The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-04-13 00:00:00

where no place of worship or school,.in connectior

the Church of England, have existed since the much-to-
be-lamented transfer of both church and school into the
hands of the Roman Catholics; and; judging from the
society's report, we wonder that, with such slender
means and for so short a period, four schools have pro-
gressed so rapidly and satisfactorily. In proof of which,
the average attendance of the children of the poor on
Sundays is upwards of 100 ; at the evening school 50.
The reading-rooms also, which are opened free of charge,
are well attended by the parents of the children ; in addi-
tion to which several hundred tracts have been circulated
among the poor, and a considerable number of Bibles,
Testaments, and Prayer-books have been sold to them at
the society's prices. We understand William Bennett
and James Parker, Ears., have kindly become annual
subscribers. We would also recommend our Christian
friends to visit the schools • at the same tithe, any 'mem-
ber of the committee will gladly receive any contributions
for the support of the society. The disinterested exer-
tions of Mr. Windle, the indefatigable secretary to the
institution, are beyond all praise.
MEETING AT RENSHAW-STREET CH APEL.—Yesterday,
a meeting of the Committee of the Home Mission, in
connexion with the Unitarian body in this town, was held
in the above chapel, for the purpose of receiving the re-
port of Mr. Johns, the minister to the poor, passing the
accounts of the treasurer, and transacting the business.
In the absence of Mr. T. Harvey, Mr. Avison was
unanimously called to the chair. Several resolutions were
passed, approving of the course adopted in the establish-
ment of ragged schools." The meeting was addressed
by Mr. Rathbone, who remarked on the great change
which these schools had produced in the neighbourhood,
and immediate district of Mr. Johns, and that he deserved
the highest praise for his exertions. Another gentleman
said that where, previously, there was nothing but igno-
rance and superstition, through the blessing of God, there
was now a new light sprung up among the people. Where,
ten years ago, their minister had to go through dens of
iniquity and sin, he now found that he was treading on
classic ground.—Mr. Jevon moved the second resolution,
which was seconded by the Rev. Mr. Martineau, who
detailed the progress of the schools. Their attendance
though at first small, had increased to 200 to 300 in
number, and there was a great desire evinced on the part
°tithe children to receive education. He also mentioned that
in-Manchester, schools had been formed on a newplan, simi-
lar to those of Aberdeen, which was, that all children found
begging in the streets, or even taken in the act of felony, in-
stead of being taken to gaol are conveyed to the institution
where' they are supported, educated, and taught some
useful trade ; and the consequence is, that in Aberdeen
crime and beggary are now entirely unknown, and in
Manchester are fast disappearing. He hoped the example
would soon be followed by this town. The accounts of
the past year were read by Mr. Thornely, the treasurer,
from which it appeared that the total income has been
£484 10s. 7d., and the expenditure £250. The meeting
was afterwards addressed by Thomas Bolton, Esq., Mr.
Lamport, Mr. Bentley, Mr. Yates, and Mr. Thornhill.
A vote of thanks was passed to the treasurer, and, after a
similar comp:iment had been paid to the chairman, the
meeting separated.
A GENTLEMAN POLICEMAN.-Yesterday, Police Con-
stable 25G, and various others of the same genus, appeared
before Mr. Rushton, to prefer the serious charge of riot,
assault, and rescue against a Mr. Topping and several
others, for offences committed " against the Queen, her
crown and dignity," in the person of the aforesaid 256,
on the night of Saturday last. The cons - -
shortly before twelve o'clock on Satun

fay night

and some other brothers of the baton were returning from
duty, in the direction of Robert-street, when they saw a
crowd of men standing at the corner of that street, whom
they desired in the mildest language to pass on, and not
block up the footpath. This, he said, provoked the ire of
Mr. Topping and the others, who, without further cere-
mony, commenced amusing themselves by beating the
constable and his companions, after which, with the
assistance of more constables, some of them were taken
into custody, but the rest were rescued. On the other
side, it was deposed by several witnesses that 256 was the
first to give offence, and also to commit an assault.
Richard Lewis, an old mariner, stated that he was one of
the party standing at the corner; that he was waiting
there for a ship-master to take a vessel down the river ;
that he was sober at the tifne ; and that they were neither
noisy nor disorderly when the constables came up, one of
whom took his stick and " poked " it right into the side
of one of the party named Bowen, and ordered him to
"leave the road, and allow a gentleman to pass." He
(the constable) then knocked the witness down twice in
the channel, after.which they got assistance and took part
of them to bridewell. This statement having been corro-
borated by various witnesses, Mr. Rushton said it ap-
peared to him that an outrage had been committed by
256. He had gone up to the man, and, without inquiring
his business, pushed him off the footpath with his stick.
It was quite right that people should not be allowed to
interrupt the footwalks ; but, then, in this case, the con-
stable, instead of treating the prisoners as reasonable
beings, took his stick and punched one of them in the
ribs with it ; therefore he made himself answerable for all
that occurred afterwards. Such gross conduct was calcu-
lated to bring disgrace on the entire force. He would
discharge all of the prisoners, and order 256 to be sus-

pended:
For several days last week, Dublin was visited with a
perfect hurricane, with occasional showers of sleet and
rain. The English mails due at 5 aan„ did not reach
until 2 or 3 in the afternoon.