The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-26 00:00:00

EVERTON WARD.

A public meeting of the electors of Everton Ward,
favourable to the return of Mr. T. B. Horsfall and Mr. C.
Turner, was held last night in Halliday's Coffee House,
Everton. It was most numerous and enthusiastic. The
chair was occupied by Thomas Chilton, Esq., alderman
for the ward; and among the other gentlemen present,
were Messrs. T. D. Anderson, D. Crosthwaite, Alderman
Bennett, C. F. Currie, T. Chilton, jun., Charles R
Shaw, R. Akod, J. Overton, J. Overton, jun., Holt, J.
Longton, F. Walker, J. Whitty, E. Whitty, &c., &c.
The Chairman briefly opened the meeting, and called on
Mr. C. F. Carne to move the first resolution, which was
a vote of thanks to Mr. Horsfall for the manner in which
he had discharged his duties while one of the representa-
tives in Parliament for the borough. He observed that not
a single voice, even among the ranks of their opponents,
had been raised against Mr. Horsfall, than which
no greater proof could be advanced of the honesty
and efficiency with which the honourable gentle-
man had always discharged his duties. (Cheers.) Mr.
Carne then drew a comparison between the Whig and
Tory party, and contended that the interests of the
country would be best attended to and secured when
entrusted to the protection of the Conservative party.
(Cheers.) . _ _

Mr. Thomas Chilton, jun., seconded the motion, and
in doing so, expressed wonder how any Radical could be
found to defend the town dues, and maintained that they
could alone be properly protected by the Conservative
members. (Hear, hear.) The motion was unanimously
adopted.

Mr. Horsfall, on presenting himself, was enthusiastically
received. He said : Mr. Chairman, brother electors,
brother freemen, and brother Evertonians—(laughter)—
permit me to thank you for the very cordial reception
which I have met with. And I feel bound to say that
if there is one ward in which, more than another, I do
ana ought to feel a deeper interest, it is the ward of
Everton. (Cheers.) Gentlern-n I was born in Ererton.
T passed a happy boyhood in Everton ; I lived about
thirty years in Liverpool, and although, gentlemen, great
changes have recently taken place, some of you remember,
with me, when Everton was somewhat deficient to what
it now is. (Hear, hear.) I feel bound to say, that this
immense mass of houses which have sprung up in it, have
been raised through the enterprise of rainy of the Welsh
inhabitants of Liverpool. (Hear, hear.) I feel an interest
in the character of' the Welsh, because I have myself many
Welsh connections ; and I have always felt an interest
and a desire to promote their welfare. (Cheers.) The
hon gentleman then referred to a letter which had been
just handed to him. It was from an elector, who disap-
proved of the government vote on the Chinese question;
but as he wished to support Mr. Horsfall, he desired
to know whether the honourable gentleman would,
on the re-assembling of Parliament, vote for an
arrangement of the difficulty, and for the cessation of
hostilities. The hon. gentleman continued :—.I am a friend
of peace, but as Lord Palmerston has said in his address,
it must be peace with honour. It must be peace with
protection to the lives of our fellow countrymen and fellow
Christians abroad, and I do not think that the course
Pursued by. her Majesty's Government was unjustifiable,
but I do think that the motion of Mr. Cobden was
unjustifiable—(cheers)—because I believe that, when
the intimation reaches China that such a motion has
been carried in the House of Commons, that it will not
only endanger the property of the British subjects,
but the lives of our fellow countrymen there—(hear,
hear)—and that is the reason that I could not
vote for the motion of Mr. Cobden ; but I am sure
there is not a gentleman in this room who would wish
us'to continue any war with China that can be brought to
a peaceable settlement with honour to this country. (Hear,
hear, and cheers.) Among other questions which have
been snbmitted to my honourable friend and myself'
at different times, I find one as to the exten-
sion of the elective franchise. We have been told that
we are not reformers, and that we are opposed to all
progress. If the friend who asks that question knew me,
he would know what my answer would be; but I tell him
I am not opposed to progress and reform. Let rue see au
abuse first—let me see that you do not know how to return
proper men to Parliament—that you do not know how to
exercise the franchise, and I will support reform. (Cheers.)
But, so long as-you return proper men, and so long as you
are free from any taint of corruption, I am not a party
for an extension of the franchise. (Cheers.) I do not
mean to say that if any well considered measure which
appears to me to make the franchise better were brought
forward that 1 would oppose it.,;lf I am satisfied that
any measure for reform of any kind would be an improve-
ment, I will support it (hear, hear), but I must first see
the abuse; and until I see the abuse in the present system
of election I will not pledge myself to any extension of
the franchise. (Cheers.) There are other descriptions
of reform. It is not reform of the franchise merely, but
we have also heard a great deal of administrative
reform. There is great room for administrative
reform. (Hear, hear.) Could anything be worse con-
ducted than the late war under the Aberdeen government ?
(No, no) They were all talented men, but there was an
utter absence of administration. (Hear, hear.) We have
heard a great deal of financial reform, and there is great
room for financial reform. (Hear, hear.) I am opposed
to any undue expenditure which must entail undue
taxation—(cheers)—and, gentlemen, it was on that ground
that I felt it my duty as an indepen lent member of the
House of Commons, and as your representative, to support
that motion, the object of which was to refer baclz the
estimates for re-consideration. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
I felt there was a pledge entered into with the people of
this country when the war commenced, that if they sub-
mitted to additional taxatioc—that taxation which was
called the war tax—should cease within twelve months
after the termination of the war. (Hear, hear.) With
the estimates which were submitted it was impossible for
the Chancellor of the Exchequer to take off these duties ;
but if they had been sent back and revised, I am satisfied
there were items which might have been struck out of the
expenditure, and which would have enabled the Chancellor
of the Exchequer to reduce the taxation of the country.
(Hear, hear.) So, therefore, I am a financial reformer,
wit" I believe it is the kind of financial reform
which we want in the House of Commons, not
unneccessarily or improperly to reduce the army
and navy, and so leave our country unprotected
—(hear,hee. ?C h If
e
hear)—but to have no unnecessary expenditure
i either n:the army or navy, or the civil estimates, or any
other branch of expenditure. (Rear, hear, and cheers.)
!. s w.)
I am a Conservative (renewed cheers) as you all knov
were not I
do
Iwnooutld
allown ot bepa
iTtoyurfereelpinrge:
and never will allow party feeling, to induce tie to vote
(Hearse repre-
sentative. hear.)
against any measure which I believe to be a good one.
(Cheers.) In conclusion, the hon. gentleman said that,
whatever they might do in other wards, he would he ranch
disappointed if, in Everton, they did not place him at the
head of the poll. (Cheers, and cries of " We will.")
Mr. C. Turner then came forward arid was enthusiasti-
caliy received. After thanking the meeting for their kind
reception of him, he proceeded to say—Gentlemen, I am
happy to find from the parsers of this morning, that my
opponents continue to abuse me very well. (Laughter.)
A voice " You could not expect anything else, could
you? (Laughter )
Mr. Turner : I am happy to find that this is the case,
because I think there is no surer sign that they are very

much frightened. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Depend upon
it that they are indeed very much frightened, else they
would not descend to the foul vulgar abuse they have
h,laped on rne. (Hear, hear.)
_ _

A: voice: "Blackguards will be blackguards." ;Cheers.)
Mr. Turner : I do not think it necessary that I should
answer any part of the abuse that has been brought
against me—(no, no)—because I think my character a
a sufficient guarantee to all who know me. (Hear, bear,
and cheers.) But I will notice an observation made .by
Mr. Picton. Mr. Turner then quoted Mr. Picton's re.
mark. which was to the effect that he (Mr. Turner) used
his influence, as chairman of the dock committee, in his
own favour, and to the prejudice of Mr. Ewart, and con-
tinued : With reference to that observation,
I beg to say that I was riot the party
who brought the subject before the Dock Committe-.
(Hear, hear.) I, gentlemen, deprecated the introducion
of such a subject as this into the Dock Committee. (Hear,
hear.) It was introduced by a political opponent of mine,
and I think the discussion of such a topic in the D ek
Committee was calculated to be seriously injurious to the
interest of the dock estste. (Hear, hear.) We are there a
committee for the purpose of managing that estate for the
good of the town, and the benefit of the trade of the king-
dom generally. (Hear, hear.) And, gentlemen, as long
as I hold that honour, and as long as I have
anything to do with the dock estate, I will never allow
it to be prostituted for party purposes. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, I have never since I have been in that
chair asked or influenced by word or look, any man with
reference to his vote. (Applause.) But, gentlemen,
when this subject was introduced, very much against my
inclination, [ thought it right to say that in my opinion
no servant of the dock trust ought to ask or influence the
vote of any ether man in the trust ; that every servant
should give hi, labour for the full time for which he was
employed, but that when he went to his own home there
Was nothing to prevent him exercising the same
political privileges as any other man. (Hear, hear,
and cries of (.‘ Of course not.") These are my
sentiments, and that is my answer to that observa-
tion, (Cries of " Very good.") My honourable
opponent, for I will call him so, and my private friend, Mr.
Ewart, says with reference to me, " There is considerable
difference between Mr. Turner and myself "—(laughter)—
and he goes on to say that he is a friend of progress, and
that I am an enemy of progress—(laughter)—and he
concludes his observations by saying that [ am bound hand
and foot to Lord Derby.
A Voice : " Three cheers for Lord Derby " (Cheers.)
Mr. Turner : I admire and esteem Lord Derby—(cheers)
—but if any man means to tell me that I woald go to the
House of Commons bound hula and foot to Lord Derby, or
any other man, I tell him he is very much mistaken.
(Hear, hear.) I should think it derogatory in me as the
representative of the people of Liverpool if I was sent there
bound to the measures of any man. (Hear.) I do not say any--
thing as to the policy of Lord Derby. I offer no opinion
on it, but I say as Mr. Horsfall has said, that I will vote
for those measures which I think are for the good of the
town and the country, be they brought on by whom they
may, and that I will give no factious vote either for or
against any government. (Hear, bear.) Therefore, I
hope that Mr. Ewart, with that candour which belongs
to him, will express himself mi-taken in the views that
he thought I entertained. (Hear and load cheers )
In conclusion, Mr. Turner quoted from his speech
in the Assembly rooms, Great George's street,
on Tuesday night, in which he deo'ared himself in favour
er ell necessary reforms, and gave that as his answer to the
other portion of Mr. Ewart's observations. He again
defended the proceedings in China, but declared that it was
the opinion of the Chinese Association that Sir J. Bowring
was not the man who should be our representative there.
The hon. gentleman resumed his seat amidst general
applause.

On the motion of Mr. Crosthwaite, seconded by Mr.
Alderman Bennett, the meeting ❑nanimously pledged itself
to support Mr. Horsfall and Mr. Turner, and to use every
exertion to secure their return.

The meeting then separatel: