The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-08-12 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STAND.4RD.

tr,—Amongst the worthies who at present occupy the coun-
cil chamber of Liverpool, there is one peculiarly noted as a mos
boisterous upholder of- " the liberty of the tongue." This fact,
along with that of his being a loud declaimeragainst intolerance
and illiberality, would lead one to suppose that Mr. Councillor
liathlnnie would be the last to object to the free use of the "little
member" by others. But is this the case ? Let facts answer.
It seems that .curtain - clergymc n,. ministers of the established
church, have been so very. audacious, so very indecent, as to
express their opinion, (in no way a singular one,) of some of
the late doings of the council, " while at the same time they
were receiving payment from the corporation fuuds." Now,
however Mr. R. may admire "independent principles," it ap-
pears that he does not relish such a practical application of them
as this. He cannot endure that a minister should warn -his
congregation of what he considers dangerouS to some of them—
if in so doing he implies any doubt of the infallibility of his
paymasters, the council. Therefore, in punishment for conduct
so "extremely indecorous;" and to prevent its recurrence—as
well as to oblige them to see the deformity of their doings"—
he on Weduesday last moved for "stopping the supplies." TO.
the credit of his fellow-councillors, it does not seem that man yo
them showed any inclination to support this shabby motion; but.
t
if it had been otherwise, luckily fur the reverend offenders,
payment of their stipends is not. left to the operation of the
hard
"voluntary principle, httt is according to the act."
would have been the lot of any poor clerk or sexton from whose
emoluments a shilling could have been subtracted.
But though Mr. l'iathbone, seeing there was
n
car-
rying his motion, prudently withdrew it. yet the
obuLhance of
are proposition
of it will servelto give us some Mformation ne or two points,
how overpowering
which it import's us to possess. It showds
L. liberality, to check
own. It
may he the desire,. even of one celebrate.
the free expres-SiOn of opinions at variance with
his
e:.tion, would
shows also what kind of ex oedienis for gagging
lan adversary
may be resorted to, even by those wlu),
during
be foremost unilloudest in the cry of " t o intimidation
It is limper that the public should be wade acquainted. with
thisdiscrepancy in some folk's sayings and doings, that they may
know for the future what value to place upon their professions
of tolerance and liberality. As regards Mr. liathbone I have
no expectation that anything. which I can say, (even should be
take the trouble to react it,), will produce any change in
.his
conduct. He does not care "the snap of his fingers" for abuse
and will, I am sure, care less, if possible, for a mild reproof:
But as a rogue's professions of disregard for the gallows will
hardly prevent his being consigned to it, so neither will Mr.
Itathbone's elegantly azpressed contempt shield him from such
animadversions as his behaviour merits. In conclusion 1 would
humbly suggest to him that at the next council meeting he
should move " that every clergyman who is supported from the
funds of the corporation .be ordered to submit to the inspection
of a committee of that body the manuscript of all his sermons
before being preached." I would also suggest the establishment
of a secret inlzaisition qf state like that which once kept Venice
in awe—

" All eye, all ear, nowhere and everywhere,
Entering the closet and the sanctuary,"
seizing, imprisoning, condemning, and punishing individuals
unaccused and guiltless of greater crimes than that of criticising
the acts of the awful council of Liverpool. By this means
rigidly acted upon, I think Mr. Rathbone might at least be able
to suppress the grumbling of the discontented; and preserve the
immaculate corporation from being preached against or spoken
against by those who are dependent on their bounty fur their
wages, and who consequently ought to think, speak, andlyt.
only as they, their masters,' choose to order, without regarding;'
the squeamish murmurs of their own eon c ,lieta
e cd
ven.ing_
mands of Him wherif the!) call their master in
G. K.
Yours, &c.;
' Liverpool, August 6, 1836.

TO TEE EDITOR OF TILE LIVERPOOL ST.IYDA RD.
R,—The nuisances arising..from noxious P ffluvia,emnitted by
the chimneys of the different chemical manufactortmi. having
irifth increased within the last two sears, and particularly
wi!hin the htsl year, it is to be hoped that the present assizes
tt it not i all.,Wed to pass by without one or snore MU' of in-