The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-10-15 00:00:00

MUNICIPAL ELECTION.

LIME-STREET WARD MEETING
The conservative burgesses of this ward assembled in great
numbers on Wednesday night, in the large room of the York
Hotel, for the purpose of electing a fit and proper person to
be put in nomination as a candidate for the representation of
the ward in the Town Council at the next election, on the Ist
November. JAMES ASPINALL, Esq., presided.
The CHAIRMAN opened the proceedings by stating that,
in consequence of the absence of their regular chairman, he
had been requested to preside over them upon that occasion.
lie wished the gentleman had been present, because he
thought it highly requisite that every man should attend to
his own ward, there being plenty of work to be accomplished
prior to the Ist of November. (Hear.) He was sorry, how-
ever, to say that indisposition had prevented him from being
in his usual place, but as he (the chairman) was an old hand
and an old stager at the work, he never shrunk from attend-
ing whenever called upon. (Hear, and cheers.) Since he
last had the honour of addressing them great and important
changes had taken place in the administration of the affairs
of the country. It was in accordance with the voice of the
people that the queen had changed her ministers, and he
sincerely hoped that her majesty's present advisers would do
all in their power to fulfil the expectations of all classes in
the country. He would, however, pass by the subject of the
administration, and come nearer home, because he thought
that they had plenty to do at present without occupying their
time with political affairs. If the country had been misre-
presented had not their town been misrepresented also ?
(Hear.) For the last six years they had had a town council
which had been tried, and he left it to the public to decide
whether they had not been found wanting . (Hear, hear.)
If they would only look at the corporation accounts which
had been just published, they would see what had been doing
by the party at present in power; for they had not only spent
their income, but he spoke within compass when he said that
they had expended of the capital of the town more than
£14,000 per annum. (Cheers.) What had they done with it?
'What had they to show for it? (Hear, hear.) If they were
to continue to go on in such a way. they would very soon be
bankrupts; so that the sooner they changed their town
council the better. (Great cheers.) He felt gratified in
presiding over them that evening, because he had the satis-
faction of presenting to them a friend of his own, who, he
was quite sure, would watch over their interests with care
and attention, and who had been intimately connected with
one of his dearest friends—a man whose health and transcend-
ant talents had been sacrificed for the good of the town.
(Hear, hear.) He felt extreme sorrow that Mr. Foster had
not been spared to them. It had, however, pleased the
Almighty to take away their valued friend from them; but
while they deplored his loss, he hoped that there were many
among them who might in some degree supply his place, and
he was glad that a gentleman would be nominated to stand
as a candidate for that ward, who, if elected, would justify
the warmest expectations of his supporters. (Hear, and
cheers.) He wished to impress upon them the necessity
which existed for exertion, and to inform them that he him-
self was a candidate for another ward—(great cheers)—where
he could state, from experience, their enemies were very
active indeed. In the course of his peregrinations that day
he found the candidate of a neighbouring ward canvassing
from shop to shop in the radical interest. Facts of this kind
should stimulate them to exertion. If they worked properly
the possession of the Town-ball was within their grasp—nay,
more, he thought the power of electing the mayor of Liver-
pool for the ensuing year was also within their grasp.
(Cheers.) The chairman concluded by entreating them once
more to redouble their exertions in the cause, is which case
they would show their adversaries, on the Ist of November.
that they had
" Hearts resolved and hands prepared
The blessings they enjoyed to guard."
Mr. AMBROSE LACE then came forward to move the first
resolution, and he was received with hearty applause. He
said he was very much obliged to them for their kind recep-
tion, and he would detain them from more important busi-
ness only whilst he proposed a candidate for the representa-
tion of the ward at the next municipal election. The chair-
man had opened generally the occasion which had called them
together, and he had alluded in warm but very just terms to
the merits of the gentleman who would be proposed as a can-
didate. (Hear.) The conservatives of the ward had often
met in former days with not quite the same prospects of suc-
cess which he thought they might now reasonably entertain;
but if they did not obtain success at that time, they were not
wanting in courage and perseverance. (Hear.) Their per-
severance, he was happy to say, had resulted in their present
prospects of victory. (Cheers.) When the town-council of
Liverpool was changed, and the inhabitants had the right
given to them of choosing the members of it, it was thought,
and very justly too, that all who paid taxes ought to have a
voice in the selection of those members ; and it was held that
the object should be to choose men for their fitness for the
situation rather than from any other principle. (Hear.) But
what kind of a spirit did the first council shew ? Was there
any thing in it but the most decided partizan feeling? Was
there any consideration of a man's fitness for the situation ?
No. (Cheers.) If he had not been recommended by a junto
which sat at the Angel, he was not permitted to have a seat.
(Hear.) They seemed to think that if a man would not out
up at the Angel lie must be devoid of common sense, and-to-
tally unwilling to attend to such duties as cleansing the
streets, the keeping of a good watch, and the improvement
of the town. (Hear.) What_had beers the consequence?
Why, that they bad disgusted every one. (Hear, hear.) He
had no hesitation in saying, that if the town at large were
polled as it was for the elections of members of parliament,
the decision of the people would be that there was not a man
of the party styling themselves liberal, but which he called
id-liberal, worthy of again going into the council. (Loud
cheers.) There might be particular wards where, from cir-
cumstances, the liberal party might return one member, but
the general sense of the town was against them. (Hear,
hear.) He (Mr. Lace) did not look to what a man's politi-
cal principles might be if he were suited to administer the
local affairs of the town well; and he should have been glad
at the outset of the municipal changes to have seen that prin-
ciple observed ; but when the opposite party had themselves
laid down a rule that no man was to enter the council
chamber except he espoused similar political principles to
their own, how could the conservatives avoid going upon the
same track? (Hear, hear.) It wast therefore, their duty
now to gain the mastery, and shew they had the power to let
in those men whom they considered fit and proper to ad-
minister our affairs. The system now acted upon was the
entire exclusion of their class of principles unless they got
the better. The chairman said they had the Town-hall in
their grasp, and, if they; did not take it now they never would.
That was the fact. In looking for persons to represent them,
they should have a man of competent station and ability, one
who could devote time to his duties, and who, from his
habits of business, would be able to see that the affairs of the
town were well and properly administered. (Hear.) Such
a man they would have in Mr. John Buck Lloyd—(cheers—
one whom he well knew, whose business habits he was ac-
quainted with, and than whom they could not have a better
candidate. (Cheers.) Mr. Lace concluded by moving a re-
olution to this effect, which will be found in our advertising

columns.
Mr. ROBERT RIGBY, in a short speech highly complimen-
tary to Mr. Lloyd, seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously amidst loud cheers.
A deputation consisting of the mover and seconder of the
resolution having introduced Mr. LLOYD, that gentleman
was received with many rounds of applause. He com-
menced by begging to be allowed to return them his grateful
acknowledgments for the marked attention with which they
had been pleased to receive him. He returned thanks to
Mr. Lace and Mr. Rigby for having proposed him. The
Conservative feelings which had been early instilled into him,
and in which he had been brought up from his earliest in-
fancy, were the only recommendations he could have, com-
paratively unknown as he was to the great majority of the
electors. It was gratifying to him to think that for such a
ward as Lime-street, which numbered twelve hundred
constituents, such staunch men as Mr. Rigby and Mr. Kil-
shaw had been returned ; and proud should he be if their
exertions should place him at the head of the poll
at the next municipal election, for then would Lime-
street ward be truly Conservative. With respect to the
local questions which had agitated the town since the pass-
ing of the reform bill, it was unnecessary for him to say a
word. Ile had recorded his vote, and in that vote expressed
his feelings on those questions generally. He felt that the
discussion of the questions which agitated the country at
large was not the province of an individual who aspired
merely to municipal honours ; but he might remark that
their conservative principles were in a position somewhat
similar to that occupied by their troops when on the top
of the pagodas with Canton within their power ; they
should take care that they had no Captain Elliott among
them to check the onward progress of Sir Robert Peel
and the conservative party in February next; and they
should also take care to return to the municipal councils
those men who wonld support his government, not by expres-
sions of liberality, but by corresponding acts. With regard to
any information that he might possess as to their general inte-
rests, he had learned it all in consequence of having been con-
nected for a few years with the late lamented town-clerk.
During that connection he had an opportunity of knowing
something about the affairs of the dock estate. (Hear.)
He had also been intimately connected with the corporation
enquiry which lasted so many days, and terminated to the
great honour of those who had managed the affairs of the
corporate estate. If they should do him the honour of re-
turning him at the approaching contest, he could assure
them that he would use his utmost exertions to promote the
interests of the town. (Hear, hear.) He thought these were
times when all persons were called upon to sacrifice some
portion of their time to promote the public interest. (Hear.)
It was much to be regretted, that the ward could not have
the valuable services of Mr. Ambrose Lace. (Hear, hear.)
Before he (Mr. Lloyd) consented to be put in nomination,
he enquired where Mr. Lace was, because he was fully
aware that no ordinary impediment would prevent that gentle-
man from coming forward. (Hear, hear. hear.) He was
grieved that domestic affliction, and the great age of his
worthy and respected father, the mantle of whose talent and
integrity had fallen upon his son, should be the cause of Mr.
Lace withdrawing from the ward at this moment. He
trusted, however, it would not be long before he might be
persuaded to take upon himself some portion of the arrange-
ment of affairs in this town, capable as he was from his
capacity for business, and his knowledge of its general
interests. (Cheers.) He (Mr. Lloyd) again returned the
meeting his sincere thanks for their reception of him, and he
had only to repeat that if they should do him the honour to
return him, no exertion should be wanting on his part to
promote the welfare of the ward, and of the town in
general. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. KusnAw moved the appointment of a committee to
conduct the election on the part of Mr. Lloyd.
Mr. GEORGE RIDING seconded the motion ; and it was
unanimously carried.
M. IsitAc HOLMES and Mr. PARKER next addressed the
meeting impressing upon the conservative burgesses the ne-
cessity for exertion in the ensuing election.
Mr. JAMES TATLOCK then moved a vote of thanks to Mr.
Aspinall for his conduct in the chair, and it was carried
amidst enthusiastic cheers.
Mr. ASPINALL thanked the burgesses for the honour done
to him He must again impress upon them, that it was im-
possible to win any ward without strenuous exertion.
The meeting then separated, having first given three cheers
in honour of Mr. Lloyd.