The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-24 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS

An excellent letter will be found elsewhere from the pen of 1
the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, in answer to a circular from the 1
Manchester conventionalists.
The assize intelligence occupies almost all our available space.
We had prepared an article on the alleged imperfections of
the " sliding scale," but we are compelled to postpone its
insertion.
A correspondent calls our attention to some extremely
timed and reprehensible observations made use of by Dr.
Epps, in the course of lectures which he is now delivering
in this town, on physiology. The doctor, whilst speaking
on the causes that prodnce crooked limbs in children, and
the best means of preventing such deformity, is represented
as having recommended the use of " good food," which,
said the lecturer, "it is impossible to look for, and,
"consequently, we must have crooked limbs, so long
" as we are not allowed to buy corn where it is cheap, but
" are forced to buy where it pleases the legislature to let us
" have it." Well may we say what next? Tnis is the age
of humbug truly, but we were certainly not prepared for
such a non sequitur as this. Dr. Epps may possibly
ascribe the origin of " all the ills that flesh is heir to" to
the existing corn laws, but he should embrace a more
favourable opportunity of promulgating his sentiment than
during the delivery of a lecture on physiology, he may be
listened to with interest when confining his remarks to the
subject in hand, but he will only excite disgust when he
wanders from it to indulge in observations on a question
which he evidently does not understand.

Ebt Eibrrpool otanbarb.

TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 24, 1841

The conference of the preachers will, we have no
doubt, be of use, but in a way different from what was
intended ; it will be of use, not to Dissent, but to the
Church—not to the cause of foreign trade and Liberal-
ism, but to that of home trade and Conservatism. The
actual exhibitions at the council have in no degree im-
proved the anticipations which every reasonable person
must have formed concerning an assembly so consti-
tuted and so convened. It cannot tend to exalt the
characters of any of the congregated parties in the
opinion of their congregations, that they had, in obe-
dience to a knot of political agitators calling themselves
the Anti-Corn Law League, thrown off the character
of Christian ministers, and figured upon the stage as
gladiators in a contest from which both the name and
the observances of religion were alike excluded. It has
been a favourite doctrine with the members of this mi-
nisterial parliament, that the State has nothing to do
with Religion, nor Religion with the State; but their
practice in this instance demonstrates how ready they
would be to mould the state according to their religious
notions, and to accommodate their religion itself to the
taste of any ordinary politicians. One of their orators,
the chairman indeed of the day, said, on Friday, "that
their meeting was one of the happiest unions of the
Church and State"—Dissent being " the Church," and
the Anti-Corn • Law League, headed by Alderman
O'Cobden, the Stale ! And just so it would be if these
ridiculous parties had the power ; but, fortunately, that
is not the case at present, and most devoutly is it to be
wished that it never may be ; for millocracy legislation
and all-denominations churchmanship would surely be
an order of things quite too much for common mortals
to endure. _ _ _

But the conference ended, as for the present it is,
what, we ask, will be the feeling and sentiment of the
people towards those faithless, expediency ministers
who sacrificed their duty to God rather than lose the
favour of an upstart convention—their prayers rather
than their pay—and for sake of keeping the workmen
together at their Babel tower, and carrying on a com-
bination heterogeneous beyond all power of descrip-
lion, in effect renounced that ministerial character for
the supposed weight attached to which they had re-
ceived their cards of invitation from the Anti-Corn
Law League ? The Established Church has no need
to recur to those high pretensions claimed for it by the
Oxford Tractarians to stand in sublime contrast with
anything which Dissent, in any one or in all its multi-
farious forms, can offer. Its ministers do not indeed
renounce their rights as citizens, nor decline on proper
occasions, and in a becoming manner, to exercise
them ; but neither do they, or would they, we trust, on
any account, as a body, consent to waive their apostolic
mission, lay aside their ministerial character, and com-
promise their testimony to divine truth. Their influ-
ence with the people is great, because their character is
unimpeachable ; and when they do use it politically, it
is on the side of order and established institutions.
Such an exercise of power is laudable, and tends to
exalt, and not to degrade the ME v. And then as to
the Church itself as it exists in doctrine, forms, and
discipline, what have the " all-denominations" to offer
which one might collate therewith ? She challenges
inquiry, for she has everything to gain and nothing to
lose by investigation. The Puseyites, indeed, dwell
much upon antiquity, apostolical succession, tradition,
and the fathers—upon an outward church in fact—but
they are no more than a sect in the Church of Eng-

land, and not a very large one either, more learned too,
to our thinking, than wise. We would give the Dis-
senters all the advantage they could possibly derive
from the rejection of Puseyism, and at the same time
challenge all their denominations to afford us any
scheme of churchmanship which would bear compari-
son with that of the Church by law established. The
Dissenting political conference naturally brings us to
such questions, and we rejoice at their being raised.
We desire to pass no sweeping censure on seceders
from the national worship; but we say that it is a la-
mentable evidence of backsliding and decline in reli-
gious profession, when the teachers of congregations
descend into the arena of politics stripped of every
pretence to an apostolic mission, and renouncing every
form which could impart sanctity or solemnity to their
proceedings. The following remark, which we borrow
from an excellent article in the present number of the
Churchman's Monthly Review—(a well-conducted Lon-
don periodical, published by Messrs. Seely and Burn-
side)--comes exactly to our purpose :
" If we cared more for party interests," says the writer,
'
" than for the
growth of
portion of the
h
gregations. Their
ssio ry
spiritual religion among our coun-
trymen, we should
rejoiceat the course which a large pro-
dissentersave lately taken. It has acted,
and continues to act, as a-
miPnerpetual blight upon their con-
eytTeorts
ars decline ; and instead
of raising, as they did twenty
new chapels as members of the establishment since,
almost
st
coulda as many
build
churches, they are not, now, erecting one new edifice where
the church erects ten.

isibie decay o

But Jet this

dissent teach us a lesso4,
Nothing can have been clearer, in their case, than that a de-
scent into the region of mere party politics, a coalescing with
Papists, Socinians, and Infidels, merely to gain an end, has
induced a decline in spiritual ltfe among them ; and that
this decline in spiritual life has not only deteriorated their
personal and interior standing, but has sensibly and visibly
diminished their external power and influence. The very
means which they adopted to elevate themselves, and to de-

press those whom they chose to consider as their adversaries,
have had an entirely different effect. Those means have
preyed upon their own internal strength, while the alarm
they have created has roused churchmen to new and greater
efforts."

The late political conference was, we doubt not, re-
garded by most of the reverend men agglomerated as
a means of bolstering up the dissenting cause, and of
keeping the congregations of the divers denominations
together ; for Dissent, as aboVe observed, is, religiously,
in a rapid state of decline ; but it will miserably disap-
point their expectations. Religion cannot be strength-
ened by such means, and the Church will now have an
opportunity of reclaiming her scattered sheep, and,
with the most moderate exertions, will be able to reco-
ver them.

On the other hand, what can the Liberals possibly
hope to gain by merging Dissenting preachers in the
common bucket ? They can only send it down a little
more rapidly ; no more. Conservatism is too wide
awake to allow itself to suffer or be imposed upon by
so contemptible en artifice. Our industrious and libe-
ral contemporary, the Manchester Guardian, we per-
ceive, has gathered all the trash uttered at the late his-
trionic exercitation into one heap, and filled the columns
of his Saturday's number therewith. The millocrat
who can swallow it all must have a capacious maw and
a powerful appetite. For our part, we doubt not that,
if we had time, we could cull thereout much that would
be amusing to our readers. Let us give just one spe-
cimen—the first that has come to hand—from the
speech of, we suppose, a townsman, the Rev. W.
Giles, Baptist minister of Liverpool. Here it is, with
its pious hymn, Humpbry's Clock, and all :

" The corn-laws were anti-philanthropic and anti-patri-
otic. Charles Dickens—' Boz'—was his pupil, and he (Mr.
Giles) said to him, a few days ago, ' Charles, the world
thinks you must have spent all your time in a poor-house.'
No,' he replied, I never entered a poor-house in my
life ; but England is, throughout, a poor-house.' He
would conclude with a new version of a verse for the na-
tional anthem :

" 0 Lottl our God, arise !
Scatter monopolies,
And corn-laws sore;
Confound such politics,
On Thee our hopes we fix ;
God save the poor !"
So much for the religious instructor of the author
of the Pickwick Papers, and the veracious assertion of
that author that " England is throughout a poor-
house." Some of those Manchester millocrats keep
large houses for their private residences, but we never
heard before that they were "poor-houses." Poor,
starving, hungry wretches, how we do pity them !

The last speech of the Whig-Ministry will this day
be delivered—not by her Majesty in person, we are
happy to believe, but by commission. To call such a
production, so honoured, of whatever parts or sub-
stance it may consist, the Queen's speech is only a
formal compliance with ancient custom, whilst the idea
suggested is completely and altogether different from
what the same words did once upon a time convey to
the mind. We shall look for the speech, however,
with some curiosity, as we feel an interest in observing
the last throes and agonies of a Cabinet the most me-
morable on record for tenacity of place. They might
well be called the " all the talons" administration, if
it were a clearly-ascertained point in history that the
adhesive power resided peculiarly or exclusively in
those members of their body with which it is notorious
they are matchless at grabbing ; but while they have a
prehensile tail of such remarkable length and power,
which may well dispute the claim, there would be an
obvious impropriety in giving them this designation.
If the speech contain those certain-to-be-negatived
recommendations which we have been told it would,
it remains to be seen whether the Conservative party
will suffer themselves to be drawn into a discussion
upon them ; or whether they will not rather move such
an amendment to the address as may waive and avoid
them altogether. In the one case we should have a
debate of interminable length at a very inconvenient
season ; in the other, a very short one, and an early
division, which is devoutly to be wished for. We incline
to think that so experienced a debater, and so able a tac-
tician as our distinguished commander-in-chief, will not
gratify the party with such a discussion as they look for.
This is not the time for discussing the budget anew,
but the time for putting out the concoctors thereof.
A simple division upon the address without any dis-
quisition on the topics of the speech, would suffice to
show the state of parties in the house, and, it is to be
hoped, to compel the resignation of a ministry out-
numbered on such an occasion. The country grows
impatient for their removal, and desires nothing so
much as to see them fairly expelled. A protracted de-
bate at this moment would be more tedious and in-
supportable than the " twice-told tale vexing the dull
ears of a drowsy man ;" and therefore our hope and
expectation is, that Sir Robert Peel will do his utmost
to hasten, and not in any degree to delay the

catastrophe.
The luck of the Whigs is indeed proverbial ; it has
continued to them even after th€ opening of the very
parliament which will exonerate them of official labour
—as witness the election of their own Speaker—a
Speaker proposed against the principle expressly laid
down by themselves in 1835, namely, that the Chair-
man of the House of Commons ought to be the re-
presentative in opinion and sentiment of the majority.
The Whigs little scrupulous about principle, and most
conveniently oblivious of their own doctrine when it
would not be so gainful to remember it, proposed
Mr. Shaw Lefevre, and, thanks to the generosity
of their adversaries, and the steady consistency
of Sir Robert Peel, carried their point. Lord J. Rus-
sell could not repress a small exhibition of his usual
pitiful spitefulness and paltriness on the occasion, by
reviving an obsolete attack of proved groundlessness
against one of the ablest and most irreproachable men
that ever occupied the Speaker's chair—the venerable
Lord Canterbury. One is forced to regret the gene-
rosity which, however dignified and noble in itself, is
thrown away upon those who show themselves uncon-
scious of its worth, and incapable of valuing it. But
though " the luck -of the Whigs" has gone thus far
even in the present Conservative parliament, we hope
it is to go no further. It is certainly past our poor
conception, at all events, if there be any more in store
for them in the way of official connection, clever as
they are at pantomime and harlequin transformations
in every variety.

Since throwing together the few general observations
which appear elsewhere relative to the ghostly men who
have been enacting a Conference at the request of cer-
tain mill-owning managers, we have had time to dip
a little into the argumentation by which they have been
attempting to mystify the subject of cheap bread.
And, in the first place, we can safely say, that even the
smallest scintilla of light beyond what we have already
enjoyed, the preachers have not been able to shed upon
it. It would seem as if they had been brought toge-
ther to play the lion's part in the MIDSUMMER'S
NIGHT'S DREAM, which Snug, the joiner would have
" written out," as he was a particular man, and " slow
to study ;" but which Mr. Peter Quince, the carpenter,
assured him he might perform extempore, as it was
" nothing but roaring." By the way, there was a
subsequent " conference" among the actors in Shah-
speare's comedy, part of which runs thus :
~ Bottom, the weave .
r.—Masters, yon ought to consider
with yourselves : to bring God shield us ! a lion among
ladies, is a most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fear-
ful wild-fowl than your lion living; and we ought to look
to it.
heeffeheittn,elf
—Ladies, 1111 l must
" Snout, the tinker.—Therefore another prolougue must
osaaulu'ilerequest you, not
tell he is not a lion.
Boi.—Nay, you must name his name, and half his face
andno hleanr7 in-
deed,noyarleife:
orsp emustfaaki
fair
ladies,
through,s eil 1
wouldr
sayingol l through i thewt sithus,
sl
you,
1.
irs t
oon
re
theelkw;
to fear, nor to tremble.: my life for yours.. If you think I
hitherscnoemhethiny ; als
aamliaonm,
let him name his name, and tell them plainly, he is
iatnw
as
sr e
th pityer of
menm
Snug, the joiner."
The ingenious artifice suggested here, to prevent the
ladies taking alarm, was not, we are happy to say, at.
all necessary in the case of the company to which we
allude; no fair lady, however delicate or nervous,
n
could
Snouts, feel
ae ln
dt hßealeast s
w h
o
uneasiness
played
at
the the
hon S
in ug
this
s, and
ex-
hibition ; no lion's skin, or lion's roar could possibly
lead to any misapprehension as to the genuine donkey

that lurked within; and the curtain has dropped with-
out even one solitary old lady or sick girl having ever
asked for a smelling-bottle. This was a happy circum-

stance.
With regard to the roaring, or braying rather, it
consisted of but one miserable stave throughout, with-
out variation or change of any sort. It was plain that
there was but a single master to all the performers,
and that they all servilely and closely rehearsed the
lesson they had got. First, each was to make a report
of lamentable distress, and then he was to assign,
"monopoly, monopoly l"—iterum, iterumque, as the
cause : having done this, his part was over, and the
millocrat league kindly stepped in to do the rest. Now,
such a spectacle, for its absolute hollowness and trum-
pery character, as well as presumption, was, we will
say, contemptible in the extreme, and if useful for
any purpose, only for showing the uttter insufficien-
cy of the Anti-corn-law pretended demonstration.
We will suppose that there is a certain amount of
truth in what they insist upon so much, which mainly
is, that a repeal of the corn laws would lower the price
of corn, and promote trade. We do not deny the pro-
position stated in these terms; but our admission thus
far does not by any means preclude us from raising
our voice against the measure proposed notwithstand-
ing. The conference gentlemen imagine that the case
is settled when they assert, or even prove the proposi-
tion to which we advert; and cry out, what more is to
be said ? It would be admitted that giving drink to an
inveterate drunkard would allay for a moment the
craving of his appetite; but it would not follow that
the temporary relief thus afforded, would be substan-
tially, and in the end, a benefit to him. And so with
regard to an abolition of corn duties ; we may concede
that it would supply a temporary stimulus to trade, and
by that means some partial relief to existing distress;
but the question yet remains far as ever unsettled,
whether this remedy would or would not he a danger-
ous and unadvisable one, and, in the end, only a deep
and serious aggravation of evils? The real question is,
would it be safe and far-seeing of the British statesman
to give up the domestic source of maintaining the peo-
ple, and to cover the land with factories ? This, we
may say, would promote trade, and increase population
at a rapid rate ; but what would be the consequence if
this stimulated and stimulating process should, after
a few years, come to a sudden stop ? Consider, then,
how infinitely worse would the state of things be. We
should then be absolutely and entirely at the mercy of
the stranger ; we should have our manufacturing popu-
lation perhaps doubled, and no resource left either for
their employment or provision. It is fearful to con-
template a state of disorganization and calamity on so
stupendous a scale. There may be a temptation in the
scheme of relaxed corn duties, for with man it is diffi-
cult, as out• great lexicographer has said, to make " the
distant and the future predominate over the present ;"
but it is the temptation only of a temporary and un-
wise gratification. The question in its true simplicity
is this, will you turn England into a great factory mill
--will you destroy her agriculture, and render her en-
tirely dependent on foreigners for the absolute neces-
saries of life ? Will you still drive on the artificial
state with the experience you have already had of the
wide-spread evil which attends even its least derange-
nent ?

A Mr. Curtis from Ohio, United States, was put
forward at the Conference to tell the ministers, and of
course the world at large, of the immense food-
resources of America,—of the inexhaustible riches of
the great 'Valley of the Mississippi, and of the pro-
digious mine of agricultural wealth generally possessed
by the federal government ; and he spoke of the
willingness of America to take our manufactures in
exchange for her corn and flour ; he also said, that by
dealing for grain with the Northern States, we should
be aiming a blow at the slavery of the Southern States,
who at present hold the northern in vassalage, in con-
sequence of our dealing so largely with them for
cotton.

But this American spouter did, in our mind, greatly
over-do his part. As well might you describe the
ocean to a man labouring under hydrophobia, as at-
tempt to moderate the just alarm of the British farmer
by talking to him of the "great Valley of the Missis-
sipi; " what other effect could it have upon him, but
to require you more earnestly than ever to close your
ports firmly against so overwhelming an invasion.
Oh, but says the crafty American, we will take your
commodities in exchange. We ask who made Mr.
Curtis plenipo to the Conference ? Where are his
credentials ? " Whatever may be our legislature,"
says a London Contemporary, and we agree with the
remark, "it will have no effect ou American man-
ufactures : there is a determination in the Northern
States of the Union to manufacture for themselves and
their country, which will overturn all obstructions,
should they even emanate from Congress itself." But
free trade by enlarging our dealings with the Northern
States would be a blow at slavery in the Southern !
How ? Surely the more we increase our manufactured
cotton exports to the Northern States, the more need
we shall have of the slave-cultivated raw cotton of
the Southern, and consequently the more we shall en-
courage the slave system which they carry on. Oh
fie, Mr. Curtis, we really are amazed at you ; how
could you think of deceiving the poor, simple-minded,
slavery-hating ministers, in so gross a manner ?
We shall return to the ghostly argumentation,
ridiculous as it is; but we cannot close for the present,
without observing that from reverend men we never
met so many parts of speech, and speeches, which to
us, appeared downright irreverend, indecent, and pro-
fane. "If an angel were to come down from heaven"
said a Rev. Mr. Berry, " to declare that it was right to
tax the poor manes bread, to put high rents into the
pockets of the landowners, I would reply, 'Go home
again to your celestial regions ; you don't understand
our affairs on earth.' "—(Laughter.) Another spoke
of John the Baptist as a " teetotaller ;" but no re-
monstrance that we, or others, might snake on such
levity, could, we presume, have any effect, for another
said, "To those who complained of our politics he
would say, that there were those who were politically
religious, but we know what it was to be religiously
political. This was a day of scarecrows ; and our
opponents put up the scarecrow of ' political ministers'
to frighten us, and they frightened those who had no
souls; but they did not frighten us." In short, a pack
of more irreverend, profane, and as far as they might
be, mischievous incendiaries, we have never met with ;
but with such arguments as they have put forth,
shallow and worthless as they are, we would wish to
deal fairly, and we shall return to the subject.

THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN AND
OURSELVES.

Our contemporary of the Manchester Guardian is well
known amongst his fellow-towsmen as claiming to exercise
a supremacy, both of opinion and of information, upon all
matters connected with the trade of the district which he
illuminates. A glance at his columns will generally inform
us with respect to the particular opinions which prevail with
the .strongest body of his readers—for the Guardian is a little
fond of being on the warm side of the hedge ; and we are at
once enabled to ascertain whether, for the time being, the
chamber of commerce or the league, the moderate or the
ultra body of commercial reformers, is uppermost, and
whether the currency or the corn-laws is the prevailing
hindrance to commercial prosperity. At present, it seems
that the league is most in favour, and its anti-corn-law nos •
trums the most palatable to the Manchester cottonocracy ;
and, although we do remember a time when the currency-
doctors of the chamber being in force, the Guardian was a
little disposed to throw up its heels at the gentlemen of the
league, yet we are not at all surprised to observe our con-
temporary at present very composedly eating up his then
acknowledged opinions, and sailing, with due forgetfulness
of all save present expediency and ease, in the wake of that
body which has " ruffled itself" into the leading place.
In a late publication, it seems, we crossed our contempo-
rary's path by directing the attention of our readers to the
fact—perhaps an unpalatable one—that a great portion of
the embarrassments at present complained of in the manu-
facturing districts, and of the individual failures which are
daily paraded before our eyes, is attributable to the reckless
haste with which the power of production has been increased
within the last ten years and the inordinate eagerness with
which individual manufacturers have pressed forward in the
race for sudden and great commercial gains. In corrobora-
tion of this view of the subject, we referred to a statement
of Lord Sandon, made during the recent election in Liver-
pool, which showed that during the past ten years the cotton
manufacture alone had sustained an increase of 82 per cent.,
the weekly consumption of cotton having been, in 1831,
16,513 bags, whilst in 1840 it had reached to 30,089 bags.
Such a statement it may well be conceived was calculated
seriously to impede the endeavours Of the anti-corn-law
league and its organs to attributelthe whole of our existing
manufacturing distress to the operation of the corn-laws ;
and it might, perhaps unpleasantly, remind the Guardian

that no later than in 1839 this very distress, or a similar one,
was attributed by the Manchester chamber of commerce and
by himself, its then organ, to a totally different cause, viz.,

the action of the Bank of England upon the currency. Our
contemporary therefore sets himself forthwith to the task of
impugning the correctness of a statement so detrimental to
the vrai-semblance of his present line of argument.

" What Lord Sandon may have asserted," remarks our
contemporary ; and the somewhat impertinent italics are
his own—" it is not for us to say ; but we are quite sure he
did not prove that the consumption of cotton in the year 1840
was 30,089 bags, or anything like that quantity. The deli-
veries from the ports during that year amounted. as appears
from the annual circular of the Liverpool United Brokers,
to 24,721 bales. But there is no doubt whatever that these
deliveries considerably exceeded the consumption ; and we
are quite satisfied that the quantity actually used was rather
under than over 24,000 bales per week, instead of 30,089,
making the increase in 10 years 45 per cent. instead of 82, as
stated by the Liverpool Standard."

Our contemporary concludes, " we have been induced to
allude to the statement of the Standard, because appearing
as it does in a Liverpool paper, where parties connected with
the public press ought to know something about cotton, it
will very likely be copied and commented upon as being un-
questionably true, and will be aecepted as fact by that large
class of persons who do not give themselves the trouble of
investigating statements of the kind."

Now we really must complain a little of the disingenuous-
ness of the Guardian, although we cannot accuse him of
actual perversion of fact. The statement from which we
quoted, but of which unfortunately we did not quote the
whole—as we should have done undoubtedly had we been
aware that we should bring against us an antagonist so un-
scrupulous in seizing hold of seeming errors as is the Man-
chester Guardian—is, nevertheless, strictly correct. We
now give the whole, not only in justice to Lord Sandon,
whose accuracy, along with our own, the Guardian impugns,
but as well to afford the reader an illustration of the fairness
of an anti-corn-law organ. The statement of Lord Sandon,
as contained in our publication of June 22, is as follows ;
" quantity of cotton wool taken for home consumption
during the lest ten years, reduced to bags of one uniform
weight of 3001bs. per bag—say per week.
In 1831.... 16,513 bags in 1832.... 17,138 bags.
1833.... 18,330 „ in 1831.... 18,756 „
1835.... 20,088 „ in 1836.... 22,239 ~
1837.... 23,478 „ in 1838.... 27,438 „
1839....23,068 „ in 1840....30,089 „
making an increase of 82 per cent. within ten years."

Undoubtedly our contemporary would not have been
afforded his opportunity of sneezing at the accuracy, either
of his Lordship or ourselves, had we mentioned in our article
the fact that the quantities mentioned were calculated to
bags of 300 pounds weight. Our object, however, was to
show only comparative consumption, and had it suited his
purpose to consult truth only, instead of the achievement of
a temporary triumph, the Guardian would perhaps have dis-
covered that the consumption in actual bags as imported is
overstated in 1831 as in 1840, although not, owing to causes
with which he is well acquainted, to a similar extent. Our
contemporary is perfectly aware, that if the consumption in
1810 was in bags, as imported, the precise number as in 1831,
that fact would not show that a large increase of consump•
tion had not taken place, arising from the largely increased
weight of a bag of cotton now imported, as compared with
the weight in 1831 ; and it was surely a little unwise in him
to venture upon his flourish of superior knowledge of the
subject, whilst suppressing this fact.
Perhaps, however, we do our contemporary wrong in im-
puting to him any knowledge of the subject before him, be-
yond what is contained in " the annual circular of the Liver-
pool United Brokers." We have never, upon other• subjects,
observed him to go very much below the surface ; and for
gentlemen who are in the habit so frequently of changing
their views of public matters, it is perhaps the safest and
most prudent course. With people who do occasionally en-
quire, the opinion of such an oracle as the Guardian has fre-
quently proved himself to be, does not, fortunately, carry
much weight, although its statement of any fact, in support
of a popular delusion, " may undoubtedly be accepted by that
large class of persons who do not give themselves the trouble
of investigating statements of the kind." We are compelled
to disbelieve the reason assigned by our contemporary as
having induced him to bestow any portion of his valuable
space and time upon ourselves. It was scarcely, we think,
his anxiety that any supposed error in the statement in our
columns, with respect to the increased consumption of cot-
ton in the manufacturing districts, should " be copied and
commented upon as being unquestionably true ;" for we are
sorry to observe that such statements, however conducive to
the purpose of throwing light upon subjects which are studi-
ously enveloped in delusion by designing and interested
people, are not listened to with half the unction with which
furious party appeals, and reckless assertion, directed in a
line with popular prejudice, are swallowed. We rather• think
that it was the strong pertinency of our remarks in a previous
portion of the article, in which the statement in question was
contained, which brought our contemporary " to the rescue"
of the kite-flying portion of the manufacturing body, and that
the statement itself, which has been now two months before
the public, was only attacked because an unimportant omis-
sion afforded an opportunity to an experienced controversial
tactician of creating a temporary diversion in their favour.

LOCAL NEWS.

We beg to recommend visitors to Manchester to Mrs.
Hall's, Blue Boar. We believe it is oue of the most com-
fortable establishments in the ,town.

CERRITO .—TH E ATRE RoYAA,.,-The charming little me-
teor Cerrito continues to dazzle and delig4 ti.umprous audi-
ences, and, certainly, a more brilliant star has not sparkled
before us for many a night. The Greek pas de deux iz;
most elaborate and finished performance, and does infinite
credit both to Cerrito and Guerra. The former approaches
nearer to her great predgeessor Taglioni in that, than any
dance we have yet seen her eTecute. Cerrito reminds us
very much of lierberle in her style, jut her rapidity, and the
celerity with which she executes her fig,ticAes, we have never
seen approached, The Italian Opera Compapy appear for
the second time this evening. It is a great treat, igdped, to
hear their splendid YOteeg, The house will be brilliant/-
attended.

SusrEcTEn INCENDIARISM.---On Thursday and Friday
last an investigation took place before Mr. Rushton, touch-
ing a series of extraordinary fires which had, tin the prece-
ding day, been discovered at different times in three apart-
ments of the house of the Misses Preston, three maiden
ladies who keeprix..boarding school in Chesterfield-street, op-
posite St.; James's Church. Suspicion, in the first instance,
tell on Tpllelvßeitat,l4, a girl, aged about 11, the youngest of
two fernalemenliirsitiOtut in the course of the examination it
appeareillthilie.7.ltatthton, that she could not be the guilty
party, and tzlseniatcliberated and received as a witness. The
elder seriantpeatherine Redman, who had attended as a
witness, was taken into custody and placed at the bar. It
appeared from the evidence, that the girls had lived in the
service of the abovemegtioned ladies about six weeks. On
Wednesday morning, a b.ot pine o'clock, as Miss Preston
was passing from the breakfast-;,p-srtoero.m,ssihme
saw smoke issuing from the
pushed open the door and saw a blaze arise frpm a corner of
the bed. She gave the alarm, and, assistance being called,
the fire was extinguished. About twelve o'clock a fire was
discovered in the closet of the same room, which was extin-
guished by a plentiful application of water. Between three
and four o'clock another alarm of fire was raised, and it was
found that the straw which had been placed to stop the chim-
ney of the school-room was in a blaze. This was also, with
much labour, extinguished. Between six and seven o'clock,
Miss Preston was informed that her own room was on tire.
The rooms had been previously carefully examined by a char-
woman who had been called in, and no appearance of the
former fires remained. The last fire appears to have been
the most dangerous. Several persons were called in, and
they had much trioubje in extinguishing it. The damage
done altogether is said to amount to about £5O. The affair
is still involved in mystery. No evidence to fix the crime
upon the prisoner has yet been produce 4, bµt it was averred,
that the younger servant was not throughout the day near
any of the rooms. The prisoner was remanded, On Satur-
day she was again placed at the bar, where the depositions of
the witnesses, which had been reduced to writing, were,
with the exception of that of one of the Misses Preston, who
is indisposed, were read over. The evidence was very volu-
minous, but it could scarcely be called more than a minute
detail of the circumstances attending the discoveries of the
fires and the means taken to extinguish them. The sum of
the case against the prisoner at present may be said to
amount to this, that it was not easy to see how any but she
could have committed the crime. She stands remanded for
one week, in consequence of the illness of Miss Preston.

THE REV. HUGH M`NEILE AT LIMERICK.—On Sunday
last, the justly celebrated Eel?. Hugh M'Neile, of Liverpool,
preached at the Asylum Episcopal Chapel, which was very
much crowded to hear this eminently gifted divine, and great
has been the disappointment and regret that it was not more
generally known throughout the city and neighbourhood,
that this first of Christian ministers and apostolic orators
was to occupy a pulpit in our city ; and the question now
everywhere is, " Will he return ?" " Will he make this his
way back from Killarney ?" &c. His text was taken from
the word of God, addressed by Paul to the Galatians, Ist ch.
3 and 4 v.—" Grace be to you, and peace from God the Fa-
ther, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for
our sins, that lie might deliver us from this present evil
world, according to the will of God and our Father." Upon
this text the learned divine was, for he could not be other-
wise than powerful, in the energetic enthusiasm of his de-
scription of that love which induced the Blessed Saviour to
give himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this
present evil world, but also from another ged worse world,
to which the careless, the profane votaries of this globe are
hastening, and that is Hell, amongst whom he classed those
who, he said, would, like the poor deluded Roman Catholics,
make a bargain with God, as if anything they could do would
entitle them to that salvation which can alone be had through
the atoning blood of the Lamb of God, the only mediator
between God and man—" the man Christ Jesus." We
cannot, in the brief notice of a sermon, which we trust will
never be forgotten by those who heard it, and we know will
not be forgotten by some—we cannot forbear alluding to
the tenderness, sympathy, and Christian affection with which
he spoke of this slavish degradation in which the millions of
his poor, suffering and deluded Roman Catholic fellow-
countrymen were held by those who call themselves their
spiritual guides, and then the earnestness with which he en-
joined upon his hearers the duty of visiting them, and car-
rying from house to house the message of mercy and salva-
tion through a crucified Saviour, notwithstanding they might
receive the rude repulse, still they are to persevere; " but at
all events you should pray for them?' We wish that every
Roman Catholic, aye and every Protestant in the Kingdom
had heard this sermon ; it would prove to the former how
tenderly they are cared for by this Christian man, whom they
are taught to despise, if not hate and abhor ; and it would
still more solemnly impress upon the latter how far they
come short of that holiness without which no man can see
the Lord. Our readers will not esteem it amiss if we inform
them that the Rev. Hugh IVl`Neile is son to the late eminent
banker of that name in Ballycastle, in the county Antrim,
and is married to the fourth daughter of the late Archbishop
Magee, of Dublin ; he has been long celebrated as a very
powerful orator, and in England is known by the name of
the Irish Lion amongst the polemic debators ; he is in height
about six feet ; his hair winch was black, is now, it may be
said, prematurely gray : no whiskers ; a face without a
wrinkle; mild, manly, and dignified in his aspect; his voice
is clear, musical, and distinct, capable of great power of ex-
pansion and compression.—Limerick Chronicle,

PUNCH-S, TAYLOR SONS.—Punch positively im-
proves : this is one of the most spirited and witty publics=
Lions of the day ; the illustrations are inimitable.
BARON DE COSSON'S PICTIMRS..—COROOiSSeUrS who
have not visited this very excellent collection, ands seleeted
specimens from it, should not lose any time, as the remaining
pictures, amonest which are some very good ones, will be
removed on the 25th instant.

THE WASHINGTON HOTEL.—At this excellent establish-
ment, so eligibly situated, every convenience and comfort will
be found. To those engaged in the assizes it offers
peculiar advantages.

BEGGING.--A rather well dressed female, named Margaret
Shaw, was, yesterday, brought before Mr. Rushton, on a
charge of begging through a petition which contained some
genuine signatures, (amongst others,) to donations. She
had gone with this to the office of the gentleman who ap-
peared against her. She had before been brought up for the
same offence, and was committed for three months to gaol.
CRICKET MATCH.—A long contested cricket match finally
came off on Thursday, the 20th instant, between the Ken-
sington and Olympus Cricket Clubs, on the ground of the
former, at Kensington, the Olympus beating by a majority
of two, and four wickets to go down. The total numbers
were, Olympus, 106 ; Kensington, 104.

LIFE INSURANCE.—The benefits of life assurance are too
well known to need remark from us. We feel convinced
that the advantages offered by the " United Kingdom Asso-
ciation" will, be readily made available by prudent and
thoughtful people.
MARCUS'S CIGAR DEPOT.—We perceive that the authori-
ties have moved the postoffice branch receiving house from
Mr. Willmer's to Mr. Marcus's, opposite. This excellent
situation will be found highly-convenient to the public. If
the corporation would only be kind enough to widen Parker-
street, an immense improvement would be effected. From
the greatness of the thoroughfare, it is a disgrace that it
should remain in its present state so long.
BURGLARY FROM A Swop.—Robert Robinson, a young
man, was, yesterday, charged at the Police-court with having
broken into one of the shops belonging to Mr. Jeffrey, in
Price's-street, and stolen therefrom a quantity of articles,
his property. It appeared that William Sheelds, a boy in
the employment of Mr. Jeffrey, slept over one of the shops,
which he locked up on Saturday night, at 10 minutes before
12 o'clock. He shortly afterwards beard a crash in the
slates, and saw a man running down the entry with some
pieces of ribbon flying out of his trowsers pocket. The
watchman also heard a prop give way, and saw a man run off
without his hat. The alarm was given, and a young man, an
assistant of Mr. Jeffrey's, who happened to be in the vicinity.
persued the delinquent, whom he saw without a bat, and
succeeded in placing him in custody of the police. The last
witness found that slates had been removed from the roof,
making an opening sufficient to admit the body of a man ;
and the prisoner, when apprehended, had upon him eight
pairs of stockings, five silk handkerchiefs, a piece of linen
of 35 yards, and other articles. The prisoner also threw
from him into the street a quantity of ribbons, and some
articles of drapery were found on the roof of the building.
He declined to say anything in his defense, and was com-
mitted for trial at the sessions.

THEFT BY A SERVANT FROM HER MISTRESS.—A ser-
vant woman, named Ann Caffrey, was yesterday placed at
the bar of the Police-court, on a charge of having stolen a
considerable sum of money, the property of her master. Mrs.
Taylor, wife of George Taylor, gardener, Lambert-street,
stated, that at eleven o'clock yesterday, (Sunday) forenoon,
she placed her pocket, which contained three divisions, on
the sofa in the kitchen. It then contained, in one division,
£lO, in sovereigns and half-sovereigns, about 30s. in silver
in another division, and 4s. in silver in the third. There
was no person in the house at the time but the prisoner and
herself. In about ten minutes she went for her pocket, and
found that the gold was all gone. A policeman was called
in, who found six half-sovereigns in a drawer in Mrs. Taylor's
bed-room, one sovereign and six half-sovereigns behind some
plates in the plate-rack, and afterwards half-a-sovereign in
the bottom of a basin of jelly. The prisoner was committed
for trial.

PLIOCESSION OF ODD FELLOWS.—Yesterday the annual
procession of the Ancient United Order of Odd Fellows
(enrolled by aet of parliament) took place, when they pro-
ceeded through the leading streets of the town, and their
appearance was'highly interesting and respectable. They are a
numerous body, and were dressed in their best attire, with
hand some blue sashes, edged with rosettes, and bearing numer-
ous banners and regalia, they looked remarkably well. There
were many bands of music, and we observed several handsome
and appropriate flags, some of them apparently new. Amongst
these latter, one with the figures of St. George and the Dra-
gon upon it, belonging to Lodge 458, was, from the richness
of the material, and the beauty of the painting, an object of
general admiration, as were also their insignia and dispensa-
tion. The procession was much admired, and the day's pro-
ceedings passed off with much eclat. Wu regret that the
crowded state of our columns, with assize intelligence. pre-
cludes us from particularizing to the extent we could have
wished. In the evening the members of the several lodges re-
tired to their respective lodge rooms, and, after dining together,
enjoyed themselves in the most friendly manner—truly " the
feast of reason and the flow of soul." At a reasonable hour,
" Each took off their different way,
Resolv'd to meet some other day."

FIRE AT SEA : SPONTANEOUS.CONIBUSTION.—The Ant
sailed, on Saturday week, from this port for Milford, and on
Sunday night arrived off the harbour of the latter port. The
master, Captain James, having safely moored the vessel, re-
tired to bed, as did the crew. At about two o'clock in the
morning, a pilot, named Phillip, in sailing past the vessel in
the' smack, the Mary Ellen, was greatly surprised in dis-
covering dames bursting forth through the deck, and ap-
parently no one on board of her. He immediately brought
his vessel alongside of the brig, and got on board, when, on
going forward, he found the crew in the forecastle asleep and
unconscious of the danger, They were instantly aroused,
when means were adopted to stop the ravages of the fire, but
before that was accomplished, a period of two hours and up-
wards, the after part of the vessel was nearly burnt out. At
one time the destruction of the vessel appeared certain, as
the names communicated to the mainsail boom, and the
greater part of the rigging was enveloped in a blaze. On the
following day the agents of Lloyd's, stationed at Milford,
iospeated the burnt vessel, as well as examined the master
and the crew, and from his report there appears no doubt
that the Ore originated from the spontaneous combustion of
Some damp straw in a crate of barfly/are 4-owed amongst the
cargo in the after part of the vessel, The vessel and cargo
are fully insured,

STEALING FOR REVIOIG Sr—Joseph Chadwick, a sawyer,
was, on Saturday last, placed before Mr,..Rushton, charged
with having stolen a saw, the property of Hugh M'Doriald,
also a sawyer. Hugh M`Donald stated, that he worked in
the same pit with his brother John. At a quarter past six
o'clock on Friday night last, he placed his saw in its usual
place under a shed. Next morning, when he went to his
work, he found his frame broken to pieces, and his saw had
disappeared. Police-officer Skillicorn stated, that on the
preceding night, at half-past ten o'clock, he sag., the prisoner
drppping from the wall which surrounds the pit. He saw
hiM play a ay.7 under his arm, with which he was walking
off, when h,e KWcipipol3rrpsted [IP WP.l!$ delivered to
the custody Of police.° cer I4elahur4, to whom he said the
saw belonged to two "black. sheep", and Tie thought it no
sin to deprive them of it. He would be revenged upon them,
if he waited seven years for it. It appeared that the prose-
cutor bas been much persecuted by the sawyers belonging to
the union. He is minus an eye, of which he was deprived
by a quantity of vitriol being thrown at his face. The pri-
simer said nothing in his defence. Mr. Rushton said this
*as auother instance of the folly and wickedness of those who
wished to cceprivp oth4s pf the right to live by the fruits of
their hop.est labour.
POPULATION RETURN

The fothy,ving are the returns

within the superintendent dißria for Birken-
,
heao:l; Males. I.7emales. Total.
3.792 4,425 8,217
1,182 1,368 2,550
2,861 3,400 6,261
2,5:58 2,50 5,145
2,313 2.471 4,784
2,222 2,236 4,458
11 8 19

Birkenhead
Tranmere„
Wallasey...
Eastham..
Neston
Woodchurch
Hilbre Island
Hospital for Quarantine 37
Lock-nps, Birkenhead..
Union Workhouse, Poulton-
cum-Spittle. 27 24 51

Total..
ALARMING COLLISION IN THE RIVER.—On Friday fore-
nopni the flue New York ship Westchester, Captain Ferris,
got umiir weigh for Op river, with a strong breeze from
the south, As she passed the 40F41 PfltrPlPf3.o the Prince's
Dock Basin, about a ship's length from the inerhead, a sloop
of 80 or 90 tons burthen, just out of dock, under full sail,
attempted to cross her bow ; but she failed, and became en-
tangled with her jib-boom and gear, and the unfortunate
little vessel was immediately upset. She floated up the
river keel upwards. The accident was so sudden that it
seemed impossible that the crew of the sloop could be saved ;
but several boats were in attendance, and picked up those
who were floating, and one or two others saved themselves by
climbing up the bow of the ship. The Westchester lay b;7
for a time, to render what assistance was necessary, and then
proceeded to sea.

MR. JOHN MARTIN'S PAINTINGS.—Much as has been
said of these wonderful productions, which may now be seen
at the Union Gallery, Slater-street, their own merits will,
we thinli, ke found in ample justification of all. Excessive
praise ber.towe4 ppop mediocre works is sure to defeat its
object, by raising ez:peptatiOns Firich must be disappointed ;
but, in the case of these truly sublime pictuips of Mr. Mar-
tin's, expectation is certain to fall short of the great reality.
No one but him who is utterly devoid of all imagination, all
sueceptibility of beauty and grandeur, can possibly look upon
these noble productions without astonishment and delight.
We are glad to learn that the lovers of art in Liverpool are
aware how rich a treasure how rich a treasure is now offered
to their gaze, and are anxiously taking advantage of it. As
an artist, we incline to think, that Martin will, in the esti-
mation of posterity, stand proudly eminent above all his
contemporaries, as Milton now stands above the petty
rhymesters, who, in that day, were more popular than he.
Of such a painter England may be proud.
Pgclwr PlCKlNG.—Terence Maloney, Chas. Reid Reid,
and Thomas Croft, were brought before the police magistrate,
charged with pocket-picking in the street. The case was
proved, and Maloney was committed fpr one month, and the
other two, who were the major offenders, for three months
each. Three bricklayers, all young men, Slinger, Hoskisson,
and Lunt, were next brought on for the same offence, in
Great Charlotte-street. The first turned out to be the thief,
and the other two to have attempted to rescue him from the
police. Slinger was sentenced to one month's imprisonment,
and the others to pay 20s and costs, or to be imprisoned 14
days.

WEBB'S CENTRAL AND NORTHERN RAILWAY MAP—
WEBB, LIVERPOOL.-Our townsman Mr. Wareing Webb,
has just sent us a very handsomely got up and most carefully
executed, as well as accurate map of the central and northern
counties, with the railroads marked upon it as at present in
operation. The stations are all noticed. We may safely
pronounce this to be one of tbi most useful as well as the
neatest pocket maps ever published. To railway travellers
and mercantile men it will be invaluable. It ought to be
termed a vade mecum,
THU WALTON BAZAAR.—The utmost excitement is felt
on the subject of the Me, which, it is expected, will be
beyond precedent attractive. Every opportunity has been
adopted to give eclat to the affair, and we believe that the
committees have been occupied " from norn till dewy
eve" in completing and perfecting the various arrangements.
If the weather prove fine, one of the most exhilarating scenes
will be witnessed in Mr. Skirving's grounds, to-morrow and
the following day, ever witnessed in this part of the country.
St. Swithin's reign is over to-day, so that to-morrow must
be fine—at least we will hope so. If the sun shines not,
numbers of eyes will be there to brighten the scene, to, mag-
netise and charm the purchasers of the beautiful articles to
be exhibited for sale.—Correspondent.

THEFT FROM AN EMPLOYER.—Yesterday, at the Police-
court, two youths, James Newell and Wm. Braddock, were
placed at the bar on a charge of having stolen a quantity of
lead from Mr. Williams, plumber, &c. Great Charlotte-
street, whose apprentices they are. Mr. Williams stated,
that on Saturday, shortly after twelve o'clock, he observed
the prisoner Newell going down Great Charlotte-street, and
the other prisoner. Braddock, going in the opposite direction
from the shop. It was their dinner hour, and both of them
ought to have gone down the street. He went to Braddock,
and observed something bulky about his person. He felt
something hard at his sides, detained him, and called the
other prisoner back. On opening their waistcoats, he found
on them lead, which he afterwards identified as his property,
and which weighed 32 pounds, and.worth about six shillings.
They were both committed for trial at the sessions.