The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-12-13 00:00:00

they have opened to view the secret and corrupt mot ives by which
our self-styled reformers are actuated—(cheers)—because they
afford us a useful lesson to warn us of what we may expect from
the further ascendancy of republicans and anarchists. (Cheers.)
The essential character of radical reformers is now fully de-
veloped before the eyes of the Liverpool public. They have
proved themselves the deadly enemies of freedom of discussion ;
they have shown themselves to be proud, arrogant, assuming,
conceited, and overbearing tyrants; they have gloried in being
selfish and corrupt; they have endeavoured, by brow-beating
and cowardly intimidation, to silence the voice of truth, be-
cause it ventured to proclaim their own baseness and incon-
sistency. (Cheers.) And yet these men, who have emulated
with so much zeal the conduct of the congenial inquisitors of
popish Spain, were formerly the apostles of freedom. They
formerly declaimed with the utmost vehemence against every
species of tyranny and oppression—their incessant clamour wets
about the iniquity of excluding the public from all knowledge of
the Town-hall doings—they most zealously pt eached against what
they called the corrupt exercise of patronage—they most vir-
tuously exclaimed against the division of office among poli-
tical partisans. But what have they done since their accession
to their present offices? They have uniformly given the lie to
their previous professions—they have acted in diametrical
opposition to their avowed principles. (Cheers.) 'They began
their career by electing sixteen of their fellow radicals into
office as aldermen, including among these several who were re-
jected by the people. , (Cheers.) Thus they began their reign
by offleing. a deliberate and gratuitous insult to the people of
Liverpool. This act of theirs has been well followed up. They
have subsequently dismissed the old and true servants of the
corporation for the sake of installing into office their own creatures
and dependents, men of at least questionable abilities, but possess-
ing the indispensable qualification of being prepared- to " go
the whole hog" with their liberal patrons. (Hear hear, hear.)
They have converted the Corporation Schools, formerly fre-
quented by children of all denominations, into exclusive nurse-
ries of Popery and Socinianism. They have acted on the most
exclusive system in the appointment of the. Dock Trustees—a
measure against which they bad eloquently declaimed for years.
They have concocted all the real business of the Corporation in
secret conclave at the Angel Inn—(cheers)—subsequently
meeting in the Town-hall merely to record their predetermined
arrangements, evidently in reluctant compliance with an hulls-
'lsensable formality. (Cheers.) Mr. Hevworth has had the
courage to denounce all this, with his usual ability, at a meeting
of his constituents. For taking such an unpardonable liberty
witll these dignified personages they call him to account. Yes,
for daring to give expression to his honest opinions—for avow-
ing his independent convictions—for publicly animadverting on
the public acts of public characters—these babbling teachers of
freedom and- equality assail him with the grossest virulence.
(Cheers.) They attack him with every species of abuse which
personal hatred and political rancour can suggest—and for
what ? For merely doing that, iu doing which they claim
immunity for themselves. (Loud cheerjng.) By this shame-
less inconsistency they have made the sacred name of li-
berty a byeword among their neighbours. But how did
Mr. Heyworth treat the attack upon,,him? „pot by shrink-
' ing from the subject, and screening himself behind the unfor-
tunate reporter, as many do when 'similarly circumstanced.
No! he boldly met his assailants foot o.foot—he distinctly
authenticated the'report by verifying its substantial accuracy—
and he clinched every- urgumeut in his previous speech with
fearless and persevering energy. (Cheers.) But he did this
like a gentleman and a christian. He did not forget what was
dile to his character. He did not- return railing for railing.
He opposed truth to falsehood and misrepresentation—he op-
posed argument to abnse. He braved the storm of their dis-
cordant howlings without being moved. He shook off his puny
assailants
" Like dew-drops from the !inn's mane."
And was not Mr. Heyworth to be supported in this independent
line of conduct ? Would not the public of Liverpool respond
to this appeal to their patriotic feelings, and come forwari in
support of conservatism? Wonld not they strengthen the hands
of the minority in the Town Council in their noble opposition
to the servile majority ? (Cheers.) Though the minority we*
comparatively small at present they looked forward with hope
and satisfaction to the future. They knew that •sixteen radi-
cals, unalloyed by a single conservative, would have to go out of
office next November. They knew of the extent of the reaction
which was then in progress, and which would enable them to re-
turn at least 10 at the next election. This, with a further Atli-
tion of 8 at the next subsequent election, will give the conserva-
tives a practical majority in the Council, after the retirement
of the 8 aldermen whose period of office wilt tle-n terminate.
Then let us go hand in hand for the purpose of achieving that
consummation; and never rest satisfied until all the radical
members of the couucil have slipped away quietly from their
seats. Among these would depart the present Mayor, who had
acquired no additional honour to his character since his eleva-
tion to the civic chair. He had indeed on the recent occasion
done every thing to degrade himself in the eyes of the commu-
nity. He had not acted the part of chairman or moderator
over the council—be had rather increased the disorder which
he was bound to repress. He had himself become a party to the
attack upon Mr. Heyworth, and had assailed him in as many as
34 speeches. If he had acted at all as a judge, it was
"To judge the strife, and more embroil the fray." (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution to the meeting, and
it was carried unanimously,
Mr. JAMES PARKER said, since he had entered that room he
had had a resolution put into his hands.; though last it was one
of the most important before that meeting that evening. They
had heard a very eloquent definition of the word people from
Mr. Pattisson. He should like to hear Mr. Morecro(t's defini-
tion of that word. Mr. Morecroft told them, that as Councillor
for Lime-street Ward, that he was the people. They would
suppose from that that he had been returned without a dissenting
voice. On the contrary, the majority by which he had obtained
his seat was very trifling. The resolution he had to propose he
was quite certain would be responded to. He concluded with
proposing
"That our best thanks are due to James Heyworth, Esq.,
for his fearless independence and public spirit in exposing
the partizanship of a 'servile majority' of the Council, whose
secret acts can only be designated those of a political cabal,'
and that he may depend upon the sympathy and support of thou-
sands, while he honestly and fearlessly exposes the public con-
duct of that majority.'
Mr. Hs vats briefly seconded the resolution. He said the)*
owed many thanks to Mr. Heyworth for having taken the bull
by the horns as he bad done.
The CHAIRMAN their put the resolutiotit and it wa`s carried
by acclamation, followed by three cheers.
Mr. RICHARD DAWSON, on being called for, rose. He said
he was not prepared to expect the honour they had conferred
upon him. He conceived that the Tradesmen's Conservative
Association of Liverpool had given the general tone throughout
the kingdom of Great Britain to all similar societies. There
was no one in the town of Liverpool who had better performed
his duties than their worthy chairman, and be conceived that
the "meed of praise" was due to Mt. Wilkinson fur the ardu-
ous task he had Undertaken, and of which lie had so well acquit-
ted himself. It bad been suggested to him that a deputation of
the Tradesmen's Conservative Association should wait upon Mr.
Hevworth to communicate their congratulations on his recent
conduct. He begged to propose that the deputation should be
appointed at that meeting, and that it should consist of Messrs.
Wilkinson, Cooper, Hardisty, and Byford.
These gentlemen were then unanimously chosen as a depu-
tation.
After this three cheers were given for the chairman.
The company then, after singing " God save King," in
which Mr. Holden sung the solo, separated shortly after nine
o'clock,