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he argues the question with Dr. 111`Neile himself,
is in amusing contrast with the portion which we
have quoted. Our contemporary thinks there must
be some miss prehension on his part, and is sure
that the Reverend Doctor did not intend to imply
"a doubt of the correctness of our statement."
alas ! when people begin to throw stones or
mud, and lose the command of their temper and
discretion, they sometimes hit those whom they
would least attempt to injure. In his abuse of us,
he terms our version of the disputed passage as
"a tinkered and nonsensical perversion of the
lecture." Yet it is that very tinkered and non-
sensical perversion which the Reverend Doctor
himself has adopted and has printed, as conveying

the he

expression of

his opinion and meaning.
Indeed, our contemporary himself, with an amusing
fulness of what he had previously been
at the close of his remarks
sufficient to have warranted any one in so

"With regard," he says, " to what the reverend doctor
meant to say at the Amphitheatre. we have met with but
one opinion, either amongst parties who heard the lecture
iongst those who have read it. That opinion is, that
as willing to have but one member Conservative,
___ded that both were Protestant. This was the idea
in his mind. The proposition is'a good one, and consist-
ent with the soundest wisdom in the present crisis of
affairs, when the points at issue between Conservatives
and Liberals are insignificant, but when everything de-
pends upon the great point at issue between Protestantism

and Popery." -
This is precisely our case. A proposition to
waive the question of Conservatism in the case of
one member without securing Protestantism in both
would have been utter absurdity, inconsistent with
the whole tenor of the lecture, and of the object
he had in view.

WE present our readers with a verbatim report
of the able speech of Mr. Alderman Bramley-
Moore, yesterday, in introducing to the Council
certainly the most important proposition, as affect-

Tests of Liver

which was

ever addressed to that body. Although not re-
ceived without some slight objections by those to
whom it was made—although its liberality and its
bold and comprehensive character seemed to have
staggered some of the more timid spirits in the
Council—we have not a doubt that it will be re-
ceived by the public out of doors with gratitude
and universal satisfaction, and win for the Dock
Committee and their able Chairman an ample meed
of the gratitude of this community. At the late
hour at which we write, it is not our intention to
enter into any examination of the merits or alleged
demerits of the plan. In honest truth, the Dock
Chairinap has so completely exhausted the subject
that anything beyond giving a faithful report of
his speech is quite surplusage.

THE LIVEftPOOL 81ANDARD.

LITERARY

CZMNEM-

NOTICE,

The Church and the Churches ; or, the Church of Cod
in Christ, and the Churches of Christ Militant here on
Earth. By the Rev. Hugh M`Neile, D. D., Hon.
Canon of Chester, and Incumbent of St. Jude's, Liver-
pool. London : Seeley, Burnside, and Seeley, Fleet-
street ; and Seeley's, Hanover-street, Hanover-square.
We rejoice to see that a second edition of this valuable
work has been printed, reduced in size and price, and thus
placed within reach of another and larger class of readers.
This edition contains a new preface, in refutation of the
only objection to his book, which had reached the reverend
author. He says, that "as yet he has met with no
attempt, by either Romanist or tractarian, to gainsay the
conclusions he has arrived at." It is good policy to be
silent, when an answer is inconvenient or impracticable;
and certainly, in the present state of the controversy in
this country, the dead silence of all adversaries for a year,
after such a book from such a man, is no small testimony
to the power and conclusiveness of the author's reasoning.
We ourselves have heard an attempt made, not indeed
to answer the book, but to disparage the man. The ready
cavil is, that Dr. M`Neile wishes to alter the Prayer Book,
placing some passages in brackets ; and this without fur-
ther explanation, is used to create a damaging prejudice
against him.
This is the .more inexcusable, because his proposal is
accompanied with the explanation, which, while it attests
his own thorough churchmanship, proves also the Chris-
tian tenderness of his feelings towards others. Speaking
of the required declaration of unfeigned assent and con-
sent to anything prescribed by the Book of Common
Prayer, he says :
" There is a wide difference between disapproving of
this declaration ourselves, and disapproving of its enforce-
ment on others. It is not because of any personal re-
pugnance to it, that we deprecate its enforcement. In
fact, it exercises no force upon us ; we make it with per-
fect freedom, so far as our own individual feelings are con-
' cerned. But others, and truly devoted Christians, can-
not view it as we do, and we most highly disapprove of
compelling such men either to submit to it with wounded
consciences and injured self-respect, or to separate them-
selves from the National Church."— The Church and the
Churches, p.p., 86-87, first edition.
Here we discover the mind of a man who is not sel-
fishly content to attend to his own things, but who, with
a genuine Catholic spirit, feels also for the things of
others. It should be remembered, also, that Dr. M'Neile's
proposal did not involve any alteration in the Prayer
Book. When he first made it, it was prefaced thus :
" The suggestion which I venture to make has this advan-
tage, that it would not erase a word, nor add a word, nor
alter a word, in any of our services."—Lectures on the
Church, first edition, p. 247.
If a true Churchman be one, who, not content with
cordially approving of the Book of Common Prayer him-
self, is devoid of any feelings of kindness or consideration
for those who cannot conscientiously agree with him ; if
such narrow selfishness, such excommunicating bigotry, be
indispensible to genuine churchmanship, then we readily
grant that Dr. M`Neile is not a genuine churchman. He
certainly is not of that one-eyed hard-hearted school. But
if a churchman be one who altogether prefers, faithfully ad-
ministers, and ably defends the Book of Common Prayer,
while at the, same time he frankly avows his willingness
and even his anxiety to abate somewhat of his own indi-
vidual preference for the sake of the extended unity and
increased efficiency of the Church, then Dr. M`Neile is a
churchman of whom all Christian members of our Esta-
blishment may justly be proud. If the Christian laity of
the kingdom are to be made warm friends and liberal
supporters of the English Church ; if they are to be
induced to make pecuniary sacrifices for the sake of
multiplying her temples and endowing her ministers, it
must be done mainly by such churchmen as Dr. M`Neile.
The following passage from the second edition of " The
Church and the Churches," pp. 504, 505, will at this
moment be read with interest :
" Under such circumstances, is it not plainly impracti-
cable to separate our political acts from our religious
principles and motives ; our duty towards our fellow-men
from our duty tower& God ? Where is the anatomist in
theology, or in the metaphysics of public and private mo-
rality, who can trace the line of separation between the
religious principle which secures 'just weights and mea-
sures' in the shop ; and the absence,of it, which utterly
dissociates religion and politics at the hustings ? If it be
alleged that religion has nothing to do with ' just weights
and measures,' then, upon the principle which separates
morality from religion, I quite agree that it is consistent
to separate politics from religion. This is to make reli-
gion an exotic indeed, so delicate as—it is to be feared—
to be at the withering point unto death. The man, or the
nation, who puts away a good conscience towards God in
his outward duties, of whatsoever kind, will, with awful
certainty, make shipwreck concerning faith. If religion
be not welcomed and entertained as the practical guide of
life, both public and private, she will refuse to remain
among men as a visitor, or a vision to be made a conve-
nience of, for hypocrisy or deceit. If the revealed will of
God be discarded by rulers, as no longer practicable be-
cause of the varieties of conflicting opinions among men ;
what have a set of servants' to expect, who while endea-
vouring to please one another for present ease, are all com-
bined in a course displeasing to their master ? I do not
mean to say that every interference with the British con-
stitution, as it now is, must be offensive to God. I ad-
vance no such untenable position. No arrangement of
human sagacity, however wisely constructed, can with
safety be pronounced perfect. The distribution of power
between the various estates of the realm, which has wrought
so well. and under which the country has so wonderfully
prospered, may possibly have been improved by those
recent changes which have very decidedly turned the
balance in favour of popular influence, and I will not take
upon me to say, that—all things considered—still further
changes in the same direction might not be made, leading
to still greater improvement ; but the experience of the
world, as well 'as the sound philosophy of government
grounded on what man is, pronounces against the destruc-
tion of the balance on either side, and gives warning—

which only infatuation can despise—that-to destroy it on
one side, is to provoke the recoil which is sure to destroy
it on the other. Authority of some kind there must be
for civilization, and if the people would avoid a military
despotism in the end, they should manifest the increase of
wisdom which it is said they have attained, by avoiding
impatient insubordination in the beginning. On all such
questions the true Christian will manifest moderation.
Anxious for improvement and open to conviction, he will
nevertheless, as a general rule, bear in mind the warning
of divine wisdom against them who are given to change.'
" It is when the law of God is set at nought by the civil
rulers of a state, that the Christian church, in that state,
should bear her faithful testimony against the transgres-
sion ; addressing herself to every ruler of every degree and
grade of influence, from the Sovereign on the throne to
the poorest freeholder whose name is, or ought to be, on
the registration lists ; and reminding them all of the re-
vealed will of the King of kings. and Ruler of princes—
which may indeed be neglected and despised for the pre-
sent, but certainly not with permanent impunity—that
all who rule over men should rule in the fear of God.' "

MEETING OF THE 'BIRMINGHAM & OXFORD
JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY.

On Saturday, an adjourned extraordinary meeting of
the shareholders in this undertaking was held at Dee's
Royal Hotel, Birmingham, for the purpose of considering
the conduct of the directors, the propriety of instituting a
suit in equity in the name of the company, oftalpa
Parliamentary proceedings to carry the resolution of
t dwith the
March into effect, and other purposes
anngrcectors. The
dispute between the shareholder?an
meeting was well attended, and included several members
of Parliament and some of our townsmen. P. H. Muntz,
Esq., chairman of the company, presided.
Mr. MozLny, of Liverpool, having found that the
chairman did not intend to make any remarks or offer any
explanation, said he regretted that fact. He complained
of the conduct of the directors, who, immediately before
the hour of meeting, when the shareholders assembled to
elect six new directors, delegated the whole power of the
company to a sub-committee. On behalf of the new
directors, of whom he was one, he protested against such
conduct, which was clearly intended to nullify the election
.of those gentlemen. In itself, however, he believed such
a delegation to be illegal. He moved a long resolution in
accordance with his views, and which would put an end
to the committee altogether.

Mr. C. H. JONES, of Liverpool, seconded the motion.
The CHAIRMAN said that the directors had appointed
the 13th of March, from an apprehension that the new
directors would stop the works. The powers of the com-
mittee were, however, confined to matters already sane-

tion ed.
Mr. MOZELY was not satisfied with this explanation,
and repudiated, for himself and all his friends, the idea
of stopping the works.
.-The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. G. TURNER then moved a resolution to the effect
that the directors had expended large sums of money
belonging to the company, and without their authority,
&c., and embodying a remedy.
Mr. CROSSFIELD, of Liverpool, seconded the motion ;
but the question not being within the terms of the requi-
sition, it was withdrawn.

Mr. PARSONS, of London. was opposed to the course
pursued by the Birmingham and Oxford Directors, and
also objected to the agreement with the Great Western,
which was prejudicial to their property. He moved a
strong resolution, condemnatory of the arrangements on
these subjects, and appointing an adjourned meeting on
the 30th_of June, to furtherconsiderthese._

Mr. MozLEY seconded this in an able address, in which
he warmly urged the propriety of an amicable settlement
of the difference between the shareholders and the
directors, from which so much evil had resulted.

motion, inasmuch has he could not say that a suit should
be raised that the directors had acted illegally, or that
they had done anything but what they were empowered
to do by the shareholders. He gave Mr. Mozley and Mr.
Parsons credit for the courteous manner in which they
had put the resolution
Mr. MOZLEY ther

in order to show that the share-
-3 exhibit an amicable feeling, moved

COUNCIL MEETING.—CoxTricuED FROM PAGE 5. 1

Visit their harbour will the ft de and welfare of the town
increase. (Hear, hear, hear.) The next article to which
I shall allude is salt ; and most of us are old enough to
remember the effect which the reduction of the duty on
this article, which took place in 1823, had upon• our trade.
I believe that the enormous consumption which has since
taken place has been chiefly owing to that reduction of
duty : for then it was a well-known fact that the poor man
who kept his pig was obliged, in many instances, to sell
it at any price, salt being too dear to enable him to
keep, cure, and eat it himself. Salt is also an article
which is taken to every part of the habitable
world in ships ; and we will derive great advantage
from any...increase in its exportation which, we can

also add

that ii

be an

advantage to the shipping to have the duty re-
duced
on this article, inasmuch as they are just
placed in the same position with regard to it as
tilt:, are with rPnarri to enfll -_"

vied, as I hope it may, with a reduction of the town
dues on this article, the trade in it will be enormous ;

and more especially so if the odious monopoly of the
East Indies was abolished. It may well be said of the
poor man there that he " cannot earn salt to his porridge,"
when it takes more than one-third of his earnings to pur-
chase for him that which is the commonest necessity of

life here. This fact is fully shewn in a pamphlet written
by a Mr. Aylwyn, which the talented chairman of the
Salt Association of Cheshire, Wm. Worthington, Esq., has
politely forwarded me. That, sir, I may add, is mainly
the cause of barring from those poor people the intro-
duction of Christianity. In this pamphlet he beautifully
exposes the injurious effects of this monopoly on our
trade and on the physical condition of the people. On
these four articles proposed to be reduced we have
estimated the reduction to be a gross sum of £24,000 ;
or on the whole, say on iron £1,500, on cotton £18,700,
coals £l,OOO, ships £14,000, and on salt £3,4oo,—thus
making a total of £38,000. Having stated this, I will
come to the discussion of the financial part of our esti-
mates. Before doing so, however, I was going to notice
that portion of the letter of Mr. Evans, in which he states
that our actual debts are £5,000,000 ; but, sir, this asser-
tion is so easily refuted, and will be so fully refuted in the
course of my observations, that I need not now do more
than.refer to it. Mr. Evans has on more than one occa-
sion—in fact, year after year, he has been reminding us
of the failure in the cotton crop ; and still the trade of
the port has gone on increasing ; and I hope it
will increase, notwithstanding all thse " reminders."
(Hear, hear, and laughter.) I shall now proceed, how-
ever, to notice the extravagant statement in that letter,
wherein our debts are set forth at £5,000,000; and, in
answering that assertion, if I can make a statement so
clear and correct that any member present will understand
me, I feel confident that he will be answered. For one
moment I beg to direct your attention to the report. In
it we have estimated the debts as being £3,600,000; but
of this sum it will be borne in mind that a large portion
will not be due fora long time to come yet ; that it is only
the estimated figure of what our debts will be. The cost
of the south works will be, when completed, £260,000 ;
and the north works will be £240,000 ; to this we have
added the debt, which, when due, makes the total
£3,600,000. I think, therefore, that they deal very unfairly
with the matter ; but I will deal differently with it : for I
will prove that the present debt is but £3,256,000. The
sum required for the north, south, and central works is
£l,3oo,ooo—less cash in hand, £190,000, which leaves us
to borrow £1,110,000. This makes, assuming the whole
works to be completed, our debt then, but which will not
be contracted for many years to come, the sum of only.
£4,366,400. Our income we have had made up to Satur-
day last, in order that we might have it brought down as
near the present time as possible, and we find that up to
that date it has been £275,000. _

AMBROSE LACE.--tOr what period ?
Mr. BRAMLEYMOORE.-For one year, less than the time
from the 19thinst. to the 24th inst. , which time will complete
the year. and during which we will receive £5,000. That
will make our increase £280,000. To this, however, we
must add £30,000 for the Albert warehouses. You, Sir,
are aware that the parliamentry estimates for these ware-
houses was £36,000 ; and, therefore, we are quite safe in
taking £30.000 on that item. This makes a total income
of £310,000. I wish you to bear in mind that the £280,000
of income is not one to be anticipated as the result of
future years :it is the fact of the present year. From this
£210,000 you must deduct £32,000, the interest on
£4,366,000, at 41 per cent., or £195,000, and the
cost of management, which may be taken at £43,000.
These sums, when added, makes the reduction to
be made from our income £271,000, still leaving
a surplus supposing our debts to be the full
amount estimated, which they are not—of £39,000.
I trust after that statement no one will say that we are
dealing rashly with the dock estate ; but that the Dock
Committee are looking after the affairs of the dock estate
and the interests of the shipping of the harbour in the
same vigilant and attentive manner which they have ever
done. I should have stated that I have not gone into any
nice calculations ; but that I have left myself ample room
and margin for all contingencies. If I had been particular
as to my calculations, with regard to the item charged for
interest, there is £700,000 of the sum for which we are
paying only three-and-a-half per cent. ; but I take the
whole at four-and-a-half, thus leaving sufficient margin
on that item—a course which I have pursued with refer-
ence to all the others. To talk of one debt being £5,000,000
is, as I said before, an extravagant notion. Tt does not
follow because we have the power to borrow a large sum
of money that we are, therefore, to plunge in debt un-
necessarily. We, have still the power to borrow, if we
like, £417,000 more than we require, but our having that
power is no reason why we should do so. Sir, in the
statement which I have just made, I have taken

no credit for several large sums which we have
yet to receive : for instance, from the Battery, £20,000,
from the Corporation, £40,000, and the new landing
stage, £20,000 ; and when these things are considered,
I think that the alarm raised against the proposed reduc-
tions are very groundless. If in future,—and Ido sin-
cerely hope it will be one of the first things that will
occupy the attention of my successor in office,—the
clumsy and inconvenient system now pursued relative to
dock bonds was altered, I have no doubt but the estate
would be incalculably benefited by it. In refering to the
manner in which the debts are taken up by the Dock Com-
mittee of London, I find that though they are far more
oypressive than ours, the system of management of them
is much better. When you attempt to make your bonds
available, as in London, then you will secure your debts,
and make them independent of all changes which could
take place in the money market. There are thousands of
persons prevented from putting money into Dock Bonds,
because of the badness of our present system of
management in that particular. Mr. Nicol calls my
attention to the landing-stage, but it is unnecessary
to notice it; I have already stated that I take no credit
for £20,000 on this item. I feel too deeply, and too
anxiously, the responsibility which devolves upon me in
bringing this matter before the Council, to enter into any
close details in this statement ; yet, while I feel anxious
about the welfare of this new scheme for the advancement
of" Liverpool, I am also quite confident, relying as I do on
the judgment, intelligence, and sagacity of this council,
that the report which I had the honour to present from
wished the Dock Committee ll
tboekanpopwrovifedmarn.cl
Moore confi confirmed.
Mr. esd.
Mr. ROBINSON quite
correct
thein Dock
hiastacom
statement relative to the interest on the
debt
Mr. BRAMLEY-T100!-I thought, sir, that I had
made myself very plain ; for I took every possible pain
in the statement which I have given to make it as plain a
I could. If, however, I have failed in doing so, or in
making out a case before this Council, then of course you
will exercise your discretion, and say whether you will
approve of the resolutions before you ; but if on the
other hand you are satisfied that I have demonstrated the
ability of the Dock Committee to grant this great boon to
the public, then I know that I can have no difficulty in
anticipating your decision.
Mr. RoniNsoN.—Pardon me : I was merely asking a
question of Mr. Moore relative to

-.
The MAYOR.—Oh, Mr. Robinson, if you would listen
to and reply to Mr. Moore, instead of interrupting him,
to would be better. Proceed, if you please, sir.
Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE.—I have done, your worship.
Alderman Nrcot seconded the adoption of the report,
and the resolutions founded thereon.
Mr. ROBINSON was opposed to the reduction on cotton, be-
cause it would, he thought, go into the hands of the foreign
grower. He -ght also that the duty on sugar and tea shy '

have been taken off before any reduCtion wilts made in such
articles as cotton, coal; salt, and iron. lie wished to ask Mr.
Bramley Moore whether it was a gross or a nett estimate which
he had formed in making the calculations on which he relied
Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE.—I am not particular.
Mr. ROBINSON contended, that if they made the proposed
reductions they would have no surplus whatever. The interest
statedin the report on the £4,366,000 was £162,000.
Mr. BRAMLBY-MOORE.—II is £193,000.
Mr. ROBINSON.—But in the report it is no more than what I
have stated. ._ _

Mr. RonlNso

there is no surplu

lies. that is the' matter that strikes me;

Mr. BRAM LEY-MOORE.—The interest amounts to £193,000;
and the income.is £280,000, on which we have a surplus of
£42,000, or thereabouts.
Mr. EARLE.—lnsaead of £59,000, as stated before.
Mr. BRA AILEY-MOORE.—That calculation was run up in
haste, and there may have been some mistake in it ; but still it
was•not, on the whole, incorrect.
Mr. HUGH Ho RN B Y regretted that some gentlemen who had
hitherto taken a warm interest in the affairs of the Dock Com-
mittee were absent on the present occasion. He alluded to
Mr. Aikin and Mr. Evans. Ile thought the question before
them one of such importance that the members of the Council
should not be called on to discuss and vote on the' question so

Tking

hastily.
Bramley-
all tI)P

With regard to tne _
j-Moore, he had but fewobservations to make.
amounts which they must incur into' consideration, ht
calculated that their debts came to £4,590,000, the interest on
which would be, say .t'193,000; but in his estimate, Mr. Brain-
ley-Moore had not made any allowance for the increase of
officers and salaries consequent on the completion of all his
works. In his opinion, a great addition ought to be made to
that account for that particular item. From his balance
of £42,000 he how proposes to take £38,716, being but a
very small sum for surplus. He thought the Dock Com-
mittee and Council were taking a very rash step in making the
proposed reduction ; and, at all events, it was a subject on
which the members of the Council should take more time than
an hour or an hour and a-half to deliberate on. He gave' the
Dock Committee every credit for their industry, zeal, and issi-
duity.in.the affairs of the town; for he was certain that they
were influenced by no other feeling than a desire to benefit the
town—(hear, hear) ;—but still they should pause before they
made so hold a step. He also thought that the present mode of
changing the dock dues was objectionable: inasmuch as it left