The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-04 00:00:00

end its columns to the defence of such a system,
under any imaginable mask. If Mr. LAURIE'S life
had, or could even now be disputed, then the
Courier might be justified in' making it appear that
Mr. STAIN was to'blame, and not Mr. WEBSTER or
his directors. If either or both of the officers of
the Merchant's office acted with " mistaken zeal,"
what have the public to do with that ?
Mr. SHAUN'S backwardness in complying with Mr.

WEBSTER'S request, or an agent's desire to over-
come the " boggling" of a board in London, is
surely not to defeat the payment of the hundreds
of policies the Merchants' Society have issued in
Liverpool. If the officers of the company have
done wrong at all, their offence is a serious one,
for which the law provides heavy penalties, and it
remains for the directors to enforce them ; but we
question the propriety of allowing any public
company to escape a claim by setting up a charge
of " gross fraud," when the words which constitute
that fraud appears in the handwriting of their own
agent ; and when the evidence of the agent cannot
be rebutted, after the death of the person, at whose

request the agent says he introduced those very
words. Mr. LAURIE is not forthcoming to answer
Mr. WEESTER'S allegation, and his representative,
consequently; loies the premiums paid during his
life, and the 5001• insured, while the life itself is
never once questioned. Finally, we can scarcely
find words to express our astonishment at the
*extraordinary avidity with which the " Conservative
Press" has taken up this case ; but unless our
cotemporary can prove that the documents pub-
lished by Mr. SIIAIN are little short of forgeries,
its readers will not fail to appreciate the moving
influences to which it yields.

THE Municipal Reform Banquet is an event
which must have its effect in Ministerial_ quarters.

When local demonstrations assume the magnitude
of national movements, and show the eager aspi-
rants to political fame, where a constituency of
earnest men may be found, they cannot be over-
looked ,by those in office with safety to themselves
or their party. The corporate grivances of this
Borough have excited the popular mind to the
highest pitch, and the anomalies and injustice to
which the Municipal Reform Act has left them
exposed, has been sent forth on the broad sheets
of the Press to stimulate other localities, where
similar abuses exist. The Liverpool Reform Ban-
quet was a monster middle-class movement. It
was minly,- if not wholly; eornposed- of shop-
keepers and men of business—those men who find
that while they are entrusted with the franchise,
and can command a large majority, are cheated
,out of the representation which their majority
ought to give them, both in the Council
Chamber and , the Imperial Legislature, by
the operation of the Municipal Act.. Had a
Borough or Town's Banquet been given, the
exhibition of the , Liberal strength would have
shown the full magnitude of the imposture of
which the Reform electors complain. But let
those who would make light of Tuesday night's
display, remember that that was only the
demonstration of one out of sixteen wards. The
Corporate Reformers of Lime street Ward were
them-but—MU Reformers Of Liverpool were not.
The gathering was purely local. It was con-
fined to Mr. J. R. JEFFERY'S _ friends and sup-
porters. There was a mighty hOst within the limits
of the Corporate and Parliamentary boundaries
who were not invited to the feast, to confirm by
their plaudits their approval of the sentiments ex
pressed by the several speakers. There is no
disputing the Liberalism and Reform powers of

Still this Borough

Liverpool. anked amongst
the most rotten of Corporate towns. This shows
the glaring fraud which is practised by the minority
on an overwhelming majority. These things are
ascribed to " compromise." It must have been a

strange " compromise" which virtually disfran-
chised the great mejority of Electors. It was a foul
plot, which led to the Town Council's being placed
beyond the control of its constituency. We are not

over-anxious to go into the history of the specious
diplomatic compact which has worked such wonders-
It has, ended as all gross political impositions
must 'terminate. Mr. JEFFERY evidently did not
know the depth of the enemy's design when he
became a member of the joint committee. He

was duped into playing the cards of the minority,
with a legion -of other earnest Reformers. The
illusion is dispelled now, however, and we hope to
see the Reform cause skilfully handled, and.
steadily advanced. By pursuing a perfectly inde-
pendent and consistent course, the Reformers can
do as they please with the Municipal and Parlia-
mentary representation. We have the men in
Liverpool-mho can-fill-our highest offices of trust,
with credit to themselves and the constituency.
We know that we have a majority of votes to
return them, and it will be the fault of the Electors
individually, if we are much longer exposed to
the abuses, of which the Ratepayers, and Inhabit-
ants of the town generally, complain so loudly.

Of the speeches delivered at the Banquet we
cannot speak too highly. They were all equally
moderate and to the point. Mr. JEFFERY'S and
rir. A.,C. STEwAafs were the Corporate speeches
of the evening. Mr. GEORGE MAXWELL'S, the stern
voice of commerce, and Mr. GEORGE MELLY'S, the
Reform oration of the night. Mr. JEFFERY asks
the Electors to look closely after the acts of their
representatives. This request might be complied
with to the great benefit of both sides. In the
meantime it shows that Mr. JEFFERY is not afraid
of having his public conduct most closely scruti"
nised. Mr. A. C. STEWART called on the Electors
to do their duty towards themselves—to be vigi-
lant, and ready to make a proper use of their
suffrages year after year. Mr. GEORGE MAXWELL,
while gently placing his heel on a popular
bugbear; asked the authorities to look closely
after the requirements of commerce and rapid
growth of the trade of our port ; and Mr, MELLY
gave us the short cut to, true Reform: "It was to
" send the'right man to Parliament, to represent
" them there; and, if this was done, they_Fould not
" want Reform." This is certainly a specific for.
all our political ills ; but how can, it be
accomplished ? Those who can vote will not, and
the classes who would look closely after their own
rightaand the real interests of the nation are not
qualified to vote. The middle classes are not true
to themselves. They cannot be made to recognise
the sacredness of the trust reposed in them, or to
believe that their apathy is the cause of the- poli-
tical depravity of their time. Hence wo are unable
to return men who would render Reform agitations
unnecessary. Still, we have a strong body of
staunch men in Lime Street Ward, and the spirited
example they have just set to `their brother Electors
in the other Wards, will, it is to be hoped, have. a
beneficial effect ,next,,NOKember. _
But the intervening period must not be thrown