The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-31 00:00:00

TIIE " LIVERPOOL CHRONICLE."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
the Liverpool Times of Tuesday last, there are
some curious disclosures respecting the corduetors of that
scurrilous print the Liverpool Chronicle. I have, in com-
mon with many others, long thought that the best certificate
of any man's character for gentlemanly conduct and honour-
was, his being abused in that scurrilous and
able principles,
trashy publication, and you may set it down as an established
maxim that those who have had the honour of their abuse,
whether Conservative or moderate Whigs, are men of stand-
ing,, who are so far above the con-
ductors, of that paper in character, as the Andes are above
mole hills. The editors of the Times deserve the thanks of
the community for their effectual exposure of these slander-
ers, who have done more to damage the cause they have es-
poused than they will ever do good, if they live to be as old
as Methusaleb. You will probably recollect that some two
or three years ago a publication called the Brazen Head was
circulated for about twelve months, full of the most abo-
minable ribaldry and coarse personal abuse. Sir Thomas
Brancker, Mr. John Wright, Mr. Samuel Holme, Mr. Jas.
Aspinall, and several other gentlemen were libelled in this
infamous publication, week after week, with a malignity and
brutality that was most disgusting, and it was currently re-
ported that a Mr. DIGNAN was its editor. Can yon inform
me whether this Mr. Dignan is the same writer who is de-
scribed by the Timex as being now editor of the Chronicle?
And can you also inform me who "the Parson" is whom the
Times so cleverly unkennels ? Alas ! for the Church of Eng-
land, when one of her ministers is found in such company
and so employed. Alas ! for the cause of reform, if it re-
quires to be supported by slander and propagated by infamous
abuse. Yours, &c.

Eserton, Jan. 30, 18-10.

MERCATOR.

LIVER THEATRE.—The very humorous drama. called
" The Soldier's Stratagem" has been very successful in
exciting the broad grins of the crowded auditors in this
theatre ; indeed, the genuine acting of Mr. Rayner, Mr.
Tilbury, and Mrs. Barton,,ba..s made it irresistibly ludicrous.
ou can't Marry your Grand-
The pleasing interlude,
mother," has been distinguished by the admirable perform-
ance of Mrs. Raymond, and of course it has given great
satisfaction. A nee drama by Mr. Tilbury, called " The
Orphan and the Drter, the title of which reveals the
nature of the plot, has been as successful as it was in Lon-
don. The entire performances are remarkably well " got
up," and deserve the support of the public. We perceive
that Mr. Rayner takes his benefit this evening: we hope he
-will have a full house. The managers have retained the ser-
vices of Mr. Rice, the popular American comedian, for a few
nights, previously tohis departure from England.

LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY
COMPANY.

The winter half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of the
Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company was held on
Wednesday last, at the Cotton Sales Room, in the Exchange-
buildings, and was most numerously attended by shareholders
from all parts, owing to the uneasiness which many felt from
the torpid state of the shares in the market, whilst all others
in the neighbourhood were so buoyant.
CHARLES LAWRENCE, Esq., took the chair; after which
the report was read by Mr. BOOTH, the treasurer—in which
comparisons were drawn with many of the items of expense
for the London and Birmingham railway—hopes held out of
retrenchment in some of the branches of expense—reasons
given for delay in not formin; a junction with the Manches-
ter and Leeds line for the present—and such a prosperous
. amount of receipt announced, as warranted a dividend of
five per cent. for the half year, leaving a considerable balance
in favour of the company.
Mr. ARNAUD then rose to observe that, as the accounts
were presented for the inspection of the proprietors until the
meeting had assembled, it was impossible that the latter
could form any, but crude opinions thereupon. The differ-
ence in the rate of expenses between that and other lines had I
certainly attracted their attention ; but he trusted that the
prospect of retrenchment and scrutiny contemplated in the
report, would remedy the evil, should any exist. And he
was anxious that the amount of any fresh debt incurred since
July, 1836, should be stated, as, from the creation of new
shares, to meet the exact amount of debt, expectations had
been formed that, on the payment of the final instalment
now called for, the company would have been free from all
debt.

Mr. ALSTON, of Abercromby-square, followed, and par-
ticularly -dwelt upon the expediency of electing some direc-
tors who could devote more time to the affairs of this com-
pany, and seemed strongly to be of opinion that, with the
same directors, or nearly so, to both companies, the interest
of the Liverpool and Manchester was made too subordinate
to the Grand .Tunction.

He was replied to )y Mr. HEYWORTH and Mr. THEO-
DORE RATHDONE.

After which a Proprietor, from Manchester, proposed the
election of William Garnett, Esq., of that important town,
as a director, in lieu of N. Robinson, Esq., resigned ; and
as it was felt generally by the meeting that alireetor of local
experience and influence there was desirable, Mr. Garnett
was forthwith elected.
It was then stated from the Chair, that a debt of about
£200,000 existed, and that some further sum might possibly
he required, to meet the expense of new buildings for sta-
tions, warehouses, &c., on account of the increased business
of the company, and its accommodation in premises, &c., to
the Grand Junction line. A dividend of five per cent. for
the half year was then declared, payable on the 10th Feb. ;
and the meeting separated, after expressing for the chairman
and other directors their acknowledgements for their impor-
tant services.

SOCIALISM

We have been requested to lay before our readers the
following documents, which will sufficiently explain them-
selves :

TO THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUIS NORMANDY.
38, Church-street, Liverpool, Jan. 10th, 1840.
My Lord, —I beg to forward the accompanying address to
your lordship's care, humbly requesting your lordship to
present it with as little delay as possible to her most gracious
ajesty. Allow me to state that the address (a copy of
which I enclose for your lordship's perusal) refers to the
presentation of Robert Owen to the Queen, and is signed
by fifteen thousand two hundred highly-respectable females
of the town and neighbourhood of Liverpool.
I have the honour to remain, my Lord,
Your lordship's most obedient servant,
JOSEPH CRISP.

ADDRESS.
The humble Address of the Women of Liverpool, to her
Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great Britain
and Ireland, &c. &c. &c.
May it please your Majesty,
We, your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the women
of Liverpool, desire to approach your Majesty, humbly to
express the deep and poignant sorrow and regret with which
we have learned that Mr. Robt. Owen, the head and founder
of a sect known by the name of " socialists," has been intro-
duced into your royal presence.
The regret which we thus express to your Majesty is
founded on the conviction which we feel that the pestilential
doctrines held and propagated by the above sect, in which
they denounce " marriage and parental affection, declare re-
velation to be a series of diabolical falsehoods invented by
the priests," are calculated to degrade our sex, to dissolve
the social union, to shake the stability of your Majesty's
throne, and, in short, by the overthrow of all order, virtue,
and religion, to introduce universal anarchy, and establish a
most revolting system of infidelity and atheism.
Your Majesty, we humbly presume to hope, will most
graciously condescend to receive this address with the cle-
mency which has always distinguished your illustrious house.
We have waited for some tune in anx;ons expectation that
some more honourable and influential persons would have
directed the attention of your Majesty to a presentation
' which was calculated to countenance a system of error, the
character and tendency of which, we are confident, must
have been unknown to your Majesty. If an apology be
deemed necessary for so unusual a step as this we now take,
it is found in our zeal and jealousy for the untarnished lustre
of your Majesty's crown, the safety and honour of your sa-
cred person, and the happiness and prosperity of your do-
minions.
As we are assured that these high objects can only be se-
cured on the basis of national virtue and piety, and by the
blessing of the Most High, we earnestly pray that Almighty
God may evermore inspire your Majesty's councils with
wisdom, and surround your throne with righteousness, pu-
rity, and truth.
With sentiments of the most profound respect and loyal
attachment, we subscribe ourselves,
Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects.

Whitehall, Janeary 25th, 1840.
Sir,-1 am directed by the Marquess of Normanby to in-
.form you, that he has riot failed to lay before the Queen the
address, signed by a very numerous body of the females of
the town and neighbourhood of Liverpool, which accompa-
nied your letter of the 10th instant.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
S. M. PHILLIPPS.
•
Mr. Joseph Crisp,
38, Church-street, Liverpool.

ST. HELENS AND RUNCORN-GAP RAILWAY.—A special
general meeting.of the shareholders and bondholders in this
concern was held on Tuesday morning, in the Clarendon-
rooms, South John-street. There was a numerous attend-
ance, amongst whom was one lady. Seeing that other rail-
way companies think it advisable to permit the proceedings
at their special and general meetings to he given to the world,
our reporter applied for admission, but he was told that the
sense of the meeting was against it. We are not, therefore,
in a condition to state what was done.
SPRING ASSIZES.—Sir J. T. Coleridge and the Right
Hon. T. Erskine will go the Northern Circuit at the Spring
Assizes. The former will preside in the Crown Court at the
Liverpool Assizes, and the latter in the Nisi Prius Court.
THE SESSIONS.—The intermediate sessions for this bo-
rough will he held on Tuesday next, in the Crown Court, at
the Sessions.-house, before James Clarke, Esq., Recorder.
The Court of Passage for the trial of civil causes will be held
on the following Thursday, in the Nisi Prius Court, before
Charles Crompton, Esq., Assessor.

THE BOTANIC GARDEN.—There is now in flower, in the
conservatory of the Botanic Garden, a fine specimen of
Musa Steelii, a new variety of banana, introduced into this
country by W. Steel, Esq., of this town, from French Guy-
ana. This variety will be a valuable acquisition to the culti-
vator of tropical fruits, on account of its dwarf growth, being
not more than six feet in height. There is also in flower the
Strelitzia Augusta, a South African plant, belonging to the
same tribe. it is probably the finest plant of its species in
Europe ; and this is the second time of its flowering in this
country.
NEW LINE OF ROAD FROM SOUTHPORT TO LIVERPOOL.
—Application will be made in the present session of parlia-
ment for a new turnpike road from Southport to. Liverpool,
through Birkdale, Ainsdale, Formby, Crosby, &c. in a direct
line, which will not exceed fifteen miles. This will be of
great service to this rapidly improving bathing resort, and
will also benefit and improve the several townships which it
will intersect.

CAUTION TO THE MERCANTILE PUBLIC.—A gang of
swindlers, resident in Glasgow, have for some time past
practised the grossest frauds on several houses in this town,
London, Leith, and Bristol, by writing to them for sundry
descriptions of goods in their particular line of buiiness.
References are given to many of the most respectable houses
in Glasgow, who are known to be trading with the parties
thus applied to, but these references are invariably coupled
with the following paragraph in the letters, " send invoice
per post, deducting discount, and a banker's bill will be re-
mitted for the amount." In this way they have succeeded,
in several instances, in obtaining goods to a considerable
amount, and the property, on arriving in
_Glasgow, has been
readily disposed of in quarters not suspected, but serving
the purpose to complete the fraud, and to place the swindlers,
as yet beyond the reach of the police establishment there, who
are aware of it and on the watch.
TRIEUTE OF RESPECT TO A CLERGYMAN.—We under-
stand that a subscription has been commenced for the purpose
of presenting the Rev. Jatises Aspinall, M.A. late minister of
St. Luke's Church, and now rector of Althorp, in Lincoln-
shire, With a piece of plate, in token of approbation of the ser-
vices rendered by bins to the corporation schools and the cause
olliberalism in Liverpool. The Reform Association are said,
to be the promoters of this project, but the rev. gentleinan':,
late congregation pretty generally decline to encourage it, on
the ground that he paid no attention whatever to the school
in Cropper-street, belonging to the place of worship to which
he was attached.

NORTH-WEST OF IRELAND UNION STEAM-PACKET CO.

.a• • •
—The annual. general meeting of the proprietors of the
North-west of 'lreland Union Steam Company was held on
Monday last, at Londonderry, when the meeting voted the
sum of 30 guineas to Captain Clegg, of the ship Hudders-
field, and 20 guineas to his crew, for their humane and suc-
cessful exertions, in saving so many perishing fellow-creatures
from the wreck of the steamer, William Huskisson.
LIVERPOOL GRAND SUBSCRIPTION CONCERTS.—The
third of this series of conceits was given at the Theatre Royal
on the evening of Tuesday, and proved the most successful.
The vocalists were Madame Balfe, Signora Ernesta Grisi,
and Mr. Balfe ; and the solo instrumentalists, Mr. Lidel
(known formerly as one of the brothers Hermann) and Mr.
Thalberg, the first pianist of the day. Mr. Hermann ably
led the orchestra which was complete in every department.
The selection was of a various character, just adapted to
skew the peculiar merits of the several performers. Madame
Balfe and Signora Grisi sang their parts very well, although
both were suffering from colds. Mr. Balfe also sung with
much expression. Thalberg excited the greatest enthusiasm.
His modest and unassuming demeanour won peculiarly upon
the auditory. We borrow the following critique upon his
performances from a contemporary :—" We find it impossible
almost to convey an adequate idea of our admiration of his
surprising talents. His peculiarities appear to be an asto-
nishing power of wrist, a perfectly equalised vigour and ac-
tivity and extraordinary extension of lingers. These advan-
tages, regulated by a taste grounded on an intimate know-
ledge of musical theory, enable him to produce a richly-
figured " mosaic" of harmony, each constituent of which is
in itself a melody, while the leading subject stands out in
bold relief, distinct as if wrought by some separate instru-
ment. Another characteristic of Thalberg is the combination
of brilliancy and marked precision, with an admirably sus-
tained legato. His remarkable touch, aided by the ready
answers of one of Erard's first-rate piano-fortes, produced a
sostenuto effect, beyond perhaps what was ever elicited
any other performer, from an instrument merely pulsatile..
His adagios are consequently of considerablyit,o more
power,tio
n than
and possess a far more graceful and intimate intonation
are generally attainable on the piano-forte. In Thalberg's
hands; the piano appears almost as effective in adagios
cantabile.arias, as in brilliant staccato movetnent
s. itimes,
indeed, it seemed to give forth all the sustained strength and
characteristic solemnity of the organ. His modulations are
such as attest his ability in counterpoint,th
muchaildtetitwnicaaattsuleitdemi
caution,
tnt eetrh.nae.l •
theory of harmony.n, and
chiefly by chromatics, He modulates
leading and
alluring, ratherreteletiineda,staonurlis astonishing
cordially
yeaero.n g
rtal
IcialislYseveral performances. It was a great treat to
et iaosfti
all who had the good fortune to be present." Altogether the
concert gave unbounded satitfaction.