The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-06-20 00:00:00

TOWN'S MEETING.

INUNDATIONS IN FRANCE

A public meeting was held at twelve o'clock yesterday, in
the Sessions-house, Chapel-street, " For the purpose of express-
ing the sympathy of the inhabitants of this town and neigh-
bourhood, with the sufferers by the late inundations in France."
The chair was occupied by the Mayor, John Stewart, Esq.,
and amongst the gentlemen present were—Rev. Rector
Campbell, W. Rathbone, S. Holme, C. Turner, J. W. Turner,
F. Shand, J. Tyrer, E. Arnaud, W. M‘Gregor, F. A.
Hamilton, Captain Aspinall, F. Boult, J. Stitt, J. Kitchen,
F. A. Hamilton, C. Booth, J. B. Aspinall, S. Gregson, A, F.
Henderson, James Aiken, James Livingston, M. Mussabini,
Rtv. H. S. Brown, &e., &c.
The Mayor, in opening :lie proceedings, said that the public
press had made them all acquainted with the history of the
calamity that had lately befallen their neighbours and allies,
the people of France, and that, upon that occasion, the sympa-
thies of the English nation had been called forth, and had been
generously responded to in the capital. Upon his return from
London, he received a communication from the lord mayor,
requesting to be informed whether Liverpool would join in the
demonstration ; and, taking the advice of some gentlemen, who
had actively interested themselves in it, he (the mayor) had
been induced to call together the present meeting, for the
purpose of enabling them also to manifest their sympathy with
the people of France. (Hear, hear.) He was sure that they would
grant their aid as a grateful offering, and that it would be
received as a token of friendship, with a nation whose alliance
England had during the late struggle— an alliance which ho
hoped would be perpetuated in peace (hear, heat), because
tending to the advantage of both countries, and to the general
welfare of Europe. (Hear, hear.)
The Deputy Town Clerk (Mr. Hughes) then read the
following communications, which had been received by the
Mayor : . . _

DEAR MR. MAYOR,—My brother has requested me to write,
and ask you to have the goodness to put his name down for ae2o,
as a subscription towards the fund for relieving the sufferers by the
late floods in France. lie would have written to you himself, but
at present, as you are aware, he is not attending to any business
matters. Trusting you will have a good meeting. I am, dear Mr.
Mayor, yours very truly, ROBERT HORBFALL.
10, Portland-place, London, 17th June, 1856.

House of Commons, 18th June, 1856,

Mr DEAR Ma. MAYOR.—I am glad to see that you have called a
public meeting for to-morrow, for the purpose of aiding the unfortu-
nate sufferers in the late inundations in France. lam very sorry
it will he quite out of my power to be present on the occasion. It
is a melancholy satisfaction to us to have an ooportunitv of show-
ing our deep sympathy for the calamities which have befallen a
nation with which, I trust, we may ever continue on terms of the
closest friendship. Will you have the kindness to put my name
down for .e 2,), and believe me always faithfully yours,
The Mayor, &c.. &c. J. C. EWART.

St. Edward's College, June 17th, 1856

The Right Rev. Bishop Goss presents his compliments to the
Mayor of Liverpool, and begs to express his regret that absence
from home prevented his being present at the meeting of the 16th ;
ano further, that the funeral of the Very Rev. Provost Crook, his
Vicar-General, will prevent his attendance at the public meeting
on the 19th. He, however, cordially approves of the objects of
the meeting. The sufferers in France have his warmest sympathy;
and he doubts not that the Mayor and the gentlemen who are so
kindly acting with him, will be glad to learn that it is his intention,
in unison with his Episcopal brethren, to have a collection in aid
of the sufferers in all the churches and chapels under his juris-
diction.
British & North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company,
Office 14, Water-street, Liverpool, June 16, 1856.
Messrs. D. and C. Maclver beg to acknowledge receipt of the
Mayor's note inviting Mr. Maclver to attend a meeting to be held
this day in aid of the sufferers by the late inundations in France.
Mr. Maclver is in Scotland at present; but Messrs. D. and C.
Maclver beg to Inform the Mayor that this company have already
subscribed £2OO for this object, through their agent in Havre.
The Mayor of Liverpool.

The Rev. Rector Campbell said : Mr Mayor and gentle.
men, I rise to propose the following resolution :—" That we
the inhabitants of Liverpool, deeply sympathise with those o+
our friends and allies of France, who have lately been sub•

jected under Provi,leuee to severe affllction, by the inundations
which has destroyed a large portion of their property, and
reduced many thousands to extreme distress ;" and while, as
a member and minister of that great peace society, the Church
of England, I rejoice at being privileged to co-operate, how-
ever indifferently, in this work of peace, I rejoice no less at
the opportunity which is afforded me of expressing my

sympathy, however valueless, not only with the sufferers
themselves, but with the whole nation to which they belong,
the gallant people with whom we have been lately allied in
the deadly purchased glories of a sanguinary war, and with
whom, so long as common sense and christian feeling prevail,
we shall in future, I trust, be more beneficially allied in
cultivating the arts of peace, and promoting the comfort and
happiness of the world. (Applause.) For surely, sir, nothing
could be more contrary to common sense and christian feeling
than that two great nations, fitted by Providence to admire
instead of envying each others heroic qualities—gifted by
Providence with the means of contributing to each others
welfare by the interchange of those industrial products in which
our singular position and national genies enable us to excel,
for those gifts of nature which agricultural industry blessed
by soil and climate lavishes on them ; these two great chris-
tian nations.—for in spite of our differences we are, I trust, both
christian nations—(hear, hear), should from the beginning of
time have directed their heroism to mutual extermination,

id their ingenuity to the invention o: hostile tariffs, and
•ohibitory duties. (Hear, hear.) Let us hope, sir, that this

perverse ingenuity has run its course. Let us trust that the
mingled blood of France and England, which has flowed like
water upon the ground, will have cemented a lasting union
between the two nations ; that the bitter tears shed by sor-
rowing mourners over the gallant slain, will have washed away
the trace of ancient animosities, and established an alliance
which, if permanent, will do more to promote the civilisation
of the world than any event which the page of history records.

(Applause ) That page has been styled a record of the crimes
and follies of mankind, let us strive to make it, in Europe at
least, the chronicle of better things ; let us hope that under
the influence of that extraordinary man who rules their
earthly destinies, our Mends and neighhobrs may meet ua in
a rivalry of arts instead of arms (hear, bear), in reciprocating
the benefits of agricultural, commercial, and manufac-

Luring industry, and so make it a matter of interest as
well as duty to live in pace for evermore. (Applause.)
Of that distinguished sovereign's future career, it does not
become us t 6 speak with presumptuous confidence, raised, as he
seems to be, by Providence to fulfil some mighty destiny, to
found, perhaps, some powerful dynasty, and accomplish some
mysterious end. But this can hardly be denied, that the
victory he has achieved has been thus far a bloodless ono— that
be has not, like other conquerors, waded through blood and
slaughter to a throne—that the hand of friendship which has
been so frankly proffered and cheerfully accepted is not polluted
with sanguinary stains—that he is recognised by a powerful
people as their deliverer from anarchy, and that, as he has the
wisdom to:acknowledge, so let us trust he has the heart to feel,
that the title glory of a monarch does not spring from the
battle of the warrior, and confused noise and garments rolled
in blood, but in promoting, as far as human passions will permit
him to promote, the prophetic reign of peace, when" nation shall

not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any
more." (Applause). As a commercial community, I think we
shall assent to this—l think we shall all agree to the maxim

that it is the nature of commerce to flourish only under the
shelter and protection of law, and that its blossoms will not
expand 6cialsolves, much less will it mature its fruits, except
in secure and undisturbed tranquility. Let us manifest our

appreciation of this truth by the fullness and cordiality of our
sympathy this day. I am sure, sir, I need not apologise to
you, and, perhaps, I need not apologise to tho meeting, for
declining to trespass any longer on your time. It is not long
speeches we want on such occasions, but long purses—(laughter)
—not so much long purses as large and liberal hearts to use
them generously. (Applause).
M. J. B. Aspinall seconded the resolution. He said that it
gave hire great pleasure to be called on by the mayor to do so,
and that if there were wanting one circumstance to add to the
pleasure which the mere fact of being so called on would afford,
it would he found in the fart that ho was called on to second a
resolution which had been so ably proposed by such s gentle-
man and reverend and most eminent divine as he who had just
addressed thew. Is was not often that they were able to come
together in such perfect unanimity as that which should, of neces-
sity, characterise their proceedings on that occasion ; and if there
was anything wanting to add to the demonstration, in the eyes
of their neighbours in France, it would be found in the cir-
cumstance, that in holding such a meeting as the present,
every difference between them was at once laid aside, and that
the whole community came forward with one heart and one
hand in order to support and carry out the object contained
in the resolution which bad been laid before them by the
Rector. (Hear, hear) Nobody would doubt that he (elle
Rector) was an eminently Christian gentleman, and most
worthy of the office he held in this town—(applause)—and if
there was no other reason why they should come forward with
their sympathy and assistance for the people of France, on this
occasion, his address alone would be sufficient to induce them
to do so. But there were many reasons—so many that it was
almost difficult to select from them—why they should proffer
such assistance, and one of those he, even at the risk of
detaining them, would call to their recollection. It would be
within their memory that not many years ago, there was in
this country, or at least in a portion of it which was So
unfortunately connected with them, as to be the peculiar object
of their sympathy, a series of misfortunes which produced a
wide-spread distrsss. At that time, who was so ready
to come forward and assist those whom they believed had
a claim on them than the people of France ? (Hear, hear.)
Did any one forget the efforts that were made, and the sums of
money that were remitted from time to time during that period
from France, for the purpose of relieving the Irish distress P
And, therefore, he would say, that if there was no other reason
why the distresses of the people whose cause they were now
pleading, merited sympathy at their hands, the readiness with
which the French people, on a similar occasion, had come
forward to assist and contribute towards the relief of the Irish
people, would extort it from them. (Hear, hear.) It had been
said that they were called upon to assist the French nation
becau.e of the alliance which had existed between them for the
purposes of war, and which, he trusted far more, would exist
for the purposes of peace (hear, hear), but he should et), that
it would be their duty to do so even if there had been no
alliance. (Hear, hear.) England never had, and, he hoped,
never would be backward in contributing towards the relict of
every part of the world tint would be in want of it (hear,
hear), and still less would they be backward in contributing
towards the relief of the distress of a nation with which they
now stood on such intimate relations, and which had such