The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-01-23 00:00:00

EXETER DIOCESE

The following petition was agreed on at the recent
meeting held at Plymouth to receive the Archbishop of
Canterbury's reply to the memorial which appeared in the
last Record :

" TOTHE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

May it please your Majesty,

" We, inhabitants of Plyinbuth, Devonport, Stone-
house, and the neighbourhood, lay members of the Church
of England, assembled at a public meeting, held at Ply-
mouth, on Thursday, the 11th day of January, 1849,
" Humbly desire to approach your Gracious Majesty,
deeply impressed with sentiments of devotion and loyalty
to your Majesty's sacred person—of thankful appreciation
of the many blessings vouchsafed to us under your Ma-
jesty's protection and government—and of genuine attach-
ment to the constitution under which it is our happiness
to live.

" We desire especially to record our sincere adherence
to the Church of England—recognising in the Protestant
principles on which she is established by law, a valued
security, as well for the continued purity of her general
teaching, as also for the stability of your Majesty's throne,
and the happiness and well-being of your people._ _ _

" EsteeMing the maintenance of those principles in
their full integrity, as of paramount and sacred impor-
tance, we have, for some years past, observed with deep
and increasing apprehension, the adoption, by a large
body of the clergy, of a system of divinity andi ministerial
teaehing, which has for its object the depreciation of the
distinctive doctrines of the Reformation, as taught by the
articles of our church, and the encouragement in an equal
degree of opposite doctrines of the Church of Rome ; a
system which, in proportion to the extent to which it is
received or avowed, either leads its adherents to an open
conformity to that church, or, as we believe more fre-
quently happens, to a virtual adoption of the essential
principles of Romanism, under a nominal and ill-sustained
allegiance to our Protestant Church.

"-The class of unsound divines to whom we refer, in-
variably base the defence of the principles on their con-
struction of certain passages and forms of words which
occur in some of the offices of the Church—particularly
in those appointed for the Ordination of Ministers—the
Baptism of Infants—the Visitation of the Sick, and the
Catechism—forms of expression which taken alone. and
unexplaimed by the tenor of the Articles and the Church's
general doctrine, may perhaps be of doubtful meaning,
and therefore afford opportunity for misinterpretation.
"It is, unhappily, too notorious, that this system of
error has become widely prevalent throughout Great Bri-
tain, and this diocese in particular, and we grieve to state
it to be our deliberate and painful conviction, that its
principles, as well as the ceremonial practices which its
advocates have introduced, receive encouragement from
the Lord Bishop of Exeter.

" Impressed With these sentiments, we have felt it to
be our duty recently to present a memorial to his Grace
the Archbishop of Canterbury (a copy of which we pray
to be allowed to append to this petition), in which we
have alleged as follows :

" Tractarian principles and practices have greatly in-
creased within this diocese. It is within the knowledge
of many of us, that whilst a large body of the clergy,
chiefly young men, deeply committed to the Tractarian
system, have freely obtained appointments, and are now
ministering within the diocese, a considerable number of
other clergymen of piety and learning, but not holding
Tractarian views—some of them advanced in years—bene-
ficed, and serving in this, and the neighbouring county of
Cornwall, have been from time to time rejected by the
Bishop as unfit to receive institution or license, by:rea-
son (as his lordship has alleged) of their holding doctrines
contrary to the true Christian faith.'

" This practice having been extensively pursued by the
Bishop, has been necessarily attended by the two-fold

ring clergymen of opposite views from accepting ap.
ntments within it—so that patrons and incumbents of
anzelical sentiments. can. with difficulty. procure mi.

tasters and curates whose doctrinal principles shall be
congenial with their own. A great and crying evil has
thus arisen. The ministerial care and oversight of large
bodies of the peopie, especially in our populous town, have
been committed to clergymen, to whose teaching and
ceremonial practices the people at large entertain a well-
grounded aversion, and who consequently withhold or
withdraw attendance at their churches. Thus the inten-
tion of the legislature in making provision for the spiritual
destitution of the people, the liberality of the public in
contributing to the erection and purchase of churches,
and the especial purpose of a church as a national esta-
blishment have been in those cases alike defeated,' and
which Memorial contained a respectful request that his
Grace would be pleased to introduce a bill into parliament
for the redress of the evils of which it treats, by the
attainment of the following objects :
" Ist—A better definition of the ceremonial of the Church,
in accordance with the usages to which the people have
for generations been accustomed.
" 2nd—An express declaration of the supreme authority

of the Thirty-nine Articles.
" 3rd—A determination of the sense, in conformity there-
with, of any ambiguous phrases in the formularies of

the Church or, - -
" 4th—The adoption of such other measures, to the like
effect, as to his Grace might seem meet.
" To such Memorial his Grace has been pleased to re-
turn a kind and courteous reply, (a copy of which we also
pray to be allowed to append to this Petition,) in the
course of which his Grace observes as follows :

" ' The time may possibly arrive when such a change
as you contemplate might be effected, without occasioning
far greater evils than those which we wish to remedy'--
and adds : "It must, however, be generally acknow-
ledged that such a time is not yet come.'
" We defer cheerfully and readily to the high autho-
rity of his Grace, and to the opinion which he has thus
been pleased to express—and we trust that it will not be
found inconsistent with the unfeigned and deep venera-
tion in which we hold his Grace's character to give re-
spectful expression to our belief, that the facts which we
have set forth in this petition, added to public events of
recent occurrence in the Church, emphatically announce
that the time to which his Grace has adverted, but which
he regards as not having yet arrived, is not--cannot be
far distant.

" Under a deep conviction that the extensive evils to
which we have adverted will be aggravated by any
lengthened delay, and that the strength and efficiency of

the Church, and the best interests of the community will
be largely promoted by a removal of the occasion of a
complaint so general and well founded, we humbly but
earnestly pray that your Majesty will be graciously pleased
to direct the adoption of such measures with a view to an
authoritative and Protestant determination of the sense
of the Liturgy in all its parts, and also for defining the
ceremonial of the Church in conformity to established
usages, as to your Majesty's wisdom may seem best cal-
culated to obtain those desirable objects."

THE JUSTICE OF THE BRITISH MILITARY

SYSTEM VINDICATED

In our last publication we gave a very able and tempe-
rately written letter, in reply to the charge brought by the
president of the Liverpool Financial Association, of ex-
travagance on the part of the Government in allowing
their present rate of pay to colonels in the army. Our
correspondent argued very justly, that after from twenty
to thirty years of service, in whatever fields of danger,
and in whatever climates his duties might call him to
brave ; and after having morever to pay about £7,000 in
the purchase of his various degrees of promotion, the pay
of £l,OOO per annum was but a small return for his long
and arduous service, and for the capital invested. In the
Times of Fuesday last, General Napier took up the cud-
gels, in defence of the service of which he is so distin-
guished an ornament ; and thus refutes, by facts which
cannot be gainsayed, another charge, brought by Mr.
Gladstone, that the British soldier is universally discon-
tented with his lot ' • and that oar military system is so
much felt by him to be unjust and oppressive as to dimi-
nish his efficiency. After admitting that, under the
French system, there is more of familiar intercourse be-
tween officers and men which he attributes to the differ-
ence of the national character, whilst he maintains that
the asperities formerly prevailing in our system are being
gradually softened down, he proceeds
_ _ _

" It is in bivouacs during the night that the soldier's real
feelings are let loose, with as much freedom and wit, and more
decently, than Caesars veterans used towards that commander
in his triumph. Then it is that officers hear home truths, and
wise ones will profit from what they hear; the men relate their
own adventures without reserve, and make them the vehicle
for sarcasms bitter and original. Officers of high and lovi rank
have I heard made the subjects of their scathing scorn or irre-
pressible hatred ; but never did I hear the general system of
the army condemned, beyond the half-jocular, half-melancholy
declaration of some poor suffering fellow (alluding tothe King's
bounty)—` That he wished the man had his money again.'

" 1,66 k now to the history. Alexander the bre'at was un-
questionably the commander in whom were united the'gseatest
number of excellent qualitiesrnatural and adventitious., for in-
suring the devotion and exciting the system of his troops. He
was ostensibly religious ; he was beautiful and strong of per-
son', a King and a conqueror when scarcely out of boyhood ;
hardier than the hardiest of his warriors ; braver tban•the
bravest ; of inimitable dexterity and prowess in single com-
bat ; unmatched as a skilful captain ; eloquent, generous. to
prodigality, and of adroit familiarity with his soldiers. Yet
they would not pass the Hyphasis—they would not go to the
end of the world.

" Scipio, Lucullus, Caesar—scarcely inferior to the Macedo-
nian in personal advantages and attractive grace—equal in ca-
pacity for war, though armed with all the terrors of Roman mi-
litary law,, the sternest the world ever beheld, and based upon
the profound veneration of the Roman soldier for his military
oath, were yet thwarted by mutinies when at a distance from
Italy.

"When has that happened to British generals? Have not
many of them, of meaner intellect and slighter courage than
the meanest of Alexander's body guards,. or the dullest of
Cwsar's centurions, led the British troops to conquest without
having to silence a murmur, under privations, and dangers,
and fatigues, not less terrible or wearing than what those an-
cient mutineers-would not endure, and to distances from their
native country which surpass the incursions of Alexander?
The British army has conquered an empire scarcely inferior to
the Macedonian's beyond that river which his soldiers refused
to pass. How have such results been obtained?' Solely by the
justice of the British military system. The soldier knows that
his rights, according to the conditions of his servitude, are se-
cured ; lie is not menaced nor cajoled, but his just conventional
rights are respected. and he, like the truly gallant man he is,
respects his oath to serve faithfully to death."

LOCAL MEETINGS,

On Wednesday the monthly meeting of the Financial
Reform Association' was held in the Concert Hall, Lord
Nelson-street. There was a numerous attendance, this
being the last meeting of the association previous to the
assembling of parliament. In the absence of Mr. Robert-
son Gladstone, the president of the association, Mr. Ri-
chard Sheil was called to the chair.

THE HEALTH COMMITTEE. -At the meeting, on
Thursday, Mr. Tinne occupied the chair. The medical
officer of health reported a considerable increase (64) in
the mortality during the last week, arising from atmos-
pheric causes.: The deaths from all causes during the week
were 291, against in the previous week. There had
been no case of Asiatio cholera since the 17th of Decem-
ber. The memorial from the inhabitants of Abercrombie
ward, as to the removal.' of the fever sheds, was referred
to the committee of general purposes, to consider and
report.

WOODSIDE FERRY,—At a special meeting of the
Birkenhead Commissioners on Tuesday, a communication
haying been received from Messrs. E. and S. Willoughby,
signifying their willingness to conclude a treaty with the
Corporation of Liverpool for the Birkenhead Ferry, on
condition that the commissioners of Birkenhead unite
with them in resuming the charge of 2d. for each passen-
ger, and in making some advance on the contracts, Mr.
Bentham proposed that the recommendation be acceded
to. Some discussion followed, but, on a division, an
amendment for continuing the penny fare was adopted by
a majority of eight to five,, the members who voted in the
majority considering that as the penny-rate paid the ex-
pences, it would be detrimental to the interests of the
towns lip to increase the rates.
WEST DERBY BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—At the meet-
ing, on Wednesday, Mr. Fowler, the poor-rate collector
of Bootle, was admonished for neglect of duty. A letter
was read from the Poor-Law Board, approving of the
erection of a chapel and schools at the rear of the present
Workhouse ; but expressing a wish, before they finally
sanctioned the addition,, to have plans and estimates of
the probable cost. After- some conversation, a committee
was appointed to obtain plans and specifications. it was
suggested that a voluntary rate should be levied in the
various townships of the union, to meet the expenses in-
curred in reference to-the movement for an alteration in
the control and expenditure of the county rates. The
Law-clerk is instructed to take proceedings against Mr.
Halsall Seger, brewer,.for compensation to a poor woman
named Mary Ansdow, whose husband was killed by ma-
chinery whilst in the employ of Mr. Segar, who had
treated with contempt all applications made by the poor
woman, and two letters from the Law-clerk.

THE SAILORS' HOME.—The annual meeting of this
excellent institution was held on Saturday, Mr. James
Aikin in the chair. Including last year's arrears, there
was an excess of expenditure over receipts of £394. Dur-
ing 1848, not less than £1505 had been deposited by sea-
men in the institution's savings' bank, £1509 had been
withdrawn, and there remained, at the close of December,
a balance in hand of £B4l, held by ninety-one seamen.
The encouragement afforded by the institution to seamen
to maintain good characters was, without doubt, producing
its fruits, a large number, uniting practical seamanship
with sobriety of conduct, being on the books, and obtain-
ing good employment. The number of such was steadily
increasing, affording strong ground for the belief that the
establishment of " sailors' homes" in all the ports of the
kingdom would be productive of great benefit to the mer-
cantile marine. The number of seamen registered during
1848 was 2018 ; since the opening of the institution 11,451.
The number of ships supplied with crews during the past
year was 490 ; since the opening of the institution 1716.
The number of seamen shipped during 1848 was 6712 ;
since the opening of the institution 22,617. The number
of crews who had been paid off in the institution was 330.
The committee again impressed upon shipowners and con-
signees the great importance of crews being paid off at
the institution, where every convenience is provided free
of charge. The committee had in practice paid due defer-
ence in the past year to the expressed opinion of the ship-
owners, that the system of giving advance notes was ob-
jectionable. The amount paid during the past year upon
seamen's notes was £3447, and the committee had the
satisfaction of stating that very few of the men had abused
the confidence placed in them. The report announced
that the new building would, in all probability, be roofed
before the ensuing autumn ; but a large sum would be
required for its completion. The report was unanimously
adopted.
SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.—The annual meeting of
the friends of this benevolent institution took place on
Friday, at the Asylum for the Blind, William Brown,
Esq., M.P., the president, in the chair. After the usual
routine business, the Rev, Mr. Hull furnished a com-
parative statement between the Liverpool institution for
the blind and similar institutions in other towns. This
was the oldest in the kingdom, and the example was
followed by other towns, Ddblin, Glasgow, Edinburgh,
London, Norwich, Bristol, York, and Manchester. One
was also about to be erected in Birmingham. The
"curiosity" of our institution had consequently gradually
died away, and subscriptions formerly received from a
distance had naturally been withdrawn. This accounted
for the falling off in the sale of goods, inasmuch as per-
sons purchased from the schools in their own neighbour-
hoods. He gave the amounts received in donations and
legacies each year from 1820 to 1847 inclusive. The
total in the first year was £2,439. The amount rose in
1832 to £3,171, and after since decreasing generally,
though at times fluctuating, it was in 1817, with interest
on stock, £1,132. Taking the average of the fifteen
years and comparing it with the last, it would appear that
for the first fifteen years the income was £2,375, whilst
for the last it was £1,317, being a falling off of a thousand
guineas per annum. It would, therefore, be necessary to
make an appeal to the public. The active treasurer had
written to the treasurers of other similar institutions in
the kingdom. The Edinburgh school had 16 resident
pupils, and 52 living in the town. The sales there made
£3,336 per annum. The sales at Liverpool had fallen
off from nearly £2,000 per annum to about £6OO or
£7OO. At Edinburgh there was a loss on the sales of
£350. At Glasgow the sales were £4,575; Norwich,
£6OO, being a loss of £4O; at Bristol, £950; London,
£974, being a loss of £241, and at Manchester £707 ;
being an apparent nett profit of £22l;—but he (Mr.
Hull) had no doubt but that in the last town the cost of
masters had not been charged, and that there was a loss
there as elsewhere. At Liverpool the sales were £653, and
the loss was only £7. He wished gentlemen to emu-
late the example of Mr. Lockett, and ask their friends on
'Change for subscriptions, otherwise it would be requisite
to raise the charge for inmates the same to that of twenty
years ago, namely, males 35., and females 2s. 6d. Mr.
Aikin thought the lower the harge the greater the claim
of the institution for public support. This point (as to
the charge) was ultimately left to the committee. From
the accounts of the treasurer, it appeared that the balance
in the bank was £217 7s. Id., and the collections in the
churches in 1847 amounted to £365 7s. 10d., whilst in
1848 the amount collected was £5O ss. 6d. less than in
1847. The pew rents in the church had been reduced
25 per cent., and had fallen off during the past year. A
vote of thanks to the ciAircan terminated the proceedings.

THE DOCK COMMITTEE AT A STAND.—At the weekly
meeting of the Dock Committee, on Thursday, the par-
liamentary sub-committee presented a memorial. which
they recommended should be presented to Parliament,
complaining of the non-compliance with the standing
orders by the promoters of the bill for the rating of the
docks. The resolution of the sub-committee was, that
the chairman should be requested to affix the seal of the
trustees to the memorial.— The Chairman read the head-
ing of the memorial, and stated, that as it professed to be
the "memorial of the trustees," it must be approved of
by the Council before he could sign it.—Mr. Nicol said
the invariable practice had been to take all steps in the
name of the trustees.—The memorial was read over, and
the alleged non-compliance with the standing orders was,
first, that the notice in the Gazette did not specify that
the new act is to alter other acts, and, second, that notice
in writing had not been given to the committee, as owners
of the property, of the intended application to Parlia-
ment.—The Chairman said that as the majority of the
trustees were not opposed to the rating bill, it was only
reasonable he should have their sanction before he used
the seal.—Mr. Nicol said it was necessary that the peti-
tion should be presented before the 24th, and it became a
question of principle whether the chairman was to obey
the instructions of the committee or not. He moved that
the chairman be instructed to append, without delay, the
seal of the trust to the memorial.—Mr. Poole said it was
an infringement of the right of conscience to insist upon
this, for the memorial was one that could not be concur-
red in by a majority of the trustees.—Mr. Nicol said the
committee was the executive of the trustees, and that the
Council had no control over it, except the power of veto-
ing its proceedings. Everything relating to the docks
must originate with the committee.—After some further
discussion, Mr. North was called in, and brought a pre-
pared written opinion to the effect that the chairman
would not be justified in waiting for the sanction of the
Council, as..by delay, the committee might lose all op-
portunity of petitioning. The case was still stronger as
the bill was likely to prove injurious to the dock estate.—
Mr, Nicol moved that the chairman do forthwith append
his seal, which was seconded by Mr. Saunders.—Mr.
Poole moved as an amendment, that as the memorial did
not speak the sentiments of the trustees, the chairman
should not affix his seal,—seconded by Mr. James Holme.
—Upon a division, there appeared for the original motion,
16, and for the amendment, six.—ln reply to Mr. Aikin,
as to how it were best to proceed, Mr. North said there
was no precedent to appeal to in the case, and he thought
it advisable for the committee to present such a memo-
rial as they could, stating the refusal of the chairman to
affix his seal After some further conversation the sub-
ject dropped; without anything conclusive being arrived
at.—Mr. Nicol, in consequence of what had just taken
Place, postponed his motion as to the protest of which he
had last week given notice.—A letter was read from Mr.
Councillor Thomson, offering the free use of a room for
the recovery of persons who might fall in the new north
docks, no such receptacle having as yet been provided.
Mr. Thomson was thanked, and the matter referred to
the committee of works.—Some letters were read from
Mr. Worthington,. the late dock solicitor, craving a reti-
ring pension. Several members expressed themeelves
adverse to the application,• and its consideration' was
postponed.