The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-11-25 00:00:00

'THY LIVERPOOi, .C'; TAN-D A Fa 1

Glasgriii University ! SNJohn Campbell, a Caledonian 1
from the womb, and identified by a long life with a large
portion of that country, is rejected !—the majority was
100! triumphant result!—we look at this affair as afford=
ing demonstration, not of the sentiments
,of a few hun-
dred students only, but the sentiments of as many hun-
dred families scattered, all oVc,Tßritain, who were then
epresent&l by their offspring. Moreover, the declara-
tion of a University mast not be valued numerically alone,
though in this r expect it here speaks loudly enough ; but
according to an intellectual and moral standard. On oc-
casions, where sound judgment is required, "the voice of
one of these may outweigh a whole theatre of others."
To form some estimate of this achievement of Conserva-
tism, only think what would have 'been the impression
made, if Sir John Campbell had succeeded to such an ap-
pointment over an English University !—lt would have
been the knell of Church and State dissolution, as this
exaltation of Sir Robert Peel, to the Lord Rectorship of
the University of Glasgow, is the bulletin of returning
health.

We have heard, the town of Liverpool has heard, the
whole country has heard of the corrupt:lnd disgraceful
system of education introduced into our Public Schools;

since th ..yr unfortunately fell under the controul and
management of our Municipal Corporation. One of the
first fruits, the primiti, of these novel powers was to
accomplish in the-Town Council of Liverpool, under the
sanction of legislative authority, what was done byfio7
lence in the Hall of Convention in France—virtuallV to
renounce Christianity—and if there be a degree of guilt
in the one case greater than in the other, we can claim, it
for the Municipal Corporation of Liverpool ; for whilst
GObet, and his associates, openly called upon the assem.:

bly to cut down, trunk and branch, all religion, as a cum-
berer of the social soil, our Town Council hare, with

equal effect, but with more subtlety, accomplished the
same ends, by pouring poison to the root of it. In regi •

cide Franco, the Bible was an oblation offered upon the
binning altar, to Reason. In Liverpool, the Bible i;
either thrown aside as an " accursed thing ; " or, wick-
edly mutilated to propitiate the demons of party. What
may we not expect in the sequel of such a beginning !
It requires but little skill in political augury, to foresee:
events at once calamitous as regards. civil order, and fatal,
'as regards national peace. The disastrous dawn of these

proceedings forebodes a gloomy day of discontent. En-
gland, perhaps, is doomed to run the same revolutionary
career as France—appearances seem to justify the con-
clusion. The very first step taken in France was, to
relax the bonds of Religion ; and this step is just taken

in England. We hope,. however, that Liverpool stands
alone, in having formally promoted, and that even in the
"National Schools" of her town, a system of education,
which can only lead to infidelity, misery, and civil insub-

ordination. Let us take shame to ourselves, and be
overwhelmed with confusion, when we remember, that
heathen Greece, though from an error in judgment, put
Socrates to death for teaching opinions contrary to the
established religion ; or, as is more distinctly declared,
for corrupting youth; and banished Anax.agoras for pro-
fesiing a belief, not conformable to the Sacred canons of
the state—whilst: we, enlightened by the gospel, sanction,
under a Corporation Seal, a system of education, that
•onfounds all principle, blends contrarieties, and takes
away all authority from Religiom It would be better at
once to imitate France, and wholly, and declaratively, to
renounce Christianity. There would then be no debate-

able grounds of faith, and many obstructions to the free
operation of that blessed boon, Municipal,Rwform, would
be removed. But, whilst Religion, and the Protestant
Religion, is part of the law of the land, we shall ever
stand forward to vindicate her claims, and to shield her
from the assaults of her enemies. On the present occa-

sion we are called forth by some observations made by
Mr. Councillor Rathbone, at the late meeting of the Town

Council, and the speech and motion of Mr. Birch. Mr.
Rathbone said, "He thought the children in those
schools would make as good churchmen as any in Liver-
pool ;" but, as he added, almoscimmediately after, that
" he spoke warmly," perhaps his warmth had melted the
"cerata -tabella," the wax tables of his imagination, so
that' the impress of Unitarian, Catholic, and_Protiestant.
Was not 'distinguishable upon it.. In the language—Of
Logic, the ‘,‘ essential diprence" of religion was lost in
the "general nature" of profession. Surely he did not
mean to say,,that a Wee intercourse.of Church of England
children with the children of Catholics and Unitarians
would have any beneficial effect upon their orthogioxy !
we should fear, that the very atmosphere of the school
impregnated, as it must be, with conflicting principles
some infidel, and some blasphemous, would receive such
a moral contamination, as would render it dangerous to
breathe by those who were desirous of preserving religious
health. But to pass on, Mr. Rathbone said, that though he
was himself a " Unitarian Dissenter, it had been admit-

ted by his colleagties that he had never carried his sec,
tarian principles into the committee." We have already
commented on Mr. Rathbone's easy morals, as regards his
school discipline, but if he construes this last confession
into a compliment to his disinterestedness, we think it is
at the expense of his religious consistency, and quite at
variance with his political character. It may be a testi-
mony to the forgetfulness of his creed, when convenient.
to conceal it; but, surely, it is, one, that arraigns the
heart, and ought to wound the conscience, of an upright
man. Whether Mr. Rathbone be a Unitarian Dissenter—
a Papist—a Deist—or an Infidel of any other form and
complexion, he cannot, if a sincere believer in his creed,
he cannot, we repeat, thus easily put it off, when called
from his closet to discharge public duties,---and • hence
springs the mischief of opening the Couneil-chaniber 'to
unfaithful men. if Mr. Rathbone meant to say, that he
does not openly preach Unitarian doctrines amidst his
committee labours, we can understand and believe
him—
the "Unitarian Dissenter" has too much of the "illu-
minati" about him so egregiously to commit himself ;
but we again declare it to be impossible for Mr. Rathbv*i
—if an honest Unitarian (we hope weatre .not
gutlt.y of
a moral solecism) ever to forget his principles, ever"
to
act independently of them, when an opportunity for their
exercise may occur; and there is scarcely'a question of
public business in which such opportunities do not occur.
We ask Mr. Rathbone how be would act at the " Watch
Committee" if a Unitarian Dissenter and a Church of
England candidate was severally 'soliciting 'suffrages for,
an appointment under it ? Would he not "carry his
sectarian principles with him into the cotntriittee"—would:
not a congeniality of creed give a bias to' his soul, turn,
aye, the affectionate needle to the pole, and lubricate his
tatigue,, so that it would. "discourse most eloquent
music" in praise, of the former. He would find the sec-
tarian mantle, whichehad jtist before so gracefully put
off, ready at hand, in which to clothe himself. Oh, yes,
we know, that if Mr:'Rathbone'a desirs could be fully
accomplished, we should -have Unitarian Members of
Parliament—Unitarian MemberS of the Town Council—
Unitarian Members of the Dock Trust Committee—
Unitarian "dirt and dust men," the 'only Offices that
should be filled by Unitarians. Let Mr. Rathbone, there-
fore, "chew the cud" of this bitter sarcasm, proclaimed
by his own lips, and, reverberated by his colleagues, that
he leaves his religious creed at home, like a dirty gar-
ment, when he enters upon public dUties ! We never
remember so severe a self moral castigation. How un-
like all this is the language of the Christian—"at all times,
and in all plates," Ile is giving thanks; and, therefore,
in remembrance of his faith " Whatsoever" he does he
" does all in faith." But we are not the personal enemy
of Mr. Rathbone, neither have we gone out of our way
to assail him—if there be not an impropriety in the figure,
we should say, he has Made himself a mark, at which to
shoot his own arrows; and, as no man wishes to harm
himself, he thought they were feathered only, but, in
truth, they are pointed also.
But we now come to the announcement of a measure
to which, whether carried or not, will be affixed with eter-
nal infamy, the municipal seal of Liverpool. Liverpool,
the first mercantile port in Britain, cod still under a Pro-
testant King, and a Protestant go: ernment, is confem-
pl4ting the
" "le of its publies4ool's,".because,, to use
the language of Mr. Birch, "the public mind Lad been
vexed' and tortnented'threuehout the greater part of the
year" by them ! ! "Cart such things be wit!:out our
special wonder? " It stands without precialent, and will,

we hope, remain without imitation. Is it possible that
we are sank so low," ad-Tartara," in religiouSdiseipline,
that public schools must be abandoned, and for the ex-
traordinary cause, that they "vex and tot ment " the pub
lie Mind ? To those who live a hundred miles fioll7 Li-
verpool, the whole of this proceeding will be regarded as
an 'improbable fiction, an incredible slander upon its
municipal body. But for the benefit of those who may,
at that distance, read the text, we beg to of the folio*.
ing brief comment. The "vexation and torment" al-
luded to, have been called into existence by the semi-
infidel breath of Unitarianism, and at the bidding of un-
hallowed papacy. A school in Protestant England, and
designed to raise up Protestant subjects, has ;been per-
verted into a nursery for Unitarian schismatics, and
Roman Catholic infidels. We ask with confidence, of,
any one of these advocates of liberalism, which is become
a synonym of licentiousness, whether there can be found
in any papal country in Christendom, a school, originally
designed for the inculcation of the doetrines of Romanism,
that ever tolerated the introduction• of any discipline
favourable to Protestantism ? We defy every unitarian
and papist member of the Town Council of Liverpool
to furnish such an example. Why even papal France,
where religion is shrunk, like the nymph in the fable, to
a Mere "vole et prceterea nihil," a protestant cannot ob-
tain a decent resting-place for his ashes—" that small
portion of the 'barren earth, which serves as paste and
cover to our bones I." What heathen nations seldom re-
fused even to enemies, papal France refuses to her neigh-
bour, at .peace with her: How unlikelye then, that she
would expend her funds to educate those whom she re-
fuses to bury.
,But to proceed. Mr. Birch added, that
"he had always been unable to conceivehow an reason-
able man could attempt to justify the application of pro-
perty,' which belonged to the whole community, to the
education of one exclusive body." It may not be Mr.'
Birch's fault to have limited powers of " conception"—
that they are nut very ample we shall soon discover. If
Mr. Birch meant, that the " whole community" have an
indefeesible right:in the " property" of the-se schools, he
asserts more than we are willing to believe he intended.
Whilst he is Planting in the same soil, a Unitarian, a
Papist, and a Protestant, how could he justify the exclu-
sion of the Deist; a fearfully numerous portion of society ?
Or, does Mr. Birch maintain (it is the legitimate issue of
Ids principle) filet in these schools, every, section of be-
lievers and unbelievers, ought to find masters to teach,
and books to instruct them, in their several creeds? shall
we have the Bible in three contradictory versions—the
one as read by the Romanist—another as read by the
Unitarian—and a third as read by the Protestant church-
man? And shall we have, for in consistency we can riot
deny it, the latest edition of Paine's Age of Reason, for
the Scions of Deism v How can yon refuse any one of
these ?—each urges his claim with the same argument—
and you must grant all, or abandon your principle. But,
narrow as appears to be Mr. Birch's "conception," surely
it might have compassed the conclusion, that public funds
in a , Protestant country, applied to the support of a Na-
tional school in the same country, were designed for the
promotion of Protestant education—and had any doubts
arisen in his mind, he might easily have removed them
by referring to the appropriation of those funds, before the
new light of municipal reform cast its ominous shade
over it. But we fancy we can see in the tenor of Mr.
Birch's speech a conciliatory disposition, and so far we
respect it, but we cannot suffer a compromise of our prin-
ciple—we condemn, unqualifiedly, the grounds upon
which hei,vould make peace-0! tempora ! 0! mores ! In
the nineteenth century of the Christian Era, to hear of
propositions to abandon the discipline of schools, founded
upon religious principles, and to "endeavour to intro-
duce a system of what might be called secular educa-
tion ! "—this, a little more amplified in expression, means,
to throw overboard the compass of religion, by which,
hitherto, under the tutelage of our national schools, the
vessel of life has been directed through the storms of
passions, kept clear of the rocks and syrtes of temptation,
and, we hope, and believed, finally conducted, in nu-
merous instances, into the haven of Eternal rest. If
we must make an election between the 'alternatives Of no
religion, or the religion of unitarians and papacy we
give.aur voice for total exclusiotr-esdatkrin',44sl preferable
to the light of. an ignislatuus. But we will hope better
things, and trust that this question, still unsettled, may
be settled to the hOnour of Liverpool. And, that, as
already the public voice has proclaimed the management
of the national schools, by the newly-modelled municipal
corporation, to be a public wrong, there will be made an
attempt at redemption of character
.by directing the
funds of the corporation into their former channels, to
fertile and refresh, as Was originally intended, the
lovely fields of Protestantism. We have one part-
ing word "for'• Mr. Ratiibone—ite said " that the
member for Everton had asked him if the Bible were
read during school hours ? "—and he answered " Yes.',
If a Mahometan were asked, whether he believed Moses
to be a true prophet, he might answer, " yes "—if he
were further asked, whether he believed in Jesus Christ?
he might also answer "yes"—but in both cases the "yes'
of the Mahometan would be precisely like the "yes" of
Mr. Rathbone--negatiVes to the interrogatives of a
Christian. And Mr. Rathhone's • yes "is "in foro con-
scientico" no-,efor he knows that the Bible, as was under-
stood in the interrogation, was not _read, but a Bible from
which, as was significantly implied in Mr. Heyworth's
question, and to which no answer was given, the second
commandment is expunged from the Decalogue. We are
sorry to' hear a, matt of Mr. Rat hbone's station thus " pal-
ter with, nsiu a double sense." If the Unitarian Bible
countenances such mental equivocation, the Protestant
Bible rigorously condemns it. " Who," says our Bible,
`" shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? "—to which the
answer is, and we press it upon the attention of Mr. Rath-
bone—" He that speaketh tire truth froin his heart."

In the perforMance of our .publie. duty, we have pub-
lished, in another column, a faithful report of the discus-
sion which took place in the Common Council, on
'Wednesday:last, relative to the Corporation schools. The
'great interests which are involved in Ole decision of the
Council, render it unnecessary on our part to offer any
apology to our readera, for again directing their serious
attention to this subject. Its baneful influence on the
religious principles, and moral habits of the rising ge-
ketation is sufficient to enkindle the zeal of the philan-
thropist, and lead hiM, by every means in his power, to
avert those evils with which our social compact is threat-
ened. We' record 'with feelings of the deepest shame,
and burning indignation the degrading fact that in Pro-
testant England, and in a town, heretofore distinguished
for its allegiance to the House of. Hanover, and re-
nowned for its uncompromising attachment to the prin-
ciples of the reformation, that any body of men could be
found, acting under the authority of a Protestant King,
who, to gratify the ambition of party, should league
themselves together against the circulation of the Sacred
Scriptures, and shut out the light of truth from the yoUth
of our generation.' We say the alliance which our Town
Councillors have formed, is both disgraceful, inconsis-
tent, and unnatural. The infidel, the papist. and the
political dissenter, actuated by a feeling of hatred to
God, have united their forces, and commenced a crusade
against the civil liberties, and religious privileges of
their townsmen: Time was, when Liverpool, the first
in commercial enterprise, was also foremost in deeds of
charity—when ample provision was made for the reli-
giouS, and moral education of her children—when tem-
ples were raised to the Living God, and his worship
celebrated—when the riches which reWarded her industry
and enterprise were expended in extending
those chan-
nels of industry, and in promoting the happiness of. her
people. Then her Council was held ill honour—their
authority recognised—their laws respected Then the
paternal hand of her local government was extended to
succour the needy—to protect tyLe'oppiessed7 and to re-
lieve the necessitous. Hospitals 'were built and en-
dowed—infirmaries and DigPensatlies erected by the
voluntary subscription of her rcople, also experienced
the festering care of her rulers, the'streams of her charity
stied in every direction—religion, regarded as the
srning of such benevolent actions was bay, in honour.
I.3tit what a contrast do we now witness! A reform has
taken
,pi„e„ t The demon of faction has raised
hideous hoed a,
„,ngst us, and party prejudice has nar-