The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-12-03 00:00:00

Radical faction in the Council strenuously opposed
this proposition, and insisted upon -a rate which
would only produce three burtdred pounds. Prior to
the last Municipal Election, they commenced an active
canvass for a three-hundred-pound rate, to which the
outgoing Conservatives were opposed, they agreeing
with the Mayor that the larger sum was necessary.
In consequence of this appeal to the pockets of the
electors, none but Radicals were returned to the Coun-
cil at the last election. Among these Radicals there
were few, if any, respectable men. The turbulent
faction in the Council, thus reinforced by a body of
noisy brawlers of the same kidney, determined upon
making " a dead set" at the late Mayor on the 9th of
November, when the annual meeting of the Council
was held. This purpose they carried into execution.
They assailed Mr. Reade with every species of low and
vulgar abuse and scurrility. Mr. Reade and his friends
were no otherwise implicated in the discreditable scene
which we described, than as standing on their defence
against the rude and unmannerly assaults of their
Radical opponents. The latter were alone responsible
for the odium which attached to the proceedings on
which we commented. So disgusted was Mr. Reade
with the conduct of the faction who had resolved upon
insulting him, that be came to the resolution to have
nothing further to do with a set of men so undeserving
of the character of gentlemen. For this resolution we
cannot but commend him. The Radicals will now
have it all their own way, until they disgust the whole
of the electors in like manner, which, if they go on as
they have begun, they will not be long in accomplishing.
We think that there are several in the Town Council
of Congleton who possess far more appropriate qualifi-
cations for presiding at " a Billingsgate meeting" than
Mr. Reade or any of his friends. Can any one of our
friends in Liverpool give us any information respecting
Mr. Johnson or Mr. Insisting Pickford ? We trust
that Mr. Reade will not so far forget himself as to have
any thing more to do with any of the set. We do not
see how he can consistently co-operate with such men
as Mr. Johnson, who avowed his opposition to the pay-
ments in support of the Church. We have thought it
necessary to say thus much, in order to remove any
odium which our remarks might be thought to cast on
the Conservative minority in the Corporation of Con-
gleton.

The editor of the Journal seems to have misappre-
hended the purport of a remark which we introduced
into our summary of American news on Tuesday last.
In our former controversy with him on the subject of
the ballot we asserted that secret voting would afford
no valid protection against bribery and intimidation—
the two great evils against which the ballot-mongers
are constantly declaiming. We further stated that the
elections in the United States fully corroborated our
assertion, if the accounts published in the American
papers were to be relied on. To this the Journal de-
murred, the editor stating that he had no recollection
of having ever read in those papers any accounts con-
firmatory of our assertion. On Tuesday last we gave
an extract from the United States Gazette proving the
correctness of our previous allegation, at least as far
intimidation—the worst of all the evils which can at-
tend a popular election—was concerned. To this point
alone was our observation directed, and we think that
the Journal will acknowledge that the ballot is in
America an inefficient protection to the voter.

If evidence were required in confirmation of the
soundness of the views of the Clergy with regard to
the Collegiate Institution, it would be amply supplied
in the vulgar abuse and reiterated vituperation with
which they are so lavishly assailed by the Radical press.

If their conduct had received the praise of this faction,
I would then indeed, as Mr. Doherty said with respect

to Mr. O'Connell, have behoved the Clergy to give the
whole matter their gravest reconsideration. It needs
very little penetration to discern the object of our
Whig contemporaries in this affair. " Divide et im-
pera" has ever been their favourite motto, and they are
now acting upon it to the fullest extent, whilst they
chuckle in their sleeves at the much-to-be-deplored
opportunity which has been thus inconsiderately af-
forded to them. We do not wish to quarrel with the
dissentient Clergy for the opinions which they enter-
tain, believing as wo do that they are the result of
conscientious conviction ; but we respectfully submit
vxlay LLICII COLILInuen opposition LU an .I.llJULti-
_

tion, the principles of which are now decided upon,
can be productive of no real benefit, but, on the con-
trary, tend to weaken the influence of that Church
to which they are attached. Their sentiments are well
known, and whilst, on the one hand, should the Insti-
tution (as there is every reason to hope) prove a bless-
ing to the town, they will not be entitled to share in
the honour of having assisted in its foundation ; nei-
ther will they, on the other, in the event of a failure,
be called upon to hear any portion of the blame. We
can scarcely suppose that they feel any sensations of
pleasure in the adulatory laudations which they are
receiving from the same sources which abuse their
brethren, or that they believe that such praise is in-
tended as anything more than the keenest irony. At
a period when the closest bonds of union are required
between the Clergy and their flocks, and when the
assistance of all who are friendly to our Constitution
in Church and State should be, so far as may be pos-
sible without compromise, secured, it is really distress-
ing to every man of sense and feeling to perceive dis-
sensions existing where there is the strongest necessity
for union and co-operation. When the matter was
referred to the Clergy for their consideration, it was
well known that differences of opinion existed; and,
under such circumstances, no decision could be arrived
at unless the minority bowed to the majority. The
lesser minority has done so, and its members are
amongst the warmest and most active supporters of
the Institution. If the greater minority cannot con-
scientiously follow their example, let them, at all events,
throw no further obstacles in the path of those amongst
their lay and clerical brethren who are friendly to the
scheme as it now exists, but let each conscientiously
pursue his way in peace.

A Radical contemporary of yesterday, galled by the
contempt which is poured upon his abuse of the Rev.
Hugh M‘Neile, has suffered to disgrace his pages
about half-a-dozen columns of a similar commodity,
which will no doubt, coming from such a quarter, be
considered a high commendation. Ridicule and sar-
casm are lawful weapons when properly made use of,
and there is sufficient evidence, from the effusions of
the Radical press, to shew that the scribes of that
party know well how to apply them ; but why does
not our contemporary sometimes indulge his readers
with a reply to the arguments which the reverend gen-

• -
tleman to whom we have alluded advances and reite,
rates against the sophisms which our contemporary
professes so much to admire ? Let him attempt to
refute the statements which are urged upon his atten-
tion ;—let him try his hand at the authorities upon
which the thrilling appeals are made to the people of

_
this country, through the letters and speeches of that
reverend gentleman and those with whom be is asso-
ciated. Let us direct his attention to this, and more
notice will be devoted to what he may say. Let his
abuse of the speaker terminate, and let his answer to
the speech itself begin : then, but not till then, can he
expect any sensible person to give credence to the
nonsensical fooleries in which he so frequently indulges.
Surely some friend has directed the attention of our
contemporary to this long since, but probably he does
not understand the meaning of it; for " Bray a fool in
a mortar, and"-the Albion knows the rest, and can
adopt it for himself.

REPRESENTATION OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.—We are happy
to see that the conservatives of South Cheshire are taking
the most active and determinedmeasures to insure the return
of Mr. Tollemache in the place of Mr. George Wilbraham at
the next election. A requisition, most numerously and re-
spectably signed by the gentry, freeholders, and electors of
South Cheshire, has been presented to Mr. Tollemache, to
which he has returned an answer every way satisfactory to
his future constituents. Mr. Tollemache seems to be the
very man that the conservatives of South Cheshire were in
want of. His private character is unexceptionable—his prin-
ciples moderate and decided—and his attachment to the con-
stitution and institutions of his country so enlightened and
discriminating, that whilst he is determined to maintain them
in all essential points, he is friendly to all "judicious altera-
tions" which the lapse of time or an alteration in circum-
stances has rendered necessary or desirable. We cannot
imagine how Mr. George Wilbraham can flatter himself that
he will be enabled to maintain his seat in the face of such a
competitor, when almost every vote he has given since he en-
tered the House of Commons has been of the most revolu-
tionary character. Ministers have not had a more thick-and-
thin supporter than Mr. George 'Wilbraham, and, if they are
in office when he is thrown out of South Cheshire, we have
no doubt they will show their gratitude by pitchforking him
into the House of Lords, were he will sit and vote side by
side with the Lord of Alderley and other such ornaments of
the peerage.—Stockport Advertiser.