The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-09-14 00:00:00

To THE REV. J. BAILEE

REV. SIR,--It will not, I trust, be regarded in the light
of an impertinent and unwarrantable intrusion on your at-
tention, if, as a member of our Liverpool Protestant Asso-
ciation, I take the liberty of addressing to you a few friendly
observations.

In common, I am sure, with every one belonging to the
respectable and useful body I have named, I have warmly
admired your zealous advocacy of the Scriptural principles
of our revered and beloved establishment, and the honest
boldness with which you recently stood forward to vindicate
those principles from objection and assault.
I now address you, sir, chiefly with the design of recalling
your attention, and that of the public at large, to the disin-
genuous and evasive, but truly Popish line of policy pursued
by Dr. Butler with reference to the discussion in which you
recently proposed to engage with him. To do so the more
effectually, it will be advisable to enter slightly into details.
The vaunted champion, then of his infallible church, in the
course of one of his earliest controversial lectures at St.
Anthony's, announced his readiness to meet any Church of
England clergyman in a public discussion, on the principles
professed by the members of the respective churches; inti-
mating, at the same time, his certainty that no one would
venture to respond to the challenge thus given. You, sir,
however, with promptitude stepped forward, thus at once to
put the doctor's sincerity and prowess to the test, which he,
throughout the correspondence which subsequently took
place between you with marvellous dexterity, contrived to
evade the point at issue. On the publication, however, of
the correspondence referred to, your opponent, aware that if
the matter remained as it then stood, he must appear in a
somewhat awkward position before a discerning public, an-
nounced that his so-called " Scriptural lectures" must be re-
plied to, ere he could consent to make arrangements for
any controversial warfare. You, accordingly, with all wil-
lingness complied with this condition—in my views an
unreasonable one, inasmuch as it was not specified in the
doctor's challenge—and afterwards gave renewed expression
to Tetn-readiness to meet him. A. few weeks afterwards the
,following intimation appeared, in answer to the inquiries of
a correspondent, in the columns of the Mercury:—" We
beg to inform ' A Constant Reader' that Dr. Butler is still
giving lectures at St. Anthony's, and will notice Mr. Baylee's
second challenge as soon as the excitement of the election is
over." Having waited about a month beyond the period
specified for the manifestation of this promised condescen-
sion on the part of his reverence, I addressed two successive
notes to the Mercury, requesting to be made acquainted with
the reason of so unbecoming a delay. A sagacious silence

was observed by the journal-in question with reference to
the contents of both the notes despatched by me ; and I have
little doubt, therefore, of your concurrence in the conclusion

which, I think, the circumstances of the case have fully war.
ranted me in coming to, viz., that the conduct of your oppo-
nent, in reference to this matter, was, even by the tacit con-
fession of his own friends, so utterly disingenuous and con-
temptible, that the utmost stretch of sophistry must prove
wholly unequal to the invention of a plausible defence of it.
Under these circumstances, I beg respectfully to throw
out the suggestion that you, sir, should publicly address a
letter to Dr. Butler, exposing (as you would no doubt
with all that ability which has characterised your previous
productions) those " ingenious devices," on the part of his
Romish reverence, to which I have now taken the liberty of
recalling your attention ; practised, as they are, in exact
imitation of those resorted to by his friend the renowned
and ingenious Tom Maguire, with reference to the mock
challenge given by that gentleman, about four years ago, to
that truly indefatigable opponent of every species of Romish
error, the Rev. H. M`Neile. The fact is, sir, every chal-
lenge to discussion emanating from those gentry, the priests
of Maynooth manufacture, ought only to be regarded as an
artifice deliberately planned for purposes of their own ; their
legerdemain skill too frequently enabling them successfully
to practise their plausible deceptions on the minds of the
unwary ; while their celerity in shifting their position when
the weapons of scriptural truth are prepared and in readiness
for the contest, serves to exhibit but too thorough an ac-
quaintance, on their part, with the principles of their craft.
I have the honour to be, rev. sir,
With much respect, your obedient servant,
ANGLICANUS.

Dm BRADFORD ELECTION.—The nomination takes place
to-day, and the polling to-morrow.
The election for North Lancashire takes place this day
week-
Vauxhall Gardens, which cost the late proprietors about
£60,000, have been sold by auction for £20,200. The pur-
chaser is W. Fowler, Esq., a gentleman wholly unknown in
the theatrical world. It has not been ascertained whether it
is his intention to devote the gardens to their original use,
or to break them up into building ground. The latter opinion
is most prevalent.