Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-11-14 00:00:00

that time, though their victory is considered safe.
The Senate is not embraced in the decree of dis-
solutiom ; but though its present majority is
conservative, it is expected that it will not obstruct
measures proceeding from a liberal chamber,
particularly those with regard to public education.

cent., the Bank of England will very speedily
find a substantial excuse for lowering their dis-
count. It is the duty of those, at all events, who
forced trade off its centre, to restore it to its axis,
and it is imperatively necessary that our social ex-
istence shall not be longer imperilled by the repe-
tition of that abominable hoax, " I promise to pay
on demand." Such a piece of commercial immo-
rality is ill suited to an age when the heaviest
penal consequences are attached to far less
breaches of faith in matters relating to the busi-
ness of banking.

may not be out of place. Lord CAMPBELL, after
hearing Sir FREDERICK TEIESIGER'S statement, was
of opinion " there were gross abuses in the
conduct of the Guardians of this Union, and
looking to the situation filled by Mr. GOODWIN,
he could not at all blame him for trying to
expose them and bring them to justice." Mr.
Justice COLERIDGE thought "it was clear from
the affidavits on both sides that strong grounds
of suspicion existed, and he was satisfied that
there was no ground for believing that GOODWIN
proceeded otherwise than from bona fide and
good motives." Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN observed,
that as schoolmaster GOODWIN "had a public
duty to perform, and he was justified in exposing
any malpractices which might have existed in
the workhouse, and there was sufficient on the
affidavits to show that he might have entertained
a sincere opinion that an improper system was
carried on, and that in truth, the paupers did
not get the allowance which, according to the
contracts, they were entitled to receive." Mr.
Justice ERLE was of a similar opinion.
Now we sincerely hope that what has taken
place in this case will be a warning to all
public bodies to be cautious how they institute
legal proceedings for what they conceive libels,
arising out of comment upon their con luct.
The West Derby Guardians have been most
unlucky in their prosecution, and serve them
right. The solemn Judges' of the Queen's
Bench have given them a character, which the
ratepayers would do well to ponder over before
the day of next election. If they do so, and act
truly to themselves, many of the present Guar-
dians will then be told, in authorative terms,
to march to the tune of "Bundle and Co."

THE relief given to the public by the suspen-
sion of the Bank Charter Act was truly magical.
The announcement was no sooner made than
commerce once more breathed freely, and trade
threw aside its crutches. That a remedy so
simple should have removed such a complicated
mass of maladies as those which afflicted the
country, is not very wonderful, after all. It was
simply letting the fresh air into the plague-ship
and fever-ward to purify the atmosphere; and we
see its beneficial effects in the perfect restoration
of confidence in the sufferers. It will not
suffice, however, to cobble up the shattered
frame. The merchant has lost heavily, and
minor traders have been cruel sufferers; and we
have not only to regain all that they have lost, but
to guard against the return of another money-
plague. It would be idle to ask this in the name
of any particular class or interest. We must
demand it as a measure of prudence, due to the
safety and well-being of the British Empire.
The power which produces such ravages in com-
merce, and which can, on the instant, remedy
national bankruptcy when it occurs, are not
powers which an enlightened nation would leave
in the hands of any set of irresprisible men.
We may take this dry polititical view as the basis
for demanding an entire change in our monetary
system.

THE proceedings in our Superior Courts of
Law often contain much that is interesting to the
general reader. But, when the cases heard or
tried therein relate to any particular locality,
then its inhabitants feel a general and unusual
interest in all that is said and done in the afore-
said Courts. There are also certain classes of
cases—civil and criminal—which always com-
mand special attention, and, among such, is the
offence of libel. The law relating to libel is not
only peculiar in its character, but in some respects
arbitrary, oppressive, and stringent in its provi-
sions. Some slight modifications, it is true, have
been made of late years, and from what took
place in the last Session of Parliament, we may
reasonably expect that further amendments will
be made, and greater latitude given to writers
and publishers of the Newspaper Press. This is
nothing more than justice, founded upon com-
mon sense, It is too bad that any individual
who fancies that he has been injured, particularly
if he occupies a public position, should have the
power to hie off to the Superior Courts, and
without " Rhyme or reason" vent his spleen
upon his supposed libeller, and involve him in
serious expenses in preparing the mere prelimi-
naries of his defence. Of all cases tried before
the judges of the land, that of frivolous and
vexatious libel is decidedly the most annoying
and reprehensible. And we are glad to see that
the judges are determined to put an end to such
cases, and mark with their indignation all
frivolous complaints, by causing the parties who
bring them into Court to pay "all costs."
These remarks have been suggested by a
perusal of a case—the QUEEN (on the prosecu-
tion of the Guardians of the West Derby
Union) v. JAMES GOODWIN. Our readers are
aware the Guardians aforesaid obtained a rule
nisi against Mr. GOODWIN. On Monday, accord-
ing to the forms of the Queen's Bench, Sir
FREDERICK TIIESIGER appeared for the defendant
to show cause why the rule should not be made
absolute, in other words, to convince the Court
that his client's offence was not a libel, and that
he had not done anything beyond what he was
justly and legally entitled to do. Former
_pro-
ceedings of the West Derby Board of Guardians
have convinced us that many of these gentlemen
are exceedingly sensitive, so much so, that they
have often SG behaved themselves in the Board-
room as rendered them a laughing stock, not
only in their own immediate locality, but
throughout the country. Gentlemen who aspire
to public office, and would have the commonality
recognise them as persons of superiority and
influence, should not stand aghast, in a state of
half frenzy, when their actions are canvassed and
their motives questioned. Public criticism is
their due, and when made in a spirit of modera-
tion, and without any design beyond pro bono
public°, they who take offence thereat, and have
recourse to the Queen's Bench for satisfaction,
manifest a truly vindictive spirit, a non-appre-
ciation of their exact position and privileges, and
a total want of some of the essential qualities of
public officials. The West Derby Guardians
think quite otherwise. They would fine and
confine any man who would dare to question
their actions and motives as Guardians. A
short piece of print, or a leading article in a
newspaper reflecting on their sayings and doings
—reproving them for• intemperance of language,
and disputing the validity of any portion of the
decisions respecting the treatment of the paupers
under their care, had made some of them
gnash their teeth, and like poor HonoE, in the
Rszor Seller,"
e vow the direst vengeance with clinched claws"
upon the vile author, printer and publisher who
thus arraigns them before the bar of pUblic
opinion. With some people such threats answer
the purpose and procures a freedom from com-
ment. But it was not so with Mr. GOODWIN.
He considered it a duty to notice, by means
of printed letters, certain matters connected
with the management of the poor of the
West Derby Union. Mr. GOODWIN, be it ob-
served, was a ratepayer in the Union, and
as such it was his duty to watch with
a jealous eye everything relating to the
contracts entered into by the Guardians. He
had a pecuniary interest in stamping with
reprobation every attempt at jobbery, and sent
to the chairman certain questions touching
contracts for meal and potatoes taken by Mr.
BIRCH, one of the Guardians. Mr. GOODWIN
also hinted that certain potatoes called " blue
farmers " were inferior in quality to those he
had contracted to furnish to the workhouse.
The matter was brought before the Guardians, and
they agreed to investigate the charges by a select
committee, but the constitution of that committee
was of such a character as to preclude Mr.
GOODWIN from obtaining any redress; some of
the parties implicated in the alleged libel were
members of the committee. The Judges of the
Queen's Bench discharged the rule, and granted
GOODWIN his costs.

The contemptible failure of the currency
scheming of 1819, and of that hideous abor-
tion, the Bank Charter Act of 1844,
can never be tolerated again. If they
hal . merely endangered the existence of
the Bank of England, their advocates might
have some show of reason for clinging to
their hobbies. But it has not only shaken public
confidence in the Bank, but it has injured the
whole community, by destroying all existing
relations between employer and employed, and
broken up the whole organisation of com-
merce. To prove this we need only mention
three facts. First—That wherever the Bank
f England notes were held to a small amount
on Thursday, the utmost anxiety was shown
by the holders to exchange them away for
gold and silver. Secondly—Oar factories are
only working half-time, and thousands of
unemployed labourers have been added,
Within the last fortnight, to those previously
petitioning their employers for relief. Thirdly—
Our merchants lost their credit, and the whole
community look upon the sources from whence
they derived their funds with the utmost distrust.
Tile power to produce these frightful social evils
is vested in the Bank of England. The power
and moment to arrest the danger with which
they threaten all classes of society, are left to the
discretion of the irresponsible Government of the
day. The exercise of this latter function is not
guided by any fixed principle, It is all
dependent on whim and caprice. In 18-17, Lord
JOLIN RUSSELL checked the ruin of the country
when the Bank rate of discount reached_eight per

THE BANK ACT AND THE GOVERNYMTT.

TO THE EDITOR or THE NORTHERN TIMES.

I think that so large and influential a com-
mercial community as this, should not receive in
silence, the boon which Lord Palmerston and the
Chancellor or the Exchequer have bestowed upon
us, by suspending Peel's Bank Act of 1851, more
particularly when we see them assailed in no
unmeasured terms, in the Tinos and other papers.
The least we can do is, to thank them, and
communicate our unbounded confidence and
approbation in the bold step they have
taken. How this is to be done may be
for the Mayor, the Chamber of Commerce, or the
commercial community to decide ; but, perhaps
the most flattering way would be to present them
with a memorial, as we did to Lord Palmerston,
when he was out-voted by faction, on his Chinese
policy.
Feeling sure that you will coincide in this view,
and that it will be responded to by the merchants
brokers, and others oa 'Change.—l am, your
obedient servant. AN OBSERVER.

'Change, lah November, 1857.

cent.
Lord JOHN shuddered at the thought cf allow-
ing usury to proceed further, notwithstanding
that Inany millions of gold were required to pur-
chase foreign corn to keep our people from

A brief reference to the principles whiCh
influenced their lordship's in discharging the rule

THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1857.

AMUSEMENTS, &a.

PHILIEARMONIC-HALL.

get invariably comes from the 10111 talkers of their own
party. It is one of the tests, we suppose, to which their
sincerity must be subjected—but it is one which does not
necessarily redound to the credit of those who apply it,—
Nonconformist.

MR. E. W. THOMAS'S Burman CONCERTS AT THE

This day will conclude the first week of Mr. Thomas's
admirable Concerts at the Philharmonic-hall, we regret to
say to very inadequate audiences. Last night, a "Beethoven
Festival" was given, at which the "Symphony Eroica" was
played for the first time in Liverpool, yet the attendance
was not by any means so numerous as Mr. Thomas had a
right to expect. The pressure on private resources by the
crisis in money matters, may have had something to do
with the hesitation on the partlof the public to patronise a
spirited caterer for public gratification, but we hope the
relaxation produced by the suspension of the Bank Act of
18-14 will induce them to come forward, and make the
second—the last—week sufficiently remunerative to cover
all the deficiencies and short-comings of the first. His
vocalist, Miss Louisa Vinning, has a brilliant and power-
ful voice, a finished execution, and an expressive
manner which always cheers the audience, and at the
concert to-day, she will sing a beautiful duet from Mr.
Percival's graceful cantata, " The Lyre ; " Thee, the voice,
the dance obey," with Miss lilies, as well as the grand
aira from Verdi's opera. "Ernani"—" Ernani Involami."
So far as vocal performances go, these can scarcely be
exceeded, and the band is as good or better than any Mr,
Thomas has ever had. Bsethoven's grand symphony last
night was very finely played, ba'ing a few queer
passages from one of the horns. To day Mr. Percival's
new overture to " Zanoni" will be played,and a selection of
airs from " Dmnizetti's" opera "La Favorita" which was
given last night, and loudly applauded. The solos were
admirably executed by Messrs. Carrodus, Alfred Nicholson,
and G. H. Davies. Mr. E. W. Thomas played De
Berriot's "B Tremo!o" with great spirit. The instru-
mental solos this morning, will be given by Mr. G. H.
Davies, on the Cornet a Piston and the Bassoon.

Tuna Tam Rovan.—The reign of the wonder-working
Wizard still endures at this theatre, and crowds are
a eyed by his sceptre every night. Only a short time,
however, yet remains of his stay in our town, and those
who have not yet enjoyed the exhibition of his power, had
better lose no time in doing so. A very considerable
period must elapse before Mr. Anderson can again visit
Liverpool.
AMPIII'2IITUTRE —Mr. Roberts, an American trag 2dian,
has been playing during the week. We have. alraady
briefly noticed his performance of Sir Giles Overeach, and
it is not necessary to enter into any lengthened remarks
upon an actor who, as yet, has given no evidence of a claim
to a distinctive position on the stage, although possessing
some of the qualifications which are indispensable to
success. Mad'lle Anriol, the well-known danseuse,
appears at present in the Amphitheatre and is an
attraction of no ordinary power. Mr. Flexmore's
wonderful displays of agility and grace are the
theme of admiration and astonishment to the spectators
in this theatre. Those who do not yet know anything of
Mr. Fiexmore's peculiarities, may obtain some idea of
them by reading the remarks of the most original and
giffed theatre critic now living, M. Jules Janin, called
forth by the appearance of this singular performer in
Paris. We must not omit to mention that the Amphi-
theatre has received an addition to its regular company,
in the person of Mr. Edgar, an actor of considerable merit.
LADY HAVELOCK AT HER MAJES CY'S THEATRE. —Lady
Havelock and her family were present at her Majesty's
Theatre, on Thursday night, and M. Jullien, after the
performance of the " Ilivatoelc Triumphal March," called
for three -cheers for the " General." They were given
with the greatest enthusiasm. Lady Havelock was much
affect:4 with the demonstration.