The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-16 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS

ADMIXTURE or CHICCORY WITH COFFEE.—One of our
correspondents, who signs " A Housekeeper," complains
that he cannot in any of the shops in his immediate neigh-
bourhood purchase ground coffee that is free from a large
admixture of that very inferior article of continental pro-
duction called chiccory. He considers it exceedingly un-
just and grievous that a mixture should be sold to him as
coffee for 2s. 2d. per lb., probably one-third at least of
which is chiccory—" a vile substitute, whatever others may
think of it, for the genuine arlicle, worth about id per lb."
In reply to our correspondent, we can only say that similar
complaints have been made to us before from other quar-
ters. We believe that until recently chiccory was pro-
hibited (and properly we think) by the Excise from being
sold by grocers admixed with coffee, inasmuch as the latter
article, which pays a much higher duty, was adulterated
with it, to the injury of the revenue as well as the con-
sumer. Amongst, however, the numerous blunders (to
use the mildest term) of the whig-radical administration,
this wholesome restriction was in August last abrogated,
and the consequence is the practice is resumed, to the de-
,detriment of the fair dealer. We know nothing of the
qualities of chiccory, which may or may not be good and
wholesome ; but from the lowness of its price it is evidently
inferior to coffee as a beverage, and allowing it to be mixed
with coffee cannot fail to open the door to imposition. We
see no immediate remedy but that of dealing with respecta-
ble coffee dealers or purchasing the article in the berry.
Our correspondent is mistaken as to the import of the fol-
lowing passage in the Mercury:—
" Father Mathew has wrought extraordinary miracles
in Ireland ; but we are of opinion that his success here
would be more than doubtful, if he should come to try
his hand on the genuine old freemen."
This is manifestly a high compliment to our good conser.
vative friends, the " genuine old freemen," and in their
name we thank the learned Editor. Father Mathew may
work miracles over the miserable slaves of popery and
superstition, but it is quite true that his wand is powerless
over those who walk abroad in the glorious liberty of Pro-
testantism. The " genuine old freemen," therefore,
would only laugh at his exorcisms, and advise him to ply
his conjuring arts amongst those who put faith in libe-
ralism, or confidence in jesuits.
The writer who assures us that Manchester is musical, and
that Liverpool is not—we take it for granted, is a Man-
chester man himself. However, we can bear these taunts.
Jealousy is a green,eyed monster—Manchester is mono-
polising—and perhaps calculites on pulting music, as
well as cotton, in inland bond-age; For our part we de-
precate discord, and only ask leave to join our accom-
plished rival in a simple duet, when if our notes prove
equally productive, we shall be content.
Public squares and parks havebeen justly called the " lungs"
of great cities ; and we certainly felt great satisfaction on
finding from the speech of Mr. Sandbach, at the annual
dinner of the Liverpool Guardian Society, last week, that
so great an advantage to this town, and one so very much
wanted, possesses an advocate of his eloquence and effi-
ciency, and is an acquisition kept steadily in view. The
LIVERPOOL STANDARD was an early supporter of a plan
for this purpose, and will be at all times ready to aid in
promoting it.
Our allusion to the shaving affair seems to have a little hurt
the " facial" vanity of Mercury, which appears to be con-
siderable. Old Phiedrus might have alluded to our friend
when he exclaimed, " Heu quanta facies ! sed non habet
cerebrium." Why should the old lady so tenaciously hold
to the opinion that his quondam friend who resides not a
hundred miles from Gateacre contributes to the columns
of the STANDARD? We can assure him that the Doctor
never wrote a line for the paper in his life.
We are aware of the shabby and shuffling tricl resorted to
by a contemporary, to puff off his own circulation, and
depreciate that of the Standard, but the respectability
and influential character of the readers of t.ie Standard
is as .well known in London as Liverpool ; and we are
proud to say that its advertising columns testify that the
public know well where to bestow their support, whatever
may be employed to prevent them.