The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-08-06 00:00:00

COLLECTORS OF " NATIONAL RENT."

A letter, of which the following is'a copy, has been ad-
dressed by Lord John Russell to the Mayor of Manchester,
and we believe; to the magistrates of other neighbourhoods
where the chartist agitation prevails :
Whitehall, 31st July, 1839.
" Gentlemen,—Having been informed that, in some parts
of the kingdom, attempts have lately been made to obtain
money from shopkeepers, householders, and others, by means
of intimidation (as by threatening them with personal danger,
or with loss of businesS, or threatening to mark them down
and report them as enemies, and by various other illegal
means), and that persons have been combining and endea-
vouring to injure shopkeepers, householders, and others, in
their lawful business, representing them as enemies to the
people, and persuading others to leave off trading with them,
thereby to prejudice them in their business ; having been
also informed that persons, in pursuance of an illegal com-
bination, have gone about among the working classes of the
people, exciting and endeavouring to persuade them to desist
from working, and to desert their employers ; I deem it to
be my duty to call upon the magistrates to use their utmost
endeavours to repress and put down such mischievous prac-
tices, which are contrary to law, injurious to trade, subver-
sive egood order, and dangerous to the peace of the country,
and to apprehend and bring the offenders to justice. I ad-
vise the magistrates to proceed against persons guilty of such
illegal practices, as for a misdemeanour. In case also persons
should assemble, and go about in numbers'to deter others of
the working classes from pursuing their lawful business, or
creating terror and alarm. I advise the magistrates to re-
press all such unlawful proceedings, and to bring the offenders
to justice. The magistrates may be assured, that, in the dis-
charge of this and every other their duty, they will be promptly
and efficiently supported by her majesty's government. I
feel confident that her majesty's loyal and well-disposed sub-
jects on their part. be ready at all times to give prompt
and effectual assistance to magistrates, in their endeavours to
preserve the public peace.-1 have the honour to be, gentle-
men, your obedient servant,
J. RUSSELL.

" Sir, do you mean to say that I lie ? " said a person to a
Frenchman. " No, care, I say not dat you lie ; but, sire, I
says dat you walk round de truth."

AN UN-ENROLLED FRIENDLY SOCIETY.-011 Tuesday,
the stewards of a friendly society, held at the house of Job
Wilson, at Runcorn, were summoned before the magistrates,
at Daresberry, to show cause why they refused to pay the
allowance for the funeral of the wife of Jones, a full mem-
ber. The complainant stated that he had been a member for
fifteen or sixteen years. Last year he was slack of work, and
could pot, pay up his money until after the expirationof twelve
months, he then paid up all'arrearS, and was'accepted as a
full member, so far as the funeral money was concerned, but
not on the sick fund, until' he had remained twelve months
longer. Soon after, his wife died, and the stewards refused
to pay him the allowance—about £B. On inquiry, it turned
out that the society was un-enrolled, and that the complain-
ant no legal claim upon the club,—Manchester Courier,