The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-07-05 00:00:00

THE RADICAL CANDIDATE.

AFTER a perseverance and determination, under
discouraging circumstances, which deserve a better
fate, the Radicals have at last succeeded in prevail-
ing on a " distinguished stranger" to come forward
and contest the Representation of Liverpool at the
forthcoming Election, and on Saturday his Address
was published. The most lively curiosity was
evinced to ascertain who the individual could be
who had fallen into the trap, as it was not believed
that any sane man, in the slightest degree ac-
quainted with the political affairs of the last twelve
months, could be found to undertake so Quixotic
an enterprise. The last Election had shown that a
preponderating majority of the Liverpool Electors
were on the right side, and the searching investi-
gation before the Committee had clearly demon-
strated that they were not to be bought. The
candidate, if such an individual really existed, must
therefore be troubled with more money than he knew
well how to expend, or must come from very far
" South," and the latter conjecture proved to be
correct when the name was announced of the Hon.
Sir ERSKINE Pnuirr, just retunaed from India,
where he had fulfilled the duties of Chief Justice
with much credit to himself, and advantage to the
natives. Under the circumstances, it would, per-
haps, be hardly fair to critise too narrowly the
Address which he has put forth " to the Burgesses
and Freemen of the Borough of Liverpool;" but
we would ask our political opponents, under whose
auspices he has been introduced, whether they
seriously intend to perpetrate this farce, or whether,
having made a show of opposition, they will pru-

dently suggest to their victim, before he has become
much ferther involved in their beltetnes, the 'utter
hopelessness of his persevering in this wild-goose
chase after senatorial honours. We have not a

word to utter against the personal honour, or even
the legal acumen of this Indian Judge. We would
willingly endorse all that has been said in his
favour by the Vinchuitars, Rastes, Dhamderas,
Dikshits, Powars, the Brahmins of the Deccan, and
the youth of Poona. His services may have been
of inestimable value to the Decanny Sirdars, but it
is an insult to common sense, and a libel upon the
intelligence of even a Radical Ten-pounder, to sup-
pose for one instant that these are claims to his
being entrusted with the mighty commercial in-
terests of this great town. He tells us, in his
Address, that he aspires to represent the borough of
Liverpool on the grounds that ever since he arrived
at man's estate he has been convinced that the
sound principles of government are those pro-
pounded by the Popular Party. The great exertions
of modern intelligence are directed to maintain our
Institutions against the innovations whch the so-
called Popular Party are striving to perpetrate.
llis long enquiries, during a twelve years' residence
in the Presidency of Bombay, have taught him that
there is a close connection between that part of
Asia and the inhabitants of Liverpool ; and to prove
his anxiety to increase it, he applauds the Minis-
terial India Bill, which would close the resources of
that country from the commercial enterprise of
Liverpool. He, however, prudently abstains from
making any promises for the future, but refers to
his past acts, which amount to his reforming the
Indian Law Courts, and increasing the number of
native schools in Bombay—most praiseworthy deeds
in an Indian Judge, but a sorry catalogue for an
aspiring Member for Liverpool. When the Hon.
T. LI DDELL was brought forward, the Conservatives
were upbraided with overlooking the claims of their
fellow-townsmen, although their Candidate had long
Parliamentary experience, high connections, and
intimate acquaintance with the Shipping trade of
the North; but with what consistency can the
Radicals appeal to the Electors, when their Candidate
is not only a stranger to Liverpool but to England,
whose notions of commerce must be derived from
the petty traffic of native Indians, and whose poli-
tical studies have taught him faith in the soundness
of the Popular Party ? The mere fact of his having
consented to become a Candidate is a proof of his
unfitness for the office; and though his judicial
knighthood may be paraded to catch the vulgar,
we cannot seriously believe that his friends, if he
'have any, will permit him to be made the tool of
such a palpable practical jest.

THE LIVERPOOL CONSTITUENCY-

PURITY OF ELECTION.
OUR Liberal contemporaries are wasting much vir-
tuous indignation in denouncing the Electors of
Liverpool, because they cannot conceal their morti-
fication at being defeated in their attempt to dis-
franchise the Freemen of the Borough. It is vain
to argue with such writers, for they have only one
object in view, and are not accessible to reason.
They have adopted the shameless falsehoods with
which the case of the Petitioners was opened and
attempted to be bolstered up, and they seem deter-
mined to stick to them without the slightest regard
to truth, consistency, or common sense. We have,
however, a clear case,—the decision of an adverse
Committee, pronouncing every charge disproved,
and straining the letter of a strict law to reconcile
their verdict with their avowed sentiments. We have
the unmistakeable verdict of public opinion that
the Liverpool Constituency have come out of the
searching ordeal triumphantly, with a better repu-
tation for electoral purity and political consis-
tency than they ever before enjoyed,—placing
them in the proud position of being the first
in the Empire in every other respect, as well

8"- a, 1 _ tit •

as in commercial importance; and we have the
still more striking fact, which is patent to all
the world, and which no sophistry can gain.
say, that after moving heaven and earth to find
a Candidate, the Radicals, unable to find one in-
sensate enough to dare to contest the Representa-
tion of Liverpool with those whom the Conser-
vatives have chosen, have been compelled to put up
with a retired Indian Judge, who, whatever his
claims on Poona, has not sufficient experience in
England to be a Parish Guardian, and who, after
the recent exposures of judicial corruption in India,
will require better certificates of character than
those of Mr. ROBERTSON GLA DSTONE. We need
not be surprised. To induce a man who had money
to spend it upon such a hopeless adventure, was
quite out of the question ; and it was equally vain
for them to offer to bring him in free of expense,
when they have not yet been able to collect the
money so foolishly squandered in damaging their
own cause, and proving the strength of their
opponents. They have beggared their exchequer,
disgusted their more respectable friends, and done
more than has ever yet been done to place Liver-
pool in the hands of the Conservatives.

THE WRIT FOR THE LIVERPOOL
ELECTION.

THE motion for the issue of a Writ for a new
Election for this Borough was agreed to on Thurs-
day night, or rather on Friday morning, after
undergoing the delay of an adjournment from
Wednesday, owing to the imbecile Lord DUDLEY
STUART speaking against time, and the forms of the
House compelling an instant cessation of business at
six o'clock. When the motion was brought on, Lord
D. STUART again attempted to delay it, under the
shallow pretence of moving for the application of
the Ballot; but, to the credit of the House, he was
received with a volley of indignant groans, which
might have been a significant rebuke to a man of
ordinary capacity, but there is no intelligence more
impenetrable than a dull plodding Radical who has
not even sense enough to perceive his own con-
summate folly. But what shall we say of Lord
PALMERSTON, that paragon of administrative
talent, whose red-tape experience secured him office
amongst his bitterest political foes ? He said it
was clear that the House must act according to
precedents. Why clear, except upon the intelli-
gible principle that because the Commons have
acted foolishly once, they must continue to act
foolishly ? He moved that the issue of the Writ
should be suspended for a fortnight, in order that
the evidence might be printed, and then, upon
being told that the Committee had recommended
no delay, he withdrew his opposition, and the
motion was agreed to without a division. As Secre-
tary of State and Leader of the House of Commons
pro tern., he should have known the recommenda-
tion of the Committee, and if he did not know it,
he should not have ventured an opposition. It was
ignorance or presumption in either case, showing
the slender foundation on which his political repu-
tation has been built, and affording an apt illustra-
tion of that legislative talent of which the present
Ministers profess to enjoy the monopoly.