The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-09 00:00:00

CHRISTIAN UNION,

A very numerous meeting of the members and friends
of this institution was held yesterday at Exeter Hall,
for the purpose of explaining the proceedings .of the
Conference held at Liverpool in October last.
R. C. BEVAN, Esq., on taking the chair, said, that before
calling on the Secretary (the Rev. A. D. Campbell)
to read a psalm, he begged to state that it was their
desire that the spirit of the meeting should he kept as
devotional as possible, and he therefore trusted that
there would be no demonstration of feeling exhibited by
the meeting.
The SECRETARY then read the 100th Psalm, which
was chaunted by the assembly, as well as the 103 d
Hymn, after which the Rev. Dr. Bunting offered up
prayers

_
The CHAIRMAN said, they would believe him that -it
was with no ordinary feelings he occupied the position
that had been assigned to him, for their object was one
of the highest, namely, to promote glory to God, and
peace and good will to man. They were limited as to
time, and it would be inconsiderate for him, under all the
circumstances, to offer more than a few observations. There
had been three objections brought against the alliance of
the Union, namely, that it was got up for the purpose of
pulling down the church; that it had in view the ex-
alting of it; and by a third party it was objected that
they had no object or view whatever. These last were
something nearer to truth, as far as any tangible object
was concerned. From that alliance it coutd not
be expected that their would be immediately effected a
strict union, or of putting down Popery, which had such
a destructive effect on so many of their Christian bre-
thren. It was to promote objects of charity, and to
achieve something analogous to what was effected by the
attendance at a place of wcrship. He trusted, too, that
it would be a rallying point for the Church in these
times of trouble. He would conclude by adverting
to what that excellent man, Dr. M'Neil, had said,
that they should take care not to make this union a
source of disunion, an advice which he would:strongly
inculcate on them. lie felt assured that if this union
were to continue for twelve months longer, their num-
bers would be increased considerably by members of all
the Protestant and Dissenting bodies.
The Rev. Dr. LIEFCHILD said, that their object was
'in a great degree expressed by the first resolution which
had been passed at Liverpool. (The Rev. Speaker then
read the resolution, which was to the effect—that the
Conference regard( d with great gratification the agree-
ment among the members o the union, and that it was
their strong desire to promote as far as possible that
agreement.) A great desire had sprung up amongst the
members of different religious bodies in this country to
effect a union, for which purpose a meeting was held at
Liverpool last October. He would likewise allude to
the great characteristics of that meeting. The three
first days were passed in reading the Scriptures, and in
works of devotion, and in a devotional spirit,
and in humility, and'he had never witnessed anything
that had equalled it. The Council of Nice,
at which the Emperor Constantine attended,
was not its equal. There was one characteristic of that
conference to which he wished to call their attention,
namely, as to the pert ct freedom of speech which was
permitted to every representative at the meeting. This,
so far from having had an injurious effect, was attended
with the most beneficial results.—(Hear, hear.) They
had also effected an organisation, and made ar-
rangements for holding meetings throughout the
country preliminary to their great meeting in the me-
tropolis. He would conclude by exhorting them to per-
severe in their exertions, and their efforts would be
crowned with success. They should not fall into the
error of making it necessary, as heretofore, to make
uniformity of creed essential to union. Their motto was,
" Union without uniformity of doctrine," and by acting
on that principle they would steer clear of the quick-
sands upon which so many similar efforts hed been
wrecked.—(Cheer's.)
Rev. E. lACKERSTETH, having read the next resolution
passed at the comerence at Liverpool, which deplored
the divisions that had taken place amongst the members
of the Christian Church, as well as the angry polemical
discussions that hod been indulged in, and recommending
the disconenuanee of any such in future, said that they
had already seen the benefits that had resulted
from union amongst themselves. The powerful op-
position given to the grant to Maynooth was the
result of union amongst them in opposition to their com-
mon enemy. It had been contended that they could not
unite with the members of the Church. He was justi-
fied in the articles of that church in recognising those as
true ministers of Christ who bad been chosen by the
people for that office. He himself was contented
to be classed among such men as Dedridge
and other eminent Dissenters. Their canons,
too, had undergone a change, and contained
nothing to the contrary. But even if they did, they
were bound only to obey what was just. It had been
said they should not join with schismatics. But what
was schism ? He denied that it could be shown that
those were schismatics who belonged to the great mysti-
cal body of Christians. He had, he thought, fully
answered any objection against the ministers of
the Church of England joining in the union.
He was gratified to see that in sev' ral of the
newspapers of their different bodies there was a more
kindly feeling exhibited, and he trusted that the time
was approaching when they should look less at their
points of difference, and more at those in which they
agreed. He would, in conclusion, suggest some
practical rules to effect the union they so
strongly desiri d. They should not accuse Trac-
tarians of Popery, nor regard as too powerful the
mere mechanism of a society. they should invoke con-
tinually the Divine assistance, and should not despond,
but pursue their views with vigour and perseverance.
The second hymn was then sung, after which the third
resolution of the conference was spoken to by
The Rev. Dr. ALDER (Wesleyan minister). He
said that a few years back there was an apathy
apparent in religious bodies in the country—in fast,
a great indifference to religious matters. But it
would appear that the inroads which Popery was
making, and other jircumstances, had the effect of dis-
playing most strongly the necessity of union. He would
read the resolution to which he had been called on to
speak. (The speaker thee read the third resolution of
the conference, to toe effect that, after the frank avowal
of their religious sentiments which had been
made by the different speakers, the meeting felt
more strongly the desire for union, arid that a
meeting should be held in the summer of next
year to promote that purpose, to which persons
should be invited from all countries.) He attributed
meth of their want of union to the torpidity of their mis-
sionary spirit, which would also account for the progress
of Popery not being more effectually resisted. The
time was, in his opinion, fast approaching when religious
subjects would be the chief object to which the minds of
men should be directed. He was assured by a noble-
man, who was distinguished on all occasions for his
attachment to religion and his benevolence,
that in Germany and in Sclavonia their
brethren would have to contend with, perhaps.
a civil war or with a fierce discussion on religious
themes. lie felt satisfied that the time was almost at
hand when system would be brought into collision with
system. It was on this common basis that they did
unite, and which induced the conference to seek for
the union of others with them, so as to be prepared for
the coming crisis. The events around justified them in
considering that a second Reformation was about to
take place, which would surpass the first, great and
glorious as it was, and powerful in its effects on
humanity.—( hear, hear.)
The Rev. H. BEieteset having offered up prayers,
The Chairman introduced

The Honourable and Rev. BAPTIST NOEL, who
read the next resolution of the conference, to the
effect that all should be invited to the meeting, to be
held in the metropolis, who should hold and maintain
what are usually understood to be the evangelical views
on points on which nearly all members of the Church of
Christ were agreed, namely, as to the inspiration
of the Scriptures and the unity of the Godhead ; and
in making the alliance that was here meant, it was of
course to be understood that they were only to
unite with those who did really belong to the
Church of Christ. It had been objected that their so-
ciety was in too mutilated a state to work any benefit,
and that . they could not agree as to who
should be members of the same. Now, he
would submit to them a statement of what it
should he understood that all should believe who were
to be invited to the meeting. (The Hon. and Reverend
Speaker then read the statement, which contained the .
cardinal truths which are believed by all members of the
Protestant Church.) He conceived that this statement,
if agreed to, would obviate the objection that had been
made. He could not agree with the Arminian
opinions of Richard Baxter, but that was no
reason why they shoud not be good friends.
He also differed from Mr. Fletcher, but he was ready to
unite with him on the present occasion. With the fol-
lowers of these two great men it would be necessary for
the disciples of different doctrines to unite, in conformity
with the spirit of Christianity. This basis of doctrine
would be sufficient, even if they did not agree on the
terms in which they were embodied, because it was founded
on generally, recognised principles of the Scriptures.
He felt satisfied that if there were no practical results
from their union, it would be of advantage t.) them to have
the fellowship it would engender promoted, and to have
those asperities with persons difre...ring on important
e
doctrinal points rubbed away by the atrition to
Twhheicyhcouthld they would
somecommon be exposed.—(Loud e
could co-operate with less difficulty than the chairman,
in his strict prudence, had thought. For instance, they
e objects,os
therefore; theyd.—(Loud cheers.)
could have the protection of persecuted Protestants all
over the world, as one object ; and the conversion from
Romanism in France, Italy, and other Roman Catholic
countries, as another.
The CHAIRMAN said that it would be his duty to in-
form the meeting that a collection would be made at the
doors to defray the ex eases incurred by the society.
The Rev. HoWARO HINTON (Baptist minister) spoke
to the next resolution of the conference, which exhorted
the members to do all in their power to effect the union.
He said union was desirable as an end, as well as a
means, for it destroyed disunion, Which
was a
positive
evil. The last clause of the resolution proposed that
they should, by the press and all other Scriptural means,
opose the progress of Popery and every other form of
infidelity.
The Rev. J. HAMILTON (minister of the Presbyter.=
Church), in speaking briefly to the resolution, stated that
there would be a meeting of the conference at Liverpool
next week.
The Rev. Dr. CUMMING next addressed the meeting.
He considered they might be united in harmonious con-
cert though entertaining different views, and he believed
that all the differences that had divided the Christian
world were only on the surface.
The cordial thank'S of meeting were then voltad to,
and acknowledged by, the Chairman.
The meeting then separated.

TO THE PUBLIC.
(From the Kurracliec Advertiser.)
For some time past the columns of the Bombay Times have
been devoted to trumpetting forth the praises of the late
Ameers of Sinde, but as their defenders know it would be
futile to attempt to upheld their conduct as rulers, after all
that Sir Henry Pottinger and Colonel Outram have recorded
in this regard, it is endeavoured to show that they were
patterns of virtue, and most exemplars• in their private lives.
Meer Shadad, in particular, is held up as a man in morals un-
exceptionable, and the writer who thus speaks of him, Alpha,
has the hardihood to boast of his intimacy with that Prince.
This is the first time one has seen an Englishman boasting
of intimacy with one of the most infamous miscreants that
ever disgraced manhood, and proclaiming a man to be of un-
exPeptionable morals who has rivalled the worst enormities of
Nero and Heliogabalus. The world has with one consent con-
signed the names of these monsters to execration ! Yet their
equal in wickedness, Shadad, is now held up as a model of
purity—England, however, is not so corrupt as to consider all
that is most abominable virtue, though Alpha and the Bombay
Times affirm it ! and the only conclusion people of right
thinking will come to is that the upholders of Shadad's and
the rest of the Meer's morality must be as degraded and
corrupt as the Meers themselves.
To describe the infamies through which, without any at •
tempt at concealment, Shadad has passed is difficult, the
names even of such crimes as he has been all his life familiar
with being pollution, but however unpleasant the task it is
one which the best interests of society calls for. If the
reader will refer then, to the annals of Tacitus, book fifteen,
and section thirty-seven, and to Gibbon's Decline and Fall,
volume one, and chapter six, he will find accounts of the
disgusting debaucheries:of Nero and Heliogabalus which, word
for word, pourtray the similar vices of Shadad. It is only
necessary to substitute for their names his, to complete the
picture, and for the companions of their vices Pythagoras,
Hierocles, and Quoticus,—to insert the equally detestable
partners in Shadad's guilt, Moorad Khan, Alla Buksh, and
Manuck Sing ;—men who were raised from the lowest con-
dition to the highest favour on account of their success in
gratifying his lewd desire,—and who are as infamously no-
torious to the people of Sinde, as those other monsters were
to the Roman world. _

Having thus disposed of the moral character of Shadad,
that of the other it eers may be summed up in a few words.
Noor Mohamed, 'the father of Shadad, made the nearest
approach to him in crime; but though, like Shadad, he
prostituted himself to the embraces of his menials, Mo-
hamed Saleh. Ninda, Monsa, and others, he was at least
less ( pen in his vices than his son. Sobdar was prevent'd
by epilepsey from following a course of sensuality—the only
excess I have heard attributed to him was in Bhang. Meer
Mohamed was cold by constitution. Nusser Khan was, it is
true, exempt from the most utterly revolting form of vice a
man can be guilty of; but the ravished wife of Mohamed
Khan Juttooee. The smock-faced sons of Aloo Memmon—the
pampered eunuchs Ramjan and Gooljan, with all their de-
testable crew of catamites, who were at once the panders and
the victims to the passions of their master—the horde of
pimps who filled the Durbar, these all attest that if not the
worst of men, he held a position but little more elevated in
the scale; while the shameful, Shadad-like debaucheries of
his eldest son, gave promise of the atrocities that would have
continued to stain the country, had not the conquest of Sinde
providentially cut off his suceession.
Such are the set whom, for purposes best known to them-
selves, Englishmen are found to uphold as mode s of morality
and virtue; the best of them notorious for vices held in abo-
mination even by Asiatics of any pretension to character or
religion, the worst sunk in sensuality so monstrous as must
in every country in the world make the persons guilty of it
an object of universal horror and disgust. For where till now
has there appeared in any realm, however wicked, an apolo-
gist for the infamy of a prince's self-prostitution; or where,
till Alpha stepped forth, was there seen a man so base as to
boast of intimacy with one who passed his life, till his de-
thronement, the catamite by turns of all the lowest wretches
in Hydrabad.
They who clamour against the conqueror of Sinde for rid-
ding a throne of such miscreants impugn the justice of the
Almighty who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
With reference to the article in the Bombay Times of the
13th inst., on my letter regarding Shaded, at the printing of
which by that honest paper the Gentleman's Gazette, the
prudery of the Times is so much excited, I beg to make the
following observations :-
1. The letter signed Omega was not published under the
Governor's sanction or with his knowledge.
2. Shaded may caricature all the officers of the force, the
Governor included till dooms-day for all that I care, but he
shall not, if I can help it, nor shall the Bombay Times make
such consummate fools of the public as this monster seems
to have made by Alpha's account of the unsuspecting little
society of Englishmen at Surat. The Times may continue
to spread his own protecting wing over the animal, but the
character of his protégé shall be known over India, and will be
known over Europe too, please God, on the arrival in London
of the next mail.

3. Does the Bombay Times suppose that he is to be allowed
to cry up miscreants as angels for ever, and that his false-
hoods are to remain uncontradicted, simply because the de-
pravity of the brutes he bepraises is so great as to defy
description.
4. In describing Shadad's vices, I have avoided as much
as possible detail, and referred the reader to books in which,
as I have said, they are faithfully pourtrayed. The books I
have referred to, are, first—the annals of Tacitus, a book in
the hands of every schoolboy at schools where gentlemen
are educated, and the translation of which by Murphy (the
passage alluded to included) as dedicated by permission to
the celebrated Edmund Burke, than whom a purer character
never breathed. Second—Gibbon's Decline and Fall, a work
equally unobjectionable, and third—in my last paragraph .I
alluded, I trust with proper reverence to the Holy Bible.
People who have not read these books will not be affected
by my letter, for they will but faintly understand it, those
on the other hand who have read them may read all I have
written with pure minds, and fear nothing, for they have
read a great deal more about other monsters than I have
written about Shadad. lam not surprised, however, at the
objections of the Times, the virulence of that paper has con-
vinced all right feeling men that its editor can have very
little to say to his Bible, and we are quite sure that the
reading a column of his writings will be quite enough to
convince the most incredulous that he has been reared in
happy ignorance of all that pertains either to a classical, or a
gentlemanly education.
5. It is a mattor of no earthly consequence to me what
the Times says about disbelieving what i have written, for
I know he does believe it, and hence his soreness, I can
produce hundreds, nay thousands of testimonials to its ve-
racity, among whom are the officers now serving
in Sinde,
—I will dispose of the matter, however, in a more summary
way by calling forward a witness whom the Times will cer-
tainly not object to—step forth then honest James Outram in
this just cause—tell the truth and shame the devil.
Sinde, Aug. 22, 1845. OMEGA.
P.S.—I see the Editor of the Bombay Times talks of my
letter as the fruit of a prurient imagination, a libidinous
libel, and a bonne bouche,—and his correspondent, a Griffin !
speaks of it as unnatural stimulants to excite feelings and call
forth sympathies, as brought forward to enhance the value of
that which certainly might otherwise be tame and unpalatable,
and a high seasoned dish to excite an appetite. I really do not
know what all this means, or what appetites the fellow talks
about my letter being calculased to excite, I intended it as
it started from my pen an out-burst of reprobation of crime
almost unparallelled, and a warning to Englishmen to shun
the company of a monster.
If the Editor of the Bombay Times and his brother
Griffin found its libidinous, and calculated to excite an appe-
t.te., all I can say is they must be in heart if not in deed a
brace of miscreants as great as their pet Shadad himself.

DUTCH SPIRITS.—The Lords Commissioners of her
Majesty's Treasury having had under their consideration a
communication from the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade, respecting an application from several par-
ties importers of geneva from Holland, praying relief in
regard to the construction put by the officers of the Cus-
toms department upon the recent Act of the last session
of Parliament, chap. 86, as applicable to spirits imported
in glass bottles for re-exportation to the colonies, Mr.
Cardwell, one of the Secretaries to the Treasury, has been
commanded to acquaint the Customs' authorities that their
Lordships are pleased to authorise them to give directions
to their officers for allowing geneva to be imported in
glass bottles, containing not more than three pints or
twelve gills each, as recommended by them. It appears
that the importation of bottles containing geneva of the
size and description alluded to was permitted for the especial
and exclusive purpose mentioned previously to the passing
of the Act quoted, but that the officers have lately hesitated
and declined to permit its continuance until properly and dis-
tinctly authorised to do so, considering that the Act of Par-
liament should be so construed as to amount to the prohibi-
tion of their importation of such a size, even for the purpose
of exportation only. This has reduced the appeal to the
Treasury necessary, and which has produced an order for its
continuance or re-adoption to be permitted, as an important
trade has for some time past existed in reference thereto,
and which has been communicated to the revenue officers in
London and at every port in the kingdom for their informa-
tion and future government in the matter.
CUSTOMS REVENUB OF THE PORT OF LIVERPOOL.
—The customs revenue of this port, for the year ending the
sth of January, 1846, as nearly as can at present be made
out, has amounted to 3,433,1121., showing a deficiency during
the past year of 1,054,552/. This would be a disheartening
fact, as leading to the conclusion that the commerce of the
port has declined in proportion to the customs revenue, were '
it not capable of being fully explained. On the Bth of May,
1845, a Bill received the royal assent, repealing the duties
upon a variety of raw materials, including the important
item of cotton wool, a quantity of dyes and minerals,
furniture woods, &c. It came into operation, how-
ever, by an order in Council, on the 20th of March, and
the Act has, therefore, had upwards of nine months' effect
upon our customs. The article of cotton wool alone pro-
duced last year to the customs of this port about 600,000/.
From this source, therefore, we may safely set down a loss
of nearly 500,0001. during the nine months, or little short of
half the deficiency. The other articles upon which the duties
were repealed, about 200 in number, will make up a consi-
uerable portion of the balance, though probably not the
look to
whole. For the remaining deficiency, therefore,
the alteration in the sugar duties, which, with sevewraloctlaieres
provided for by the Tariff Act of the previous year, e
only came
into full effect during the past twelve months. The loss of
the revenue from these will more than make up the entire
deficiency. In addition, however, it is known that the
amended corn-law has not this year produced so much as last
year. —Liverpool Courier.
THE LATE JOHN TANYELL.—The Bucks Epiphany
sessions commenced at Aylesbury on Tuesday, and amongst
twelve motions which are to be brought forward before the
full bench of Magistrates to-day, is that of Dr. Lee, of Hart-
well House, " That the Chaplain be required to lay on the
table the confession of John Tawell." This is in continua-
tion of the resolution which was unanimously adopted at the
last sessions, " That the confession of John Tawell be laid
upon the table at the next quarter sessions for the county;
and if this be not acceded to, the Chaplain be called upon to
deliver it up forthwith." The Magistrates, in demanding
the confession, do not consider that the refusal of the clergy
man rests on the privileges of his order. The majority of
the authorities on the subject are in favour of compelling a
clergyman, even a Roman Catholic priest, as a witness, to
divulge any confession made to him of a crime. The con-
fession is not one of privileged communication only, as the
Chaplain received it but as an officer of the Magistrates,
which might have been just as well mad& to the gaoler or
any other official. In the case of " Rex v. the Bishop of
Ely," Mr. Justice Bayley pronounced that " the Bishop
should not, in order to gain a private benefit, be allowed to
withhold public documents ;" but in case of the refusal of the
Chaplain to deliver up the confession, it will be matter to
bring before the Bishop to discharge him from his office.
RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—An accident occurred on
the Maidstone branch of the South-Eastern Railway to the
2 o'clock train from Maidstone on Tuesday last. The con-
tractor, who is laying down another line of rails, had occa-
sion to convey a portion of his materials front one of the
Medway Company's wharfs across the line by means of slide-
rails. These rails ought to have been cleared away on the
approach of any train, which in this instance the work-
men neglected to do. When the train cane up, the tender
and luggage-van ran off the line, which interrupted the traffic
for some time. Fortunately no injury was done to any of the
passengers, who were in a very short time provided with
the means to pursue their journey.