The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-10-29 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

J. J., Henrietta-street, Covent-garden, London, is informed
that a parcel, left at Mr. C. Mitchell's, Red Lion-court,
Fleet-street, will safely reach us.
We have no means of ascertaining the information requested
by our Bradford correspondent. The name of the vessel is
not a sufficient guide to enable us to make any inquiries
on the subject.
The two concluding " Sketches of the Shannon," by W.—
" A Visit to Kilkee," and " Trip from Limerick to Dublin,
by the Upper Shannon"—are postponed until after the
Municipal Election.
We presume that " A Poor Wesleyan " intends his letter
merely as an explanatory epistle for ourselves.
" Daffey " very properly utters an indignant remonstrance
against an insinuation of the Mercury about the publicans
of Wigan being unworthy to occupy a seat in the council-
chamber, and asks if there are not men of sufficient intel-
ligence amongst that body to discharge the duties of a
town-councillor. We hope the licensed victuallers will
remember on Monday next the Mercury's slander, as well
as all the other injuries inflicted upon them from time to
time by the radical town-council.

Ebe Ettnrpool attanbarb.

FRIDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 29, 1841

The Conservative candidates at the approaching mu-
nicipal struggle have reason to congratulate themselves
upon Mercurial forbearance. By the time that these
remarks will meet their eyes, the entire body were to
hare been exterminated ; flagellated to death, or smo-
thered beneath a column of objurgatory twaddle;
pelted with shocking nicknames or slimed over with
nauseous slanders, by our amiable contemporary. They
were to have been held up, one by one, to public gaze—
a Conservative pigmy in contrast with a " liberal"
giant—a small herring stuck on the same fork with a
salmon, and exposed to the same scorching fire of edi-
torial scrutiny. But
" a change came o'er the spirit of his dream,"

and Conservatism is spared the promised infliction. A
warning spirit stood up before him, and, in a moment,

" changed his hand and checked his pride" !

Our contemporary has imbibed a sudden horror of
personality, (!) or of those longitudinal pieces of sheep-
skin which result therefrom ; and from henceforth, like
the immortal knight—(Sir John, not Sir Joshua)—is
determined to " eschew slander and live cleanly"—a
determination whereat we have no doubt the world at
large, and the Conservative portion of it in particular,
will be, beyond measure, gratified.
We did, ourselves, purpose entering into such an
examination of the comparative fitness for office of the
various candidates, as that from which our contempo-
rary has shrunk; but we are induced to spare ourselves
the task, although not from the same motive which has
influenced our contemporary. We can see no difficulty
in canvassing the merits of any number of individuals
without being personally offensive to those from whom
we differ. We could he condemnatory without being
insulting ; and we think that we could be, even, severe
without being slanderous. Men who are conscious of
being in a bad cause may be afraid of being foul-
mouthed; but we who have no such cause in hand
could enter upon its advocacy in any form, without
mistrusting our temper.

We shall not then enter into any individual compa-
rison, and for this ample reason : the present struggle
is not one of which individual fitness should be the
leading test. Were it to be fought on that ground
alone.—were individual character or business talent the
possessions which, in the eyes of the entire constitu-
encies, are recognised as conveying the title to corpo-
rate office, how ready should we be to array Conserva-
tive against Whig—the individual against his opponent
in every ward ! But it is not so. The struggle now
is for the supremacy of a principle in the Council. We
have to decide whether we will have that body Conser-
vative or Radical; allied with the supporters of the
constitution in church and state, or leagued with the
admirers of republic institutions ; arrayed on the side
of our established religion, and supporting an honest
system of religious education for the people, or lending
itself to the attacks of dissent and infidelity against the
faith, the order, and the moral wellbeing of the com-
munity. We have opposed to us not individuals
merely, in their own private characters perhaps irre-
proachable, but the banded strength of a faction, in
whose hands the individual candidates which they bring
forward are but unreflecting puppets, galley slaves,
chained to the car of a truculent democracy, which
seeks to trample beneath its feet the free expression of
the will of the constituencies, and to raise from the
midst of this loyal community the wild yell of the le-
veller and the destructive.

In their collective tcharacter alone the burgesses must

regard tile candidates in the present struggle, as the
nominees of a Popish and Socinian junto, which has
inundated the registeries with its blind tools, to be en-
abled to ride roughshod over the independent consti-
tuency of the town. Individually, what are the Rath-
bones, Hollands, Quayles, and Prestons, that their be-
ing foisted into corporate power should be the object
of such superhuman exertion and lavish expenditure ?
Strip William Rathbone of his hat and his almost col-
larless coat, divest Mr. Charles Holland of his free
trade philosophy, abstract from Mr. George Quayle the
reputation of a mulish obstinacy of resistance to the
claims of law and decency, or withdraw Mr. William
Preston from his vats and his still, and what is there
remaining to distinguish any of the four worthies from
any similar number of tap-room oracles, inebriated
with the cant of " Liberalism," or obfuscated from the
effects of an overdose of Mercury ? Assuredly no-
thing, unless it be an extra rampancy, a wilder deliri-
um, a more superlative offensiveness of tone and man-
ner than can be arrived at by ordinary men. Beyond
the everlasting catchwords of their party—the constant
iteration of their nauseous pretensions to superior libe-
rality and wisdom—there is nothing to entitle any one
individual of the set to be regarded with one particle
more respect than should be paid any wooden or leaden
effigy which it might have pleased John Rosson and
his associated protectors to set up.
The question then which the burgesses of Liverpool
have now to decide is not whether they will return by
their votes these particular specimens of Liberalism—
not 'whether they are in love with the acrid countenance
and phraseology of Mr. William Rathbone, or the
scraps of all the political philosophers muddled toge-
ther, as jerked out in the harangues of Mr. Charles
Holland—not whether they admire this or that system
of commercial legislation, this or that religion, or no
religion at all; but, emphatically, are they prepared to
place the government of their town in the hands of its
independent burgesses, or to be handed over, in per-
petuo, to the dictation of the Protector Society and its
Swiss mercenaries ? This question, or these questions,
have now to be decided in every ward. There can be
no midway question—no splitting of hairs—no hang-
ing back. The whole issue is at stake in the success of
every particular contest ; and every individual vote
must be regarded as deciding it
Need we then impress upon the Conservative portion
of the constituencies the importance of untiring energy
and unceasing exertion ? We feel that we need not.
There is a spirit in this loyal and intelligent community
which will not be put down and trampled upon. In
every ward we trust the battle will be fought as Eng-
lishmen fight their battles—manfully and perseveringly,
and the result will be one of triumphant success.
Above all things, to attain this result we would impress
upon every voter the importance of being early at their
post, in the front of the battle. Be prepared to baffle
every stratagem--to defeat every attempt of the expir-
ing faction; for depend upon it they will die hard, and
cling to their object with a desperate tenacity. Let the
experience of past struggles be borne in mind ; and
remember, above all lessons, that experience teaches us
to POLL EARLY !

From all that we can collect of the spirit which per-
vades the great mass of the Conservative inhabitants
and electors, we now feel confident that no legitimate
exertions will be wanting to secure, on .Monday next,
an object of the utmost importance to this town.
Municipal electors of Conservative principles will re-
collect that any neglect on their part to attend and vote
is absolute treason to their cause and party. Their
votes are of the utmost consequence, and for this rea-
son—because our battle is, in a great degree, " strict
principle against mere numbers," and success depends
on universality of action. A Protector Society is a
sort of coiners conspiracy, and they can forge their
counters for this or any other given occasion almost
without stint; to oppose them successfully, the Con-
servatives must rely on their unbroken numbers, and
their entire strength being brought into action without

the exception of a single man. Any sanction which
may have been given to the Protector Society by an
opinion as to the technical legality of its proceedings,
can make no alteration in their real character; their
proceedings demonstrate clearly what we say, that the
contest is one of principle against mere numbers.
They are a violation of the spirit of a law which de-
clares that a man shall be the possessor of a certain
description of amount of property before he be deemed
qualified to exercise the privilege of an elector. Pro-
tectorism sets the laws at defiance; enfranchises a
pauper with one hand, and fastens upon him the chains
of a new slavery with the other—goes out into the
highways and byways to call in voters to the registry,
and then with this motley group proceeds to the polling
booth to fight the battle of what ?—of principle ? It
would be a profanation of the term to name it in con-
nection with such doings. Truth to say Liberalism
has no principles ; its very title is a negation of them.
The question of Monday then is, shall Liberalism be
permitted any longer to domineer in the municipal go-
vernment of this town ; or is it to have a renewal of
its lease ? •

"We have not seen any attempt," say a liberal con-
temporary, (the Liverpool Times,) "to show that a
Tory majority could improve the management of the
police, the dock estate, or the finances of the town.
What, then, could they do, unless they were to take
upon them to defeat or retard the construction of the
new warehouses around the docks, planned by the pre-
sent Dock Committee and Council, or to separate or
expel from the public schools the children whose pa-
rents do not choose to have them educated in their re-
ligious dogmas ?"

Our contemporary, in short, sees in Liberalism, and
the Liberals, nothing but perfection—is a blind wor-
shipper of the sect, and being sunk so profoundly in
delusion himself, very naturally supposes that any de-
parture from the system must be error, and wishes to
impress its value upon others. "It has not been shown
to him how the Tories could improve upon the manage-
ment of the Radicals ;" but surely there is nothing
surprising in that circumstance. The Tories have had
no opportunity to shew it to him ; they have been out-
numbered in the council—and the best intentions and
designs would necessarily be abortive, if brought out
in an assembly whose preponderating portion was
radical and destructive. Our contemporary would not
expect that the Tories would enter into a detail of all
their plans and meditated improvements while the
Radicals held the seals of office—and indeed, that mode
of demonstration which consists in mere talk is not a
favourite with the Conservatives. We repeat, then,
that they could not shew him, specifically or satisfac-
torily, how they would improve on Radical manage-
ment ; and we shall only remark in a general way, that
as we can conceive of no management which would be
worse, (than the Radical, of course we mean,) the diffi-
culty of improving it would not be so great.
But while the Liberals thus ask what the Tories
would do, is it not fair, in return, to ask of those who
have been so long in the plenitude of power, what,
during their term of office, THEY have DONE ? Will
our contemporary have the kindness to point out to
us any one memorial of their achievements ? They
promised a vast deal, but what have the performed,
either in the management of the police, the dock estate,
or the finances of the town ? Where are the monu-
ments of their improvements ? We cannot find one.
The warehouses do not yet exist; the police and the
schools may stand surety for each other; and as to
the dock estate and the finances, both say—look else-
where; it is not in us.
Such are the claims of Radicalism to a renewal of
the trust which it has so long abused—and mark, it
does not now dare even to talk of any thing better for
the future ! It has learned so much wisdom ; it has
become conscious of its own dulness, deficiency, and
entire inaptitude to rule ; nay, it candidly allows that
it can do no better than it has hitherto done, and that
even a thought of improvement is quite beyond the
range of its opaque and limited capacity ! Men of
Liverpool, up, and cast this dull goddess—
Daughter of Chaos, and eternal Night--
this leaden idol—out of your temple ! Shake off this
tyranny, and let not your noble, splendid town sink
for ever under her malignant influence !
Our contemporary is evidently driven to his last
shift when he calls upon his friends to support the
Radicals, not for any good that Radicals can do, but
that they may act as stop-gaps, and keep out the Tories.
For, says he, if the Tories come in, they will obstruct
the new warehouses, probably defeat their construction
altogether, or separate, or " expel from the public
schools the children whose parents do not choose to kave

o:ern educated in thcir

tligious dogmas." But the
Tories can afford to laugh at so ridiculous, or, if you
please, calumnious an hypothesis. The Tories have
iust as much interest in these matters as the Liberals,

f not a great deal more; and they will do with regard
o them what will most conduce to the benefit of the
own and the people. They stand forward on the
;round of character, of confidence, and of principle,
ind on these grounds they look for the support of their
'chow-townsmen, aye, and—will obtain it.

On the subject of Education, there is an admirable
passage in the address of Mr. ROBERTSON GLAD..
STONE, to the Electors of Abercromby Ward, to which
we would direct the attention of our too-apprehensive
contemporary ; it is as follows :
" It has been the practice," he says, " with some of those
whose best 'security has been in the majority they could
command in the Council-room, to taunt the party with whom,
on most occasions, I have the pleasure to act, with illibe-
rality—with feelings of hostility towards others--and with
being unfriendly to the education of the industrious classes.
That the present system adopted in the Corporation Schools
has appeared to most of us to be objectionable, there can be
no question ; but that we are illiberal, or unkindly disposed
towards any class of the community, is an assertion without
proof, and, therefore, valueless ; and with respect to our
being opposed to the advancement of Education, there are
fortunately numerous institutions in Liverpool for Religious
and Moral instruction, more than sufficient to satisfy every
honest mind that the charge is wholly unfounded, and the
object in making it a questionable one ; examples of libera-
lity, in this respect, which it is no idle boast to say, the
party complaining would do well to imitate."

Mr. GLADSTONE may safely make this appeal, not
only for his friends, but for himself. His readiness to
support, and his liberality in supporting, every useful
or benevolent institution, is well known to the inhabi-
tants of Liverpool. It is his good fortune to belong
to a family in which this virtue seems to be hereditary.
Did we not believe that to enter into proofs would be
as little acceptable to the Gladstone family as it is
certainly unnecessary for the satisfaction of the public,
it would be an easy and a pleasing task to us. It is
indeed delightful to meet with instances where the
stewardship of wealth is directed to purposes of phi-
lanthrophy and usefulness with an unsparing hand,
and riches, instead of exciting envy, become the in-
strument of calling forth only the voice of kindly
acknowledgment. or glowing gratitude to their posses-:

sors ; and it would be most agreeable to us to dwell
upon them; but we quit the theme, however reluc-
tantly, and simply and briefly put this question to the
municipal electors,—

What think ye ? Will not the management of the
Corporation Schools be tolerably safe in the hands of
Mr. Robertson Gladstone, or of such as he ? Will
they not at least be as much so as in those of Mr.
Alderman Sheil, or of Mr. Thomas Bolton ? If so,
vote for them as men of consistency and principle—
as men whom your fellow-townsmen and your country
respect—and as men who will faithfully, efficiently, and
honourably acquit themselves of the trust you purpose
committing to them.

In directing attention to the meeting of the burgesses
of Pitt-street Ward on Wednesday night, we congra-
tulate that portion of the town on the assured prospect
that exists of the triumphant return of Mr. Aspinall as
a member of the Town Council. Without the slightest
disparagement to our other esteemed representatives,
we may say the services of such a gentlemen as Mr.
Aspinall are invaluable at the present moment and
cannot be dispensed with. His liberality is unbounded
—his exertions for the advancement of the general in-
terests of the town unwearied—and his intimate ac-
quaintance with the commercial pursuits of the bo-
rough, together with his readiness to redress every.
grievance proved to exist amongst the poorest as well
as the most exalted of his fellow-townsmen, eminently
qualify him for the position which he has been re-
quested to occupy. We shall rejoice to see such a man
at the council board once more, and the electors of
Pitt-street Ward will do themselves immortal honour
by electing him as their representative. His time and
attention will be devoted incessantly for the promotion
of their interests, and this is more than can be said of
his opponent.