The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD

SIR,—You have truly said in your sketch of the last
Council proceedings, that their result " has struck a chill

into the heart of every true Conservative out of doors." It
has done so, sir ; nay I do not hesitate to say that it has
done more than this to many of the operative class to which
1 belong, by giving colour to the representation, by which we
have so frequently been assailed by the radical faction, that
the Conservative gentry only use their humbler brethren for
the advancement of their own selfish interests, or the grati-
fication of their selfish ambition.
I need not say, sir, that I do not believe that this or any-
thing_ even approaching to it is true, of the greater portion of
the Conservative gentlemen of this town; but can I refuse
believing that it i 4 true with respect to the waverers in the
council who have so cruelly thrown overboard, upon this
Education question their operative brethren, who are so
deeply interested in its settlement upon constitutional and
protestant principles? For what have we toiled in years
past—for what have we contributed our money and time—
tor what have we risked life itself against the bludgeons of
our popish and liberal opponents, if not to secure the advan-
tages of a sound Bible education for our children? For
nothing, assuredly, so much as for this have the operative
burgesses of Liverpool stood forth in the front of the battle,
and crushed with their resolute and unswerving energy the
obnoxious thing which had fastened itself upon the necks of
our fellow-townsmen ; and yet now, when the,fight has been
won—gloriously, effectually and for ever won=are we to be
told that we must forego the fruits because a few gentlemen
wish to parade upon 'Change their exceeding liberality—
their vast charity—their desire of conciliation, and their
horror of being termed bigots and intolerants?
We cannot, it is said by these conciliatory gentlemen, re-
concile ourselves to turn out upon the streets and consign to
ignorance and crime the children of Roman Catholic parents.
But can they any more consign to ignorance the children of
those loyal -Protestants who have placed them in those very
seats of honour and power which they now occupy ? Dare
they crush to the earth that loyal spirit which has stood firm
against the attacks of obloquy—against the insidious appeals
of Chartism, of Socialism, of free-trade agitation—against
the threats and the blows of a ferocious Popish faction—and
which can only be prostrated beneath the conviction of be-
trayal and ingratitude ! Where can be the charity of such
a course ? Where its J USTI CE ?

We ask for nothing the propriety of granting which has
not been again and again proclaimed by these same trimming
gentlemen. We ask for nothing which is not recognised as
just and constitutional. We ask only for SCRIPTURAL
EDUCATION. We have battled for it and won it ; and
through you, sir, I tell these gentlemen WE WILL HAVE IT
They may baffle us now. They may trick us out of our
determination for a time ; but we will have it from other
hands, if theirs refuse to do us justice.
I write strongly, Sir, because I feel warmly. in common
with nine tenths, I am sure, of the class to which I belong,
and because I feel too that there can be no hesitation upon
this question if the minds be honest which have to decide
upon it. There can be no half-way house upon the road from
error to Scriptural truth. There can be no twilight path
between the darkness of that error and the full light of that
truth. We have proclaimed this fact in days gone by, and it
would seem about to be forgotten. We have agitated for
" the Bible, and the whole Bible ;" and if those in whom we
have placed our trust are resolved to forfeit their consistency,
I tell you, Sir, and I tell them, that the Conservative Opera-
tives of Liverpool are equally resolved that their consistency
shall not be forfeited 1
I have the honour to be, Sir,
AN OPERATIVE BURGESS, AND NO TRIMMER.