The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-10 00:00:00

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that during the Ox Years which.thOse municipal sete lied been
in operation, he had had occasion to submit to counsel 50
disputed cases, at a cost of 500 guineas. (Hear, hear.) And
if he (Mr. B.) went into the Revision Court, and looked at
the melancholy proceedings which they had had there, arising
out of the ambiguous terms in which the qualification was
expressed—and if he looked at the many who had been put
upon the parish books who never could have any claim on the
parish whatever but for certain circumstances, lie would ask
had Liverpool anything to do with these things. He thought
she had a great deal to do with them. (Hear.) The govern-
ment could only receive through the municipal bodies the
requisite information ; and why should they withhold it, see-
ing that they had suffered so much from the ambiguous
words in question ? Ile thought it was their duty to submit
the discrepancies, and to call on the government to revise
them. If it were asked why go to this expense, he in reply
thought he had proved that the expense, in order to save ex-
pense, ought to be incurred in order that they might not have
those unfortunate conflicts which they had had hitherto. He
regretted that his friends on the opposite side, when they
had the power, did not bring the subject forward, but that was
no reason why the conservatives should not do their duty in
this matter.
Mr. AIKIN rose to second the motion, but in doing so he
begged to set Mr. Bushell right, because his (Mr. A.'s)
party had moved in the matter. He should take credit to
himself for having uttered a suggestion which Mr. Bushell
had taken up, namely, that instead of expending the corpo-
rate funds in other ways, he thought it would become the
council to expend them in endeavouring to remove the dis-
crepancies and contradictions which were upon the face of
the act. (Hear.) He begged to be allowed to explain what
was well known to many—that perhaps there never was a
more perfect bill produced than the present bill, but that in
its progress through the Lords—certain noble lords—(oh !
oh !)—he was going to show how the contradictions had
arisen—in its passage through the Lords various amendments
and propositions were stated, which were so much calculated,
in the mind of the mover, to disgust those who were carrying
the bill through partiament, that it be withdrawn. But those
who had the management of the bill said they would take it
with all its defects. Had it been referred back to the com-
mons it would have been lost altogether, and then the mem-
bers for the several wards in Liverpool would never have met
in that council to congratulate each other. (A laugh.) Va-
rious discrepancies and contradictions had in consequence
arisen, and it was with the view of restoring the bill to its
original purity that he seconded the motion. He was sorry
that various clauses had been introduced into the act which
it was not in their power to remedy, and which denuded the
Liverpool and other councils of what they ought to have in
their various localities. After expressing his regret that the
power the council heretofore possessed in the matter of
church patronage had been taken from it by clauses which
could not be remedied, he concluded by expressing the plea-
sure he felt in seconding the resolution.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE said that the present subject had
been before a committee heretofore—that they had done all
they could to make such alterations in the bill as they thought
desirable, and that nothing had resulted. He thought they
should be cautious in interfering with the legislature, for the
council was not a legislative body after all. (Hear, hear.)
Ile felt that they should be getting into party politics by
touching matters of the kind. He did not deny the defects
of the bill, on the contrary there were many points in it
which he would wish to see rectified. But he was not quite
sure that the legislature would let the municipal bodies settle
those points. He wished that the power should be left in
the hands of the council of settling contested elections •, but
he had doubts whether such a power would be given. Under
all the circumstances he thought it would be desirable to see
what the government would du in the matter in the first

instance.
Mr. ISAAC HOLMES rose for the purpose of stating, that
the very circumstance which Mr. Aikin said he deplored—
namely, that of taking away the power of appointing to the
church, was a measure which of all others he (Mr. H.)
highly approved of. if in the city of Dublin the council had
the appointment of the clergy to the church establishment
of the country, when three-fourths of the members for Dub-
lin were directly opposed to the established religion of the
realm, what would be the consequence?
The MAvon. interrupted. He thought Mr. Holmes ought
to confine himself to the subject of the motion.
Mr. HOLMES asked why Mr. Aikin had not been stopped.
The MAYOR admitted that the question was a fair one,
aad said that Mr. Aikin had gone perhaps too far. He con-
fessed that he had been wrong in not detecting that Mr.
Aikin was wandering from the subject.
Mr. HOLMES expressed a hope that some alteration would
be made in the act which would have the effect of preventing
persons from being placed on the registry who were unable to
pay their own taxes. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. EvANs hoped the council would endeavour to get as
much legislative power into their own hands as they possibly

could. -
Mr. SANDBACH trusted the committee would extend their
inquiry to the annual recurrence of elections in the town,
involving a fortnight's interruption of business, idleness,
dissipation, and a disorganization of society.
Mr. EARLE admired Mr. Sanbach's modesty in coming
forward on the present occasion on such a subject, and asked
why he had not done the same thing two or three years
before.
Mr. SANDBACI-1.-1 wonder you didn't complain of it two
or three years ago. (Hear, hear, and laughter.)
The motion was then put and carried unanimously, and
the following members were appointed upon the committee:
—Messrs. Bolton, Evans, Aikin, Lloyd, Sandbach, Birkett,
H. Lawrence, Crooke, and Bushell.
TUE EDUCATION QUESTION.

The MAYOR said the next subject upon the paper was the
motion of which Mr. Councillor Bolton had given notice,

namely—
" That it be an instrruction to the Education Committee,
that the children of Roman Catholics shall not, iu the corpo-
ration schools, be required to use or read any book whatever
against which their parents or guardians may have conscien-
tious objections."
Mr. BOLTON rose and said, that, when he gave notice of
the instruction to the committee, just read by the mayor, it
was under the strong impression that there were members of
the Education Committee whose prejudices were so strong
and so pertinatious in expressing their opinions, that a ma-
jority of the committee were not to be free to act upon their
own convictions. Under that impression, he had given the
notice. He should very briefly state that the schools were
supported from the surplus funds of the corporation, and that
that the municipal law laid down rules, very distinctly, for the
appropriation of that surplus. There were two ways only
in which that surplus could be employed, and those ways
were clearly defined, namely, for the benefit of the inhabitants,
and the improvement of the town. Now as Catholics were a
large portion of the community of this town, and were inha-
bitants, he maintained that any surplus funds to be ex-
pended in education, could only be employed in such a way
that that class of the community should have their fair share
—not only their share, indeed, but, inasmuch as they were
poorer than the rest of the community, they should have
more than their share of that advantage. He would further
state that whatever rules might be adopted, he trusted they
would be made with regard to the conscientious convictions
of the community, and that conscience should, in no case, be
violated. Since he came into that room, it had been inti-
mated to him, that there was a desire, upon the part of the
Education Committee, not to forego these considerations ;
and induced to believe, as he was, that their case would be
considered by the committee, he should not persevere in the
motion of which he had given notice : but leave it to the
committee, and when their report was furnished, he should
then take such opportunities of discussing that report as
circumstances might seem to justify. Before he sat down he
would just throw out the hint that as this question very
greatly agitated the public, it might be expedient and proper
before the council came to discuss it, that the report of the
committee should be printed for the use of the members of
the council. At present he withdrew the motion of which he
had given potice.
Mr. BusHELL asked the Mayor whether Mr. Bolton had
power to withdraw his notice.
Mr. BOLTON.—Certainly ; I have not made it.
Mr. SANDS said he might state on behalf of the committee
that they did not thank Mr. Bolton for the high compliment
he had paid to the committee ; that notwithstanding what he
had said they would act independently according to their own
view of the case, and not be dictated to by any individual.
(Hear, hear.) He thought it only right to state that much
for himself and the rest of the committee. He was surprised
that Mr. Bolton should have cast such aspersions upon inde-
pendent gentlemen upon the committse.
Mr. EARLE was proceeding to make some observations
upon the conduct of Mr. David Hodgson, in the course of
which he said he could enumerate many conservative gentle-
mem, in the council who had expressed their regret that he
was upon the committee or in the council; when
Mr. COOPER called Mr. Earle to order, there being no
question before the council.
Mr. EARLE protested that he was in order.
The MAYOR said, that as there was no motion before the
council Mr. Alderman Earle was out of order; the subject
had been referred to the committee, and when their report
was made would be the time for Mr. Earle to speak.
Mr. BusnELL said this motion of Mr. Bolton had created
considerable discussion in the town, and had given rise to the
question as to how
The MAYOR repeated that there was no question before the
council, and decidedly Mr. Bushell bad no right to go on.
Mr. JOHN SMITH.—I imagine I cannot be heard to-day
Mr. Mayor ?
The MAYOR.—Certainly not.
Many members then rose from their seats, and in a few
minutes afterwards the council separated.

A MAYOR WITHOUT A VOTE IN THE COUNCIL.—At the
election of the Mayor of Davenport, Mr. W. P. Billing, was
chosen, and immediately afterwads rejected as an alderman,
or in other words, ejected from the council. The council
may if they think tit, select a mayor from among the
burgesses, and therefore, Mr. Billing can preside over the
council, but he cannot vote, being neither alderman nor
councillor.

THE VILLAGE CHURCH.—The villagers have a feeling of
property in their own parish church. Generally venerable
from extreme antiquity, and firm as the hills around it, it
stands as a part of their native land, and to endure with the
country to all ages. It appeals, moreover, to all the affec-
tions, by motives which penetrate the inmost heart ; bring-
ing before the worshipper his birth, his domestic happiness
and duty, the memory of departed friends, and his own death.
Within, he sees the font at which he was baptized, and the
altar where he knelt at his marriage; around it he contem-
plates the graves of his friends, and the spot which one day
will probably be his own. These are charms which speak to
every bosom. Every one also feels that a picture of English
scenery is incomplete without the old grey tower, or the vil-
lage spire—upon which the eye rests as the lovliest picture of
the landscape. And who can hear the distant bells in the
cheerfulness of a summer's morning, without feeling their
soothing power enter his very soul ?-oastler on the Church.

- -
TITHES AND THE IRISH PAPISTS.—If the obligation to
pay tithes to the Irish church be the great grievance under
which the Roman Catholics are weighed down (which I deny),
and if this be the only obstacle which stands in the way of
restoring peace and tranquillity to Ireland, as Lord Alvanley
infers, a much cheaper and more effectual means of ac-
complishing its removal can be devised than the payment of
the priests, recommended by his lordship. There are in Ire-
land, I believe, about four thousand priests who, on a moderate
calculation, for confessions, marriages, burials, extreme
unction, masses, months' minds, churching of women, priests'
coin, &c., receive about £600,000, thus affording to each a
salary of about £l5O per annum. In this sum salaries of
bishops are not included. Take, it however, at £600,000,
and large as it is, who is there that would not be willing to
sacrifice it, provided there were no surrender of principle in-
volved therein, if by doing so peace and harmony would be
secured to Ireland ? A much less sum, however, will be re-
quired, if the greivance of tithe be all that is necessary to be
removed. I have said that the amount of tithe, payable to
the clergy of the Established Church, is about £300,000, half
the sum necessary to be paid to the Raman Catholic priests,
supposing they would be satisfied with it. Let lands be pur-
chased by the government at every opportunity, producing a
yearly amount equal to that of the tithes ; and according as
the land is purchased, let the proceeds be applied to the use
of the clergy, in lieu of their tithes, the expense will then
come gradually off the state, without suddenly depreciating
the value of money or increasing that of land ; tithes will be
extinguished in a few years in name and reality, and the pre-
sumed grievance, arising from the obligation to pay them,
will be completely
and for ever removed. The reason for
vesting the money in land must be obvious, it will give the
property a character of security at d permanence which it
clergyotherw
Toe
fluctuate could n o not
chcaovres
willinaandtothe c
cahuasnegethseofintchoemteimoefst.—he
Lord Rodex's Observations on Ireland.