The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-01-08 00:00:00

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A distinguished Irishman has
Ind is enslaved. It is so : the

War is a game which, were their subjects wise,
Kings would not play at.
Aggressive wars are ever to be deplored, especially when the
innocent suffer. There are occasions when it is justifiable.
It has been well observed by Mr. Whatham, that no foreign
foe has set foot on the soil of England since the days of the
Conqueror • and one reason has been, that we have been a
united people : but whilst I decry war, as revolting to hu-
manity, I do hope that, if ever a foreign foe should invade
our land; we should join hand in hand to repel the invader.
(Loud cheering.) In such a case, a defensive war would be
justifiable. (Hear.) And, sir, I protest against the drun-

kermess thatsclisgrac'esour—laid, and the Sabbath breaking
which is so universal. (Loud cries of " Hear.") I have
sometimes asked myself, when passing through the streets of
the n• —ls this, really, a chrtstian land? I protest

, .
too again;t the levelling doctrines which are now so indus-
triously propagated, which, if carried out, would, of necessity,
destroy society and produce universal mischief, by reducing
it to something like the malaria of an American swamp, or
the sterility of an African desert. (Cheers.) Much of our
present discord may be traced to our government. They
entered office under the motto of peace, economy. retrench-
ment. How have they fulfilled the pledges ? In Canada, in
Syria, in China, at Ghuznee. have we had peace? And, what
is worse than all, we have not peace at home. (Hear.) For
economy, we have had swarms of mosquitoes, in the shape of
commissioners, buzzing throughout the laud, and, under
pretence of inquiry, spreading discord where none previously
existed; and for retrenchment, we have had an increase of
taxation. (Hear.) The Duke of Wellington's administra-
tion preserved peace and reduced taxation—(loud cheers ;)
the present ministry have laid'five per cent. on our taxation,
and yet there is an awtuh deficiency in the revenue ; and I
speak on the authority of one who is well acquainted with the
finances of the country, when I say that the next budget of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer will exhibit a deficiency of a
serious nature. (Hear%) The country swarms at present
with political quacks, who seem as if they were driving poor
John. Bull into a galloping consumption—(laughter)—but I
hope the loyalty of the land will come to the rescue, and that
the indignant voice of Protestant feeling will drive the mi-
nistry from seats they are unworthy to fill—(loud and long-
protracted cheering)—and place the helm of government in
abler and more honest hands. (Cheers.) We have a gua-
rantee in the glorious name of the Duke of Wellington—
(cheers)—in the statesmanlike qualifications of Sir Robert
Peel, and in the noble chivalry of Lord Stanley—(deafening
cheers)—in the high moral character of our noble representa-
tive, Lord Sandon, whom I hope to see in office—(loud
cheers)—in the ability; of Sir James Graham—(cheers)—
and in the high-toned piety of Lord Ashley—that these men,
who have such a high stake in the country; will govern
it on high principles, and for the general good. (Cheer-
ing.) With a few exceptions, the present ministers and their
retainers are needy men, and place and pay are personally
important to them. (Hear.) They seem willing to sacrifice
our colonies, our church, and any of our institutions, if they
can only retain their places. (Cheers.) Like the orator of
Little Pedlington, who would pull down everything above
him, big elevate nothing below him (laughter), they seem
willing to say with him, " I am for liberty and equality, and
all that sort of thing, only you must not touch the funds, for
I have got £6O a-year in them." (Loud laughter.) But 1
hope these gentlemen are almost at the last gasp. (Cheers.)
The sooner they take their departure, the btter for the in-
terests of England, and especially for the welfare of Pro-
testantism. I will read you the testimony of one who does
sometimes speak the truth by mistake. (Laughter.) I take
it from a newspaper called the Cork Constitution. The
speaker is that personage known by the name of Daniel
O'Connell. (A storm of hisses.) Sir, I perceive that an
apology is due from me. I do therefore apologize to an assem-
bly graced by the attendance of English ladies for mention-
ing the name of their traducer in their presence. (Applause.)
The following is a picture of whig prospects, as sketched by
the individual- whom I have named, but whose name I will
not mention again (cheers) :
" What is the great mass of Reformers in England and
Scotland ? Who are they ? The .Whigs—or rather, the
Whig-Radical section—are well represented by the editors
of the Leeds Mercury. They are indeed torpid Reformers—
bit by bit, half-alive, haif-dead Reformers.
"Let me again ask, Who are the great mass of English
and Scotch Reformers? Where in Great Britain shall we
look—l will not say for members, but—for any sign df life in
Reformers, in their counties, towns, and cities ? The Re-
formers of London are still as a stagnant pool. The Reform-
ers of Edinburgh awaken only to give a sad exhibition of the
paltriness of religious bigotry. The Reformers of Glasgow
are torpid as the heavy mud in the Clyde. The Reformers
of Liverpool are asleep. Manchester, Bristol, and a hundred
other towns may be named; but if the Reformers of those
towns be asked for, there are none to reply. Even Birming-
ham, all-powerful in Lord Grey's time, is weak as the ditch-
water in its squalid canals!
" Great mass of Scotch and English Reormers !' My ex-
cellent Sir, and worthy brethren, where are they to be found ?
I stare around me, and find that Toryism is extending itself,
and that, in Great Britain, Reform is shrinking."
(The reading of this extract was accompanied by loud
cheering.) _ _

Such are 'the prospects of reformers at the present moment.
But the reformers of Liverpool ! Are they awake ? Why,
according to this, they are now asleep. I should like very
well to tie their nightcaps on, and wish them a sound and
comfortable nap. (Loud laughter and cheering.) There is
no safety for England but in a return to legislation on Pro-
testant principles. I care not what ministry comes into
power, if they attempt to govern on any other principles than
those professed by the Protestants of England, their govern-
ment will not, cannot exist. (Hear, hear.) When our go.
vernment was exclusively Protestant, it was not divided : it
was strong, and possessed a moral influence that was felt
throughout the world. That moral influence was more

powerful than the thunder of our fleets and the valour of our
armies ; but England's influence has waned since expediency
was allowed to prevail. I long to see a spread of good Old
English feeling. I hope that Protestant Associations will
spread throughout the land, and that we may see more of
that spirit which prevailed in Ridley and Crantner and Lati-
mer. On that the safety of England depends. These are
days when we have important duties to perform ; and glad
am Ito see, that touching the string of Protestantism, and
appealing to the Protestant feelings of the people, is touching
a chord that causes thousands of hearts to respond to our
appeals. (Loud cheers.) I hope that moderation but firm-
ness will be our motto, and that better prospects are dawn-
ing upon us. One word, sir, as to Ireland, and I will con-

priesthood of I

trample upon the rights of the poor and prejudiced natives ;
they hold them in political and mental slavery ; and as long
as Popery is triumphant there, all the natural advantages
which Providence has bestowed upon that beautiful country
will be lavished in vain. She possesses a fertile soil ; she
stands geographically in the portal of Europe ; she com-
mands the vast Atlantic by. numerous harbours; and no
country is better situated for trading with the whole world.
But what is she ? Her mind is enslaved. She is fettered
by spiritual despotism, and her vast population is chained to
the car of the Papal Juggernaut. She must break these fet-
ters; she must be disenthralled from her mental slavery;
she must cast off Popery—or she will never assume her pro-
per position. (Loud applause.) Could my voice reach every
one of my fellow-subjects in Ireland, I would say to them,
but with a different meaning than it has hitherto been ap-
plie
44 Hereditary bondsmen ! know ye not,
Who would be free himself must strike the blow ?"
A vote of thanks to the rev. chairman was then moved, se-
conded, and carried with great applause, for his able address
that evening, and for his patronage of the society.
The rev. chairman returned thanks in an eloquent address,
for which we regret we cannot find room.
The proceedings then closed with the singing of an appro-
priate hymn, and the supplication of the Divine blessing.