The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-06 00:00:00

I ASSERTED

First—" That the united church of England and Ireland
was the true church of Christ—holy, catholic, and apostolic
in these kingdoms ; that it knew the true road to heaven,
pointed it out to its followers, and that its blessed fruits were
the holiness and happiness of those with whom it prevailed.
Secondly—" That the Roman catholic church was the
church of Antichrist, unholy and apostate--that it did not
know and did not track the way to heaven—that it conducted
its followers in the broad road which led to destruction—that
it brought down the curse of God upon every country where
it prevails—that it was the mother of abomination : the
plague and pest of the human race—that it would be de-
stroyed by the signal vengeance of the Most High—and that
the very first duty of every member of it was instantly to
come out of it, lest he should be a partaker at once of its sins
and of its plagues."
These were my two propositions
to prove the negative against me.
We met. The attention of the whole kingdom was direct-
ed to our discussion. It was so arranged that the termination
of it must decide the victory ; for it was made a rule, "That
the discussion should continue until the chairman might
agree that it should end." By this arrangement all doubt
as to the issue was guarded against. For whichever party
so acted as to give entire satistaction to his friends, to show
himself superior to his opponent in the maintenance of the
cause which he undertook, would not discontinue the con-
test ; inasmuch as the long% it continued, the greater would
be the victory, and the more decisive the overthrow of the
beaten man. Whereas, the party who was getting the worst
of it, and thus damaging his cause; exposing it to ridicule
by the weakness' of his arguments and.bia Anability,to enact
the position of his adversary would be withdrawn, in order
that he might thus be prevented from doing harm.
Well, what was the result? From the beginning to the
end I enjoyed the enthusiastic approbation of my friends ;
they crowded round me a'. ,ac. end of each day's discussion,
thanking me for the manner iu which I maintained the cause
of our church, and only anxious that the discussion might
be prolonged to the utmost, in order that thus the' eyos of
their Roman Catholic counttymeu should he fully opened to
the evils of their system.

Mr. Maguire undertook

On the contrary' the dissatizifaction of the friends of Mr.
Maguire increased every day. Ile was evidently unable to
maintain the cause of his church—the force of truth was too
much for him—disappointment and chagrin were stamped
upon the countenances of his supporters: they felt that each
hour of the discussion was weakening the foundations of the
Church of Rome, and showing the hollowness of its princi-
ples; and at length they withdrew their champion from the
fight, his chairman positively refusing that the discussion
should be confirmed any longer. In fact, Mr. Maguire was
compelled to beat a retreat, or otherwise, in plain English,
he ran away !

I have thought it well to lay these facts before you. I
think it shows very bad taste on the part of Mr. Maguire,
under such circumstances, to stand forward as the champion
of your church. lie knows well that he cannot defend her
in the field of argument. He will talk, no doubt—sing big
in your chapels, and will desire to persuade you that all he
says he is able to support, while he must be perfectly well
aware that it is quite the contrary. I tell you plainly that
he would not venture to make his assertions in the presence
of me, or of any other protestant clergyman. He is a false
prophet—a priest of Antichrist—the minister of a false, anti-
catholic, and apostate church ; and this be cannot gansay.
Now mark ! If he deny what 1 have here srid, I make him
this offer. I will consent, for your satisfaction, to meet him
once again—on the very same terms—in your own town, in
order that you may thus be brought to hear, with your own
ears, the apostate, idolatrbus, and awful character of the
church to which you are unhappily attached. if he is afraid
to do this, I will undertake to provide a protestant clergy-
man who will maintain my propositions against him ; or if he
pretend that plattorm discussion is unfavourable to the ex-
hibition of truth, I will carry on the discussion by writing
in the public prints, (which, by the way, I offered to do in
the very first instance,) where there can be no running away
from the subject.

Roman catholics of Liverpool, the man who is afraid to
stand up for his opinions, for those doctrines that he teaches,
must be conscious either that they are false, or that he is not
able to defend them. Now, I fasten Father ;Maguire with
this dilemma if he knew his doctrines to be false (as many
of them do.) how can he dare to ask you to believe them ?
Or, if he knows that he is not the man to defend them, how
can he suffer himself to be paraded as the distinguished
controversialist ?

There is, however, another cause on account of which his
appearance here displays execrably bad taste. He has been
one of the leading persons in originating one of the basest,
foulest, and most atrociously false and abominable calumnies
which ever defiled thelips of mortal man—a calumny against
the fair fame of England's vbtuous daughters. That calumny
commenced, as far as I can trace, with Father Nlegt.ire. It
has been a millstone round the neck cf O'Connell, and it
ought to brand with eternal infamy any man base enough to
utter it.

Roman catholics of Liverpool—l believe I cannot call you
Engli,h, you are in the main immigrant Irish—lrisb Roman
catholics resi.ient here, receiving the rights of native citizens
and the rewards of native industry—l pronounce it then base
ingratitude that you, circumstanced as you are, should give
countenance and entertainment to a man guilty of a calumny,
which you know to be false and detestable, upon the pure and
spotless women of England.
I, who am intitna,elv acquai ,ted with the state of society
in both countries, do not hesitate to pronounce the calumny
a false and malicious libel neon England as protestant ; nor
to add, that for alt the qualities which adorn the female cha-
racter—chastity, purity, honour, truth, and faithfulness—
England is superior to all the world. I include in England
protestant Ireland. Those who receive the calumniator with
open arms are parties to his crime.
Wishing that you may speedily abandon a system that is
false and indefensible,
I remain, yours faithfully,
T. D. GREGG,
Chaplain:of St. Nicholas Within, Dublin.
Liverpool, August 4, 1841.

THE HAMBURGH STEAMERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STAXDARD,

---
DEAR SlR,—Those beautiful vessels the Hamburgh, com-
mandand the Manchester, Capt. Bohn,
for the first time left the Clarence
ye st edreda yb y ( W Capt.ed n ebs
dr iadyEse ,
Dock, to try their engines. I happened by good fortune,
with many other guests, to receive an invitation to accom-
pany Capt. Brul
• ge on this excursion, and shall long remem-
ber that all on board
ber the happy daypassed. We proceeded
through the Rock Channel, HoV 1
.-ake, and Hilbre Swash,
and cruised at the back of the minks for some hours, return-
ing by the Victoria Channel. On leaving the dock, the ves-
sels, in compliment to the Ocean Queen, hoisted at the fore
the " meteor flag of England," the national colours of the
free city of Hamburgh floating majestically at the gaff. A
splendid cold collation was provided by the unbounded libe-
rality of Captain Bridges, with an ample supply of choice
wines, and the day was spent in happy, honest hilarity. It
is but justice to return warm and heady thanks to our wor-
thy host. .

The engines reflect the greatest credit on Messrs. Fawcett
and Co., who honoured the good ship Kith their company,
and the whole build of the craft was worthy of the parties
concerned. Long may she sail in freedom, exchanging with
us the produce of industry, and holding out the right band
of good fellowship from the free burghere of Hamburgb to
our native land. Long may Captain Bohn command, and,
with his true-hearted comrades, enjoy the hollows of the sea.
Ever your's,J. S. C.
Liverpool, -August sth, 1841. •

INFANT ATTACKED BY A FERRET.-4 few days since,
the nurse in a respectable family, Billinghurst, Sussex, found
that a ferret had attacked a child of nine months old, which
she had for a few minutes left asleep. The animal, which
belonged to a rat-catcher who had been employed on the pre.
mists, had fastened on the child's temple, and was sucking
its blood. It bit the nurse furiously as she seized hold of it,
and struggled to get back to the infant. The child would.
no doubt, have been killed, bat for the nurse 'a opportune
arrival.

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

The Town Council held their periodical meeting on Wed-
nesday. The Mayor presided.

PUBLIC PARKS

The DEPUTY TOW;-CLERK having read the proceedings,
resolutions, and reports of the Finance Committee, compris-
ing resolutions on the reference to them of the report of the
Parks Committee as regards financial considerations, and
their recommendation of the grant of the reversion of the
land in Colquitt-street, to the Royal Institution ;
Mr. CASE moved their confirmation, and in doing so said,
that the following donations having been omitted on a for-
mer occasion, were now introduced in the proceedings with
the view of their being discharged, because, until they
received the confirmation of the council, they could not be
paid :—The Royal Institution, £lOO ; the North and South
Dispensaries, £105; the Northern Hospital, £100; the
Refuge for the Destitute, £25 ; and the Botanic Garden,
£5O.

Mr. SANDBACH said he had not risen for the purpose of
opposing the motion of Mr. Case, but merely to oppose the
confirmation of that part of the proceedings which referred
to the formation of public parks. He wished, in the first
place, to have that particular part of the proceedings read
again. _ _ _

-The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK read it accordingly. It was
as follows :

" They deemed it their duty not to hold out the expecta-
tion of a report favourable to so large an outlay, and the
consequent great charge of interest against any surplus in-
come of the corporation."

- .
Mr. SANDBACII then proceedtd to say, that in compliance
witn the motion given at the last council he would take the
liberty of going into detail upon this subject, and requesting
the attention of the members of council to the grounds upon
which he invited them to refuse their confirmation of the
part of the proceedings in question. He felt that the ques-
tion to be decided was, whether there should be parks or
not, and it' the question why there should be parks were
satisfactorily answered in the affirmative, then he contended
that the difficulties about the money would disappear. He
would, therefore, proceed to that part of the subject at once.
(Hear, hear.) The evils which arise from the crowded state
of populous towns were recognised and admitted on all
hands. Liverpool had, unfortunately been held up to parlia-
ment as particularly destitute of the usual means of remedying
them. In the report before parliament it had been held up
as a town most distinguished for having numbers of families
in one room, without the usual means of ventilation,
and so forth. The evils which followed from this state of
society were so extensive in their ramifications, and went
on increasing as the population increased, with such-intensity,
that it had become apparent to all that some remedy should
be devised. In other towns steps had been taken. In Li-
verpool steps had also been taken. The health of the town
had recommended various things for this express purpose,
but it they took into consideration the crowded state of the
population, it would be found that the means suggested were
quite insufficient to provide a remedy. Deprived of the ne-
cessary conveniences for securing cleanliness, the people be-
came gradually demoralised. When both sexes were crowded
together in one room, the evils consequent thereupon could
not be relieved by the most effective drainage which could be
supplied, neither could it be relieved by cleansing the town.
or supplying conveniences, or ordinary ventilation. If they
could supply the town ventilation according to Dr. Reid's
plan, some thing might be done towards their amelioration,
but the ordinary means were insufficient to remedy the evils
of living in a crowded state. tle would not detain them by
attempting to trace the evils which arose from the impurity
of air consequent on a large body of persons confined in a
small space. It would oecur to every one what the natural
remedy consisted of—namely, a large quantity of air, and a
large open space for the inhabitants to resort to when they
were oppressed with the heat and crowd of their narrow
streets. Nothing less than a large open space could afford
an adequate remedy for the evil. He did not say that the
space at'present proposed for them would he sufficient. On
the contrary he believed much more would be necessary, but
in deference to the spirit of the age, which required every
thing to be cheap, he had been obliged to bring it into what
appeared to be an attainable price. There was only one
gentleman in the council who had stood forward as the cham-
pion against the formation of parks with definite objections.
He meant Mr. Evans. After stating three objections which
he alleged had been made by that gentleman, Mr. Sandbach
proceeded to say that he thought there would be no difficulty
in finding the necessary money if the council would favour
the object. He submitted that the council should be called
upon to come to a formal vote on the subject. Personally it
was of no difference to him how they decided, but he should
be sorry to see Liverpool left behind, and other towns taking
the lead in great improvements such as that proposed. He
wished the council to understand that the essential value of
the park in his eyes, consisted in the open space, because he
looked upon the ornamental and all the rest of it as mere ac-
cessories necessary to complete the design. Mr. Proctor
had made a remark calculated to frighten the council from
entertaining the project, for upon the former day lie had
asked the members whether they were aware that they were
thereby incurring the expense of £300,000, whereas, the ut-
most amount of it would be about £:248,000, calculating the
original outlay and the interest, &c, for a period of seventy-
five years. Mr. Sandbach concluded by proposing the follow-
ing amendment : .

7' That the proceedings of the Finance Committee be con-
firmed, with the exception of that part of their resolution on
financial considerations relative to the report of the Parks
Committee, in which the Finance Committee declare that
they deem it their duty not to hold out the expectation of a
report favourable to so large an outlay, and the consequent
great charge of interest against any surplus income of the
eo!poration."

Mr. WooLLRIGHT seconded the amendment.
Mr. HODGSON thought they ought to have the report of
the committee, which they promised to submit at the end of
the month, before the subject was taken farther into con-
sideration. He thought it was incumbent upon the council
to wait until that report had been in the first place submitted.
If unhappily they could not remove the difficulties appre-
hended, he thought the importance of the subject was so great
and the advantages so clear, that they would then be called
upon to see what other means of obtaining the desired object
could be devised. He was not at all prepared to think that
they had been wrought into such a state of difficulty as that
they could not afford to do something towards ornamenting
and improving the habits of the great population of Liver-
pool, the second population in the empire. He confessed
himself a decided advocate for public parks, in consequence
of having seen St. James's-park in London, where all classes
of society mingled together in harmony. Government had
contributed largely towards the erection of a park at the east
end of London. Whether the ministry had an eye, at the
time they made the contribution, to Lord John's return or
not, he was unable to say—(hear, and a laugh)—but he ap-
proved of such places of recreation, and would support the
project in the present instance. He thought that application
might be made to Lord John Russell for £lOO,OOO, in case
their funds should happen to be exhausted ; but first of all he
wished to have the report of the Finance Committee, in
order to see whether any and what difficulties attached to the
accomplishment of the purpose.
Mr. COOPER said, that so far as he was concerned he was
also an advocate for the parks, but he agreed with Mr. Hodg-
son that they ought to have the report of the committee on
the subject before they proceeded further. He felt himself
indebted to Alderman Evans for haying brought forward his
project regarding playgrounds, and before they agreed to
make so large an outlay as that necessary for making parks,
he thought they ought to be made acquainted with the state
of the corporation funds. At the same time, notwithstand-
ing the price of the land, he thought it would turn out to be
one of the best purchases ever made by the corporation.
Mr. ISAAC HoLsics said the question was not whether
they ought to have parks or not, but whether the corp oration
had the power of making the purchase. He believed the
fact to be that their bonded debt had increased by £70,000
since the year 1836, and he would venture to say, with re-
gard to their having any surplus income, that it was alto-
gether a matter of delusion.(Hear.) They had never yet
had a surplus capital, but even if they had the municipal act
rendered it quite incompetent for them to entertain such a
project as the present. They had been told a great deal
about the unhealthiness of the town, but he believed the
assertion was not capable of being properly substantiated. He
believed that the average amount of mortality in the year, in-
cluding the number of sailors and foreigners who died in the
port, did not exceed one in forty. Mr. Holmes concluded
by entering into a calculation, which showed, that if the cost
of these parks is taken at £50,000, that sum, with the cost
of keeping these parks in order, taken at compound interest,
would amount to above two and a half millions in seventy-
five years ; and if the cost be taken at £lOO,OOO, then, in
seventy-five years the cost, with interest and compound
interest, would be four and g half millions.
Mr. PLATT asked what would be the corresponding ad-
vantage ?
Mr. ISAAC HoLmEs_replied that he could see no advan-
tage, except to enable gentlemen's carriages to be driven
along the avenues. He believed there were few towns more
advantageously situated than Liverpool was, and though it
had been said that numbers of persons were crowded together
in single houses, lie believed that Liverpool was not singular
in that respect, for in New York from twenty to thirty people
were to be seen crowded in one room, and in Dublin from
sixty to seventy individuals in one house. But, in arguing
this question, he went entirely upon the ground that; ac-
cording to the municipal act, the subject could not be enter-
tained ; that they possessed no surplus to make the purchase,
and, therefore, that they could not do what was proposed
without obtaining a grant of money from the lords of the
treasury. If, indeed, the government came forward with a
gront, he had no objection to see the corporation take up the
subject warmly, and he thought they possessed the same
right to apply to government for aid in this matter that the
People belonging to the east end of London possessed. For
the present, however, the corporation had many projects of
its own, one of which was the establishment of schools in
every ward ; and, therefore, he was of opinion that they
ought not to entertain the present subject until the Finance
Committee were in a position to say that they had sufficient
funds for the purpose in hand, not otherwise wanted. (Hear.)
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE believed the committee had a sur-
plus income, and that if such an income did not exist the
Finance Committee would not have come forward that day
to vote £lOO to some of the charities of the town. But he
thought it would be wrong to hold out a hope to the public
that they could entertain the subject of parks either now or
soon. It would be some years before it could be enter-
tained. He was not hostile to parks, and he thought they
might join the parish in an application to government to have
the project carried into effect, but it would be holding out a
hope which never could be realised if they were to say that
they could soon carry it into effect themselves.
Mr. Arius thought it was only wasting the time of the
council to proceed with the discussion of the subject pre-
vious to the bringing up of the report. When that report
had been laid on the table he should take the liberty of
going into the general question, in order to answer some of
the statements andunjust insinuations which had been thrown
out.
Mr. YATES asked whether the mention made of the parks
in the proceedings of the Finance Committee might be taken
as the final condemnation of the project ?d
Mr. CASE replied.—The committee had no power to con-
demn it. Their province was limited to financial consider-
ations, and those only. The report merely confirmed what
had been stated by himself at the last meeting, that it would
be impossible to bring forward a correct account of the
finances until the finance year terminated. Li I010101;8b3u9t
outand
1840, there had been a surplus income of
of the surplus, the interest of the money to be expended on
the parks was to be raised. With regard to the raising of
the money itself, probably there would be no great difficulty ;
but what the committee wished to know was, how they were
to make out the £4,000 interest ; because they believed that
they should not have a surplus income sufficient to cover that
£4,000 a-year.
Mr. YATES proceeded at great length to support the
n
amendment. It had been intimated, he said, o a former
occasion, that there would be a difficulty in raising £20,000
for the project from the public but he had great confidence
in what the public would do. 'Mr. John Heywood, for in-
stance, had offered £l,OOO, and if nineteen other gentlemen
would only follow his example—(a laugh)—the requisite sum
would soon be obtained. And it would do them good to
contribute thus munificently; for, though they might part
with some of their luxuries to make the sacrifice, they would
receive a large remuneration in that noblest enjoyment of
the heart which arose from doing good. He could not be-
lieve it would be said of Liverpool, that it had refused to give
. £20,000. towards the object, -particularly when he had seen
what had been done by Mr. Strutt, of Derby, where he had
been delighted to observe an arboretum raised at that gen-
,_ demon's expense, which reflected as great credit on his taste
as it- did on his generosity. With regard to the financial
matters of the corporation, there would be no great difficulty
in carrying the project into effect. The sum required would
.be .Z 50,000, the interest on which, at four per cent., would
.be £2,000 ; and he thought he could point out a source
from

which this £20,009 could be raised by wise economy in the
expense of the Town-hall establishment. Ile meant, by
curtailing, in some degree, the civic banquets they were in the
habit of enjoying there. (Great laughter.) It might create a
smile, but nevertheless he thought it would be very proper to
curtail them. (Renewed laughter.) He thought the mayor's
entertainments useful, for he had himself enjoyed the plea.
sure of seeing people there whom he seldom met elsewhere ;
they were useful also in bringing men of all parties together,
and in tending to allay those religious animosities which were
the bane of the present day. If the money happened not
to be wanted, he would say that it was wise of the corpora-
tion to keep the dinners up.
Mr. AIKIN.—Is there anything about the mayor's dinners
in the paper ? (Laughter.)

•. , .
The MAyoß.—No.
Mr. EA RLE.—We shall be here until four o'clock in the
morning about these dinners. (Great laughter.)
The MAYon..—Perhaps you would condense your observa-
tions, sir.
Mr. YATES proceeded. With regard to the Mayor's car-
riage he had a word to say ; for he had put that down also
as an item in the account. (Roars of laughter.) He asked
whether it would not do his worship more good to walk than
to ride ; and if he knew him aright, he thought the mayor
would rather entertain his private friends out of his private
purse than out of that of the public. (Continued roars of
laughter.) At all events, he (Mr. Yates) thought it would
be wise so to do ; for when matters of this kind came in con-
tact with the enjoyment and. improvement of all classes of
society, he thought they ought never to be entertained.
Therefore, that they could pay the £2OOO interest was, he
he conceived, quite clear.
Mr. EARLE.—Nye ! by putting the mayor's coach in
pawn. (Great laughter.)
Mr. YATES, after descanting at some length upon the im-
portance of Liverpool, and the great increase of the borough
population, proceeded to remark upon the advantages to be
realised by the establishment of public parks. He said there
was no music so sweet as the music of the lark, and no air so
sweet as the air of heaven. In the cellars the light of hea-
ven scarcely struggled, and the pure breath of heaven never
entered the house, and it was necessary to produce induce-
ment to draw the people out of their wretched abodes. He
was proceeding at much further length, in this strain, amidst
considerable noise and laughter, until at last,
The MAYOR said he was sorry to interrupt him, but he
was going into details which were then unnecessary, as the
question would come before the council when the Finance
Committee made their report.
Mr. EARL.E said, that in order to save the council from
such inflictions as the one under which they had been just
labouring, it would be a good rule to adopt that no gentleman
who came there to deliver a set speech should be allowed
more than ten minutes for the purpose. (Hear, and laugh-
ter.) There were so many who wished to spin a yarn an
hour long, that those who desired to say only a few words
never got the opportunity to do so. (Hear, hear, and con-
tinued laughter.)
Mr. EvANs said the question as to whether they were to
have a park had been asked. His reply was, they were to
have a park on certain conditions, and they were not to have
it unless those conditions were complied with. The most
material part of all was the whereabouts. If it was to answer
the purposes of a park, he maintained that it ought to be in
the proximity of the great masses of the population. The
proposed park would, in his opinion, be altogether inadequate
to the requisite purposes.
The council then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment
Against it 27
The amendment was consequently lost. The following
gentlemen voted in the division :
For the amendment--Messrs. Sandbach, Woollright,
Priestley. Yates, Toulmiu, Bushell, Slater, Jordan, Platt,
A. Smith, junior, J. Hornby, and Earle.
Against it—Messrs. J. Holmes, I. Holmes, Case, Cope-
land, H. Holmes, Mellor, Sands, Aikin, Bright, Robinson,
Cooper, Wood, Birkett, Procter, Parker, J. Smith, G. H.
Lawrence, M`Kee, Mather, Harbord, T. Holt, Freme, Sheil,
Evans, Moon, C. H. Jones, and the Mayor.
Mr. SHELL said, that in order to bring the council to a de-
cision on the question, he begged to propose the following
amendment:—" That the proceedings of the Finance Commit-
tee be confirmed, with the exception of what refers to the
park ; and that, it being the opinion of this council that it is
not advisable to purchase the land pointed out by the Parks
Committee, the Finance Committee need not make any fur-
ther report upon that subject."

. .
Mr. AIKIN seconded the amendment.
Mr. FARE opposed it.
The council divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment lB
Against it 22
The amendment was consequently lost. The following
gentlemen voted in the division :
For the amendment—Messrs. J. Holmes, I. Holmes,
Case, Copeland, H. Holmes, Mellor, Aikin, Robinson,
Wood, Birkett, Kilshaw, Parker, J. Smith, G. H. Law-
rence, M`Kee' Freme, Sheil, and EN ans.
Against it—Messrs. Saudbach, Sands, Woollright, Bright,
Priestley, Yates, Toulmin, Cooper, Bushell, Procter, Slater,
Jordan, Platt, A. Smith, jun., Mather, Harbord, J. Hornby,
T. Holt, Earle, Moon, C. H. Jones, and the Mayor.
Mr. PROCTER was proceeding to propose another amend-
ment, to the effect that application be made to parliament
for a grant, but withdrew it on being informed that it was a
substantive motion. The original resolution was then de-
clared to have been carried.

THE COMMITTEES.
The proceedings of the Improvement, Watch, Markets,
Town•hall, and Education Committees were next read and
confirmed.

COURTS OF LAW COMMITTEE.
The proceedings, resolutions, and reports of the Courts of
Law Committee, comprising Dr. Reid's report on the ven-
tilation of the courts, &c., and the recommendation of the
committee thereon, were next read. From the report it ap-
peared that the cost for ventilating the new courts of law and
St. George's Hall would amount to £7,942, and that Dr.
Reid would charge £5OO for his superintendence, and five
guineas a day for his attendance twice a year while the work
was going forward.
Some discussion took place on this subject, and eventually
it was postponed until Wednesday next, when the special
report of the surveyor is to be laid before the council.

APPOINTMENT OF A MEMBER OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE

Mr. Ilenn proposed that Mr. Sandbach be appointed a
member of the Dock Committee, in lieu of Mr. George
Quayle, who had resigned the office of councillor.—Agreed

THE MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS

The MAYOR read a registration return he had received
from Mr. Boardman. It was laid on the table. He next
read a communication from certain shipbuilders, occupying
premises on the west side of the Saithouse Dock, respecting
notices to suit which they had received. It was referred to
the Finance Committee. He next read a letter received
from William Dyce, Esq., written by order of the Council
of the School of Design. Somerset House, London. It was
referred to the Improvement Committee. He next read a
communication from Mr. Samuel Hohne, builder, stating
that the receipts of the pavilion during the two days it had
been kept open after the Royal Agricultural Society had dined
therein, had amounted, after deducting expenses, to £3O 10s.
10d. This sum, the mayor said, he had expended as fol-
lows :—To the Strangers' Friend Asylum, £lO 10s. 10d. ;
to the District Provident Society, £10; to the Night Asy-
lum, £lO.
Mr. BIRKETT took that opportunity of stating, that there
was not a greater nuisance in the town than the Night Asy-
lum.
The TOWN-CLERK read a communication from Mr. W.
Handley, president of the Royal Agricultural Association,
thanking the mayor for his kindness and attention during
the Liverpool meeting. He next read the substance of a
communication received from Manchester, stating that a
memorial had been forwarded to the judges, praying for
some better arrangement for the trial of the causes entered
in the Salford hundred list.

It being then five minutes after three o'clock, and only 21
members present, the council adjourned to Wednesday next
for the despatch of the remaining business.

The South Western Railway has so much injured the city
of Salisbury as to cause the proprietors of two very re-
spectable inns to contemplate closing their establishments.
The Antelope Hotel has long since been entirely closed.—
Devizes Gazette.

GAVIN SCOTT.—In our paper of Monday last, we an-
nounced the arrival here of this unfortunate youth, whose al-
leged perpetration of theft or forgeries upon parties in Glas-
gow, to the amount of nearly £9,000, has recently excited
such a painful degree of interest among the commercial
classes of this city. Scott was brought down under the
charge of Cuthbertson, division officer of police, who only
left Glasgow on the Wednesday preceding, was detained the
whole of Friday and the greater part of Saturday in London,
and altogether has discharged his duty with so much judici-
ous promptitude, as fully to justify the confidence of those
who selected him for this important mission. Scott arrived
in London, from Boulogne, on Sunday fortnight, in the cus-
tody of Forrester, the police-officer who had tollowed him to
Marseilles. Scott, we believe, makes an unreserved ad-
mission of all the charges which have been brought against
him ; and the detail of his crime forms a very curious chap-
ter in the history of infatuation. If we are to believe him-
self, the deed, or series of deeds, which have given him such
an unenviable notoriety, so far from having been premedi-
tated, were the sudden result of a moment's guilty thought.
From something which had occurred, he had contracted a
momentary feeling of dissatisfaction to his employers, and
having at the time in his possession the sum of £l2O
belonging to them, and ready for being deposited in
the bank, he hastily forged the initials of the bank clerk
to the deposit book, as the usual voucher for the sum
having been lodged, and retained the cash. Scarcely
was the ink dry than the lad avers he would have
given the world to undo the deed, and he retained the money
for days in his possession in a state of sleepless, mental
agony. Having once passed the Rubicon, however, the other
acts of crime and infatuation followed, putting him in pos-
session of a sum, either in checks or cash, to the amount of
nearly £9,000. All this was done between the 19th of May,
when he forged the bank clerk's initials, and Saturday, the
29th of May, when he absconded from Glasgow, and sailed
from Greenock for Liverpool. Arrived in London, he as-
sumed the name of Graham in the hotel in which he lived,
cashed the checks under the name of Henry Gordon, and
afterwards set out on his travels under the name of Charles
llamilton Douglas. Having once come into possession of
this vast sum, he, for the first time, abandoned himself to a
life of gaiety and dissipation, and during the few days he re-
mained in London, he lost or squandered nearly £2,000. He
thence went to Southampton by the railway, and sailed from
it to Havre, from which, as is well known, he proceeded to
Marseilles via Paris. He was two days at Marseilles before
the telegraphic dispatch was received, commanding his appre-
hension, and when it did come, the French officers took him
while in bed. He was not, however, subjected to any close
degree of surveillance, nor, unfortunately, was the property
in his possession seized or inventoried. When Mr. M'Gregor
arrived, accompanied by Forrester, the officer, Scott told
them where the money ne had was deposited, and on pro-
eeeding to it, it was found that the lock-fast place in which
the bag was laid had been opened, and considerably more
than £lOOO taken away, of which Scott knows nothing. The
accused says he went to Marseilles without any ulterior ob-
ject, although when there, he entertained a notion of pro-
ceeding onward to Egypt, but he had not time or steadiness
to realize his intention' if ever seriously entertained, before
he was apprehended. Scott says that in this long trip, he
was rather making an effort to fly from himself than to fly
from the officers whom he suspected to be in pursuit •, and
his surprise is that he was not taken sooner, as his conduct,
from a distempered mind, and hard drinking, was more like
that of a man bereft of his reason than any thing else. His
demeanor, however, on his way home, was such as became
his unhappy situation. He is 25 years of age, and well
educated. The money brought home by Forrester amounts
to about £1,390. It is hoped that more will be recovered.—
Glasgow Herald.

WHIG JOBBING.—There is scarcely a public situation, the
the occupant of which is approachable by intrigue, for the
sale or barter of, or retiring from office, that every means
arc not put in force for the attainment of that object, in
order that the Irish government may havo the nomination.
Passing by the scandalous indecency of such a procedure as
this, it is unconstitutional, and it is illegal. We warn those
who have announced their intention of resigning, to be cau-
tious; and it still more behoves those who are negotiating
for place, to be on their guard ; for, assure as the sun shines,
as certain will every appointment in Ireland, made from a
certain date, the vacancy for which has been caused by
retirement, form the subject of a searching parliamentary
inquiry—so that if certain gentlemen should be displaced by
by the in-coming government, they cannot say, after this
public warning, that they have been " purchasers without
notice."—Dttblin Eveninq Mail.