The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-05 00:00:00

Mr. COGLAN.—For his own part he thought the mole-hill
had been magnified into a mountain, in which a good deal of
bile about the desecration of the sabbath had been inter-
mixed. He only wondered that a single house had been left
in Christian-street, and yet he had not heard of a house there
that had lost a single brick. An attack had been made on
Mr. Whitty that he unjustly deserved, because if that gen-
tleman felt that a wrong was being committed, he (Mr. C.)
was sure he would have interfered. If, however, the coun-
cil should be of opinion that an investigation ought to take
place, he hoped it would be conducted in a fair spirit.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. SANDS said there was a right and a wrong in every-
thing. The question in the present instance was to this ef-
fect :—Was the meeting at the theatre a right one? He
quite agreed in the propriety of Mr. Birkett bringing the
subject before the council, and he thought it would he just as
correct in him to accuse Sir Joshua Walmsley of having cer-
tain intentions in view in bringing forward any motions he
pleased, as for him to accuse the conservative party of being
desirous for a display in introducing the present motion.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. CASE quite agreed with Mr. Sands that there was a
right and a wrong in everything, and he approved of the mo-
tion for inquiry ; but he thought it would be found, in point
of fact, that the inquiry was at present going on, for he had
just heard, from a member of the Watch Committee, that
Mr. Whitty bad Made a report.
The MAYort.-:-That he is instructed to make it.

Mr. CASE.—No ; but that he has actually made it,
although it has not come before the daily or weekly eom-
tnittee. I think, therefore, that the gentlemen who moved
and seconded the present resolution might be satisfied that
they have done good in bringing the circumstance forward,
and that the object they have in view is in course of being
obtained.

Mr. H. LAWRENCE had no objection to adopt Mr.
Case's view of the snbject, provided Sir Joshua Walmsley
wouldate distinctly that the committee had given direc-
tions t(Th/r. Whitty to make the report.

The MAYOR said he understood Mr. Case to say that a
member of the Watch Committee had told him that Mr.
Whitty had the report in readiness.

Mr. CASE obser'ved that Mr. Freme was the authority upon
which he made the statement.

Mr. FREME said he understood from Mr. Whitty that In-
spector Murphy had given him a report. but be (Mr. F.) be-
lieved that that report had not as yet been presented.
Mr. TOULMIN asked whether any instructions had been
given by the committee, as a body, to Mr. Whitty to prepare
a report ?

Sir J. WALMSLEY could only say, in reply, what be bad
already said before, that nothing had been put on the books,
but that, as chairman of the committee, he had given instruc-
tions to Mr. Whitty to report to the daily board, that it might
subsequently come before the general committee, and it was
his (Sir J.'s) impression that such instructions were given
before the meeting broke up.
Mr. BUSHELL denied that any such instructions were given
before the breaking up of the committee, for he had remained
to the close and heard nothing of I he kind, so that Mr. Birkett
was fully justified in bringiing forward the present motion.
Mr. PRPCTOR, as a member of the committee, would say,
that he alSo remained to the end of the meeting, and that he
had not heard any instructions given to Mr. Whitty, but he
heard Mr. Whitty confess that he thought it would have
been better if he had reported the circumstance to the com-
mittee. . .

Mr. THoi:4HILL said he had seen Inspector Murphy's
report, and that, when it came before the meeting on Satur-
day next, it would show that one hundred people were not
present at the theatre, and that the proceeding of the meeting
had not occupied more than a quarter of an hour. In fact,
the reason that Inspector Murphy did not report it was, be-
cause he thought it so trivial.

Mr. ISAAC''HOLMES thought it proper to state that an in-
dividual who was present told him that the doors were not
opened until five o'clock ; that fifteen hundred persons were
present, and that the green flags were flying in the theatre.
(Hear, hear.)
The TOWN-CLERK felt it his duty to state, that if the
metting took place, whether the meeting was during, or be-
fore, or after divine service, Mr. Whitty had a duty to per-
form, and that duty was, to report it to the chief magistrate
of the town. (Hear, hear.) He felt, however, that he ought
to accompany this remark with the following observation,
namely, that he had never known the slightest failure of duty
on Mr. Whitty's part before, if the present was a failure.
Mr. SHESL thought the whole of the present proceeding a
little out of order. (Hear.) The facts of the case were
these :—Several members of the council met regularly for a
particular purpose ; the person whose duty it was to report
was brought before them, and they wanted to know from him
whether a certain meeting had been held, to what extent, and
for what purpose. This was the duty those gentlemen had
to perform. Accordingly, they met, and they chatted, and
then they walked off—not one of them thinking it his duty to
make a motion. Nbw, if Mr. Whitty was guilty of negli-
gence (which might be the case, though he was disinclined to
credit it), those gentlemen were guilty of very gross negli-
gence in failing to bring his conduct before the committee ;
because, as it appeared at present, they were appointed by
the council to watch over the local interests of the town,
while they merely chat over them and come to no resolution.
It was idle to be taking up so much time with matters of the
sort ' • but, if the motion were carried, he thought the council
would be bound to pass a vote of censure on those gentlemen
who had neglected to perform their duty. (Hear, and a
laugh.)

The MA.Yoa did not wish to stand on his own rights per-
sonally, but he thought it right to let the council know that
he had been just informed by the Town-clerk, that the pre-
sent was a matter that ought to have been reported to the
chief magistrate and not to any committee. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. BIRKETT declared himself willing to alter his motion
to the effect just mentioned by the mayor, if Mr. Hodgson
permitted him.

Mr. 1-liinosoN acquiesced in the propriety of the altera-
tion.

Mr. H. HORNEY thought perhaps that Mr. Birkett would
withdraw his motion altogether, provided it was the general
understanding of the council that the mayor would cause a
report to be made to him. (Hear, hear.)
The TOWN-CLERK did not find fault with any report being
made to the committee, but stated a second time that it was
the duty of the head constable to have reported the circum-
stance to the chief magistrate.
The MAYOR said he would most certainly have the matter
sifted, and submit the result of his inquiries to the council.
(General cries of " Hear, hear.")

Mr. BIRKETT said he would press his altered motion to a
division, in order to show the town that the present was a
matter which had-a right tb be taken up with promptitude.
Mr. BUSFIELL said that he for one was perfectly satisfied
with what-the mayor had just promised, knowing that what-
ever he undertook to do he would do well. (Hear.)
Mr. J. SMITH and Mr. HODGSON hoped Mr. Birkett
would withdraw his motion under present circumstances.
Mr. CASE thought it the duty of the head constable to le-
port to the Watch Committee as well as to the mayor.
The TOWN-CLERK said that if he were the head constable
he would report to both.
It was understood that Mr. Birkett's motion was with-
drawn, on the understanding that the mayor should investi-
gate the matter, and submit the result of his investigations
to a future council; and the proceedings of the committee
were accordingly confirmed.

THE MARKETS COMMITTEE.
The proceedings, resolutions, and reports of the Markets
Committee' comprising the removal of the Haymarket on
the 15th of March next, were next read and confirmed.

EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
Mr. HARBORD requeSted to be informed who the parties
were, if any, who attended the meetings of the Education
Committee, and took part in the proceedings, though they
were not members of the council.
Mr. HORNBY explained that so far as the sub-committee
of the South School was concerned, two gentlemen had been
admitted, when assistance was exceedingly efficient in the
way of suggestion, but they did not vote. The gentlemen
were Mr.' Rathbone and Mr. Rawsden.
Mr. HARBORD said it was a great piece of assurance in
Mr. Rathbone to go, and a dereliction of duty in the com-
mittee to permit it. He would move that the proceedings of
a committee so constituted be not confirmed.
Sir JosiruA WALMsLEY explained that the allusion was
merely to the sub-committe, which dealt with matters of
minor detail. No persons were admitted to the meetings of
the general committee whose reports alone were brought be-
fore the Council. He would ask how were they to deal with
respect to the ladies' committee, it such a resolution as this
were passed ? The lady visitors were most efficient, and to
theif exertions the schools were greatly indebted.
Mr. G. LAWRENCE spoke of the great benefits which re-
sulted to the schools from the co-operation of visitors, and
he intimated that he had acquiesced in the regulation per-
mitting the attendance of visitors of the sub-committees.
Other gentlemen expressed themselves to similar eftect,
and ultimately Mr. Harbord withdrew his amendment. The
proceedings were confirmed.
APPOINTMENT OF ALDERMAN.
The MAYOR called upon the Council to appoint an alder-
man in the room of Alderman Lathom, deceased.
Mr: MORECROFT said he would propose a gentleman
whose integrity, talent, and straight forward honesty of put.-
pose were well known, a gentleman who had been much
esteemed while he had devoted a great portion of his time to
the service of the public, as a member for Lime-street ward.
He begged to propose Thomas Blackburn, Esq.
Mr. EARLE seconded the motion. He hoped they. would
again be gratified with' Mr. Blackburn's presence in that
room, because of the service he would be of to the Educa-
tion Committee.
Mr. JOHN SMITH would, as an amendment, propose John
Walker, Esq., of Plumpton Terrace, Everton, a gentleman
of talent, enterprise and integrity.
Mr. ROBINSON seconded Mr. Smith's motion, on the
ground that a man of business was better.qualified to sit in
the council of a commercial town, than a doctor, however
great his talents.
The voting was taken in the usual manner of choosing an
aldermau. Each member handed in a paper, containing the
name and address of the gentleman for whom he gave his
vote. The following was the result :
For Mr. Walker, 23—namely, Messrs. Gladstone, John
Smith, Sands, Wright, Harbord, Case, Cooper, Houghton,
H. Lawrence, Copeland, Toulmin, Barton, Alexander Smith,
Rigby, Wood, Proctor,
_Birkett, Isaac Holmes, Robinson,

•
iliTsijaw., Leigh, and G. H. Lawrence.
For Mr. Blackburn, 3l—namely, Messrs. Shiel, C. H.
Jones, Hugh Hornby, H. Holmes, Yates, Coglan, George
Holt, Priestley, Mellor, Slater, Roskell, M'Kee, Barclay,
Bright, Quayle, Aikin, T. Holt, Morecroft, Walmsley, J.
Holmes, Freme, Mather, Thornhill, Booth, Jordan, Evans,
Moon, Wooßright, Earle, Benn, and the ayor.

NEW MEMBER OF DOCK COMMITTEE.
Mr. BENN proposed Mr. Quayle as a member of the dock
committee, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Mr.
Leathom. Mr. Quayle was a shipowner, and a gentleman
of much experience in the business of the port.
Mr. BOOTH seconded the motion.
Mr. SANDS proposed Mr, Sandbach, remarking upon his
high respectability and intelligence. Mr. Quayle's seat, he
observed, was disputed, and he could hardly be said to be a
legal member of the council.
Mr. ALEXANDER SMITH seconded the nomination.
Mr. QUAYLE said, as an allusion had been made to certain
proceedings, which it was said were to be taken against him,
as respected' his right to sit in that council, he felt called
upon to say that after the most careful consideration of the
matter, and the most minute investigation, he was convinced
that be had not merely a moral but a legal right to hold his
seat ; and such being the case, he was determined to defend
it to the utmost of his power. He bad come to this decision,
as well from a sense of his duty to his constituency, as of his
own personal honour.
Some discussion ensued, in the course of which Mr. G. H.
LAWRENCE defended the supporters of Mr. Sandbach from
the imputation that they had been instigated by political feel-
ings. As a proof of this, he said he had himself been re
quested to fill the vacancy, but he had declined. He -
presume that in their next choice they were led by a desire
to choose the most efficient member.
The result of the division was, for Mr. Quayle 31, for Mr.
Sandbach 23.
1
Mr.
Ir. G. HOLT, seconded by Mr.•BOOTII, proposed, that
Benn should be chairman of the Dock Committee.
Carried unanimously.

COURTS OF LAW.
Tie
proceedings of this committee having been read,
tamed HAunotio moved that the propositions therein con 7
t be postponed to the next meeting. Mr. Ilarbord
there was some impropriety in allowing dancing and
dissipation to reign one day in the same building, while in
another the poor victims of crime received sentence of pu-
nishment, Which might perhaps be death.
yr'.vA?Ns seconded the motion, on the ground that the
union of private proprietors with the corporation are incoi.-