The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-06-29 00:00:00

jlorti) Ranrasbirt elution.

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE NORTHERN DIVI-
SION OF THE COUNTY PALATINE OF LAN-
CASTER.
GENTLEMEN, •
IHE House of Commons having on se -al occasions
indicated, and at length formally de• red, its want df
confidence in her Majesty's Ministers, t• .y have thought fit
to advise the Crown to appeal to the • • • ntry against this de-
cision. by dissolving the present Par < • ment. You are there.-
fore called upon to exercise your constitutional functions
under circumstances of peculiar interest; you are called upon,
virtually, to decide in whose hands the Administration of this
great Empire shall he placed, and on what principles its Go-
vernment shall be conducted.
In soliciting a renewal of the trust which you have already
placed in my hands on four several occasions, it is unneces-
sary for me to enter into a detailed explanation of my views.
I have now had the honor of a Seat in Parliament for nine-
teen years ; for the last nine of them as your Representative ;
and although in that long period my personal position and
secoinonues:;tioonmsy,feirfu !gouf undoechoale ut
nigeewhiidche:i-as bnloet change,
recone
the steady support of the same principles. I amleabe with
I have ever been a friend to Civil and Religious Liberty ;
I cordially supported the removal of political disabilities on
the ground of religious opinions, whether of the Roman
Catholic or of Protestant Dissenters ; but I never consi-
dered that the principles of Religious Liberty were incon-
sistent with the maintenance, by the State, of the National
Religion ; nor that the removal of invidious distinctions, and
a perfect equality of Civil Rights, were incompatible with a
firm determination to support, uphold, and strengthen the
National Establishment as an integral and most valuable
part of the British Constitution.

Again, I was of opinion, prior to 1830, that the lapse of
time had, produced abuses in our representative system,
which required to be corrected ; and I warmly supported the
measure of Earl Grey, which aimed at substituting a real,
for a nominal representation of the People in the House of
Commons ; but I looked upon that measure rather as a pro-
tection against, than an introduction to, perpetual change ;
and I am prepared to resist endeavours rashly to break in
upon a settlement so recently made, by alterations of a mare
democratic tendency.
I avowed to you in 1837 that I had no confidence in the
present Administration; and I cannot say that their subse-
quent measures have had the effect of creating that sentiment
in my mind:- cannot entertain confidence in a Government,
which I sec gradlially repelling its more moderate Supporters,
and supplying their places with Men of extreme opinions;
denouncing, as most mischievous, such measures as the
Ballot, and extension of Suffrage, and then admitting sup-
porters of these measures into the Cabinet', under the con-
venient, but not very creditable plea of open questions;
causing, by mismanagement, a large deficiency with an in-
creasing Revenue, and then seeking to make good the defi-
ciency by measures superficially considered, and hastily
adopted, involving the most important National interests ;
least of all can I entertain confidence in a Government,
which, as a last resource to recover lost popularity, brings
forward such a question as the Corn-Laws, with a distinct
avowal that they have no expectation of being able to carry
it.
I am not prepared to deny that our Commercial Tariff may
require careful revision and reconstitic:ion ; I do not claim
for the existing Ctirn-Laws, any more than for any other
laws, exemption from legislative reconsideration, and amend-
ment; but I deprecate the agitation of a subject of such ex-
treme delicacy, except by a Government which should well
have considered not only the soundness of the amendments
it proposed, but its ability to give effect to its own intentions.
I consider the degree of protection proposed by the present
scheme inadequate in amount; and I am strongly of opinion
that the principle of a fluctuating scale is more advantageous
to the. Country at large, than that of a fixed duty, and better
calculated to afford due protection under varying circum-
stances, to that Agricultural Class, whose interests I will not
abandon, believing their prosperity to be interwoven with,
and essential to, the very existence of the Empire.
Should there be any points on which you desire explana-
tion, I shall feel it a pleasure, as well as a duty, to state to
you uny views with entire unreserve on the day of nomination
at Lancaster, where I earnestly request the favour of your
attendance; and gratefully thanking you for the confidence
you have hitherto reposed in me, of which I respectfully so-
licit the renewal, _ _

I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obliged and faithful servant,
STANLEY.

St. James's-square, 23d June, 1841.

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE NORTHERN DIVI-
SION OF THE COUNTY PALATINE OF LAN-
CASTER.
GENTLEMEN,
HER Majesty having this day been pleased to declare her
intention of Dissolving the present Parliament, I take
an early opportunity of announcing myself as a Candidate
for the representation of the Northern Division of Lanca-
shire in the Parliament which is about to be assembled.
On this, the sixth time of my appearing before you under
similar circumstances, it is unnecessary for me to reiterate
my often-expressed opinions on many of the more important
questions to which public attention has been mainly directed
during the period in which I have had the honour of being
your representative. Your own observation will enable you
to judge whether I have pursued a course in regard to all or
any of them, in accordance with your own opinions, and
conducive to the general welfare.
The causes, however, which have more immediately led to
the present Dissolution of Parliament require from me a few
remarks.
I have often stated to you my belief that her Majestyc
present Ministers were from various reasons incajAtle of
carrying on the Government of this great Coupt-, to the
public advantage.
Since the commencement of the presentrParliament not
only has this opinion gained ground in tl)e House of Com-
mons, but, if one may form a judgmhe from the various
Elections in the course of the lasttfew years, the same
opinion appears to prevail amongst the Elective Body gene-
rally.
The unsatisfactory state of public affairs, and more especi-
ally the deplorable condition of our Finances, at a time
when several years of increasing revenue would naturally
lead to the expectation of a far different state of things, have
at length drawn from the House of Commons a declaration
that her Majesty's Ministers no longer possess its confi-
dence.

It is for you, Gentlemen, to determine whether you will
ratify this decision of your Representatives, or countenance
the (in my opinion) impolitic step to which the Govern-
ment in their extremity, and not until then, have had re-
course, as a last chance of regaining some little of that public
confidence which by their general conduct they had for-
feited.

I deeply lament and deprecate their attempt under the
present.circumstances of the country, to cause dissension
between its two most important interests; but without fur-
ther remark on this point, I proceed, as it is my duty to you
to do, to state my opinions upon the three principal measures
which they have proposed—
First, then, I consider the proposed alteration in the Sugar
duties to be at least premature, and I cannot consent to par-
ticipate in the awful responsibility which it involves.
Numerous arguments might be adduced, some of them
made use of in a recent session by her Majesty's Ministers
themselves, to prove that such an alteration must be accom-
panied by a frightful sacrifice of human life, and the utter
destruction of all those hopes of the abolition of Slavery
which this Country has so long and so earnestly entertained,
and for the accomplishment of which it has made such noble
and costly sacrifices.
With regard to the duties on Timber (the proposed altera-
tion being an increased duty on that grown in our Colonies,
and a decrease of that paid on Foreign Timber,) I am far
from saying that some alteration may not be advantageously
made, but looking to the present very critical position of the
important Colony likely to be most effected by the altera-
tion, I hesitate to express an opinion, till I am furnished
with more information as to its probable effect than her Ma-
jesty's Ministers have yet thought proper to produce.
The third measure proposed is a change from a fluctuating
to a fixed duty on Corn. In a matter of such essential in-
terest to every individual in this country, I have given more
than ordinary attention to all the arguments brought forward
in support of both propositions, and after the fullest consi.-
deration, and a careful comparison of their respective merits
and disadvantages, especially as they affect the poorer classes
of the Community, I am still in favour of a fluctuating scale.
I believe that the present system, if properly regulated,
and with some alteration of the existing rates, will give fair
and reasonable encouragement to native agriculture without
that oppression to the manufacturing population in times of
scarcity, which is inseparable from the system of a fixed
duty.
I will now only add that my opinions on the general Com-
mercial Policy of the Country remain unchanged ; I consider
a liberal system of Commerce essential to its welfare; and
with a view to the due development of our national resources,
I advocate the removal of all restrictions which are not ne-
cessary for the purposes of revenue or for a fair and reasona-
ble encouragement of national enterprise ; at the same time
I am fully persuaded that this system can only be properly
carried out by a Government which enjoys. the confidence of
the country, and is strong enough in public opinion to induce
a belief that its measures are fully and maturely considered
in all their bearings, and not brought forward as mere tem-
porary party expedients.
Deeply sensible of the honour which you have so often
conferred upon me, and soliciting the renewal of your confi-
dence at the ensuing Election.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient humble Servant,
J. WILSON PATTEN.

London, June 22. 1841.

&mitt) ebtOirt (elation.

TO THE GENTRY, CLERGY, AND ELECTORS OF
THE SOUTHERN DIVISION OF THE COUNTY
OF CHESTER.
GENTLEMEN,
HAVING been honoured by a renewal er your desire that
I should again stand forward as a' Candidate for the
distinction of representing you in :f
t;irlient, I should deem
myself unworthy of this reiterate ark of your kindness
did I suffer private feelings and pi ections to obstruct for
one moment the course of public 4rty thus intimated to me
in so flattering a manner. I therefore cheerfully submit to
your wishes.
Her Majesty's ministers being about to appeal to the
country on the subject of the Corn-laws, I feel it due to you,
openly and explicitly, to declare my opinions on that im-
portant topic.
I consider the paramount objects sought for in the main
tenance of a Corn-law to be these—to encourage the home
growth of corn by affording adequate protection to the Bri
fish farmer ; and, at the same time, to provide that the h'ome.
consumer shall not be liable to extravagant prices in seasons
d that these ends have been fully attained by the
the sliding scale now in operation, I cannot but
alarm the attempt about tobe made by the govern-
vpoirfein oc scarcity.ip,viltiehn of e
Convince
with
govern-
ment of this country to substitute a fixed duty for the pre-
sent plan ; the results of which must be, that in average
seasons the home grower will not be able
vo compete with