The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-31 00:00:00

TO' THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Sin,—Observing that a public notice has been issued by
several respectable men, announcing their intention of
applying to parliament for a bill to disfranchise the free-
men of this borough, and not having seen any public
notification of any movement on the part of the opponents
of this measure, I take the opportunity of subjoining a
few remarks, upon the subject.
That numbers of freemen have received a day's wages
as compensation, for lost time in attending to give their
votes, is admitted ; but, on the other hand, have no non-
freemen received a similar reward for voting on the
opposite of the question ? If so, there is a parity of
criminality ; bat the criminally depends much. upon the
view the comment men take of this remuneration : they
may think they are committing no political or moral. crime
in receiving this compensation for their loss of time.
Their superiors would not deign to receive this' paltry
reward ; but are they never influenced by the' higher
motives in matters of interest in business ? Every man-
ought to vote according to his conscience ; but doesevery
one so vote ? Many may have motives to diverge a little
from his own views suidpolitical feelings in giving his
vote who would not deign to-receive money.
Admitting, however, that the freemen were disfran-•
chised, does it follow, as- a matter of course, that they
would then vote on the. Whig side ? The promoters-of
this petition would probably be much disappointed in. the
result, and I shall give a few reasons why the freemen.,
probably would not desert their present party. Those who,
have lived long enough in. Liverpool to remember the-
time- when the slave-trade was carried on here in full.
vigour, must remember that nearly the whole of the
merchants who carried on that trade were high Tories;
and nearly all the West India merchants were of the same
polities. These merchants were the leading men of the
town : rich, of the first rank,_ and of the greatest con*-
, sequence ; the American trade- was then in its infancy ;.
there were some few Whigs, but they were of minor im--
portanee, and of little weight comparatively with the
I African. and West Indian merchants. These merchants.
employed.the principal part of the leading shipbuilders,.
who, of course, employed different tradesmen in the
various departments of shipbuilding ; well, at that time,
party spirit ran very high, and a Tory merchant would,
not employ a Whig tradesman, and all the workmen, as.
carpenters, riggers, anchor-smiths; &c., &c., all followed,
the politics of their masters. They voted at elections for
their masters' member, and their master voted for his.
Tory employer. Thus the town was almost a Tory town,
and the attempts to abolish the slave-trade excited a strong:
political disagreement between the two parties, and every
man was expected to vote for his employer's candidate,.
and did so. Thus a strong feeling of Toryism took.
possession of the great majority of the freemen, who said.
that their living depended upon their votes, and thus the
attachment, to the Tory side remained with the men, who•
did not look.with a friendly eye upon.the party which had
deprived them of their trade, and which feeling, though:
mitigated,. still exists ; so that that they would, therefore,
still vote for the old party, even were they to be dis-
franchised,. and were to receive no reward for their vote.
Admittingr that neither Whigs ner Tories- bribed, they,
would vote- for the Tories, because their fathers did. so

'before them..
But there is another consideration, which, perhaps, is
of national, importance. The safety and welfare of the
kingdom depends L•reativ'
upon the superiority of: our
kingdom upon, tuelr excellence in every respect, minimum.-
tively withi those of every European nation ; and this
excellence, we may fairly assume, arises from the system
of the seven years' apprenticeship, which enables young
men to acquire a perfect knowledge of the different
branches connected with shipbulding, to obtain, which
skill he must serve seven years consecutively. But would
a young man bind himself to serve seven years consecu-
tively unless he had some adequate reward ? Common
sense says-very few would persevere ; therefore, the- cor-
poration._ for the benefit of commerce, and as an induce-
ment toyoung men to acquire this thorough knowledge
and skill. in their respective trades, promised the freedom
of the town to such young men as would bind themselves
to freemen for the term of seven. years, and, who did
actually serve the whole seven years faithfully and satis-
factor4 to their masters. The young man. was then
entitled to the freedom, and received it on, application to
the Town-clerk. This privilege- entitled him. to exemption
frompayment of town dues, and, conferred freedom also
on ail: ons who might subsequently be born, to him. This
is the- reason why the number of freemen has so much
increased ; but the privilege of making his sons also free,
is .a: great inducement to a young, man to submit to a seven
years' apprenticeship ; and does not a young, man deserve
the reward for the endurance of a seven years' toil ? Is
it not also a wise measure to offer this inducement for the
purpose of making an artisan skilful in every branch of
shipbuilding, and of every collateral branch carried on in
a seaport ? A young man besides, must acquire habits
of regularity and steady perseverance by this long
servitude ; he must conduct himself well, otherwise his
master will not give him a certificate of good conduct,
without which he could not obtain his freedom. Thus, a
body of excellent workmen is raised in the town, well
skilled in every branch of shipbuilding. Would it be just
to deprive such men of a valuable privilege which they
have obtained by seven years', uumtermitted labour?:
Justice says no. And as to their future mode of voting,
should they be deprived of their present privilege, would,
they vote, as mere householders, for that party who
deprived them of their quondam privilege ? I trow not ;
the sense of injury would influence them to vote against
the Whig. It is a great question, however, whether the
system of a seven, years' apprenticeship is not a point of
great national importance ; it enables the people to acquire
skill in the different branches of manufactures in, .the
kingdom, as well as in the various branches connected
with shipbuilding.. The prospects of the kingdom depend
mainly upon the skilfulness of its artisans, and we• should,
therefore, infer that any measure which should interfere
with, or prevent, a continuation of the present system of
apprenticeship would be a dangerous measure, and detri-
mental to the interests of the nation.
Liverpool, Jan. 25, 1854. Ctvis.