The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-09-03 00:00:00

THE

E3tablished Church are numbered. The ruin may set in
through the rapacity of some amongst our prelates contrasted
with the penury of some among our hard-worked curates.
These may be the weak points through which a people's
anger may first make the breach ; but the real emptiness of
the vessel—the real hollowness of our theology—the irra-
tional system of teaching the dead letter of other men's
formularies instead of preaching to living men's heads and
hearts from truth, as it is seen and felt in life and in the
Bible—this is the real, and this is the only real weakness
that threatens a collapse, not of Christianity, but of that
lurch of onr nation which we love and which we would fain
1. Thus essential to our church's existence and
is well as essential to the raising and purifying of
- —as well as indispensable to the legitimate progress
s Gospel, do I hold a free study and a free teach-
an 1 scriptural theology. I
reasonable, intelligent,
say that it would be well for us at once to tear away
from the national church all the restraint which our present
mpose. This relaxation—especially if suddenly

mankind-
of Christ')

troduced

to a dangerous and most undesirable
reaction of rash thought and unwary discussion ; but I do
say that the Creeds and Articles must be most liberally
interpreted—that the utmost width of opinion which will
bear itself to be restrained within the limits
of the Articles, when those Articles are interpreted, as they
themselves say they should be, in accordance with the
broad and many-sided truth of Holy Writ—that the ut-
most practicable freedom of theological investigation and
instruction is indispensably necessary for the preservation
and welfare of our national church. It is because I recog-
nise in your address of sympathy for me, and in your
whole proceedings on this subject, an appreciation of this
the church's need of truth boldly sought, freely uttered,
and lovingly received—it is because I see that you are
bent on promoting such a safe and wise policy in things
ecclesiastical—it is because I understand you to mean this,
end no less than this, by your address and testimonial—it
se broad and public considerations that I espe-
most unselfishly rejoice. That any number of in-
ers of the English establishment should be
erate, in such a spirit. for the strengtheninl,
on her proper scriptural basis, would be a

spectacle affording to me the purest gratification wherever
it might be presented ; but that such a movement should
take place amongst you, my friends, to whom it is my
duty and m♦ pleasure to be a suggester of thought, in
hopes that we may, by thought, be led to truth—in this I
glory as in one of the greatest earthly happinesses which
I can conceive of as falling to the lot of any Christian
minister. On this ground, then, even more than on those
personal considerations to which I have already alluded,
I tender to you my heartfelt thanks. God speed us all.
May we have from him the increase of faith, hope, and
charity. May we learn to be more tolerant towards those
who differ from us. May we learn to be more diligent,
fearless, and candid in our pursuit of the truth as it is in
Christ. May we be very zealous about our Master's work
wherever we shall perceive that it calls us : and thus,
with reference to the grandest of human vocations, may
we realise and exemplify those words of a true poet
Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate ;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.
The Rev. Gentleman, throughout, and at the conclusion of
his address, was most enthusiastically applauded.
The Rev. William Wilkinson moved the thanks of the
meeting to the committee, for the manner in which they had
carried out the wishes of the congregation. He expressed
his hearty concurrence in all that had fallen from the
chairman and Mr. Unwin, in reference to Mr. Macnaught
and his labours in the ministry, and declared that, as a
Christian minister and true Englishman, he heartily
sympathised with him in his trials.
The resolution was unanim,,usly adopted.

Air. Birch replied on behalf- of the committee, and
vindicated the congregation of St. Chrysostom's Church
from the charge of heresy.
Mr. Braga moved the than' s of the meeting► to the
chairman, for the manner in which he had presided over

them.
The motion was unanimously adopted, after which the
meeting separated.

THE FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION

The day for the weekly meeting of this association has
been changed from Saturday to Thursday afternoon, with a
view to the greater convenience of members, and the ob-
taining of a more regular attendance. At the meeting on
Saturday last, Mr. Francis Boult was deputed to attend the
Free Trade Congress, which is to assemble at Brussels on
the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of the present month, that gentle-
man having most handsomely volunteered his services; and
it being obvious that the substitution of direct for indirect
taxation—one of the two grand objects of the association—
presents the only means of obtaining perfect freedom of
trade. The probability of a reduction of taxation next year,
and the certainty that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will

select the Property and Income 'Fax for his operations in
this wly, if left to himself, have been discussed, and the
propriety of a decisive expression of opinion from the mer-
cantile and manufacturing classes in favour of a reduction of

customs and excise dutis in preference, has been urged, it
being capable of demonstration, that by reductions of prices
consumers will save the amount of their tax, whilst to the
community generally the benefit from the extension of
commerce and manufactures, consequent on reduced or
abolished imposts, will be incalculable. The council has
been recently favoured with the views of Lord Stanley on
the subjects of Taxation and Financial Reform. In a recent
letter to the secretary, his lordship says:—" I agree in the
preferability of direct over indirect taxation if two conditions
be conceded—the first, that of equality between classes,
which, by the capitalisation theory, seems attainable ; the
second, that of accurate knowledge by government of the
amount of private incomes, which I know no means of
attaining. It is this latter difficulty, more than the former,
which prevents many public men from acceding to the prin-
ciple of a large extension of direct taxation. With regard to
economy on the administration of the national
funds, most reasoning persons are agreed up to a certain
point. In reference to the military and naval expenditure,
the Association have it in their power to do good service by
showing that a large price is not necessarily an efficient one,
or an efficient price necessarily a large one ; that the chief
colonies are capable of contributing more largely than they
do to their own defence in time of peace ; that a militia
may at all times furnish, at small cost, a large reserve for
the army ; and that a smaller number of officers may do
the duty now performed by a larger number, if they be
made to study their profession, and if more idlers be ex-
cluded. In the civil service, I believe, the reform most
wanted is to open it to competition, which will enable the
government to dispense with a considerable portion of those
employed, and to pay the rest suitably." The council has
determined that the next tract shall be devoted to the fiscal
proceedings of the last session, with a view to show the
absolute necessity of the appointment of a permanent finance
committee of the House of Commons, now the only body in
the country which leaves the levying and expenditure of
public money entirely in the hands of paid officials,

)3ESSEMER'S pATENT

A. further experiment on Bessemer's plan of converting
pig into malleable iron, without the intervention of the
puddling furnace, took place on Monday the Ist instant,
on the premises of the patentee. St. Pancras, in the pre-
sence of some sixty or seventy gentlemen c,nnected with
the trade, from Wales, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, &e. The
metal experimented upon was No. 2 Blaenavon cold blast,
a quantity of which was melted in the common cupola, and
from thence run into the refining furnace—the blast having
just previously been turned on, and which w s kept at a
pressure of nine pounds to the inch. In a very short time,
viz., eight minutes, the stream of cAd air thus passed
through the fluid metal, caused it to commence boiling ;
in ten minutes more it was boiling furiously, throwing of
quantities of scoria, with a slight explosion like the errup-
teen of a volcano—in twenty-three minutes from the first,
the flame emitted showed the metal to be of a white heat,
and in twenty-six minutes, the whole of the carbon was
consumed, as was immediately perceptible to the eye and

ear, the flume and noise having ceased in a moment.
The metal was then run out, but owing to a slight acci-
dent, it was impossib!e to ascertain the loss by the process.
The produce was, of course, the subject of much curiosity,
this being, according to Mr. Bessemer, malleable iron,
ready for rolling into any desired form of rail, bar, &c.
There was a good deal of difference of opinion among those
present as to the truth of this, some thinking that the
experiment had resulted perfectly, and others, and more
CuUtiollB and practical men, thinking that the result was
only a sup( rior description of refined metal. From the
fracture:the writer is inclined to take this view himself ;
but even then a very great step had been made, as to make
refined metal, without the use of any fuel whatever, and
consequently at a greatly reduced oost. and of immensely
improved quality, is a fact of the greatest importance, and
may be of immediate use to tin-plate makers, wire-iron
m ikers, &c. Without doubt the invention is most valuable,
and will no doubt in time accomplish all that is claimed for
it. Jt was stated on the ground, that an eminent firm in
Wales had, unknown to the patentee, been making their
own experiments, and were so satisfied with the result, that
they have taken a license for fourteen years from Mr.
Bessemer, paying him XlO,OOO, cash down.—Correspondent.

ALLSOP'S WAX-WORK EXHIBITION, TEUTONIC-HALL,
LIMB-STREET, LIVERPOOL.—DOVE, THE MURDERER.—Thee
only correct likeness of this criminal is to be een at th
above exhibition, and is placed by the side of Palmer. Both
these poisoners are full-length, and are acknowledged by all
to be perfect likenesses. They are surrounded by upwards
of 100 wax figures, large as life; together with 500 statues,
busts, casts of heads, &r, • &c.; also a great number of
Stereoscopic and other views. The proprietor begs to state
that the likeness of Dove and Palmer are most positively
the only true ones taken. Palmer was modelled by Mr.
George Ewing, of London, during his trial at the Old
Bailey; and a sketch of Dove was taken by Mr. John
Storey, of York, and afterwards modelled expressly for Mr.
Allsop, by Mr. William Leland, of Liverpool. Open from
ten, a.m., till ten, p.m. Admission, Sixpence. A quadrille
band in attendance. Observe the name of Allsop's Wax-
work on the two lamps over the entrance.

NORTHERN TIMES.--

SELECT VESTRY.-YESTERDAY

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Select Vestry
was held at ten o'clock yesterday, in the Parish Offices,
Brownlow-hill. The chair was taken by Mr. Church-
warden Woodruff. The other members present, were—
Messrs. Bairstow, Owen, Chesney, Mellor, Gardner,
Denton, Whitty, Bold, W. Jones, Satchell, Shaw, Syred,
Crellin, Taylor, Critchley, J. Jones, Luff, Jackson,
Brancker, H. Jones, and Smith.

WORK HOUSE COMMITTEE,

The minutes of this committee were read. It appeared
that the numbers admitted during the week into the
vagrant sheds were 287 males, 71 females, and 30 child-
ren—in all, 388. The number of sick cases in the house
on the 27th ult., was 480, including 16 fever and 37 itch.
The total number of inmates in the house on the 27th
ult., was 1,946.

Air. Shaw moved the confirmation of the minutes,
which contained nothing of importance, except the
appointment of a committee to consider the propriety of
abolishing the lock wards within the walls of the work-
house.

The proceedings were confirmed

INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS COMMITTEE,

The proceedings of this committee were read, and
contained no matter of public interest.
Mr. W. Jones moved the confirmation of the pro-
ceedings.

A sh-ort conversation took place in reference to the
appearance of dry rot in a portion of the girls' school-
rooms, and as to the removal of some pauper girls from
the schools back to the workhouse.
The minutes were then confirmed.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

The proceedings of this committee contained the
following resolution Messrs. Cotten, Downes, and
Thompson, collectors, having been called before the corn.
mittee and heard, in reference to the circumstances
respecting Mr. Gardner and his tenants, as reported in
the newspapers—Resolved, that it appears to the com-
mittee that Mr. Gardner never denied his responsibility
to the collectors as to the payment of the rates, but
omitted to make the payments in consequence of peculiar
circumstances which the committee have no right to
enquire into." The minutes also contained a letter from
Dr. Thomson, medical officer, soliciting that the deter-
mination of his appointment might be suspended until
the close of the present year. The committee, however,
resolved that the application could not be entertained.
Mr. Shaw moved that the proceedings be confirmed.
Mr. Gardner said he was rather surprised to see the
report in the newspapers respecting his tenants being
before the magistrates, and it showed the animus. He
did not know who was the overseer at the time, but he
had no right to hear any statement made in his (Mr.
Gardner's) absence. If the overseer and the magistrates
had understood their duty, they wo ild have known that
they had nothing whatever to do with the matter. He
was not a party to the matter at all, and they had no
right to listen to it. The only instances in which addi-
tional rent was laid upon them by him was in the case
of two or three courts, and it was on account of the
sanitary rates, not the poor rates. When the landlords'
were compelled to pay the sanitary rates, he told those
tenants that they must have an increased rental put
upon them to meet that payment. He should be very
glad if the overseers and the vestry would only introduce
a law compelling the landlord to pay all the poor rates.
He had been for four years one of the advocates of such
a measure. As regarded the poor rates in the instance
referred to, he had nothing to do with them whatever.

Mr. Bairstow said he happened to be the overseer who
was summoned to meet the magistrates on the day in
question. It was exactly that day fortnight. Important
business at the board prevented him from going to the
court before half-past eleven o'clock, having been sum-
moned for eleven. When he got into the room Mr.
Maxwell was the only magistrate present, Mr. Dickson
having gone away. Mr. Maxwell made a remark of this
kind—" We have had a pretty expose of one of your
select vestry ; but we took good care that the inhabitants
of the town should know of it, for we sent for the re-
porters, and it will be all in the papers to-morrow."
The business then went on, The question was then
particularly put to a great number of tenants with regard
to the rate and several of them said that they formerly
paid 3s. 6d. per week, but that the rent was now raised
to 45., on condition that the landlord was to pay the
rates. He (Mr. Bairstow) then said to the magistrate
that there was something which needed enquiry, and
that he would bring the matter before the finance com-
mittee. lie did so. The finance committee enquired
into it, and passed the best resolution they could adopt
in reference to it. It certainly had nothing to do with
the landlord, and the collector should be blamed for not
having issued the summonses at the usual and proper
time of the year, when all other parties in default of
their rates were summoned.
Mr. Brancker thought a vote of censure should be
passed upon the collectors for their dereliction of duty.
He had brought forward a resolution to that effect at
the committee's meeting, but it was negatived, and by
some omission, was not entered on the minutes. He
would now move its adoption by the board. Mr.
Brancker then moved the following resolution—" That
the vestry consider that the collectors have not exercised
due diligence in the collection of the rates in the above
cases, having allowed them to remain over twelve
months after they had been due."
Mr. Denton said this was the only exception they ever
had before them, and he thought it would be very
injudicious to force the collectors into a position by
which cruelty would ensue. They had experience
already of cases where the collector had been obliged to
use such harsh measures to the poor, as had caused
great complaints. He hoped the board would not enter.
tain the resolution a moment, but would allow the
question to go before the finance committee, and let the
subject be properly discussed and settled there. If they
forced the collectors to collect the rates, by using as
much vigilance as the board might wish, the result
would be nothing but cruelty to the poor people in the
collection. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Mellor said if there was neglect on the part of the
collectors, it was because the beard would not allow
them to do their duty.
The Chairman thought the collectors should not
be condemned unheard. There was no evidence that
they had neglected their duty, and such a resolu-
tion ought not to be passed without giving them
an opportunity of explaining the circumstances under
which the matter had occurred. (Hear, hear.) He should
be the last to screen any cottage collector, or other col-
lector, ip any neglect of duty, and he thought they ought
to collect from the cottage or the warehouse, from all
who ought to pay, to the fullest amount possible. (Hear,
hear.) In this instance, however, he did not think any
neglect of duty had been proved.
Mr. Jones thought there was another reflection to be
entertained. Tt was very well known to every member
of the board, that at the end of every year large arrears
took place ; and unless Mr. Gardner had undertaken to
pay those rates himself, be could not see how there was
any particular dereliction of duty upon the part of the
collectors, unless the board inferred it from the fact of
there being arrears, for which he supposed the collectors
would be able to gi4e satisfactory reasons.
Mr. Jackson thought Mr. Brancker was perfectly
justified in his view. For aught that was known at
present, the matter appeared upon the face of it to be a
;tfe-e!ietigap of duty. He had no doubt that the collector
was a very vigilant collector, but that, in that particular
case, he had been influenced by the 'copsideration that
the party indebted to the parish was a member of the
Select Vestry. (Cries of " No, no.") He had not the
least doubt, that upon investigation it would be found
come leniency, some consideration, had been extended
to the party from whom the rates were duel upon that
ground. (Hear, hear, and no, no.) He thought such a
thing ought not to be. Whatever the motives which
might have induced the collector to grant a longer period
for the payment, he thought such indulgence should not
be allowed in future, but that the collectors should deal
with all cases, whoever the persons might be, upon one
principle, and not make, to use a common phrase,
" fish of one, and flesh of the other."
_ _ _

Mr. Jones asked whether Mr. Gardner had made
himself responsible for the payment of the rates ?

The Chairman: I think ;mi.
Mr. Jones remarked that such rates were very often
not collectable except by distraint, and frequently the
value of a distraint was not on the premises.

Mr. Bairstow could contradict that impression in the
present instance, for many of Mr. Gardner's tenants
were very respectable-looking persons, and had paid op
all their arrears
Mr. Brancker : I think, Mr. Jones, that answers your

remark ?
Mr. Jones : It certainly does.
Mr `Witty thought it would be well to have it dis-
tinctly understood, whether Mr. Gardner had made
himself responsible for the payment of the rates or not.
If he had done so, then the Chairman was mistaken ; if
not, the resolution passed by the committee was
uncorrect,
Mr. Bairstow said all the collectors stated that Mr.
Gardner promised to pay, but always put them off, by
saying that he had not the money at present.
Mr. Brancker finally consented to withdraw his
motion, and the matter dropped so far as the vestry was
then concerned.

The proceedings of the committee were confirmed

APPOINTMENT OF MEDICAL OFFICERS.

The board then proceeded to appoint two medical
officers for the put-door duties, to fill up the vacancies
caused by the termination of the engagement of the pre-
vious officers. Out of the candidates before the corn.
mittee the following names were selected ;—William
Palmer Rowe, Edward Davies, Francis Ayrton, and
William Sayer—all of Liverpool. A letter was read
from Mr. Ayrton, stating that his friends had induced