The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-05-11 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1852.

TO CORRESPONDENTS

We shall be happy, at all times, to receive communications
on subjects of local or general interest ; and if our friends
will be good enough to authenticate the same by their signa-
tures, for our own satisfaction, we shall feel obliged.

Riberpoot tanbarb.

TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 11, 1352.

RADICAL DIFFERENCES.
of Beauty which a distinguished
artist once announced was that of "uniformity

ITHE theory

and, upon this principle, the oppo-
sition to the present Government must be a beau-
tiful party. Their uniformity consists in the
position which they occupy as opponents of Lord
DERBY, and their desire to thwart his measures for
the good government of the country ; their variety
consists of points which, as the advertisements say,
" are too numerous to mention." They are one,
yet distinctly divisible. They fight in the same
battle, yet there are coats of all colours in their
regiment; "motley's the only wear." From the
Peelite, who consented to abolish the Corn Laws
on the same principle that he admitted Emanci-
pation, viz., as "a great necessity," down to the
Chartist delegate that would give us a republic in
spite of the lesson taught by France, hardly half a
dozen could be found whose political creed exhibits
a marked coincidence. Radicalism, like the kindred
spirit of infidelity, is a great negation ; it is marked,
not so much by what it professes as by what it
denies; and while steadily opposing that which is
fixed and formal, it eludes the grasp as soon as we
would examine itself. From its very nature, there-
fore, it exists in degrees; some having progressed
further than others down the slippery decline. It
is, truly, a sliding scale, and facilis descensus.
One simply opposes himself to the re-imposition
of duties on corn; and though assured that that
is not.a point to be raised, from evil communications
he maintains his attitude ; another earnestly advo-
cates every measure that makes for the manufac-
turer, while abusing the landowner and declaiming
against "class interests." One believes that the
expenditure for the army and navy should, if
possible, be curtailed; another, who has nothing
to lose, and who might gain something in a
scramble, would dismiss all our defenders to the
spade, the plough, and the workhouse. The advo-
cates of education exhibit their phases as well as
the others. Some would wish the state to exhibit
a stepmother's care of her children, and to leave
education to voluntary efforts exclusively ; others,
again, care not how knowledge is propagated,
provided it be separated from religion ; and others,
still, would retain its connexion with religion, and
extend the means of its diffusion. In ecclesiastical
matters, one class would separate the Church from
the State, for the sake of the former; they think
that they would then manage both her resources
and her internal polity better. Another would
destroy the union between Church and State, that,
like the boys in the fable, they might break the
rods more readily when separated. Some would
be contented with having the country practically a
Christian one, but would not exclude the Jew from
either House of Parliament ; others do not see why
even Christianity should be an established church,
and would abolish all laws enjoining respect for the
Sabbath. This, it is true, would be out-Francing
France; yet it is the principle to which Voluntaryism
consistently and inevitably leads. Some would
allow property no weight or representation in the
State, though admitting the claims of intelligence
and numbers ; others would abolish all money
qualifications, as those for county magistrates and
members of parliament; and others, again, would
destroy the patriotic prestige which secures for the
country services that gold could never buy, and
would raise up a class of representatives to whom
a small payment would be an object. There are a
few, who make up for the smallness of their numbers
by union and energy, to whom royalty appears a
mockery that should be discarded; while others
hold, that, except in the matter of salary, a monarch
is a harmless sort of toy.

amid variety ;'

nearly 1,300 !
The occasional onslaughts of Sir BENJAMIN
HALL and Mr. HORSMAN are not without their
uses, though they are not always in a becoming
spirit; and we can well understand how the sug-
gestions of such men are received with suspicion
by many who ardently desire to see the efficacy of
the Church increased. But in the case of Lord
BLANDFORD, there is sound churchmanship and
benevolent intentions ; he would legislate avowedly
in a kind spirit, and he will not fail to secure an
amount of respectful concurrence, co-operation, and
success, which would not be the lot of an angry
partisan. In the age of the Reformation England
was the stronghold of Protestantism and liberty of
conscience ; in the days of ELIZABETH the nation
regarded her as truly the " defender of the faith ;"
and in our own days the position which England
may assume and maintain, will influence the faith
of millions elsewhere. If Protestantism lengthen
her cords and strengthen her stakes in these islands,
those who are battling against scepticism and super-
stition elsewhere will thank God and take courage.
If the aggressors gain the upper hand either by
their energy or our remissness, the attempt to with-
stand them will be vain, on the continent or in
America. For these reasons, with others, we rejoice
to see a measure of wholesome reform introduced
under such auspices.

OUR AUSTRALIAN POSSESSIONS, AND

THEIR DEMANDS UPON US.

WHILST short-sighted politicians are urging upon
us to snatch the temporary boon of " cheapness,"
derivable from throwing open our markets to the
non-reciprocating countries of Europe, an all-wise
Providence is opening out to our view a far higher
destiny which is in store for Great Britain. During
the past two years, the enterprise of the Saxon race
has been attracted westwards, to the rich virgin
soils of America, and to the golden stores of her
recent Californian conquests. It seemed, indeed,
as if in that direction solely the spread of civilisation
and Christianity was to reach the eastern hemi-
sphere, and to break through the barriers, which
have so long guarded the Oriental races from all
contact with the more energetic people of these
latitudes. Australia has interfered to change this
phase of things. British industry and enterprise
have discovered in that splendid portion of our
empire an accumulation of mineral as well as of
agricultural wealth, which promises to be almost
boundless in extent; and a few more years will
probably see in that far off country the foundations
of an empire laid, owning the British sway, which
is destined to work a social revolution over the
entire face of Asia. The longing eyes of millions
of our over-toiled population—of the youth, the
strength, and the hardihood of Britain—are now
turned towards this new El-Dorado. The rewards
of plodding industry and sober commerce tempt in
vain, when placed in contrast with the sudden
riches to be won from the mines, or from the
streams, of that land. Its already settled popula-
tion are deserting their agricultural and other pur-
suits; the flocks roam unheeded on the plains; the
harvests perish for lack of reapers; its once rising
towns are deserted ; and, as cargo after cargo of
emigrants disembark in its ports, they are absorbed
in the general rush to the gold fields, where easily
won wealth awaits the fortunate, and competence
is certain of achievement by all.
It is a serious question—What is to be done by
the British Government in such an emergency?
Are we to allow these rich discoveries to become a
curse to us, or shall we endeavour to convert them
into a blessing ? Is Australia to become a moral
desert, and its growing population to degenerate
into an aggregation of human fiends ; or shall we
accept our destiny, and the greatness which they
offer us ?
"Fes est ab hoste &cert."

At the very moment that men of all these varied
shades of opinion are banding together, suspecting
and suspected by each other, some of our contem-
poraries are amusing their readers by showing the
variations of opinion among the supporters of Lord
DERBY. It is true, that in those who defend as
well as those who assail, opinion respecting essen-
tials exists in degree; and the carrying of every
important measure brings into prominence two
classes of men—those who believe that it should
be final, and those who regard it merely as the
insertion of the wedge. The great feature of Lord
DERBY'S Government, however—and a most im-
portant one it is—is, that it has met the democratic
spirit full in front, and is turning the current of
public opinion strongly against it. The effeminate
Emperors of Rome bribed the barbarians of the
north to stay away, and thus whetted their avarice
and worked their own ruin. The same game was
playing in England at the same time, by the puny

monarchs who could not resist the Saxons; and as
history has its parallels, so Lord JOHN RUSSELL
would pave the way for the moral Goths and
Vandals to overthrow this empire. The present
Government would fix limits to aggression; and
show that good government is perfectly compatible
with the principle, " thus far shalt thou come, and

no further."

We willingly adopt the solution of the difficulties
contained in the following remarks of a political
opponent—the Journal of Saturday last—which are
the more striking as coming from the organ of a
party which has systematically decried the colonial
system of this country, and urged the self-support-
ing power of our manufacturing system

" A great rivalry is upon us. The United Stales
already compete with us in all our foreign markets :
already they consume one-third as much cotton as they
send to us; and they want only what we are sending, more
people, to encroach seriously on our prerogative. The
continent of Europe, too, has imbibed our skill, does not
want taste, and is not now deficient in enterprise. THERE
IS A WORLD BEYOND THE MAIN WHICH IS ALL OUR
OWN. There we may raise a population fire times that
of England, and in them provide customers to consume
thrice the amount of manufactures which we now ship to
all the world."

Mr. CARDWELL, and the smatterers in political
science who worship him, will perhaps not thank
our contemporary for the above admission. We
thank him for it, and have ever maintained the
same opinions. America is competing with us in
manufactures; and we are now forwarding to her
shores all that she requires to enable her to do so
with increasing success—the cheap labour of
Europe. Continental nations compete with us in
most branches of manufacture, and excel us in
some. Our consolation under these circumstances
is, that "THERE IS A WORLD BEYOND THE MAIN
WHICH IS ALL OUR OWN." Nay more there are
WORLDS. We have possessions in every zone, willing
and able to consume ten times the quantity produced
by British labour and skill, which we can profitably
dispose of in the open markets of the world,
opposed as we are there by the competition of
foreign and rival countries. Her colonies ought to
be the brightest gems in Britain's diadem; but
modern legislation, in its selfishness, has despised,
reviled, and almost alienated them from our side.
The strength which they are calculated to afford us
has been the envy of other nations. Through
them, as the advanced posts of civilization, the
philanthropist hoped to carry Christianity, and the
influences of British laws and commerce, amongst
the heathen nations, But the Manchester school

bias compels them to look upon only one aspect of of politicians have preferred an insane cosmopolitan
the question ; they close their eyes to the fact that policy to the more safe one of pursuing the great-
even in England, since the Church has become most ness of the empire through paths guarded by the
true to herself, active dissent and apathetic irreli- sturdy arms, and smoothed for us by the enterprise
gion are daily diminishing; and they look only to of our own confiding and adventurous fellow-
the items of scandal on money matters, that find subjects.
their way from the episcopal benches through the Here, in our Colonial Empire, is a field of exertion
newspapers. The astronomer, it is true, can look at iworthy of the best days of British statesmanship ;
the spots upon the surface of the sun, and forget and we look to the administration of the Earl of
for the time that it is the source of light and heat, DERBY to occupy it. The Indies, in both hemi-
and the promoter of animal and vegetable life ; but
spheres, disclose to us their rich tropical products,
it is only when he looks through an artificial capable of being won without the taint of slavery
medium, and not with the naked eye. Lord BLAND- being affixed to them. Cotton, Sugar, Coffee, and
FORD'S bill will improve the arrangement of duties raw materials and luxuries of every kind, are ours
and exercise greater economy on the subject of in abundance sufficient to supply the world, if we
revenues. It will provide that the life of one man will only do justice to the cultivators of these fine
is not a continual festival, while the life of another possessions. Canada claims encouragement to the
is a continual fast ; that one is not a prey to temp- settlers on her vast prairies—New Zealand is the
tation through idleness, while another is a prey to germ of a future great country ; but, most urgently
disease through overwork. Yet the large sutn of iof all, Australia points out to us at once our true
£60,000 a-year will be disposable from the resources interest and our high destiny. That rich possession
of the Church herself; and after restoring the dio-
—rich in the fertilityof its soil and climate, as much
cese of Bristol which was merged in 1836, and as in its mineral abundance—calls upon the legis-
erecting Westminster into a new diocese, there lature for a wise and comprehensive system of
would still remain £27,000 a-year for the general colonization to supply the labour of which she is so
purposes of the Church. This would be a most urgently in need. It is not a pettifogging aid given
important means of endowing new districts or to desultory emigration which will do this. She
increasing small livings, especially at a time when demands not the sweepings of our workhouses, the
greater efforts are made than on any former occa- decayed sempstresses, or the reformed criminals, of
sion to throw our Churches freely open to the poor. our large towns—not the restless and unsettled
Surely the right rev. prelates themselves would spirits amongst our population ; but an organized
rejoice as heartily as their clergy to see an additional supply of industry, sound in health and morals.
T
division of dioceses, especially as we find that the The true policy of the parent country is to plant in
Bishop of Exeter has more than 900 clergy to
each of these countries the nucleus of a well-
superintend, Lincoln more than 1,100, and Norwich
regulated community, protected by social and,

religious institutions ; and, by a fostering Imperial
Legislation, to ensure that in every colonist whom
tve send out to them we shall find a loyal British
subject, and a consumer of the manufactured pro-
ducts of the population of his native land. To get
rid merely of the pauperism and idleness which are
to be found swarming in our streets and highways
is not the boon at which we should aim. Such a
policy is the throwing away of sources of infinite
strength. and prcgress. The policy at which we
ought to aim is one which will bind the population
which is flocking to these distant possessions, by
the ties of afection and interest, to Great Britain ;
and if we can do this we shall assuredly reap a
rich reward.

With respect to the mineral wealth in Australia,
it is impossible that it can continue to yield its
present rate of return to those engaged in the
search. The population which is flocking to that
country must ultimately produce one or both of the
following results. Gold must be so far depreciated
by the abundant supply as no longer to serve for a
basis to our own, or any other monetary system ;
and either in this event, or by the operations of
mining becoming less satisfactory from the increased
expense attending them, the bulk of the settlers in
Australia must return to agricultural pursuits, and
to supplying the British manufacturer with wool,
and other valuable products of its rich soil. Let
that soil be once cultivated, and the energy of a
healthy industry be restored to the colony, and its
population will probably become, next to that of
Great Britain itself, the most valuable consumers of
British products. Pursue the same fostering policy
towards our other colonies in every quarter of the
globe—extend to them material advantages to be
derived from British connexion, and we shall no
longer have to supplicate the governments of Europe
or elsewhere, " with bated breath," for trifling
modifications of their tariffs, or for reciprocal
dealings with this country,

THE LIVERPOOL CORPORATION WATER-
WORKS BILL.

THE Lords' Committee, yesterday week, declared
the preamble of the Liverpool Waterworks Bill not
proved, so far as regards the proposed deviation of
the line of piping, &c., through Sir JOHN GER.,
RARD'S estate. The original line is therefore
forced upon the town; and unless the engineer,
and our local authorities, have had no sufficient
grounds for advocating the deviation, which is
unlikely, the decision arrived at must be injurious
to the scheme. This is unfortunate ; for, whatever
may have been our conscientious objections to the
new mode of supply, it is most desirable that,
having once been adopted, it should be carried out
in the best practicable manner. The deviation
proposed was intended to avoid the danger of car-
rying the pipes over a country extensively mined
under, and liable to subsidence, or through a dis-
trict where their rapid corrosion is inevitable; and
it would be most distressing if, at some future day,
through the successful opposition to this bill, the
port of Liverpool should be, even for a time, de-
prived of an adequate supply of water for the daily
wants of its population.
Apropos of this scheme, we observe that a con-
troversy is going on between the Manchester Guar-
dian and the Economist London newspaper, origi-
nated by the latter having commented upon the
fact that, owing to the late drought, the corporation
of Manchester have had to purchase 200,000,000
gallons of water from the owners of the reservoirs of
the Peak Forest Canal. The Guardian contends
that the necessity for doing this has occurred solely
from the fact of the storage reservoirs of the corpo-
ration not having been completed in sufficient time
to retain safely the large quantity of rain which fell
in the winter months. This reply, however, is
suggestive of coming difficulties in the way of an
adequate supply being insured to Liverpool, by the
Liverpool Pike scheme. Unusually heavy falls of
rain do sometimes occur ; and embankments, as in
the case of the Holmfirth waterworks, as well as
in that of Manchester itself, are not always to be
depended upon. With respect to the Derbyshire
Hills,—the locality of the Manchester supply,—we
know that the ordinary rainfall is great; and there
is spring water on the gathering ground, which the
Manchester Guardian says "in the driest weather
will average from seven to ten million gallons per
day." But we have not that confidence in the pro-
ductiveness of the Rivington Hills; and hence we
deplore anything which tends, as the decision in
the Lords' Committee does, to imperil the security
of the Rivington works. We should much like,
also, to be assured that, during the long drought
which has recently prevailed, the rivulets in the
Rivington district have given indications of being
able to afford us any supply at all, in case of acci-
dent to the reservoirs, upon which we are afraid we
shall have exclusively to depend in such seasons.

MEETING AT THE LYCEUM.

The annual meeting of the proprietors of this institution
was held in the library last evening.
Dr. MACINTYRE occupied the chair, and road the
report of the committee for the past year, which showed
the institution to be in a flourishing condition, and that
the room had been considerably improved, so far as the
comforts of its frequenters were concerned. From the
treasurer's report it appeared, that, after satisfying all
demands upon the institution, there remained a balance in
the hands of the treasurer of £146 6s. 2d.

Dr. ANDERSON moved the adoption of the report, and
that the accounts be passed, and congratulated the com-
mittee on the improvement and comfort which had been
secured to the proprietors.
Mr. PRITCHARD seconded the motion, which was una-
nimously adopted.
The following gentlemen were then appointed on the
committee for the ensuing year, namely, Messrs. R.

Cooper, W. Furness, John Daniel, W. Groom, James
Chesney, James Eekersley, Fishwick, Bryan Henshaw,

William Dooley, and Hill.
On the motion of Dr. lamAcx, seconded by Mr. RAEY,
an alteration was made in one of the rules respecting no-
minees, to the effect that in case a nominee should die,
or give notice in writing of having surrendered his nomi-
nation, the proprietor should be allowed to resume his
share, hut not to make use of his nomination until the Ist
May following.
On the motion of Mr. OWEN, seconded by Mr.
THORNELEY, an alteration was made in rule 22, as an
addition that no motion for altering salaries, or for any
extraordinary expenditure of the funds of the Institution,
should be adopted unless at least one month's notice be
given.

Mr. WYLIE then proposed an alteration in rule 2, (he
object of which was to increase the number of shares from
600 to 800, and to give the committee a discretionary power
to fix the price.
This led to a lengthy discussion, but, on a division, was
lost by a large majority.
After some other business, Thanks were voted to the
proprietors of the Exchange Rooms for favours conferred,
to the committee for their efficient services during the
past year, and to the Chairman for his conduct in the
chair, and the meeting separated.

LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT.

MEETING OF THE FREEMEN OF EXCHANGE
AND VAUXHALL WARDS, LAST NIGHT.

A meeting of the Conservative Freemen of Exchange
and Vauxhall Wards was held yesterday evening, in the
large rcom of the Cross-Keys Inn, Moorfields ; Mr.

FRANCIS SIIAND in the chair. Unfortunately a miscal

culation had been made as to the number

expected

and, as the result, the room was most uncom.

ortably crowded, and a large n

her were compe

remain on the stairs and lobby outside, and in an adjacent
chamber. Near the Chairman, we observed Mr. N. D.
Bold, Mr. Alexander Shand, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Colborne,
Mr. J. Taylor, Mr. iiigson, Mr. John Griffiths, Mr
John Thorpe, Mr. Jackson, Mr. \V. lligso

-lumber of the

st respe

able tra

CHAIRMAN, in openir

very for

of the old freemen of Liverpool ; and
tiring that interval he could not say that the town had
Arrived at a greatly-advanced position. They had heard

and a larga

meeting a bo

a great deal al)out the march of intellect, a.

heard many

boasts of the improvements which it had produced ; but

he did not see that whe

lie looked at th

Cotrimoa

Council of Liverpool, although the civic chair had been

respectably filled. tie did not see amongst that bo

mcn who had risen amongst them, and

ere known to

he did not see the old families, the Ilorsfalls and others,
echo had fought their political battles in old times