The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-06 00:00:00

SCOTLAND WARD

At the close of the poll there was found to be a majority of
one for Mr. Thornhill. It was subsequently discovered that
this result had been obtained by the abstraction of one of
Mr. Gladstone's voters by the Liberal party, who having
made the man drunk, induced him to vote contrary to his
intentions. A protest on this ground was entered on the
part of Mr. Gladstone, the effect of which was to postpone
the declaration of the result until after an• officialinvestiga-
tion into the circumstances, by the town-clerk, before the
alderman and the two assessors of the ward.

The inquiry commenced on Tuesday, at half past two
o'clock, before. Mr. Alderman Thomas Holt, and Messrs.
Ellis and Santley, assessors. Mr. Peter Wright appeared
for Mr. Gladstone, and Mr. Snowball for Mr. Thornhill.

After some contention between Mr. Santley and Mr. Ellis,
and between the former and Mr. Wright, the following facts
were admitted on both sides, and reduced to writing by the
town-clerk :—That early on the morning of the election (from
half past nine to ten o'clock), the voting paper now produced
(marked No. 1) was delivered by a man purporting to be
Hugh Roberts, of Carlton-street, to the returning officers,
and received by them without objection. It appeared to be
a voting paper for Mr. Thornhill. Between one o'clock and
half past in the afternoon, another voting paper, now produ-
ced (marked No. 2), purporting to be the voting paper of
Hugh Roberts, in respect of a house in Carlton-street, was
tendered on behalf of Mr. Gladstone. The questions were
demanded by two persons in the interest of Mr. Thornhill,
and when put to the party, they were all answered favou►ably
to the voter. The vote was, however, refused, on the ground
that Roberts had voted before.

Mr. SNOWBALL now contended that no inquiry could now
be made into which was the best vote on the authority of the
Everton case, which occurred at the last election : That so
soon as the voting paper of Hugh Roberts had been received
and recorded, the alderman and assessors were, with respect
to it, functi officio.
Mr. WRIGHT, in replying, observed, that so far from the
duties of the returning officers ceasing at that period named
by Mr. Snowball, the act of parliament, in order that they
might have time to enter on any necessary investigation, gave
them power to postpone the declaration of the poll until
twelve o'clock on the day but one after the election. He
now submitted that Roberts's vote ought to be received, and
registered for Mr. Gladstone. Having tendered it, and an-
swered all the questions put to him, it was the bounden duty
of the returning officers to receive it. If they had chosen,
they might have taken a note of the circumstance, but they
ought to have received the vote ; and in this view he was
supported by the town-clerk's directions to the aldermen and
assessors.
Mr. SNOWBALL having rejoined, . _

The TOWN-CLERK enumerated several points of difference
between the present and the Everton case, and he decided
that inquiry ought to be made whether the same man pre-
sented both papers, and which was the true Hugh Roberts.
Hugh Roberts, who appeared to be considerablyintoxicated,
was then called and examined by Mr. SNOWBALL. He said
that he had a house in Carlton-street, in 1839, and was upon
the register for that year. He delivered the voting paper,
No. 1, at the booth, between nine and ten o'clock yesterday
morning.

Mr. WRIGHT then cross-examined the witness, who, in
replying to his questions, said ; I cannot write. I cannot
sign my name. I can make a cross. I never authorised any
one to sign the voting paper, No. 1, for me. I left my own
house between five and six o'clock yesterday morning. Mr.
Allen fetched me ; he took me to a public-house, the name
of whieh I do not know. I staid there about an hour. I
forget where I went to afterwards ; but I now recollect that I
went to get my breakfast at Mr. Allen's house. I had some
drink in the public-house.

Mr. SNOW BALL objected to these questions as long as the
inquiry was relative to the identity of the party.
The TOWN-CLERK thought the cross-examination ought
to proceed, as there would seem to be a great probability that
this man had voted twice in the day.
Mr. SANTLEY said he should like to know how many Con-
servative voters came up drunk to the poll. Mr. Isaac
Holmes knew that many had as well as he.

Mr. ISAAC HOLMEs distinctly denied all knowledge of the
kind ; but, having been appealed to by the other side, he
would state that he knew of several cases of bribery. (Uproar.)
Mr. WRIGHT, with great deference to the court, thought
it was unbecoming in any assessor to make such remarks as
Mr. Santley had. (Applause.)
Mr. SANTLEY.—I say you have no right to put these
questions to the voter.
The TOWN-CLERK said the man was suspected of having
voted twice. How was that to be proved or disproved except
be inquiry what had been his conduct throughout the day,
where he had been engaged, and how occupied?
The cross-examination by Mr. WRIGHT then recom-
menced, and the witness continued, that the drink he had
had at the public-house was paid for by Mr. Allen. Mr.
Allen, when he was drunk, took him to give his vote.
Mr. WRIGHT.--Who did you vote for? At this question
several persons in the reform interest prompted the witness.
Some confusion followed, but order was eventually restored
by the witness being removed to another place, and a police-
man stationed to prevent any person communicating with
him.

Mr. SNOWBALL then objected to the question on the
ground that the voting paper itself was evidence of whom the
man voted for.
..

Mr. WRIGHT was about to reply, but was stopped by
The TOWN-CLERK, who said, Mr. Snowball had better
not be particular about these questions. It was very desira-
ble that the returning officers should hear the account of this
man, and it would save time to allow it to be elicited. The
following colloquy then took place between Mr. Wright and
the witness.

Who did you vote for ?—I voted for Mr. Thornhill

When?—Between 9 and 10 o'clock.
On your oath you swear that ?—Yes

. , ...... ........
Did you tell your wife or daughter anything before you
went out of the house in the morning ? I thought Mr. Allen
was on the other side (Mr. Gladstone.) When he met me I
told him I was waiting for another person, and he said, " Oh

come with me, he'll le here very soon."
The TOWN-CLERK.—Did you say anything more to him?
No : I met Mr. Allen, and told him I was going to meet
another gentlemen, and he said, " Oh! come with me—he
will be here soon."
Mr. WRIGHT
gentleman ?—Yes.
What is his name ?—lt is Mr. Parks.
Is he a friend of Mr. Thornhill, or of Mr. Gladstone.
Mr. Gladstone.
When you went with Mr. Allen, did you intend to vote
for Mr. Gladstone? He said he was on the same side as
Mr. Parks.
Did you intend to vote for Mr. Gladstone, when you went
with Mr. Allen ?
Mr. SNOWBALL objected to this question, but the objec-
tion was overruled.
Mr. WRIGHT.—When you went out in the morning, did
you intend voting for Mr. Gladstone ? Yes.
Did you know where you got this voting•.paper—that it
was Mr. Thornhill's voting-paper? No: it was written be-
fore I saw it. I had another, and I took them both.
After you had voted for Mr. Thornhill, what did you do ?
I went and got more drink.
Did you afterwards tender your vote for Mr. Gladstone ?
They tell me I did ; but I was so drunk I do not know.
What did you do after that ? I had more drink.
Did you go home last night at all? No.
Where did you find yourself this morning? I do not think
I ought to tell that.
You are quite sure you were not at home yesterday after-
noon ? Yes.
Did you see your daughter.yesterday afternoon ? Yes : at
the public-house ; she wanted me to go home.
Why did you not go? Because I had a ride in a coach to
some other• place, and I remained there all night.
Do you know who took you ? Yes.
Who was it? Mr. Allen.
Where did you see Mr. Allen ? I saw him in the house
where I was last night.
Have you seen him this morning? Yes.
Perhaps it was at his house? No.
When did you leave this house? I left there about half-
past nine or ten.
Where have you been since? It took me a long time to
come as far as this.
Have you had anything to drink this morning? Yes.
Did you walk up here? No; I came in a coach.
Who brought you in the coach ? Mr. Allen was one of
them.
Did you not tell Mr. Parks that they had refused to take
your vote, and that you had not voted for anybody ? I did.
Did you tell your daughter so ? Somebody told me I had
voted for Mr. Thornhill, and then I told her I had not.
And you swear distinctly, that you did vote yesterday
morning ? Yes.
Where is the public-house you have spoken of ? Is it at
the corner of Scotland-road.
Is it called the Traveller's Rest ? I think it is.
Mr. Smethurst, Chairman of Mr. Thornhill's committee,
proved that the Hughes who had just been examined was the
same Hughes that had voted in the morning ; and William
Wright, the poll-clerk, that he was the same person who
tendered his vote in the afternoon for Mr. Gladstone. He
had then answered the whole of the questions.
Mr. 'WRIGHT asked the poll-clerk why, knowing the same
man had previously voted in the morning,-he did not imme-
diately acquaint the returning officer ?
The witness replied, that it was no business of his to inter-
fere, but that be should have spoken had not some of the
burgesses found it out.
There being no further evidence, the Town-clerk pm oceeded
to give his opinion. He thought, from all the circumstance:,
that the vote given in the morning, was the vote of Hugh
Roberts, of Carlton-street, and ought to be retained on the
list ; and that the returning officers had acted quite right,
and were perfectly justified in refusing to receive the vote
tendered in the afternoon. The return would therefore be—
For Mr. Thornhill
For Mr. Gladstone

—Did you tell Mr. Allen the name of that

LIME-STREET WARD.
It will be remembered that there was some slight con-
fusion with reference to the returns for the various wards,
owing in a great measure to the haste with which they
were Kt duced. The town-clerk returned Mr. Blackburn
in a majority of two for this ward ; but so certain
were we from inquiries which we instituted at a late hour
that the return was erroneous, that we determined upon an-
nouncing a different result, and appended the following rea-
sons for doing so—[We are glad our anticipations have proved
correct, as the town-clerk's return was adopted by our con-
temporaries].

"The conservatives claim a majority of 4, giving their op-
ponents 387 votes, they having 391. The manner hi which
this is accounted for is thus explained by the clerks on the
conservative side :—Two clerks were appointed for each side,
one to take the names from A to L, the other those from L
to Z. One of the clerks on the radical side, who should have
noted the names from A to L exclusively, it is known went
on for some time taking the names of the whole alphabet ; so
that all beyond L were duplicated. When he discovered his
error, he proceeded to erase the names beginning with letters
beyond L in the alphabet ; but it is believed that he omitted
some of them, so as to make up the apparent difference. So
confident were Mr. Kilshaw's clerks of this fact last night
that they fully anticipate the official return of this day will
place that gentleman in the majority stated—namely, four.
They have summed up their books repeatedly, and can arrive
at no other conclusion."

Our statement proved correct, and we are happy to state
that Mr. Kilshaw is legally and morally, the representative
of the ward. As the return however has been made in favor
of Mr. Blackburn, some difficulty was anticipated in over-
throwing it. In order that the circumstances might be in-
vestigated, a court was held on Wednesday in the Town-hall
before the town-clerk.

Mr. ASPINALL, for Mr. Kilshaw, stated that certain errors
existed in the poll-books of the election—that a greater num-
ber of votes were given for John Kilshaw, Esq., the conser-
vative candidate, than for Thomas Blackburn, Esq., the radi-
cal candidate, and that the former gentleman ought to have
been returned.

A long private conversation was held between the town-
clerk, Mr. Aspinall, Mr. Penington, and other gentlemen, as
to whether the return could be amended, in case the allega-
tion should turn out to be well-founded ; at the conclusion of
which the town-clerk despatched notes and messengers for
the Alderman (Earle) and the two assessors who held the
election. On their arrival, they were ushered into the mayhr's
room, whither the town-clerk followed them. They remained
in deliberation about half an hour, when
The TOWN-CLERK returned into court and said—l have to
inform you that the alderman and assessors are disposed to
do all they can to ascertain and correct the error, and with
that view they wish one gentleman from each side would
attend them in the mayor's room.
Mr. ASFINALL, on the proposition of Mr. Penington,
offered his services on behalf of Mr. Kiishaw.
Here, Mr. Haigh, (radical chairman of the ward,) Mr.
Bretherton, Mr. Tindal Atkinson, the secretary of the Pro-
tector Society, and others of this calibre, entered the court,
breathless and agitated at just hearing the intelligence that
their champion was likely to be unseated, when
The TowN-CLERK informed them of the intention of the
alderman and assessors to ascertain the errors, and correct
the return, and asked Mr. Haigh if he would accompany Mr.
Aspinall into the room, on behalf of Mr. Blackburn, as he
said every burgess ought to be interested in having a due and
proper return.
Mr. HAIGH declined, and said—May I be permitted to ask
whether this proceeding is ordered by yourself, sir ?
The TOWN-CLERK—It is a course of proceeding decidedly
recommended by myself.

Mr. ASPINALL.;--We are ready to abide by the town-
clerk's decision and advice throughout.
The TOWN-CLERK.--1 shall be ready to give whatever ad-
vice I can, and I shall also be prepared to do my duty in the
matter. (Hear, hear.) The present object will be to con-
sider the course to be pursued, for as yet no course is defi-
nitively fixed upon, but the aldermen and assessors wish to
have one gentleman on each side to fix that course.
Mr. HAIGH.—Then I nominate Mr. Tindal Atkinson.
Mr. ATKINSON.--It is understood that, if I go in as a
burgess interested in having a proper return made to the
council, that Mr. Blackburn will not be bound by any act of
mine.

The TOWN-CLERK.—The aldermen and assessors will ex-
pect to see a gentleman on each side, but the candidates will
not exactly be bound by the acts of those gentlemen. All the
aldermen and assessors expect is, that both sides will be re-
futed.

Mr. Aspinall, on the part of Mr. Kilshaw, and Mr.
Atkinson, on that of Mr. Blackburn, then (twelve o'clock)
left the court and retired to the mayor's room, where they
were engaged, together with the alderman and assessors, in
examining the poll-books and voting papers, with a view of
ascertaining the errors, if any such existed, until half-past
four o'clock, when they returned into court, at which time it
was densely crowded.

The TOWN-CLERK then made the following statement.
He said—l shall now state to you the progress of the inves-
tigation, which is not as vet quite complete, for the reasons
I shall explain hereafter. Upon the application of James
Aspinall, Esq., a burgess, alleging that errors existed in the
poll-books in the election of a councillor for Lime-street
Ward, held on Monday last, and that upon a further exami-
nation of the voting-papers delivered at that election it would
be ascertained that there was a greater number of votes for
Mr. John Kilshaw, one of the candidates, than for Mr.
Thomas Blackburn, another of the candidates, and that Mr.
Kilshaw ought to have been returned, the alderman and
assessors of the ward have examined the poll-books, and
further examined the voting papers, and have found, in the
poll-book for voters whose names begin with any of the
letters of the alphabet from A to K, inclusive of both, the
following errors :—The insertion of the vote of Thomas
Clare for Thomas Blackburn, when by the voting-paper, it
was for John Kilshaw, which, if correctly inserted, would
have made a difference of two votes in favour of Mr. Kil-
shaw. (Cheers from the conservatives.) The insertion of
the vote of John Arrowsmith for Thomas Blackburn, when,
by the voting paper, it was for John Kilshaw, which, if cor-
rectly inserted, would have also made a difference of two
votes in favour of Mr. Kilshaw :----The improper insertion in
such book of the vote of James Mason, who voted for Thlomas
Blackburn, when that vote properly belonged to the other
poll-book, and was properly therein inserted for Thomas
Blackburn, but this error, being like one carried to the wrong
side of a ledger, makes only a difference of one in favour of
Mr. Kilshaw ;—and they have also found in the poll-book
for voters whose names begin with any of the letters of the
alphabet from L to Z, inclusive of both, the following error :
The insertion of the vote of Edward Parsonage for Thomas
Blackburn, when, by the voting paper, it was for John Kil-
shaw, and this, if correctly inserted, would have made a
difference of two more votes in faxour of Mr. Kilshaw.
Now, in referring to the voting papers it would appear that
there arc—
For Mr. Kilshaw
For. Mr. Blackburn .............386

Majority for Mr. Kilshaw ......
and if to that you add the double entry of Mason's vote, for
which there was only one voting-paper, the majority would
amount in all to SEVEN. (Loud cheers from the conserva-
tives.) This number of seven agrees precisely with the
number of errors in the poll-book ; but then, as Mr. Black-
burn was declared to have had a majority of two, one would
expect that those seven should in consequence be reduced to
five, for, these seven errors being discovered against the ma-
jority of two, the result should be five. There is, therefore,
a defect in these errors somewhere which has not been yet
ascertained, but it is so far quite clear that there is at least a
majority of five in favour of Mr. Kilshaw. Subsequent in-
vestigation may make that seven, and that investigation will
be proceeded with to-morrow.
Mr. SIIEPPARD.—May I ask, sir, whether, under these
circumstances, the return will be amended here, or whether
the parties will have to go to the Court of Queen's Bench ?
The TOWN-CLERK.—I believe there is very little doubt
that the return made will require the correction of the Court
of Queen's Bench ; but it is considered that the certificate
specifying the errors, which the returning officers are willing
to sign, will materially facilitate the application to the Court
of Queen's Bench, and save time. The probability is, that
on that certificate the court, instead of giving time to the
defendant to answer, will dispose of the errors at once—that
is, provided no other objections are made to the votes on the
other side.
The court then adjourned until yesterday.

YESTERDAY.
The investigation was resumed yesterday, at one o'clock,

and terminated in the course of the afternoon, when the
aldermen and assessors agreed to and signed the following
certificate. It will be seen that in this document they de-
clare Mr. Kilshaw to have a majority of six votes over Mr.
Blackburn, the numbers being—

For Mr. Blackburn

Majority for Mr. Kilshaw
The following is the official document

" We, the alderman and assessors of No. 12, Lime-street
Ward, in the borough of Liverpool, do declare that, on the
application of James Aspinall, Esquire, a burgess of the
said borough, alleging that errors existed in the poll-books
of the election of a councillor for the said ward, on the
second day of November instant, and that, upon a further
examination of the voting-papers delivered at the said elec-
tion, it would be ascertained that there was a greater num-
ber of votes for John Kilshaw, a candidate at the said elec-
tion, than the number of votes for Thomas Blackburn, also
a candidate at the said election, and that John Kilshaw
ought to have been returned, we have examined the said
poll-books, and further examined the said

and that we do find in the poll-book for voters whose sur
names begin with any of the letters of the alphabet from A
to K, inclusive of both, the following errors and omissions :
" The insertion of the vote of Joseph Clare for Thomas
Blackburn, when by the voting-paper it was for John Kil-
shaw.
" The insertion of the vote of John Arrowsmith for Tho-
mas Blackburn, when by the voting-paper it was for John
Kilshaw.

" The improper insertion in such book of the vote of
James Mason, who voted for Thomas Blackburn, when that
vote properly belonged to the other poll-book, and was pro-
perly therein inserted for Thomas Blackburn.
" The omission in such book of the vote of Robert Cole-
burn, who voted for John Kilshaw.

" And in the poll-book for voters whose surnames begin
with any of the letters of the alphabet from L to 2
_ __

, inclusive

of both, the following error :
" The insertion of the vote of Edward Parsonage for
Thomas Blackburn, when by the voting-paper it was for
John Kilshaw.

" And that we do ascertain that there were upon the said
voting-papers three hundred and ninety-two votes for the
said John Kilshaw, and three hundred and eighty•six votes
for the said Thomas Blackburn.
" WILL. EARLE, Alderman.
" J. ROBINSON,
Assessors.
" JNO. WALL,
" Town-hall, sth November, 1840."

We understand that the alderman and assessors also signed
an affidavit to the same effect, which will be made use of in
the application about to be made to the Court of Queen's
Bench to amend the return. It is said, and we believe it to

be true, that Mr. Blackburn himself will be a party to the
application. If this is so, he will have taken the only proper
course for a highminded man under the circumstances ; and
there is no doubt the court will interfere.

CORRESPONDENCE,

EXTINCTION OF THE SLAVE TRADE AND
CIVILIZATION OF AFRICA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlR,—Will you allow me, through the medium of your
valuable journal, to direct the attention of your numerous
readers to the great and important meetings held during the
past week, in the town of Manchester, for the purpose of
forming an auxiliary association to " The Society for the Ex-
tinction of the Slave Trade and the Civilization of Africa ?"

This is the society, it will be remembered, of which Prince
Albert is the president, and whose first meeting he adorned
with his royal presence ; and I am well persuaded that every
well-wisher of Africa, familiar with its constitution and its
plans, will hail with unmingled satisfaction its establishment
and extension.
The extinction of the slave trade and the civilization of
AfriFa are objects, the achievement of which every heart sus-
ceptible of sympathy with human suffering, and possessed of
one spark of benevolent feeling, must most devoutly desire.
Africa itself is one of the fairest and most beautiful portions
of the globe. No other country surpasses it in native riches.
Its fertile plains will raise almost every production peculiar
to a tropical climate. Its forests, consisting of the most
valuable timbers, cover thousands of miles. Its rivers are
equal to the riaagnificent streams of America; and the Niger,
which is navigable within 500 miles of its source, after flow-
ing more than two thousand miles through the interior, rolls
its mighty waters from upwards of twenty mouths into the
ocean. These are natural advantages which ought to give a
people a noble standing in the scale of nations, and render
them a happiness to themselves and a blessing to the world.
But what is the real fact of the case ? Africa, notwith-
standing all, is a moral wilderness, and her inhabitants are
wolves to each other. She is desolated, and almost destroyed
by one of the greatest practical evils which ever afflicted man -
kind. The slave trade still pursues its dreadful career of
bloodshed and iniquity. One hundred and fifty thousand
Africans, as we learn from evidence which has never been
successfully attacked, are annually sold into captivity, while
no fewer than five hundred thousand lives are annually lost
to this unhappy country in the various departments of this
accursed system.

Such is the vast continent which this society, in its hum-
ble measure, seeks to raise from ruin, and such the monstrous
evil which it aims to eradicate and destroy.
Varied are the means which have already been employed
for the accomplishment of this benevolent purpose. But all
former efforts have failed. It is time, therefore, that some
new scheme should be adopted, and one which you will allow
me, Sir, in expressing my individual opinion, to say, for the
extent of its proposals, the comprehensiveness of its charac-
ter, the soundness of its principles, and the amount of evi
deuce by which it is supported, does immortal honour to its
author, Sir Powell Buxton, whose work on the subject has
for some months been before the British nation.

The plan of this distinguished philanthropistmay be sum-
med up in few and simple words. He proposes to effect the
extinction of the slave trade by the introduction of agricul-
ture, by the substitution of legitimate commerce, and, above
all, by the establishment of Christianity.

With regard to the ii;i0(&;p;o-pjosals, it needs onlyto
be observed, that without agriculture a country destitute of
manufactures can have no trade. The first proposition,
therefore, is essential to the second.

•
With regard to the second proposition, it may suffice to re-
mark, that it has been proved not only by Sir Powell Buxton,
but by others opposed to his views, that wherever legitimate
commerce has extended itself, the slave trade has disappeared.
With regard to the last, it admits not of the shadow of a
doubt that, wheresoever the renewing power of Christianity
is felt, there not only the slave traffic, but the disposition to
engage in it, must for ever be extinguished.

Such, as far as I have been able to understand it, is Sir
Fowell Buxton's scheme, and such the views avowed by the
society, which I am desirous, through your medium, of
bringing under the notice of the great commercial community
of Liverpool.
The society, however, let it be distinctly understood, is no
trading society, no agricultural society, no colonisation soci-
ety ; it does not even lay claim to the honour of being a
Christianisation society—every direct or immediate effort
coming under one or the other of these denominations, likely
or intended to benefit, it leaves to other agencies.
It will therefore be asked, what, then, is this society ? To
this you will allow me, as being somewhat acquainted with
its principles and its plans, to reply. In the first place, it is
the friend of Africa, living to plead her cause and protect her
interests, seeking to excite public sympathy on her behalf,
and to stimulate every exertion designed and calculated to
promote her good.

In the next place, it is a pioneering society, for the pur-
pose of opening and preparing the way for every useful effort
in this vast continent, in which lawful enterprise or Christian
philanthropy may engage.
In this pioneering character, therefore, this society • has
employed its influence in inducing the British government
to undertake the expedition about to proceed to the Niger.
The society will furnish it with physicians to make their ob-
servations on the climate and the diseases of Africa, with
geologists to investigate the nature of the soil, with botanists
to pursue their inquiries in the produce of the country, and
with naturalists to procure information relative to the animal
kingdom.
In this self-same character it will devolve on this society,
on the return of the expedition, to circulate, for the advan-
tage of the agriculturalist, the legitimate trader, and the
Chistian missionary, theaccumulated intelligence with which
it maybe furnished.

Fuither, I would describe this society is an auxiliary insti-
tution, to any other association, founded on right principles,
which may combine together for the welfare of the negro.
I will, if you will allow me to trespass on your valuable
columns, endeavour to illustrate what I mean. It has, hither-
to, been incumbent on the Christian missionary to barbarous
countries, to engage in much that did not properly belong to
the sphere of his rightful operations. He has had not only
to preach the gospel, but to instruct the inhabitants in the
use of the hoe and the spade, the saw and the plane ; he has
had to frame for them laws, and to expound to them the
principles of civil polity. In short, he has had, with his own
hands, to lead the people on, step by step, in all the secular,
though peaceful, arts of civilised life. Now, from their secu-
lar occupations, this society proposes, by its own and other
agencies, as it may be able to call into activity, to relieve him.
It volunteers its services in the performance of such work as
cannot be other than a burthen to the religious teacher, whose
great business is to disseminate those truths which are able
to make wise unto eternal salvation. This society, therefore,
originating in Christian considerations, and avowedly under
the guidance and control of Christian principles, comes for-
ward—not in any sense the most distant or remote as the
usurper, but in the fullest and most complete—as the humble
hand-maid of true religion.
But, sir, lam intruding longer than I intended. Such,
however, is the society, an auxiliary to which has been formed
in Manchester and some other towns.

The Manchester meetings were, in all respects, deeply in-
teresting. This auxiliary has the Lord Bishop of Chester
as its president, and several of the neighbouring nobility and
gentry, together with the Lord Bishop of Norwich, and the
Hon. and very Rev. the Dean of Manchester as its vice-pre-
sidents. On the platform Sir G. Murray and Dr. Lushing-
ton, though differing in political opinions, here met in per-
fect harmony, hand in hand, in one common cause ;--in
short, all shades of difference, both political and religious, were
merged in the all prevailing and predominent desire to benefit
poor degraded and afflicted Africa.
Now, sir, in conclusion, I would ask, will the great, the
wealthy, the influential town of Liverpool be behind in this
glorious work ? lam persuaded that it will not, but that, at
some very early period, the great room of your Amphitheatre
will be filled with a crowded auditory of your most respectable
inhabitants, eager to testify their sympathy with the suffer-
ings of one hundred and fifty millions of their fellow-men in
Africa, and resolved, heart and hand, to co-operate with a
society which seeks to relieve her wretchedness and to de-
stroy that abonination of abominations which now lays her
waste.

Sir, I have done, and have only to subscribe myself yours
&c. ** ****

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

•
Sir,—The Liverpool Mail of this day contains the follow-
ing announcement

7‘ WOLVERHAMPTON TOWN-COUNClL.—Retirino• coun-
cillors—conservatives, 1; radicals, 5. Elected Nov. 2, 1840
—conservatives, 1 ; radicals, 5. Present constitution of the
council (after the election)--conservatives, 9 ; radicals, 15.
No contest in any ward."

On referring to the schedule of the Municipal Corporation
Act, the editor of the Mail will find that Wolverhampton
is happily free from the nuisance of a modernised local
" parliament." I suspect that Congleton must be the place
meant.—l am, sir, yours, respectfully,
LIBRA.
Liverpool, sth Nov. 1840.

EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE.--Mr. Cooper Thorn-
hill, in the April of this year (1745), rode three times be-
tween Stilton and London, distance 213 miles, in 11 hours,
33 minutes, and 52 seconds. Mr. Thornhill used eight dif-
ferent horses in the first heat, six in the second, and in the
third he made use of the same horses whieh had already
served him, riding only seven of the 14.
h. m. sec.
From Stilton to London (71 miles) .. 352 59
From London to Stilton
From Stilton to London
The match was made for a considerable sium of money. He
was allowed as many horses as he pleased, and 15 hours to
perform the task in. " I question," adds Buffon, " whether
any race at the Olympic
games ever equalled the rapidity of
Mr. Thornhill's performance."—Whyte's History of the
Turf.