The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-06-29 00:00:00

I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obliged and faithful servant,
STANLEY.

St. James's-square, 23d June, 1841.

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE NORTHERN DIVI-
SION OF THE COUNTY PALATINE OF LAN-
CASTER.
GENTLEMEN,
JIER Majesty having this day been pleased to declare her
ja
intention of Dissolving the present Parliament, I take
an early opportunity of announcing myself as a Candidate
for the representation of the Northern Division of Lanca-
shire in the Parliament which is about to be assembled.
On this, the sixth time of my appearing before you under
similar circumstances, it is unnecessary for me to reiterate
my often-expressed opinions on many of the more important
questions to which public attention has been mainly directed
during the period in which I have had the honour of being
your representative. Your own observation will enable you
to judge whether I have pursued a course in regard to all or
any of them, in accordance with your own opinions, and
conducive to the general welfare.
The causes, however, which have more immediately led to
the present Dissolution of Parliament require from me a few
remarks.

1 have often stated to you my belief that her Majesty's
present Ministers were from various reasons incapable of
carrying on the Government of this great Country, to the
public advantage.
Since the commencement of the present Parliament not
only has this opinion gained ground in the House of Com-
mons, but, if one may form a judgment from the various
Elections in the course of the last few years, the same
opinion appears to prevail amongst the Elective Body gene-
rally.
The unsatisfactory state of public affairs, and more especi-
ally the deplorable condition of our Finances, at a time
when several years of increasing revenue would naturally
lead to the expectation of a far different state of things, have
at length drawn from the House of Commons a declaration
that her Majesty's Ministers no longer possess its confi-
dence.

It is for you, Gentlemen, to determine whether you will
ratify this decision of your Representatives, or countenance
the (in my opinion) impolitic step to which the Govern-
ment in their extremity, and not until then, have had re-
course, as a last chance of regaining some little of that public
confidence which by their general conduct they had for-
feited.

I deeply lament and deprecate their attempt under the
present circumstances of the country, to cause dissension
between its two most important interests; but without fur-
ther remark on this point, I proceed, as it is my duty to you
to do, to state my opinions upon the three principal measures
which they have proposed—
First, then, I consider the proposed alteration in the Sugar
duties to be at least premature, and I cannot consent to par-
ticipate in the awful responsibility which it involves.
Numerous arguments might be adduced, some of them
made use of in a recent session by her Majesty's Ministers
themselves, to prove that such an alteration must be accom-
panied by a frightful sacrifice of human life, and the utter
destruction of all those hopes of the abolition of Slavery
which this Country has so long and so earnestly entertained,
and for the accomplishment of which it bas made such noble
and costly sacrifices.
With regard to the duties on Timber (the proposed altera-
tion being an increased duty on that grown in our Colonies,
and a decrease of that paid on Foreign Timber,) I am far
from saying that some alteration may not be advantageously
made, but looking to the present very critical position of the
important Colony likely to be most effected by the altera-
tion, I hesitate to express an opinion, till I am furnished
with more information as to its probable effect than her Ma-
jesty's Ministers have yet thought proper to produce.
The third measure proposed is a change from a fluctuating
to a fixed duty on Corn. In a matter of such essential in-
terest to every individual in this country, I have given more
than ordinary attention to all the arguments brought forward
in support of both propositions, and after the fullest consi-
deration, and a careful comparison of their respective merits
and disadvantages, especially as they affect the poorer classes
of the Community, I am still in favour of a fluctuating scale.
I believe that the present system, if properly regulated,
and with some alteration of the existing rates, will give fair
and reasonable encouragement to native agnculture without
that oppression to the manufacturing population in times of
scarcity, which is inseparable from the system of a fixed
duty.
I will now only add that my opinions on the general Com-
mercial Policy of the Country remain unchanged ; I consider
a liberal system of Commerce essential to its welfare ; and
with a view to the due development of our national resources,
I advocate the removal of all restrictions which are not ne-
cessary for the purposes of revenue or for a fair and reasona-
ble encouragement of national enterprise ; at the same time
I am fully persuaded that this system can only be properly
carried out by a Government which enjoys the confidence of
the country, and is strong enough in public opinion to induce
a belief that its measures are fully and maturely considered
in all their bearings, and not brought forward as mere tem-
porary party expedients.
Deeply sensible of the honour which you have so often
conferred upon me, and soliciting the renewal of your confi-
dence at the ensuing Election.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient humble Servant,
J. WILSON PATTEN.

London, June 22, 1841.

ebtsbirt eltrtion.

TO THE GENTRY, CLERGY, AND ELECTORS OF
THE SOUTHERN DIVISION OF THE COUNTY
OF CHESTER.
GENTLEMEN,
HAVING been honoured by a renewal of your desire that
at
I should again stand forward as a Candidate for nr thedeem
distinction of representing you in Parliament, I
did myself
I suffer
unworthy
private
mark
offeethliinsgsreaintedraptreeddile
y osuhr should
obstruct kindness
for
cheerfully one moment the course of public duty thueserfinutirlyasteadbmtoit to
in so flattering a manner. I therefore
ctio ns of
t o
your wishes.
Her Majesty's ministers being
country on the subject of the ornrey
opinions on that c 4
aawbao,ult
feelto appealit
dne :no y
nt hue,
openly and explicitly, to declare
im-
portant topic.
t objects sought for in the main-
tenance of aC oI consider the pa anwmciutombe these—to encourage the home
growth of corn l
affording adequate protection to the Bri-
tishthe same time, to provide that the home
bcn-r
farmer; and ,at _
consumer shall not be liable to extravagant prices in seasons
1 of scarcity
Convinced that these ends have been fully attained by the
principle of the sliding scale now in operation, I cannot but
view with alarm the attempt about to be made by the govern-
ment of this country to substitute a fixed duty for the pre-
sent plan ; the results of which must be, that in average
seasons the home grower will not be able to compete with