The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-09-25 00:00:00

THE COURT.

COP;
BALMORAL, Sept. 22.—The Queen and the Pl7ll °`
sort attended divine service in the parish elluhrlie°l
Orathie yesterday. The Marchioness of Ely' toe
tijor
Mary Seymour, the Right Hon. Sir G. GleY'rll4
General the Hon. C. Grey, and Colonel the 1-filledoS,
Phipps, were in attendance. Miss Nightingale neadlee°'
Balmoral yesterday, and had an audience of the

011111/1
REVISION COURT.—The barrister appointed to do tot
list of freemen for the borough, sat in St. Ge°,rgiteth
yesterday. After disposing of a number of 0'
court adjourned shortly after four o'clock.
PRESENTATION TO MR. HENRY T
a-. - '41,,e1.• tote
evening the friends and admirers of this gifted IS olaioti
entertained him at the New Brunswick Ibteclatetoo
square, prior to his departure for the United h'itkesr„
presented him with a superbly bound copy of Supiet t'ji4
A number of literary and dramatic gentleinellutiontio.
honour to their respected friend, and host Wigd alts"
not forget to display his usual good taste, skill, ttr
towards his guests. left 5°,111,
EMlGRATlON.—daThefesrhi3pieNreetwon Bay,Great Brit3in, r
are with i'°tbsSlP
went emigrants. The Hindostan will leave °°;-,rstits„ lbs
on the 20th proximo, with government ein'yothflior'
Sydney, and the Joseph Somes will leave PlYinostuolt
27th proximo, with government emigrants for fiewilte4P-$Ol
Fairy. The Oliver Lang sailed from this Pe,r,t,'ollfr
for Wellington, New Zealand. She had a filit,'"Ø
of bounty emigrants, and a large cargo of goo"' proig;
SOUTHERN AND TOXTETH HOSPlTAL.—Wriosi'lrurekil'gI
SEPT. 24, 1856.—1 n patients :—Discharged : c-perf
Orel sot
relieved, 0; at own request, 0 ; irregular, Ch tS:
entered, 20; under treatment, 69. Out natie„tirer,so
62 ; entered,:47 ; under treatment, 42. Tress " oas O,P
Houghton, Esq. Visitors, Chas. Challinor,
J. Robberds. Honorary haplain, Rev. D. 011,1'101114
Physicians and surgeons for the week, vr•o.
and Mr. Marshall. House surgeons, Mr. g' lid
and Mr. William Townsend. (1410:54A.
PASSENGERS PER S O
. S. NORTH AMERICU,
GRANGE, FROM QUEBEC TO LIVERPOOL.—Miss
Mrs. Spooner, Mrs. Armitage, Miss Stara:llol
Boyce, Mrs. ransay, Miss Wansay, C• -14 r 11,
Wansay, Mr. A. Allan, lady, child, and nura,e,,,potiertn
Mrs. Foran, Mrs. Ferguson and child, Mr. Jour. Prjlit'
lady, Mr. Raney, Mr. Brown. Mr. Laferre, lst;ge.,
Miss Bittridge, Mrs. Bittridge, Mr. Eittridge,.,
* f.,i0051,"
ridge, Mr. P. J. Hamilton, Mr. J. Henton,XJWtotP
J ~7
Mr. G. H. Breston, Mr. J. Cumming, Mr. . a P
C4Y
--Barthrop, Mrs. Standerwick and daughter,
Mr. Figgures, Mr. Holgate, Mr. J. Hutchigell' ‘,44
way, and sixty-six steerage passengers. 1,0701
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.—About seven o'c,..?Ctiktio-„proi
evening, a young married woman, named Bl'e,`"be WO „If
residing at Manchester, made a plunge from "aid (Jiro
of the landing-stage, with the intention of Pllionej flog
to her existence, but, fortunately, assistance wansouerof, 4,10
gr.
at hand, as Robert Clock, one of the men c‘i reac,
the landing-stage, jumped into the river,. an-fsoll ea
unfortunate creature. This is the fifteenth Pel„foti 000,0
the man Clock during a period of nine yesell„,•gbt:o`;#
which has been during the solitary hours 01 01„01,08
them being in the George's gut, and in the det,P;ieti;
and for which he has received the Humane 1;00.-
medal. Surely such brave conduct as this ""
josti7l
Olf
substantial reward.
E 9.
...40110
A TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NORTH P to. 0
was held at the Concert Hall, last night, for_iw.eboo' of
organising a movement to establish a nortneViisol:lolo.
training of pupils for British schools in that '1! 4tt
Principality. There was rather a numerer 0 10 040
On the platform, among others, were t' Oaf':
Phillips, Bangor • Mr. Salisbury, Chester' piridge4
Owen, London; 'Rev. A. Davis, Menai ined
Thomas Jones, Mold ; Rev. David Rohe";00_,•050
Henry Rees, Liverpool. The meeting, erovlOP'ol,
preliminary, and consisted of conversations' a 147,fet1:011
for the holding of a public meeting, the v
public attention and support in favour of .0 th"
Most of the proceedings were carried on 1 „t
language. tirtKifisi
t t
HERRING FISHERY,—The John o' --I 'Oft01)
O
that for some days preceding the 18th, the d in iot Op"
was but indifferent, in Orkney good. 8„11,,,eJ Pf.feld,
greatly improved, though at the last mentwiot Pot or,
season's fishing is not expected. There bageotekoooo6
much reaction in the market, nor is any orP e oblibis,or
is little probability of any advance ; thirty- bat bat • finlibte
been given in a few cases for crown branus+he (I,D pattitt
thirt y-shillings would be readily accepted. onal"ocl
herrings to be disposed of in the district 'ooe OD 0,40
not above 4,000 barrels, which Ireland l'lo 001% roli
\Tvhieek/VotrothraerenterEhenasdi7
tshaeyrse t hwaterdeu reitnn
p!Oy and bi o 0
manned by at least 13,000 to 15,000 ra„eattstn,s.
attvoheerstaehgeehave
hr
iecrlanded
th en
considerablyecarral
lav g 2 iBvOes,aobOoris ""tafsoe2:01°001,00:00:
aildok);
th e that
yield
to the fish-curers considerably above f OP-Teitolr,
boats and nets employed, at an average °,,%;tot o'o 'JP'
worth about £300,000, and the whole elliVe's 0,0,1
fisherman and fish-curers could not be ienast.,„e6pstv'ell
million sterling." In the course Ofthe foreiVhae
thore have been exported from Wick, for 8 000 7
less than 20,000 barrels, and coastwise,
cured herrings,

--...-...---

JAMES GRAHAM AT CARLISLE. 1

THE LATE COLLISION

theirllle East Cumberland Agricultural Society, held
dipper exhibition on Saturday last, af,er which the annual
scut,iler took Place, when Sir James Graham, who was pre-
b delivered the following speech :—The worthy
arene,
has , "Illy Scotch neighbour" (Sir John Maxwell),
s 'ealluded You how objectionable it is to make set
elre„eulles—speeches cnt and dried ready for delivery. I
believe,
agree with him in that opinion, and moreover
'eve, that speeches of that description generally markol.
both
he
Poverty of understanding and want of warmth
"all' For forty years I have been a careful observer of the
agri
theelliture of this country ; and for five and thirty years
e carefully exercised that honourable employaLi,nt—
Illost honourable I have ever been engaged in ; it has
kost ~„
acchtdea
-'ellPied my thoughts, and at all times has most
You, Mr. Vice-
with my affections and feelings. . a
mem-
ber
ntllcan, have described what are the duties of
repress Parliament. You have said it is his duty to
I bay;'B,llt the feelings and wishes of his constitutents.
1104-4,",,aYs endeavoured so to regulate my conduct
hin the
bray -- of Cotamons as to attempt to meet the wis
etaeraistitinents, su'bject to an all pervading rule, thoughe
rev:,,thought it right (subject always to
.ttie accountl t
osej'ered to them) to give effect to the opinions myself
aim iIY entertained. Now, as a member of parliamentt_sae.
141101,1 t
tabelegislator, I can look back with vast sa. i t
tb4ataa a strsiZoegral 'measures I have supported. Fast of
, Part from instance, of the advantage of self-govern-
rortt tk re the executive of the day, I gave my sup-
llten.,,,'e Poor Law Bill,which conveyed to the yeomanry,
theii.-I,ers
, and the city authorities, the management of
ebarge-swin affairs in that particular. All that etime the
o4lld as el' the maintenance of the poor assume an amount
f waPseet most threatening to property. The adro.inistra-
of the ~,, net then in the hands of
note-th ratepayers but in those
Dayers7agistrates, who were esponsible'to the rate.
g°verr, A great and mighty change was effected by the
hal `,
avant of Lord Grey, by the introduction of that
~. Lord ;etorre al that measure I took a par.t,. when a vas
aes Was accomplished, and the adminidstration was
of theerred to the yeomen, shopkeepers, ratepayers
eh count
arges f ry. The change was most asnalunteawrym.
luteat tii. °,,E. the maintenance of the poor are o dTehre-
est-
anger,ia to property has been arrested, and the
ecal• -of po which in my opinion is a pa'ramount
hacklerati or, ~. to . on, has not been negle.cted And again I look
'Thiel, hgnether measure not less important in its results,
agilealta° been, as conceive,
lone of the great causes of
"Pee' Ural improvement throughout England, but more
I:he's hialell 111,Ahis county and upon that change, aisoh,t I
' R: - with t* f t.' n There iset another might y
daLlia alths ooh has taken place which
n-
will sat
is
ac
to
* in I was concerned;
-,,setts „;"411 politics are very properly excluded. from our
eta sinus I cannot help referring to it. mean the
ta-
(io 4,v4th reference to the laws regulating the imports-
to
tottl; torei.e,
cuss a produce. I was long denounced as faithless.tr
fe 5,.-ass to which I belong—l was held up as a trai o
la,, s'lealtup.
of the farmer for support-
that •—as the enemy
mil „„, great change which took place in 1846. I
at 8:1117 refer to that as a proof that it is
tive,'Les possible for members of parliament
to
the ti:ifeet to their own opinions, even in'oppositioent _
2ally peting opinions of those with whom they are p
looking 81elt naeted, and yet have the satisfaction of
a.
, !hilt i-ne believing that they have promoted the permha__
eky shad
of the class to which they belong. I s di
la Donsesetuare than this : you are cultiva tors of the soil,
ample, posse
of well founded prosperity; your. prices are
tuePead,,l,l,l Your Prospects good. Those prices are not
.IPPly.' 11Pon legislation; they fluctuatellupon the
with its
tearert„," the commodity, and rise and fa
reap. / and abundance. No enemy can prevent your
or lag a
the f ,11 abundant harvest; you are in the enjoyment
itrtsehiSaleist prosperity, and, what is of greater value—of
good will of the community. No jealous can
NI raill,u-eXception be taken to the price of the article
and thee',
It is a natural price—your prosperity is ,
. ulax*„-hgendwill of the community attends you. Sir. J. ,eves e'''' lloPes that the Emperor of Russia may reiga 13ao ,_free and loyal people. That he will reign over
at ,131 e, a cordial people, I fully hope and believe.eet
kid 43' Will reign over a free people I do. not expect,
p
%NI, 8/1 agriculturist I do not much desire it e;xfor if
tnllpat thaetda.,nger to a foreigner, one thing is obvious, namely,
the ,Anger must arise from freedom on the part
a sem. enitivators of the soil. Excuse me if I record
t
WiliehltU,eat 'which I read the other day—a sentiment
Itesaut uenoted great and profound wisdom. M
N set,!'
,In visiting England nearly a century ago,. ;area with With the superior produce of England, corn 41Per. -.""' that of France, and he wondered at that
A$
. lolly ~_
s'il ercei • our r climate so very inferior.
thar'W at oneePthat orilinrgsoil was not nearly so good as
b cds .-rodoFrance, and he makes this reflection, ,‘ That the.
then-h ~e of land depends less on the fertility of the solidi
4'l the freedom of the cultivator." o
letter
its,
, general as conceived by him, truer to the
the 11:,; ~ aPplication. Now, just reflect for a moment,
.'"e poite`due Immediate cause of the immense produce of
ealtivat States of America'? Why, the freedom of the
lif,Ccee °li.' What is the distinguishing mark of the
t-e cocictluv the Yeomanry of Cumberland ? The freedom of
arl ad. 4 ar• What is the advantage of long leases
freeaeltalage which I have always contended for. The
;light nu
el the tenant. And I never shall entertain the
_
tlroset aPPrehension of foreign rivalry till I See that alt NY': Passeases that freedom. It is as Montesquieu
Ireekrf en the fertility of the soil, but on the relative
latex?i of agriculture it depends, and it is our boast ht,
,e country especially, we do enjoy to the greatest.
large ~. fair division of the land. There are, it is true,
kreehates in Cumberland, but they are as nothing com-
fiere,,,,With the number of small estates which are the
IvideueltacY Possessions of the yeomanry, and also thete-
ken, Prad use, the growing use of long leases. Gen
ul -
tete, butoUld be sorry to read you a lecture upon agtriceul
1 th
ktllPert.m, ere are three or tbur points to which, wi h. t
-4° tibrricet Without presuming to dictate to those who
Of th__e tit' business so well, I may advert. 1 once at one
critic'? e laeetings expressed an opinion which was i I
criticised i 6 a at the time and which has been condemned.
little 11. N. opinion We ploughed too much, and grazed too
/v,,lliel a-,,":' I Particulary adverted to the circumstance,
',tat i,, aricillturists in Cumberland cannot fail to observe,
oth,,- %en:meting with the southern counties and with
more
Itilli2der and more genial climates we laboured unders
'gore dildvantage—that here the growth of wheat wa
Ildvante,;ci!it and uncertain, whilst we have immensehiere
the higir
.in the growth of green crops and grass.
retQcy
rPriee of
ex-
Meat renders the feeding. of sheep
the
most s. enautlerative, and, next to draining, it is one of
vert,...3-v.rtean
Methods of improving the land. I also ad-
stillßret
Ll° a species of culture which might have been o
4111 tku.erledt to the county. I allude to flax. Gentlemen, I
t olak
fin() 1144, that You grow too much corn, that you graze
~-.4 to your also lam of opinion that the introduction of
f Your to
rotation would be a most valuable change to
ill, eSe:l),,Ping• I speak with confidence when I say that
~," aas,":eenod rotation of five years flax would be found
-tight t;'r,, and that in a large portion of this country it
llsetit.e introduced once in ten years with the utmost
04
spirit tole connection with this subject the name ofe
tDiriteciars a ale whose loss I sincerely deplore, for a more Illbttn thahgriculturist or a more] thoroughly determined
e4tithrto
act
with nevn "red
—14 r.
it° existed. He was quite pre-
mei erthe introduction of flax—to
baclarillsolla4 flax manufactory mill in this immediate neigh-
,," Wolleisl."-and if that experiment had been carried out,
miOreeht" slave been of great advantage t the county. The
/taa sh-"" It Was suk ested the motive forty ecommending it
lies 0 'Blleeted, bitgi
we art! I
18 tht)atte4Bol2 to d if that' scheme had been carried out, I
might
have been transplanted here, whilst
e "PDI ..-- 'Ave had the most advantageous system of
a..., a,
Ileifthhe Most useful manufactory in our own immediate
ealt lath
see are. lad,. and a profitable addition to our ag ith gretite A still hope that it will be carried out. I
tuele lisel„ r facilities in combination for such a purpose in
ety.-"ed liability of companies. I observe that a
aftlaasis Mont to be formed for introducing flax into
°IN ", arid /
eou-."antry foam satisfied that there can be no betterpart
Or 6',3' of c., r the success the eeriment than t e am. 'timberland and the immediate neighbourhood
est . isle
1 . 'tor the One word on another point.
. I am an advo-
leediles. I 8 Utmost degree of freedom in the conditions. of
T.44n,...4 ; de,,aet think it wise to hamper tenants in their
."' Dot still" Ldo th'nk there is too great a tendency to
tai,,rldag.-ati°e! In thlis country.. We have had an awful
LII' Plant tlB a tender plant ; it has become an uncer-
,ere, ia-thand We have only to look across the Channel,
d,.'B of e course of a few years, no less than two mil-
-1.,-,,-ath o,,uar fellow-creatures have paid the penalty of
`"ceitta - cXile for their too great dependence upon that
Pailro4as article If coign ow potatoes, relying on the
iala°,l,t frto°r facility fexporting them, rsu will make the
at41.44/114371(13?1 peirfoetctly sterile. It is a gambling trans-
u on good land, the crop is
t ip°1„,,,13? s4slibtfni and lossl severe. If it is a good crop
44
-I',Veri—es thne laud to an extent which no ultimate
kiXlntiage call co t
acev. ato „IL. 0 mpensa e. I oftterefore, extremely
tile 'en Thens"ooe %age the r th potatoes on a large
glowm satisfied that as one of
rant
tertthiVltleas sof leases grass.n
Cumberlanda it is most impor-
reion - even on the best land there shall be a given pro-
stPaerin-saaorieudtfll,saL a
rconsiderable proportion—laid down
pr
Ur both rtriu e. That is essential to the into-
ta for tl, e landlord and tenant ; I should say
e,llropea,,, '"e tenant than of the landlord. I am about
fellapliae"at.! a toast the health of a gentleman. who is an
polity-" amongst4°of all the most distinguished qualities to be
cl country gentlemen, to the exclusion of all
alllan:lpi,-, euiects. I hold Mr. Howard to be a bright
Z his an English country gentleman. He performs
ie.evaetnbitie'eris in a most exemplary manner, and I know
L.; of any kind except to keep all persons
that they red o.f public situation up to. the collar, and see
d elsor elnain there. He is unwilling to take the collar
'eferns! aril an
not sure that he is far wrong in that
faNernlatlon.
n , But as a country gentleman and a spirited
tarps
t 11- has been carrying improvements almost to
and :D of Saddleback, I know no one who, as a gentleman
lesers,lll/agistrate, an agriculturalist and a landlord, is so
41(4 ng of every mark of respect as the gentleman who.
hi 4113 the chair. 1 healt Ntager h iti I have infiite pleasure in proposing
a umper, and, as a farmer, and an old
ggivenit!? give i bas the Jockey of Norfolk would have

lt,!°,ollNr AND MuRDER.—The Melampus, 44, is on her
Pithead from the Black Sea, and has on board
f re'F Murderers, heavily ironed (two Italians and another
d'llglier), with five witnesses. Those miscreants rose
en the captain of a merchant vessel in the Black Sea, and
14e) vi,, Made their escape ashore in the Bosphorus. They
after much difficulty, captured, and put on board the
131 Pas for security. The case will be brought before
au; Magistrates at Portsmouth, on the arrival of the Met-
h; at that port,

THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY.

ROYAL OAK BURIAL SOCIETY.-
COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION.

TO THE MEMBERS WHO WERE NOT PRESENT AT THE

MEETING ON MONDAY LAST

Fellow Members,—As the society consists of abont 45,000
members, and not more that, 2,500 could have been present
in the Concert Hall on Monday night (admitting that all those
present were members, which is not a fact) it must be evident
that the decision of that meeting is not a fair indication of the
opinion of the members of the society ; I am, therefore, directed
by the Committee of Investigation to explain, as far as possible,
to you who were not present, as well as to the public generally,
the distinctive characters of the minority and of the majority,
at that meeting ; and for that purpose it will be necessary to
analyse, as far as my poor capacity will enable tue, the coin-

ponent parts of the majority; but, before doing so, permit me
to say a few words with regard to tho numbers present. I
believe the Hall is capable of containing about 2,500, or

2,600 persons. The majority claimed against the investigation
and publication of the accounts (the only question upon which
a scrutiny took place) was 80, the admitted majority 30 ;
there was, therefore, of the minority, the number of say 1,200,
in the words of the Liverpool Mercury, " respectable working
men." Of the manner in which they conducted themselves I
shall have a few words to say in a subsequent part of this corn-

munication. Of the majority, there was the number of, say
1,280. Of whom was this number composed ? Was it of the
working classes? I answer emphatically, No. lam not abort
to enter into a philosophical analysis of the population of
Liverpool, nor to attempt to draw the exact line of
demarcation between the working classes, and the

classes above or below them. Such task, if it
be possible or rentable, I leave to abler hands, It is
sufficient for we to gate that there is in this town a large class
of persons who, whether from laziness or whatever cause, do
not work for their living, and who, from their general habits,
dress, and language, and also from their habitations being
interspersed among those of tits working population, seem to a
casual observer to belong to that class. But such is not
really the case. They are amongst them, not of them. The
persons who compose this class are fiequently to be found about
street corners, and often figure before the police-magistrate.
There is another class less vicious, but generally turbulent,
who live by hawking for sale fish, vegetables, &c., who are
intimately allied to the working classes, but yet, I believe, not
of them. There is to be found in this town, and I venture to
say in every large community, a very large class of persons
‘9llO, in dress and appearance, are supposed to occupy a more
elevated position than the working classes, but who mix among
them and who live upon them by chicanery, scheming, and
, fraud—they are generally men of plausible manners, smooth
address, and a wonderful power of " face." These men fasten
themselves upon the institutions of the working classes invari-
ably, and succeed in maintaining their position by sowing
dissensions amongst their dupes, so that while they quarrel
about imaginary differences, these vultures may prey upon
their substance. Such is the character of the men who, at the
present moment, in Liverpool, have, with very few exceptions,
the management and control of the burial societies of the
working classes, and who make common cause against any
enquiry into their malpractices. Of these three classes was the
majority composed on Monday night, with, perhaps, a few mis-
guided men, who were actuated either by personal animosity or
predilection. Such being the roaterialsof which that majority was
composed, can it be wondered at that they scouted all attempts
at investigation ? 'What cared they what became of the funds ?
They were primed for the occasion (whisky bottles being
circulated freely amongst the ladies in the gallery), and would
not insult their benefactors by enquiring what had been done
with the funds of the society. [A large number of these were
not members, which can be proved, if it be thought advisable to
do so.] And now a few words as to the conduct of the " re-
spectable working men" who attended that meeting, to assert
a principle, and to insist upon a full disclosure of the corrupt
practices so long successfully carried on by the management, and
which the advocate of the officers and collectors, Mr. Thomp-
son (who, by-the-by, is himself the secretary of a burial
society) could neither palliate nor deny. I assert, without
tear of contradiction, that their conduct on that occasion would
contrast favourably with that of gentlemen of the middle class,
at many of the meetings of railway shareholders, and even at
the meeting of the meaubers of one of the institutions in
Liverpool, with rather aristocratic pretentious, and certainly
would bear no comparison for turbulence with the conduct of
the merchants of Liverpool at contested elections. It will,
surely, be fresh in the recollection of the public that, not
many years ago, an eminent gentleman was hustled upon the
Exchange flags, by that very respectable body of gentlemen—
the Tory merchants of Liverpool. It could scarcely he ex-
pected that they would sit in stoical indifference, while their
feelings were outraged by the proceedings which took
place upon that occasion, and while the expres-
sion of their opinions and desires was neutralised
by the votes of brawling drunken women, and their sense of
decency shocked by having proposed for re-election the very
men who hadiprevionsly misappropriated their funds; and what
could be nobler than the manifestation of their indignant dis-
gust of knavery than their silence, and respectfully withdraw.
ing from the meeting. I, therefore, with all due humility,
beg to express my dissent from the conclusions drawn by the
chairman, Mr. Martin, upon that occasion, as not warranted by
the premises. In conclusion, permit me to observe thY, though
knavery and chicanery has been successful for the present,
truth and justice will, ultimately, be triumphant. Discuss the
matter calmly in your club rooms, in your social intercourse,
and amongst your families. Do not allow your indignation to
evaporate in noisy declamation or vulgar abuse. Determine
resolutely, each and every one of you, to use your influence to
put an end to the present disgraceful state of the management
of burial societies in this town ; and I pledge myself, on behalf
of the men with whom it is my pleasure to have acted in regard
to this matter, that an opportunity will be afforded you of
proving to the world that you are not the parties blameable for
the disgraceful scenes which have rendered the Royal Oak
Society notorious.—l am, with great pleasure, you:• very
bumble servant, F. M`PnitraPs,
Secretary to the Committee of Investigation.
Liverpool, 24th Sept. 1856.

THE SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY'S
CONCERT.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NORTHERN TIMES.

Sir,—You will confer a favour on many unfortunate pur-
chasers of tickets for the above concert, by inserting the
following facts in an early number of your journal :
The society advertised that the front seats in both gal-
leries at St. George's-hall, where their concert was held,
would be reserved at two shillings each seat, and the
remainder of the galleries be open to the public at one
shilling each. I paid two shillings for a reserved seat, and
had a ticket handed to me duly numbered, and marked,
" Voucher for seat—entrance at south end of the Hall."
On arriving at the south entrance, I was informed by a
man stationed outside, that I must go to the other end. It
was raining heavily at the time, and many ladies
in full dress had to traverse the whole length of the
building with a very partial shelter. This might
have been obviated by stationing the man at the
gate, and preventing cars setting down their occupants.
On entering the
.galleries I found that no seats were reserved
all were taken indiscriminately, and the occupants refused
to give up possession. Many were in the same predicament
as myself, and one gentleman informed me that the person
who occupied his seat exhibited a ticket bearing the same
number as his own, so that duplicate tickets were evidently
issued. We applied to the ticket takers, and other
attendants, for redress, but they refused to interfere, some
saying it would be useless, and others evidently thought the
whole matter too good a joke to be spoilt by any meddling
on their part. We asked for the manager, or secretary, or
some person in authority, and were told that no such
person was in the building. So we had to return to our
gallery, and stand or sit where we could—against and behind
pillars, where we could see nothing and scarcely hear—
although we had paid especially for the privilege of a good
seat. The only redress that now remains is through you, sir ;
and if the members of the Sacred Harmonic Society are
desirous of keeping faith with the public, they will thank
you for exposing the incompetency and mismanagement of
their present officials.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
Liverpool, 24th September, 1850. W. S.