The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-20 00:00:00

THE DAY'S NEWS.

In the House of Lords last night the Earl of
Clarendon stated that it was true that the British
Government had agreed to renounce their right of
protection over Persian subjects, provided other
nations were prepared to do the same. He also
said that when it was determined to withdraw the
mission from Naples, the Government received
information which led them to apprehend an
insurrection, and a squadron • was sent to the
Bay of Naples to protect British subjects.
From all appearances we are to have an election
in. Liverpool next week. The writ, it is expected,
will be received on Monday next, and Friday has
been appointed as the day of nomination, and
consequently Saturday as the day of polling—the
latter day in every respect the most unsuitable for
such a purpose. There are two insuperable
objections. First, Saturday is the market day,
and consequently the busiest day of the
week ; and secondly, it would be virtually dis-
franchising the Jews, as they, according to their
peculiar religious observances, are debarred from

doing any sort of worldly duty on their Sabbath
(Saturday) until sunset. We therefore call upon
the Mayor, in the name of all that is fair and
honourable, that he, as the returning officer, should
fix- the Thursday or the Saturday as the nomination
.day, when all parties will have opportunity and
time to spare to record their votes on the Friday or
the Monday.
The earliest period at which the neW Parliament
can meet is 35 days after the date of the proAama-
tion of dissolution. If the dissolution should take
place on Saturday, the new House might meet on
Monday, April 27. In counties in England the
Sheriff must proclaim the election within two
days of the receipt of the writ, and the elections
are to take place not later than twelve days nor
sooner than six days afterwards. In English
boroughs the returning officer must give three
clear days' notice, at least of the day of election,
and must proceed to the election within six days
after the receipt of the writ.

Mr. Disraeli has issued an address to his con-
stituents. It is singularly free from haziness, and
contains a programme, which is summed up by
the writer in these words—" honourable peace,
reduced taxation, social improvement." He says
that the plea for a dissolution is a pretext—What
then is the real object? Let him answer for him-
self:—" To waste a year. Lord Palmerston is an
eminent man, who has deserved well of his coun-
try; but as Prime Minister he occupies a false
position. He is the Tory chief of a Radical
Cabinet. With no domestic policy, he is obliged
to divert the attention of the people, from the
consideration of their own affairs, to the distraction
of foreign politics, His external system is tug•
bulent and aggressive, that his rule at home may
be tranquil and unassailed. Hence arise excessive
expenditure, heavy taxation, and the stoppage of
all social improvement. His scheme of conduct
is so devoid of all political principle, that, when
forced to appeal to the people, his only claim
to their confi .lence is his name. Such arts and
resources may suit the despotic ruler of a conti-
nental state exhausted by revolutions, but they do
not become a British minister governing a country
proud, free, and progressive, animated by glorious
traditions, and aspiring to future excellence. The
honour and the best interests of the country
require that men should be returned to the new
parliament with definite principles. If you will
confer on me, for the fourth time, the high distinc-
tion of being your member, I will, as heretofore,
uphold our Constitution in Church and State, and
support those popular and aristocratic institutions
which, in this country, have made power a privilege,
but have extended the possession of that privilege
to all who exert themselves to deserve it—
institutions which have educated a nation
to aspire and excel. The general policy
which I would enforce at this junction may
be contained in these words—honourable peace,
reduced taxation, and social improvement. There
is an attempt at the present day to play off the
parties which exist, and have always to a certain
degree existed in the church, against each other
for political objects. This is a dangerous course
for churchmen to sanction. The church, which,
irrespective of its higher functions, is one of the
great guarantees of English happiness, has foes
enough without seeking for them in her own
bosom ; and it would appear to me that, instead of
quarrelling among themselves, churchmen should
evince mutual forbearance, unite on the common
ground of ecclesiastical polity, and oppose all efforts
to impair the integrity of that reformed church of
England which is the best security for the religious
liberty of all classes and creeds of her Majesty's
subjects."

At the Dock Committee, yesterday, a long dis-
cussion took place on Mr. Rathbone stating that
he would withdraw his resolutions with respect to
the election proceedings of the officials of the Dock
estate. The withdrawal of the resolution did not
give satisfaction, and both Mr. Barbour and Mr. R
Gladstone seemed to wish that it had been pressed
The speech of Mr. Bold was a most objectionable
one—it was merely an election harangue, and was
not snitable to the place where it was delivered.
The usual weekly meeting of the Health Commit-
tee was held yesterday. A complaint from Messrs.
Phillips and Son, with regard to the Pike water
supplied them, was read. Alderman Dover, and
Messrs. Shiel and Clint, visited the premises of
Messrs. Phillips and Son, and affirmed that " the
water was extremely dirty and stinking, and unfit
for human use at all." Mr. Duncan, the water
engineer, said that the quality of the water had
been changed, in consequence of an old plug that
had not been cleaned for some time, and this was
the reason the water was stagnant. But the
committee did not think this a sufficient answer,
and so the matter rests, The deaths last week
were 193, being 49 below the average of the corres-
ponding or previous years.
It is stated that the Earl of Burlington has been
created Lord Lieutenant of the County of Lanca-
shire.

A fire broke cut in the cotton kiln of Mr. M'Call,
Tempest Hey, last night, and we regret to say
that two lives were lost thereby.
The seventh annual dinner of the Irish Catholic
Club was held at the Adelphi Hotel last night.
The dinner, provided by host Radley, was of the
most recherche description. Dr. Goss, the
Catholic Bishop of the Diocese, and Mr. Whitty,
in the course of their remarks alluded to the forth-
coming &cation, and poiute I out the duty of: the
Irish electors—that they should give their votes
for the great Liberal party, the only party who had
assisted in forwarding the views of the public at
large.
The enquiry into the practices at the Necropolis
was resumed and concluded yesterday. No addi-
tional evidence was adduced, but Mr. Lace gave
the Trustees' explanation to the whole of the
charges, which will be found in another column.
Mr. M‘Gowan replied, and it was the universal
opinion of all who had taken a part in the investi-
gation, that nothing would satisfy the public until
the cemetery was closed.

The half-yearly meeting of the Bank of England
was held yesterday. A dividend of 41 per cent.
was declared. The nett profits of the half•year
were n 86,330.

There is not much in our continental intelligence
this morning. Rumours are current in Paris,
arising, probably, from the insignificant character
of the Persian treaty, that it contains secret articles
excluding mediation of any other power but Great
Britain in the Asiatic quarrels of Persia.
M. de Lesseps has arrived at Paris from Alex
andria, and he continues to speak in a sanguine
manner with reference to the destiny of the
Suez Canal. The Porte still refuses to grant a
firman for the enterprise ; England still views it
with disfavour, and the capitalists, who backed
up the scheme in its infancy, begin to calculate
the chances of its never attaining maturity. Yet
M. de Lesseps still hopes. Should the scheme
fail, the perseverance, energy, and immense acti-
vity displayed by that gentleman in the course of
the last eighteen months will survive in France
the recollections of the projected canal, which, if
practicable, certainly recommended itself very
especially to the favour of the countries washed by
the Mediterranean.

Private letters from the French squadron in the
Canton waters, and at Hong Kong, describe the
precautionary measures adopted by the British and
French admirals. Hong Kong has been surrounded
by earthworks, which are well armed and are domi-
nated by a fort erected at the extremity of the
suburbs of Victoria, which likewise commands the
lower portion of the Chinese town. The Lemma
canal has been cut, and the communications
by water are thus secured. At the point where
the canal has been cut strong redoubts have
been erected. These works are defended by a
detachment of sailors from the French vessel Vir-
ginie. At Shanghae similar precautions have been
adopted, and numerous earthworks have placed the
factories beyond all danger of an attack from the
Chinese. These letters all express a desire for the
speedy arrival at Canton of the gun boats and
smaller steamers, as the attitude of the Chinese is
such that a terrible blow can alone call them to
their senses.

The purposeless quarrel between Austria and
Sardinia has led to the rupture of diplomatic re-
lations between the two States. If it leads, as is