Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-11 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1859

of partnership with another bellicose crowned
head, who is also making ready to take
the field. He then dictates a
.pamphlet .on the
ostensible-subject of such threatened war, showing
that war is all but inevitable,—that even treaties
cannot be ' allowed to stand in the way of the
objects for which the war is to be waged. "The
treaties which bind,Gonrnments are the interna-
tional laws of peoples, and would be, only, invariable
if the world was immovable.., If the treaties which
are to protect the security of Europe:place it in
danger, it is because they no 'longer answer to.the
necessities or to the wants which dictated them."
Such was his language as the pamphleteer. And
what does it mean, but that treaties are so much
waste paper in his eyes, when he has an object to
gain ? Further, the pamphlet went on to say,-
-" If, then, it be demonstrated that the situation of
the Italian States is not only a cause of suffering
for the country, but even a cause of uneasiness,
and perhaps of revolution in Europe, the letter of
treaties would be invoked in vain could not
hold against. the necessity of politics and the
interest of European eabder." Now, thii supposed.
" necessity of polities" is just the preteit which
may, at present, or at any time, be used for an
an ambitious purpose. It is nothing less than
" the' tyrant's .plea, neeessity,"L—that plea on
which so many enormities have, in all ages of the
world, been committed by the ambitious and the
covetous. Then comes the Speech, with directly

contrary aspirations. In the meantime, however,
the British Parliament had met, and_certain strong,
expressions of opinion were made there, in decided
opposition to his belligerent designs, from which
he takes his cue, and all at once pretends to be
pacific. - -He who had immediately before talked
about " the letter of treaties being invoked in
vain," now deems it expedient to proclaim, " I
shall remain unshaken in the path of law and
justice, and of national honour,"—as though there
could be any remaining whatever in such a path
where treaties were to be violated ; treaties which
are the solemn 'engagements of nations with each
other,and in a due respect for which, so long as they
are in force, there is involved both law,
,and jus-
tice, and honour. Thus then, it is evident that

" Both the ends of his dilemma wound

It is true, he says, as the pamphleteer, that
there are causes which cannot succumb in the
world; and this is of the number, because it is
neither selfish nor exclusive. It is the cause of the
nationalty of a living people, of the equilibrium of
Europe, and perhaps of the independence of the
Papacy, which Fqtnce has always defended." But
it is a cause which cannot be prosecuted as he
would prosecute it, without setting all Continental
Europe iu a blaze of war. And when he goes on
t 6 declare---" God would doubtless reserve a noble
portion of human glory to those who would support
this struggle," he talks just as rank blasphemy, as
he does hypocrisy, when he pretends, " Glory does
not tempt us ; we have had enough of it in the
history of the past as in the contemporaneous
events, to have no need of it;" or when, in his Speech
to the Legislative Body, he exclaims, " far from

us therefore these false alarms, these unjust
distrusts, these internal discouragements. Peacd,
I hope, will not be disturbed. Resume, therefore,
with dignified calm, the usual course of your
I have explained to you frankly the

respect to their custody and their sale, under strin-
gent rules, and directions, and even prohibitions.
As was well observed by the Home Secretary, in ask-
ing permission to bring in his Bill, whatever reasons
there were for such a measure before, they have
been in no slight degree increased and strengthened
by the dreadful calamity that lately occurred at
Bradford, where poisoned lozenges were sold to
some hundreds of the working people of that
town, many of whom, died, , and many more hive
had their health seriously impaired by the opera-
tion of the deleterious ingredient they, through
most culpable carelessness, contained. And Mr.
WALPOLE's declaration, therefore, cannot but
meet with a hearty response in the public mind,
when he said, that "he thought that no person
holding the situation which he now held would do
his duty,- nor would Parliament itself do its duty,
unless they endeavoured by every means in their
power to prevent the recurrence of those acci-
dents, by which whole populations might be put in
peril."

The object of the measure is to regulate the
keeping and the sale of poisons._ And that it is
possible to do this with some effect, we have the
testimony afforded by the working of an. Act of
Parliament of a similar character, namely, the
Arsenic Act—passed. some few years iince,„ for
restraining and regulating the sale of arsenic.
It appears that that Act has operated to a con-
siderable extent in diminishing the deaths by
that particular poison to which it relates. But
though the Registrar-General's Reports and other
evidences go to prove that the cases of fatal
poisoning by arsenic have, since the Act has been
in operation, been much fewer than before, still it
does-not-succeed in meeting all the difficulties of
the matter. The present Bill, therefore; seeks to

supply its defects. One of its principal provisions
is, that druggists and others dealing in, Poisons be
required to have the drawers or vessels Containing
them labelled in a conspicuous -manner with the
word POISON, and to take care that every wrapper,
or'cover, in which they may be sold, bd similarly
labelled. And that this Provision may be duly
regarded, power is to be giv.en to the Yustices of
the Peace to order any constable to go into a
druggist's shop and see that the law is complied
with. In the former Bill as many as twenty-
three poisonous articles were given in the schedule,
as those to which the regulations were to apply ;
but as it has been found that this number would
have caused a too troublesome interference
with the business of the druggist, it has been
reduced to thirteen, and opium, or laudanum,
is excluded from the catalogue, —we cannot
but think for a most unsatisfactory reason ;
namely, that "it was one of those things con-
stantly required by the poorer classes in small
quantities, and if any difficulty were put in the
way of their so obtaining it more serious difficul-
ties might arise." Now, we really are at a loss to
understand such a reason as this. For the poorer
classes, any more than the wealthier, can have no
proper occasion to be constantly requiring opium
or laudanum. The use of it, whether for children
or adults, is a most dangerous, and a Most perni-
cious habit; and so far from any facility or

encouragement being given to it, the poor, more
especially, would be very greatly benefitted by
some stringent restraint, if not a positive pro-
hibition, against their having recourse to it,—
except through the agency of a medical man.

But, with all the provisions which such a
measure may furnish for the protection of the
public in the sale of poisons, there is still no
reliable security against mistakes—those of igno-
rance and carelessness more particularly---in the
dispensing of poisonous or deleterious medicines.
The House of Lords, it seems, in their inquiry into
the subject, came to the conclusion that the only
real security will be to be found in raising the
standard of education of the chemist and druggist.

And so we believe. Mr. Secretary WALPOLE,
indeed, admits, " that anything that could be done
in that direction would be desirable—it would be
a great point gained ; for it was advisable, not
merely to regulate the sale of poisons, but to see
:that those who sold them were qualified to dispense
the various medicines with which they were con-
stantly dealing." But his anxiety to bring for-
ward his present measure without delay, has
deterred him, it seems, from now going into that
part of the question. It is, however, a point of
the first importance,—nay it is one that is indis-
pensable to our being in any effectual manner
secured against the constant risk of being poisoned.
In retailing medicine—in dispensing it —and in
compounding prescriptions, unless the standard of
education with those who are entrusted with it,—
especially chemists' and druggists' apprentices and
assistants,—is "raised considerably above what we

believe t too generally is at present, there cannot
but be constant danger of fatal mistakes. The
Pharmaceutical Society, we understand, has done
something in that direction. But the public safety
requires that there be some strict legal provision,
that all who are to be entrusted with such a
responsibility as that of handling those things
which are so often matters of life or death, should
at least be properly qualified for their important,
not to say dangerous duties.

The City of Washington, with the United
States mails, passed Queenstown at 2 p.m. yes-
terday, and will be due early this morning.

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

ACCIDENT.—A young woman, named Jane Granger,
residing at 12, Blackstock-street, fell down the stairs
yesterday, arid sustained a very severe fracture of the leg.
She is at present lying in the Northern Hospital.
FlRE.—Between five and six o'clock yesterday even-
ing, a fire broke out in the Mersey Hotel, Union-street,
corner of Lancelot's-hay, in the possession of Mr. Henry
Inman. Mr. Hewitt, with the fire brigade, was soon on
the spot, and the flames were extinguished without any
material damage.
SPEKEIKAN'S ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION BALL. —This
ball will take place this evening, and from the arrange-
ments made, the general satisfaction always given by
Mr. Spekeman, together with the superiority of the
musical attractions, and the no less attractive supper,
&c., a full and fashionable attendance may be antici-
pated. The company will be very select.
HORRIBLE RUMOUR.—We are reluctantly compelled
to state that a rumour, of a horrible and most painful
character, prevailed yesterday, in reference to more than
one person, said to be well known in mercantile circles,
and who reside in a favourite suburban locality. Of the
nature of the rumour, we can only say that it is of an
appalling. domestic description, and that,' probably, the
public will be disgusted with something•more. For the

honour of human nature, we trust the affair may prove
either false or exaggerated ; but time will develope the

AMERICAN MAns.—The royal nail steamer Canada
will sail to-morrow (Saturday) for Halifax and Boston,
with the American and Canadian mails. The Post-office
letter box will be open for letters, &c., to twelve o'clock,
and till one- with fees. The receiving box on the Land-
ing Stage will be open to two o'clock.
THEATRE ROYAL.—THE PANTOMIME.---But tiVOl3"htS
more, and the wonders of the pantomime will be with-
drawn.from the eyes of Liverpool. It has had a reign of
undisputed success,_ and will, we hope, gather a more than
ordinarily numerous circle of friends around it at the
last. To-morrow night the final performance will take
place.
ST ANNE'S STANLEY WORKING MEN'S ASSOCIATION.
—The lecture on Wednesday evening was by Mr. William
Thomas, on "Joan of Arc. The subject was treated in
a very interesting manner, and appeared to gratify the
audience present exceedingly. Next Wednesday the.
Rev. Mr. Lester lectures on "Perseverance and its
triumphs."
CHRIsTY'S MINSTRELS.—MR. COLLINS'S BENEFIT.—
We may, perhaps, be allowed to invite attention again
to. Mr. Collins's benefit at Clayton-hall. It takes place
this night, and Mr. Collins, who has done as much as any
other of the famous ministrels to win success for their
band, will, no doubt, exert himself in a special manner
on such an occasion as the present.
THE LIVERPOOL GUARDIAN SOCIETY.—The thirty-
sixth annual meeting of this society was held last evening,
at the offices' in Lord-street.. The following gentlemen
were appointed officers for the ensuing year
Thomas Baty, Crowu-chambers, Redcross-street, presi-
dent ; Mr. R. Thin, Crown-chambers, Redcross-street,
vice-president ; Mr. R. Crossley, South Castle-street,
. tr easurer.

CLOCKS AND WAxcnEs.—There are few, mechanical
sciences that have been more improved 6f late years, and
none are of greater advantage, than' clocks and other
time-keepers. A good and correct house clock is one of
those domestic apparatus that make home much more
agreeable than if lacking such a necessary. We have
seen an extensive and pleasing variety of clocks at Mr.
Bernard Levy's establishment, Oldhall-street, that fully
equals our observations. The construction of these clocks is
interesting, and their uses various. We were peculiarly
struck with the ingenuity and usefulness of several sorts of
" alarm clocks," and we must say in any part of a.
domicile one of these would be very valuable. Any one
looking throu4h Mr. Levy's establishment will agree
with us. Mr. levy, being a practical man, has brought
both clocks and watches to a state of desired perfection.
Beside these, Mr. Levy has an extensive and beautiful
selection- of general jewellery and watches, chains, &c., of
the best make and newest designs.,. Any person requirmg
a house clock, will' find every variety, and at Moderate
figures, in this_ establishment.

CORO NTER'S INQUESTS.—Yesterday, the coroner held
the following inquests :—On the body of Patrick Byrne,
who lived at 12, Russell-street, Park. On Sunday night,
the 30th of January, 'the deceased' and his wife ,got drunk,
and it appeared that whilst in that state he fell on the
floor, and his clothes catching fire, he was' so severely
injured that he died on Tuesday in the Southern Hospital
from the effects. Verdict accordingly. On the body of
a boy, fifteen years of age, named Robert Dutton, who
lived in Upper Mann-street., Park. The ,deceased
was found dead "in a lime-kiln, in Hill-street, _ _

Park, and it appeared he was suffocated by the effluvia
that came from the kiln. Verdict accordingly. On the
body of Jane Hanley, who resided at 72, Great
Crosshall-street ; she was about 30 years of age, and
lived in the house for the last six months, but there was
very little known about her ; she stated that her brother-
in-law was a gentleman, and allowed her 10s a week
she died rather suddenly, and had previously hinted that
she thought she got some dragged ale from her brother-
in-law, and diedin consequence of this ; a post mortem
examination of the body was made, when it was found
she died of disease of the heart. Verdict accordingly.
MR. AND MRS. SCARISBRICK'S CONCERT.-Mr. and
Mrs. Scarisbrick have announced two grand concerts on
the 28th of this month. to take place in St. George's-hall.
The corps musique will be very strong. Madame Viardot
Garcia, Miss Ryles, Miss Wynne. Mr. and Mrs. Scaris-
brick, Miss Arabela Goddard, Signors Giulio Regondi,
Luchesi, and Dragone. The programme has been issued,
showing au admirable selection of effective music
for each concert. Mrs. Scarisbrick deserves
the highest encouragement from the Liverpool
public, not only as a popular singer for many years, but
as having probably laid the foundation, or certainly
fostered the growth of the Liverpool Philharmonic Sociey
by the excellent concerts she used annually to give ;

,
biinging to Liverpool all the finest singers of the day.—
Mario, Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, Lablache, the ch arm-
ing Sontag, and others we have not space to enumerate,
thus incucating and encouraging the purest taste
for music, which in these days of Social
Science, should rank as the most powerful instrument to
influence the masses to give up degrading gratifications,
as well as afford the highest intellectual enjoyment to the
cultivated many who desire to make themselves ac-
quainted with the works of the greatest composers. We
therefore call ou the public to rally round an old friend,
and deserving caterer for their amusement and in-
struction.

AN INVENTION THAT BEATS THE LIGHTNING.---Cer-
vantes, or rather his redoubtable creation, Sancho Panza,
speaks in high commendation of the "man who invented
sleep," and a glowing Hibernian spoke in the most

floierly languaie of the
.gentleman who invented
pota-
toes
ts ; but the following invention beats both, and the

lightning into the bargain. In an almanack published
in London, in this year of grace of 1859, under
the bead of "predictions for the month of March," there
is an entry, cautioning people who are delicate to be par-
ticularly' careful of their health; to put on warm clothing
of the best description; to eat the best sorts of beef and
mutton ' • to wear double-soled boots, and keep a double
stock of flannel across the chest, and warm inside drawers
on the legs. This is excellent advice, but hear what

follows. Persons who are not able to procure these
inside and external comforts, are advised to
buy a two-and-sixpenny box of certain pills, and
the writer assures the reader that " this invaluable
medicine" will answer as an admirable substitute for all
the above named necessary articles ! Now, we have
heard of whiskey being fully as good any day as
" washing and lodging," but here are pills that not only
answer for.," washing and lodging," but act as meat,
drink, and good warm clothes, havy solid boots, and
warm flannel, also ! The invention of these pills, will
create a complete revolution. The cloth manufac-
turers of Yorkshire may shut up at once, and as for
tanners and boot-makers, its well up with them !
corn merchants and bakers are doomed, and we suppose
that butchers will, out of pure necessity, be obliged to
eat their own beef and mutton. Allsop's brewery will be
a thing of past history, and even Kelly the butter-man
may, retire on his well earned laurels, and build a round
tower on the peak of Derbyshire. There is an old saying
that " Bannagher bangs old Nick," and surely the pills
" bang " even " Bannagher."
HUYTON READING SOCIETY.—Like localities of larger
pretensions, Huyton has its book society,'vigorous and
efficient. On Wednesday evening last the society had its
annual reunion, and in this quiet little village this is
always an " event ;" the leading families of the neigh-
bourhood being invited to partake of the treat which the
members annually provide. The soiree took place in the
congregational schoolroom attached to the beautiful little
gothic chapel, of which Fluyton can boast. The pro-
gramne lucluded, beside the ever-welcome beverage, tea,
&c., an introductory address by the minister of the
chapel, the Rev. E. Giles ; a paper "On the Primary
Causes of the First French Revolution," by Alexander
Eccles, Esq., A.B. ; and the usual sale of books. The
whole was interspersed with glees and part songs,
exquisitely rendered by Messrs. Haswell, Wilson,
Williams, and Pierce, all well-known amateurs connected
with the Liverpool musical societies. The introductory
remarks by the Rev. E. Giles, oh the clubs of ancient and
modern times, were opposite in the extreme, and displayed
the varied literary reading of the rev. gentleman. Mr.
Eccles's instructive essay was listened to with the greatest
attention, and elicited much applause. It was a concise,
well written history of France in those troublous times.
Mr. Eccles traced the revolution to two causes : First,
the protective spirit which reached its zenith under
Louis XIV. ; and second, the crusade against knowledge
after the death of the grand rnonarque. The sale of books
(some of which were valuable standard works,) was a
source of much amusement. Mr. Richard Barker enacted
the part of auctioneer with much ability. The evening
passed away very agreeably, and after votes of thanks to
Mr. Eccles, the vocalists, and the chairman, the proceed-
ings were closed with the National Anthem. A general
wish was expressed that these pleasant meetings should
take place more frequently.
THE SALE OF POISONS.--It will have been seen by
our report of the Town Council proceedings, yesterday,
that a memorial iu reference to the sale of poisons was
presented to that body, the importance of which was fully
admitted. Mr. Walpole, the Home Secretary, in his
speech in the House of Commons, on Tuesday night,
said:—" I have the statistics of Guy's Hospital for the
last few years. From the return of 1837-8 it appears
that the mortality occasioned by taking opium was 37
per cent., by arsenic 35 per cent., making 72 per cent.
for these two poisons; so that very. nearly three-fourths
of all the deaths were caused by opium and arsenic; by
sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol. 6 per cent. ; prussic acid,
5 per cent. ; oxalic acid, 31 per cent. ; corrosive sublimate,
and mercurial preparations, 3 per cent. ; and the rest were
made up of other poisiort, such as tartar emetic, wiz