The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-04 00:00:00

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1857.

indemnity to be given previous to the absolute appointment, ,
and that indemnity had not been given.
Mr. Bennett: Am I to understand that there is or is not
an organist ?
The Mayor : I understand that the appointment was
contingent upon a certain act being performed by some one
else, and that that act has not been performed.
Mr. Bennett thought there could be no doubt that the
Council would have to pay the money, and it was therefore
very unworthy of them to refuse it, when it must end in
payment. He begged to move that the quarter's salary
due to Mr. Smith be paid.
The Mayor : You aro bound to make the payment after
the appointment, but in point of fact the Corporation have
not made the appointment.
Mr. W. P. Jeffreys said, the churchwardens for the time
being, could not bind their successors, and consequently Mr.
Smith looked to the Corporation for his salary.
Mr A. C. Stewart said, when the question was first
before the Council. the churchwardens told the Council
distinctly, on behalf of the congregation, that if Mr.
Smith were appointed, the congregation would pay the
salary ; why they should be allowed to get off the pay-
ment now he could not understand. He would have
voted for Mr. Smith without that offer having been made,
but since the guarantee had been given, he thought the
parties ought to be held to it.
Mr. Fernihough said, the act of parliament declared that
the Council should pay a sufficient salary, but it also
declared that the appointment should rest with the Cor-
poration. Now, the Church Expenditure Committee, after
due consideration. doubtless, and in the discharge of their
iduty, recommended another party as organist of the
church. There were, however, speeches made upon that
occasion which caused many parties not to support the
recommendation of the committee. It was stated that if
the Council would waive the recommendation in favour of
a person named Hall, and consent to the appointment of
Mr. Smith, the congregation, who spoke through their
churchwardens, would willingly pay the salary. Upon
that condition the Council withdrew their right, as a mere
exception to the get eral rule, and allowed the congregation
to nominate Mr. Smith. He believed Mr. Smith was a most
able organist, and he should therefore vote that the salary
be paid, but he desired the facts to go forward, that
they might teach the Council the folly of establishing
precedents which might work to their disadvantage upon
some fature occasion. (Hear, hear.) One of the church-
wardeas had since retired from office—he would not be so
severe upon him as to say he did so because he did not
like the responsibility which was looming in the distance.
(Laughter.)
Mr. W. P. Jeffreys : I think he is alluding to me.
(Laughter.)
Mr Alderman Holmes : Stay until he has done.
Mr. Fernihough believed, that no sooner had the vote
passed the Council, than the agreement was refused to be
ratified. He admitted they had got a very able organist,
a young man who, he believed, was very popular with the
choir, and very much approved of by the congregation,
and, although, upon strict technical rules, the Council might
have a mere abstract right to act otherwise, still in order to
consult the convenience and the wish of the congregation,
as they always desired to do, he hoped they would concede
this question.
1 Mr. Jeffreys said, the hint, or more than hint, of Mr,Ferni-
' hough was meant to apply to him. He begged to tell
' the Council that the Town Clerk sent him word that such
an engagement was required. He went up, and tendered
it—first to Mr. Hughes, who declared that it was illegal,
and that nothing could bind him as churchwarden to pay
the debts of the Corporation. He next went to the Town
Clerk (Mr. Shuttleworth), and told him he was prepared to
give a guarantee to any amount, adding that he professed
to be a man of honour, and would falfil his engagements.
The Town Clerk made the same reply—that nothing could
bind him to pay the debts of the Corporation. He was not
going, therefore, to pay the debts of the Corporation.
(Hear, hear, and laughter.) He was no longer church-
warden, but the election did not rest with him. The incum-
bent proposed another gentleman, and consequently he went
1 I out.

Mr. Earle said, it was a very unworthy and shabby
act of the Council, to have entered into any such
arrangement. They ought to have at once allowed
the congregation to have the man of their choice, and he
only hoped that whatever the law authorised would be
done, if necessary, to extort the amount from the Cor-
poration.
Mr. Holme said, if Mr. Jeffreys, as churchwarden, would
hand over the money to the Finance Committee, he would
go down to posterity as the most noble-minded and
patriotic chnrchwarden who ever sat in a rquare pew.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Jeffreys : I should be most happy to do so, but it
would not be accepted.
After a few remarks from Mr. J. R. Jeffery, and other
gentlemen,
The Mayor said the organist would probably resign, and
come for re-appointment, and the question of salary could
then be arranged.
Finally the motion suggested by Mr. Bennett was with-
drawn, and the proceedings were confirmed.