The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-05-21 00:00:00

much, very much, towards carrying forward emancipation ;
but the continual misunderstandings which have clouded
your proceedings, have caused your good works to be dimly
appreciated. You have been regarded in the light of unwil-
ling assistants, rather than as zealous directors in the cause
of improvement.
It is not difficult, however, to trace the existing state of
things to its source. Your mistake has been one for which
a precedent may be found in British legislation. You fancied
emancipation a final measure. You are startled at fresh de-
mands for further concessions, forgetting that these are the
indispensable consequences of your own act, and are made
from a vantage ground which you have yourselves erected.
Finality in legislation is a goal, which like the horizon, re-
cedes as you approach. It may no longer be asked, how are
free institutions to be withheld ? but by whom can they be
most gracefully and safely conferred ? It is a question of no
trifling import, and its solution will lie with your colonial
assembly at their first session. Do you wonder that the
friends of Jamaica should look with a painful anxiety to the
result?
Negro emancipation was a grand and a glorious work ! It
will give a sacred interest to the age in which we live, and
will send down the names of its achievers to the admiration
of posterity. But there is a work more grand and more
glorious still—without which emancipation must be shorn of
half of its lustre, and all its usefulness—" The conferring of
free institutions on a freed people." For the consummation
of the one, strict justice demanded that it should be made a
mere matter of money ; the other can only be achieved by
the immolation of pride, privilege, and prejudice on the
shrine of our country. But the occasion is worthy of the
sacrifice. The harvest is worthy of the toil. Its fruit, like
Heaven-born Mercy

" is twice blessed,
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes."

Will your representatives forego this inestimable opportu-
nity of sharing in the merit of those measures which may be
posteoned but cannot be prevented ? Will they prefer anni-
hilation to compromise ? While grasping at the shadow of
punctilio, will they resign with their legislative functions
their claim to the affectionate gratitude of their countrymen,
and the respect of the civilized world ? In the fervour of a
faithful anxiety, may God forbid !
And here, then, I leave the matter to your hearts and your
consciences. I have written plainly ; in the blunt sincerity
of one, who has never been slow to defend you, and who has
no fears that his motives can be misunderstood.
I subscribe myself your friend and well wisher,
WILLIAM SMITH.
Liverpool, 14th May, 1839.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]
THE-MANX LOTTERY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Sift, —A paragraph appears in the Albion of to-day re-
specting the Isle of Man Lottery. As the whole statement
is the production of falsehood and malice, and tending to in-
jure a public body, I beg you will contradict the same. The
act of Tynwald, of which he speaks as to putting down
lotteries in the Isle of Man, only applies to lotteries esta-
blished after the promulgation of the said Act, and cannot,
nor has ita retrospective effect acting as an eoost faeto law.
I need not remind you that it would have shown common
sense if the editor of the Albion had examined the Manx
papers respecting the affair, before adopting the mischievous
anonymous article I have alluded to. As to responsibility or
risk of the parties who have purchased, or may hereafter be
induced to purchase, I have to observe, that if the inten-
tions of the Isle of Man Building Company Lottery Trustees
cannot be carried into effect--of which no doubt exists, ex-
cept in the minds of such men as the Albion' s correspondent
—then I, as their agent, am fully authorised to declare that
all monies shall certainly be refunded.
I remain, sir, yours respectfully,
PETER OR,MEROD.
Liverpool, Moy 20, 1839.

CHARTIST MEETING IN QUEEN SQUARE.

Yesterday evening an immense assemblage of persons took
place in Queen Square, in consequence of a placard previously
posted throughout, calling a meeting of the chartists of the
town, for the purpose in effect of agreeing to a petition to the
Queen, praying for universal suffrage ; and also of hearing
the addresses of several " celebrated" chartists from
other towns. The concourse of persons assembled on the
ground during the "proceedings" was immense, the square
being at one time nearly filled, so that probably nearly three
thousand were at various times present. We need scarcley
say, however, that probably not a twentieth part were " char-
tists," the rest in the denser part of the crowd were the
speakers, consisting of working men; and the outskirts of a
mixed description, including respectable tradesmen and
others, with a sprinkling of females, brought thither from
mere curiosity. Three large carts were placed opposite the
public house on the west side of the square, for the accom-
modation of the committee and speakers, but these were almost
wholly occupied by other parties, and few of the former
could obtain seats. About half-past six several of those who
were to take an active part, issued from the public-house,
and the proceedings began—proceedings which, from the be-
ginning to the end, constituted such an exhibition of folly
and disorder as was never before witnessed within the boun-
daries of this borough, and which, as regarded the reception
of the chartists, and the continued " by-play " in various
parts of the crowd, formed a spectacle, that would have ex-
cited unmingled laughter and contempt, were it not for the
contemplation of the danger to life and property to which a
prolongation of such scenes would inevitably lead. A Mr.
John Robinson (as we understood.) was called to the chair.
He said they were• called together to adopt a petition to the
Queen, and trusted that peace and quietness would be main-
tained, so as not to afford their enemies a handle against
them. Any one who attempted to create a disturbance would
show himself a traitor to their cause. He 'concluded a short
address, which was very imperfectly heard, by calling on Mr.
Robinson, a working man, to propose the first resolution.
(Cheers.) Mr. Robinson accordingly came forward, but
so uneasy was the meeting, that from this time none but
those huddled in the carts, or within a small semicircle in
front of them could hear two consecutive sentences. We un-
derstood him to call upon the working men to unite and co-
operate. The aristocracy said they would stand by their
order. Let the working classes stand by theirs. (Cheers.)
Let them join the working men's association, and by assist-
ing their rights they would obtain them. He proposed the
first rezohition,_as below. (Cheers.) The motion was se-
conded in a few words only, and was carried. Mr. M'lntire
(a teetotaller) came forward to propose the 2d resolution,
but though received by one part of the assembly with cheers,
and greeted by another with hisses, which, as he continued
to persist, were soon ended in shouts and groans. From this
time the meeting became a scene of uproar and confuar -
interspersed with an occasional pugilistic contest, that bd
all description. Mr. M'lntire still contending tha
should be heard. " Dr." Fletcher (one of the chartist
tors from Bury) came forward to endeavour to restore or
but without much effect. Mr. M'lntire was at length h
for a few minutes with impatience. He was received with
alternate cheers and groans, but what he said few could tell.
Dr. Fletcher then came forward, but spoke so low that in
the continued commotion in the crowd, which rolled about
like the sea in a storm, not a word was audible but to
those close to him. He was frequently constrained to
pause for a time, while another set to" took place in
the crowd, near the carts, many of the tenants of
which were occasionally and forcibly ejected from their
position, by the pressure of the crowd and the intrusion of
ruffians and pickpockets. Several of the forms in one of
them were broken to pieces by the weight of their standing
on them, and the crash of the breaking timber covered the
precipitate retreat of many of their occupants. The broken
fragments furnished weapons for mischievous boys;and several
brutal and bloody battles took place close to the " hustings."
Things were momentarily restored to tranquillity by the
appearance of some of the police inspectors, but the calm
was but momentary. Another speaker appeared, Mr.
Murray, bookseller, but all was but inexplicable, dumb show
and noise. We understood him at the close, to propose the
address, adding that their cause was morally and politically
righteous. Another battle followed, and such was the
crushing and scrambling in the carts, that several of the
parties in them were glad to escape without injury. During
this time, the feeling at the outskirts of the meeting was fre-
quently ofi a humorous character. One man was hoisted on
the shoulders of others, and carried rapidly round the square
amongst the crowd—waving his hat. Diversions of the crowd
were also occasionally made into the neighbouring streets. A
Mr. Rawson, from Bury, attempted to be heard, and spoke
for a short time but was interrupted by an advocate for grog
on the other side of the cart, in the person of a drunken boy
with a pipe in his mouth, who spoke with ludicrous effect on
the evils of teetotalism, The secretary of the Precursor
Society also attempted a chartist address,—but the carts,
only two of which now remained, were so regularly be-
sieged by assailants from without, who took them as
it were by storm, literally thrusting the former occu-
pants out of them " neck and crop" upon the pavement.
Thus discomfited, the poor Chartists were fain to retire,
I some of them, we apprehend, not without some personal
injuries. A more decided and ignominous failure to impose
their principles upon the good sense of. the industrious
classes of our town, could not have been imagined. Their
retirement was the signal for new disorder • and fragments
of timber and other missiles were thrown about amongst the
crowd. The police-officers, however, soon afterwards cleared
the ground, and tranquillity was restored in the neighbour-
hood.
The following were resolutions and petition passed, or said
to be passed at the meeting :-
I.—That in the opinion of this meeting, this country can
never again enjoy durable prosperity or internal peace until
such time as every man who is liable to bear his share of
taxes, whether direct or indirect ; until every man who is
required to obey the laws, and liable to be called upon to
take up arms in defence of the country or the government;
until every such man shall have an equitable share in the
election of members of the House of Commons. And to
this conclusion we have come, not from any desire to accom-
plish a theoretic change, but because we have all of us wit-
nessed, and most of us felt, not only under the late, but
likewise the existing system of election, the growing difficul-
ties of the government, the critical and dangerous state of
the nation's affairs, both abroad and at home, together with
increasing poverty and well-grounded discontent among the
labouring, people.
2.—That an humble address and petition be presented to
her Majesty the Queen, praying her Majesty so to use her
prerogative, by a change of her ministers or otherwise, so to
cause the right of voting at elections to be extended to all
men of age, who have settled houses, and who are untainted
with legal crime.
3.—That the address now read be adopted, and that it be
signed by the Chairman on behalf of the meeting, and be
forwarded to her Majesty, in the manner in which the com-
mittee of the Working Men's Association may best deter-
mine on.
4.—That the thanks of this meeting are due and are hereby
given to the delegates of the working classes, for the great
zeal, ability, and courage which they have displayed in con-
vention, in seeking, as they have done, to obtain for the op-
pressed people of these kingdoms, a restoration of their rights,
and relief from their sufferings.
TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. _ _

The dutiful Address and Petition of the Working Men of
Liverpool, who, by the late Reform Bill, were denied the
right of voting in the election of Members of Parliament.
May it please your Majesty,
We, the working men of Liverpool, duly assembled in
public meeting on this very momentous crisis:of our country's
affairs, desire most respectfully to approach your Majesty
with sincere and ardent assurances of attachment to your
Majesty's throne and person, and with an earnest hope that
your Majesty will, as on a recent interesting occasion against
one party, for ever vindicate and maintain your Majesty's
personal freedom, and every just and reasonable and consti-
tutional prerogative, against the attempts of all parties or
factions ; so that those benevolent feelings which cannot fail
to animate your Majesty's royal heart, may be exerted,
and may freely indulge themselves in behalf of an enslaved
and much-oppressed people, who, from your Majesty's earli-
est infancy, have, on all occasions, been forward to testify
their hopes in your Majesty, their loyalty and love.
If the cries of your people could ascend to the ears of your
Majesty, the voice of suffering millions would melt your
royal heart, and those unfeeling denunciations would be for-
bidden which have issued, in your Majesty's name, against
the millions of your people now struggling for relief.
Theirs,'may it please your Majesty, is not the cry of fac-
tion, but of nature, of reason, and of justice. It may by
kind treatment, or, by kind feeling, be soothed, allayed, or
removed. And a restoration of their constitutional rights to
your people would enable them to put away the causes of
their sufferings, and quietness and content would arise.
But threats and preparations of vengeance, the array of the
upper and the middle classes against the labouring people";