Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-17 00:00:00

aad
except' that they happen to be Conservatives !
4ue37 are, one and all, excellent men, according to
°lir contemporary's own acknowledgment. ".We
:d° not and cannot mean to'say," is frankly con-
'Nett
"that they are men of inferior capacity--
far from it,"—but then they are Conservatives';
all, therefore, they had better " retire into.
4iPrivaeY!" Of course there is no want of plausi-
ae Pretexts assigned, besides, why they should
1 retire, The Liberals are newer at a loss for
teat artful excuses. But, disguise it as they may, the
°hiection—the only colourable objection that
C 0133 alleged apinst them—is that they are
rvatives, fact which we trust the Elec-
tors will be
:erember, is prepared to show, on the First of
one principal reason why they
tight NOT to c, retire into privacy."
For what is to be the particular result of the
113ervatives thus shrinking from public duty,
bed retiring into privacy? Why, some of our
.art qualified citizens for public office are Con-
eltives• Men of the highest character, of the
'LvSt intellimence, of the best business habits,
Thethe truest integrity, are our Conservatives.
ktu .s.erY fact of their being, such, is of itself a
as 1,61 Y that they are men of high qualifications,
dliresPeets the efficient discharge of Municipal
it ies' And were such men to retire, can
Place a. a. moment be supposed that their
is
could b 3 supplied from the ranks of the
any teals with any advantage to the town,—with
°htlier effect, indeed, than one which would
44; found most calamitous ? We think not ;
at -e
are convinced that should such an issue
1/41:a41Y time unfortunately arise, the town at
tite.h‘v°4ld only too soon see cause to deplore
eppe-tall2e, and to resolve, on the first ensuing
to revert to that very state of things
itiitte-lia an evil hour they had unhappily per-
„e" t° subverted.
,rzeh, then, is plainly and practically, the state
eo% e ease- Unless our Town Council is to be-
elite ad
Radical body, the Conservatives must at
Prepar-etermine to exert all their strength in
°Pponi,ati" for the coming Elections. With
so 411 -ts se indefatigable, so energetic, and often
thernserhPnions, as those who are pitted against
kake theY will require, they may be assured, to
ntaintla.° °rdillary exertion, on this occasion, to
so 11
their gr
the ound. And should they not do
e defeated relt 1
plain and palpable. They will
ourNr They will no longer be a majority
take n `uniciPal Corporation. All power will be
theto out c't their hands. The town will be left
tine
wltleader mercies of the Radicals. And no
ko,;er t' has ever experienced Radical rule and
hare 'lance could possibly desire for such a
111 this,—if in any degree anxious for the
itsh eillarlee of its honour and its interests,—that
4fils jet°lliotila unfortunately be subjected to such an

\lrk
'tile S'l,i, Out have been better pleased had we seen"
*h Inerventent so auspiciously begun at the south
l or Ale to
r, Arm
wn by Men, the IncumbentV St. -Saviour's,
and seconded at the north end in
411 Saints' Sch
001-room, more vigorously arid
fore.l.Veedily followedup inother quarters of the
k_wil' Vested rights, whose origin is hiddenin
,tkott
- antiquity, whose tesrare was laid mill
tiktireutat.... stances signally different from. those which
dertd
B.llggested, and la some ,:particulars
Able much cavil and opposition, aid whichd
vtilt be adequately or intelligently &Senile
IviinT'ut a' considerahle degree of acquaintanee
itiC histerical detail, require just that sont ofe
41,:nation which parochial meetings are .
u7l,oable and e'reeti -e.cxenues for communi-
(44o—li.reht their beat advocates —the laity ,of rthe
,tlfilt is all
very Well to ;use the leading leoinns.ns
clf:::esPaer in ceder tocrouse the spnpa th. tes
e Olasses
of
.I,lt - °Pathe ptiblie, and propagate thuengh
of people ,a sort of feeling of ,eceles-
kaalettl elanshin• it is often necessary to adept
of s tel
startling and alreapt, for the punpase
4:*41(ellillg the Sleeper :and challenging Ai:
Iverkriti" but the most necessary part ,c-fl:is
,_ _ has yet to follow;; namely, to oectlPY .
lt, nice bim. that
"v4kku '4l'
ed
keulties -with something tangible,tand
iiti:littull you have tilet-e is something worthyrthe
aier76:l t° evaporate is. a
elicited. If this movementis
vague feeling of excite-
gic'‘st' in
Illere
Ben ns of ,disgust at the pm
tr et violence and injustice, or in vapowing
4.4840 about ~ no
salTender,,,
~, the Chure.la d
Ivor Mathers," and the like, iit will have beer.
lkit'se, ti.Llatn useless. It will 1-tb-ve provoked see - t.
man
'te, turned religion into a mere policy,.2:.
444 f°r4led intelligent appreciation oflfr-fligat-
i,
-"lee iato the self-complacert and self-flat-
be
can
lie
40'*eal of party. To avoid thiev nothing 4ittri tlihnirably fitted as the adoption of local ;
Alt e-BEttherings ; and it was for this reason_
klatilton- thi?itight it a matter of so much congrare.
terred ft° the promoters of the tree we have
be
tlte eo '''' Gat they announced their object to
4 illiveYinee of "information on the subject of
ti°ll"rell-NteN''' Let us lodge this u tinforma-
lvith -.1
enre Places ; let us permeate society
has ji:Well- ,„
ti f-'nded impression, that the Church
ticlividuaeleiis" 4er side ; let us endow the Isity
k-ilowiedge:o74.ll the confidence, which. an exact
"est means . What they are defending, is the
*ell
re °' securing ; let us, as it were, raise a
thzephTatel
4 te, ltnised, a true hearted, a solidly taught,
Y trained militia of defence for the
tkil4B 8 intersts, and we need not fear 'but that the
t:4ljate °I equity and fair dealing will secure more
h, Irliee and respect, than they have given
NI; (3.. tiniug from many of our recent legisla-
°lt'ld j'et
us ertlY consider the public effect that
ttiq
ts.urelY follow, if every parochial and dis-
t:e°ool.-room in the country, or in the large
Ate: c`t. the country, were to put forth co-ordi-
l)°P in quick succession, such manifestos as

those from St Saviour's and All Saints. Let us
imagine the noble band of intelligent advocates
studding every society in England, and meeting
everywhere with steady resistance the noisy
onslaught of Sectarian , zeal and faction. It
is a quiet, solid, and extensive demonstration
4. ;his ' that is .absolutely required to

of this sort
keep in countenance and encourage many
half-hearted advocates of our cause; and, above
all, many bidders for political favour and
popnlarity. Far distant be the day when the
Church of this country shall be driven to depend
upon the treacherous smiles of a Lord JOHN
RUSSELL. But can it be doubted that, if ade-
quate means had been adopted to evoke all the
strength which is latent in a large proportion of
the popular mind, that fickle and unconscientious
friend would not so suddenly have given up the
cause of Church-rates ? Those who are most
anxious to find an excuse for this act of treachery
and tergiversation, can but allege that the wily
tactician, having concluded that the opposition
had become too formidable for resistance, seized
the opportunity to make a. bid for popularity
among the lowest or the most wavering of his
political following. But if true expression had
been given to the sentiments of the Church of
England, and of the most respectable and mode-
rate who differ from her, and the full tones of
their united protest and appeal had been prepared
to assail the ears of the Legislature, time-serving
faction could have feigned no excuse, and would
have boen compelled to consistency, in order to
avoid universal derision and contempt.
There is no doubt that the surest prelude to
the consummation of an act of public or social
flagrancy, is this vague presentiment in men's
minds, that it is destined to be accomplished.
The idea of destiny chills the bravest heart.
Men refuse to fight with it; and their arms drop
off with as mute and abject an acquiescence as
that with which the walls of Jericho fell at the
blast of JOSHUA'S trumpets. It is therefore a great
point with our adversaries to impress Churchmen
with the conviction that the spirit of the age is
driven by a sure necessity to abolish Church-
rates, and that it is almost as much against
nature as it is against the experience of the
century, to counteract or delay its blind and
onward impulse. They are fond of telling us
that its mission would not be fulfilled, if it
were to find in these a check in its career,
—that it would be a step missed in the progress,
a gap, a loose stone in the temple of the
future, a hiatus which would abrogate the deci-
sions and spoil the long predictions of fate. But
let us teach Churchmen to scout and utterly re-
ject this faithless and unmanly notion. Let them
tell their assailants that all the examples of his-
tory, and all the teaching of philosophy, and. all
'the hopes of goodness are against this vain and
'presumptuous caricature of Providence. If Fate
'be their god, it is not ours. - We appeal both to
a higher reason and to a higher authorkty. We
say that the principles of justice an a. 'truth are
alone irreversible and eternal. We say :that these
fond ravings of n. blind and inevitable necessity
are butthc phantoms of their own !aorta imagina-
tions ; and thatif man be only worthy wad patient,
nothing shat be allowed to snierseile the human
development ti great and gonii-prirroiples, and the
solid benefits-they can establith anl3. secure. We
say that in the one ease they are, as it were,
those comments of opinion;' which, it is said,
perish With the day ; and, in the other, those
judgments ,of nature which, it is -also said, time
corm/borates :and confirms.

Let las !not, therefore., ;quietly ttrust ourselves Ito
the zeal Of Parliamentary advocates, or, on tke
other hand, depend on the-spasmodic awakening
of pogaulanympathies. `There are many ignorant
but lanneatt opponents of :Church-mates, as well 'as
weak advocates, the first of whom might be dis
armed ,tif their opposition, and-:the latter trans-
formed :into strong allies, through the steady
and constant diffusion of .',information" .on
the subject. Our parealial organisation is zni-
miribilynklapted as a channel:for conveying, an a
forciide arid continuous :stream, the knowledge
which mightotrengthentke hearts of so many, aid
turn the poSition of the foe. Why:should not every
ecclesiastical district in this town send forth its
voice,and establish its own "‘ Volunteer Corps"of
Church rate fiefenders ? There is .plenty of talent,
tact, and knowledge, among -the local clergy.,
to use the machinery at its command with power
and effect. Why should they not Ilse it ? There is
plenty of ,atreEgth and force cif (opinion among
the laity svatiiiiing the summons. 'Why should it
not be evoked'? Even in this provincial town a
note might be .truck, which would resound in
the metropolis, and thence awaken:an echo from
rihe furthest corners of England.

NOT OF THE DAY,

(f the report be tree that the Emperor •of Austria is
likely to visit the French Emperor at Compiegne, in
the eourse of next month, the inference would very
naturaly be, that there was no such misunderstanding
between them about Italy as recent rumours have led us
to suppose. For our part, we hope and trust the report
is true. There is nothing like negotiators, and more
especially, perhaps Imperial ones, seeing a little of each
other by means of friendly visitations. They are thus
afforded opportunities of talking over the matter in
dispute calmly and with good feeling, and can generally,
therefore, come to better terms than they are
likely to do through the usual cold and formal
diplomatic intercourse. The very idea of the
4nstrian Emperor visiting the Emperor of the
French, at one of the latter's own palaces, is indica-
cative of a desire, at any rate, in that quarter, to be
upon friendly terms for the future. We can only hope,
therefore, that this will be realised.
The French army, or a large portion of it at least,
has, we are glad to learn, found occupation on the
Algerian frontier, to bring into subjection the Moorish
tribes who have been so troublesome of late to both
France and Spain. The object itself is a good one ; and
it is fortunate, perhaps, that such a diversion has oc-
curred at :a moment when the army is doubtless impatient