The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-10-02 00:00:00

CONTEMPORARY PRESS

THOMAS MILNER GIBSON AND THE LIBE-
RALS OF MANCHESTER.

(From the Morning Herald.)

Mr. Thomas Milner Gibson has been soliciting the
suffrages of the " liberals" (some of them voteless, we
suspect) of Manchester, in the event of the retirement
of Mr. Greig from the House of Commons. Mr.
Gibson is a restless, fussy personage, who would fain
occupy a prominent place in the political world. He
left the standard of Sir Robert Peel, because the right
honourable baronet did not exhibit any disposition to
make the member (as he was at that time) for Ipswich,
his " Lieutenant," or his " Ancient." Mr. Gibson's
expulsion from Parliament followed; and then his ob-
jection by Ipswich and by Cambridge. It is now
doubtful whether he will succeed even with the " li-
berals" of Manchester. He would seem to be scarcely
"whole hoggish" enough for them. They, accordingly,
after the recent cross-examination to which lie submit-
ted, moved as an " amendment" on a motion for a
vote of thanks, the following proposition :—" That the
meeting deferred expressing any opinion as to the fit-
ness, or otherwise, of Mr. Gibson, until he had more
fully explained his political sentiments."
Poor Mr. Gibson ! We fear that many constituen-
cies, besides the constituency of Manchester, will yet
" defer expressing an opinion in favour of his fitness,"
to sit in Parliament ! Yet Mr. Gibson is not a scru-
pulous person either. He is only unfortunate, we sup-
pose—the " unlucky Joe" of the world of politics !
We can scarcely, indeed, understand why the " libe-
rals" of Manchester should boggle at accepting his prof-
fered services—for it appears that he is willing (after
due pressing) to swallow any pledges that may be pro-
posed to him. The following report of the cross exa-
mination to which he was subjected proves that his
powers of deglutition are (to say the least) of a re-
spectable order :
" Mr. Thomas Gasquine wished to know to what ex-
tent Mr. Gibson would favour the extension of the

suffrage ?

" Mr. Gibson said he should decline pledging him-
self to any definite extension of the suffrage • particu-
larly whilst the representation was so unfairly and so
unequally divided as at present.
" Mr. Gasquoine next asked if Mr. Gibson was in

favour of shbitening the duration of Parliaments ?
"Mr. Gibson said he thought seven years too long,
and one too short. His opinion inclined to a nominal
four years' but virtual three years' duration.

" Mr. Gasquoine asked if lie would vote for the abo-
lition of church rates ?

" Mr. Gibson thought, after the principles and opi-
nions he had expressed, there could be but little doubt
that he would vote for the abolition of church-rates.

" Mr. Gasquoine asked, if a bill were brought into
the House of Commons for the total and immediate
repeal of the corn laws, whether he would support it,
even though opposed by ministers ?
" Mr. Gibson said that the mode would not be bring-
ing in a bill, but by moving for a committee. He
should certainly vote for going into committee; and if
a resolution were proposed in committee that the corn
laws ought to be repealed with every possible speed, he
should vote for it.

" Mr. Gasquoine asked if he would vote for the re-
duction of the civil-list expenditure and of the army ?
" Mr. Gibson said he did not like pledges, because
he could not forsee consequences ; but if his conduct
did not meet the approval of the electors of Manches-
ter, were he elected their representative, he should take
the same course as at Ipswich, and speedily resign his
trust.

" Mr. Prentice would ask if Mr. Gibson, as the re-
presentative of the largest commercial and manufac-
turing community of the kingdom, would take a pro-
per station as a leader upon the corn laws in the House
of Commons ; and, if nobody else did, bring in a bill
for the total and immediate repeal of those laws ?

" Mr. Gibson again explained, that the course would
not be by bill, but by committee; and if Mr. Villiers,
who was the proper man to do it, did not, he (Mr.
Gibson) would move a resolution in committee for the
repeal of the corn laws with the least possible delay.
" Mr. Prentice asked if he would bring in a bill to
extend the right of voting to inhabitant householders ?
" Mr. Gibson said, without an equality of represen-
tation throughout the country, he should decline to
bring in such a bill; viewing such a measure as at-
tended with great danger, by placing political power in
the hands of a dependent class, at the mercy of the
wealthy.

" Mr. Prentice next asked if Mr. Gibson would
bring in a bill for the re-distribution of seats, the vote
by ballot, and household suffrage

Mr. Gibson repeated he should decline to pledge
himself to any definite extension of the suffrage, or to
any particular course or proposal that might prevent
his own discretion.

" Mr. Prentice asked if he would vote for the ex-
clusio❑ of the bishops from the House of Lords ?

" Mr. Gibson was inclined to think that he should
rote for such a proposition." _ _ _

The squeamishness indicated by this coy response is
scarcely worth a " liberal" and a " philosopher" of
the stamp of Mr. Thomas Milner Gibson. Pity it
wore, should such excess of delicacy cost him his elec-
tion I " Exclude the bishops front the House of
Lords !" "Why, of course, Mr. Milner Gibson would
rote for that proposition—as he would vote for the ex-
clusion of all the members of the peerage from the
upper house, providing such a vote might introduce
Thomas Milner Gibson into the lower ! The corn
laws, too !—of course Mr. Gibson will vote (when he
shall have the opportunity) for a repeal of the corn
laws. He is too good a " liberal" not to desire the
subversion of native industry :—he may, perhaps, owe
a slight grudge, moreover, to the independent farmers
who threw him out of the representation of Ipswich,
and prevented him from being returned for the town
of Cambridge ! Let us hope, therefore, that Mr. Mil-
ner Gibson and the " liberals" of Manchester may yet
understand each other's merits. They are assuredly
well fitted to be mutually useful!

RECEIVING LETTERS FOR STEAMERS

The following is the copy of a letter recently received by
the agent, at Portsmouth, of the British Queen steam-vessel,
from the Solicitor to the Postottice :
" SlR,,—Her Majesty's Postmaster-General has received
information, that large numbers of letters, intended for per-
sons residing in America, are constantly forwarded to and
collected by you, at Portsmouth, as agent of the British
Queen steamer, for the purpose of being despatched by that
vessel to New Vork. I have to inform you, that the Acts of
Ist Vic., c. 33, and Ist Vic., c. 36, expressly forbid, under
heavy penalties, the collection of letters for the purpose of
being sent otherwise than by the post.
" Many of such letters are, probably, forwarded, by per-
sons of whom you have no knowledge, for the purpose of
evading the ship-letter rates of postage; and, to put a stop
to a practice so injurious to the Revenue, I would suggest,
that such letters be sent by you to the Postoflice, in order
that the parties may be called on to pay the postage.-1 am,
Sir, your obedient servant, _

".M. B. PEACOCK, Solicitor.
" To..the Agent of the British Queen steamer, Ports-

month."

The British Queen, steam-vessel, belongs to the British
and American Steam Navigation Company, and conveys pas-
sengers, goods, and letters to and from New York.
The port of departure is London. She anchors off Black-
wall, in the River Thames, and takes in her passengers both
in the river and also off Southampton, from whence she fi-
nally starts.

The President, stearn-ship, belonging to the same com-

pany, starts from Liverpool, Which is her port of departure.
The company have an office in London; and, in this of-
fice, a bag is suspended for the receipt of letters addressed to
New 'Y'ork or any part of the United States. This bag is
put on board the British Queen vessel in the river.
The company's agent at Southampton, in like manner, re-
ceives letters delivered to him there, and sends them on board
the vessel when she arrives at Southampton.
A bag is also suspended in the company's office in Liver-
pool, for the receipt of letters to be despatched by the Pre-
sident.

By the act lit Vic., c. 33, a. 2, " Letters sent out of the
United Kingdom by a private vessel (not being a packet-
boat*) are exempted from the exclusive privileges of the
Post-office." Then follows this clause : " But nothing
herein contained shall authorise any person to make a col-
lection of such expected letters, for the purpose of sending
them in the manner hereby authorised." By this act, there-
fore, it appears, that letters may be legally sent and de-
spatched by the British Queen to New York or any part of
the United States; and it would also appear, that letters
may be "received" for the British Queen ; and, althpugh
the act does not " authorise" the " collection" of such
letters, yet it does not contain any words of prohibition or
any penalty for collecting.
By the Ist Vic., c. 36, a. 2, it was enacted, " That every
person who shall convey, otherwise than by the post, a letter
not exempted from the exclusive privilege of the Postmaster-
General, shall, for every letter, forfeit five pounds ; and every
person who shall be in the practice of so conveying letters,
not .0 exempted, shall, for every week during which the prac-
tice shall be continued, forfeit one hundred pounds. And
every person who shall perform, otherwise than by the post,
any services incidental to conveying letters from place to
place, whether by receiving, or by taking up, or by collect-
ing, or by ordering, or by despatching, or by carrying, or by
re-carrying, or by delivering a letter, not exempted from the
exclusive privilege of the Postmaster-General, shall forfeit,
for every letter, five pounds, and for every week of conti-
ailing the practice, one. hundred pounds."
This clause expressly prohibits both the receipt and collec-
tion of letters not exempted; the first expression being in its
nature passive, and the other active.
Then follows, in the same section, " And every person who
shall make a collection of exempted letters for the purpose of
conveying or sending them otherwise than by the post, or by
the post, shall forfeit for every letter .£5, and for every week's
continuance of the practice £100."
It is obvious that this part of the enactment is expressly
directed against the practice to which we have above adverted,
and the question is, whether the words are sufficient for the
purpose.

Bl
the 2d and 3d Victoria, c. 52, s. 10, a penalty is imposed
on every master, outward bound, who shall refuse to take a
post letter-bag, tendered to him by an officer of the Postoffice.
The word " collect" is defined by Dr. Johnson, " to gather
together," and the word " collection" is defined, " the act of
gathering together."
The directors of this company do not commit any act with-
in these strict dcfinitions—they arc simply the receivers of
the letters brought to their office, and the legislature, as al-
ready pointed out, have used the expressions " receipt " and
" collection as denoting different operations.
The acts of parliament referred to are sent herewith.
Your opinion is requested, whether the directors or agents
of the company can, in an office at the ship's port of depar-
ture, or on board the ship, legally receive letters brought to
them in the office, or delivered to the captain on board the
ship, for conveyance to the United
legallyt ited
tSatkaetepsa,
y‘vmi tehnotuftoarntyh
eaccta
car-
of
rcioalgl collection onfosu such letterstheir
part
from, the parties
abl
penalties
imposedgin gthen 11;)
yotrhwe whe-
ther
Vie., c 36. t by so doing, they incur the Pen
* A packet-boat is a boat employed by the Post-office.