The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-01-06 00:00:00

We gave, in our last, a letter from Mr. Macau-
ley, M.P. for the city of Edinburgh, which very
satisfactorily accounted for the failure of Lord John
Russell's recent efforts to form an administration.
It was from no misgivings as to his own abilities
that his Lordship retired from the tempting prospect
before him of place and pay. The Rev. Sidney
Smith's estimate of his character is equally just, now
as at the time when it was first delivered. Lord
John would repeal the corn laws, or any other laws ;
but Lord Grey upset the coach. The driver was
ready to mount the box, and drive to any place ;
but his leaders and his wheelers would not pull
amicably together. Unhappy-tempered Howick re-
fused to budge if Palmerston was allowed to carry
the seals of the Foreign-office ; and the whole team
was obliged to be unyoked, and consigned, grum-
bling, to their empty stalls, to await another chance
of getting ingress to the more comfortable quarters
and plentiful provender of Downing-street.
There are few men, we believe, except those im-
mediately interested, who are disposed to grieve at
the break-down. There are fewer still, perhaps,
who can see in the conduct of Earl Grey more than
an ebullition of his unfortunate temperament. For
ourselves, however, we are disposed to give his lord-
ship credit on this occasion for one of the only
deeds for which his country, in after years, will
have to thank him. His objection, we are informed,
was not to Lord Palmerston's being in the minis-
try, but to his occupying the foreign department.
It was not against Lord Palmerston, but against
Lord Palmerston's foreign policy. The world at
large coincides with him in opinion that, the acces-
sion to power at this juncture of a minister, so
haughty and aggravating in his treatment of the
representatives of foreign powers, would have been
an event to be deplored—a national calamity. It
would most certainly, have provoked a rupture
of our present friendly relations with France, and
overthrown the only ministry which has proved
itself capable of restraining the warlike propensities
of that unruly people. It would materially have in-
creased the difficulties of our position with respect
to the United States. In South America it would
most probably have interrupted the joint efforts
making by Great Britain and France, for the ter-
mination of the aggressive and devastating war
waged by Rosas against the people of Monte Video;
and throughout the world, wherever we have at
present friendly relations and mutually beneficial
intercourse, the evil genius of Lord Palmerston
_ _

would have introduced exasperation, bickering, and
ultimate alienation.

IVe thank Earl Grey, therefore, for averting from
the country the infliction of so dangerous a diplo-
matist. It is a deed—whether intended or not—
which will weigh with the present generation, and
with generations to come, as a powerful set-off
against his lordship's unpleasant politics, and scarce-
ly less unpleasant manners.

TILE CORPORATION Scutoot.s.—An evening school for
adults is about being opened by the Education Commit-
tee of the Town Council, in connection with the South
Corporation School.

At the meeting of the council to-morrow, Mr. Alder-
man Bromley Moore will bring forward a motion for the
granting of five hundred guineas, for the Dispenoaries,
out of the. surplus fund. We sincerely hope it will be
carried.

TITHE COMMUTATION.—It appears from an official
statement of the averages for the seven years to Christmas
last, which have been published in the London Gazette,
viz. :—Wheat 7s. 4d., Barley 4s. 111, Oats 2s. 9d. per
imperial bushel ;—that each £lOO of rent-charge will, for
the year 1846, amount to £lO2 17s. 811, or about one per
cent. less than last year.

NOTICE.—At the police-court, ycsterdsy, a man was
charged with stealing a sack of oats, which was found in
his cellar, in Simpson-street. The property was identi-
fied, and he would have been committed forthwith for
trial ; but as it was stated by other witnesses that about
20 lb. of yellow berries (a valuable dye), and 7 lb. of fo-
reign cigars, were also found in the place, and for which
owners had not yet been found, he was rem3nded, to give
time for enquiry.
IMPORTANT TO VOTERS FOR COUNTIES.—We are
confidently informed that a bill is in preparation, and will
be brought forward early in the ensuing session of parlia-
ment, the object of which is to prevent the same house
or other property giving the right of voting for counties to
more than two persons at the same time. We do not
know whether the bill will have a retrospective effect or
not ; if it should, the labours of the Anti-corn-law League
will have been almost in vain.

QUALIFY! QUALIFY!! QUALIFY!!!---VOtes are the
most powerful of arguments; and if the Protection Soci-
eties would he useful bodies, they will immediately take
steps to multiply votes! If they would compel a govern-
ment by a gentle restraint to adopt, or would support it
in the pursuit of, a particular line of policy, let the Con-
servatives make their opinions known through the number
and the unmistakeable crime of their votes. The electors
rule representatives, and the representatives guide the
minister. There is no time to be lost. A general elec-
tion is at hand ; and unless qualifications are secured by
the 31st instant, the effort will be too late.
ALGERlA.—Despatche3 have been received from this
quarter to the 25th ult. They announce that on the ISch
General Bedeau had a warm engagement on the left bank
of the Iser, with Ben Salem, who had advanced within
sight of Algiers. The Arabs were completely routed,
with the loss of 40 killed, and in their flig't abandoned a
quantity of arms and ammunition. In the province of
Oran General Korte accomplished some successful razzias,
which were followed by the submission of numerous
tribes. Marshal Bugeaud was at Ain Paskeira, eight
leagues from Teniet-el-Had, where he had proceeded to
procure a supply of provisions with the intention of form-
ing a junct;on with General Joussouf, who was still in
pursuit of Abd-el-Kader in the south.
OBTAINING MONEY UNDER FALSE PIIETENCES.—A
well-dressed young man, named John Martin Kelsh, was
yesterday charged before Mr. Rushton with this offence.
It appeared that he had gone to Mr. Joseph Blain, sta-
tioner, South Castle-street, and obtained a loan of 2s. 61.
in the name of Mr. Lockett. merchant, King-street, He
had also obtained 2s. from Mr. Isaac Jones Drillmore,
watchmaker, Hanover-street, in the name of Mr. Smith,
wine-merchant. The representations made were, in
each case, that he was in the employ of the parties named,
and that it was wanted for an immediate iminergency or
convenience to save time. Neither of the parties whom
he said he represented had authorised the request, nor.
indeed, knew aught of the prisoner. The prisoner, who
attempted an impudent and improbable defence, was com-
mitted for trial at the sessions.
At a meeting of ehe London Dock Company last week
it was resolved that a piece of plate of the value of £3OO
be presented to the chairman of the court of directors, the
deputy chairman, and treasurer ; and that to each of the
directors a piece of plate of the value of £lOO be presented,
as a testimony of the high approbation of the court of pro-
prietors. [We should be proud to see some movement
made for presenting similar testimonials to the chairman,
deputy chairman, and other mumbers of our own dock
committee. Their comprehensive views and practical de-
termination to meet, and even anticipate, the wants of
the port are beyond all praise, and ought not to be for=
gotten. The effective services of the secretary, treasurer,
and surveyor, are also deserving of suitable acknowledge-
ment. The directors and officers of the London dock
company cannot have been more efficient than the gentle-
men to whom we have taken the liberty thus publicly to
allude.—En. L. s.:l,
THE FATALITY BY THE BURSTING OF THE HUGE
TANK IN WATER-STREET.—We regret to say that
another has been added to the list of those who have lost
their lives by the tank catastrophe,—Ann Devaney. wife
of Joseph Devaney, who inhabited a house in Rock-
street. At the time of our last publication, hopes were
(as we stated) entertained, at the Southern Hospital where
she then lay, that she would recover, but she afterwards
sank, and died on Saturday. The event involved, of
course, another coroner's inquisition, which was to take
place yesterday; but in consequence of the verdict given
in the former cases, arising from the same cause, having
been somewhat severely commented upon publicly, and
the witnesses in this case not being conveniently got
together in time, (with such other additional evidence as
may be deemed necessary to satisfy all parties interested)
the inquiry was postponed until this day. We have heard
but by mere rumour only, that the coroner himself has
been put into a false position by his charge to the jury
. not having been reported, Some additional evidence as
to the efficiency of the tank, and on other points will, we
learn, be adduced.