The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-13 00:00:00

cation from the solicitors of the Rev. Mr. KinKus
not only throwing the blame on the committee of
the Necropolis, but exonerating Me. KIRKUS.
This exoneration, however, is no exculpation ; for,
as we read it, Mr. KIRKUS simply " did not ap
prove" of those irregular and scandalous
proceedings, though he knew of them.
This constitutes his culpability. He was
cognizant that all was not going on fairly
and honestly ; he gave it an ear, but no tongue ;
he never ventured even a gentle hint in favour of
honesty to the public and reverence for the dead•
If the sexton had not "split," we might never have
heard anything of it to this blessed hour ; but we
might have been going on consigning our dead to
,` preparatory" graves, which were afterwards to be
changed for common ones, or for a lodgment
among " fever and cholera cases." Fortunately
for the community, the sexton was once titian
a time unable to contain himself ; he " blabbed ;'
we arc enlightened as to the untidy" proceed-
ings of the Necropolis and his solicitors fail
to exculpate the rev. gentle:nan. There is the
common saying, that when a certain class of per_
sons fall out honest people get their due. We
would not think of applying the proverb to so
grave and reverend signiors" as the Necropolis
officials and Ylr. KIWRUS. Let others apply it if
they please—not we. Bat the exoneration which
fails to justiy Mr. KIRKUS, incriminates the com-
mittee. The quarrel threatens to become a very
pretty one, for it is now publicly stated that " the
committee of the Necropolis were aware of all
the important events in connection with the
management of the internal affairs of the ceme-
tery; and that, in fact, it was positively com-
municated to them in writing, that two hundred
graves had been sold which had been formed out
of old common graves." If this be true it becomes
a very " grave" matter indeed. It sustains the
opinion we formerly expressed that it is difficult to
believe that such things could happen without any
body knowing of it.
It appears now, according to Mr. KIRK.US, that
the Committee did know of it ; and therefore all
that we have advanced about violation of the dead,
prostituting the offices of religion for pelf, and
cheating the community, stand unreftited and even
confirmed. No language of indignation can
be too strong to brand such proceedings.
Mr. litnieus accuses the Committee, and the
Committee have dismissed the Rev. Mr
KIIIKUS by way of propitiation to the indig-
nant feelings of the people of Liverpool.
But the atonement is insufficient, ludicrously
insufficient for the enormity of the sin.
And it will turn out probably that both parties
knew more than they chose to let the public
know. That would have endangered the dividends,
even the fifteen per cent.; and if silence will
bring fifteen per cent., while giving tongue may
reduce them to five, why then the argument is
ten per cent. in favour of keeping the peace.
We repeat, enough has not yet been done to
expose and punish these infamous proceedings.
We demand to know—the people of Liverpool have
a right to know—who are the Commitee ? Youths
and maidens tell us, if you know who
they are, what • are their names ? " A good
name," says the venerable book, "is better
than precious ointment ;" and the illustrious Sir
John Falstaff once expressed a wish for a commo-
dity of good names. But the names of the Necro-
polis Committee would not have answered the
purpose of the valorous knight ; for long will the
names of the said committee send forth an unplea-
sant odour in the public nostrils, even like those
putrid carcases that lay in the sun tainting the air,
and shedding around the seeds of disease. It is
sometimes a matter of difficulty to find an appro.
priate armorial inscription at the herald's office for
parties illustrious in their own estimation. May we
recommend to all or any of the committee who
may ever find themselves so circumstanced
these classic and appropriate words " Stealing and
giving odor." This is suiting the words to the
action, and the Committee are quite welcome to
them. But we have not done with them, we

require a nearer acquaintance. As yet we know
them only under the collective name of Committee
but the purpose of public exposure, punishment,
and security for the future, require that we should
definitely know the names of those who have
violated their duty, religion, and decency, by the
disgraceful transactions recently brought to light
in connection with the Necropolis.—The end is

not yet.

THE REVEREND EDITOR AND THE
BIRKENHEAD POLICE.