The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-13 00:00:00

ADJOURNfID COUNCIL MEETING

The adjourned meeting of the council was held on Tues-
day, for the purpose of transacting the business left over from
the preceding day. The MAYOR presided.
Alderman EVANS rose, as the regular business was about
to be commenced, and said—Before we proceed, I should
like to address the council on what affects them as well as
the community, and that is the manner in which the pro-
ceedings of this council are reported. I admit that, gene-
rally, they are accurately given, but we have more than one
instance where they were otherw se, and on the part of one
Paper we have much that is falsified. I care nothing for my-
self in the affair, but I really do not think we are keeping
faith with the public if we fail to mark those complete misre-
presentations. The reporters were admitted here for the
Purpose of giving a faithful account of the proceedings, and
when any of them ceases to do that, he ought to vacate the
Privilege of being here. I happened in the newsroom this
morning to look at the Mail, and I found that what I said
Yesterday was .therein misrepresented. I looked at the two
other papers, in order to see whether the misrepresentation
was general, and I found that the Times and the STANDARD
have given it exactly as I spoke, but the Mail has, in the
essential parts, altogether misrepresented the thing. Now,
I do not mean to follow this up by any motion ; but, if it be
repeated, I shall follow it up by moving that the reporter of
any paper that misrepresents shall be prohibited from com-
ing here. I have no objection to the whole of their other
Columns being devoted to ridicule and libel, but I think
they ought to give the proceedings of the council as they are
with truth and faithfulness.
Mr. JORDAN.—I beg to state, in addition to what Alder-
man Evans has said, that I have a complaint to make on this
head against the press generally. If the members of the
Houses of Lords and Commons correct the accounts given
by reporters, they also call on the editors of papers to assert
that they were present and that they voted so and so. Now,
it is a very common practice with the reporters to leave me
out altogether—(a laugh)—and to exclude what little I do
Say ; and sometime since when a motion was made and that
I spoke upon it, I was not mentioned as being in the council
at all. Now, I think our constituencies have a right to see
that we are here, because if they never see our names in the
Paper they may think that we have resigned and left the coun-
cil; and, therefore, every man who sits here has a right to
have himself mentioned.
Mr. SMITH.—I think Mr. Jordan has made a very curious
complaint; and I must say that though my name does not
always appear in the divisions, I should be very sorry to
imitate Mr. Jordan's example and find fault with the press
on that account. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE.—As I have not seen the Mail of
to-day lam not in a position either to admit or to refute the
charge of misrepresentation of which Alderman Evans has
complained ; but I think it cannot be said with truth that the
Mail misrepresents, for I know not any paper that reports
better than that journal. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. D. HODGSON.—I think the papers ought to be left to
take their own course without any interference on the part of
this council. (General cries of " Hear.") For my own
Part I have been abused not a little, especially during the low
state of the Mercury lately in reference to what they were
Pleased to designate a wooden Bible, but I have not inter-
fered, because when men are found to tell such falsehoods I
am anxious to let them possess the character of liars as much
as they please, either by acts of omission or commission.
Mr. 11. LAWRENCE.—For my own part I have been in-
debted to the newspapers for the manner in which I have
been reported, for they generally express my sentiments in
much better language than I could myself.
The MAYOR.—The object of affording admission to re-
Porters here was that they might give a faithful, or, at least,
a substantially faithful, account of what occurs, and there
can be no doubt that it would be exceedingly wrong if any
aistorting words were put into the mouths of any of the
speakers. If we cannot have the power of either lords and
Commons, the reporters should confine themselves to truth.
Mr. EARLE.—The papers tell no lies, sir; they are only
errors in degree "

THE CHARGE AGAINST THE MAGISTRACY

Mr. AnciN here said.—Before we go into the business of
nominating the committees, I rise, not to gratify any wishes
of my own, but to afford an individual present an opportu-
nity of making an explanation. I do not rise with the pre-
sumptuous thought of defending the magistracy, but for the
Purpose of demanding the reason why the individual in ques-
tion brought his charge against that body. I trust that op-
portunity will be afforded me of following up this matter;
end, in the first place, I will simply recall the words as they
fell from the gentleman. His allegation was that " many of
those who should have been the protectors of the law had be-
come the breakers of it, and made others the protectors,"
and he afterwards repeated the words, and said that " if ever
he should be called upon to state his reasons for making the
charge, he should be prepared to do so." I now call upon
him to state upon what grounds he advanced it, and I trust
no attempt will be made to prevent him from doing so, see-
ing the very serious way in which the charge was made, and
theo grand style in which it was introduced ; for the tone, the
lok and gesture, were all elaborately formed to catch the eye
of our wondering imagination. (Hear, and a laugh.) I want
to know, then, on what basis this charge rests ?
Mr. BUSHELL.—Sir, I feel that Mr. Aikin has very justly
brought, this matter before the council. (Hear, hear.) Feel-
ing desirous of leaving this room as early as possible last
evening, I requested to know from him whether he would
bring forward the subject to-day. I ascertained that he
Would, and he has now done so. 1 pass over the manner and
gesture that he ascribes to me. Whatever may be my mode
delirery in this council that affects nothin wt
hat I say, and,
therefitsre, I cannot help thinking that it would have been
better had he confined himself to calling for the explanation
he demands. (Hear, hear.) That which 1 said yesterday
Wes, that " some of the magistrates who should have been
tile protectors of the law, had become the b I
eakers of it, and
ruade others the protectors." And, now, boldly avow the
charge which I intended to convey in those words. (Cheers.)
I trust I never said anything in this council for which I could
not produce justification ; and it will be for you to say whe-
tlier or not I have had justification for the present charge.
You will, however, bear in mind that I brought no charge
against the whole body, but that I said "some," unless they
were greatly belied, had been -guilty of such conduct. Now,
sir, for the proof. I hold in my hand a newspaper ; and I
must crave that no interruption will be given me while es-
ta,,bliehing this charge, so serious as it is to the body at large.
'ear, hear.) In the STANDARD of the 7th of August, this
lear, I find a list of subscribers to the Protector Society.
I in the Mail of the Sth of August the same list verbatim,
bellere, of subscribers to the Protector Society and I shall
rlt ead the names contained in that list with your approbation.
is headed, " Subscribers to the Protector Society ; and
this is the
way in which it was introduced in the STANDARD:—
" The following list of subscribers to the Protector Society
has been handed to us; it having reached us anonymously we
cannot vouch for its accuracy."
It is thus introduced in the Mail :—Sinews of war for the
radical party.—The following list of subscribers to the Pro-
tector Society has been published by a contemporary, but
though correct, we have reason to believe, in the main, there
e one or two omissions." And now for the list.

J, Waimsley...
115.4.9 J. Mullineaux.
- Thorneley
J. C. Ewart...
- Cropper...
John Holmes.

£5OO
500
250
200
200
200

(Laughter.)
It remains to be seen whether this is a subject for laughter
°r not, and, before I have done, I shall take the means of
Proving its correctness. It continues as follows :

Eyre Evans.
John Platt
Pattison Ellaines ..
Francis Jordan
- Preston... . .
- Frankland. .
-Blackburn
- Quay1e..........
Booth
- Sheil
- Thornhill
W. Rathbone (3d donation),
James Brancker
- Yate5........
- Glenn.
- Hornby. .
- Segar.
- Carsdn

Coglan
M`Kee
Mason.
Mellor...
Alison.
—Woollright.. . 2O
NQw, with regard to this statement, I have to observe,
that it appeared in two of the leading journals of this town,
and that it has never been contradicted. (Hear, hear.) I
„„4.7e invariably found that, when any charges are brought
"oinst a party or individual, there has always been a desire
titivsed by that party or individual to
and it
those charg_es,
HI to prove them to be unfounded; and it was upon this
that statement, or, at least, partly upon this statement,
I founded my charge against some of the magistracy of
tVs town yesterday. (Hear, and cheers.) The accuracy of
‘;'18 list has, I repeat, never been denied, and, therefore, it
_ anything but probable that it was incorrect. (" It is in-
iloerrect," from two or three voices.) I have nothing to do
thte with the denial of those who are not magistrates. I find
game"eame of Sir Joshua Walmsley on the list ; I also find the
of Mr. Ewart, of Mr. John Holmes of Mr. Eyre
%vans, of Mr. Francis Jordan, and of Mr. ,Rathbone. As
Ali Christian names nes of Messrs. Cropper, Booth, Hornby, and
n
418011 are not mentioned, I shall not say whether or not they
ev-e the magistrates answering to those names. But, at all
vents, I have brought the charge against the six magistrates
TPO are named by their Christian and surnames on this list.
start next thing for me to do is this : I have heard several
1; up up and deny that this is true. Now, I call upon those
ae:'o have not yet started up to say and deny that they have
ver,
either'directlyor indirectly, subscribed their names and
ithe,p- money to any fund for such a purpose (hear, hear);
1.:4 When I have received such a denial as magistrates and
alen of honour ought to give to such a charge, I shall get
~1) and say that I am sorry they did not sooner oontradict the
trtement, for that, in such a case, they would have saved
Nteitnselves from the odium and me from the trouble of
g ',g such a charge. (Applause.) I now call publicly for
estinet and a direct denial from each that they have ever
t„en their names or their money by themselves or by their
eetives for such a purpose ; and then, when they give that
0,411, I shall come forward and express my regret that this
Dr4ement had not been sooner rebutted, and I shall also ex-
-IPB my regret that I was the means of becoming the ye-
xe'e of opinions and sentiments which, if not contradicted,
4411 d have disgraced them as the administrators of the law,
1,! shall express my sorrow for it. (Loud applause.)
lie Ir. AIKIN.—I rise to put an end to this discussion. (Hear,
41', and ironical laughter from the conservatives.) I rise
ch° to exhibit the groundlessness and total falsehood of the
'Ph"tge, advanced by the individual who has just sat down.
hi": words lie used were, that " the magistrates if not very
41, eh belied, had been guilty of breaking the law." I rise
by° to say that the individual who made so malignant and
tVe a charge as that, when I asked him for the proof, pro-
s4es two Liverpool newspapers, and reads out of them that
t6seriptions had been paid to a certain society ? many of
%,,e) to myknowledge were lies, but suppose they were true,
thillts has that to do with the breaking of the law ? And yet
I,Q„ Is the ground on which the gentleman has thought pro-
the to assert that " the magistrates, who ought to have been
114 Protectors of the law, have become the breakers of it, and
thittrt.)nade others the protectors." I called on him to prove
Sit h.eharge, and he produces two papers nearly as worthless
ishvls own charge, because they contain a mass of gross and
the Ittiant falsehoods ; but I say, that if they were as true as
iY. are false, they have nothing to do with this question.
T
Bus HELL rose to reply, when
titit_7, MAYOR, addressing him, said—l wish to ask you one
tits loa : have you any other ground for your charge besides
qne you have read ?
BusHELt.—Yes, sir, I have. I made an important
N)f,'°n, which I now beg to supply, and I shall make no
148 t; '0 Mr. Aikin, except read that omission. I presume
eVery one here knows theav objects of the Protector
I!'st tY, for which the fund I he alluded to was raised, but
Ive,:r°ll should be ignorant of them, I shall read a speech de-
sat the close of the revision court by the revising
Seer, Mr. Wharton, the authorised udge of e govern-
; and, as it is very short, I shall the
read it all for you.
~said
LivetN°w the revision of the list of voters for the borough of
1)°01 is gone tf) through, I beg leave, on
to my
return
account,
account of many of my colleagues, thanks
gentlemen who have acted professionally before us,
'44 bugssistance they have afforded to us during the ardu-
liless transacted in these courts during the present
de tea
have each of us had duties and difficulties of a
stit.euhar nature : my own have certainly been unprece-
u They have arisen partly from the very great num-