The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-19 00:00:00

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

WEST DERBY 'WARD.
A public meeting of electors favourable to the return o f
Francis A. Clint, Esq., as representative of this ward in the
Town Council, was held last night, at eight o'clock, at
MarshalPs Coffee-house, Edge-hill, Mr. WILLIAM ROWETT,
in the chair. • _ _

.
The CHAIRMAN said that Mr. Clinton had kindly con
anted to represent them in the Town Council, and he
sought that when they had heard his sentiments, they would
gree that a better man could not have accepted the office.
Hear, hear, and cheers.) They knew that the duties of the
.'own Council were, very onerous, and they therefore felt
such gratitude to those gentlemen who represented them
here ; but their duty, however, was to take care to have
;ood men. He thought that in this case they had the very-
mst man, and he was therefore sure they would labour hard
o secure his return. (Hear, hear.) He nedd not tell them
)f the dastardly attempt-that had been made on the other
fide to destroy them, if he might so speak, politically. 276
abjections were sent round at the eleventh hour, but he
Hoped that they (the conservatives) would never be guilty of
such a disgraceful act ; and notwithstanding, that the other
party had succeeded in knocking. off. 86 votes, yet he ven-
tured to assert that they would again beat them, by at least
50 votes (hear, hear, and applause) ; and if they could do it
by 150 votes, so much the better, as their opponents would
not face them. again next year. (Applause.)
Mr. CLINT then rose and was loudly cheered. He said—
Mr. Chairman and ,gentlemen, I am almost overwhelmed by
the kindness of, your reception of me this evening. I shall
not search for high-fl Own language, or indulge in circumlo-
cution, but in short and simple phrases—in language direct
from my heart. I thank yon most sincerely for your cordial
and kind reception of me. (Cheers.) I am not so
vain as to suppose that this reception is owing to any merits
of mine. lam not so vain as to suppose that an humble in-
dividual like myself has been called from that private and
sequestered station in which I have hitherto moved in order
to embark on the sea of public affairs, from any merits of
my own. , But I look at my present position as the. expres-
sion of your determination not to allow your opponents to
ride rough-shod over you—(hear, hear,)—as the expression
of your determination to defeat the machinations by which
they hoped to deprive you of a large portion of the elective
franehise—(hear, hear) ;—I appear before you this night and
place myself entirely at your service, and at your request an
aspirant for the high and distinguished honor of represent-
ing you in the Town Council of this most important borough.
(Hear, hear.) lam opposed by a gentleman well-known to
the town—a gentleman of great experience, of wealth, of
talent, and of station—one who has been long accustomed
to public' affairs—a gentleman I believe amiable in private
life whatever he may be in public; .but onewho I may say
is objeCtionable to a large portion of the electors of the ward.
(Hear, hear.) I believe a very large majority. (Cheers.) And
therefore it is that I come before you to afford you an op-
portunity of recording your votes in a manner more con-
sistent to your feelings, (Cheers.) I shall not say one word
in disparagement of my opponent. I should only damage
my own cause by doing so, and therefore I shall pass on to
the more immediate business before us. You will not ex-
pect me to touch upon general topics, which have very little
to do with local affairs, and therefore. I shall not follow that
example which was set by a certain candidate at another
ward the other evening, who expatiated at great length on
general matters, almost to the exclusion of local matters.
(Hear, hear.) Those who are curious on the subject of my
votes at the last, two elections, will find information on that
point-in to-day's Mercury, and I therefore beg to refer those
who are curious in this matter to the pages of that respect-
able paper. (Laughter.) In seeking the honour, at your
request, of a seat in the Town Council, I assure you I duly
appreciate the exalted nature of that position. lam quite
aware that it is indeed an honour to sit in the Town Council
of the borough of Liverpool ; but while I duly appreciate
the honour of a seat in that body, I also, I hope,duly
appreciate the very onerous duties whichare annexed to that
honour. (Applause.) And, if it should be your pleasure to
elect me, I shall not go into the council chambers elated
with success, or elated with any idea of fancied dignity, in
consequence of occupying,that,
.station, but rather humbled
with the idea of my own shertrcomings, and with the many
disadvantages under .which I shall labour in that chamber.
But of one thing you may be certain, that I shall enter into
the council chamber with .a determination, to do my duty,
with a faithful, honest, and single eye to the interests, not
only of this ward, with which I am immediately connected,
but to the interests of the town generally. (Applause.) I
shall go there with no sinister object, for I have none to
promote ; with no selfish end, for I really none to serve
(a voice, " It is true,") with no wish of personal aggrandise-
ment, for I really have none, but with a simple desire to do
my duty; and I beg to assure you that my best services
shall be always at your disposal. It has been well remarked
that our municipal institutions are amongst the. bulwarks of
our freedom. I think there is no doubt about that. If we turn
our eyes to the Continent, andlook at France, we findthat cen-
tralizationis there with all its attendantevils. It has oftenbeen
remarked, and truly, that Paris is France—that everything
emanates from Paris as the grand centre, if I may so speak,
as the great heart from which the blood is propelled through
a thousand channels to the remotest extremities. But
w~t do „tys
pfi..l4l,_theye2 that
,pere,_ is not force
cold, languid, and decaying. We,-'
as a more highly
favoured country, have our self-government—we have our
local government. (Hear, hear.) Although in one sense
London may be called the great centre of our social system,
yet each corporation has its own independent course of
action, and revolves, if I may so speak, on its own axis.
And therefore it is that we are trained up to habits of
self-government, and habits of independence, and self-
reliance, (applause,) and therefore it is I say further that we
are bound to perpetuate our liberties. (Hear, hear.) lam
not aware that there is ,any topic occupying particularly the
attention of the town or of the council, on which I
may be expected to dilate at length. I believe the
only topic of consequence which now in any way
agitates the town or the council is the subject of town im-
provements, and from what I can gather, the feeling of the
town generally is, that these improvements ought to take
place. (Hear, hear). I shall consider it my duty to assist
in carrying out these ithprovements, always bearing in mind
the absolute necessity.of the most stringent economy in the
expenditure of public money (applause), which I look upon
as one of the most important duties of a Town Councillor.
(Hear, hear).. I shall endeavorr to keep a close eye on the
public purse ; for, I believe, the more a man in dealing with
public money, makes his aetionsin that capacity assimilate to
his dealings with his own money, the more likely is he to be
a good, faithful, public servant. (Hear,-hear). And, there-
fore, it shall be my most ardent endeavour to promote
economy—whether with regard to town improvements or
sanitary measures, or official salaries—economy shall be'one
of my guiding principles. (Applause). Sanitary measures
are occupying very much attention, not only of this town,
but of the kingdom generally, and as they have reference
mainly to the health and comfort of the lower classes, they
are well deserving the attention of corporate bodies.
'They shall have my attention. and I shall endeavour
to carry them out in as economical and general a
manner as possible. I shall endeavour to get information
on these affairs from other more experienced members, and
more particularly from your members. I shall endeavour to
be constant and punctual in my attendance. (Hear, hear).
I shall endeavour to attend all the meetings to which
I may be called, and in every respect I shall endeavour to
perform my duty to the best of my ability. lam not aware
that I have any further topic on which it is expedient I
should speak. I shall, then, conclude as I began, by
thanking you most sincerely and most heartily for your can-
did and kind reception of me this night. I agam assure
you, that if you do me the honour to elect me as one of your
representatives, I shall endeavour to do my duty with a
single-eye to the advancement of your interest and of the
town generally ; and if we be permitted to meet again at the
expiration of my tenure of office, I hope I shall have done
my duty so much to your satisfaction as that I shall receive
that meed of praise and approbation which is the sweetest
solace and consolation of a public servant. (Applause.
Mr. BRAKELL begged to ask Mr. Clint a question on a
very important
_matter. He wished to know whether Mr.
Clint would vote for any change in the system of education
which was at present working so well in the Corporation

schools ?
CLINT :—The system I presume referred to. is the
use Att the authorised version of the Scriptures. I should
certainly oppose any change in that respect. (Applause).
I am a sincere Protestant, and although I would accord tole-
ration to every one, yet I would be no party to any infringe•
ment upon our Protestant principles, which have been
handed down to us by our ancestors, and of which we are
the stewards, for the purpose of transmitting them unsullied
to our posterity. (Hear, hear.) And therefore I shall at
all times resist every infringement upon those principles.

(Applause.)
Mr. C4Asio4la, moved, and Mr. WEATUAM seconded, a
resolution to the effect, that the meeting adopted Mr. Clint
as their candidate, and that they would use every exertion
to secure his return. The resolution was unanimously

adopted.
Mr. ABRAHAMS proposed that a committee be appointed.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Fraser, and unanimously
adopted.
The meeting was then addressed by Councillors BECK-
WITH and HENDERSON, the latter gentleman stating in his
observations, that since 1847, the Corporation of Liverpool
constructed a greater extent of sewerage through the town,
than all the other towns of England put together.
The meeting separated after the usual vote of thanks to
the Chairman.

THE EXHIBITION OF THE LIVERPOOL ACADEMY IS.
still well attended. It will shortly open by gaslight, •
The United States Mail Steam Ship Arctic sails
from the Mersey this day, with the mails and passengers for
New York. The box closes at 7 a.m.

BANKRUPTCY COURT.—In re DAVENPORT.—The
bankrupt in thii case was a coal merchant at Birkenhead.
An adjourned certificate meeting was held yesterday, but in
consequence of some doubt as to whether the Commis-
sioner ought to adjudicate on evidence not given in the pre-
sence of the witness, a summons was ordered to issue,
directing his attendance this day. Should he not appear,
the Court will ten proceed to adjudicate upon the Que.