The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-03-16 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

LOCAL MEETINGS.

On Thursday, a public meeting of the various bodies of
Evangelical Dissenters opposed to all government inter-
ference with the education of the people, was held in.
Great George-street Chapel, for the purpose of deter-
mining the best measures to be adopted for carrying out
their opposition to the proposed scheme of government.
The chapel was about three parts filled. On the platform
were the following gentlemen :—The Rev. J. Kelly, Rev.
W. Bevan, Rev. D. Loxton, Rev. W. Graham, Rev.
Walton, Mr. T. Blackburn, Mr. D. Rowlands, Mr. C.
Robertson, Rev. Dr. Raffles, Rev. W. Appleford, Rev.
J. Lancaster, Rev. J. Ward, Rev. T. Hacking, the Rev.
J. Dunstan, Mr. Crossfield, Mr. S. Stitt, &c.
MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.—The annual meeting of
the members of this institution was held on Wednesday,
Thomas Bolton, Esq., in the chair. Mr. Hogg, the sec-
retary, read the report, which was an exceedingly lengthy
document ; of which we cannot find room for an outline.
It appeared that the mortgage debt had been decreased to
£670. The report also contained a gratifying state of the
classes. It was recommended that the name of the insti-
tution should be changed to " The Liverpool Commercial
College, and the Mechanics' Institution." This latter
proposition led to a discussion; and it was ultimately re-
solved that this question should be referred to the new
committee, who should report to a special general meeting
of the members to be convened for that purpose. Several
gentlemen briefly addressed the meeting, and votes of
thanks having been given to the late committee and
teachers, the officers for the ensuing year were appointed,
after which the proceedings terminated.
LIVERPOOL COMMERCIAL BANK.—On Saturday, the
fourteenth annual meeting of the shareholders in the
above-named bank was held in the Clarendon-rooms.
Mr. Robert Angus, the manager, read the report. The
paid-up capital of the bank and its reserved surplus fund
remain, the former at £338,600, and the latter at £200,721
13s. 7d. The nett profits of the year 1846 were £38,178
Os. 9d. The dividend of 10 per cent. for the year, (exclu-
sive of income-tax,) has been paid to the proprietors in
two half-yearly payments of 5 per cent. each, amounting
to £33,860, leaving a surplus gain in the year of £4,318
Os. 9d. The surplus profits of the year 1845 and 1846,
amounting to £17,210 15s. 10d., the report said had been
divided amongst the proprietors at the commencement of
the present year in the shape of a bonus of 10s. per share.
The directors regretted that more progress had not been
made with the new buildings on the bank property in •
Castle-street. The long strike of the workmen in summer
and the severe winter had occasioned much delay; but
the contractor has made every exertion to fulfil his en-
gagement, Thanks were voted to the chairman and to
Mr. Angus, the manager, whose services were very highly
spoken of. Mr. Angus returned thanks, and acknow-
ledged great obligations to Mr. MacGregor, with whom
he is in constant communication, for the important ad-
vice and assistance which he receives from him.

DOCK COMMITTEE.—The weekly meeting of the Dock
Committee was held on Thursday, Mr. Moore in the chair.
After some other business, the question of the appoint-
ment of solicitor to the dock trustees was brought forward.
The Chairman said he had long been convinced that it
would be much better to put the dock solicitor on a salary.
When the subject was brought forward last week, it was
the opinion of the committee that it should be referred to
a special sub-conmittee to inquire into. The committee
had taken the subject into consideration, and they were
of opinion that the dock estate would be much benefited.
and be a very large gainer, by the dock solicitor having
apartments in that building, and the whole of his time
secured to the trust. They recommended that his salary
should be £l4OO per annum ; but in doing so, wished it
to be understood that this was to form no precedent as to
the salary of any person who is to succeed him. He had
now been an officer to the estate for some years, and was
in the receipt of a much larger sum than that proposed.
It was, in fact, reducing his emoluments ; but he agreed
to the arrangement, although a sufferer by it. After a
short discussion, upon the motion of Mr. Molyneux, it
was agreed " that, in consideration of the dock solicitor
devoting the whole of his time, and giving his entire pro-
fessional services to the interests of the dock estate, he
should receive a salary of £l4oo—such salary to date from
the 25th instant."

WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—The usual weekly meet-
ing of the board was held on Tuesday. A letter was read
from the Poor-Law Commissioners, relative to the in-
crease of salary to Mr. Chalmer, medical officer of the
township of Everton, from £l5 to £BO per annum. The
Commissioners wished to be informed whether the amount
to which it is proposed to raise the 'salary of the medical
officer was correctly stated in the letter from the Board,
respecting the decision which had been come to on the
subject. After some discussion, it was agreed to postpone
the consideration of the subject until the next meeting.
The report of the medical officer to the fever house was
as follows :—Remaining in the house last week, 13 ; ad-
mitted during the week, 3 ; discharged cured 2 ; dead, 3 ;
remaining in the house, 11. The attention of the Board
was called by the medical officer to the necessity of hav-
ing some place set apart into which the bodies of those
who die in the hospital may be removed, and a suggestion
was made by which the inconvenience might be obviated.
The report stated that the patients in the house were going
on favourably, and it was hoped, that in a few 'days, se-
veral of them would be able to leave. In consequence of
a letter received from Mr. Greatrex, to the effect that he
wished to withdraw his resignation of the office of medical
officer to the West Derby district, some discussion took
place as to that gentleman's qualification, and the ap-
pointment of Mr. Taylor at the previous meeting. Ulti-
mately it was agreed, that the clerk should write to the
commissioners stating the facts of the case as they oc-
curred at the Board when Mr. Taylor's appointment took
place, and obtain their opinion as to such appointment.

LIVERPOOL ROYAL ASSURANCE COMPANY.—An ex-
traordinary general meeting of the proprietors of this
company was held on Wednesday last at their own offices.
The secretary read a most gratifying report, from which
it appeared that there was a large surplus in favour of the
shareholders, and that means were about to be adopted to
obtain for the company a permanent standing and position
in the-metropolis. A rapid improvement had also taken
place in the life business. The amount to the credit of
profit and loss to the close of last Christmas was no less
than £61,139. The premiums on fire insurance received
from the commencement of the company (about eighteen
months) was £54,129, while the losses amounted to but
£16,161. The number of shares issued amounted to
83,070, producing a paid-up capital of £166,140, whilst
the premium received on shares issued since the estab-
lishment of the company now reaches £14,265. The life
department had greatly improved during the last three
months. Up to the 31st December 103 lives had been
accepted for assurance, the sum assured being £70,160,
and the premium £2,957 19s. sd. No death had occur-
red. Resolutions, adopting the report, &c., were unani-
mously agreed to, and the meeting separated. A vote of
thanks was passed to the chairman, and also to Mr. Dove,
the able manager, through whose industry and intelli-
gence, as the chairman justly observed, the success of the
company was in a great measure to be attributed. Mr.
Dove, in returning thanks, said that there was perhaps
no instance on record of any company established only
eighteen months meeting with the same successful results.
The fire insurance department had been amply supported ;
but with respect to the life business, it had not received
all that assistance which it possibly might if the share-
holders•knew its advantages.
•
SELECT VESTRY.-At the meeting, on Tuesday, Messrs.
Inman, Burgess, Gee, Higginson, Bradshaw, and Hymns
were appointed assistant district medical officers. The
Irish immigration still continues, and upon an increased
ratio, as the following return will show :—On the Ist of
March, the arrivals were 1296 ; on' the 2d, 1698 on the
3d, 1778 ; on the 4th, 1081 ; on the sth, 2036 ; on the
6th, 888 ; on the 7th, 3100 ; on the Sth, 1270 ; being a
total in eight days of 13,147. • The cost to the parish for
the relief of those whose necessities are roost urgent con-
tinues at about the average of £5OO per week. The
reports of the medical officers show that mortality is fear-
fully on the increase, in consequence of the over-crowding
of the miserable cellars to which these poor wretches
flock for shelter. In numerous instances recorded by the
inspecting policemen, as many as 35 to 40 adults, of both
b_iloseen:rtesiet,sihdi,,eagihlfityao.oe been found herded together in these holes
:(Iho
Everythingn gp sincer eva condemned
diseases,do er, ne ied
which,by which
under
local
cc.l:aorrle act
tc.
er or f parliament), lying
uari,, coverie
fne
lt,thehree nsbouasitti
.tpfiboletxh,rya:aysns
edanbtloe) brutal t at lah
nesidtra,t
e,aswl
eipersons.tsh
circumstances, m'offstgarneca'ets,n
um-
possible to do, to prevent death from absolute starvation;
but what system of parochial relief, at such a time as
this, can prevent the spread of disease among those already
reduced to the verge of starvation ? Amongst a certain
number of individuals in a cellar in Bent-streetmi ptelawlscase.
e.
Thirty-six
reported that four were lying down in onelied,with fever; -
that twenty-four grown ur youvg• men and their sisters
were sleeping in a filthy state in one room ; and that
fourteen persoir personswweerree sleeping
huddled into
gaent
et another
a filthyr 0
where ; and eight had died of fever in one house. Fever,
though of a mild diaract6r, was again reported upon the
increase, and a large majority of the patients who bad had
the Fever Hospital offered to them declined to go there.
Fever and small-pox were spreading amongst the children
recently imported ; and these diseases were likely to be
generated by the children of the paupers being, carried
about from door to door, soliciting alms.

MEETING OF MAGISTRATES;
The magistrates of this borough- held a meeting on
Friday, in a private room in the Police-court, to con-
sider the • expediency of forming a second court for
the transaction of public business, hi connection With the
present one. There were present the mayor' and twenty
'other magistrates.—ThnMAtOa, in opening the business,
said that some gentlemen had suggested a second court,
to be held in Toxteth-park ; or, another gentleman had
proposed to determine upon the borough Magistrates
sitting daily in succession in another room of the same
court to relieve Mr. Rushton, whose duties, they were
aware, had been stated to be at present too burdensome.
After some further conversation, Mr. D. IlonGsoN
denied that it was ever alleged that the duties of, the' sti-
pendiary magistrate were, too burthensome for one
; but that ho had brought great talent to the bench,
and that from the increase of his duties he was not suffi-
ciently remunerated. Mr. D. Hodgson said he enter-
tained no feeling against Mr. Rushton • but he was, not-
withstanding, prepared to show that himself and others
as magistrates were willing to take upon themselves the
duties incumbent on the magisterial office.
Mr. BOLTON thought there was no necessity for any
alteration in the present mode of conducting the business
of the court, in which he believed justice was well and
ably administered.

The MAYOR thought the magistrates might, by sitting
in another room, relieve Mr. Rushton of a geed deal of
business—as, for instance, dock informations. He stated
a case in which Mr. Samuel Holme had been detained
in the court beyond a reasonable time ; lint this. (in the
course of the meeting) was explained, another case, in
which the parties were going to see that day, ha*ing ue_
cessarily taken precedence.

Mr. D. HODGSON endeavoured to show, atsome length,
that the magisterial functions were of a lighter character
th an they were generally supposed to be. After some in-
terruption, he maintained that if gentlemen accepted the
bonour of being placed on the commission of the peace,
they ought to be equal to the discharge of the duties
which attended the appointment. The magistrates ought
to have a court to preside over, and if this were not con-
ceded them, they.would find an opportunity of effecting
their object.
Mr. HORNBY said that by the municipal reform act a
great change was 'effected in the duties of the borough
magistrates, who were appointed to act only in connexion
with the stipendiary magistrate. He thought that if they
had another court, a stipendiary magistrate ought to-be
appointed to preside.
Mr. A. HODGSON was of opinion that there was nolac-
casion for a second court.

The MAYOR. also considered that there was no necessity
for a change at present; but if, at a future time, a change
were deemed necessary. the Council would, he felt as-.
sured, give the subject the best consideration.
Mr. RUSHTON replied to some of the statements made,
and urged the amount of the duties he had to perform.
There were not (he said) less than eleven thousand dock
and town cases heard by him last year ; the dock cases
generally demanded an hour, and the town half an hour
daily; therefore it was absurd to say that mercantile in-
terests had suffered. With respect to a second court, he
begged to tell them it would be impracticable in that build-
ing during twenty weeks in the year ; to carry out such an
intention another court must be erected. Moreover, in
the present state of the local law, he would defy any man
not a lawyer to act as magistrate. His advice was to con-
solidate every one of the local acts and to have them ar-
ranged alphabetically ; this might be done with a good.
law-clerk, and they had two • than whom there were not
better attached to any court in the kingdom, one trained
and the other in training. If a second court was opened,
the gentleman sitting there would always have his expe-
rience and assistance. _ _ _

After some remarks, not in the best taste, by Mr.
Earle, the meeting broke up.

LIVERPOOL POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

On Thursday, Mr. Rushton fined an inhabitant of this
town 40s. for keeping a ferocious dog, which had bitten
several persons.
BASE ColN.—On Tuesday. John Johnston was brought
up at the police-court, and committed for trial, on the
charge of passing bad money. It appeared he paid a base
half-crown to Mr. Levi, tobacconist, Great George-street,
on Saturday evening, and a shilling of a similar descrip-
tion to Miss Bootle, confectioner, Limo-street, several
days previously.
ILLICIT DISTILLATION.—During the present week no
less than half a dozen individuals have been brought up
at the police-court, charged with the offence of illicit dis-
tillation. In five cases the parties were convicted in the
usual penalty of £2OO, mitigable to £5O : and in the sixth
case the prisoner was discharged, the offence not having
been clearly made out.
CAUTION TO POLICEMEN.—On Saturday, two unfortu-
nate females were brought before the court on a charge of
having been in company together in Pembroke-place the
night before, and refusing to leave when directed. The
prisoners alleged that the officer who had taken them into
custody (547) had given them a blow upon the neck, and
another officer who had witnessed the arrest corroborated
the allegation that a push had certainly been given. Mr.
Rushton ordered the prisoners to be discharged, and read
547 a very severe lecture.
RECEIVING STOLEN GOODS.—On Wednesday, William
Hamilton, keeper of a store in Prince William-street, was
brought up before Mr. Rushton, at the Police-court,
charged with having in his possession 721bs. weight of lead
piping, supposed to have been stolen. Three vagabond-
looking fellows were observed to carry the lead in a bag
into the store, but when the police-officer went to search
the place. the prisoner denied that any person had been
there. The case was adjourned till Thursday, when it
was proved that the lead had been stripped from a house
in Wellington-place, Wellington-road, and Hamilton was
committed for trial.
IMPOSITION UPON THE RELIEVING OFFICERS.--On
Thursday, three persons, two men and a woman, were
brought up at the Police-court, by the district relieving
officers, charged, the men with having for three weeks
obtained relief daily from two offices, and the woman with
having done the same for five weeks. The men appeared
to be well fed and well clothed, and it was stated in court
that one of them had seventeen lodgers in his house.
The woman had five soup-tickets in her possession when
she applied for relief on Thursday. Mr. Rushton said these
cases showed the necessity for great vigilance, but he
could do nothing with the prisoners, and they were ac-
cordingly discharged.
STABBING A POLICE OFFICER.—On Tuesday, a youth,
named Alexander M'Coy, was brought at the Police-
court, charged with stabbing Police Constable Doyle with
a knife. The officer stated that on the previous evening
he took the prisoner into custody, in consequence of his
being found on board a vessel in the Salthouse Dock (the
Eliza Killick) under suspicious circumstances, and while
conveying him to bridewell he drew a knife, and struck at
him on the neck and head, and also across the bands.
Assistance being at hand, the prisoner was secured, and
ultimately lodged in bridewell. The officer's .hat and
gloves were cut completely through, but though the
wounds he received were severe, they are not dangerous.
The prisoner was committed for trial.
ATTEMPTED FRAUD ON THE PARISH.—On Saturday,
an Irish female, with a child in her arms, was ordered by
Mr. Rushton to be imprisoned for a month, for having
gone to the Bevington-bush relieving-office, and said that
she had just arrived from Ireland, and was in the most
abject distress, while it was discovered, on sending to her
husband to ascertain if her story were true, that he had
in his pocket £4. 7s. 6d. The prisoner said she did not
know her husband had the money; but Mr. Rushton
asked why her husband had not stated at the relieving-
office that his wife had no occasion to solicit parish relief.
Mr. Rushton gave directions that the prisoner's husband,
who was in court, should be taken to every relieving-office
in Liverpool, and that it should be notified to all the
parish-officers that he was possessed of means sufficient
to sustain himself.
INFRINGEMENT OF MARKET REGULATIONS.—A case
of some interest to dealers attending the markets was
heard before Mr. Rushton on Tuesday. Mr. S. Cowan
was summoned for exposing for sale, on the 3d instant, a
cart load of turnips without applying to the market in-
spectors, or complying with the necessary conditions. The
defendant pleaded that he had purchased them on the
preceding Saturday, from a farmer, who had paid 9d. toll.
They were not all sold that day, and he brought the re-
mainder on the 3d. He contended that 9d. should serve
as dues until the whole were sold. Mr. Rushton went at
some length into a consideration of the market regula-
tions, and sent for an inspector, who proved that the
regulations required hucksters to become weekly or regu-
lar tenants, and the 9d. chafged for dues covered only one
day's sale. The defendant was convicted in the mitigated
penalty of a shilling.

STREET ROBBERIES.—On Tuesday last, two well-known
thieves, named Edward Roberts and Charles Simpson,
were brought up before Mr. RUshton, at the Police-court,
on a charge of robbing an aged female, named Williams.
It appeared from the complainant's statement that, on
Saturday night, she was passing along Oakes-street, when
two men, whom she identified as the prisoners, came be-
- hind her. One of them put his hand over her mouth to
' prevent her from calling out, while the other cut off her
pocket, which contained Bs. 6d., and they both ran away.
Miss Golding also stated that she had been robbed the
same day, in Boundary-place, of a watch, but she could
not swear positively to the prisoners, though the men who
attacked her were similar in appearance. The fellows
came up behind her, struck her on the back, and tore the
watch from the hook at her side. The prisoners were re-
manded till Wednesday, when they were committed to
gaol for three months, with hard labour.
EXTRAORDINARY AFFAIR.—On Friday, a gentleman
residing in the neighbourhood of Marybone, made an ap-
plication to Mr. Rushton for assistance, under the follow-
ing circumstances :—A few days ago some tenants left a
house in Addison-street, Marybone, and an Irish family
took forcible possession of the place. There had previ-
ously been some deaths by fever in the place, and now
there were the bodies of two children, who had died from
fever, in the house, and the mother was also lying ill of
fever. An order bad been got for the removal and. inter-
ment of the bodies, but she positively refused to allow the
bodies to be removed. The applicant wished to imow
what could be done, and wished for the assistance of the
police, as he was afraid that the contagion might spread.
Mr. Rushton sent for Superintendent Towerson; and
stated the circumstances to him, giving him directions to
go to the Roman Catholic priest of the district, and get
him to use his influence in reconciling the parents to the',
removal of the bodies. The bodies must be placed in
coffins hi the presence of the surgeon of the district and
, removed.

A LUNATIC AT THE POLICE COURT.—On Saturday an
Irishman, between forty and fifty years of age, attired in a
suit of black, and a faded old macintosh, was brought up
'at the police-court, on a charge of having caused a disturb-
ance in Upper Duke-street. It appeared that on Thurs-
day evening he assembled a large crowd of persons in that
street, whom he harangued at some length, and with
great vehemence of manner. He told them that he was
Elijah the Prophet ; that he was sent down specially from
Heaven to warn the people of Liverpool of the errors of
Popery ; that he was come to sound the trumpet of the
Millenium, and to blow the horn in Zion. Superinten-
dent Ride cut short the' ddress, which, no doubt, would
have been prolonged, much to the edification of the gaping
thousands assembled from all the surrounding streets, by.
taking him into custody, and lodging him in' bridewell..
The doctor who examined him pronounced him insane.
Mr. Parkinson, the bridewell-keeper, said there was no
doubt, whatever of his insanity, and that Mr. Rushton
would have to sign an order for his committal to an asylum:
Mr. Rushton, prior to signing the order, asked the man
what he did for a living ? The lunatic replied, "Itis 34
years back since I received the Holy Ghost, and I am now
going from town to town, and city to city, preaching
repentance to the people, and teaching them that they
are a generation of vipers, and warning them to flee from
the wrath to come.' They want the repeal of the union.
What for ? I was here last night, and there was nothing
amongst them, but cursing and swearing, drinking, revel-
ling, and card-playing, That is, the work the rich are at
in my town ; and they struck me when they could get no
good out of me, and knocked blood out of my nose. I
was here fourteen years ago. I planted one foot on the
sea, and another on the land. I then came to sound the
trumpet of the Millenium, and blow the horn in Zion •,
but the dead bodies are floating on the waves, and now I
am coming to make up the breach, and to link all into
one. The year of a jubilee is come !" Of course Mr.
Rushton's doubts, if he had any, were immediately re-
moved by delivery of this rambling oration, and the order
was signed for the unfortunate man's committal to an
asylum.

CORRESPONDENCE.

SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

MY DEAR am sure you are quite aware of the
influence for good or evil exercised by the Press in this
country; and I trust your sense of responsibility may
long enable you to maintain that high standard of morals
and Christian principles for-which you are already distin-
guished : and there seems greater reason than ever for
steadfastness in the cause, by reason of the sad departure
of some of your contemporaries, from the safest and most
generally acknowledged principles of right : you are aware
perhaps, or if not, let me now inform you, that the Li-
verpool Mail claims for itself pre-eminence as an adver-
tising medium, and ventures to press its claims for
acceptance on the heads of families, on this ground,
amongst others, viz., the purity of its advertisements
and its freedom from all contaminating or corrupting
matter ; so much so, that it recommends itself to
fathers and mothers as the only safe journal for the
hands and heads and hearts of their sons and daughters
Would that this claim were made good by the contents of
the paper itself! but, as the head of a family, and having
the deepest concern for the moral training of very young
people, I am forced to say, that principles such as those
set forth in the Mail of Saturday last, are dangerous and
corrupting alike to the heads and hearts of such young
persons as have been taught to reverse the revelation of
God, and to regard the Almighty One as wiser than man
in his best estate. For instance, in a leading article it
openly advocates Sabbath desecration, denouncing that
company of men who are earnest to maintain for Scot-
land her peaceful Sabbaths, as "an organized hypo-
crisy," and styling the spirit of such defenders of di-
vine law, as " narrow and puritanical," and intolerant ;
and turning with a sneer upon those who have not yet
had their religious principles " brayed" out of them in
the "mortar' of infidel liberalism, but who, despite the
scorn of the utilitarian, and the laugh of the sceptic, are
still bold enough to be "on the Lord's side." It thus
treats with derision two of their foundation principles.
" It is religious duty," say some ; " The Sabbath is of
divine institution," say others, " and must be strictly
kept. This, we assert, is mere cant and ignorance !"
Is this, sir, safe teaching for ourselves and daughters ?
Are we already so utterly abandoned, so entirely reckless,
as tamely to admit such blasphemy as this into the minds
of those upon whose young hearts we wish to see engraved
the enduring eommandment of Crod_ " Remember the
Sabbath-day to keep it holy ?" I trust every Christian
father and mother will protest against such pollution, and
drive the contaminating medium from their doors. We
should rather instruct our young people to revere the con-
duct of these worthies who are making such a noblestandfor
God for his holy law and holy day, and straininc, every nerve
to prevent Scotland from being robbed of this day of
double blessing. On this subject, a saintly son of Scot-
land, who has fallen asleep, thus wrote ere he went home-
wards for his crown :—" Unhappy men, you would wrest
from our dear countrymen the day when God opens the
windows of heaven and pours down a blessing. You want
to make the heaven over Scotland like brass, and the
hearts of our people like iron. Is it the sound of the
golden bells of our ever-living High Priest on the moun-
tains of our land, and the breathing of his Holy Spirit
over so many of our parishes, that has roused up your
satanic exertions to drown the sweet sound of mercy by
the deafening roar of your railway carriages ? Have your
own withered souls no need of a drop from heaven ? Is
it not possible that some of you may remember with tears
of anguish, in hell, the exertions which you are now making,
against light and against warning, to bring down a with-
ering blight on your own souls, and on the religion of
Scotland ? " Thus wrote a departed Christian ; and he,
being dead; yet speaketh. With feelings such as his, I
would desire the minds of my children to be imbued, and
therefore would protect them against such truth-sapping
principles as those set forth in the Mail.

There is one other passage in the same paper which,
however, would account for such latitudinarian assertions,
and go far to prove that the editor has lost the key of
knowledge—it is this—" We retain our oft expressed con-
viction, that as twilight is preferable to thick darkness, so
any religion is better than none !!" Is this safe teaching
for the heads and hearts of our children. Had he said
that all false religions were alike dangerous, we might
have understood him ; but to say, that, of false religious
systems, one is better than another—is like saying that
arsenic is better than prussic acid, or that hanging is better
than drowning : I hold them to be all alike deadly : twi-
light and darkness have respect to man's body—and reli-
gion has respect to man's soul—and to convey to the minds
of our young people that religion is a matter left to their
own selection, and that any religion is better than none,
is to treat truth with a licentiousness such as would have
gratified Voltaire or Rousseau—it is to unhinge and un-
dermine their principles, and it tends to promote scepti-
cism concerning truth altogether. Quack and obscene
advertisements may be carefully excluded from a paper,
and yet in the same journal principles fatal to truth may
be widely propagated.
The absence of a surplice from the pulpit does not ne-
cessarily secure the presence of true doctrine.
Yours, Sir, &c.,
CA./sIDIDUS CENSOR.
March 15th, 1847.

NATIONAL FAST.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlR,—Will you allow me, through the medium of your
widely-circulated newspaper, to take the liberty of sugges-
ting to the clergy and the ministers of all denominations
in Liverpool, that collections be made in the various
churches, on Wednesday, the 24th, being the day appoin-
ted by our gracious Queen for humiliation before God for
"the removal of those heavy judgments which our manifold
sins and provocations have most justly deserved, and under
which we, at this present time, labour ; " and that .the
sums so collected be placed in the hands of the clergy or
the ministers of their respective congregations, to be by
them administered to the relief of those persons they know
to stand in need of assistance.

I am induced to offer this suggestion under the persua-
sion that there are very many, with large families, who
have been, and still are, suffering great privations, whose
cases are known only to their ministers, and who can only
be relieved through their instrumentality. Many feel all
the bitterness of poverty and distress at the present time,
who, from motives of delicacy, shrink from making their
wants known; and who can only be reached through the
channel I have pointed out. Generous contributions have
been (and I hope will still be) made for the relief of our
suffering fellow-countrymen in Ireland and the Highlands
of Scotland. It has been well done, but let not the other
be left undone.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
15th March, 1847. *lc*

IRISH DESTITUTION.

March 12th, Newtown, Saville Glebe,
Augher, County Tyrone, Ireland.
MY DEAR Mn. GROVES,—Feeling ashamed to tres-
pass further on the kind and Christian liberality of my
Liverpool friends, I have for a long time refrained from
addressing you, but I now feel it incumbent upon me to
give you a brief account of the present circumstances of
our poor, lest my continued silence should be attributed to
ingratitude or neglect. I have now to report to you, that
the funds hitherto supplied have been expended in the
purchase of food, medicines, and materials for employing
the female Poor in their own houses, and in some cases in
providing the attendance of a medical man on the sick.
Our mode of operation (now tested by three months' ex-
perience) continues unchanged. Our great principle
being to see that none perish for want of food, and that
the men employed on the public works have sufficient food
to enable them to labour without entailing disease or
death. This is a troublesome and expensive undertaking,
as it often requires that their houses should be visited, the
number of each family accurately ascertained, and a close
and accurate calculation made of how much meal is es-
sential to support life, in addition to what they can pay
for with their weekly earnings, which in no case exceeds
tenpence per day. Now, at the present price of meal,
(2s. 3d. per peck for oat, and ls. Ild. Indian,) this sum is
little more than sufficient to feed the working man him-
self, and hence it arises that the rata engaged at the
various public works of drainage going on in this locality,
have the appearance of being half fed, or rather half
starved. They cannot let their wives and children perish
with hunger. They share their scanty pittance with them,
and the result is too plainly to be seen in the tottering
steps and haggard faces, as also in the numbers who leave
their work to lie down on a bed of sickness and suffering.
Dysentery and fever are sadly on the increase, and in se-
veral
cases have proved fatal. As far as lam enabled, I
endeavour to stay the plague, by affording food beyond
what they are able to pay for, commensurate to their
wants. Those who are unable for labour we feed gra-
tuitously ; while those unable to find -employment else-
where receive sufficient food weekly for the supply of their
families, while from those capable of working, I take
labour in return. Their occupation hitherto has been re-
claiming waste land, and draining on this glebe. I am
now about to employ and pay them for planting beans,
and peas, and sowing parsnip seed, and in some cases,
oats, in their own gardens, having purchased a supply of
seed for that object, trusting that the Lord in mercy will
furnish me, from whatever source, with the means of
carrying on this work of charity. I also contemplate cut-
ting their turf by the same means. You no doubt desire
to know of our prospects respecting seed corn. They arc
dismal in the extreme. There are a large class of holders
of from 2to 8 acres of land. These have long consumed
their corn, and are now supported by daily labour afforded
them by the landlord. Ile has•about 300 men employed,
and to give so much employment, and also to supply seed,
is quite beyond his ability, I dread to think what will
become of these poor men, if not from some source sup.
plieduitli seed. Many have ploughed their land in vain
hope ; many _not yet` commenced to plough ; but if aid
could be procured to supply them with seed, the land
could yet be prepared in time, and the country around
saved from a second year of famine. To supply seed to
all these small holders would take fully £2OO, but thank-
ful should I be could I obtain a sum of even £5O, which
would enable me to crop the land of many poor industrious
Protestants, members of my own flock, and thereby raise
them from wretchedness and despair. I dare not hOwever,
hope to obtain this lesser sum for that important object,
while compelled at the same time to use my pen to pro-
cure food food for present sustenance. Could I even ob-
tain it by way of loan, in sums of £5 or £lO, the poor
farmers would pledge themselves to repay it in harvest.
I would not, of course, bind myself to see it repaid ; but I
do think, in many cases it would be done—in all, if in
their power to do so. God alone can tell how all these
trials may end. Excuse this hasty and ill-digested letter,
from your's faithfully,

CHARLES MAGINNESS.
C. Groves, Esq. Rumford-place. •-
[Mr. Groves, we understand, will gladly take charge of
any contributions.]

THE RIVAL WATER SCHEMES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—It has, I think, been fully demonstrated in your
editorial remarks, that a sufficient supply of this necessary
element of existence may be obtained at our own doors
without incurring an extra expense of some hundreds of
thousands of pounds in a chimerical scheme, ,at a time
when our councillors are complaining of the exhausted
state of the funds at their disposal. If there "is any sur-
plus, let it be expended in useful local improvements,
which are much required by the increase of population.
Mr. Harmood Banner, in the evidence -given before the
Government Commissioners: on the recent investigation,
fully corroborated the opinion you expressed, of having
an ample supply procurable by the existing water com-
panies, •at a comparatively trifling expense. It is to be
feared that from the conflicting circumstances which have
arisen in our municipal body on this and other public
questions, as well as the want of cordiality in the Birken-
head Commissioners, that Government will be induced,
ere long, to take the management of these matters into
their own hands, which should be avoided if possible.
Our local authorities are surely competent td conduct
their own affairs, without having occasion to be placed
under the surveillance of Parliament.

Yours, &c.,
March 13, 1847.

PROTEUS.

INEFFICIENCY OF THE POLICE IN TOXTETH
PARK.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Stn.,—l beg most respectfully to call the attention of
the gentlemen constituting the Watch Committee to the
disgraceful outrages which are so frequently committed
with impunity in Toxteth-park, and I hope and trust this
announcement, through the medium of your JeArno], will
have the effect of the above gentlemen grantino. that pro-
tection to the public of Toxteth-park which has so long
been required. When the increasing population is consi-
dered, and the influx of juvenile and adult offenders of all
denominations who are now infesting the various' localities
of respectability, it is high time to call on the authorities
to adopt some decisive measures to abolish the abominable
scenes which are so impiously presented to hundreds of
respectable persons, on the Sabbath especially even last
night, the inhabitants of Park-st. and Bedford-st. were
disturbed by some brutal fellows fighting, and no police-
man to be got, which is frequently the case, and if you
question one of them, they tell you their beats are so
extensive that it is impossible they can be at one place
ortener than once every hour, but that is a rare thing, as
there was a person a short time ago calling out police in
the night for ten minutes without any avail; add another
was knocked down and robbed in the neighbourhood of
Warwick-street, and no assistance could be procured.
The cases are too numerous to notice in detail, as more
officers must be placed in the district of Toxteth-park.
Hoping this may stimulate the representatives of Toxteth-
park to a sense of sympathy with the peaceable portion of
society.
I remain, sir, your most obdt. servant,
A SUFFERER.