The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-22 00:00:00

of the port, he mentioned that, during the three months
terminating the 30th September, no less a number than
3,400 cabin passengers, 4,568 steerage, and 4,338 returned
emigrants—in all, 12,315—landed here. During the first
six months of the year, £3,705,526 was:paid in duty at the
custom-house, while the exports from the port, for the
half-year, ending the 30th June, amounted to £25,941,706,
exported in 2,250 ships—the total annual exports of the
whole country, before the introduction of free trade,
amounting only to £42,000,000 or 43,000,000. (Loud
applause.)
Mr. John Johnson Stitt then came forward, and was
received with :general cheering. He said that he felt
almost overpowered by the exceedingly cordial reception
they had granted him. It was another instance of the
uniform kindness and consideration with which he had
been received eve rsince he came before them, and he could
only hope that he would at some future day be found to
merit their approval. (Hear, hear.) He rejoiced in the
opportunity which was afforded him that evening of
meeting them, and particularly of meeting in such a place,
for, as it struck him, it was a neighbourhood which of all
others, perhaps, in the ward, ought to demand the most
serious attention of any gentleman who went as their
representative to the Town Council. (Hear, hear, and
applause.) It was, perhaps, unnecessary for him that
evening to state to them at length the circumstances which
led to his appearance before them in the capacity of a
candidate. He had already on a former occasion stated
them, and it therefore sufficed for him briefly to say that
a requisition, signed by gentlemen of all opinions, had been
presented to him and pressed upon him. He confessed
that, much as he esteemed the good opinion of his fellow.
townsmen, and he envied no man who did not feel proud
the_ofut m
approbationuehashe
esteemedof his fellow-townsmen—(hear,
he h
hear)ada
b
first shrunk from undertaking the duties of the office they
had so kindly tendered to him. He had done so because
he thought that the responsibilities of that office might be
too much for him. and because he had a love for retire-
ment, sad those c ta: ms of home which he hoped every
man around hen appreei tted. (Hear, hear.) But these
were times when it hoe -no men to lay aside such feelings
—to sacrifice their inc,inations and their tastes, and place
their humble services at the disposal of their fellow.
townsmen. His patriotism having been appealed to, he
yielded to the invitation. (Applause.) Representation
implied mutual and reciprocal duties, and should be based
on confidence. The renresentative, on the one hand, should
feel confidence 'in his constituency, so that when he
essayed to do any work for them he would know that he
was backed by them—(hear, hear)—and, on the other
hand, the represented should have confidence in the man
they sent to represent them, (Hear, hear.) They should
know that he had no private, no selfish interest to serve—
they should know that they could always rely on him, and
that any suggestions they might have to make would
always receive from him that amount of attention to which
they were entitled. Without that double aspect of repre.
sentation—confidence on the part of the represented in the
representative, and confidence on the part of the repre.
sentative in his constituency—he believed no permanent
good could flow. That confidence should spring from
knowledge. The representative and represented should
know each, and the former, in seeking the suffrages of the
latter, should show to them whether he possessed the
qualifications which were requisite. (Hear.) He knew not
what the qualifications were which they sought in their
representative—he could only c mjecture that they were
those which would fit him for the arduous duties which
he wonld have to discharge. And what were those duties ?
They were weighty indeed—they were onerous indeed—
they were comprehensive indeed—their name was legion,
and they were so interwoven with all the interests of
society that he could not at that moment think of doing
more than taking a very cursory glance at a few of them.
There were duties of a strictly financial character—there
were duties relating to the great and ever-inc-easing
commerce of which:the chairman had spoken—and last,
though not least, though too often forgotten, and too often
overlooked by those who occupied the position of their
representatives—last, though not least, were the great
social questions of the day. (Rear, hear, and loud cheers.)
Turning their attention to the financial duties which
devolved on their representative, he should say that they
should never lose sight of the fact, that there was an
action and reaction always going on in the question of
taxation and expenditure. An enlarged taxation
led to an enlarged expenditure, and an enlarged
expenditure necessitated an increased taxation. (Hear,
hear.) Consequently these should be the strictest economy
observed, so as to keep all within as moderate limits as
possible, and without descending to particulars, that
there should be a fair and equitable adjustment of the
public burthens—no distinction between class and class
(cheers)—no fish of one and flesh of the other—They
should be all alike, the rich and the poor, and all should
be treated with even-handed justice. (Hear, hear.) That
was the great principle which ought to regulate the levy—
ing, the collection, and the distribution of their taxation.
Rigid economy should be observed in all that concerned
their dealing with financial questions, and that should
not only affect great and prominent items, such as had
been referred to in regard to the Birkenhead docks, dock
extension, the water scheme—not only should the principle
of economy apply in those cases, but also to every minor
circumstance—to questions of the salary and the like.
(Hear, hear.) Next came the question of their ever
increasing commerce, and in that what, a wide field of
thought was opened up to them! How delicate and
sensitive we -e the interests of that commerce! Their
nem. .liseo oevetea cvony sea, aloe mem renowned corn-
inerce encircled the globe. (Applause.) It ought to be
their representatives' duty to watch over it with anxious
and honest care—to remove all impediments to its native
growth—to provide by wise foresight for its extension
and development, and to allure it to their docks, their
quays, and warehouses. Not only should he be a man of
large views, but he should be a man of eminent business
capacity—a man who had some interest in the great
affairs of commerce ; but he should be a man also of
energy, of zeal, and last, though not least, he should be a
man of incorruptibility. (Applause.) All these were
required in the man who would go forth to take the
representation of a great community like this, and if he
mistook not, there neve was a period in the history of this
great borough when those qualifications were so eminently
necessary as for the times that were at hand. (Hear,
hear.) Mr. Stitt then referred to the great social
questions of the day, and declared himself in favour
of the extension of free libraries and museums,
of parks, like those in Manchester, for the recreation of
the people, and of sanitary improvements. He denounced
the mingling of party spirit in these contests, and in
illustration of the tactics pursued by a certain faction in
the town, read the following letter, which was received by
one of his supporters, an elector of the ward :—" Dear
sir and brother,—the grand committee having heard that
You were about to support Mr. Stitt, of Everton and
Kirkdale Ward, with your vote and interest, have
requested me to advise you of the risk you unwittingly
run of being expelled the Loyal Orange Institution by such
conduct. A resolution was unanimously rassed at the
Grand Lodge meeting, Birkenhead, in July last—that any
brother voting for a radical at any election, or in other
words, any one opposed to Church and State, should be
expelled the Order. Believing that what you have done,
you have done ignorantly, I therefore trust that you will
immediately withdraw your support from Mr. Stitt." Mr.
Stitt indignantly denouneed such tactics, and resumed his
seat amid general applause.
Mr. Thomas Reason moved a resolution, declaring that
Mr Stitt was a fit person to represent the ward In the
Town Council, and pledging the meeting to support him.
Mr. Robinson seconded the motion, and in doing so,
begged to state that the retiring representative, nor any
other gentlemen in the town, had anything to do in the
bringing forward of Mr. Stitt.
The resolution was carried by acclamation.
Mr. Picton, being loudly called for, then addressed the
meeting. He bore eloquent testimony to the character of
Mr. Stitt, and declared that while he would serve and do
honour to the ward, his talents would also reflect credit
on the town at large. He then dwelt on the growing
importance of Everton and Kirkdale Ward, and as it was
natural that there should be conflicting interests among
the wards, advised the meeting to take example be the
South end, which elected men to watch over the timber
trade, and send in such a man as Mr. Stitt to guard their
peculiar interests.
The meeting was then addressed by Mr. Walker, after
which, thanks were voted to the chairman, and the
assembly broke up.

➢IEETING OF THE FRIENDS AND SUP-
PORTERS OF MR. JOHN LONGTON.

List night a meeting of the electors of this ward,
favourable to the return of the above named gentleman,
was held at the Derby Arms Hotel, Kirkdale, and wai
respectably attended. Thomas Fleetwood Roskell, Esq ,
was called to the chair, and John Marewood, Esq.,
acted as secretary. The meeting was called for eight
o'clock, and a quarter after that hour business com-
menced. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings,
said, they ought to be cautious in exercising their
privilege. He thought Mr. Longton the best man to
send to represent them, for he had managed his own
affairs well, and they therefore might c dentate on his
attending to the affairs of the ward. (Hear, hear.) He
then alluded to the state of the docks, and said they did
not want an orator, they wanted a plain common sense
honest man to represent them in the council, and such
a man was Mr. Longton. (Cheers.) They all had known
him as a resident of the ward, and as connected with
the shipping
interests of the town. They had known his
capacity for business, and his integrity for a long life.
(Laughter.) These were qualifications which entitled
him to their support, and from the numbers and respec-
tability of that meeting, and from the support which he
bad received throughout the ward, there was no doubt of
his triumphant success. (Cheers.) He had now the
honour to introduce Mr. Longton.
Mr. Longton then came forward, and was received
with loud cheers. He said he trusted that the Albion
had a representative there that evening. If so, he
wished to see the gentleman. (There was no reporter 1
from our cotemporary present.) He said in that paper
of Monday, there was a paragraph relating to him, which
was unjust, ungenerous, and unfair—(hear, hear)—and he
trusted that paper would do what it bad promised, re-
port him fully. He proceeded to say that he thanked
that large and respectable meeting for the manner in
which he had been received, and for the honour done
him as a candidate for the ward. (Hear, hear.) It was
not his own desire to come forward to represent
the ward in the council, but by the desire of a large and
influential body of electors of the ward. (Hear, hear.)
For some years, he had been solicited to offer himself as
a candidate, but he invariably declined the honour, but
now when he had been presented with a requisition, so