee. He said he could not conceive any-
thing more conducive to the advantage of the masses than a
system of innocent and rational recreation, which would draw
them from the town on flit:: day they were unoccupied, and
when, having nothing to employ or amuse them, they unhap-
pily frequented the public house. (Hear, hear.) For six
days of the week working men in Liverpool were employed
from an early hour of the morning until late at night, and
having no day for recreation but the Sabbath, it was like a
mockery to talk of providing them with amusement on those
days that they could not attend to enjoy it. They could not
afford to lose the time, and it was worse than a refusal to treat
them with the delusion of providing them amusement on the
week days. There was another proposal of granting a ha:f
holiday to the working classes; but what enjoyment could
they have in such a climate on the half Saturday, during the
greater portion of the year. For six months of the year the
day would be to all intents over at the time they would be
relieved from work, and they, perhaps, would be driven to
spend their spare time on such days as they now did on the
Sundays. He had been happy in reading and hearing the con-
current remarks of all parties on the conduct of the people on
the late public holiday. On that occasion there had been no
disorder • in the town, and it was even remarked by the ma.2,is
Crates on the bench that the charges brought before the court
the next day were less than usual. And that was because the
people were not excluded from taking innocent and rational
enjoyment, and because they were allowed to do what they
pleased, and go where they pleased. On Sundays they were
compelled to remain at home in idleness, and having no other
resource, they went to the public house, and there wasted their
substance and their health. He agreed that it would be a
great deal better if they could induce the people to go to church
and attend to their religious duties, but as they at present stood,
they would not go to church, and the memorialists merely
sought the adoption of another means to save them from being
driven to the pubic house.
Mr. Haydock seconded the amendment.

Mr. Anderson expressed surprise that such a memorial
should be presented when the decision of the council as to
having sacred music in St. George's Hall was so recent and so
marked. Ho readily accorded to the memorialists credit for
sincerity in believing that such performances would be benefi-
cial to the working classes, but he held that the Sabbath was
of divine institution, and that it should not be violated, even
for such a purpose. Ho, however, believed that it would not
have that effect. He believed that the congregation of large
masses of people would have a contrary effect to that antici-
pated by the gentlemen who presented the memorial, and for
these grounds, besides others which he could if necessary men-
tion, he should oppose its prayer.
Mr. Alderman Parker said, that if he got time he could
procure the signatures of thousands of working men to a
memorial against such performances. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Hodso❑ said he regretted that this memorial should
have been submitted at this moment, knowing the temper of the
council. Although it might be the temper of the council to
reject every thing which might tend to elevate the working
man—(cries of No, no)—yes, he would repeat it, although the
council were determined to oppose everything which might
elevate mad improve the views of the working man with
regard to innocent recreation, he would venture to make a few
observations in reply to the remarks of Mr. Anderson and Mr.
Parker. The memorial had been treated upon theological
grounds, and not upon the grounds upon which it should Lave
been treated. If the matter were looked upon merely in a
theological point of view, he would agree that they could not
carry out the object; but it could not be denied that they
were now in a peculiar time. Since the question was last
discussed in that room, lie bad taken the trouble to make a
few enquiries which were necessary to come to a thorough
comprehension of the question. In this country crime had so
vastly increased within. the last twenty-five years, that it
became a moral duty on the part of the corporations and the
parliament of the nation to endeavour by some means,
however simple or great, to prevent, if possible, the amount of
crime from still increasing. Wh it was the principal cause of
er:me? It was admitted on all hands, by philosophers, by
divines, by historians, that crime was produced almost alto-
gether from one source, namely drunkenness, and that more
especially in large towns than in other parts of the country.
Then, what he and others asked was that a different venue, a
different taste, should be given, if it were possible, to the poor
man. As Mr. Sheil very justly told them, Sunday was the
only day when the poor man could take his children to have an
hour, or two hour's, healthy recreation. Why then should
he be prevented from having soma of those comforts which
others could enjoy every day of their lives ? They were told
that the Sabbath day was ordained to be kept holy. He would
ask any one of the gentlemen around him why did ho take his
carriage out on Sunday to church ? (Hear, hear.) Why did
he allow cooking to be done in his house, and give splendid
dinners upon the Sunday ? If he were sincere in keeping the
Sabbath holy, in the sense in which the terms were used, why
did he not remain content with a cold collation and walk to
church ? Why did he not allow his servants to go to church,
and his horses to rest, if the day were to be kept according to
the theological view ? (Hear, hear.) On the ground of utter
inconsistency Mr. Hodson objected to those who would deal
with the memorial merely from that point of view, and sup-
ported Mr. Shell's amendment,
Mr. Aikin agreed with Mr. Hodson in not wishing to
discuss the question merely on theological grounds. They
were all aware that upon theological grounds very eminent
divines differed in opinion. On reference to the memorial,
any one must feel that the names attached to it entitled it to
the greatest possible respect. (Loud cheers.) The name of
Mr, Rathbono, and the names of other gentlemen attached to
the memorial, were identified with everything calculated to
•promote the moral and physical well being of their fellow men ;
and he felt sure that the council would not lightly reject a
document which proceeded from that gentleman, and men of
similar character. (Hear, hear.) He, for one, felt it
exceedingly unpalatable to give a vote in opposition to that
memorial, and he should not have risen then to offer any
remark upon the subject before the council, important as it
was, if he did not feel, in duty both to himself, and to the
friends who signed it, that it would not be satisfactory he
should give a vote withotit assigning the reason which led him
to the conclusion at which he had arrived. (Hear, hear.)
He trusted the time would never come in that council, when
either ties of party or of friendship should bias them
so much . as to lead them to shrink from a proper
discharge of their duties. There were various reasons
why he thought he ought to give a negative to the prayer
of the memorial. He should not venture to touch upon
many which might be advanced—a few would suffice. In
the first place, the request was that music should be intro-
duced at the expense of the memorialists into the Botanic
Gardens, at certain hours upon the Sunday. So far did he
disagree with the gentlemen who sought to put the question
upon theological grounds, that be would rather the word
Sabbath were not introduced at all, but that the more un-
questionable name of the Lord's Day were used, which he
believed the more proper term for a Christian country, (Hear,
hear.) The gardens on the Sunday were exceedingly well
attended already. He was told they were resorted to by as
large a number as could conveniently be accommodated.
(Hear, hear.) If that were so, why should they introduce •
music there to draw people together, who were already resort-
ing there in as largo numbers as could well be received to
enjoy the innocent, the rationa!, and perhaps the dearer to
them, because it was the quiet recreation which was afforded
to them on Sundays already? (Hear, hear.) The me-
morial did not proceed from the inhabitants of Liver-
pool. It proceeded from a certain number of persons,
a small number, although a highly respectable portion of
the community, and he believed that the feeling of
the inhabitants in general was opposed to the intro-
duction of such music on the Sunday. (Hear, hear.) The
members of that council were the representatives of the people
of Liverpool, and he held that they should not be acting in
conformity with their duty to the public, and that they should
be taking a very unfair advantage of the position in which they
were placed, if they thrust into the Botanic Gardens, or any
public place, the resort and the property of the public, on
Sundays, that which might be an amusement to a few, but

which, he did believe, would be exceedingly distasteful, ex-
ceedingly annoying, exceedingly irritating and offensive to a
very larg.: majority of the decent and well-behaved inhabitants
of the community. (Rear, hear.) They had been told by
Mr. Hodson ihat the council was prepared, on every occasion,
to reject whatever tended to promote the moral weli-being
of !he people, with reference to amusements-
Mr. Hodson : On the Sunday

Mr. Aikin said Mr. Hodson now limited his remark, but lie
did not think he had limited it in the first instance. (Hear,
hear.) Even taking the limitation now put Upon it, he was
sorry Mr. Hodson, or any other gentleman, should rise and
address those whom he saw before him with such a remark.
(Hear, hear.) He was sure there was hardly an individual there
of whom Mr. Hodson would not, in his conscience, admit that
he was, td the best of his judgment, willing to make large
personal sacrifices, both of time and money, on Sunday or any
other day, to elevate the moral well-being of his countrymen.
That remark of Mr. Hodson's carried but little force with it.
If Mr. Hodson misrepresented the views of others, and then
replied to them, he was not replying to the arguments of his
opponents, but simply dealing with his ow❑ misrepresentations.
A great (lead had been said about the improvement of the poor
on Sunday, but what became of the other six days of the
week If there was gesat crime and drunkenness in the
country, there were also many counteracting influences which
they wet° all seeking to promote. There were various means
by which they sought to counteract the evils which existed in
society. It was not by the paltry introduction of a band of
music in a place of public resort they could grapple with such
evils. (Hear, hear.) Truly the mountain was in labour,
and out came the little mouse, if a band of music could
counteract all these evils. (Hear, hear.) No means were
more important than the religions instruction given in their
Sunday schools on Sundays. (Cries of hear, hear.) There were
secular means, too, by which they could counteract the
growth of crime. On his left was the chairman of the education
committee. (Hear, hear.) What means were more calculated
to afford the people rational resources for enjoyment than to
teach them to read and write, so that no time might be heavy
upon their hands ? (Hear, hear ) He teeretted the chairman
of the water committee was not there. An abundant supply
' of water, so that the stream should flow into every court, and
that water should be found in every cottage, was another means
of Counteracting the misery and the vice which were found
among the lower classes of society. (Hear, hear.) Crime
was found to a great ex ent to be identical with misery and
with poverty. In proportion as they improved the dwellings
, of the poor, as they brought good water and a pure atmosphere
around them; all the causes which tended to the growth of
exit-no would diminish. (Hear, hear.) Ile thought Mr.
Hodson and the gentlemen of the health committee were doing
far more in promoting good sanitary arrangements to check
the progress of drunkenness and crime, than by advocating the
introduction of music on the Lord's day. (Hear, hear.) One
other argument he should use was this—lle did not think it
was a light thing to violate the opinions, the prejudices,
the religious sentiments, or whatever they might choose to
tall them, of the people. (Hear, hear.) It was not as easy
a thing to perceive, as they could, the material objects around
them, but whenever men were brought into conflict with etch
other, and the contest wag erne involving religious opinions,
they soon found that it was one of the rtidat powerful motives
which could animate and agitate mankind. (lime, heat.)
Therefore, they should be very careful indeed how they intro-
duced such discussions into the council room. They might
act as they liked individually out of doors, and carry out
their individual opinions in different directions, but they had
various duties to perform of a business-like character in that
room. They had quite enough to do there without making it
a battle field of the Sunday contest. (Hear, hear.) Let
them leave that contest to be fought elsewhere, content each
in his individual capacity, to carry out his own views as he felt
his judgment and conscience urge him, whilst they reserved to
themselves the calm and undisturbed right of discharging their
duties there without any vielent, religious, or party question
to interrupt them, (Cries of hear, hoar.) Mr. Aikin con.
eluded by giving his support to the original motion.
Mr. Clint opposed the prayer of the memorial, on the
ground that it would invade the sanctity of the Sabbath.
Mr. Alderman S. Helms regretted that such a memorial
should have been presented, because it should result in a
theological discussion, and would render it difficult to preserve
that temper and propriety of language with which every subject
of importance should be discussed by them. Mr. Shell based
his advocacy of the memorial on the ground that, if they had
such a band of music in Wavertree-park, they would draw the
masses from the town to it; but they had been told that the
gardens were, at the present time, overflowing on Sundays with
working men, who, very properly, tuck advantage of the
afternoon, after having attended divine service, to take a quiet
walk with their wives and children, and see the beauties of
nature—an enjoyment which, unfortunately, the working
classes were prevented from experiencing on any other day, in
consequence of the necessity of their labour during the week.
But they had a greater source of recreation in Liverpool than
in, perhaps, my other town—they had the attractions of the
river, and the beauties of the Cheshire shore, and these were
greater objects of attraction than any amusement which any
body of gentlemen could provide for the people. He was no
friend of legislative enactments on this subject. He would not
press hard on any man who would prefer to go into the country,
or spend his Sabbath in any other way he pleased, that being
a matter between his conscience and his God ; but when he
recollected that a society was established in London, with
branches throughout the country, for the purpose of abrogating
the Sabbath altogether, he could not conceal from himself that
an attempt was about to be made to agitate the public mind on
the subject, and that municipal bodies were being selected as
the means for doing it. It was with that view that a large
memorial came before the council, some time ago, for the
purpose, he then said, and which ho would now reiterate, of
getting the legislative sanctio❑ of a legislative body to do that
which. he trusted, never would be done in this Christian land,
namely, the sanctioning the abrogating of the Sabbath day.
(Hear, hear.) But, taking it in a lower ground, he should
contend that they could not draw the masses out of the town
by giving them simply music on the Sunday. Mr Shell com-
mented on the observations of one of the magistrates, wills
reference to the conduct of the people on the day of public
rejoicing; but the use which it was now soueht to snake of such
remarks showed him bow very careful they should be in
positions of responsibility, because there were those
watching to make use of every trifling word which might
fall from them to establish a dangerous principle. He knew
more of the working classes than either Mr. Shell or Mr.
Hodson, and ho would vouch for it, that such of them as
frequented public houses, would not be broken of their evil
habits by Sunday music. They might go to hear the band,
but they would be certain afterwards to adjourn to the
tavern. Let them have music in the Park—let them con-
gregate there in very largo crowds, and they would be sure
to have the present public houses i❑ the vicinity constantly
full, and also numberless applications for licenses in the same
locality. The memorialists were no doubt benevolent gen-
tlemen, and actuated by a good spirit, but did they suppose
that the residents in the neighbourhood were not at all to be
considered in the matter ? Did they suppose that such a
performance would be tolerated by the clergymen and con-
gregation of Edge-hill Church?—that they would suffer a
sort of opposition set up, as he might call it, by the Devil
himself, for the purpose of tempting the people from church
and prayer on Sunday ? It would be a strange way indeed
to improve the morale of the people by giving them a facility
for breaking the Sabbath day, and yet that was what the
memorialists professed to be anxious to do. It was said that
the present was a peculiar time in this country. It certainly
was a peculiar time, and one which gave him great pain
when he saw such attempts made to abrogate the Christian
Sabbath. Those who made those attempts were doubtless
honest and sincere in their convictions, but so were he and
those ,who agreed with him—(hear, hear)—and, while enter-
taining such strong conscientious feelings, he should oppose,
by every means, the introduction of that which, he believed, '
would soon reduce England to the same position as Rome
and other Sabbath-breaking cities.
Mr. Fernihough also expressed his opposition to the prayer
of the memorial, but at the same time gave the memorialists
every credit for benevolence and good intentions.

Mr. Bradley followed on the same side, and urged that the
moral improvement of the people would be best effected by
the improvement of the sanitary condition of towns, and
particularly the localities inhabited by the working classes.
The amendment was then put to the vote, and lost by 3 to
29. The voting was as follows :—For the amendment :
Councillors Richard Sheil, Roger Haydock, T. Llewelyn
Hodson-3. Against the amendment : Councillors Daniel
Crosthwaite, Thomas D. Anderson, John Woodruff, Edward
Bradley, Thomas Godfrey, Charles Turner, James Tyrer,
llugh Hornby, Joseph G. Livingston, Harmood Banner, John
C. Fernihough, John Gladstone, jun., Alexander Shand,
Thomas Wagstaff, John Lawrence, John B: Brancker, Joseph
Kitchen, Francis A. Clint, John Aikin, James Robertson,
Matthew Gregson. Aldermen : William. Bennett, Thomas
Bold, Thomas Dover, James Parker, Richard C. Gardner,
Thomas Toulmin, Samuel Holme. The Mayor-29.
A few memorials, including one from the directors of the
Hebrew Educational Institution in Hope-street, were referred
to the health committee.
The Council then broke up.

Later advises from Melbourne mention the arrival at
that port, on the 2nd April, of the Earlof Sefton, Capt.
Noble, from Liverpool, with the London mail of the 19th
December, on board ; and the Oliver Lang, Capt. Men-
del, also from Liverpool, with the London mail of the
7th January.
AN AMATEUR FEMALE AERONAUT.-011 Monday there
was a balloon ascent from Cremorne Gardens, London.
Prior to the ascent a little incident occurred which caused
some amusement and excitement in the balloon circle.
It appeared that a lady and gentleman who felt a desire
to navigate the air and enjoy a panoramic view, which
nothing but a balloon trip can give, and who were present
to make arrangements for a trip on Thursday next, sud-
denly came to the conclusion " that there was no time like
the present," and both made applications for seats, but
unfortunately one only could be accommodated, and the
spirited determination of the lady prevailed over the
timid fears of the gentleman, the fair one was instantly
handed to her seat amidst the cheers of the visitors. A
few minutes sufficed for preparation, when the " Prince of
Wales" bore away in triumph, an excellent impersonation
of the goddess Flora. Within an hour and a half from
the time of aseen; the lady joined her friends in the
gardens, declaring that language failed her in describing
the novelty, the magnificence, and splendour of a balloon
trip