The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-12-13 00:00:00

situation. They then wanted a treasurer, and, of course, Mr.
Case, a tory, would not do : although there was no imputation
against him he must make room for Mr. J. Wybergli, who had
been chairman of the radical association. But the treasurer must
have a clerk, and they had picked out a gentleman named Mr.
Alexander Neilson. It was rumoured in the town, that he had
not been put into this office fOr any peculiar fitness, but because
he had been a very active canvasser. He mentioned this there
to give him an opportunity of contradicting him. Then a very
worthy man of the name of Ro.coe wanted a situation, and
they turned out the old sergeant at mace, ostensibly, because
he could not find securities, in order to make way for him. The
same principle had guided them in the appointment of magis-
trates, without embodying one single conservative. Those very
men who so loudly had cried out against the tories for electing
only tories when they were in office. They had received a
sharp rebuke, however, from the Secretary of State, although
a whig, for he -had appointed five tories amongst the num-
ber. They had been actuated by the same principle in the
election of the dock committee. They had refused to elect
men well qualified to represent the interests of the town in
the dock estate becase they were tories. He would adduce Mr.
Bibby for instance, whom they had refused. They had shown
their liberality by appointing Whigs and radicals to every place
of importance. They had then appointed Mr. Harvey as soli-
citor to the dock estate; and many had voted against Mr. North
for party purposes, who on former occasions had voted for him.
When a new head had been wanted for the police force, they
had turned out Mr. Parlour, who, as a tory, of course, would
not do. and had promoted Mr. Whitty—(" a clever man too.")
Ho was happy to hear them give honour where honour was due.
He believed Mr. Whitty to be a clever man, and it was very
currently reported that the speech which was delivered in the
council-room by Mr. Walmsley, and called his speech, was
written by Mr. Whitty. (Cheers, and loud cries .of " True,
true.") He was happy they had so clever a head to the
police force. On looking at the joints of the police tail they
found " metal less attractive." They found a Lyons—(loud
cheers)— a man who came from Ireland, without friends,
and was appointed, under the Reform Association, as canvasser,
at 255. per week, and he then was appointed on the police force.
This showed also another thing, that the Reform Association,
with all their boast, employed paid clerks to do their work—a
circumstance which he was not aware a single Conservative
ward did. He had heard that day, that notwithstanding the
recent disgraceful disclosures with regard to Lyons, that he had
been reappointed on the police force. (Loud cries of " True.")
Had there ever been such a disgraceful occurrence. (Loud
cries of " Shame.") He trusted that they would show that there
were eleven or twelve hundred men in Liverpool who looked
with a jealous eye upon the proceedings of the Council. He
concluded with proposing the next resolution.

"That the Town Council by appointing only political parti-
zans to public situations, have evinced an utter disregard of
impartiality, and pursued that course which they formerly con-
demned in the old Council."

Mr. ItICHARD PATTISSON said, it was with no ordinary satis-
faction that he-rose, for the first time, to address the assembled
tradesmen of Liverpool, and especially did he congratulate them
on that wise act of policy which had presented such an imposing
front in opposition to the enactments of their local legislature.
He was not going to indulge them, like their friend of the Chro-
nicle, with a selection from /Esop's fables. They. had compared
Mr. James Heyworth to the frog who, in attempting to rival the
size. of the ox, had destroyed himself. He was willing to award
to Mr. Evans the instructive properties of the ox; but as the
comparison was instituted between their respective proportions,
he could not yield to Mr. Evans such an advantage over Mr.
Heyworth. Nor would the meeting readily believe that, if Mr.
Heyworth was in size but a frog, Mr. Evans was an ox. He
was not going to amuse them, like the Albion of that day, with a
descriptive account of a "Spanish Bull-fight," nor the adven-
tures of a "Donkey Driver;" for although this might please the
fancy, it would assuredly fail to influence the judgment. But
as their opponents had indulged in fable, he might select one
which was more immediately applicable. Most of them would
remember the fable where the servants conspired against the
life of the cock, because it gave intimation of the approach of
day by its crowing, and which now regulated their hours of
sleeping, fancying that when the cock was dead their slothful-
ness could ncit be discovered. (Cheers and laughter.) In
seconding the resolution which he held in his hand, he might,
with the permission of the meeting, avail himself of the privi-
leges which, as a member of that society, he possessed of com-
menting upon the circumstances which had brought them to-
gether. He disclaimed on his own part, and on the part of the
members of that association, that any purely factious Motives had
influenced them in their opposition to the enactments of the Town
Council. If they censured them, it was because they deemed them
deserving of reproof—if they arrayed themselves against their
policy, it was because they conceived their measures injurious
to socieiy,•and fatal to the happiness of the country--if they op-
posed their measures it was because they had forfeited all claim
to the respect of their fellow-townsmen, by selecting men to oc-
cupy situations of trust, who possessed no other qualification but
the strength of their lungs and the recklessness of their prin-
ciple. (Cheers.) He was exceedingly flattered by the reception
which the tradesmen of Liverpool had given him. The resolution
with which he had been entrusted was of such a nature that it
rendered it imperative on his part, as an honest man, that the
meeting should be put in possession of sufficient evidence, be-
fore the motion was submitted to their approval. It was of a
two fold character—it charged them with partiality and with in-
consistency. The former part of the charge had been substan-
tiated by the speaker who had preceded him, who had supplied
the detail of the various appointments, and he bad left but that
part which affected their moral character, in violating those
professions which they had uniformly made previous to their
accession to office. There was one circumstance especially to
which he would allude, and one which he was persuaded would
be taken advantage of by their opponents—he referred to the
wording of the resolution. It was stated that they had' only
appointed to offices of trust and honour men who entertained
the same political opinion with themselves. He wee pre-
pared to justify that phraseology, inasmuch, as .it was
uniformly adopted by their opponents. The act of the majority
was always considered as the act of the whole and as such
recognized. They would recollect that at the meeting on
Wednesday last, Mr. Egerton Smith complained that any
charge of partiality should be preferred against them, since they
had appointed Messrs. O'Kitl, Ellice, and Shuttleworth, to
situations under the Corporation. Now this was very well as
far as it went, but they would bear in mind that the Whigs al-
ways asserted they had the voice .of the country with teem he-
cause they possessed a numerical superiority,—that is, they
possessed the suffrages of the people. Now, perhaps, there was
no word of such an extensive, and at the same time of such a
destructive meaning. They asked, who are the People? Were they
the landed proprietors? "No!" Were they the residents in
our seats of learning? ." No!" Were they our industrious
mechanics or our plodding artisans? "No !" If they asked
them who are the people,—what answer did they receive?—
None whatever. They were obliged to put the question and
find the answer. The people were that incongruous mass who
professing no principle in common,—bound together by no com-
mon tie,—held by no common interest,—but who were associ-
ated to further the interest of some licentious demagogue, and
to advance a line of policy of which they knew nothing and
cared as little. ( Loud cheers.) Allusion has been made to
the private meetings held at the Angel Inn, to pre-arrange and
select men who were after Wards approved by them in the Coun-
cil, and this conduct they were told was honourable and straight
forward and in accordance with their enlightened policy. He
would ask, what was to be understood by the display of jesuiti-
cal artifice and sophistry, which was practiced in the Council.
Either that they relied upon the ignorance or credulity of their-
constituents or confided in the violence of their partizanship. But
he would ask, did not such conduct prove that the obligations
of morality were relaxed in exact proportion with the advance
of liberality of political opinion—that moral delinquency and
political partisanship were closely identified. And no other
reason could be given for their secret meetings at the Angel
than that they shrank from any investigation of their conduct.
And it was because Mr. James Heyworth had acted the part of
an honest man, and had exposed their wicked designs, that they
had become infuriated, and held him up to the scorn and con-
tempt of his feilow-men The circumstances under which they
they met together were of the most pleasing character. They
were associated together for the defence of their principles, and
it was their duty to support those men who came forward boldly
as the champion of those principles they professed. (Cheers.)
And they tendered to Mr. James Heyworth their need of praise,
because he had had the manliness to oppose the policy of
their opponents, and expose the mischievous character of their
designs. Their opponents had shown their inconsistency in
supporting an officer from the borough fund, a principle which
they opposed when out of place; and although they had in one
or two instances appointed men of conservative principles to
situations under the corporation, it was because they could not
find men connected with their own party to occupy those situa-
tions. (Cheers.) That meeting was of public importance; the
influence of that association had been felt throughout the town,
and its influence would have a direct bearing upon the local le-
gislation. In seconding the resolution which had been so ably
moved by Mr. Smith, he had only to suggest that, as sufficient
evidence had been afforded to justify the approval of the meet-
ing, he hoped that every man interested in the prosperity and
happiness of the town of Liverpool would,not fail to give the
resolution his support. (Loud cheering.)
• The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, which was carried
unanimously amidst loud cheering.
Mr. T. M. GLAnsToNE then rose and was received with
cheers. He said the warm and enthusiastic manner in which
they had received his name emboldened him to offer his sentiments
on. the subject of the meeting. „, He did not doubt but that be
should receive their attention. He moved' the next resolution
with all sincerity, and he hoped that it would strengthen the
bruads of the conservatives and show the feeling which actuated
the town. They need not be surprised at the proceedings in the
council on last Wednesday, when they considered the consti-
tuent parts of which it was made up. The-people had been im-
posed upon in the men who had been returned. Ott that
occasion there was seen " patience on a monument smiling at
grief" in the person of our worthy chief magistrate. There was
a noble air in the bearing of Mr. Heyworth, standing at bay as
he did at the odds of six to one, having for his support the
foundation of truth and equity. He bore out the quotation, that
" Twice is he armed that hath his quarrel just,"

and stood nobly in defence of the .constittition of our country.
(Cheers.) His reply to Mr. 14:vans's vituperation, that he had
a moral principle and religious sentiment to do that which was
right, showed the man. He was bold enough to say he feared
God and honoured the king, and would not be placed before the
council in the light Mr. Evans chose. He concluded with
proposing the next resolution :
"That the conduct of the majority of the Town Council on
Wednesday last, was most inquisitorial and tyrannical towards •
James Heyworth, Esq., and utterly at variance with their for-
mer professions." •
The resolution was received with loud cheering.
Ma. Li.ovo, in seconding the resolution, said, Our radical
town, councillors strongly remind me of a bed of nettles.
(Laughter.) You are alt aware, gentlemen, that the nettle is a
I most nauseous and contemptible weed, which, if timorously
handled, produces a most unpleasant sensation, but which, if
vigorously grasped, is as harmless as a cabbage leaf. (Laugh-
ter.) Precisely such is a radical town councillor. Handle him
with a timid delicacy, and he will sting you to the quick; but
seize upon him with energy and determination, and he shrinks
under your gripe incapable of inflicting the slightest wound.
(Cheers.) That this comparison lc by no means far-fetched o
r
exaggerated we have abundant proof in the proceedings which
have led to this meeting. Hitherto the servile majorit have
y
met with but few checks on their reckless and dangerous course.
The opposition to them has been necessarily feebliteiona and in-
efficient. But since the accessioh of so many addl con-
servatives to the minority matters have taken a different turn.
(Cheers.) Mr. Heyworth, in particular, has fearlessly trampled
upon our corporation nettle-bed. (Cheers.)- He has grasped the
most towering of these despicable weeds with the hand
Melded a giant, and they have elded to the pressure, and left
him untouched by the poison of their stingg. ( Cheers. )
But, leaving metaphor aside, let us take a more serious view
of the scandalous and tyrannical proceedings of Wednesday
last. lam not sorrv—however disgra&ful to the town of Li-
, verpool such proceedings must be considered, and whatever de-
gree of disgust they are calculated to excite—l am not sorry
that the ludicrous Gree- of Wednesday has been enacted. In-
deed I am glad that it has been iierformed, although it must be
a cause of de.l4 regret that such a rerputable gentleman as
Mr. James' Heyworth has been an involuntary actor in these
truly lausLable scenes. Why should we be glad that they
have been gone through ? Because they have served to
e•virme the iurtate despotism of the radicals—(cheers)—because