The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-17 00:00:00

colleague and myself—n, petition bringing most serious and
heavy charges against the electors of Liverpool, as well
as against your members. But, gentleman, upon that
occasion, as on many others, the petitioners found it was
much easier to bring charges than to prove them against
myself and colleague. After a t weive weeks' enquiry, the
petitioners found nothing whatever, and the only thing,
after the sifting, that they could prove against my friends
was, as the chairman told you, to some refreshments,
and 4s to as each loan was given as compensation
fur the loss of their dav's work, and which they
could ill afford to lose. (Loud cheers.) -Upon these
frivolous an .1 vexations grounds, the verdict of
6,693 of the electors of Liverpool was set aside, and
through the instrumentality of these peiiioners, I was
deprived of the distinguished honour of representing you.
(Cheers.) Those pe- itioners who now cry out against
me for disturbing the peace of the town—what con-
sideratien did they gire to the peace of this town by
sendina, up a petition of this frivolous nature, and
exteediug over twelve months in etcptiring into it.
(Hear, bear ) I shall never forget the warmth of feeling
with which I was receivsd after that decision by the
people of Liverpool, I met with the utmost warmth of
approval not only from my political friends, but from my
;soli ical opponents, and then gentlemen, I pledged myself
that I would come forward at the next dissolution, and i
give you an opportunity of expressing your sense of the
way in which you had been treated. (Cheers ) In
obedience to that pledge. and on your own invitation, I
now stand before you today, atid place myself unreservedly
in your hands. (Cheers.) The princlpl. s which I pro-
fessed in 1852 still guide my conduct now. I think now,
as then, that every nation, as well as every indivi lual,
ought to hold a particular religious belief ; and whilst
tolerating every sect which does not profess any
thing adverse to good order and Morality, I may state to
you that I am sincerely attached to the Established
Church, which, I think, under [leaven, the surest safe•
guard for our civil and religious liberties. (Cheers.)
Should I be returned to Parliament, I shall not be adverse
to considering any motion to make that church more
efficient for the discharge of the. very important duties
which are entrusted . to it—and let me observe that
I ehall: be opposed to the opening of places of public
amusement on the S tbbath. (Cheers:) I shall view
with the greatest horror any msagura which may have the
effect of making the Sunday less religiously observed, than
at present, by the people of this country. (Heat, hear, and
cheers.) A voice, " Will you vote for Maynooth ?"
Mr. Turner: lam just coming to that question. Now,
as I was at the period of nay election in 1852, I am cola-
scientieusly opposed to the support of the establishment of
Maynooth. (Cheers.) I am opposed altogether to the sit sport
by a Protestant government of this or any other estab-
lishment which has for its object, at the expense of the
country, the education and maintenance of a clergy, the
whole object of whose lives, if they believe the religions
doctrines they prefesss, must be to weaken, injure, and
destroy the Protestant institutions or the country.
(Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) Great effirts have been
male to promote education among the general classes of the
community. These efforts shell have my approval and
support, if c einected with religious teaching ; but I am
firmly and -strongly of opinion that, to give knowledge
•without the religious training which taichas how to use
that knowledge right, will not benefit this or any other
community. (Cheers ) The enormous crimes which have
been committed, particularly of late years, by men of
considerable abilities and attainments, afford a proof of
the little power knowledge has to restrain the passions of
the human heart without that self control which religion
alone can give. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.)
I much regret the vote that was come to by the House of
Common, with reference to the late unfortunate occur-
rence at Canton—that vote which has been alluded to by
Mr. Horsfall, was intended to censure the government for
the support they had given to the British authorities in
China. From a considerable acquaintance with the
Chinese, including commercial intercourse, as well as from
information derived from my brother merchants, members
of the East India and China Association, I venture to
express a confident opinion that Lord Palmerston's govern-
-meet asked with propriety, and with a doe regard to the
honour and interests of the country; and I perfectly agree
with every word in the excellent speech which was delivered
by Mr. Uorsfall on the occasion cf the motion brought
forward by Mr. Cobden. • (Hear, hear ) Mr. Cobden
thought fit to misinterpret tie Liverpool merchants; bat
they were ab'y defende iby Mr. Horsfall. (Hear, hear.)
I have not the eloquence of Mr. Cobden, but I think
I possess fully as much cernmerciel knowledge
of the interests of China, as that gentleman does. (Hear,
hear, and loud cheers.) lam quite as sensitise as he is to
the dictates of humanity; and it is my opinion that the
motion carried by Mr. Cobden -is calculated to cause as
great an increase of bloodshed to the Chinese, and great
danger to British life and property. (Cheers.) I need not
say that after the remarks that have already fallen, that I,
approve of the conduct of the government in reference to
these affairs ; I do this without passing any judgment upon
what has been done by the authorities in
China. I think it is said that I declined to sign
a memorial which had been addressed to Lord
Palmerston, and which was at the Exchange News
Room for signature. Had the adiressbeen confined
to the approval of the course the gentlemen took on
the China question, I should have been roost happy
to sign it. But Mr. Horsaalt has ailutlea to the fact that
it contained a full approval of everyact of Lord Palmerston's
governmsnt at home and abroad. This is a very sweeping
approval, when we recollect that the Local Dues Bill
which was brought into parliament last year—when you
recollect the Mersey Conservancy Bill, by which
they were going ti take away the management of
the Deck Estate, which was the pride of the town
and the pride of the c eantry at large—(load cheers)—
gentlemen, when I reflect on those things, I think you will
not be surprised that 1 declined to sign so sweeping an
address as that which was sent to Lord Palmerston—
(hear, hear)—end I believe that nine-tenths of the mer-
chants who signed that address thought they were signing
an address merely of approval in reference to
the China question. (Cheers.) As I have said
before. I fully approve of trio conduct of Lord
Palmerston's Government with reference to the China
business. I also, gentlemen, think that the
thanks of this country were due to Lord Palmerston. as I
expressed on the occasion of his visit to Liverpool,
for the mole in which he took upon himself the govern-
ment of the country at a time of great difficulty during the
war; for the mode in which that war was conducted
daring his administration, and for the peace: which
was concluded, which, if it did not give us
all we desired, gave us, probably, as much as.
we had a right to obtain ; and I will say
with Mr. Horsfall, that if returned fby you to the
House of Commons, I will go there free and independent--
(loud cheers)—to support such measures as 1 think right,
and that I will not give any factious vote either for or
against Lord Palmerston's or any Whet. government.
(Renewed cheering.) Among the measures that will be
brought before the [louse of Commons, to which my
honourable friend Mr. Horsfall has alluded. I will
say one word with reference to the income tax.
It is a question upon which I know that • every man in
Liverpool, whether he be merchaet, tradesman, or work-
ing-man, feels very sensitively. (Olean) .My opinion, with
reference to the income tax is, that it ought not to form
part of the ordinary financial arrangements of the
c earthy. (Loud clatters ) My opinion is that it is a very
powerful engine of finance, to be uselaia ?hies of difficelty
and war, but that its incidents are se:unequal, its operations
se galling and inquisitorial, that the community in general
would view its extinction with the greatest delight—
(cheers)—and it is my opinion that the financial arrange-
ments of this country ought to be so adjusted as to allow
of its total extinguishment in 1860. (Applause ) There
are no questions affecting commerce which are now very
greatly agitating the public mind.. The question of free
trade is now accepted by all of us, as the settled basis of
our commercial policy. (Hoar, hear, and loud cheers.)
There is no question as ta the corn laws ; but, gentle-
men, I do hope that we may obtain, in the course
of time, some further reciprocal advantages than
we have yet ha n able to procure from foreign countries,
in return for the great benefits we have conferred on

them, by opening: without restriction the trade of

•
his country aid our colonies. (Hear, hear.)
The Ulited States of Ainarica and France have

shown some symptoms of relaxing their • corn—
mercial restrictions, but still duties are plae
by those and other countries neon every article
of British manufacture and B itish produce, and from none
of them do we obtain that reciprocity tri which, in reason
and justice, we are entitled. (Dear, hear, and cheers.)
Mv friend Mr. Horsfall answered some questions which
have been sent to him by a supporter of his at the previous
election, that gentleman has also written to me. I
have not his letter by me, bat I think I have in substance
answered most of his enquiries, but if I should have failed
to do so, and lest there should be any mistake about it, I
would fully endorse the answers given by my friend Mr.
Horsfall. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I ate so well known to
all of you, publicly and privately, I have devoted so long my
services to public duties, that I think there is no greatues-
tion of either religious, political lor commercial importance,
upon which ray sentiments are not tolerably well known
(Hear, hear ) Such zeal, and ability, and, energy, as I
have, I have devoted to your service, and I am willing
freely to do so. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I thilk that both
you and I have great reason to complain of the treatment
we received from the petitioners in 1832, when,
under the frivolous and vexatious circumstances
that I have descr bed to you, your choi 'e
was annulled, and I was deprived of the honour of

representing you. Rut, gentlemen, it is not on these
grounds that I would ask for your suffrages at this election.
Unless you are of opinion, in addition to them, I should
be able in the House of Commons. to render good service
to the town and tra le of Li voipool,and the general interests
of the country—unless yen think I should be a better
representative of your principles than, I will say, my
friend, Mr. Evart—(hear, hear)—if it is a mere question
of men between us, I will not ask for your suffrages ; but,
I contend, it is not a question of mon, but of principles,