The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-24 00:00:00

TO MR. E. RATCLIFFE

Sin,—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of yonr communica-
tion, and to thank you for your condescension in being willing
to meet "an unauthorised layman." Your condition is so
modest, and pretensions so diffident, that I fail in terms to
convey an idea of my admiration. But I do not presume to
enter into a discussion with "so valorous a champion," and
so learned a divine, who is not only prepared to prove "that
the Church of Rome is not the Church of Christ," but that
various of her doctrines are superstitious, blasphemous, and
idolatrous.

Sincerely sorry that you cannot find a " foeman worthy of
your steel,"—l am, Sir, your humble servant,
67, Co m bermere-street, JOHN ?MACDONALD.

Toxteth-park,

THE MEETING IN CIRCUS-STREET.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Stu,-1 attended a meeting held by Romanists, in Circus-
street School-room, on Tuesday evening last, the lith instant,
in consequence of Mr. Macdonald's challenge. Three persons
occupied the time of the meeting until ten o'clock, reading the
correspondence in the newspapers, and making garbled state-
ments respecting what Dr. M`Neile and others had said as to
Romish priests and Romanism ; but little, very little, indeed,
upon the subject for which the meeting was called, viz., to
consider the errors taught in the Church of England. What
was stated was not of much importance, and which could easily
have been answered if fair play had been given.
A gentleman complained of the unfairness of the proceed-
ings, in occupying the time of the meeting to that late hour.
Immediately a storm was raised; all was commotion, shouting,
bawling " Go up to the platform—up to the platform." He
refused, on the ground that it was too late to begin to answer
the previous speakers ; but the storm continuing, the gentleman
was forced up, and began by noticing that the Rev. S. Minton
had offered .-tOOO to Mr. Macdonald, or any other person, who
could adduce satisfactory proof that a Romish priest was a
priest according to the doctrines of his own church. This was
received with laughter and shouts, saying it had been done,
but the money was not forthcoming. The gentleman stated
that it never had, nor could be; but if Mr. Macdonald could,
he would be one to sign a guarantee that it should be paid, the
conditions prescribed by Mr. Minton being complied with,
(Another storm.) He then stated that Dr. Cahill had been
challenged by many of the Church clergy to defend the Romish
doctrines, but had always evaded them. Mr. Macdonald had
said he could not condescend to come down from his high
position. He knew the reason. He dared not; he was afraid ;
his excuses were too flimsy not to be seen through by any one
having the liberty of using his private judgment. (Another
storm, in which there was so mush confusion that a great deal
of chat he said was lost.) He then attacked Mr. Macdonald's
absurd argument in favour of the doctrine of transubstantia-
tion, which he built on the fact of Christ's appearing in the
upper chamber to his disciples, the doors being shut. As it
was uncertain how he got in, it was a proof of the doctrine.
So (as he said) as Christ appeared to his disciples in his proper
person, it is a proof that he can be on ten thousand altars at
the same time, in the shape of a piece of bread. (Another
storm.) Being asked if he was a Christian, he gave a clear ex-
position of the why and the wherefore he was one, which was
received with insolence and shouts. It was, indeed, like talking
to blind men about the beauties of creation. He then called
upon them to consider what they were, how they had arrived
at the conclusion that the Romish Church was the Church of
Christ ; for, in order to ascertain that, they must have exa-
mined the Sacred Scriptures, satisfied their minds that it was
the word of God, that Christianity was true, that there was to
be a visible Church in the world, that that Church was to be
infallible, and that the Romish Church was that Church. Hare i

you done this? he asked. (Great shouting and confusion.)
He then said that he was astonished at Mr. Macdonald touch-

ing upon persecution ; for, if he was acquainted with history,
be must know that the Church of Rome had murdered many
millions of the human race. (dnother storm. Cries of
" Tine's up, time's up.") He congratulated the meeting that
they were in a land of civil and religious liberty ;—(another
storm)--that they were not in Spain, Italy, or Portugal, as they

. . .. .
would as soon dare to thrust their hand into the fire as open In the centuries that have passed, our island Empire
their mouths against the establshed religion of the country, has been consolidated at home and extended abroad, yet
He was obliged reluctantly to sit down, having, as he said, (if the two counties of Lancashire and Cheshire have in-
time had been given,) to charge Mr. Macdonald with dish°_ creased instead of diminished in relative importance.
nests, in stating that Dr. M'Neile had said he would have all I Lancashire alone outnumbers Middlesex in population,
and the two together will probably in after years equal
the Remish priests who received confessions put to death. He the whole of Scotland. Nor is their importance limited
(Mr. Macdonald) also quoted passages whin he said were in to mere numbers ; that is one of the smallest elements in
the Protestant Bible, as also a cursing prayer, which he knew, the calculation. Two prominent parties in the state are
or ought to have known, were not true, thereby misleading the both identified with this one shire ; and, to use the lan-
people. guage of the law, the cross case recently tried before the
supreme court was, Manchester versus Knowsley, Knows-
In trying to escape from the platform, the gentleman was
grossly insulted. Yours respectfully, ley versus Manchester.
Our own neighbourhood, too, modern as it is, has links
A SUBSCRIBER. of interest that connect us with the past ; for the Hall
P.S.—There did not appear to be any respectable Roman of Speke contains the trophy of Novres, and the Church
Catholics present, the audience being composed of the lowest at Sefton proclaims the prowess of Molyneux. It is inte-
class of Irish, and they yelled and shouted more like fiends
than anything else. resting, too, to trace a stream of noble blood, pure and
distinct, amid centuries of change ;—to follow it like a

thread of gold or silver, amid the complicated tissue of a
more homely fabric. Thus, the representative of Moly-
neux is at this hour the military head, the Lord Lieute-
nant of this great county ; while the representative of
Stanley, still keeping his position in the race of honour.
able ambition, has stood foremost in the councils of his
sovereign.

i MELANCHOLY MARRIAGE-DAY.

SINGULAR SCENE AT THE NECROPOLIS,

An instance which strikingly illustrates the uncertainty
of human life occurred in Liverpool last week. BY an
accident which occurred in the Wapping tunnel on Tues-
day, a young and promising man. William Falkner, Was
_
deprived of life. He was to have been married on the
Sunday succeeding his death, and all the preliminaries of
the auspicious event had been arranged. But instead o!
tobeingthe dust. The
united to h
deceased,
i s bride on
that
whow
day,a
sthus he was comm
prematurelycommitted
cut off in the flush of activity and hope, was a respected
member of one of the Orange lodges in the town, 111 e
members of which, in token of their respect for 1,15
memory, decided upon following his remains to the grave.
They very judiciously resolved, however, that their cus-
tomary badges should be dispensed with on the occasion,.
and that they should only wear the usual symbols 0!
mourning. On arriving with the mortal remains 01
the deceased at the Necropolis, considerable sur-
prise was excited by the circumstance, that the gate'
were closed and all entrance forbidden, a posse of police
being in attendance for the purpose of enforcing ordfr,
if necessary. A short altercation took place, during
which the assemblage at the gates of the burial.grouv'
increased to about fifteen hundred. Ultimately the
coffin and twenty of the more intimate relatives an
friends of the deceased were admitted, and the sad cere-
mony was consummated with due order and soleinniqj
although not nearly the number of persons was admitted
into the chapel during the reading of the burial-service
that might have been accommodated within the precios
of the edifice. We have been furnished with a notice
issued by the committee of the Necropolis, Loss-hill, (rani
which it appears that no persons attending funerals on
Sunday, wearing party or distinctive badges, shall be per:
mitred to enter the gates ; and secondly, that no person
beyond a reasonable number of the relatives and frienn-
can find accommodation in the chapel. It seems to have
been a matter of complaint, however, in the present 10'
stance, that the chapel'could easily have accommodated 5
far greater number of individuals than were admitted.

Nor is the soil of the district exhausted yet. It pro-
duces fruits which are rare and valuable in themselves,
and still more rare in their combination ; commerce and
manufacture, agriculture and mining. And, though last
not least, the district possesses another union of rare and
valuable qualities ; for, while history has been delighted
to honour the valour of its sons, tradition and poetry
have been at least equally zealous in proclaiming the
witchery of its daughters. But, however persons of dif-
ferent parties, tastes, or habits, may differ respecting the
importance of these, on one subject we will be agreed,—
that the unknown minstrels who have handed down to us
such a glowing and minute account of these events, de-
served a much more enduring memorial than either his-
tory or tradition has preserved.
[The paper, of which the above is an abstract, was
written by Dr. Hume, and read by him at the day-meet-
ing of the Historic Society, held on the sth instant.]

THE LIVERPOOL FLORAL AND HORTI-
CULTURAL EXHIBITION.

The brilliant exhibition of this society, which took place
on Thursday last, at the Botanic Gardens, must be re-
garded as a new era in the history of Liverpool horticul-
ture, for so great an advance has never before been made
towards the wondrous perfection of the metropolitan dis-
plays. The Azaleas of H. Sharpies, Esq., elicited the
admiration of every visitor,—they could not have been
surpassed. It is, however, much to be regretted that the
society does not take better means for the display of the
beautiful specimens which are now exhibited at their
shows : had those Azaleas beenplaced on a bench covered
with green baize, and relieved by a screen at the back of
the same material, such as is invariably used at the Lon-
don shows, beautiful as they were, their brilliancy would
have been greatly increased by the assistance of this simple
addition. The sizeof thetents was also muchcomplained of.
but here we think the society blameless, for no one could
have anticipated the immense crowd of elegantly-dressed
company which for hours thronged the tents—they had
been much enlarged with a view to prevent any pressure,
but it is quite evident they must be increased in number—
in order to distribute the company over a larger space.
This can only be done by having possession of the whole
of the gardens upon these occasions, and we strongly
advise the society to request the gardens' committee to
close the gardens to the public three days is the year for
the flower shows; for if botanic gardens are of public
utility, they cannot be better employed any three days,
than in giving such a powerful stimulus to botany and
horticulture as is given by these exhibitions. The anti-
quated notions which have hitherto prevented this, do
not belong to an age of progress. Besides the Azaleas,
we must particularly notice a remarkably choice col-
lection of Stove Plants shown by Charles Wilson,
Esq., whose clever gardener, Mr. Thomas, has ob-
tained a large share of triumphs at the Liverpool Exhi-
bitions. Also a unique collection of plants, with varie-
gated foliage, from the stove of Adam Fairrie, Esq., who,
since his first arrival in Liverpool, has been a most active
and liberal patron of the flower shows. The collection
consisted of three varieties of the beautiful orchid Anecto-
chilus setaceus, with its congeners Physurus pictus, and
Goodyera discolor; also the singularly beautiful Cissus
discolor, a plant with most exquisite markings on the
leaves. This collection excited much attention, as did
also the orchids of Mr. I. Hadwen and Mr. Adam Fairrie,
the graceful ferns of Julius Focke, Esq., and a remark-
ably fine seedling Azalea. called Lady Stanley, raised and
exhibited by Mr. George Davies, of the Green-lane
nursery.
The prizes were awarded as follows, and the manifest
general justice done to the exhibitors reflects the greatest
credit upon the judges whose names we were unable to
obtain, with the exception of that of Mr. Robert Erring-
ton, the most veteran horticulturist of the day :
Henry Sharpies, Esq. (Mr. Doherty, gardener), Ist
prize for collection of six Azaleas and for four Azaleas ;
also for a single specimen Azalea, and 3d for pine apple.
J. J. Bibby, Esq. (Mr. Ames, gardener), for a collection
of six specimen heaths, Ist prize.
Thomas Morris, Esq. (Mr. Thompson, gardener), for
a collection of six heaths (in our opinion, superior to the
last-named), 3rd prize for specimen greenhouse plant.
Adam Fairrie, Esq. (Mr. Williams, gardener), 2nd
prizes for eight stove and greenhouse plants—Medinilla
magnifica (a splendid specimen), Epacris miniata, Boronia
pinnate, Chorizema vellum uanum, Eriostemon interme-
dia, Erica Cavendishii, Azalea prestantissima, Aphlexis
macrantha purpurea; for four heaths; for six exotic
orchids, comprising Epidendrum macrochilum, Tricho-
philia coccinea, Phaleenopsis amabile var. grandiflora,
Cattleya ianthina, Oncidium crispum, and Cattleya inter-
media •, for four specimens, namely, Saccolabium premor-
sum, Calanthe reratrifolia, Phaltenopsia amabile grandi-
flora, and Oncidium aropliatum ; 3rd prize for six heaths
and for four stove and greenhouse plants. Extra prize for
specimen greenhouse plant.
James Livesey, Esq. (Mr. Adamson, gardener), Ist
prize for four heaths and for cucumbers ; 2nd for four
fuchsias, single specimen greenhouse plant, hardy shrub
in pot ; 3rd for basket of plants in pots.
Wm. Anthony, Esq. (Mr. Turner, gardener), Ist prize
for six fuchsias ; for four fuchsias; and 2nd, for a single
specimen fuchsia.
Mr. J. B. Leatherbarrow (C. Jones, gardener), Ist prize
for eight roses, in pots. These roses, especially a specimen
of Geant des Batailles, were very finely grown, and far
surpassed any ever before exhibited at our flower shows ;
the plants were well formed, and covered with fine
healthy foliage and an abundance of bloom—also, for six
Gloxinias ; and 2d, for six fuchsias and for lettuce.
R. C. Gardiner, Esq_. (Mr. Dwerryhouse, gardener), 2d
prizes for gloxinias, black grapes, and potatoes ; and 3d,
for six fuchsias.
Charles Bardswell, Esq. (Mr. M`Glachan, gardener),
Ist prize for a single specimen of heath ; and 3d, for four
fuchsias and for one fuchsia.
James Stringer, Esq. (Mr. Liversedge, gardener), Ist
prize for eight pelargoniums, four ditto, and for single
specimen, and for strawberries; 2d, for six fancy pelar-
goniums, and for single specimen.
H. Harrison, Esq. (Mr. Hutchinson, gardener), Ist
prize for six fancy Pelargoniums ; 2nd, for eight Pelargo-
niums.
Julius Focke, Esq. (Mr. Cahill, gardener), Ist prize for
six Calceolarias; for one Calceolaria; for hardy shrub in
pot ; for eight ferns, a very choice collection, and for
specimen stove plants ; 3rd, for eight Pelargoniums, and
for specimen heath ; and extra prize for ferns.
Robertson Gladstone, Esq. (Mr. Woolley, gardener),
2nd prize for four Pelargoniums ; 3rd prize for six fancy
Pelargoniums ; and for single specimen Pelargonium, and
single specimen fancy Pelargonium.
teharles Wilson. Esq. (Mr. Thomas, gardener), Ist
prize for the principal group of eight stove and green-
house plants, consisting of Ixora coccinea, Aphelexis
macrantha Buperba Epacris grandiflora, Azalea indica
superba, Russelia juncea. Stephanotis floribunda, Cyr-
toceras refiexa, and Eriestenon buxifolium. These
plants were very finely grown and correctly labelled, for
which Mr. Thomas received an extra prize. Ist prize,
also, for the collection of four stove and greenhouse
plants, comprising Adamia versicolor, Pimelea Hender-
sonu, Boronia serrulata, and Azalea rosea-punctata. 2nd,
for six Calceolarias ; single specimens of Azalea ; Pelar-
gonium, and stove plant : and extra prize for six fancy
Pelargoniums.
Mr. John Harrison, 3rd prize for four Scarlet Gera-
niums ; Ist, 2nd, and 3rd, for the best collection of ve-
getables ; 2nd, for cabbages ; Ist and 2nd for onions ;
Ist, 2nd, and 3rd, for carrots ; Ist and 2nd for brocoli ;
and Ist, 2nd, and 3rd, for rhubarb.
Mr. R. Griffiths, 2nd and 3rd prizes for collection of
eight Roses in pots.
C. S. Clare, Esq. (Mr. Matthews, gardener), 2ad prize
for single Calceolaria ; 3rd, for six Calceolarias.
J. G. Morris, Esq. (Mr. Dawson, gardener), Ist prize
for six Cinerarias ; 2nd, for single fancy Pelargonium ;
let, for basket of plants ; for bouquet, and for 21 cut
roses ; 2nd, for bouquet.
W. D. Chidson, Esq. (Mr. John Dawson, gardener),
Ist prize for cabbage; 2nd, for Cinerarias ; 3rd, for brocoli.
Isaac Hadwen, Esq., (Mr. Armstrong, gardener,) let
prize for the chief group of six exotic orchids, consisting
of Dendrobium Devonianum, D. densiflorum,
nopsis amabile grandiflora, Cattleya skinneri, Epiden-
drum bicornutum, and Oncidium papilio ; Ist, for the
collection of four exotic orchids, comprising Oncidium
papilio, 0. cebolletti, Cattleya Mossioe, Bifrenaria Had-
wennii ; 2nd for 8 ferns

Miss Molyneux, (Mr. Beattie, gardener,) 3rd prize for
eight ferns, and for specimen stove plant.
J. Rawdon, Esq., (Mr. Conolly, gardener,) 2nd prize
for four stove and greenhouse plants ; Ist, for potatoes.
M. Collet, Esq., (Mr. Twist, gardener,) 3rd prize for
single ealceolaria, and extra prize for four stove plants.
G. Greenhall, Esq., (Mr. Rose, gardener,) Ist and 2nd
prizes for pine apple.
The Earl of Derby, (Mr. Jennings, gardener,) Ist prize
for bunches of black grapes ; Ist, for bunches of white
ditto.

J. G. Morris, Esq., Ist prize ; W. Haynes, Esq., 2nd ;
Edward Bates, Esq., 3rd, for apples (table.)
H. Harrison, Esq., Ist and 3rd prizes ; John Houghton,
Esq., 2nd, for apples (culinary.)
Edward Bates, Esq., Ist prize for pears.
James Stringer, Esq., Ist prize ; B. H. Jones, Esq.,
(Mr. Oakes, gardener,) 2nd, for strawberries (a dish.)
William Haynes, Esq., Ist prize ; B. H. Jones, Esq.,
2nd, for gooseberries (a dish ;) and Ist, for twelve cut
roses.

William Haynes, Esq., Ist prize, for currants, red,
and 2nd, for asparagus.
The Earl of Derby, Ist prize, for cherries ; and Ist, for
French beans and mushrooms. _

llo:t,tugcaer.dener), 2nd prize for
Mr. D. Harrison Ist for
), Ist for peas
and
nu bliss
u m 2
iibdße r°fsoY;
rd e 1
Fsn tr(eal:nicdr:i 3 Lancer
nafor ;
Mr. James Moss, Ist and 2nd for celery; Mr. Charles
aspitar.aAgullsis.on, Esq. (Mr. Riding, gardener
Rylance, of Lydiate Nursery, let and 2nd for curled pars-
ley, Ist for 24 pansies, and 3rd for hand bouquet ; J. J.
Bibby, Esq., 3rd for curled parsley.
T. Davies and Co., nurserymen, Wavertree, 2nd for
specimen heath, and Ist for specimen greenhouse plant,
mitraria coccinea.

John Campbell, Esq. (Mr. Everett, gardener), Ist for
collection of cut flowers; Mr. W. E. Harrison Ist for 12
pansies, and 2nd and 3rd for 24 pansies.
WAX FLOWERS.—First collection of six specimens,
Miss Newton ; 2nd collection, let, Miss Leatherbarrow ;
2nd, Miss Powell ; extra prize, Miss Powell. A very
beautiful collection of wax flowers was exhibited by Mrs.
Green, the accomplished Liverpool artiste, but not for
competition ; they excited much admiration.

FATHER GAVAZZI, we learn from the Glasgow Citizen,
has been warning the people of America not to sit in their
houses on Sunday drinking whiskey-toddy, as the Scotch
do, but rather to indulge in reasonable recreation.

THE HULL BRIBERY CommisstoN.—The Queen has
appointed Frederick Sully Flood, Esq., John Deedes,
Esq., and William Brett, Esq., to be commissioners for
the purpose of making inquiry into the existence of corrupt
practices at the last election for the borough of Kingston-
upon-Hull. The commissioners were to commence their
duties yesterday.