Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-02 00:00:00

FEICK'S DE EXSISTANDE

Saddles of Mutton.
Boiled Legs of Mutton
Chicken Pies.

Roast Beef.
Round of Beef.
'Veal and Ham Pies

Legs of Pork.

Le Jambons

La Dinden Rot
Foulards Roti,

Tete de Veau.
La Dinden Bouilli
Poulards

EN"TRENIENTS.
Baudin la. Raisin. Baudin Qla Cabinet.
Gel6e et la Madeira
Gelee k la Rhum. .Patiasier O. la Contitere

During the dinner the Chairman read a telegraphic
despatch.
just received from Mr. J. R. Jeffery, stating
the fate:of the Docks Rating. Bill, which was received
with. loud marks of disapprobation.
The Chairman said, before entering upon the business
of the" evening, he felt it necessary to explain why he
occupied that chair.. If either his own feelings, his con-
venience, or his inclination had prevailed, he certainly
should not have sat there. Their respected friend, a
gentleman whom they all knew and appreciated, not
Only for his talent, but for the extreme energy and per-
severance which he had ever shown in the cause of reform,
Mr J. R. Jeffery—(loud cheers)—was to have occupied
that position' and would have discharged its duties much
more satisfactorily than he (the chairman) felt he should
be able to do.. However; he would endeavour to supply
the vacancy to the best of his ability, and he should
first read the letter which Mr. Jeffery had been kind
_enough_ to address to the council of the Reform Club,
which would show his, feelings in reference to that insti-
tution : ••

London, 28th February, 1959.
My, dear was by no means certain till this morning,
when 1 sent you a telegram, that I should not be able to occupy
the chair to-morrow;evening, as had been arranged. It is clear,
that those who desire that the docks should continue to be
exempt from bearing their fair share of the local burdens, are
exerting all ,the influence they can command, to accomplish
what object; and if the advocates for an equitable adjustment
arve not equally zealous, the former may succeed. You are
desk
nizal'e I have-been here upon this business during the past fort-
or 0,,,i,,1 as there is now no doubt but tht the second reading
h-- will be brought to-morrows evening, the Town-
know, as-specially, requested that I will not leave till its fate is
rend,„l.* ,1 have, therefore, decided upon remaining, and to
In t,c,„ "'II aid as my humble efforts may enable me to afford.
zne els absenting myself. upon an occasion most , interesting to
tha't ''one that you and the rest of my friends will consider
;, _ under, existing circumstances, I have selected to attend to—
, net the more agreeable duty-at least that which is the more
MPortant to the immediate interests of the Liverpool local
ratepayers.—I am, my dear air, Tours very faithfully,
J. R. JEFFIRT.

• To Thomas Cope, Esq., &c.,
lion. Sec. to the Liverpool Reform Club.
A note had also been received from the Mayor, in which
he regretted that a previous engagement prevented him
'from having the honour of dining with them. knote
'had been received from Mr. Robertson Gladstone, regret-
ting that a long standiug engagement prevented him from
availing of the honour intended him. The following letter
had been received from Mr. C. T. Bowring, who had
intended to be present up to three o'clock that afternoon,
but was suddenly called out of town;

Liverpool, March Ist, 1859

My dear Sir, —I am very sorry to intbrin you that an unexpectra
call to go out of town this afternoon will deprive me of the
pleasure of dining with the Reform Club, as I intended, and as
otherwise I should have had great pleasure in doing.
Permit me to add, that any institution which will in any way
tend to give life and activity to that party in this town, which
seeks progressively to adapt our laws and principles oflegislation
to the requirements of the times, will always have my warmest
RYmpathy ,• and, believing that the object of the promoters of the
Reform Club is entirely of this character, I wish them every
success in their undertaking.—l am, my dear sir, yours faith-
fully, C. T. Bowan o.
To Thomas Cope, Esq., lion. Sed. Reform Club.
The- Council had farther invited Mr. John Bright
(loud cheers) to attend that meeting; and the following
lett,er
d been received from him :

r ~ Rochdale, Feb. 24, 1859.*
Bear Sir,—l must ask yon to convey my thanks to the Council
of Your Reform Club for their kind invitation to the opening
dinner on the Ist of March, and to express to them my regret
that I am not able to avail myself of their kindness.
It I expect to be in town on Monday, and I have so many things
P. 11, • waiting my attention there, that I cannot give up the time
'Or ' necessary to allow me to come down to Liverpool,
I hope we shall hear from Liverpool an expression of opinion
Atf ' on the great question of Reform, and that before
•long a measure
19' . caa,_ 37 Pass which shall give a fair share of Parliamentary influence
. w the great commercial interests of the country.-1 am, with
great respect, your's truly, Jpn BRIGIIT.
'veil To Chaa.Wilimer, Esq., Liverpool.
The Chairman also read the following letters :
! •
64, Pall Mall, 23rd Feb., 1859.
CleC). Dear Sir,—l am much obliged to you for your note of the
•r
fib' . 21st, and beg you will express to the Council my great regret
that my dutieF here prevent me availing myself of their kind
Otei imitation for the Ist March. —Believe me, very truly your's,
To C. Willfner, Esq. I. C. EWART.
•
001' Croxteth,. Liverpool, Feb. 25th, 1859.
Lord Sefton presents his compliments to the Council of the
Liverpool Reform Club, and regrets that he cannot accept their
kind invitation to dinner on Tuesday next, as he has a large
Party staving with him,
lk
To the Council of the Liverpool Reform Club.

Hazles. Feb. 22

Dear Sir,—l hope you will have the kindness to make known
to the gentlemen of the Connell of the Reform Olub my sense
of the compliment they have been good enough to pay to me,
in inviting me to the dinner proposed to take place on ',Tuesday
'next, and express to them my regret that an immediate engage-
ment prevents my having the honour of accepting it. I should
have been very glad to have been able to be present.—Your very
Obedient servant, T. B. BIRCH.

4, William-street, Lowndes-square, Feb. 25, 1859

Dear Sir,—ln consequence of my absence fro 6 town, I have
not been able to make an earlier reply to your letter of the 21st
inst. May I beg you will convey to the council of the Liver-
pool Reform Club my acknowledgment of the honour conveyed
in their ihvitation to a dinner to commemorate the establishment
of the club, on Tuesday, the let of March, and my regret that I
am unable to avail myself of it, in consequence of engagements
I have for that day here. I wish every succers to your club,
whose objects cannot but enlist the sympathy of every re-
former.—l am, dear air, yours truly, d. CREETHANI.
To Charles Willmer, Esq., President.

Wolverton Park, near Newbury, Ilants, Feb. 25, 1859.
My Dear Sir,—lbeg to thank the Council and yourself for their
invitation to be present at the opening, dinner of .the Liverpool
Reform Club, and to express my regret that other engagements
will prevent me from accepting it, and meeting many of the old
familiar faces. I hope the Club may be a meant of anitifig the
Reform interest, and tend to extend the number of Liberal
Politicians. I shall look with interest for a report of your pro-
teedings.—l am, truly your's, • Joe. WALMSLEY:
To Charles Willmer, Esq., President of the Council.

London, Feb. 28th, 1859. •
Dear Sir,—On Saturday, at the request of the Chairman of
the Health Committee, I agreed to form one of a deputation to
London to assist in the second reading of the Bill for rating the
'Mersey Docks. This prevents my accepting the kind invitation
to be present to-morrow at the dinner of the Reform Club,
otherwise I should have been glad to have been present.-
-

Believe Meyocvs faithfully, Tuos. -AvisoN
To Thos. Cope, Esq., Hon. Sec. Liverpool Reform Club.

Letters were also received from Messrs. J. J. Stitt, C.
Mozley, Ronalds, Shiel, Aikin, Wm. Rathbone, Ryley,
Thornley, S. Rattles, Walter MacGregor, A. Holt, Cor-
bally, George Melly, Charles Melly, C. E. Rawlins,
Charles Robertson R. Johnson, Francis Boult, William
Brown, Macrae,. tt:e. &c.
The Chairman said : Gentlemen,—There is one toast
which I must call upon you to drink, and that with all
sincereity and with all enthusiasm, and I am quite sure
when I introduce it, considering the lady to whom it
refers, and remembering the • many virtues which she
possesses, both public and private, it will be
a waste of time for me to use any words
in recommending. that toast to your favourable consider-
ation, and therefore, without', further preface, I beg to
propose the health of the Queen. The toast was drunk with
all tokens of loyalty, the company singing, " God save the
Queen." In proposing the next toast, the chairman said:
Gentlemen, I have another toast to propose, which I
am quite sure will be received with' the same enthusiasm
which you granted to the last. Hire have a good Queen,
as we all admit we have, we certainly have no less a good
Prince Consort, mid very excellent children. I will,
therefore, propose " the health of Prince Albert, the Prince
of Wales and the rest of the Royal family." In giving
that sentiment, may we all hope that our future King
may prove as popular, and study the interests of his
people as thoroughly, as his mother has done.
The toast was drunk with enthusiasm.
Mr. Samuel Campbell was called upon for a song, and
he gave the company "Look forward and hope for the
best," in excellent style. He was encored, and he then
sang " Beautiful Star " very sweetly.
The Chairman said : I have another toast to
bring under your notice. It is one of the old fash-
ioned sort, and so long as we have despotic monarchs,
and tyrannical emperors I suppose we shall be obliged
to keep up standing armies and standing navies. And I
_ am sure there is no gentleman around this board that will
withhold from these two services that gratitude which
they owe them for services rendered in past times ; and
i,l sure no person in this meeting has any other opinion,
that when, called upon again, if they ever be called upon,
.Pfey wilt shOw the same perseverance and noble-courage
"they did
farmer' occasions, and I hope with_ the- Sarnia
Imcdess. But the topic is one on which I need not occupy

your time. You know them, you can appreciate them as
well as I do, and therefore I need not expatiate upon Weir
merits. . _

The toast was drunk with three cheers.
Mr. M'Cabe was then called upon, and gave with great
comic effect, two Irish comic songs, whiuh created much
laughter, and were warmly applauded.
The Chairman : Gentlemen, since 1 proposed the last
toast, I have had placed in my bands a telegraphic
dispatch, addressed by Mr. J. IL Jeffery to the Daily Post
office,wbich I shall read to you : " The Dock-rating. Bill
thrown out without a division. The prevailing opinion
is, that the Government are not sincere in the promotion
of their new measure." (" Oh, oh," and hisses.)

A voice: What new measure ?
The Chairman : The new Reform Bill they have had
the honour of introducing. The, next toast I have the
honour to propose is one which I am sure you will
respond to with even a more heartily enthusiastic accla-
mation than you responded to.those which preceded them.
I say so, because it is one which, has more of a personal
character; and however much we may respect those who
govern us, we all know that human nature is so
constituted that we love Ourselves, better. (Hear, hear.)
On that ground we' shall perhaps drink the toast I am
about to propose, even more enthusiastically, but I hope
not more sincerely. I say it concerns us more inti-
mately. And why? Because I propose that we shall
drink success to the measures of parliamentary reform,
which the people of this county, who are the large
majority of the country, have been agitating for during
the last ten years, but which they have been unable to
find any government capable or willing to carry them
out. (Cheers.) With that toast is identified the name of
a gentleman, which when I mention, lam sure it will
touch the chords of the hearth of most of you. Gentle-
men, the man of whom I speak is known by reputation
from one end of the world to the other—l mean John
Bright. (Enthusiastic cheering.) Gentlemen, if there
was a time when any oeveifierable rtion of the reformers
of England held aloof Mr. Bright as the loader of
the Reform party, it was in the' expectation that some
practical measure of reform would be proposed by some
recognised government. (Hear, hear.) But I apprehend
the time has now arrived when no such expectation can
any longer keep reformers back. (Hear, hear.) I ap-
prehend that we have now arrived at a period when few
gentlemen, who call themselves reformers, can refuse to
give in their adhesion to Mr. Bright, and to oter him all
the support in their power to 'carry out his measures.
(Cheers.) I, for one, may confess that for a long time I
was not prepared to g,o the length which Mr. Bright was
prepared to go, and I was rather inclined to hesitate in
order to see what the present government would give us,
and I believe that I am not single "in the position or the
view I took. (Hear.) But lam prepared to say that the
government bill proposed in the House of Commons hai
failed to lold out a hope that any of our expectations
will be realized. (Hear, hear.) Finding then that they
are not prepared to 'meet our requirements, there is only
one course for reformers to adopt, and that is, to unite, as
one' man for 'one purpose. (Loud cheers.) If the
measures of reform which we demand 'should be fifteen
or twenty years in advance of thp times, let us bear in
mind the statement which' Mr. Disraeli made in the
House of Commons last night, that the former Reform
Bill was fifteen or twenty years in 'advance of the time,
but notwithstanding that, England has progressed most
satisfactorily in all her departments. (Hear, , hear.)
Take that statement and the consequences which flowed
from the admission of the measure which Mr. Disraeli
declared to be so much in advance. of the time. If
the results have proved that the government was right in
giving a measure of reform fifteen or twenty years
in advance of the time in the year 1832,
let us try the same experiment again, and get a measure
15 years in advance of the time now - (hear, heal)--and,
let hope that the same measure of prosperity, orrather
a far groater measure of prosperity, may follow such an
enactment. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Gentlemen,
.this
toast is to be responded to by a gentleman on my left
hand, and I shall not anticipate the observations which
he will make, but will simply say that, although not a
citizen of Great Britain, yet, having lived in British
colonies and under British rule, he thoroughly understands
the political constitution of Great Britain, and he can tell
us something, too of the 'political institutions of the
United States. I call upon you to give him an
impartial hearing, quite -satisfied that he will tell
us some truths worth the knowing In conclusion,
gentlemen, I beg to propose the 'toast of " Mr. John
Bright," coupling with it "Parliamentary Reform," and I
call tra my friend Mr. George Francis Train to respond
to it. (Cheers.)
Mr. M'Cabe sang " A Man's a Man for a' That."
Mr. George Francis Train, of America, rose to respond,
and was received with loud cheers. He said :
I know not why, Mr. Chairman, you have thrown so
Royal a mantle over my shoulders when others surround
me, so to the manor born it would fit them and suit you
better, I like responsibility, but to respond to the senti-
ment on which you have called me up is weightier far
than chartering ships or negotiating contracts. This
noble welcome almost makes me forget where I am or
what to say. Forget that I was born in another land,
in a distant country, forget that I am a citizen of Eng-
land, for by your courtesy and your cheers you have made
me one of you. (Applause.) What have I done,where is my
right to this high honour ? ' Tis true I was active as a
merchant in despatching ships here some ten years ago.
That I paid large sums of money to your docks,
your merchants, your bankers, - and your . tradesmen.
It is true that I took a deep interest in your commerce
when I was among you, and the' hospitalities which were
tendered me I never forgot, when serving in other and
far-off lands. A boy in New England, a youth in Old
England, a man in Young Australia, I know something
of all' the Saxon lands. In an English colony I was
asked to represent the diggers in the council, but I was
not a politician. I was simply a merchant ; not an
English merchant, but an American merchant ; and as a
colonist, I was an advocate for Reform in pilotage, Reform
in tonnage dues, Reform in the sales of land, Reform in
the modes of transacting business. The Australians will
give me credit, while not mixing in their local politics, for
being a reformer in the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce.
on the land question, and the Liverpool merchants will also
give me credit for being a reformer in removing some of the
restrictions upon their shipping ? (Applause.) If that is
why you thus honour me, I accept the honour, but
decline, as I did in Australia, to interfere in your politics
or your government. If I can respond to the toast in an
off-hand way, I will do so. 'You permit it—l proceed.
Americans like John Bright, (Hear, hear.) Senator
Douglas told me he considered him one of the ruling

minds of Europe. I like the man ; 1 like the speaker";
I like the matter that he speaks. In the intel-

leetuil forest, ',.111r%

Bright is an oak ;—(cheers)--

1.
among the animals, a ion ,in commerce, a steam-ship of
2,000 horse power ! a Mont Blanc among the mountains ;
and among the nations—he is Englaml : if his reforms
will benefit England, I hope that it will succeed. With
his name I see connected Parliamentary Reform. Now
I must; in speaking to it, ask you to remember, that
am not a politican. lam a merchant. I make books.
I make speeches. 1 write letters, but not as a politician,
only as a merchant ; and in speaking of Parliamentary
Reform, i will respond to it as an American—and only
as an American, as a guest, and not as a member of your
association.. In a few words I will define my position.
If- Reform means placing men in Parliament who will
cultivate American friendship, who will, disdain to misre-
present her; who will bear towards her the.affection that
America bears to England ? Who will study her geography ?
examine her institutions, appreciate her progress, and not
slander her character—if Parliamentary Reform means
to elect members that will spend a hundred pounds or so,
and run the risk of a little sea-sickness on the water, and
a little extract of tobacco on the land by visiting America
—lf that is one of the virtues of Parliamentary Reform,
you may count on me as one of your most enthusiastic sup-
porters! (Cheers.) The people of America want to knowthe
people of England.—l wish yon knew us better, and we
wish to know you better. Reform is the offspring of
knowledge. Reform means improvement—a desire for
something better. There are many things that
I wish mother England would reform in—
but none more than reformation in her opinions regarding
America! I want her, as a matter purely experimental,

to turn her phtlanthropy to Africa during the next ten
years, and buy our cotton at present prices. In other
words I want her to look through the practical eyes of
commerce instead of the theoretical glasses of Exeter-Hall.
(Cheers.) Englishmen and Americans do not meet often
enough over the soeial board. I believe in the Aristocracy
of good dinner, but more in the Aristocracy of intellect.
The physical treat should be hidden in the shadow of
the mental. I believe in the Aristocracy of good nature,
the Aristocracy of good fellowship, the Aristocracy of a
good hearty laugh, and would advocate that aristocracy
in Parliamentary reform that would remove all taxes
on the mind. (Applause.) I should say to' the statesmen
Tax the belly—not the brain ! Remove the tax on
knowledge, but tax bachelors, tax widowi, tax young
men parting their hair in the middle, tax crinoline, and,
above all, tax grumbling, but remove the tax on, paper!
(Laughter and applause.) Here is a field for par-
liamentary reform. Why pay out of yoUr pocket
2,000,000 for education, and then force half of
it back again in taxing the chief agent of educa-
tion—paper ! I am a free trader. Free trade in
shipping, Free trade in finance, Free trade in theology,
Free trade in education, Free trade. in newspapers, Free
trade,. in parliamentary reform. Remove' the tax On
paw, and everybody would read, editors would write kindly
about America, and people would become better aequainted
oji this trihtter:i'oplyto. the-toast John Bright,
and Ocean postage reform. Remove the taxes on news-