The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-02 00:00:00

THE _N V,l tl.illv J../1-I.vA.ALa

SOUTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION.

THE RETIFIN OF MTh W. BROWN AND
AR. C HEETEIAM.

Yesterday, the High Sheriff of the county, C. Towneley,
El, with the usual staff of offi ials, attended at the Leigh
Arms Assembly Room, for the purpose of conducting the
election of two gentlemen to represent that division of the
county in the new parliament.
Amongst the gentlemen who were in attendance, we
observed Messrs \V R Wood, Thomas Bazley, J A Picton,
W Woods, J Kershaw Porter, R Gerrard, E Rawlins, Sir
J Potter, C Holland, .1 Haieh, W itathbone, Thomas
Brecklebank, P Rylance, R N Phillips (Bury), J Platt,J R
Jeffery, Addison Thornley. and W. Neild.
The formal business of the election was opened at ten
o'clock, in the National School-room ; hut after the Sheriff
had taken the usual oath, the further proceedings were
adjourned to the Assembly-room connected with the Leigh
Arms Hotel.
The two late representatives, Mr. W. Brown and Mr. J.
Cheetham, upon entering the room, were received with every
demonstration of respect, add the cheering was of the most
enthusiastic description.
The High Sheriff having announced what had taken place
at the National School-rorm, said that the only duty that
devolved upon him was to call upon the electors assembled to
propose fit and proper persons to represent that division of
the County in the Commons House of Parliament.
Mr. T. Daley then came forward and said, that as many
times as he had had the honour of coming forward to address
the electors, he never felt greater pleasure than he did on that
occasion in proposing for re-election their old and tried friend,
Mr. Wm. Brown. (Cheers.) He considered him as a fit
and proper person to represent that division of the
county in parliament. He then went on to speak at
considerable length in eulogising the character of Mr.
Brown, who he said was a man of peace, and a man of
Progress. He then went on to review the past career of
Mr. Brown, whom he said had ssrved them faithfully for
twelve years, and had by his votes in parliament fully
justified the feeling that was felt for him se hen he was
rust brought forward, mei concluded by proposing Mr.
Brown, as a fit and proper person to represent that
division of the cour ty
Mr. W. Rathhone, amidst the cheers of the meeting,
came forward to second the nomination, and said, after
the speech which had been delivered by the gentleman
who had proposed Mr. Brown, it would be unnecessary
for him to say anything further as to Mr. Brown, but it
was said that a prophet was never honoured in his own
country, but, in regard to Mr. Brown, he could say
that he was a Liverpool [nen, the same as himself, and
all he could say that in Liverpool Mr. Brown was
honoured and respected by all. He could say that Mr.
Brown was beloved by all, and that he was a great
benefactor to the people, and that he always attended to
the wants and wishes of all classss. and that his time and
hie services were invariably devoted to the rich as well
as to the poor. (Cheers )
Mr. Joseph Stoner, who bad taken a very prominent place
on the hustings, and had gratuitously circulated a number of
pamphlets amongst the electors, addressed to them in the form
of "a letter to the electors of South Lancashire, and the
Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Councilmen of the city
of London, concerning the condnct of the government and the
houses of Parliament, with suggestions to the people of Eng-
land, occasioned by the conduct of the Archbishop of York ;
the Bishop of Chester; the Vicar of Ormskirk, Lancashire ;
Lord Palmerston ; the Poor Law Ward ; and several other
public bodies; by a Guardian of the Ormskirk Union"—
here interrupted the proceedings by exclaiming, " I deny it,"
which was met with a general burst of laughter, and loud cries
of " How's the. Ormskirk gingerbread."
Mr. Rathbone proceeded to sly that their friend Stoner yeas
rather pugnacious, and bad exclaimed that he denied it, but lie
(Mr. Rathhone) would only speak for himself, and what lie
knew, and he could say that he had always found Mr. Brown
ready to assist and render his services to the poorest as well as.
the richest. (Cheers ) He then referred to the late wet., and
to the proceedings of the Aberdeen government, which govern-
ment he called despotic, and through whose weakness the
country had been led into war ; and who, he asked, had taken
them out of that war ? why, Lord Palmerston. Lord Palmer-
ston had taken the reins, and he had a very queer team to
drive—the hot ses all running contrary directions; but lie had
taken the reins, and he had driven them on to victory.
(Cheers.) Lord Palmerston had proved himself an able
negotiator, as he had been the means of settling the late war,
arid had brought this country to a state of peace, which he (Mr.
Ratlibone) hoped would long continue.
Here Mr. Stoner again caused more interruption, h
shouting out, " Old England for ever."
Mr. Rathhone continued—Yel, " Old England for ever,
and England expects that this day every man will do his
dnty " (Cheers.) He hoped that honest representatives
would be sent to the House of Commons, and such men as
would do their duty to their country, for he wished to see
the balance of power equally divided between the Queen,
the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. (Cheers.)
He did net wish that one should have more power than the
other. What they wanted in the House of Commons, was
a good working majority. Having made some allusion to
the valour of the British Army at Sebastopol, he concluded
by seconding the nomination of Mr. Brown, and by calling
upon the electors of that division of the county to do their
duty.
Mr. Brocklehank then came forward to propose Mr. John
Cheetham, and in doing so he said, I have the honour to
propose one of your late members, John Cheetham, Esq., as a
fit and proper person to represent the Southern Division of
the County of Lancaster, in the Commons House of Parlia-
ment. It is unnecessary to trespass on your time to recom-
mend Mr. Cheetham to your favourable consideration, for be
does not come before you as a novice to seek your suffrages,
hut as one tried in your service, and who has already received
from you the renewal of your confidence. It would ill
become me, after the eloquent addresses you have heard from
the gentlemen who preceded me, were I to offer you many
observations ; hut I venture to express my hope our members
will, when they resume their seats in parliament, lend
an honest and strenuous support to Lord Palmerston,
when that noble lord is in the right ; and an
equally honest, and strenuous opposition to him
when in the wrong. I confess myself an admirer of the
noble lord, as a foreign affairs minister. I admire the
courageous and lofty manner in which he has ever main.
mined the honour of his country, and thereby preserved
the peace of Europe. I admire the spirit with which he
carried us through the last war; and, still more, his
readiness to accept the first opportunity that offered to
conclude an honourable peac. Great as was Lord
Palmerston in the conduct of the arduous struggle we
were engaged in, he was yet greater, from his moderation
in the hour of victory. But it is with pain I have
seen since the war ended, how little we are likely to he
hemifited by the lessons that war set before us. It would
seem as if some undue influence obstructed reform
in the different branches of the service of the State ;
and I fear, should war sgain unfortunately break ont
it would be found that we have learned nothing. I hope the
day will come when nepotism and favour will be at an end.
hope the day will come when merit only will ensure advance-
ment, and England, instead of selecting her servants from a class
will be enabled to avail herself of the talents of all her sons. 1
know your members will faithfully guard your local interests ;
but I would remind you that they have higher duties to per-
form—anti I know they will perform them also—to uphold the
honour and dignity of this the great constituency of the United
Kingdom ; and, in the words of tire beautiful liturgy of the
Church of England, to promote the safety, honour, and welfare
of our Sovereign and her dominions.
Mr. Alderman Neild, of Manchester, seconded the pro-
position, and in doing so, bore testimony to the past
services rendered by Mr. Cheetham, believing that there
never was nor never would be a more honourable or
independent member in the House of Commons.
Three cheers were then given for each of the candidates,
and most heartily responded to.
Mr. Joseph Stoner then came forward, and said : He was
about to propose a gentleman to represent that division of
the county. (Laughter)
A Voice : " Are you an elector ?"
Mr. Stoner replied that he was, and that the person he
was about to propose was Mr. John Bright. (Great
laughter.) He they went on at considerable 'length to
eulogise the character of Mr Bright, and to refer
to the conduct of Mr. Brown, whom he said had
refused to answer a letter that he had sent to him,
in reference to the Vicar of Ormskirk, and as Mr. Brown
was only the representative of himself—(laughter)—and
was the supporter and backer of the Tories, he hoped that
they would send him home to his own country. " (Great
interruption, and cries of " Shawe, shame," and Turn
him out." and much laughter.) There was not a greater
briber anywhere than Mr. Brown was, and be never said
anything about building the F, ee Public Library in Liver-
pool until the dissolution was announced. (Awful confu-
sion.) After several attempts to address the meeting, in
the course of which be alluded to the pamphlet he bad
published, and to denounCe Mr. Brown as a supporter of
the p Kn. law, which compelled a poor man to go into the
workhouse. Amidst the laughter if the electors, he con-
cluded by proposing Mr. John Bright as a fit and proper
person to represent the electors of that division.
No person having come forward to second the nomina-
tion, the Hi h Sheriff declared Mr, Brown and Mr.
Cheetham duly elected, amidst the (sheers of the electors
assembled.
Mr. W. Brown then came forward, and was received with
every demonstration of respect and rejoicing. He said he felt
much embarrassment in coming forward for the fourth time to
express the gratitude he felt for the honour that had again been
conferred upon him in electing him as their representative.
(Cheers.) He could scarcely express the gratitude he felt.
When he first entered their service, having been dragged from

private life, he had announced that he was a disciple of the
free trade principles, and he rejoiced to say that those principles
had hen carried out, as they had been found to be beneficial
to all classes of the community. (Cheers.) All had gone on
prosperously since the corn laws had been repealed- He would
admit that in the years 1842 and 1843 they had had bad
h irvests, and wheat was at 583 per quarter ; but in 1846 the
corn laws had been repealed, since when the price of wheat had
increased to 61s 103, and all classes of the community had
been more prosperous, and he did not doubt but as those
principles became more developed, increased prosperity would
follow. He then alluded to Lord Campbell's marine bill,
which pressed, he said, very heavily on the shipping interest,
and said he would do his utmost to have it repealed,
He next pointed out the great benefit 'that had arisen from
the repeal of the duty on tea and sugar, and with regard to
Russia and the late war, he said that although he did net
like war, he thought that goad had aria, n f. ow it, as the Emperor
of Russia had seen that peace was preferable to war, and was
about to promote the introduction of railways and other means of
civilisation, thus showing that he was perfectly aware that peace
was better than war..Ho said tbat he could not but regret that the
government had for so long a time refused to do an act of justice
to Colonel Tulloch and his hqu, friend who had done so much
good, and should have been rewarded sooner. With
regard to America, he would admit that on that subject
he spoke as an interested party. He was interested in
all connected with America, and so they were all, and it
was to their interest that they should be at peace with
that great nation; and no persons were more interested
in it than were the people of Liverpool. With regard to
the income tax, he was afraid that without it the govern-
ment could not keep up the honour and glory of the
country; but he would tell them that he was
greatly in favour of direct taxation, instead of indirect
taxation. (Cheers.) With reference to economy, 11. t was
for economy as far as economy could be carried, but it
was impossible for members of the house to hew doe n the
estimates, because they could not understand the matter,
and must place their confidence in the government of the
day.
A Voice : " How about the Liverpool Town Dues ?"
Mr. Brown said he was a freeman of Liverpool. and as
such he must support them. He had always declined
taking, any active part in that measure, but had leti. it to
others. He was, as they all knew, in favour of civil and
religious liberty, and was opposed to all centralisation,
and he hoped that it would never be said-as was
said of Paris, that Paris was France—he hoped
that it would not be said that London was all England,
(Cheers.) He was, as they all knew, a friend to educ rtion,
and would do his utmost to see all the people of this
country well educated, as he believed that it would be the
means of preventing the great amount of crime that
existed. He had voted for Mr Locke King's reform bill—
(cheers) —he had supported the ballot, universal suffrage,
and had voted for the grant to Maynooth, and was for 'the
abolishing of the ecclesiastical courts. Mr Brown then
concluded amidst the cheers of the electors, to say that as
they had
.3ene him the honour of electing him, he should
pursue the same course ae he bad ever done, and by
explaining that he had introduced Mr Stoner
to Mr. Waddington, relative to some complaints he had
made with regard to Ormskirk, and a few days after he
had seen that gentleman, and he had told him that he had
introduced a curious customer to him—(laughter)—but he
most positively denied that he had ever refused to render
his assistance to any elector when applied to.
Mr. J, Cheetham then came forward, and was received
with great applause, He said that it was about five years
since he first had the honour of appearing .betore them,
and asking them for their suffrages. At that time the
subject of free trade was the principal topic of discussion.
Since then those principles had been fully carried out, and
all clangs bad received the benefits from that measure. He
then referred to the town dues, which he conceived the
Liverpool people should give.up, as they must do for the
general benefit of the public. He next alluded to the
war with Russia, expressing his opinion that Lord
Aberdeen was correct, but had not voted on Mr. Cobden's
motion. Mr. Cheetham then, in a speech of cansiderable
length, proceeded to give his opinion of the principal
topics of the day, and concluded by thanking the electors
for the honour they had conferred upon him, in again
electing, him as their representhtive.
On the motion of Mr. Brown, seconded by Mr. Chee-
tham, a vote of thanks was given to. the High Sheriff,
after which the proceedings of the election concluded with
three hearty cheers for each of the members.
This election thus passed off without any particular
demonstration of public feeling, and without the usual
excitement that is manifested on such occasions.

labourers and gravediggers. The first registrar so
appointed was the Rev. Mr. Bruce, who continued to
perform the office until Januiry, lel6, when he was sue_
ceeded by the Rev. Robert Kirkus.
The scheme, as we have stated, was that of a joint stock
company, anti the proprietors offered to sell to the public.
Ist Private graves in perpetuity.
2nd The privilege of depositing a coffin in a common

grave.
Theea common graves were for the most part formed in
a central part of the ground.
Your committee ascertained from the books that a large
number of vaults and graves have been purchased by
private proprietors, and they also learn from the same
source that many thousands of persons have been buried
in the common graves.
As far as your committee have been able to ascertain,
the affairs of the burial ground were conducted with great
regularity until the year 1851.
It appears, by an inspection of the books, that at that
time there was a space of common burial ground in which
no bodies had been deposited, as far as appears by the
books, for nearly twenty years.
It also appears by the books that, in the year 1851, this
portion of the burial ground was disturbed, the remains
of the coffins and bodies being removed to another part of
the cemetery, and the land relaid out as private graves.
Your committee have made a careful examination of the
register of graves, and as far as this register discloses the
trath, private graves have not been interfered with to the
extent apprehended by the public.
Your committee further learn that on the 17th of April,
1854, an order was received by the trustees from the Queen
in council, directing that for the future one interment only
should be made in aey one common grave, but that burials
might be continued as heretofore in any private grave.
And your committee find that the trustees of the Necropo-
-I.s at once passed a resolution that this order should be
colnpled with. Your committee also find that, after the
pa sing of this order, the trustees raised the price charged
liar depositing a body in a common grave, from lOs to 20s.
And they also find that during the following year they
decreased in number nearly one half.
Your committee, however, find that this order of the
Queen in Council was not, in fact, complied with, but
that it soon after became a practice that a body should be
interred, and the funeral service performed over a body
placed in a single grave, termed by the officials a " pre-
peratory grave," but that such body was immediately
afterwards removed into some common receptacle called
a 4' bone house," but being nothing more than a large
common grave where many bodies were placed. That
your committee have had an interview with a sub.com-
mittee of the trustees, and they were assured by these
gentlemen that they were ignorant of the practices referred
to, except so far as is admitted in the correspondence
which has passed between Messrs. Lace and Co., and
Messrs. Fletcher and Hell, quoted hereafter.
Your committee find' that' this burial ground has been
conducted on the usual principles of a joint stock company,
in which the making of money was one of the primary
objects.
It has been under the control of a committee of
management, who have appointed all its officers. These
officers were, until the year 1852, elected annually, but in
that year the Rev. Robert Kirkus was elected chaplain
for life.
Your committee find that in the year 1831 a calculation
was made by which it was assumed that the whole of the
graves and vaults would be occupied in 36 years.
Your committee further find that all the profits of the
company were until the year 1830 expended in laying out
the grounds, but that, since that period the propriee
tors have divived among themselves diwidenda amounting
yearly to about the sum of 32s per share-18 per cent.
That, from information received by your committee
from the trustees and from other sources, your com-
mittee have no reason to believe that any member of Lee
trustees was personally cognisant of any of these mal-
practices, except that admitted by Mr. Christopher Herd
,f one); and this gentleman admits only that he was aware
that the order of the queen in Council was infringed
to the extent that mere than one body was buried i I one
grave.
Your committee have further to state that, in the interview
they had with the health Committee, your committee urged
on that body their opinion that it was the duty of the health
committee, as the representatives of the public, to pursue with
vigour the proceedings already commenced by them for the
taking this burial ground from the hands of its present
proprietors, and placing it under the control of some public
body, so that an assurance may be thereby made to the owners
of graves, and to the public, that no further desecration may
take place. And your committee further urged 'on the health
committee that it was duo to justice that a criminal prosecu-
tion should be set on foot against all parties that they may be
advised are implicated in the late sacriligeous proceedings.
And your committee feel a satisfaction in being able to report
that their demand has been acceded to, as appears by the
followinz corn mtiication made by the Town Clerk to Messrs.:
Fletcher and Hull ;
At a meeting of the health committee, holden en Thurs-
day, the 26th day of March, 1857, present—Alderman
Thomas Dover, chairman, a deputation, consisting of Mr.
John Woodruff, Mr. Corkhill, and Mr. Hull, on behalf of
the friends of deceased people who had been buried in the
Necropolis, attended the committee to solicit them to
institute a criminal prosecution against such persons as
had been concerned in unlawful proceedings at that place.
Resolved,-,That a special committee be appointed, con-
sisting of the chairman, deputy chairman, Mr. Robertson
Gladstone, Mr- Stitt, Mr. N. C. Stewart, Mr. M'Guffie,
Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Anthony, to enquire into the whole
proceedings connected with the Necropolis ; and to confer
with the deputation thereon ; and to report to this
committee as to such further proceedings as may be
be deemed deemed advisable.
[Ex racted from the proceedings ]
Wm. Shuttleworth, Town Clerk.
That since the interview with the health committee, a
sub-committee of your committee have had an interview
with a sub-committee of the trustees, and, in consequence
of this interview, the following letter was written by
Messrs. Fletcher and Hull to Messrs. Lace and Co., to
which the following reply has been received :
NECROPOLIS.
North John street, March 30, 1857.
Dear Sir—With reference to the discussion that has
taken place this afternoon, the committee desire from
your clients the following information, to enable them
correctly to convey to the meeting, to be held on Wednes-
day, the statements and determination of the trustees :-
Ist. What instruct;ons were given by your clients, or
any of them, to the officials of the cemetery respecting
the breaking up cf the old burial ground ; And, also,
how far were your clients, or any of them, cognizant of the
way in which the ground was dealt with ?
2. How far were your clients, or any of them, aware of
the practice of burying a body in a preparatory grave ?
3. How far were your clients, or any of them, aware of
the order of the Queen in Council being violated by more
bodies than one being buried in one grave ?
4. Is it the intention of the company to continue to
make this burial ground a source of profit to the share-
holders ?
5, Is the company ready, at once, to transfer the manage-
ment of the burial ground to the Corporation of Liverprool
or the Burial Board ?
6 What was the company prepared to do ?
7 How far will your clients assist in prosecuting the
guilty parties ?—Yours truly,

FLETCHFR & HULL.
Messrs. Lace, Marshall, Roscoe, and Gill, solicitors
Liverpool, 31st March, 1857.
NECROPOLIS.

GzarrtEmEN--We beg, in replying to the questions
contained in your report of the 30th, to state—
]. That none of our clerks gave any directions to the
officials of the Cemetery respecting the breaking up of
the old burial ground nor u ere they cognizant of its being
2. Nor were any of them aware of the practice of bury-
ing a body in a preparatory grave, except that Mr. Jones
was informed in January last, by the man Smith, that
such a practice was in use, on which he immediately sent
for Mr. Kirkus to remonstrate against it, and ordered it
to be discontinued ; and that gentleman assured him
that it should be s'.
8. The committee were not aware of the practice of
burying more than one body in a grave, and passed a
stringent resolution in support of the Order in Council.
This, however, is new under investigation by the autho-
rities, and we do not pursue it further. We may add that
the committee were not aware of the purchase and re sale
of private graves ; and we may also observe, that after
strict enquiries from the officials, there is every reason to
believe that no removal of bodies from private graves, or
unauthorised interments, have taken place. Many exa-
minations have been made by the friends of those
interred, and in no instance has there been proved any
ground of complaint.
4,5, and 6. The proprietors are quite ready to leave
in the hands, and at the discretion of the Centeal Burial
Board, the future use and management of the Necropolis.
T. And we would make a similar reply to this enquiry.
viz., that our clients would follow the recommendation
of that board, and afford any assistance for investigation
and prosecution, if determined on.
LACE, MARSHALL, ROSCOE, and GILL,

Messrs. Fletcher and Hull,
Tour committee have been careful in this report to
()online themselves simply to the narration of material
facts, leaving it to you to draw your own conclusions
from the facts of the c:xse.
JOHN WOODRUFF, Chairman.
Mr, Batten briefly moved that the report ba received
and adopted.
Mr, Gill seconded the motion.
The motion was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Patterson moved the second resolution, which was as

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