The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-10-27 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY REVISION COURT.

(Before Mr. WHARTON and Mr. YATES.)
This court terminated its labours on Saturday, about
twelve o'clock. The advocates present were Mr. Wright
and Mr. Carson, for the Conservatives; Mr. Maynard, Mr.
Snowball and Mr. Bretherton, for the Reformers. The last
case having been decieed.
Mr. 'WHARTON said—Now the revision of the list of vo-
ters for the borough of Liverpool is gone through, I beg
leave, on my own account, and on account of many of my
colleagues, to return thanks to the gentlemen, who have
acted professionally before us, for the assistance they have
afforded to us during the arduous business transacted in these
courts during the present week. We have each of us had
duties and difficulties of a very peculiar nature : my own
have certainly been unprecedented. They have arisen, part-
ly, from the very great number of cases that have been
brought forward before us, but still more so from the unusual
character of those cases—from the unusual testimony ad-
duced, and from the infamous—and we can add from our
own experience, the unusual perjuries resorted to in support
of them. The revising barristers agree cordially in opinion
that they are not exceeding the limits of their province in
adverting to the cause of those perjuries. They consider
they are owing to the associations, by whatever name and
upon whatever principle constituted, which have lately been
established in this borough, namely, for the creation of votes.
And although my learned colleague Mr. Walpole, alone of
the three, has some doubts of the literal interpretation of
the letter of the reform act, he has none, whatever, as to the
spirit and intent of the law. We none of us have any doubt
as to the spirit and intention of the law. We are unani-
mously of opinion that these societies are directly opposed
thereto, and have largely contributed to the evils which all
right-minded must deplore, and which we have witnessed.
We, therefore, take this public opportunity of expressing an
unanimous opinion on these matters, with the object and with
the expectation of drawing public attention thereto ; and
with the hope that some remedy may be discovered and de-
Nisei which will prevent the recurrence of the disgraceful
and disgusting scenes which have occurred within these
courts during the present week. (Some demonstrations of
applause were here made by the public, but they were in-
stantly suppressed.)
Mr. WRIGHT—On behalf of myself and of those for whom
I have the honour to act, I beg leave to thank the court
for the courtesy shewn to us during the whole of this re-
vision ; and I hope that before the next period of revesion
some amendment may be made in the system.
Mr. M'INTYRE, paid secretary to the Irish Protector As-
sociation, here rose, and was about to enter into a defence of
that society.
Mr. WHARTON.---DO not misunderstand me, Mr. M'ln-
tyre. There is evidence before me of the existence of several
societies in this town ' • and the expressions I have used are
the expressions which my colleague and myself intended I
should use, and they are applicable to all societies.
Mr. Al' INTYRE.—As I am particularly connected with the
Protector Society
Mr. WitAttroN.--As you have not been employed as an
advocate in the e courts, I cannot hear you-
Mr. AP INTYRE.—With great respect, sir,-
Mr. YATES.—We cannot hear you. sir.
Mr. WHARTON.—You must sit down, sir. I have ex-
pressed candidly the unanimous opinion of the revising bar-
risters on these points; arguing the matter again would be
most improper, and we should be undoubtedly exceeding our
province if we allowed it. We are all of opinion that we
have not exceeded it in making this public expression of our
views upon this important question.
Mr. CARSON.—AIIow me also to thank you for the
courtesy shown, towards me. After what has fallen from
you, I beg to say that I entirely concur in the remarks you
have made relative to the wilful perjury exhibited in these
courts.

Mr. MAYNA.B.D.—It would not become me to do other-
wise than to express my own obligations for the courtesy I
have received from you. I assure you I have had no other
intention throughout the whole of this revision, but that of
behaving towards you with the utmost courtesy and respect.
I am sure that courtesy and that respect is what I should
always pay to any court, and I believe I may say the same for
that bar to which I hope to have, one day, the honour to
belong.
Mr. SNOWBALL had already expressed his sense of the
courtesy the revising barristers had shewn to him personally,
and he now begged to repeat his thanks for it.
Mr. BRETIIERTON.—I believe I am the only one that has
now to return thanks for the courtesy shewn to me, and the
court; and if in the warmth of my feelings in advocating the
interests of my clients I have forgotten that respect, I trust
then, that will be my excuse. As the remarks which have
been made by the court, do not apply to any particular society,
but to societies generally, I am not called upon to say any-
thing in defence of that lam connected with. If that is the
opinion of the bench, I can only say that opinions may differ.
Mr. WHARTON.—Stop, Mr. Bretherton, if you please. I
have had great pleasure in bearing my testimony to the con-
duct and to the assistance of the gentlemen who have applied
on both sides before us ; but I must say, Mr. Bretherton,
and I repeat it distinctly, that the very strong expressions I
ma& use of, are participated by my colleagues. Any allusion
to the opinions of counsel, so long as the revising barrister is
the judge constituted and authorised by the existing laws of
the land, is worse than idle to distinguish between men of
greater or less standing, experience, or learning. The English
judges, be they whom they may, ought, and I am sure you
will agree with me in the hope that they always will, be
treated with respect and propriety.
Mr. BRETRERTON.—My remarks had no reference to
the judgment of the bench to a time before, but the judgment
of the bench had been given before these societies had been
formed. Therefore the very existence of a difference of
opinion, long before the judgment of the bench had been given,
ought certainly to meet with some allowance. Ido not deny
the judgment of the bench: I bow to it, and with it, of course
we are satisfied.
The court then broke up.

MOST EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE-A NEW
YORK PACKET-SHIP 'ATTACKED IN THE
CHANNEL.

On Friday last, at noon, as the New York packet. ship
South America, Captain Bailey, which sailed from New York
on the 3d instant and arrived at this port yesterday, was
entering the channel, she was suddenly fired into by a small
vessel, resembling an English yacht.
Captain Bailey bad, in the course of the forenoon, passed
a number of fishing boats and other small vessels. About
twelve o'clock, when abreast of the Old Head of Kinsale,
he saw what he deemed to be a yacht standing across his
bows. She tacked and hove to, and the South America
passed her within hail. Captain Bailey called some of his
passengers to look at her, as one of them, an American gen-
tleman, who had never been in this country, had never seen
an English yacht. It was immediately a subject of remark,
that she carried an unusual number of hands, her crew con-
sisting of about twenty-eight men. The South America
having passed her, she made sail in pursuit, and. in a few
moments, fired a shot, which dropped about half the ship's
length a-head of the South America, on the starboard side.
Two others shots followed in quick succession, the first
of which passed, as near as could be ascertained, over the
foreyard arm ; the second struck the ship on the starboard
quarter. Captain Bailey, astonished at the suddenness of
the attack, and having on his deck 125 steerage and several
cabin passengers completely exposed, thought it best to heave
the ship to. This was immediately done ; but, even then,
two more shots were fired, one of which struck the water
about ten feet from the rudder. Captain Bailey, who was
standing on the taffrail at the time, distinctly saw this shot
strike the water. One of the men who was employed aloft
heard a shot whistle close past him. In trepidation e seized
the first rope that came to hand and descended to the deck.
The strange craft, when she came up, hailed the South
America as follows :—" Ship a hoy !" " Hollua !" was the
reply. " Where are you from 1" inquired the man who
hailed from the yacht. " New York." "What's your
cargo ?" " Wheat and flour," responded Captain Bailey,
who added, " Who and what are you 7" The only reply
received was " Why don't you hoist your colours?" The
strange craft immediately hauled her wind and went off.
The South America made sail, and came up to this port.
Captain Bailey describes the vessel as being built much
after the model of such yachts as he has been in the habit of
seeing in England. She was painted black outside and
oak colour within. She had what appeared to be a long
glass skylight in the centre of her deck, two quarter boats,
and an immense square-sail yard athwart ships. At her
mizen peak she had a small English flag flying, but no pen-
nant. The man that hailed was not in uniform, but was
dressed like the rest of the sailors. Not expecting any such
rencontre, Captain Bailey had not his colours flying. Imme-
diately after the vessel alluded to had quitted the South
America, she caused an English brig to heave to, and held
her at parley a full half hour ; after which the brig was seen
to make sail and proceed on her course.
[ln addition to the above particulars, which appear in the
Albion, we may state that our reporter has since been on
board the South America, and was shown one of the cabin
dead-lights, of the starboard side, which bears a deep inden-
ture or hole evidently made by a ball, apparently considerably
larger than a musket ball. It has perforated a piece of can-
vas outside of the dead-light or shutter. The size of the
gun or guns fired is not known, but some of those on board
conjecture that the weapon was a swivel gun. The cutter
appeared to have from 40 to 50 persons on board. The first
officer of the ship suggests that she might have been a revenue
vessel; but this is not very probable, inasmuch as she'did
not chew a pennant. Besides, it is rather " sharp practice"
fur revenue vessels to fire into ships, unless they have refused
to lie to on being summoned to do so, and are making sail to
escape, and thus affording strong ground of suspicion that
they are engaged in illicit traffic. As the matter stands,
investigation, on the part of the proper authorities, becomes
imperative.]

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE CLERGY OF LIVERPOOL.

GENTLEMEN,—It will be admitted that no class of indivi-
duals is better acquainted with the sufferings of mankind
than the clergy ; they, in their capacities, see every form of
misery, their walk through life necessarily occupies them in
administering to the necessities of suffering nature; and I am
sure I need not apologize to them for the step I am taking in
throwing out a suggestion, which has for its object the ame-
lioration of man's sorrow. It has often struck we that many
of our poorer brethren would gladly see a way, whereby they
might assist in the relief of the misery, which, in a great town
like Liverpool, is constantly to be met with. Our public
charities are languishing for the want of support, their sphere
of usefulness is straitened, and I am convinced that you have
it within your reach to extend their powers very considerably,
by giving your congregations the opportunity of contributin
such sums of money as may appear to them suitable to taeirg means. The sums usually subscribed to charitable institu-
tions by individuals are, in amount, very far beyond what
many can afford to give—their shilling or sixpei cc is to them
as much as the sovereign is to the rich—a feeling of pride
prevents them publicly tendering their mite, a feeling, unfor-
tunately, so strongly implanted in the breast of man as to
prove a stumbling block to many good actions. It often
overshadows our kindlier feelings, which by opportunities
might be brought forward, and at last stand prominent. I
am induced to address this letter to you in consequence of
having visited the Northern Hospital, which institution I had
to call at a short time since to see a poor old man, who had
met with an accident, and in whom I feit an interest. As a
subscriber to the hospital I was induced to pass through the
various wards, and was astonished at the immense amount of
human misery which was contained within its walls; very
much had been done to ameliorate it, the beds were clean and
looked comfortable, the patients spoke of the kindness of
those who had charge of them, and the whole appearance
bore a gratifying testimony to the charitable individuals who
support this hospital. Yet I could but remark its crowded
state ; and on enquiry I found that it was usually so full as to
render it often necessary to refuse the admittance of cases
quite proper for such a charity. This hospital is sadly too
cramped for its extensive duties—its funds are barely suffi-
cient for its present restricted operations. There was to be
seen within it those of every age, from the young child to the
old man. Its doors had been opened to two poor Indians
and several Africans ; there appeared to be those of nearly
every nation. I observed that each ward was very full of
patients, many apparently suffering great agony • amongst
the number I noticed an interesting child who had under-
gone a severe operation for a frightful contraction after an
extensive burn. In one ward were three females who had
undergone serious surgical operations. One young woman,
with an expression of the deepest melancholy, had, a short
time previously, lost her leg. She, poor creature, appeared
to suffer more in mind than body at her helplessness, not-
withstanding her pains must have been very great ; such, too,
were the feelings of a poor lad who had lost his right arm,
after having had his hand dreadfully torn by the machinery
in the cotton mill near this town. I would I were capable of
drawing such a picture as could impress you sufficiently of
the importance of your aiding in this good work ; it will per-
haps be sufficient for me to state that this hospital is very in-
adequate to the necessities. I ascertained that the number
of accidents which had been admitted since the Ist of Janu-
ary were upwards of FIVE HUDDLED, the greater number of
these were of the worst description, and the total number of
cases admitted during the same period was upwards of one
thousand. Such circumstances suggested to me the desirable-
ness of your taking a more prominent part in obtaining sup-
port towards our local charities; and the collection made,
lately, at St. Jude's Church, in aid of our valuable institu-
tion, the Infirmary, encourages me in the belief that a very
large amount may be obtained by your assistance. On exa-
mining the Report of Northern Hospital for the last year, I
was surprised to notice how little had been effected by you.
To erect a new hospital, in lieu of the one at present used at
the north end of the town, will require the exertions of every
charitably disposed person. This building will be commenced,
I am told, as soon as land has been appropriated by the Town
Council for the purpose, and which is at present under their
consideration. lam aware that the collections in our places
of worship are very frequent, what I would suggest is that it
would be a great benefit were our local charities to partici-
pate in them.—l remain, Gentlemen, with every feeling of
respect, your very obedient servant,

SPECTATOR.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE " STANDARD."

Sia,—As Mr. Hardy, through the medium of the press,
still persists in his former statementas to the cause of his son's
dismissal from Mr. Froste's service, it only remains for me
to refer him at once to Mr. Ashlin, who will have no hesita-
tion in giving him any explanation on this point that he- may
require. With this observation I now take leave of a subject
which—by my condescending to notice it in the first instance
—has had a seeming importance attached to it, that it really
never deserved.-1 am, yours, &c, JOHN SMITH.
Hanover-street, Oct. 26, 1840.