The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-27 00:00:00

and it was a glorious time, when the head of this
state powerfully and successfully interposed on
behalf of the persecuted Protestants abroad, and I
am not afraid to own that I do cordially sympathise
with such a policy. States have their duties as
well as individuals, and I hope that the voice of
England will be more loudly, though temperately,
urged on behalf of the persecuted and oppressed
abroad."

expose herself by entering on a contest which may
embroil her with parties now dubiously neutral."
The latest intelligence from Paris, Vienna, and
the other continental capitals, will be found in
another part of this day's publication.
By the arrival of the Royal mail steamer Dee;
at Southampton yesterday, from the West Indies,
we have later dates from the West India Islands.
On the "20th inst., the Dee spoke the English ship
John Bunyon, 81 days from Sydney; she, there-
fore, brings advices from that Dort to the Ist of
October

la 3 agitation against the continuance of the
income tax, as at present levied, still spreads
itself more and more every day. Since we
last noticed the subject several important meet
igs have been held, not only in England, but
the metropolis of Ireland has spoken out in a
most unmistakeable manner inasmuch as the
meeting, resolved AS follows :—" That the laconic
and property tax, when imposed in 1853, fell with
peculiar and unequal pressures upon the people
of this country, and that its increase from 7d. to
Is. 41, however justifiable by the necessities of
war, becomes impolitic and unjustifiable upon the
restoration of peace; that to charge mercantile,
professional, and other casual incomes, the same
amount per cent. as is charged upon income de-
rived from landed, funded, and other settled
property, is manifestly unjust towards those who
live upon the fruits of tLeir labour and industry.
That the conditions upon which the increase was
grrnted by parliament in 1854 pre-supposed its
discontinuance after the termination of the war,
the act of 1854 declaring that the increase was to
continue in force during the war, and until the sth of
April next after 'he ratification of a, definitive treaty
of peace; and that according to the provisions of
that act, the increase would cease on the sth of
April, 1857. That its further extension in the sat
1855, by the introduction of the words until the
sth day of April after the expiration of one year
from the ratification of a definitive treaty of peace,'
thereby in the present case extending it virtually
to more than two years from the conclusion of the
treaty of peace, which took place on the Mlth of
March, 1850, is impolitic, and comprehends more
than a year beyond the period usually limited in
case of war taxes, and that a petition to the House
of Commons from this council be adopted, praying
that, from and after the sth day of April, 1857, the
income and property tax may totally cease and
determine." The meetilig to be held in London
will be, it is said, a most imposing one. Why
Liverpool is set lithargic on the subject We are at a
loss to conjecture.
A very remarkable and painful case of embezzle-
ment was brought up a few day ago in the
Justiciary Court, Glasgow. A young man employed
in the ()ma Ironworks, in an office the responsi-
bility of which may be judged from the fact that
cash to the amount of 18,0001. passed through his
hands in sixteen months, appropriated duribg that
period numerous small sums amounting id` the
aggregate to 051. It appears that his accounts all
that time were unchecked, and that his salary
was only 13s per week ! The lad placed in
these circumstances of temptation had borne, up
to this charge, a good and honourable
character, is of honest parentage, and was well
educated for his station. Mr. Stewart, proprietor
of the ironworks, indeed, states that his attention
was attracted to the boy by his good behaviour,
and by his quickness of parts displayed in
carrying off prizes at school. There can hardly
be any doubt, after a recital of these facto, that the
moral principle of this youth has been etposed to
a trial too severe for ordinary flesh and blood.
The vast sums of money passing daily through his
hands, the unbounded trust placed not only in his
honesty but in his mere arithmetical accuracy, the
want of any check on his accounts, and yet his own
salary allowed to remain at a starvation figure, were
almost enough to break down the virtue of a person
of' more confirmed character. The case affords
quite -as much warning to employes as to young
persons in offices of trust. Mr. Stewart pleads
ignorance of what the young man's wages were,
and from all that is known of that gentleman's
character we should not imagine him to be hard and
ungenerous to the people in his employment.
ut the casa shows what abuses may long exist, and
produce their crop of evil, unheeded in our public
works. The prisoner's counsel as well as the Judge,
who restricted the sentence to a year's imprison-
rw-nt, commented gravely on the features of the
ease.

The Havre Mail Steamer Arago, arrived at
Southampton yesterday, buti as yet, her letters and
papers have not been delivered here.

DIPLOMATISTS appear to be exploring the cata-
combs of past wars, in order to discover a grave for
another German army; and that they have carried
their labours into Switzerland is certainly both
singular and ominous. Germany has repeatedly
attempted the subjugation of the Swiss, but with
what success the present position of the Conte,
deration, and the annals of German legions,
amply testify. The Republic has never had
cause to apprehend any serious consequences
from the traditional hostility of its Sclavonic
enemies. She has been but once overrun within
the last century by an invading army. The
French possessed themselves of all her strong-
holds, under Napoleon I. But the Bonapartists
owed their triumphs to the paltry divisions exist-
ing among the Swiss people, and the base trea-
chery of their military leaders. llappily, this
nation is now united to a man ; a feeling of in-,
comparable independence, and devotion to father-
land pervades the entire community; They
were isolated by the genius of Europe at former
periods. They had no political sympathisers—
no moral alliances.

A few years has marvellously changed the
then unchequered board of continental opinion.
War is no longer possible as a pastime. Its
bare cost will demolish dynasties, and over-
throw the most powerful political combinations.
The poverty it leaves after it reaches the richest
classes, as we shall soon find by the operation of
the income and property tax. It brings upon
trade and commerce all the bitterest hardships of
premature retrogression and decay, It renders
the restoration of peace, according to its real
signification, too slowly to revive the steady order
of things it disturbs: Peace must, therefore, have
a universal constituency, irrespective of the
changes which have taken place in the political
opinion of the civilised world. And the monarch
who takes upon himself to brave all the dangers

or war, must inevitably find himself branded as
the enemy of the world. The occupation of
of the Danubian Principalities by the troops of
Austria, Russia's attempts to annihilate the Cir-
cassians, and her promptings of Persia to violate
treaties, the reactionary movements in Spain,
which seem to have resolved themselves, for the
moment, into a pretext to swindle England out of
further loans, and the conduct of Prussia towards
Switzerland, are all matters which mark the
wanton disregard in which the peace of the world
is held at the present day. Our war in Persia
is to be attributed to this disregard of the true
interests of mankind. And until the military
powers of Europe are brought under the moral
law, and taught to respect the civil interests of
the great family of nations, who live by peace,
there can be no enduring repose for humanity.
This may be a melancholy conviction to labour
under; but still it is not without a comfort.
The military parade we now witness on the Con.
tinent cannot be sustained, for any length of time,
in idleness. The non-productiveness of depotism
will speedily devour the substance of true military
strength. A blow must be struck at once, or
peace and retrenchment must become the order
of the day. Those who strike first will be
proclaimed the common enemy of. Europe, and
their friends will be found far less numerous than
their foes. Political prejudices will have still less
influence in directing public sympathy than unal-
terable moral convictions, and great economic
necessities. We would not, then, have Prussia
rely too implicitly on the Courts f Europe,
either for support or that neutrality which might,
to a certain extent, favour her designs. FRANCIS
JOSEPH would also do well to reflect in time on
the dangers of continuing in a course which keeps
alive a constant dread of a sudden Continental
rupture. The CZAR ALEXANDER has equal
reason to act with becoming caution ; and as for
Spain, Naples, and Italy generally, they must
either become lands of desolation, or return with-
out delay within the moral law, and bow to the
economic necessities of civilisation. The exhaus-
tion going on on the Continent, and in this coun-
try also, is almost incredible. The military
chests of rival regimes, originating in crude con-
clusions drawn from the past, and wretched
'speculations and hallucinations as regards the
future, are swallowing the whole substance of
the States which have become their victims.
Switzerland has less to fear in such a season
than many of her more powerful neighbours,
from the simple fact that, while they have been
wasting their resources on military hosts, and
filling their dominions with poverty and, misery,
she has been husbanding her strength, encourag-
ing industry, and diffusing comfort, if not wealth
over the entire face of her territories. The Swiss
are, materially strong. They have an army equal
to Prussia, or any other single Power that could
send a force against them ; and, if diplomacy
cannot restrain FREDERICK WILLIAM'S thirst for
bloodshed, Swiss bayonets will be found equal
to the work. And, although it seems to be
the new policy of the day to carry
on inland wars, in which the strength
of the great maritime powers would he wholly
unavailing, still the oppressed Swiss will enjoy
our heartiest respect and sympathy. No amount
of tortured truth or coloured falsehood, can make
the people of England believe that the Swiss
have brought the horrors of war on themselves.
They will have been forced upon them, as they
were on the wretched Ottomans; and it is ear-
nestly to be hoped, that the Swiss will not allow
themselves to be surprised in their frontier for-
tresses as the Turks were at Sinope, by the inter-
ference of friends, and delays of diplomacy.

Mr. Maeretdy has been addressing a large as-
sembly of ladies and gentlemen interested in
education, at Shcrbourne. The occasion calling
forth the excellent address of this eminent
tragedian, was the distribution of prix's amongst
the boys on the breaking up of the school, which
has been established there, for the Christmas
holidays. The school, it should bo ob-
served, was established by Mr. Macready,
and supported at his sole expense ; and
with the view of showing his ideas of
what education should be as regards the
lower classes, he stated that the instruction was
limited to improvement and proficiency in reading,
writing, and arithmetic—thus putting in each
boy's power the means of self-culture to whatever
extent, providing him with the. working imple-
ments, as they may be called, for removing all the
impediments of ignorance to his advance in life.
The reading lessons give some insight into portions
of history sacred and profane, geography, and
scientific subjects, which are studiously taken
advantage of to stimulate the curiosity and interest
of the readers, and quicken their appetite for
further information, The Bible is not read in
school ; but occasional examination is made in
Scripture history, and a Bible is given to every boy
so soon as he can read sufficiently well to use it.
Conduct stands highest in the marks of merit.
Each boy is earnestly exhorted to attend the Sun-
day School of the church to which he may belong ;
and though religion is not dogmatically taught,
yet it its best spirit has been inculcated both in
what has been read and written by the
pupils This is really conducting educa-
tion as it should be. Well indeed would it
be were some Statesmen, who declaim so
much about National Education, and stickle hard
for the Bible as a school book, to take example
from the doings of Mr. Macready, for, as he very
judiciously remarks, all sectarian objection should
be neutralised for the benefit of our fellow men.
In the land of his despisers and persecutors the
Samaritan did not hesitate about neutral ground
when assisting the helpless victim who had fallen
among thieves. Ho did not wait until he got
beyond the confines of Juthea to obey the charit-
able impulses of his heart. Where work accept-
able to God is done the ground is sanctified in the
doing, and i 3 made not neutral, but holy, by the
act. These nice exceptions, which seem to be as
captions as they are unreasonable, are much to be
deplored. They but perpetuate among Christian
men an unchristian spirit of animosity, by an
unauthorised assumption of superiority In one
sect, calling up the just and indignant denial of it
in others. Religion should be a bond to unite,
and not a brand to dissever.

Our continental advises do not add anything new
respecting the Neufchatel dispute. It is, however,
confidently anticipated at Paris that war will be
prevented, inasmuch as the belief prevails that the
Ernperor of the French finding that the Swiss set
at nought his interference, and that the King of
Prussia appears more obstinate and unreasonable
than ever, is frightened at his own work, and will
make great efforts to repair the mistake he has com-
mitted. No less than 1,800 Swiss residents in Paris
have, within the last few days,'demanded passports
to return to Switzerland. Telegraphic despatches
from Berlin are of a contradictory character, one
correspondent thus writes on the 23rd instant :
" The hope that the affair with Switzerland would
end in a mere demonstoation is rapidly declining ;
and well informed persons declare with conster-
nation that, unless some unforeseen lucky change
intervene, war on an exteneed scale is inevitable.
War between Prussia and Switzerland—from the
Baltic to the Alps—from' Tilsit to Geneva—a train
of gunpowder straight through the very heart Of
Western Europe ! Who can say where the confla-
gration, once lighted, will end ? And a war right
along the Protestant tract, doubtles3 to the secret
gratification of the Roman Catholics on the right
a-id left! A slight glance at the map must reveal
the imminent peril to which Prussia, without any
general sympathy or firm ally, wedged in on all
sides by powerful and rapacious neighbours, must

PRE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, SAT UTDAY

overflowing. The Chris`mas treat here is good, cheap, and
respectably conducted.

EDMOND'S (LATE WOMBWELL'S) CELEBRATED

MENAGERIE, DALE-STREET.
To-day we have no more space than to glance at this
wonderful and extensive exhibition of natural history. The
wonders of nature will always interest and instruc, and
certainly we have never beheld one more calculated for both
than the present collection. We shall go in detail through
it In a day or two, but in the mean time we can say it is
well worth a visit, and was crowded last night by an
audience that seemed pleased at all they beheld.

MESSRS. COPE AND CO.
It is very gratifying to find, at this festive season, the
good feeling that exists between employer and employed ;
and amongst the many manifestations of the kind, we ob-
serve, that the above firm, the extensive cigar manufacturers
of Lord Nelson street, gave (last night) a ball to the large
number of hands employed by them. This is really credit-
able, not only to the Employers, but to the employed ; for
if the latter did not &serve it, the former would never grant
the Leon. The whole went off with eclat, and we w'sh
both Messrs. Cope and their large number of hands many
happy returns of this festive season.

EVAUGCRATION OF MILNER'S NEW PHENIX

HALL.

The opening of the new wing which has recently been
erected to this extensive establishment, known as the
" Phenix Foundry," at Windsor, was celebrated yesterday
evening by one of those re-unions between the employer
and the employed which is so pleasing to witness, and
which has such fi tendency to promote the interests of both,
by the formation of a unison of feeling. On this occasion,
in order to keep up the festivities of the season, as well as
to celebrate so important an event as the opening of the
new building, henceforth to be called " The Light Safe
Departenent," the men employed in this extensive menu+
factory, which has gained such a world-wide fame, requested
their employer, Mr. William Milner, to permit them to do
so by giving a soiree, and inviting their wives and families
to come and join them. Mr. Milner at once acceded to the
request; and in order to promote so desira'ds an object, and
that he might be one of the guests, purchased a ticket, for
whibh he gave £lOO. to as jet them in carrying out their
design in such a way that would be most conducive to their
pleasure and happiness.
The room in which the meeting of last night was held is,
perhaps, one of the largest in any manufactory in Liverpool,
it being 100 feet by 80 feet. The architect was Mr A
Holme, and the contractors for the building were Messrs.
Jones and Jump, and those names are sufficient
guarantee that the building is not only usefully
and ornamentally erected, but that it is also
substantial, the great desideratum, for the purposes in
which it is intended. It was fitted up for the
occasion, in a most tasteful and elegant sty'e, the entire
walls, with the iron pillars supporting the roof, being hand-
some'y decorated with wreaths of evergreens and flowers,
while from the top hung a great number of flags and banners
—all being in perfect keeping, and pleasing to the eye. The
room was brilliantly lighted by gas jets, .'firmed into differ-
ent devicls, amongst which the most conspicuons were the
initials " V.A ," "the Crown," a " Phceaix," an emblem
of the name of the works, and others, and altogether had a
very beautiful effect. A number of tables were arranged
along the room, and contained ample accommodation for the
800 guests who had assembled to do honour to' the occasion.
These included the 350 men in the employ of Mr. Milner,
their wives, families, and female friends (sweethearts). and
about 100 ladies and gentlemen, specially invited, amongst
whom we observed Mr. Mrs. and the two Misses Bickersteth,
Dr. Collins, Mr. and Mrs. Grantham, Mr, J. Beult, Mr. T.
C. Archer, Mr. A, Holme, the architect of the building;
Mr. Jones, of the firm of Jones and Jump, the contractors
for the building; Mr. and Mrs. Rose, the Rev. Mr. Vernon,
the Rev. J. W. Milner, Mr. Councillor Mawson, of Leeds ;
Mr. Leving, of Bury ; Mr. Guess, of Barnsley ; Mr. Beck
and Mr. Jones, of the North Wales Bank ; Mr. Hume,
surgeon, and the Misses Hume, Mr. C. Davis, and many
others. The whole of the decorations of the room was done
by the workmen and their families, and certainly did their
wives great credit, knit is seldom that so much taste is dip
played on such occasions. The centre table, at which Mr.
Milrer presided, and the invited guests sat during the tea,
was supplied by Mrs. May, of Wavertree, and every
thing was of a superior el, scription both
as to quantity and quality, there being every
luxury of the season provided. The other tables
which were no less abundantly supplied with all that could
be required, both substantially and otherwise, to appease the
taste and appetite, were furnished by the workmen them-
selves, assisted by Mr. Gibson, a licensed victualler, who
resides in the neighbourhood, and did all persons infinite
credit ; and, upon the whole, we may say, that a better
display was never made in this town. After all the good
things of this life had been amply discussed, and the inner
man duly satisfied, the entire company rose end promenaded
the spacious room ; and, with much delight and pleasure,
inspected the many engravings which bedecked the walls.
The tables having been cleared, Mr. Milner was requested
to take the chair. Prior however, to the commencement of
business, it was stated that a short time since, one of the
wives of the workmen was confined of three girls, all of
whom are alive and doing well. This announcement, of
course, elicited much merriment ; and likewise, in the
course of the relaxation occasioned by the company resum-
ing their seats, Mrs. May, who had so well catered for the
guests, presented Miss Milner with a very elegant basket of
flowers, containing a suitable embossed motto. Mr. Milner
having taken the chair, which he did amidst the most
enthusiastic cheering, which was again and again repeated,
thus showing how highly he was esteemed by those in his
employ, a deputation from the workmen presented him an
address, beautifully emblazoned, which was read by one of
the deputation named Taylor, and was to the following
effect :

" To William Milner, Beg., on the opening of Me New
Phcenix

" Honored Sir,—We, the committee appointed to under-
take the management of this festival, at The desire of the
whole body of workmen, beg leave, on this occasion, to offer
you our united, sincere, and heartfelt congratulations on the
continued and increasing prosperity of your business, which
has been the means of bringing us together this evening, to
celebrate the completion of these additional magnificent
workshops—Milner's Phcenix Hall—to accommodate our
ever increasing brigade, rendered necessary by the rapid
extension ; .and we hope our noble Phcenixes will ever
continue to command what they have so deservedly won—
a world wide fame. We beg leave, also, to return you our
sincere thanks for the affability and kindness you have
invariably shown towards us, and for the great bounty
which yourself and family have presented us with on this
interesting occasion ; and we can truly say you live in the
hearts of your workmen, for we cannot but feel grateful for
the kind interest you always take in the welfare and
prosperity of us all, and for the kind feeling you have shown
during the preparation of this festival for the enjoyment of
ourselves, our wives, and our children. We thank you for
the opportunity you have given us of meeting your family
and your friends at our social party, and we hope that the
entertainments which are to follow will give pleasure and
satisfaction to our guests, and redound to the credit of the
Plicenix brigade, who are put on their mettle on this
occasion, and we hope our humble endeavours to please
will meet with success, for we already see, in
the fairy scene before ns, all that willing hearts
and industrious hands, aided by the bountiful kindness of
yourself and friends can do, and will do, to honour our
noble Phcenix on this its gala day. We hope this day will
long be remembered by us all, and that we may in future
years look back to it as an event in the onward career,
and our Phenix of which we may well be proud, for when
we look back as some of us can for nearly a quarter of a
century, when it was, or might be, just emerging from
obscurity, and see that your manufactures, of which it is
but a type, has been a regular and continuous succession of
inventions and improvements, show they havo steadily
progressed towards perfection in defiance of all obstacles,
and have earned for themselves a name celebrated through-
out the whole civilised world, and are fast arproaching the
very pinnacle of fame, for a 3 our own poet has very
truthfully said—

For defying the thief and resisting the brand,
The Hoidlest of Milner is famed through the land.
We have watched with surprise and pleasure the steady
progress of this manufacture, and cannot but admire the
perseverance, skill, and integrity which has produced such
glorious results, and has proved so beneficial to us all, and
which we believe is calculated to confer an unmeasurable
benefit on the whole community, of which this hive of
industry, of which we are the humble working bees, is a
noble monument ; and of which we are proud—a palace for
our Phoonix, an ornament to the town, a pattern for manu-
facturers, and a credit to our employer, who, we hope, will
tong live to he a blessing to his family, and long continue
to preside over the Phcenix foundry."
Mr. Millner, evidently very much affected at the address,
returned thanks, and in doing so he took the opportunity of
stating that he and some of those in his employ had been
acting together, some for thirty, others for twelity, and a
great number for twelve and ten years, tl.erefore he need
not say how endeared they wore to each other, as he had
always s3n7athised with them, watched over their interests,
and had very rarely had to complain of not having had all
his wishes followed, and his directions well attended to. He
then enumerated several of the persons in his emph y, who,
through industry and energy, had been a credit to themselves
and to all their class, amongst whom he particularly alluded
to John Tear, who had been the author or a little Damphlw
en.i, led, " The best kind of amusement f,r the
working classes," and which had gained hire
a prize, and which he should strongly advise all the men to
read, as there was much profitable informition in it. H 3