The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-07-05 00:00:00

MEETING IN THE COTTON SALES-ROOM.

On Saturday, at noon, a large meeting of the friends and sup-
porters of the Hon. H. T. Liddell and Mr. T. 13, Horsfall was
held in the Cotton Sales-room. Mr. Liddell entered the room
precisely at twelve o'clock, accompanied by Messrs. Edmund
Molynenx, James Tyrer, Thos. Bold, J. A. Tobin, T. Edwards
Moss, Cottingham Moss, Harold Littledale, Robert Preston,
Robert Horafall, Win. Rowett, &c.
On the proposition of Mr. H. LITTLE DA LE, Mr. Jas. Tyrer
was called upon to preside.
The Ow riNtAx said lie felt it a more pleasing duty in
taking the chair on this occasion than lie did at the last elec-
tion, inasmuch as he had then to find much fault with our
former member, Mr. Cardwell, on account of broken promises.
(Hear, hear.) He was proud to place before them as fitting
candidates for the suffrages of the electors of Liverpool, the
names of the Hon. H. I'. Liddell and Mr. T. B. Horsfall.
(Cheers.)
Mr. T. E. Moss moved the first resolution. It had been the
boast, lie said, on former occasions, that, in this borough of
Liverpool, all the acrimony, and feeling, and party-spirit
which was indispensably connected with a great struggle,
had generally vanished on the declaration of the poll. (Hear,
hear.) But how different had been the conduct of their oppo-
nents at the late election. (Hear, hear.) The Conservative
party had been taunted that the last election was no proof of
the opinion of Liverpool, that there had been a large number of
purchased votes, and that not only were men bribed with 55.,
but it was publicly stated nine months ago that many mer-
chants on the Exchange were connected with these proceed-
ings. (Hear, hear.) This was a grievous charge which
Messrs. Itathbone, jun., and Ronald—(hisses)—were bound to
support with evidence, or, if they had none, then were they
bound in honour to withdraw it ( cheering.) He be-
lieved they would agree with hint in asserting that their late
members, during the time they represented this borough in
Parliament, did their duty to the town. (Hear, hear.) The
regret they felt at their being taken away from them was
alleviated only by the names of the gentlemen who would be
brought before their notice. (Hear, hear.) In conclusion, he
moved " That this meeting feels it to be their duty to give their
warmest thanks to Messrs. Turner and Mackenzie. for the un-
deviating attention displayed by them while representatives in
Parliament of the vast commercial interests of this borough ;
and that it offers them its cordial regret that the bond has
been so prematurely severed." (Cheers.) _ .

Mr. JOHN MYERS briefly seconded the proposition, which
was carried by acclamation.
The Hon. H. T. LIDDELL, having been introduced by the
Chairman, amidst loud cheers, spoke to the following effect :
After the able speech from Mr. Moss, in moving the resolution,
he confessed, for the first time since he entered Liverpool, he
felt some hesitation in addressing such a large assemblage as
he saw before him. He laboured under disadvantages which
he had never experienced before ; for, on former occasions, lie
knew what topics were likely to interest his audience, and he
might be able to give some previous thought to them. Now,
however, he was quite at a loss what observations to address
to an assemblage composed of the merchants and commercial
men of the most distinguished port in the world.—(Cheers.)
The only assistance he had on this occasion was drawn, not
from the goodwill of his friends, but from the charges and
attacks of his enemies. Were it not for the disparaging obser-
vations made against him, humble individual as he was, and
having but few claims to put himself forward as a candidate
for their suffrages, beyond the desire of doing his duty, to the
very letter and spirit of that duty, in the House of Commons—
(cheers)—were it not for these charges, he would have con-
siderable difficulty—
The honourable gentleman was interrupted by a Voice in
the body of the room, stating that it had something important
to communicate. Another Voice observed that the owners of
the office beneath the room were under some apprehension
lest the flooring should give way. A third Voice : " The old
story 1" (Laughter.) If gentlemen would refrain from stamp-
ing on the floor, the desired object, he thought, would be
obtained. _ .

The CHAIRMAN assured the meeting that the room was per-
fectly secure; but, as stamping on the floor might be some
annoyance to gentlemen " below"—(laughter)—he suggested
that they should show their approbation by cheering and clap-
pin; of hands. (Cheers.)

Mr. LIDDELL, in resuming his address, said it must be a
source of great satisfaction to gentlemen in the meeting to
know that the room was perfectly sate, especially when they
bore in mind the terrible accident which occurred last year at
the Corn Exchange. Before the interruption he was proceeding
to say, that but for the accusations and charges of that portion
of the press which was hostile to his pretensions, and hostile
generally to what he believed was the feeling of the town of
Liverpool—(cheers)—he should really have been at conside-
rable loss to find a proper topic on which to address them.
But there were occasions when a man might be excused, and
this was one of them, for standing forward in his own defence.
They had been informed in the columns of the Liverpool Times
or Mercury, that although Mr. Liddell might be a respectable
country gentleman, and highly qualified to pronounce on the
merits of stock and the produce of the land, yet that he was
in no degree qualified to represent the great commercial town
of Liverpool. Now, what he had to say was this, he had
been long familiar with commercial subjects. (Hear, hear,
and applause.) Indeed, it would be somewhat extraordinary
if, having been connected with public interests—having for
a period, almost amounting to thirty years, been connected
with the varied commercial, shipping, mining, and agricul-
tural interests of two great northern counties of England,
it would be somewhat extraordinary if he were in no degree
familiar and acquainted with the views, and feelings, and inte-
rests of commercial men. (Hear, hear.) He was, therefore,
prepared to say, that he thought' he had more acquaintance
with matters connected with trade and commerce, from that
experience, than he had with agricultural affairs ; for he cer-
tainly had devoted a great deal more time and consideration to
those interests than be had ever devoted to farming and the
agricultural interests of the country. (Hear, hear.) During
the period to which he had alluded—a period of nearly thirty
years—between fourteen and fifteen years had been passed by
him as the representative of those interests in the House of
Commons ; and he would ask them whether it was likely, to a
man of even ordinary observation and ability, to have occupied
so long a period in the house, with those subjects being brought
under his daily consideration, without acquiring some fami-
liarity with them. (" Hear, hear I" and cheers.) But he
stated in his address that there were subjects and matters in
reference to which he would refer them, if any would wish to
take the trouble of inspecting it, to the evidence before the
committee of the House of Commons, moved for by Mr.
Ricardo, in the year 1846, which committee sat uninterruptedly
for two sessions, inquiring into the shipping interest. On
that committee he sat for two Nears, in conjunction with their
honoured representative, Sir Howard Douglas, and two others,
all belonging to the commercial world except Sir Howard
Douglas, who was in the naval profession, but who, neverthe-
less, represented their interests in parliament. His attend-
ance waa unremitting during the two sessions, having only been
absent from two meetings; and he referred them to the ques-
tions he put to the witnesses on the spur of the moment, and
according to the nature of the inquiry which came before the
commmlfuhaetwintatnsetet
afhuoanrytteehded
ipbruye
cr p ott
he
des e
pho
rise sty,sascni
fnsofaridi nengroattthi
nec
onmmsteinnl vgtehs a whether he
r wq ua
re
ds t iaonnd.
giving his opinion upon commercial subjects, he would wish to
know in what form was the opinion to be given? Could any-
thing be more presumptuous than that he, in their presence,
should attempt to deliver a lecture on commercial affairs, they
being qualified to form their
eir own judgments on matters of that
tdiensncariwpthiiocnh.
might(Hear,be he
to hi
t was only by answering ques-
tions
could be tested. And
put
em that his opinions on such
ready to answer as best he might at the
himself perfectly
t the spur of the moment,

and what more could they expect? (Cheers.) His colleague in
the present instance, and he hoped his colleague hereafter in
the representation of the borough—(cheers)—his colleague Mr
Horsfall, would at least be a proper depository on commercial
subjects ; and surely nothing could prevent them communi-
cating faithfully, openly, and, if necessary, privately, nn every
subject connected with their interests, (Cheers.) Why was
he taunted with not knowing commercial affairs, because he
declined to come forward as a political lecturer on commercial
subjects ? He had been summoned among them, and he had
been attacked for obeying that summons. He had been charged
with being an incapable and ❑seless member of society ; and
he boldly stood forward to say that he was not deserving of
such accusations. (Applause.) They should, at least, find him
devoted to the business to which he attached himself, and pre-
pared to give an honest and consistent support to those great
principles of commerce which he was called upon to advocate.
(Cheers.) Some papers had been put into his hands that morn-
ing, especially relating to their interests as connected with the
Pilotage Amendment Bill now before Parliament. He had
read those papers, and seen the reasons why the pilots of Li-
verpool objected to certain clauses in the bill. Nothing could
he plainer or more intelligible than the statements there made,
and he could easily conceive why, instead of pressing a bill of
that character through the House of Commons, it should be
referred to a select committee. (Hear, hear.) After stating
his willingness to answer any questions that might be put to
him, he concluded by thanking them for the support he had
received in this noble town, and for the reception they had that
day given to him, expressing a hope that as long as he might
be found performing dirties as their representative in the House
of Commons, he should discharge them to their satisfaction.
(Cheers.)
Mr. E. MOLYNEUX moved the next resolution, to the effect,
" That this meeting, considering the knowledge of shipping
and commercial interests acquired by the Hon. H. T. Liddell
during his parliamentary experience while representing large
constituencies, and considering the ability displayed by him at
their meetings, and considering also the practical experience
of their gifted townsman, Mr. T. B. Horsfall, believe those
gentlemen fully qualified to represent this, the first commercial
town in the world ; and that we pledge ourselves to do all in
our power to secure their return." (Cheers.)
Mr. H. C. CHAPMAN seconded the proposition, which was
carried unanimously.
The CHAIRNIAN observed that the businsss of the day was
now brought to a conclusion ; but he could not permit them to
separate without stating that, being a shipowner, he had
watched the progress of the Hon. H. T. Liddell for the last 25
years, and was therefore in a position to assert that he had
attended particularly to the shipping interests in Shields, Sun-
derland, Newcastle, and other ports in the north of England.
(Cheers.)
After a vote of thanks to the chairman, passed by acclama-
tion, on the proposition of Mr. LIDDELL, three cheers for the
two Conservative candidates terminated the proceedings.