The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-05-11 00:00:00

TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 11, 1841.

Our readers are aware that the Rev. Mr. Gregg,
with whose name in connection with an uncompromis-
ing championship of Protestantism they are familiar,
has been committed to prison in Dublin by certain ma-
gistrates for refusing to enter into recognisances to
keep the peace. The occurrence is a novel and re-
markable one, and having ourselves inquired minutely
into the particulars, and considered them with much
care, we feel desirous of submitting our impressions to
the attention of our readers.

Mr. Gregg—a clergyman—we may add, a beneficed
clergyman of the Established Church of England—
and Ireland—is in prison on a charge not merely per-
sonal to himself, but one of a general character, and
connected intimately with a public cause and principle;
and it is therefore, we think, a question of public and
general interest to ask, whether he be rightfully or
wrongfully imprisoned—whether he is immured in a
gaol for his own fault or the fault of others; and if for
the fault of others, what the nature of that may be,
and what the circumstances that have fed to it.

And first of all he is imprisoned for refusing to give
bail " to keep the peace towards all her Majesty's sub-
jects." To give this bail would be a very easy mat-
ter—nothing more than signing his name to a bit of
parchment—and straightway the prison doors fly open,
and the reverend gentleman is at liberty; but he will
not sign anything of the sort, and his reason is, be-
cause it would amount to an acknowledgment that
there was a ground for requiring security of him ; and
his case, as an innocent man, is, that there was no such
ground.
People in general do not act with so much scrupu-
losity; and it seems odd to many that Mr. Gregg should
rather go to prison than go through the mere form of
entering into a peace recognisance. But Mr. Gregg is
not-an ordinary man. He is a single-minded, truth-
loving, Church of England clergyman, and all the
world, we are persuaded, could not induce him to ac-
knowledge, directly or indirectly, as true, that which he
knew to be false. His own words on the subject are
these :

" I was sentenced to enter into my own recognizances to
keep the peace towards all her Majesty's subjects. To be
sure I will keep the peace towards her Majesty's subjects.
Who ever dreamt of my breaking it towards any of her
Majesty's subjects. But I will enter into no recognizance
on the subject; for to do so, was to admit that Mere was the
slightest shadow of a shade for entertaining Me most dis-
tant suspicion that I would violate it."

Some people may think his scruples rather nice;
but we defy any one to say that he does not give evi-
dence of a most exact and honourable conscientious-
ness, and that, in obeying its dictates, he does not act
with a manly consistency and fortitude. His judges
might have ordered him to be imprisoned, or caused,
let us say, some other punishment to be inflicted on
him; and to this, however unjust, it would have been
his duty to submit ; but when they ordered him to
subscribe his own name to a certain paper, and by this
act to acknowledge that he had given cause or pretence
for his being put under pledges, it does not occur to us
that he was under any obligation at all of submitting.
On the contrary, we think, that feeling as he did, it
was his duty to " obey God rather than man," and
refuse his attestation to a lie. His own explanation on
this point is as follows :
" The only thing resembling a breach of the peace in my
case was denouncing Popery ; and to enter into a recogni-
zance of a farthing piece that I would henceforward keep the
peace, would be to admit, that to denounce Popery was to
break the peace, and that I would do so no more. And shall
I do this—shall I admit this—shall I cease to denounce Po-
pery ? God forbid. I should be happy to lay down my life,
if by doing so I could lead my countrymen to take up God's
blessed word, and on their knees ask for divine wisdom to
guide them in the investigation. If to tell the truth be to
break the peace, away with peace. If to palliate or gloss
over Popish error—if to speak smooth things to Popish
people, when their errors are concerned, he to keep the
peace—again and again, away with it."
Such being Mr. Gregg's convictions, we do most
highly honour him for obeying them ; but, of course,
there is another question, and that is, whether, inde-
pendently of his intentions, feelings, or opinions, he
did, or did not commit an act which rightfully au-
thorised or bound his judges to pass the sentence which
they did. To answer this question we must turn to
the evidence ; its solution is altogether an affair of
evidence.

Our readers have probably seen the details in other
journals. We have ourselves, at all events, perused
the entire, and we protest that anything more absurd
or uncalled for, and, consequently, unjust, than the
magisterial decision in this case, we never met with.
Mr. Gregg, at the request of two gentlemen, the
uncle and nephew of a young female who has been en-
snared into a convent, and with the written authority
of her mother, accompanies those gentlemen to the
house for the purpose of demanding her restoration.
The mother abbess, one Mistress " Dolphina Pheboe,"
denies Miss "Wiley, and has the audacity to say that
there is no such person there. This is LIE the first.
However the gentlemen insisted, and, after some alter-
cation, the girl is produced, and the brother and uncle
proceed to remove her. But a mob, in the meantime,
has collected outside the front door, and, perceiving
that the girl is reluctant to go, they take her part,
rescue her from her relatives, and assault Mr.
Gregg in a most outrageous, manner—the police, some

of i‘ O'Connell'a cliocen," doubtie;

POC~l:f t],

on, and

being in no hurry to protect him

Next day the scene changes to the police-office, and
Mr. Gregg and the other two gentlemen are summoned
to answer for "using threatening language to Mrs.
Dolpkina Pheboe, and for assaulting her protegj, Miss
Wiley."

As to these charges, it is almost enough to say that
the magistrates disallowed them. The charge of " as-
sault" was too manifestly gross; but the threatening
language was so far deemed to be proven, that the wor-
shipful bench ordered Mr. Gregg and the other gentle-
men to enter into £2O recognisances to keep the peace
to " all her Majesty's subjects" ! Lying witnesses
were produced, who swore to language having been
used which never was used, nor anything like it. The
foulest perjury was committed to snake out a case
against the " Protestant clergyman," but it was so
gross, so entirely unworthy of the smallest credit, that
the magistrates could not possibly have been deceived,
or believed one word of it. But, what is most mon-
strous of all, they entertained the charge, and, so far
as we have mentioned, affirmed it, in the absence of
Dolphina Pheboe, who was alleged to be so occupied
with heavenly meditations in her holy retreat that she
could not attend to so sublunary, secular, and vulgar an
affair as giving evidence in a poliCe-office. One of the
magistrates, indeed, wondered that her serene highness
" Dolphina" did not condescend to appear; but did
not afterwards wonder at himself for convicting a Pro-
testant clergyman in the absence of so material a wit-
ness. And so Mr. Gregg is sacrificed to appease the
offended dignity of the mother abbess—to encourage
the trade of kidnapping Protestant females into Popish
nunneries—and to warn all Protestants, whether sheep
or pastors—relatives of, or too benevolently interested
about such unhappy victims—to beware of looking af-
ter them, or seeking to rescue them from the fangs of
a cruel and accursed superstition !

Now, we ask, is not this monstrous ? These O'Con-
nellised magistrates in Dublin, instead of immediately
dismissing the impudent and audacious charge—in-
stead of ordering the girl to go home to her mother,
and complimenting Mr. Gregg for his becoming Chris-
tian zeal as a Protestant clergyman—actually bring him
in guilty of a breach of the peace, and order him to he
bound over to keep it!

Mr. Gregg refuses to obey the order, and he is at
this moment in bonds on this account.

But there is an afterpiece to this tragedy, although
we do not exactly know in what order or class of the
acting drama to place it ; if not a perfect burletta, it
has certainly a great deal of the " serio-comic " about
it. The doodles and noodles and fusbos-es of the bench,
it seems, got into a "mighty great passion entirely," as
they say in Ireland, because Mr. Gregg, on learning
the unjust and, we think, illegal sentence that had been
pronounced against him, said, "I am condemned be-
cause there is an IDOLATROUS JUDGE upon the
bench."

Upon this, the justices looked at each other with as-
tonishment, and shook their heads in a most awful
and portentous manner ! " That means me, said Mr.
Justice Duffy ; " and this instant I will exhibit arti-
cles of the peace against this most pugnacious, contu-
macious, and pertinacious heretical disturber." So
exit the enraged Duffy to prepare the informations ;
and the—unfortunate we will not say, but the palpably
persecuted and victimised Protestant Clergyman, Mr.
Gregg, is called upon to enter into afresh recognisance
for £lOO to keep the peace to Squire Duffy, the " ido-
latrous magistrate" in question. Was there ever such
a farce ? By refusing to enter into the first recogni-
sance, he protested in substance against the sentence
passed on him ; and when he used the words com-
plained of, he merely gave his explanation as to how
such a sentence came to have been adjudged. Such
was the fact; but we do not mean to justify the giving
of such an explanation, or the use of such language,
in open court. It was an indiscretion-,an impropri-
ety ; but what follows ? Do the magistrates treat
the words as a contempt of the court, which they should
have done if there was any legal import whatever at-
tachable to them ? No ; but they place their brother
magistrate, Duffy, in the character of a suitor, and
then undertake to decide, as an impartial tribunal, be-
tween him and the Rev. Mr. Gregg. They take ins
informations in that capacity, and decide that Mr.
Gregg's object, or intention in using the epithet " ido-
latrous" magistrate was to provoke Mr. Duffy to fight
• a duel, or otherwise commit a breach of the peace !
The thing is so perfectly ridiculous, that it seems incre-
dible; but it is, nevertheless, perfectly true. Mr.
Gregg himself, referring to this part of the case in a
published letter, says,—

" As to my keeping the peace towards Mr. Duffy, of course
I will do so ; but here, again, I will sign no recognizance on
the subject; for to sign such a document would, to a certain
extent, involve me in a retractation of the denouncement
that I made of a popish magistracy. Papists are utterly unfit
to adjudicate where the principles of their religion or ours are
involved-. And not merely are they unfit themselves, but
they incapacitate their protestant fellows from the exercise of
a sound judgment."

So far as Mr. Gregg is personally concerned, it sig-
nifies not how many subsequent recognisances the ma-
gistrates might think fit to put upon him, since he de-
clined obeying their first order. He was already their
captive upon that ; and, therefore, though they heaped
Pelion upon Ossa an hundred times over, they could
not place him in a worse position or make him more
their victim than they had done already. Such is this
novel and very extraordinary case. The version we
have given of it is, we are sure, the true one. It fur-
nishes material for a vast deal of interesting observa-
tion; but we have occupied so much space in the fore-
going history, that we must leave the affair for the pre-
'sent in the hands of our readers. -We have heard a
great deal in our time of tithe martyrs, church-rate
martyrs, and various other sorts of dissenting martyrs ;
but it strikes us that here is a case in which, at the in-
stance of the Popish mistress of a superstitious, kid-
napping nunnery—for all nunneries are so—the gaols
and graves at once of thousands of unhappy, deluded
females—an estimable clergyman of our church may
most truly and correctly be called a sufferer for con-
science sake; and we sincerely hope that the confession
he witnesses and the testimony he bears will not be
without its fruits.

Since writing the foregoing, we find that Mr. Gregg
has been discharged from custody, on the ground of
the illegality of his commitment. He was brought up
on Saturday before the Court of Queen's Bench, in
Dublin, by habeas corpus; and upon argument of the
points suggested by his counsel, the court decided
that the commitment made out in the case of Mr.
Duffy was illegal, and ordered the rev. gentleman to
be immediately discharged. ..

Lord Sandon's amendment on the sugar duties was
debated on Friday, and the debate adjourned to last
evening. Whether a second adjournment would take
place seemed doubtful ; but no doubt was entertained
that ministers would be beaten upon the division,
whenever it should occur. This is the general opinion
as to the result, and we see no reason to dissent from
it. It would he quite idle to speculate upon what Lord
John and Co. will do next. There was a time that
when a ministry were beaten they would retire,—just
as the times "have been" that " when the brains were
out the man would die;" but that day is gone by.
There was a case last week before a jury de lunatico
inquirendo, in which the unfortunate party examined—
a lady of rank—laboured under the delusion of sup-
posing herself dead; she said she had seen her soul go
up the chimney some time ago, and that what now re-
mained was only a piece of inanimate matter—a carpet,
or bag, or something of that sort. But though our
ministers are evidently labouring under a delusion, it
is quite a different one from this ; for they imagine that
they are alive, when all sane people perceive that they
are quite defunct, and have seen their spirit (if ever
they had any) depart in many and many a minority;
and, so long as they get pay, we fear this delusion will
be immoveable. Who would say, then, that they
would retire, if beaten upon Lord Sandon's amend-
ment ? We would not assuredly ; though our opinion
is, that in appealing to the free trade mania, they have
played their last card. The sacrifice of our West India
colonies is the most profligate measure that the Whigs
ever attempted, and is what, we dare say, they consider
worse—it is a great political error. Will they indeed
appeal to the country on this question—and if they do,
will the cry of cheap sugar for the ruin of our free.
labour colonies, and the encouragement of slave-driving
Cuba and Brazil—be responded to ? What a pretty

rime Whig candidates wouh cut :upth. the hutting
with such a cry in their mouths ! No, gentlemen
tumblers, that won't do ; " cheap sugar" will raise no
mobs; you must try something else. Your "fixed
duties" on corn is a spell of more likelihood ; and we
advise you to stick to it. We think, however, that if
the Conservatives do their duty, even with this charm,
you may "call spirits from the dusky deep," and call
them in vain. The people have been gulled by cheap
publications, and itinerant lecturers ; but it would not
be so difficult to disabuse them of false impressions, if
due means were used for the purpose. Are the people
indeed so much in love with the factory system, and
factory labour, that they would like to see agricultural
employment put a stop to, and all England converted
into one huge workshop ? There is no other object
whatever contemplated by the mill-owners than the ex.-
tension of factory slave labour; whereas, we have
already too much of it. Emigration is the natural, the
fit, and proper remedy and recourse for our redundant
population; and this is a subject which, we allow, that
our governments have shamefully neglected. Colonize
on a large scale, and you will in time have plenty of
customers in your own colonists and fellow-subjects
without looking to foreigners, or seeking to prostrate
your domestic agriculture for the sake of a little tem-
porary gain, and certain ultimate loss;. but do not
think of driving out agriculture, or imagine that you
will promote the comfort or happiness of the people by
covering the whole country with cotton mills. This is
what the free-corn men would do, whether they actually
see the consequence themselves or not ; this is precisely
the result to which their agitation tends, but which
may Heaven forbid they should ever effect.

It is known to the public that Mr. Shuttleworth,
late clerk to the magistrates in the Police Court,
has been promoted to the office of deputy town-
clerk. Concerning this appointment, though contend-
ed for by Mr. PENNINGTON, a gentleman of whose
eligibility we had formed a very high opinion, we have
not made, nor do we now intend to make, any dispa-
raging observation. Mr. Shuttleworth is appointed,
and we shall only say we anticipate no other result but
that the duties of his new employment will be well and
diligently performed. But there are now two vacan-
cies to be filled up in the legal department of the Town
Council's patronage—one in the Police Court, occa-
sioned by Mr. Shuttleworth's promotion, and the other
the chief clerkship in the Town-hall, vacant by the re-
tirement of Mr. Falcon ;—and as to these, we have just
a word or two to say. It is rumoured that candi-
dates, if not appointees, are already prepared for them
—that a son of our respected town-clerk is to be hoisted
into the one, and a son of our equally respected trea-
surer is to be popped into the other, and that the thing
is, in short, snugly settled and arranged.
Now, we do not impute any blame to either of these
excellent officers for endeavouring to " provide for his
own :" that is quite an excusable, perhaps a laudable,
effort on their part ; but there is another question for
the Council at large—a question in the decision of
which they are specially called upon to guard against
nepotism, or even paternal feeling of this sort, and
where, consistently with fair dealing and a righteous
performance of duty, the proper and only point to be
considered is, the fitness of the several candidates, and
the greater or less degree thereof in those who may
present themselves to their notice.

Men are not sent into the Council merely to obtain
offices for themselves, nor to render their possession
hereditary in the family of others who may have been
so fortunate as to obtain them. This would be sacri-
ficing public interest to private convenience—convert-
ing a public office into a private job—walking in the
way of corruption—and betraying the general advan-
tage of the burgesses and inhabitants, just in that sort
of way of which the people are usually and rightly jea-
lous, and which they are remarkably shrewd in detect-
ing where there is the least ground afforded for their
suspicions.

In the published letter of Mr. Snowball, we find
the vacant appointments alluded to in the following
terms :

The clerkship to the magistrates will be filled by a gen-
tleman who has never been in practice ! the chief clerkship
in the Town-hall will likewise be filled by a gentleman who
has neither been in practice nor even admitted ! What a
marvel it is that such an aptitude for business should be
found in combination with so little practical information !
Surely the council will pause before it carry into effect such

arrangements."

We agree with the writer of these lines, in thinking
that the Council will " pause before it carry such ar-

rangements into effect."
Mr. PENNINGTON, who has been disappointed of
the deputy town-clerkship, is now, we understand, a
candidate for the clerkship to the magistrates, and,
from all we have heard and known of that gentleman,
we believe him to be most admirably qualified to fill
the situation. He has lived in the town all his life—
has practised in his profession above twenty years, and
has always conducted a highly respectable business.
He is a shrewd, sensible man, and an able lawyer. But
we need not say anything of his attainments, or ta-
lents, or character ; they are well known in Liverpool,
and duly appreciated. The only question is—who is
his competitor, and what are the qualifications of the
the gentleman whom, it is reported, there is a plan in
concoction to prefer before him.
The gentleman is Mr. Wyberg—son of the treasurer
—a young man just out of his time—just sworn an
attorney—and consequently, as Mr. Snowball states,
perfectly without the benefit of experience or practice.
He served his time too, we are informed, in the office
of Parkes and Preston, of London, parliamentary
agents—not the best place in the world surely to ob-
tain a knowledge of the various points constantly oc-
curring in a police court. But no matter where he
served it, we do not conceive that any young gentle-
man, just admitted to the profession, can be fairly put
in competition with Mr. PENNINGTON, who has per-
formed his " twenty years' peregrination"—a gentle-
man_ of mature judgment, of various and extensive
practice, and ample legal knowledge.

We stand wholly unbiassed in this matter; we have
not the pleasure even of a personal acquaintance with
Mr. PENNINGTON ; nor is there any personal preju-
dice whatever weighing in our mind against Mr. Wy-
berg. At some future day, we are far from saying
that he may not prove a highly meritorious and desir-
able candidate for this, or some other professional ap-
pointment under the Council; but at present we do
affirm, that to select so young a man—wholly unknown
—and prefer him, solely on the ground of family con-
nection, to fill an office of great importance—of great
responsibility—an office which eminently involves, in
its administration, the lives and property, the liberty
and peace of the inhahitants—to prefer such a person
to this office before Mr. PENNINGTON, would, we
say, be a great wrong done to the public--and we
therefore do respectfully, but earnestly, beg leave to
caution the Council against it, and to assure them that
it will be a cause of much dissatisfaction, whilst, on
the other hand, we do hear from all quarters, and we
do believe, that the appointment of Mr. PENNINGTON
will be highly acceptable, and is looked for anxiously
by all who would repose confidence in the Council,
and uphold the dignity and purity, as well as the dis-
cernment of its appointments.

As to the other appointment, of chief clerk in the
Town-hall, we have also to disavow any personal pre-
judice or dislike to the son of Mr. Radcliffe. Our
ground of objection rests entirely upon his youth and
inexperience; and we suggest that the Council will do
well to consider if, under all the circumstances, his
selection would be the most judicious that could be
made.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]
We have great pleasure in learning, that the consumption
of the smoke arising from coal used, not only in stationary,
but locomotive engines is now perfectly effected. A few days
ago the apparatus for attaining this important object was
applied to a locomotive engine, the Wizard, belonging to
the Midland Counties Railway Company, and a trial, which
proved highly satisfactory, was made under the inspection of
Henry Youle, Esq., and William Hannay, Esq., directors
of the company, and Francis Wright, Esq., of Lenton Hall,
accompanied by several other gentlemen. This apparatus,
we perceive by the Derby Reporter, has been applied also to
the engine of Messrs. Boden and Morley, lace manufactu-
rers, Derby, and gives the grea est satisfaction. It is, we
are informed, the invention of. Mr. Samuel Hall, who de-
vised the important improvement in the manufacture of lace
of what is termed "' gassing," being the burning off the
fibre of the most delicate fabrics of that article, by drawing
lines of the flame of inflammable gas through its interstices,
by means of a species of air-pump. Mr. Hall took out a
patent in January last, for the first-mentioned invention,
under the title of " Improvement in the Combustion of
Fuel and Smoke ;" the advantageous results of which, owing
to its introducing the use of coal instead of coke in locomo-
tive engines, will, no doubt, be highly beneficial to all railway
undertakings, as reduction of expense is of the most vital
importance.

Tha second reacting of Lord Stanley's Irish Registration
ill is postponed until tomorrow

The bill of this company passed through the committee of
the House of Lords on Thursday, without any alteration.
LIVERPOOL BILLS.—In the House of Commons on Mon-
day, the Liverpool Local Acts Bill was read a second time,
and the Dock Bill read a third time and passed.

THE BIRKENHEAD WATER BILL.—At the meeting of
the ratepayers of Birkenhead on Fridaylweek,Mr. Stansfield's
motion that this bill " would be beneficial to the township
was carried by a majority of nearly two to one. The re-
signation of Mr. Mallaby as clerk to the commissioners has,
we are informed, been accepted by that body.

No less than 168 gentlemen have given notice of their

intention to apply to be admitted attOrnies of the Court of
Queen's Bench on the last day of the present term.
On Thursday last, at the Birkenhead Police Court, Mr.
Burke, the much-talked-of individual who drove four-in-
hand in a match against the Chester and Birkenhead Rail-
way train, was tined £5 for furious driving. The coach
occupied a longer time by a few minutes in accomplishing

•
the distance than the railway train.
HOURS OF BUSINESS.—We are informed that Mr. Pro-
onoli has adopted the plan of paying the workmen in his ex-
tensive manufactury on Fridays, and that he has declared
leis willingness to close his establishment in Church-street

at six o'clock every evening, provided even a few of his
neighbours will agree to do the same.
The nomination for the election of a member of parliament
for the borough of Sandwich, in the room of Sir R. Doukin,
took place yesterday, and the polling commenced this morn-
ing. The late member was of the whig-radical school, but
we expect, from the accounts we have received, that the con-
servative candidate will be returned, and that the electors of
Sandwich will then follow the excellent example of Canter-
bury, Monmouthshire, Walsall, and Nottingham.
LIVER THEATRE.-Mr. Jacobs, the illusionist's wonder-

ful dexterity in the art of legerdemain, his amazing powers
of ventriloquism, and the ease with which he versifies extem-
poraneously on the most difficult subjects are quite astonish-
ing. As Mr. Jacobs has been prevailed on, by particular
desire, to prolong his stay another week, those who have not
as yet seen him would do well to avail themselves of the
opportunity previously to his departure from town.—See
advertisement.

THE LATE EARL OF DURHAM.—A very_clever portrait,

nd excellent likeness, of the late Earl Of Durhm, was

taken by Brother R. Dalziel, previous to death. He is repre-
sented in masonic clothing, as Pro-grand Master of England.
This portrait has been engraved by Mr. Wagstaff, and is in
progress of publication. The likeness is capital) and from
. .

the high esteem in which the noble brother vas held by the
craft, we expect that almost all the lodges in the kingdom
will purchase a copy to hang up in their lodge rooms. The
engraving is done in first style, and may be looked upon as
a fine work of art.

VALIDITY OF LAY BAPTISM.—It will be remembered

that some time since a cause was instituted against the Rev.
Mr. Escott, the vicar of the parish of Gedney, by one of the
inhabitants of that parish, for the refusal of the vicar to bury
the infant child of two of his parishioners, on the ground of

its having been baptised by a Wesleyan minister.— On Sa-
turday Sir Herbert Jenner pronounced judgment in the case,
and entered at great length into the circumstances, with the
law bearing on the points. He said that the proceeding was
not under the common law, but under the 68th canon, which
fixed the punishment at three months' suspension ; and he
must, therefore, though he should have been glad to modify
his sentence, pronounce that the party had incurred the pe-
nalty, thus, of course, establishing the validity of the bap-
tism. Notice of appeal was immediately given.
AWFUL DISASTER IN THE CHANNEL.—About 2 p.m.
yesterday was telegraphed the American ship Brooklyn,
Capt. Richardson. with loss of bowsprit and foretopgallant-
mast. She sailed hence for New York on Sunday, about
one o'clock, and Capt. Richardson reports that in the night,
off Point Lynas, they came in contact with an inward-bound
brig, apparently about 300 tons, which immediately disap-
peared, with all hands on board. The shock was great, and
the effects almost instantaneous. The sad and appalling
calamity of the Governor Fenner is still fresh in our memo-
ries, and the above disaster serves to keep alive the distress-
ing recollection of so many of our fellow-creatures being
hurried into eternity. The size of the vessel is mere con-

jecture, but if so large as 300 tons, her complement of hands
would be about fourteen. Bein inward-bound, her name
may never transpire, except some fragments should hereafter
be picked up; and, from conversations we have had with
nautical men, we are inclined to think that she might regain
her buoyancy, and that to-day may bring some satisfactory
intelligence about her.

CHESTER AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY.—The transit on
this line has been during the last few days unequalled in the
annals of railway travelling in this kingdom. We have taken
the following averages from the returns, which are below
" the mark," of the number of passengers to and from
Chester during the last seven days :
Saturday, May 1
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday. . 4250
Thursday
Friday l9BO
The utmost exertion has been used by the directors, and
every individual in the service of the company, to preserve
order and accommodate passengers at the station and the
ferries; but, in defiance of every effort, on Monday, in con-
sequence of the impatience and determined pressure of the
great crowds anxiously waiting at two o'clock to proceed to
Chester, their well-arranged plans were in some measure
disorganised. The train which left Birkenhead at the hour
last mentioned, consisted of four engines, forty carriages, and
upwards of thirteen hundred passengers.

NEW ROUTE FROM SCOTLAND.—We beg to draw atten-
tion to the advertisement which appears amongst our shipping
announcements relative to the sailings of the Fire King be-
tween Ardrossan and Port Fleetwood. By this vessel anew
and speedy route is opened between Glasgow and Manches-
ter, the places adjacent to the latter place, and indeed all
towns lying upon the railways to the terminus at London.
To show the speed of this route, we need only mention that
a person leaving Glasgow in the evening may be in London
nearly at the same hour on the following day. For instance,
a passenger quits Glasgow by railway to Ardrossan at half-
past two ; this place he reaches in time to admit of his taking
dinner, &c., until the time the Fire King starts, viz., five
o'clock. She reaches Port Fleetwood in twelve or thirteen
hours ; this will bring us to five on the following tnonaing
here the traveller need only wait until eight o'clock, when
trains start for London and elsewhere—that to the metropolis
reaching its destination about five in the afternoon. A tra-
veller leaving London for Glasgow by this route should take
his departure at 945 in the morning. He will then arrive at
Port Fleetwood in time to catch the Fire King that evening,
as she generally sails about nine o'clock, immediately after
the arrival of the trains. The Manchester passengers should
leave that place by the railway at five o'clock, to be in time,
and the Liverpool voyayeurs at a quarter before five. The
Fire King sails from Fleetwood on Tuesday and Thursday,
and from Ardrossan on Wednesday and Friday. Travellers
to the Lakes will find the route by Fleetwood a very pleasant
and novel one. There is a splendid hotel at Fleetwood, which
has cost the proprietors upwards of £50,000. The Fire King
is a noble craft, and cne of the fleetest on the waters.

PAPIER MACHE.—The introduction of papier machl has
formed a new era in the manufacture of numberless articles
of ornament and use. It has, to a certain extent, super-
seded the use of stucco plaster and putty composition for
the ornaments of apartments, and is extensively manufac-
tured into articles intended for many domestic purposes.
As a substitute for plaster, in the ornamental portions of
room fittings, it has been found of great advantage, as it
combines durability, cheapness, and cleanliness in fixing.
One of the most ingenious manufacturers of papier mache
is Mr. Bielefield, who has just established himself in this
town. To those who are fitting up their houses, or erecting
new ones, a visit to his warehouse will induce them, no
doubt, to lay out some little money in embellishments, such
as cornices, centres, &d. The numbers of new houses con-
stantly in the course of erection in Liverpool, afford ample
scope for an artist and manufacture' of Mr. Bielefield's
abilities.

SHOPLIFTING.—On Thursday two women, named Latham
and Cain, were placed at the bar of the Police-court, charged
by Mr. Denver, of the firm of Denver and Dixey, woollen
drapers, Byrom-street, with having stolen a piece of black
calico from the counter of their shop on the previous day. It
appeared they had made some purchases, during which time
they had taken an opportunity to purloin the calico. When
the prisoner Latham was searched at Bridewell there was a
number of pawnbroker''§ tickets found upon her, which were
ascertained to be for a number of pairs of boots which had
been stolen from the stalls of two persons in St. John's
Market and Mr. Thomason's shop in Manchester-street.
The property being fully identified, she was committed on
both charges. The evidence not being sufficiently clear
against Cain, she was discharged, with a severe reprimand
from Mr. Rushton.

THEATRE-ROYAL.—The engagement of Mrs. Warner and
Mr. Charles Kean terminated on Friday last. Mrs. Warner
has left upon our minds a vivid impression of her talent,
beauty, and merit. In the two very opposite characters of
Pauline Deschappelles and Lady Macbeth she exhibited her
skill in holding "as it were a mirror up to nature." Mr.
Charles Kean's Claude Melnotte is a most clever and effect-
ive performance. It has all the springyness of youth, with
the reflectiveness of maturer years. His expressions of hope
and love in the earlier parts of the play, and his remorse for
the trick he has played upon his unsuspecting victim, are
delightfully contrasted. Mr. Kean never seems to be acting
—in him his characters are reality. Last night Mr. Yates,
Mrs. Yates, Mr. Wright, Paul Bedford, (the illustrious Bed-
ford,) and other members of the Adelpbi company, made
their appearance in " Agnes St. Aubin," a drama of equal
interest to Victorine. Mrs. Yates plays the Heroine with
that truthfulness that her acting goes at once to the heart,
clearly showing us that it is nature she copies. Mr. Wright
has wonderfully improved since he appeared here some years
ago at the Amphitheatre. He possesses a fund of humour
and drollery. So capital a company as is now engaged at
the theatre will draw great houses. All the novelties of the
Adelphi will be produced in succession, in which the various
members of that company will appear.
MELANCHOLY DEATH.—On Tuesday last a man named
John Hefferson, residing at St. Helens came to his death
under the following circumstances :—The deceased was
working as a labourer for the bricklayers at a building in the
course of erection in Liverpool-street. A large stone win-
dow-head had to be taken to the top for the purpose of being
set. One of the workmen was about to do so when he was
cautioned by a bricklayer at the top, who said he would pull
it up with a rope. The deceased then had it placed on his
shoulders, and proceeded to carry it up the ladder,—though
he too was cantioned by the bricklayer not to carry. it up.—
When about half-way up the ladder deceased cried out that
one of the spindles of the ladder was cracking, upon which he
stopped. Another labourer immediately descended the lad-
der with a rope noosed so as to put it round the stone and
release the deceased : before, however, he could effect this
object, the ladder broke and both the men. together with the
stone, were precipitated to the ground—a distance of several
yards. Deceased fell undermost, and the stone fell upon
him, crushing dreadfully about the loins and belly. The
other man was very little hurt. The deceased was immedi-
ately taken home, and a surgeon attended him, who found
the injuries of such a nature as to preclude all hopes of his
recovering from their effects, and lie died about three hours
after the accident. An inquest was held before Mr. Heyes
on the following day, when the jury returned a verdict of ac-
cidental death.

JUL LIEN CONCERT.—The Jullien concerts at the Am-
phitheatre are attracting all the beauty and fashion of Li-
verpool, and so much success has rewarded the enterprising
and talented leader, that he has determined upon remaining
another week. The effects of sound produced by this band
of fine performers are wonderful. In the quadrille of the
Huguenots, great ability and knowledge of effect is exhibited,
and the mind is carried away with the pictures it paints, as
if the scenes attempted to be described by music stand be-
fore it. Mr. Delabarre is a perfect master of the oboe : his
solo has been rapturously applauded whenever it is per-
formed. The fantasia from Robert le Diable, is a very
astonishing performance ; those who have seen the opera will
instantly recall to recollection the various portions which the
music illustrates. Mr. Jullien's Nightingale waltz on the
piccolo, is very clever : the imitation of the bird's plaintive
note and melodious shake is remarkably close. Mr.
Prospere, on the ophieleide, astonishes the ear with the
mellowness, and power, and volume of the tones he pro-
duces. In the concerted pieces this instrument has a remark-
able effect. The overture to " Fra Diavolo" may be men-
tioned as being capitally played. This band is well worth
hearing, and we strongly recommend a visit to the Amphi-
theatre.

REPEAL OP THE BREAD TAX."

The corn-law repealers and the admirers of the theory of
free trade held a meeting last evening in the Music-hall, for
the purpose of supporting the ministerial plan of modifying
the corn laws.
Sir JOSHUA WALMSLFY was called to the chair, and ob-
served that he was happy to have any opportunity of presiding
over a meeting the object of which was to repeal the corn
laws. Whatever might have been the cause of fministers
having promised to bring forward a plan for modifying the
present system, that meeting could not do otherwise than
rejoice at it. At least, it put upon those laws the stamp of
injustice and iniquity from the very highest position, which
would enable them ultimately to sweep them from the statute
book. (Hear.) At the meeting in Clayton-square a petition
was agreed to praying for a total repeal of the corn laws, but
that would not prevent them from supporting the plan of
ministers, which was a step towards obtaining what they
wanted. If the conservatives came into office, as he feared
they would, they would perpetuate the sliding scale under
the specious pretext of reducing a portion of the present pro-
tection ; and therefore he would point out a few of the dis-
advantages of it. It was devised to protect the landowner,
to put into their pockets an amount of money for their corn
equal to the yearly taxation of the country ; to maintain a
perpetual scarcity ; to keep up the greatest possible fluctua-
tions, and to convulse all our commercial relations.
Mr. HUGH HORNBY moved the first resolution, which was
to the effect, that the meeting adhered as strongly as ever to
their conviction of the propriety and necessity of the ultimate
total repeal of the taxes upon bread, and hailed with satisfac-
tion the step which ministers had taken towards meeting
their views. (Hear, hear.) No man possessed of ordinary
reflction and thoughtfulness could contemplate the condition
of this great country, at the present crisis, without feeling
anxiety and apprehension for the future. The principal
branches of our commerce and manufactures were almost
paralyzed ; the monetary system of the country was in a
statr of derangement, the national revenues were yearly de-
clining. in the face of increased taxation, whilst the threat-
ening attitude assumed by foreign powers, and the unsettled
state of our colonial dependencies, rendered an increase ab-
solutely necessary, in order to maintain the security and
honour of the nation. There was also a consideration of
greater importance even than that—namely, the condition of
the working classes. The industrious and intelligent la-
bouring population of these islands were in a state of fear-
ful distress, and he greatly feared that there was but very
little probability of amelioration. He was firmly persuaded
that these evils were mainly owing to the unwise and pre-
posterous regulations which disfigured the commercial code
of this country, and most especially to that most mischievous
of all laws, which forbade the introduction into this country
of food for the people. Since the death of the late Mr.
Huskisson, little or nothing had been done to improve our
commercial regulations. We ought not. however, to blame
her Majesty's ministers for the tardiness with which they
had brought forward this measure, for they had a large ma-
jority against them in one branch of the legislature, and in
the other had to contend with the feeble, languid, and un-
certain support which the liberal population had afforded
them. They had, nevertheless, at length brought forward
some measures of commercial reform, which entitled them
to the gratitude of all classes. The town of Liverpool would
derive most important advantages in all respects from those
measures. but what was his surprise and astonishment
to find that the member for Liverpool had come for-
ward to take the lead in opposing those measures
in the House of Commons ! As to the other member,
he took no interest in the subject whatever. What were
the grounds upon which Lord S,ndon had opposed the
alteration in the sugar duties, an alteration than which none
had been introduced for many years which would have so
great an effect upon our prosperity ? Did he oppose it be-
cause it was not acknowledged upon all hands to be a most
judicious and financial measure, because it did not affect the
consumers of sugar throughout the country—and he (Mr.
Hornby) begged the meeting to recollect that the consumers
of sugar were the great mass of the people ? When he told
them that during the past year the consumers of sugar had
paid a tax exceeding four millions to the owners of colonial
possessions, independently of a tax of equal amount to her
majesty's treasury, he thought they would admit that this
was a subject affecting all. It would also give employment
to our manufacturing poor, which was to them happiness and
comfort. What, then, had been the ground of Lord Sandon's
opposition ? He had opposed it because it would promote
the carrying on of the trade in slaves. He (Mr. Hornby)
trusted there was no man in the country who held that traffic
in greater abhorrence snd detestation than he did, and he
was persuaded he was speaking the sentiments of every mem-
ber of that meeting, when he said that if a continuance of
the present system, though he was persuaded it was destroy-
ing the foundations of the greatness of this country, would
put an end to that nefarious practice, he, for one, would take
all the disadvantages attendant upon it to obtain so glorious an
object. No one knew better than Lord Sandon that our use of
the sugar of Brazil did not affect that trade to any material de-
gree, while it increased the distress of the people of this country.
The only way of putting an end to that trade worthy of this
nation was boldly and manfully to declare any country, which
allowed her colonies to:import slaves, our enemy ; and he
would fearlessly say that we had never unsheathed the sword
in a more holier or a more righteous cause, nor in one in
which she would receive more enthusiastic support from the
population. But no such arguments could be used against
the proposed alteration of the corn-laws. The argument
against an alteration was this, that if the people had cheap
bread their wages would decline, in the same proportion.
The argument was contrary to common sense; for it we im-
port foreign corn we must pay for it in the manufactures of
this country, and he had yet to learn that a great demand for
those manufactures had the effect of reducing wages.
Mr. RATHBONE seconded the resolution, pronouncing the
occasion which had brought the meeting together one of the
utmost importance. Ministers had now done their duty ;
would the people do theirs ? The people must turn the tories
out, and then they would have honest representatives, but
not till then. Look at our local representation—the liberals
would not come forward to support their own principles. His
friend, Mr. Hornby, had spoken of Lord Sandon as the mem-
ber for Liverpool, but he had made a great mistake. He
was not the member for Liverpool, but the member for the
West India interest, and for that alone. The West Indians
had claimed the noble lord as their own, and they were wel-
come to him. The speaker then ridiculed the idea of hu-
manity being the motive for the resolution proposed by the
noble lord, and concluded by a strong call upon the meeting
to support the present administration.
The Rev. Mr. GILES, a Baptist minister, said he supported
the motion, not as a political agitator, but as a philanthro-
pist, a patriot, a Christian, and a Christian minister. In the
name of each of these he said to the meeting " Away with
the accursed corn laws."
The motion was then carried.

Mr. LAWRENCE HEY WORTH, in the absence of Mr. T.
Blackburn, moved the second resolution in a very long
speech. The resolution declared that the opening of the
trade in corn would be found alike beneficialto the merchant,
the manufacturer, the shipowner, the shopkeeper, and the
labouring classes of the kingdom. The burthen of Mr. Hey -
worth's remarks was that dear bread operated two ways, in
cutting down the prices of goods, and in lessening the demand
for them.
Mr. W. Woon seconded the resolution at considerable
length.
BERNARD MACARTNEY, a working man, here came for-
ward and said, he wished to move an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN said he should be heard, but first he should
like to know the nature of the amendment.
MACARTNEY said it was to call upon the meeting to ex-
press its opinion in favour of universal suffrage, rather than
in favour of the ministerial plan for modifying the corn laws.
The CHAIRMAN said he would put an end to this in a mo-
ment. They were not met to discuss the neglect of universal
suffrage. (Much uproar.) It had no reference to the mat-
ter under consideration ; and, therefore, he should proceed
to put the motion. (Cheers.)
MACARTNEY claimed to be heard as an inhabitant.
The CHAIRMAN.—SiIence, sir, I will not allow you to
speak ; and if you attempt any further I will have you turned
out by the police.

This threat had its effect ; and Macartney retired amidst
,great uproar.

The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, and it was of
course carried. After declaring it, he said—l think it but
just to myself and this public meeting to say, that I never
upon any occasion was afraid of fair and full discussion upon
this and every other subject; but when a meeting is called
for a particular purpose, and when a set of men, miscreants
as they are—(loud cheers)—come here to endeavour to mis-
lead you, and to destroy the best interests of the people—l
think, I say, it is but just we should mark our disapproba-
tion and displeasure of those men, not upon this only but
upon every occasion. (Cheers, and a cry, " They have sold
themselves to the tories.") I believe them to be men paid
by your worst enemies, the tories. (Loud cheers.) Leave
them, gentlemen, to that merited contempt which you have
shewn them, and which they so richly deserve. (Cheers.)
Mr. WM. BROWN, highly eulogized the efforts of Lord
Melbourne ! Lord Lansdowne, Lord John Russell, and Earl
Fitawilliam, in this question, and at his request three cheers
were given to them. The resolution he moved, said the inte-
rests of the landholders were identified with and consequent
upon the prosperity of the the manufacturing and com-
mercial classes, and the meeting confidently anticipated
the commencement of sound principles of legislation, on the
subject of corn, would benefit them in common with all other
classes.
Mr. CHARLES HOLLAND, in a fluent speech, full of the
usual free trade doctrine, and liberal sentiments, seconded
the resolution.
Mr. AMBLER, an operative, supported the resolution,
after which it was carried.
Mr. JAMES HARVEY moved, and Mr. HENRY ROMMILLY
seconded the last resolution which was to the effect, that the
principles of free trade avowed by the ministers and their
declaration of legislating for the welfare of the bulk of the
people, in opposition to any class interested, were deserving
of cordial support.
The meeting then separated.

THE SIREN FROM MONTE VIDEO.-By this vessel, T. S.
Hood, Esq., H.B.M. consul at Monte Video, has arrived
at this port.

Booxs.—Bibliopolists have now an opportunity of making
some valuable additions to their libraries, from the collec-
tions of Mr. Foster and the Dean of St. Patrick's, which
have been purchased by Mr. Rees, of Leece-street.
LAUNCH OF AN IRON STEAM-VESSEL.—A beautiful iron
steam-vessel, of about 200 tons measurement, was launched
last Thursday from Mr. John Laird's building-yard, North
Birkenhead. She was named the " Lady Flora Hastings,"
and is intended, we understand, for Demerara. Her engines
are now putting on board by Messrs. Fawcett and Co., and
she will, it is expected, be very soon ready to sail for the
West Indies. _ _ _

DEATH BY SCALDING.—On Monday week a little boy
named John Smith, residing in Midgall-street, was severely
scalded by the overturning of a saucepan of boiling water.
lie was alone when the accident happened. He lingered in
great torment till Thursday last, when he died.
THE PRESIDENT.—As we stated in our last, the latest ar-
rival from the West Indies makes no mention of this unfor-
tunate vessel, but the accounts only reach to the 4th April,
twenty days after the cessation of the storm, an interval too
short to allow her, if much crippled, to reach the nearest
island. The next packet from the West Indies may be ex-
pected to bring intelligence which will be decisive as to the
fate of this ill-fated steamer.
Two IMPRUDENT MEN.—Mary Ann Brierley, a disso-
lute female, was, on Saturday, placed before Mr. Rushton,
charged with having robbed Benjamin Milner. It appeared,
that Milner and John Williams, one of his shipmates, were,
an Friday last, paid off from the Gulnare. On Friday night,
about half-past twelve, they met the prisoner and another
woman near the Custom-house. The four adjourned to a
house in North-stroet, where, in the course of the night,
a
Milner was robbed of sovereign and his comrade of three
half-crowns. Constable Lynch was called, and he took the
Prisoner into custody, it appearin,, that the other girl had
nothing to do with the robbery. 'A
sovereign was found in
the prisoner's possession. She denied the charge, and was
committed for trial.

WEST INDIA INTEREST.—A great meeting of planters,
merchants, and others interested in the British West India
colonies, was held in London on Wednesday. Stronr, reso-
lutions were adopted against the proposed reductioil obi' duty
in foreign sugars.

THE DEAN or YOR.E.—On Thursday, in the Court of
Queen's Bench, Sir W. Follett applied for a rule calling upon
the Archbishop of York, and his commissary, Dr. Phillimore,
to show cause why a writ should not issue to prohibit the
effectuation of a certain sentence which had been delivered
by the commissaary and archbishop in the course of some
proceedings which had lately taken place in the Cathedral of
York. The court granted the rule.