The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-23 00:00:00

OESERVATION 0? THE LORD'S DAV.

The annual meeting of the Liverpool branch of the Lan- 1
cast:lire Lord's Day Society was held on Friday, at noon, in
the Music-hall. Bad-street. Among the clergy and gentry
present, we noticed the Rev. Chancellor Raikes. Rev. Hugh
M'Neile, Rev. Dr. Berth, Rev. F. Barker, Rev. J. E. Bates,
Rev. W. Maynard, Rev. T. Magill, Rev. W. Falloon, Rev.
J. N. Peill. Rev. M. Allen, Rev. B. Chalmers, Rev. J. E.
White, Rev. J. Jones, Rev. A. M'Conkey, Rev. J. R. Con-
nor, Rev. F. Galber, Rev. W. D. Lowe Messrs. Parker,
Edwards, Howard, Boutflower, Maples, Inman, Jones, J..
Edwards, &c. &c.
The Rev. Chancellor RAIXES was called to the chair, and,
after a supplication of the divine blessing, by the Rev. J. E.
BATES,
The CHAIRMAN, after a few appropriate introductory re-
marks, observed, that if there was anything which more than
another tested the spirituality of religion, it was the sense of
the value of the Sabbath. This unquestionably was the rea-
son why Sabbath observance had always been the most con-
clusive test of the spirituality of the character of the person
observing it. The fact was, that upon it depended the vita-
lity of religion throughout all classes of society. If the Sab-
bath were not observed, religion would soon come to be tlO
better than a name—a name that might be assumed from old
associations, or from some idea of the importance of religious
observances, but which was nothing more than a name.
With regard to the poor, it was obvious that if they had no
Sabbath they had no opportunity for cultivating religious
feelings. Take the Sabbath from them, and you cut them
off from every means of grace—you exposed them to all the
manifold temptations which were connected with a state of
society like ours, and you withdrew from them the only
principle which could neutralise the effect of those tempta-
tions, and preserve them unspotted from the world in which
their lot was cast. But, much as the labouring classes
might seem to depend upon the observance of the Sabbath
for the maintenance of religious feeling, he had long felt they
were not more deeply indebted to it than were the class that
stood above them. Unless the Sabbath sheltered the rich
from the encroachments of the world, and protected the poor
from the requisitions of the world, he was convinced that,
whatever might be the extent of our religious profession, we
soon must cease to be a religious people : religion would
merely be found here and there, living in particular strata,
and accumulated in particular spots ; and we should be with-
out that blessed and benign influence which it spread through
the length and breadth of the land, by entering every house,
and moving every state of society. That, indeed, must de-
pend upon Sabbath observance, and it could not be looked
for unless Sabbath observance were maintained. If we
looked upon the operations of the society, they made mani-
fest the hand of God. It began its operations within our
own recollection ; and he could well remember the astonish-
ment and contempt which was raised against its friends when
they proposed its objects, both in the houses of parliament
and in the great assemblies of the nation. - But it was re-
markable how the blessing of God could prosper the feeblest
efforts if they were made in faith, for, without the protection
of any legislative provision—simply by the force of truth,
offered to a population in which the Scriptures were circu-
lated, and open to arguments drawn from the Scriptures
—they had advanced far towards the accomplishment of the
object in view. True, abuses still abounded on every side,
and a large portion of the population still groaned and tra-
vailed under the weight of Sabbath desecration ; but he ap-
pealed to every individual present whether the cause of Sab-
bath observance did not at present stand higher than the
most sanguine expectations of the promoters of it ever led
them to anticipate. We saw the convictionrof truth forcing
itself upon the consciences of men ; we saw Sabbath immuni-
ties granted to the labouring classes ; we saw the prevailing
causes of desecration checked; and he trusted that, by the
blessing of God, we might in the course of a few years anti-
cipate the realization of all they had ever wished. He would,
however, remark, that now they stood in the front of the
battle. The battle of the Lord's Day Society was being
fought upon the banks of the Weaver, and he trusted it would
be won. More than that ; the House of Commons had heard,
in language which it would not easily forget, that it was the
bounden duty of every employer to care for the spiritual state
of those from whose labour he derived his pecuniary advan
tages—that the connection between master and man, and
between employers and the employed was not merely for gain
on one side, and a livelihood on the other, but that every
individual who derived from the labour of others an increase
of gain was bound, as a Christian, to consider the spiritual
welfare of those individuals, and to make such provision as
should contribute to their future happiness, as well as their
present prosperity and comfort. If the society had merely
brought this great and important truth prominently before
the public, he contended that it had conferred a blessing upon
the country with which few others were to be compared. In
the meantime, as he had already observed, the society stood
without the aid of legislative enactments. Indeed, consti-
tuted as the House of Commons was at present, he did not
know that they had lost much by losing the protection which
it might have condescended to have given them. It was a
painful and humiliating fact, recorded in the proceedings of
the parliamentary session for 1838, that when a bill was
brought into the House of Commons for legalising the amuse-
ments of the Hippodrome, that the population of London
might be allowed to drink, game, and indulge in all the abo-
minations and the temptations connected with horse-racing,
without the trouble of going two miles from the limits of the
metropolis—he said, that when that bill was brought in,
there was a clause enacting that no persons should be allowed
to use the Hippodrome during the Lord's day, as a place of
public recreation, from eight o'clock in the morning till eight
o'clock in the evening. It was hardly to be believed that
this clause was expunged ; thus it would appear that the
House of Commons had no objection to these profanities
upon the Lord's day, and that if we were to have that day
as a day of rest, we must have it joined with the profligacy
of the race course ! From the mercies of such a house it
might be well that we should be delivered. No satisfactory
act on this subject was ever likely to have proceeded from
such a source as that ; and he owned it was to him far more
gratifying to appeal to the feelings of a Christian community,
to work their way on this question by the conviction of truth.
These were some of the causes which justified the present
appeal to the public, and some of the circumstances which
encouraged the society in its nroceedings.
The Rev. W. MAYNARD then read the report of the com-
mittee for the past year, from which it appeared that the in-
come of the society for that period had not exceeded £4O.
After having read the report, the reverend gentleman begged
to suggest a plan to increase the funds. Subscriptions
amounting to £4O only surely could not exhibit the real feel-

ing with which the subject was regarded in Liverpool. What,
then, was the cause ? Could it arise from carelessness on the
part of the public? No. Whence, then, did it arise? Why
from the fact that the public had not been called upon, and
because the subject had not been placed before them. Until
that was done, the society would still linger on. He there-
fore begged to suggest that each clergyman should bring the
subject before his congregation once every year, and say to
them—" As many as are willing to subscribe one shilling,
half-a-crown, or five shillings, for the promotion of this ob-
ject, let them put it in the box." By this means the subject
would be brought before many people, the efficiency of the
society would be increased, and the glory of God would be
promoted. As the mover of this suggestion, he would take
an early opportunity of introducing the subject to his own
congregation. _ _

Tile Rev. A. M'CONKIE moved the first resolution, which
was to the effect that the report be printed, and that the
usual officers be appointed for the ensuing year. When he
heard the reverend chairman detail the progress of the prin-
ciple of the Lord's Day Society, he felt encouraged ; but
when he heard the secretary state that the income of it was
only £4O, he felt very reluctant to come forward. He was,
however, convinced that this low state of the funds was owing
to a want of information upon the subject among the different
members of the different congregations. The reverend gen-
tlemen, at considerable length, then proceeded to urge the
objects and interests of the society, on a variety of scriptural
grounds, and he concluded by moving the resolution.
The Rev. THOS. MAGILL seconded the resolution. It was
very pleasing to observe, that whilst the society set itself
against acknowledged encroachments upon the sanctity of the
Lord's Day, it aimed at something higher. It exhibited to
the observation of the public many desecrations of the Sab-
bath which were too generally overlooked because they were
familiar to men's minds. It wisely held up to view the sin-
fulness of many practices affecting the observation of the
Sabbath, but which were too coldly looked upon by many
who professed to call themselves Christians. Indeed no one
could duly appreciate the importance of the subject who had
not given'it his anxious inquiry and deep reflection. Eight
years ago a report from a committee of the House of Com-
mons detailed many affecting and painful truths upon this
all-important subject; and the records of crime shewed that
a vastly greater proportion belonged to the Lord's Day than
to any other ; and in the personal history of convicted felons
we found that the first step in the downward career of infamy
and guilt had been the desecration of the Sabbath. It was
mournful to think that the advance of education, the increase of
intelligence, the boasted march of intellect, had failed to
bring with them an increased veneration for the Sabbath ;
it was sad to think that whilst we were successfully extend-
ing to every land the blessings of the Sabbath, we were our-
selves becoming faithless in the observation of it ; and it was
still more lamentable to find that whilst every creed, sect,
and shade of opinion were represented and had their advo-
cates in the senate of England, the hardest thing to do was
to procure advocates for the observance of the Sabbath, or
even for its decent support. How were such evils to be
combatted ? Just by such societies like this. The rev, gent.
then proceeded to point out some causes of Sabbath dese-
cration, among which he mentioned railway travelling, the
running of the steam ferry-boats, funerals and marriages
upon that day, and several others. He concluded by second-
ing the resolution.
A short conversation followed between the Rev. J. Jones,
the Rev. F. Barker, and the Chairman, at the termination of
which the resolution was unanimously carried.
Mr. Jouw HOWARD moved, as a layman, the second re-
solution, and in the course of his address he remarked that
the observation of the Sabbath was the beginning of morality,
and that it was the first evidence a christian could give that
the fear of the Lord had been implanted within him.
The Rev. Dr. BYRTH seconded the resolution in an argu-
mentative and eloquent speech. The rev. gent. ably shewed
the nature of the institution of the Sabbath, and the advan-
tages, both individual and national, which resulted from its
observation. The legislature, he contended, did not do its
duty if it refused to pass a law to secure the due observance
of the Lord's day. As a minister and a member of the esta-
blished church, he had a claim upon the legislature for its
interposition, and, by such meetings as these he hoped it
would be made to do its duty. It was the practice with
many families to give their servants their " Sunday out," as
it was called. A more pregnant source of immorality did not
exist ; and he suggested as a remedy that some other day
should be given as a substitute, or that higher wages should
be paid. The resolution was then carried.
The Rev. HUGH M'IsliELE rose amidst loud cheers to pro-
pose the next resolution. The principle upon which the
Sabbath rested had been frequently developed, but at the
same time as objections were perpetually reiterated against
its obligations, and to the principle upon which those obliga-
tions rested, the arguments by which that principle was made
good should also be perpetually reiterated. The rev. gent.,
with his usual eloquence and effect, then proceeded to dis-
play some of those arguments, and they appeared to carry
conviction to the meeting ; but we have not space to report
them fully. He concluded, amidst loud cheers, by moving the
resolution.
Mr. C. S. PARKER, in seconding it, begged to mention
some circumstances of recent occurrence which would seem
to justify them in taking less gloomy views of the prospects of
the society than had been done by two of the preceding
speakers, on a comparison of the present with some former
periods of our history. In the House of Commons, Mr.
Hume had not dared to bring forward his motion for the
opening of the British Museum and the National Gallery to
the public on the Lord's day. In the House of Lords, last
week, we found Lord Hatherton presenting petitions from
the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Company, pray-
ing for a law to prohibit entirely the carriage of goods on
canals and railways on Sundays; and the Secretary for the
Home Department, on being asked to bring forward a go-
vernment measure on the subject, fully admitted the demo-
ralizing effects of Sunday traffic, and stated that the matter
was under consideration. He deplored the extent of sabbath
desecration to which the railways had given rise, but ex-
pressed a confident hope that a noble stand would be made
against this alarming evil, by the proprietors of the lines
about to be opened through the most populous districts of
Scotland. He also referred to the employment of clergy-
men and missionaries, partly supported by votes from the
funds of several of the English railway companies. He then
mentioned that the entire closing of the Sheffield Botanic
Gardens had been recently carried by a large majority, and
concluded by expressing a hope that the proprietors of till
Liverpool Gardens would, at their approaching annual meet
ing, follow this excellent example, and thereby deprive the
advocates for the free admission of the public on Sundays, of
one plausible argument, founded on the fact of the Gardens
being open on that day to the proprietors.

A vote of thanks was then passed Valle Chairman, and the
meeting adjourned till evening.

EVENING MEETING—FORMATION or A TRADES-
MAN'S AND MECHANIC'S ASSOCIATION.

A most numerous and important meeting was held in the
Music Hall, in the evening, for the purpose of forming a
Tradesman's and Mechanic's Lord's Day Society, auxiliary
to the above. The Rev. Chancellor Raikes again presided.
The first resolution was moved by the Rev. J. E. Bates, and
seconded by the Rev. Hugh Stowell, in a speech of extra-
ordinary power and effect. The rev. gentleman dwelt most
forcibly upon the difference between the Protestant and
Popish sabbath, and appealed to those who had travelled
upon the Continent for the truth of his assertions. He also
said that it had been asked, what had our Lord's Day Socie-
ties done? which he would answer by stating, that, although
they had not been the means of doing much by acts of par-
liament, although they had done something in this way, they
had done much more ; for they had kindled a feeling in
the country on the subject of sabbath observance that had
been the means of passing many moral acts of parlia-
ment, which was much better. He was happy to say that
cabinet dinners, and even general dinner parties, were not
so frequent as formerly on the Lord's Day. The speech of
the reverend gentleman was interspersed with most interesting
anecdotes, showing the blessings which had attended the due
observance of the sabbath ; he urged that experience had ever
shown that a sabbath-observing servant was the best servant.
The second resolution was moved by the Rev. F. Barker, who
explained generally the nature and objects of the society
which they were that evening met to form. It was intended
to be a real working society.—The Rev. Hugh M`Neile se-
conded the resolution, and was received with the most hearty
applause of every person present, which he stated to be a
very different reception to one he met with in the sessions
house lately. The speech of the rev. gentleman was received
with the most rapturous applause in various parts, but by
degrees he brought such a hallowed feeling over the meeting,
that it had more the appearacce of the serenity of a Sabbath
evening at one of our churches. Mr. M`Neile, then, in
the perfect stillness of the meeting, consisting of some ten or
twelve hundred persons, preached a most beautiful gospel
sermon, for about twenty minutes. In conclusion, he ear-
nestly and affectionately requested, that, as they had now
entered fully into the spirit of what a Lord's-day meeting
ought to be, they would not again disturb the serenity that
had come over them, by those bursts of applause which asso-
ciations connected with the place in which they were meeting
naturally lead them to indulge, but that with the permission
of their respected chairman, and he knew he would most
willingly grant it, they should close by offering up praise to
Almighty God. The meeting accordingly concluded in
beautiful solemnity.

GRAND EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS, WORKS
OF ART, MODELS, MANUFACTURES, ANTI-
QUITIES, SPECIMENS IN NATURAL HISTORY,
CURIOSITIES, &c.

We yesterday paid a second visit to the splendid exhibi-
tion now on view at the Mechanics' Institution, in Mount-
street, and were even more gratified than on our first passing
through the numerous rooms. We must premise, however,
such are the countless works of art, curiosity, and utility in
every branch of study and science, that though we wandered
for a considerable time amongst them with great interest, we
cannot say that we have done much more than glance at them
as a whole, much less inspect any great number of them with
that attention which would warrant us in attempting a length-
ened and detailed notice,—the more particularly as the
greater number of the articles deposited exhibit a high degree
of talent or ingenuity. indeed it would require a whole day's
attendance at the rooms to do them justice ; and we must,
therefore, content ourselves with another brief sketch of the
most prominent features in each room,—reserving ourselves
for future details, when we shall have the assistance of the
catalogue, which, owing to the constant accession of articles
even up to the present time, it has been found impossible yet
to publish.

On entering the spacious vestibule of the building, the
visitor will observe a figure of a knight in armour in each of
the corners,—one in chain armour, and three in plate armour,
of various colours and fashions. These appear appropriate
and classical guardians of the building. They are deposited
by R. Edmondson and Son, of Bold-street. Here, too, and
in the lobby are some large paintings and some statuary.
Ascending the staircase to the left, or east wing of the
building, the first room is appropriated to the exhibition of
-models of buildings and architectural drawings, prints, &c,
by way of variety. In the middle of the room stands a large
model of the new Custom-house. Round the room, on the
tables, are numerous beautiful models of churches and tem-
ples—ancient and modern, Christian and pagan. We noticed
a beautiful model of a pleasure yacht,-of 47 tons burthen, in
the frame, built of mahogany and satin-wood,—by Mr. E.
Melling, jun. Amongst the models of ancient buildings is
one of the Partheon. and several of round Grecian temples.
Some of these are in marble, beautifully polished. Here, too,
are the drawings and plans for the new court houses, includ-
ing those of the successful candidate. There is also a per-
spective view of Dr. Raffles's new chapel, a fine building,
with a three-quarter circular Corinthian portico, surmounted
by a handsome cupola.
The next room to the south is filled with engravings,
drawings, &c ; many of these, of great merit, are the produc-
tions of both British and foreign artists.
Beyond the room is the " Sculpture Gallery," a very
long and well-lighted room, replete with valuable specimens
of statuary, by many of the first masters, a considerable
number of them in Parian marble. The walls to a great
height are also almost covered with paintings, not a few of
which are rare and beautiful. Amongst the statuary we
were struck with " Cupid and Psyche," in alto, by Gibson ;
" Satan tempting Adam," by John Deare, and several figures
in the middle of the room, not labelled, including 331 and
332, an exquisite " pair," and 334 a female playing a flute.
Not having the catalogue, we cannot furnish the names of
the authors of many of the productions. Several of the
casts were recognised as those of townsmen. The painting
297 is a fine head of an old man. 304 is a good picture.
301, a water-colour, we presume ; a female with a dove, is
beautifully soft. It appears, indeed, as delicate as a mi-
niature.

Passing from this room to the west, the visiter reaches the
Museum. Here there are, we may say, thousands of specimens
in glass cases of natural curiosities, including insects, birds,
fossils, minerals, &c., admirably preserved. We here also
saw a stuffed lama, the Alpaco of Peru, covered with black
glossy silky wool, of apparently half a yard in length. —The " Gallery of Paintings" is a little farther to the west,
and is a large, long, and well-lighted room. Here again we
were at a loss for a catalogue, although some of the pictures
only were ticketed. At the head of the room we recognised
the portrait of our chief magistrate, an excellent likeness.
Here are also several of the paintings from the Town-hall,
sant by the corporation. There are a great number of fine
paintings in the room, and not a few admirable drawings in
water-colours and chalk. A portrait in crayon, of Mr.
Jordan, in 1792, at the far end of the room, is very masterly.
It is by J. Russell, R.A. We shall revert to this room in
our next. Meantime, in a very cursory view, we thought
Nos. 173, 210, 24, 28, 32, and 104, good productions.
The room containing anatomical preparations, casts, &c.,
was on this occasion closed, for the arrangement we presume of
additional specimens.

We then entered the room containing in glass cases a -very
large collection of autographs sent by Dt. Raffles. These
are most curious, from kings, queens, princes, statesmen,
philosophers, the great, (not always good,) the worthies,
the literati, and scientific men, and the eccentrics of every age
and eyery country. Many of the signatures of the potentates,
peers and others, are appended to important and curious
official documents.

We next visited a large room appropriated to curiosities in
natural history, stuffed birds, animals and insects, from
all quarters of the globe, fossils, minerals, petrefactions, shells,
&c. Here there is a fine collection of fossils sent by Messrs.
R. and J. Ripley of Whitby, and found in the Lias in' the
neighbourhood of that town. Amongst these is the head of
an lchthyosaurus in an almost entire state, a very curious
and valuable specimen. Many of them are very beautifully
polished.
The " Drawing Room" of the Institution is not in the
splendid suite. Many of the pictures exhibit great progress
on the part of the scholar.
We next came to a room containing models and curiosities,
which is well worthy of a prolonged visit. Here is almost
every variety of tropical and Indian Curiosity.—Ancient and
beautiful manuscripts in the various oriental languages,
medals, cameos, Indian apparel, and curious implements of
war, ancient and foreign guns, rifles, aed pistols, some of
them curiously fashioned, and inlaid with silverand other pre-
cious materials, coats of mail, canoes, war-clubs, Burmese
idols, &c., &c. We also observed several beautiful specimens
of British porcelain, in vases, china baskets, with exquisite
pictures in miniature, tables and boxes veneered in valuable
stones, a cast iron map of England, &c., &c.
Descending to the ground floor, we next visited what may
be called the general printing room. Here excellent apparatus
is fitted up, and workmen are busy exhibiting the several
practical operations of paper staining, or printing paper for
rooms, letter-press, copperplate, and lithographic printing,—
appropriate specimens being produced of each. Here also
an artist was busy showing the art of glass-blowing, in the
production of various chimney ornaments, &c.
In a room close by, in the left wing, were employed several
workwomen of Mr. G. Wood, of Adelphi House, Bold-street,
in the manufacturing of fringe of various descriptions, silk
tassels, &c. The walls of the room are beautifully decorated,
particularly the south wall, by a splendid disposal of beautiful
upholstery articles, in representation of pillars and arches.
In the adjoining room Messrs. Woolright and Chidson ex-
hibit a quantity of elegant upholstery goods, and several
looms at work in the making of fringes ' • one of these is very
large, and weaves many distinct bands of fringe or tape,
simultaneously. There is also here a small working model
of a fringe loom, with improved moveable batton, by Mr. W.
Chidson, made in 1830, and now generally adopted. We
noticed also specimens of the patent cloth, in admirable imi-
tation of gold and silver tissue, of which the brilliant portion
is absolutely of threads of glass, as fine or finer than the hair
of the head.
Passing southward, the visitor reaches the room contain-
ing the philosophical apparatus, and a deeply interesting
room it is. Here there are numerous beautiful working mo-
dels of high and low pressure steam engines, of various con-
struction, with a view to the attainment of improvement.
Several of these are nearly two feet in height, others are of
the size of watches, and one we observed, a high pressure,
made of gold, not nearly so large, the fly-wheel of which was
scarcely the circumference of the thumb nail. There is here
a great variety of fine electrical and galvanic apparatus, the
extraordinary effect of whicn are in several parts of the
room displayed in a very pleasing and amusing manner.
Several fine specimens of photogenic drawing are depo-
sited by Mr. Abraham, of Lord-street. We noticed a
fine specimen of a West India windmill, for the express-
ing of the juice of the cane, the whole supported merely
by iron pillars. Three beautiful models of vessels in alto
or half round, from the Isle of Man, are, in our opinion,
very beautiful and scientific. There is also a large frigate,
fully rigged, not by the same hand. We noted, too, a fine
model of a steam-boa', and some curious models of Chinese
and Malay ships with cane sails. These are genuine origi-
nals. A little brig in ivory is also beautiful. Here young
Visiters will be amused by the Acoustic Invisible Girl.
In the theatre are exhibited all the wonders of the micro-
scope, and at two fixed periods every day, the same instru-
ment lighted by oxy-hydrogen gas.
In a room under that containing the philosophical ap-
paratus, there is another containing scientific models of too
large and ponderous a size to find room on the apartments
above, but which are practically equally and more inter-
esting. Here there is a canal filled with water, of about 40
feet long, with a steam-boat upon it, having an engine complete.
At one end, and carried over the canal by a bridge, is a cir-
cular or endless railway, with a locomotive and train. In
the centre of the arch, and rising from the canal, there is a
handsome fountain, the overflow of which turns a bucket
water-wheel. The apparatus is not yet quite completed in
this room, so that this and other models, &c., cannot yet be
put into operation, but we shall recur to them. We observed
amongst others, an anatomical theatre, several vessels, turn-
ing lathes, pumps, a beautiful prize steam railway carriage,
sea-wall landing-steps, a floating coffee-dam, life-buoys,
&c. &c.
But we must conclude for the present. We shall return
to the subject from time to time, while the exhibition conti-
nues open, and meantime we recommend parties, who have
not seen the exhibition, to lose no time in doing so. The
whole is beautiful, perfectly unexceptionable, and equally
interesting to both sexes, and to young and old.
Le

His Grace the Archbishop of York has been pleased to
appoint John Simpson, proctor in the Consistory Court of
Chester, to be a proctor in the Ecclesiastical Courts of York,
in the room of Joshua Mills, Esq., deceased.

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO CORRESPONDENTS

An interesting letter on " The Battle of Waterloo," together
with several other communications, are unavoidably po,t-
poned for want of space.
THE SCREW PRINCIPLE.—We understand that an ingenious
townsman is at present actively engaged in the attempt to
apply the principle of the screw to the propulsion of the
human body in swimming. In this instance, however,
it
is found that the location of the propelling pov, er will have
to be reversed, the head being found to be the lighter ex-
tremity, more buoyant than the stern, and consequently
more capable of sustaining the 'weight of machinery neces-
sary. Our townsman has already got several wheels firmly
fixed in his head, and expects in a few days to produce the
movement required for turning the screw. The friction
will be very slight, as the material in which the machinery
works is very soft. It is anticipated that the first trial
will be made in a few days on board the Floating Bath.
" A WEST INDIAN."—We have paid much attention to the
proceedings at the meetings of the Anti- Slavery Convention.
In our next we shall expose the falsehoods and infamous
slanders in which several of the speakers have ventured
to indulge in reference to the West India planters. Knibb
and O'Connell, par nobile frafrum, shall come in for a share
of the castigation which we have in reserve for these mock-
philanthropists.
" John Blunt" is a gander of the first magnitude, but it is
not worth our while to " roast him."
The verses headed" God saved the Queen"-are creditable to
the feelings of the author, but are deficient in point. An
imitation or paraphrase of our national anthem must ue
exceedingly good,•or it is—good for nothing.
The letter signed " L," relating to the proceedings at the
late meeting in the Sessions'-house, has been fully antici-
pated by our own remarks.
THE EISTEDDFOD.—A correspondent informs us that
" Edward Jones, of Duke-street, Liverpool, who obtained
the silver harp and medal at the Welsh meeting of 1839,
the author of Bess Stanley,' Kate, the Lancashire
Maid," &c., who is well known as an excellent harp-player,
complains of the award made by the judges at the recent
Eisteddfod-. He feels that an arrangement which would
constitute any gentleman a judge in a case where his own
son and his own pupils were to contend for the prizes, was
not likely to satisfy an impartial public. Jones is again
anxious to enter into competition with those to whom the
prizes were adjudged, before a fair tribunal, if such an ad-
vantage can be secured for him." We are afraid our cor-
respondent is a little hasty. It' we are not misinformed,
thejudges in the case alluded to were English gentlemen
of high musical reputation, who are incapable of the par-
tial conduct attributed to them. While we would make
every allowance for feelings of disappointment in such
case, we ought not to blame the innocent.

POLITICAL CHARACTERS.

(From the Oxford Herald.)

THE EARL FITZWILLIAM.
" Thou wear a lion's hide! doff it, for shame,
And hang a calf skin his those recreant limbs."

Lord Fitzwilliam is a man with one and only one idea.
That solitary crotchet has taken such firm hold of his minute
intellect that he can never forget it. When he sleeps he
dreams of it ; when he wakes he thinks of it ; when he is
alone he muses upon it ; when he can meet with any one who
will listen to him he talks of it; and when no one will listen
to him he writes about it. Morning, noon, and night, in the
bosom of his family, in the private circle of his personal
friends, in the senate, at the rout, at the festive board, in the
theatre, at each and all of these places, and even in the church
as well, does Lord Fitzwilliam carry with him his one idea.
It is ever present, it is part and parcel of himself. It would
be as reasonable to expect Joe Hume to talk grammar, or
O'Connell to conduct himself like a gentleman, as to expect
the Lord of Wentworth to speak on any matter for five mi-
nutes without dragging it by the neck and shoulders the
single subject to which all the powers of his stupendous
mind are devoted. What is that subject ? will be asked.
Is it one of great public importance? Is it a project which,
if carried out, is calculated to benefit the poorer classes of
society ? Is it likely to make England greater and more
glorious? Oh no! It is a project certain to be attended
with the most pernicious results to the country at large,
to destroy the agricultural interest, to inflict great injury
on the labourer and the artizan, to make England depen-
dent on foreign countries for the bread she eats. It is,
in short—to repeal the corn-laws. " What then," it will be
said, " can Lord Fitzwilliam mean by making such a baneful
scheme his hobby, when there are so many others to which
he might devote his attention, with honour to himself and
with advantage to his country ?" A very proper and very
natural question certainly, but the only answer we can return
is, that his lordship is a whig, and that it is the end and aim
of his political creed to do as little good, and to commit as
much injury as possible. " But can Lord Fitzwilliam, who
is a real lord, you know, think and talk of nothing else than
that horrid scheme of repealing the corn laws, and thereby
making papa a beggar ?" Is a question which will be put by
one of those black-eyed beauties who live in the large, com-
fortable, old-fashioned English farm houses with which our
own beautiful county abounds. " Even so," we reply.—
" But is'nt he a great bore ?" Ah ! you may say that, he is
a bore, a most intolerable bore, in proof whereof we will give
a short sketch of his conversation on one particular day :
" Well, my Lord Fitzwilliam," said the Hon. Mr. Fiddle
Paddle, " we've had beautiful weather lately." " Beautiful
weather! egad, if we could only get the corn laws repealed
we should then have weather which might indeed be
called beautiful. " A fine horse, that of yours," observed
Lord Stablejacket. " Why he's very well, but nothing to
what he would be if we could get rid of those confounded
corn laws." "Ah ! rnoi foine fello, look at my whiskarr,
there's a fine curl, quoite natural, no curling iron, one of the
beauties of nature, is'nt it ?" insinuatingly enquired the
Marquis of Normanby. " Beautiful! upon my soul, beauti-
ful ! but don't you see, my Lord, that if the corn laws
were repealed curling irons could be got for nothing,
whilst Macassar Oil would be one hundred per cent.
cheaper ?" " What?" ejaculated the noble Marquis, giving
a tragic start, and clapping his hand on his forehead,
as he used to do when he played Hamlet at Florence. " Did
my ears deceive me ? Did I hear aright ? Speak those words
again, I pray you." Lord Fitzwilliam complied. " Curling
irons for nothing, and Macassar one hundred per cent.
cheaper," said the noble Secretary of State for the Home
Department, folding his arms and stalking solemnly across
the apartment. " Then I'll go and vote at the cabinet meet-
ing to make the corn laws an ' open question.' " " And
pway wawt may be your lordship's pwivate opinion of Tal-
fowd's new play; not quite equal to some of mine, I think,
eh ?" gently lisped Sir Lyttel Bulrush, Baronet and M.P.
" Why, Talfourd's a clever fellow, and a corn law repealer,
but 1 declare he has not once mentioned those injurious laws
in his play. Now, he might have done the cause good ser-
vice if he had made Halbert Macdonald exclaim, There is a
fate hangs over me, and it's set on by those accursed corn
laws.' It would have been a poetical and natural idea, and
would have impressed the people with a greater detestation
of those abominable laws. " What a shocking thing it is

that so many murders should have been committed within so
short a time, isn't it, my lord ?" observed Mrs. Fitzhorrible.
" It is, indeed, my dear madam ; but what can we expect
whilst there is a tax on bread? Talking about the tax on
bread, by the by, reminds me that I have my last treatise on
the corn laws in my pocket, and I will do myself the pleasure
of reading it to you." Whilst the noble lord, however, was
fumbling fox' his pamphlet against the corn laws, Mrs. Fitz-
horrible recollected that she had to fetch some article from
another apartment. We will leave his lordship waiting for
the lady's return.
When Lord Fitzwilliam was in the House of Commons,
he was generally considered a bore. Canning nicknamed
him " Lord Millstone," because he boasted of being able to
see as far into a millstone as most folks. The corn law
question has always been a favourite theme of his, but it is
only since he has been in the upper house that he has made
it nearly the sole occupation of his life. Session after ses-
sion has he endeavoured to induce the House of Lords to
grant a committee to inquire into the operation of the-corn
laws, or to take some other step to upset them ; but hitherto
all his endeavours have been unsuccessful. He is, however,
not to be discouraged, and he has accordingly at this
moment a notice of a motion on the order-book of the
House of Lords on the same subject. When that motion is
brought forward, the house will be entertained with another
edition of the speech which he has so often delivered, and
which has been so often refuted. The same statement: of

what he calls facts will be hashed up again ; the same string
of sentences, which he calls argument, will be repolished ;
the same vapid images, which he considers flourishes
of rhetoric, will be repeated; and the same absurd antics
and ridiculous gesticulations will be gone through. Having
amused himself in this manner for about three quarters
of an hour, the noble earl will sit down, though not before
he has thoroughly exhausted the patience of his hearers. Some
discussion will then take place, and eventually the motion
will be negatived by a large majority. The next morning a
report of the debate will appear in the newspapers. The
Morniny Chronicle will call attention, in a leading article, to
Lord Fitz william's speech, and Lord Fitzwilliam will there-
upon order five hundred copies of the Morning Chronicle,
which he will despatch to his agents in the country, with di-
rections to distribute them to his tenants and friend:. A
few weeks afterwards he will print his speech, " with notes,
additions, and corrections," and get Ridgway to publish it
for him. In due course of time Ridgway will presents bill
for a few hundreds of pounds, and inform his lordship that,
as nobody would purchase the speech, he has been under the
necessity of selling it as waste paper to the buttermen. Lord
Fitzwilliam will thereupon hand Ridgway a check, curse the
stupidity of the people, and bow Ridgway out. His lordship
will then give himself not much further trouble about the
corn-laws, except the trouble of chattering about them to
every one who comes near him, until the ensuing Session of
Parliament, when he will repeat the performances we have
just described.
. _

Lord Fitzwilliain being a large landed proprietor, the s►n-
gularity of his opinions on the corn laws occasion the more
wonder. He is possessed, I believe, of great property, and
perhaps does not mind losing a few thousands per annum►
by the repeal of the corn laws, to pay for his fancy ; but he
should recollect that a loss which is trifling to him would be
ruinous to his tenants. He is, I understand, a good land-
lord, and a kind-hearted man in private life. He seems,
from his doings in the legislature, " a good-natured sort of
simpleton." He often, indeed always, when he speaks, gets
laughed at but instead of turning crusty, he laughs too, as
though he thought it good fun. He has a frank, open, and
pleasing countenance, with light sandy hair, and is about the
middle height. He dresses with simplicity. Of statesman-
ship he knows nothing, and makes no pretensions to it, ex-
cept on the single question of the corn laws. , He understands
as much about oratory as the man who feeds his pigs• He
seems to have a strange liking to see himself in print, for he
has written several pamphlets on his everlasting theme—the
corn laws.
" 'Tis pleasant, sure, to see one's name in print ;

A book 's a book, although there's nothing in't.'
As the pleasure is a harmless one, there can be no objection
to Lord Fitzwilliam indulging in it as much as he pleases,
though Heaven in its mercy forbid that we or any other per-
son should be obliged to read his lueubrations !
A. T. T. Y.

List of passengers per ship South America, from New
York.—Mr. Chas. Coffin, Mr. W. B. Higgins, Mr. E. B.
Harbon, Mr. G. Alexander, Mr. John Reid, Mr. W. xi'
Wright, Mr. J. L. Perrin, Mr. Jas. C. S. L. Morrison, Mr.
J. J. Ryan, Mr. H. Black, Mr. S. Poole, Mr. J. D. Prince
and lady, Mr. John Schofield, Mr. J. S. (Jrr, Mr. John
Cheetham, Mr. Josh. Massey, Mr. J. D. Roche, Mr. Robt.
Dickens, Mr. Thomas Bryant, and Miss James.
HALIFAX AND BOSTON STEAM-SHIPS.
observe
that the sailing of the Britannia has been postponed to the
4th July, in consequence of the Post-office determind to
make up the North American mails on the 3d, instea of
the Ist of the month, as heretofore. We understand, that
the repeated trials of the Britannia have proved in the highest
deree satisfactory to all concerned. That every thing may
beg n a finished state on arriving here, she is, we find, not to
leave the Clyde for this port until to. morrow or ne
procxt des procession
ANCIENT ORDER OF FORESTERS.—A splendid
of this order took place yesterday in Birkenhead, the mem-
bers, with their banners, bands, &c., proceeding from Mr.
Mozley's, the Albion Hotel, to Woodside, and returning
through the principal streets to the place of starting, where
a good substantial dinner was provided by Mr. Nlozleyt,
which gave great satisfaction to the companY presennu
Dr. Mallin, a brother of the order, was the chairman, •ena
after a number' of loyal and patriotic toasts had been
separatedgtv
interspersed with excellent singing, the members
at a late hour. We understand that a similar procession Itno
Liverpool will take place early in August, and we are glad
find that the order is rapidly rising in numbers and re-
, spectability.