The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-06-03 00:00:00

CLOSING. THE MOUNT GARDENS.

Mr. Councillor BLACK BUBN rose to move, that the Mount
:Gardens should be closed on Sundays: It might be asked why
he had not opposed the resolution of their being opened, which
appeared to have obtained the unanimous consent of Abe coun-
cil. The reason was, he was absent that day. The unanimity,
however, of the council had only been apparent, for it was not
known by a number of the council that such a recommendation
was contained in the finance report. He hoped the council
would not regard this as an improper obtrusion on their time
.and attention; as due notice of the motion had been given, they
would come prepared to discuss it. He was aware that an
opinion had been expressed that that chamber was not the place
for the discussion of theological subjects. (Hear.) From the
nature of the present subject, however, it was quite impossible
to avoid expressing religious opinions. He should endeavour,
with all possible circumspection, to avoid everything like reli-
gious argument, and confine himself to the simple statement of
his own conscientious feelings on this subject, and cast not the
slightest imputation upon the motives or principles of those who
'night differ from hint. With regard to the institution of the
Sabbath, it was one of pre-eminently universal obligation, as a
divine institution deriving its authority from the sacred scrip-
tures, and obligatory in its observance on all mankind. In his
view, he considered it essential to dedicate a seventh part of our
whole time to the worshipund service of God ; to the considera-
tion of the relationship in which we stand to him as responsible
beings, with a view to our preparation for eternity. He was
led to the conclusion that the employment of any portion of that
day unnecessarily was contrary to the will of God, and calcu-
lated to be exceedingly injurious to the best interests of the
community; and that, under any pretext, this was essentially
wrong.
'lhere was nothing, he apprehended, in the closing of
the gardens which would be contrary to the principles of those
who might be opposed to him; they might regaid it as an un-
necessary
strictness to deprive a man of the opportunity of inno-
cent and harmless recreation. On the other hand, there were
many who considered with him that the opening of the garden
was a violation of•the revealed will of God. lie trusted that
th. se who thought lightly of it, and thought it a matter of no
importance, would concede something to him and those who
tho4ht with him, who made it a matter of principle,
and thought
it a subject of great importance.
Mr. Councillor HoesFa et, telt extremely sorry to say or do
anything which might abridge or interfere with the recreations
of the lower orders. But he did think the opening of these
gardens was a desecration of the Sabbath. On that account he
should second the resolution:
Mr. Councillor Lawaeavcs Her wonTu rose to oppose the
motion. He had been born and bred in religion from his ear-
liest iufancy, and thought he had as just a claim as any one
present to stand firward fur the advocacy of religion. They
must treat this questiou as a theological question. The pro-
poser of the inotien ought to point out where it was forbidden
in the scriptures to assemble in a garden. If on the other hand
he could pint out where the founder of their religion had met
his disciples ..and the
,people,•and walked in garden,. it ‘i•as a
tangible argument ugaiust the motion.. If they could find him

wandering in the fields sitting down on the verdant grass and
enjoying the scenery around they could find Our Saviour
walking through.the corn fields on the Sabbath day, could he
then say.that the Sabbath wasdesecrated because men enjoyed the
blessings provided. for them by God. The primitive christians
had not dune so, they had assembled in the fields to. discuss re-
ligious topics, and did not go to listen to the dogmas laid down
by one man. The inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem were
forbidden to go to any other place of worship than the temple,
which precluded the .possibility of their attending divine service
more than once or twice a-day.., He should oppose the motion.
Mr. Councillor COGLAN said that in, legislating on subjects
affecting the interests and manners of oipeople,it was important
that the patriot or the philanthropist should consider whether
the means he proposed were calculated to benefit or injure the
community. It was not sufficient that his motives were pure,
his intentions virtuous, religious, and honourable, but were they
judicious, were they calculated to produce the objects he had in
view, or to produce effects diametrically opposed to those he
contemplated. Thus, if a theologian were desirous of impressing
conviction upon the mind of an individual who was opposed to
him in religious belief—if he were soberly desirous of accom-
plishing his end he would not at once denounce that individual
to he an idolator, an infidel, or a heathen;. he would endea-
vour to persuade him by the mild process of reason, and to draw
him to the paths of virtue by means calculated to the end and
not by unjust restrictions. Oppressive enactmeins never
could produce the proper effect, and dear bought expe-
rience bad proved that it never can. He could not subscribe
to the doctrine which would prevent him, after the toils of
the week and after attending to those duties which severe ne-
cessity imposed upon hint, from enjoying innocent recreation
with his family and his friends, or contemplating the beauties
of nature. He believed a very great portion of the community
went to some place of worship once or twice every sabbath, and
the working classes did not think that they desecrated the sab-
bath after paying the adoration justly due to the author of their
being, if they passed a portion of the day in proper recreation
and amusement. Look at the myriads of their fellow beings
who were obliged to be shut up in their workshops, confined in-
damp cellars or in close garrets, or who tvere obliged. to attend
in counting houses 12 er 14 hours a day; if these individuals.
were attempted to be driven from want of places to go to. to
places of worship two or three times a day, the effect . would be
to drive them into taverns to the ruin of tkeirhealth.and Morals.
He wished they had more public gardens and parks for them to
establish their health in, •and innocently enjoy themselves.
They might depend upon it its inettio • tutissinaus dditus—That it
was difficult compelling men from their inclinations, it would
only end in driving them into the,oblic-liustrA. -He had rea-.
son to believe from what he had heard, that the conduct of the
people in this garden was extremely quiet and orderly. Let
those who liked to confine themselves in cloisters go there, but
let them not attempt to compel others to go with them; but if
they were wrong convince them by reason that they were so:
Mr. Councillor Buten said his principal objection to the
motion was that it appeared to be a system of religious legisla-
tion. .Such legislation had been.repudiated in the House of
Commons, and it would ill become them to take it by the hand.
It was converting that council into a mere theatre of religious
disputation, and he thought their constituents had not sent them
there for the discussion of religious questions, but for the pro-
teciion of their secular interests.
Mr. Councillor RATHBONE must meet Mr. Blackburn on his
own ground of principle on this question, and -he differed with
him entirely. He did believe that they were called on not only
to worship God in walls but in walks, and amidst his more im-
mediate works. He thought it mast important that the public
should have the opportunity of innocent recreation to keep'
Omni out of the dram-shop. Intended to raise their wives and
children in their own estimation, and that would tend to reli-
giously raise them, and do far more good than keeping them
at house. lie would contend that the Sunday was not intended
for religious purposes only, but also as a day of rela Nation and
pleasure. It ought to be a day looked forward to by children
as a day they would rejoice to see return ; .it would tend to
make them look at religion as " a way of pleasantness and all
her v.iths as peace." He thought there had been a great mis-
take in that portion of the community which somewhat ex-
clusively called itself the religious world, and he thought that
mistake was one of the causes why the Christian religion had
not been so inflnent;al as it might have been and as it ought to
be. He should conclude with moving an amendment, " that
it is expedient to keep the Mount Gardens open on Sunday;
and it. was also imperative for the council to provide more ex-
tended walks and other places for air and exercise for all
classes of the town of Liverpool, as far as the funds of the cor-
poration would admit."
Mr. Councillor LAWRENCE HEYWORTH seconded the amend-
ment
Mr. Councillor CARSON advocated the gardens beingkept
open pn the score of t he health of the poor.
Mr. Councillor Hoes was opposed to religious legislation;
he considered that religion ought to be between man and
his creator. He also thought it wrong. and wicked that the
walk should be open on Sundays. But that was not- the ques—
tion. The question was by opening. these gardens, whether
they were not inviting the public to do what many of them con-
sidered wrong.
After .some further conversation, in which Mr. E. SMITii
thoughfif this attempt to encroach on the amusements of the
public were successful, they could not consistently refuse, if a
motion were made, to shut up George's Pier also from the pub-
lic on Sundays, and there was no telling where it might end;'
one thing was certain, they could not make people religious by
legislation.
. Mr Barclay, Mr. Henry Lawrence, Mr. Bolton, and Mr.
Robinson opposed the motion, and bore testimony to the orderly
conduct of the people who visited the garden..
Mr. BLACKBURN in reply said, though the motion might be
lost by a large majority, he should be satisfied in having re-
corded his vote and sentiments on the subject.
On the amendment and motion being read, Mr. BLACKBURN
rose to say, that though he might agree with and vote fur the
amendment as a general question, he could not vote for it to be
applied to the Sunday. . .
Mr. Councillor RATHBONE, on the contrary, meant his
ra 3, -
The MAYOR thought Mr. Rathhone ought to concede this,
and to divide his motion, to which Mr. Rathbone agreed, and
the first part of the amendment was taken 014,-7" Tbat it is
expedient to keep the Mount gardens open on Sunday."
The question for or against the motiOn- was then put, when
there appeared for the motion. 6, against it 43. The motion of
Mr. Blackburne was thereforelost.

The names of those who supported Mr. Blackburne's motion
are Messrs. Hope, Horsfall, Rushton; E. Cropper, Blackburn,
and T. Bulky. Against the motion—Messrs. J. Holmes,
Logan, Thornhill, --Harvey, E. Smith, Thornely, Rawdon,
M'Gregor, Barton, H. Holmes, L. Heywortb, Meftor, WalMs-
ley, Birch, Bolton. Woollright, Bright, H. Hornby, Rathbone,
Preston, Maxwell, H. Lawrence, Lassell, T. Milt. Carson,
Brocklebank, Morecroft. lloskell. Cogtan, Alison, Leigh, C.
Holt, Sandars, Jordan, Tayleur, Blain, Moon, Freme, Barclay,
Robinson, Booth, J. Horoby, and the Mayor.
Mr. Councillor BLACKBURN rose to move that the minutes of
the committees, instead of being read at length as they now are
at the council meetings, and much repetition and time lost
caused thereby, should be. condensed so as to give an outline of
their proceedings, in order to save the time of the council, and
also that they should meet more frequently—once a week or
once a fortnight, instead of once a month, and have shorter
meetings, in order to avoid the accumulation of business which
now took place. He concluded with moving "that a committee
be now appointed to enquire into the present mode of directing
the business of the council, and that they he instructed to con-
eider whether the practice of reading over the whole of the pro-
ceedings of the committee might not be better arranged and
more frequent meetings snore advantageous."
Mr. Councillor COGLAN seconded the motion. Be consider-
ed it important that they should meet more frequently and have
shorter hours.
Mr. Councillor BOLTON objected to the motion; he thought
meeting once a month frequent enough, and that four or five
hours once a month would interfere less with then engagements
than one or two hours a week. With regard to the mode of
reading the committee reports, it was impossible to condense
them. They could not condense without omission, which might
be of serious results.

The MAYOR said they ought not to judge of the future busi-
ness by the past. The last four or five months a greater quan-
tity of business had been done In the council than was even
done before; it was of necessity the case from the entire chage
of system. Their busipess in future would occupy much less
time. The subject might be discussed in committee, but he
thought they had better have a little more experience before
they decided. With regard to the reading of the reports, which
had sometimes been indistinctly read and consequently ill un-
derstood, he thought it advisable, owing to the shortness of
sight of the town-clerk, that the deputy town-clerk, or sonic
other person duly qualified, should be appointed to read them
for him.

The following gentlemen were then proposed on the commit,.
tee :—Messrs. Blackburn, Mellor, Waltnsley Coglan, Hope,
Sandars, and Birch.

The council then separated at about two o'clock, having sat

three hours.

We regret to learn that Lord Cringletie. one of the senators
of the College of Justice, died on Sunday, at his house, Char-
lotte-square, Edinburgh.—Glasyou, Courier. •
THE PRINCE OF ORANGE.-A letter .from Amsterdam, of
the 20th of May, says :—" We expect the return of the Prince of
Orange. Though his visit to London has been hut short, the
consequences of it will, nevertheless, be very
important. He
is spoken of with more enthusiasm than ever. Eyewitnessesaffirm that they have observed in the king an airof gaiety which
he always has when anything decided takes place which is fa-
vourable to the wishes of the Dutch nation.—Journal de Franc-
fort, May 23.

✓ SUMMER CIRCUITS.—The judges have appointed the next
summer circuit as follows:-South Wales—Lord Denman.
North Wales—Mr. Justice Vaughan. Nrofak—Lord 'Chief
Justice Tindal and Mr. Justice ffosanquet. Rome—Lord Abin,
ger and Mr. Justice Gaselee: .1/id/and-91r. Justice Park and
Mr. Baron Bolland. Oxford—Mr. Justice Littledale and Mr.
Justice Patteson. Northern—Mr. Baron Parke and Mr. Jus.
tire Coleridge. Western—Mr. Baron Alderson and Mr. Justice
Williams.• At Chambers—Mr. Baron Gurney.
' -

COMFORT UNDER ..Eri -m
ENTs.—Has tleath entered
the loved
ones r
habitations,
uh whom
awayVh 'one after another ofon the journey of life? And-are we
EA
we do indeed dwell in the land of the
t and
Iy carried
s e t
out
shadow of death as
constrained to feel that,,e
look around on the narrowed circle, and
think how link after link has been broken off the chain which
has long bound our affections, perhaps too closely, to earth ?
Shall we not lift up our hearts in thankfulness to God even for
this trial, if the links thus broken off the chain of earthly affec-
tions have been added to the chain of divine love, by which Gud
is drawing up our hearts to himself and heaveta—White.
A HINT TO INTERPRETERS Or THE BIBLE.—Rica, having
been to visit the library of a French convent, writes thus to his
friend in Persia concerning what had passed :—" Father," said
I to the librarian, "what are these huge volumes which fill the
whole side of the library?" " These," said he, "are the inter-
preters of the scriptures." "There is a prodigious number of
them," replied I; "the scriptures must have been very dark
formerly, and very clear at present. Do there remain still any
doubts? Are there nosy any points contested?" •• Are there!;'
answered he with surprise; " there are. There are almost as
many as there are lines." " You astonish me," said I; " what,
then, have all these anthors been doing?"' " These authors,"
returned he, " never searched the scriptures for what' ought to
be believed,' but for what they did believe themselves. They
did not consider them as a book wherein were contained the
doctrines which they ought to receive, but as a work which
might be made to authorize their own ideas."

ANCIENT OWENITES.—The Essenians, au ancient Joirsh
sect, were evidently the originators of the "every thing in coin-
!non" principle. They chose retirement, and inculcated so-
briety and industry : they neglected all religious ceremonials,
any further than what regarded bodily cleanliness,
the obser-
Vance ,of the Sabbath, and making an annual ptesent to the
Temple at Jerusalem; they had, besides, all things in common.
Stinte of this sect continued in Judea to the coming
,CA44-HAttnENING.—It is. of Cultist.
perhaps, not generally known
amongst mechanics, that the salt ruled prussiate of potash is
now ninth used in case-hardening, The process is easy azd saves
u gieat' length of time: The method is to powder the a drawl
sprinkle it upon the iron when in a state of redness—it will ion
,I,10:oil; and alien plunged into cold water will be found as hard
or wen harder than iron case-himlened in the tnivai way..—Arlo•
c:zanies' Magazine.