The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-09-27 00:00:00

SOT.IIIII LANCASHIRE
GREAT PROTESTANT MEETING.

Yesterday proved a great constitutional festival for the
Protestants of South Lancashire and Cheshire. It was on
the occasion of the meeting of the Protestant Associations of
the two counties, which took place in the Theatre Royal,
Manchester. An especial train was engaged by the members
of the association resident in Liverpool, for the conveyance of
those anxious to witness, and take part in the proceedings,
and the towns of Wigan, Warrington, Bolton, and other
populous places in the neighbourhood, also contributed to
swell the numbers of the respectable auditory who assembled
on this gratifying occasion. The chair was announced to be
taken at eleven o'clock, but long before that hour, the doors
were besieged by respectable persons, and by half-past ten,
the boxes, pit, and gallery were tilled to an overflow. Indeed,
to use an expression wade by the keeper of the theatre,
such " a bumper" the oldest frequenter of the theatre had
never seen within the walls before. The boxes and pit were
crowded by both ladies and , gentlemen, and the gallery was
filled by the industrious classes, besides the usual audience
departments, the stage was crowded by clergymen, mer-
chants, manufacturers, and agriculturists, from various parts
of the counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. The estima-
tion of numbers frequeptly leads to discussion, but if we
were to hazard an opinion formed by consulting persons con-
nected with the theatre, and, consequently, in the habit of
knowing what the house holds, we should say, that there
could not be less than between three and four thousand
spectators present,_

The borough policemen were in attendance to tender any
civilities the company might require in alighting from
coaches, &c. &c.
The best accommodation was afforded for the gentlemen
of the press in the orchestra, for which they were indebted
to the polite attention of Mr. Crisp, the zealous and inde-
fatigable secretary of the Association. The chandeliers were
lighted, and the appearance of the theatre was of a pleasing
and novel character. A few minutes after eleven o'clock, J.
Evans, Esq., the Boroughreeve of Manchester entered, ac-
companied by the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, the Rev. Mortimer
O'Sullivan, Dr. Cooke, the Rev. Hugh Stowell, and several
other eminent divines. They were received by the assembly
with rapturous applause. Among the clergy and [cantle-
men on and about the stage, we noticed :
Rev. G. L. Stone. Rev. R. Rigg

W. Burns, Farnworth
F. Barker, Liverpool
J. Quirk, Royton
M'Guire, St. Helens
A. Lane, Pendleton
W. M. Bunting
W. Carpenter, Douglas. Rigg
J. Wright, Latchford. Rees
Edward Dalton. London. M'Owan
T. Nolan, Stockport Methley
H. Allen, Bury Josh. Taylor, Chairman of
W. Hosier, Denton the District
W.H.Mann, 'leer of Bowden Barnard Slater
C. G. Helton B. B. Waddy
Mr. Wonder G. Steward
R. Martindale, Sandbark Amos Learoyd
H. W. M'Grath T. Ingle
W. A. Cave. Flixton John Smith
Nason, Tiutwistle Robert Gardner, Esq.
Dr. Warren W. Atkinson, Esq.
W. Hall W. Townend, Esq.
W. C. Cruttenden, Maceles- T. Townend, Esq.
field W. Hill, Esq.
Herbert Attkin, Hyde John M'Clure, Esq.
A. Campbell John Woollam, Esq.
W P. Bunting J. Wood, Esq.
P. Brown, Oswaldwistle Dr. Bardsley
W. K. Maxim, ditto John Westhead, Esq.
T- White W. W. Murray
W. Huntington James Wood, Esq.
R. Rigg. Elleubrook Jamer Dyer, Esq.
J. Hollist James Consterdine, Esq.
W. G. Mayne James Kennedy, jun., Esq.
J. Dobson T. H. Redhead, Esq.
R. Powell, Wigan J. Chesshyre, Esq.
H. S. Josephs, Liverpool Josh. Hamilton, Esq.
J. R. Connor, ditto Edward Brook, Esq.
W. Maynard, ditto W. N. S. Cooper, Esq.
B. Marshall, ditto B. Williams, jun., Esq.
J. Brindley, Warrington John Clare, Eaq.,Warrington
Thos. Lowe, ditto C. Boutfiower, sq., Liverpool
J. Mackensie, 'Wigan S. Holmes, Esq., ditto
J. Todd, Warrington J. Rigby, Esq., ditto
C. W. Lawrence, Liverpool C. S. Parker, Esq., ditto
IL 0. Brien, Heywood J. Howard, Esq., ditto
G. C. Nash, ditto D. Hodgson, Esq., ditto
D. Vaudrey, Northwich A. Browne, jun., Esq., ditto
Davies, Ruacora Ralph Ousey, Esq.
A. M'Conkey
J. Lyons, Bolton

H. WlCeil, Liverpool.
Dr. O'Sullivan.
Dr. Cooke, Belfast.
H. Stowell.
R. Frost.
E. Birch.

Taos. TowsgND, Esq., then came forward and opened
the proceedings of the day, by proposing that the Borough-
reeve of Manchester should take the chair. (Cheers.):
Crts.s. BOUTYLOWER, Esq. seconded the nomination,
which was carried by acclamation.
The BOROJGE ItiXVE having taken the chair, called upon
the Rev. Mr. Stone to open the meeting with prayer.
The Rev. Mr. STONX then read in an impressive manner,
few appropriate prayers from the church service.
The Boaouonaaava then came forward amid the most
enthusiastic cheers. He said, that the chair which he had
the honour to hill, was is have been occupied by the Right
Honourable the earl of Roden, but an accident which had
occurred to that worthy and noble.lord, had been the cause
of his unavoidable absence. A requisition had been for-
warded to his lordship, requesting the honour of his presi-
dency. It was, signed by a number of the clergy of South Lan-
cashire and Cneshire, resident in the towns of Manchester,
Liverpool, Northwich, Warrington. Wigan, and other
Places. The requisition was as follows :