The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-03-13 00:00:00

version.

The question of education has, at length, begun to
occupy that share of the public attention which right-
fully belongs to it, and it is no longer necessary to
expatiate on the advantages which attend the cultiva-
tion of that nobler part of man, his intellectual facul-
ties. It had long been received as a truth that it was
allowable, and almost a duty, to cultivate the clod of
the earth : it is now all but universally admitted, that
the immortal soul of man, to whom dominion over the
earth, and all that it contains, has been committed by
the Author of all, is also susceptible of being rendered
more fit, by careful training, for fulfilling those high
and glorious ends designed for it by its beneficent
Creator. We rejoice to perceive in the Liverpool
Collegiate Institution the dawning of that day. which
it is our hope we may yet live to see in its fuller spleu-
dour, when not only the advantage resulting to the
community from extended education may be, as it has
begun to be, distinctly acknowledged, but also that it
may be solemnly recognised as one of the first duties
of every nation that calls itself Christian, not to allow
any of its children to pass from the cradle to the grave
with their minds one uncultivated sterile waste, but
that instruction shall be afforded to all, and that all
shall be brought up in the knowledge of such things
as may be needful and advantageous to each, and es-
pecially in the nurture and admonition of religion.
The question whether education ought to be gene-
rally diffused or not, may be compressed into a very
small compass. Ask any man of sense and feeling,
who has learned to read and write, for what sum of
money, duly told down in pounds, shillings, and pence,
he would consent to surrender, for ever, those means
of acquiring knowledge and communicating it to
others—of expressing his wishes, hia wants, his dis-
tresses, and—dearest privilege of all—his affections.
Can there be a doubt but that the prompt answer
would be, that he valued the power of reading and
writing beyond all price—that no recompense could
induce him to part with it ? And, were it possible to
do so, would it not be cruel and unjust in the extreme
to deprive him by force of a faculty he estimated so
highly ? Now, where lies the difference in moral guilt,
we would ask, between forcibly depriving another of
the advantages and blessings of education, and neg-
lecting to communicate them ?

It is sufficient for us to remark, with respect to the
character of the religious instruction designed for the
youth who may enter the Institution, that the decision
at which the Committee arrived on this point was
formed after much and anxious deliberation, and seems
to us to be liable to no serious or solid objection. A
standard of belief has been recognised,—that of the
Established Church,—and nothing can be taught
which is not contained in her Articles. At the safe
time, it is not required that every pupil should he
instructed in the Church Catechism. Gross errors
are thus avoided, while the .rights of, conscience stand
in no danger of being outraged. Every- man of Caw
did mind, who has calmly. considered the subject,
must allow that it was absolutely necessary to come at
once to some definite and explicit arrangement on the
all-important subject of religion, or it would have been
impossible hereafter to have guarded effectually against
the introduction of any of the fanciful doctrines of the
day, however foolish or mischievous they might be.

The walls of the town are again covered with phi'
cards, announcing that petitions for the abolition Of
the corn laws are lying for signature at the usual lin-
dical places of resort. We feel, therefore, once more'
called upon to state our reasons why the people of
verpool should not sign these petitions, or, in other
words, why the corn laws should not be abolished.
The corn laws should not:tbe abolished, because it
is utterly impossible that any country should long pros-
per if its agriculture is depressed. Now, the inevits'
ble tendency of a free trade in grain would be to
jure the agricultural interests of Great Britain Oa
Ireland, inasmuch as it would be impossible for the
farmers of these countries to compete with those o',
foreign states, burdened as the former are with a far
greater amoturt of taxation than the cultivators of the
soil in any other part of the world. Competition is
thus rendered utterly impracticable, and the declension
of agriculture in this country must be the consequence
of a free trade, calling- such competition into exist-
ence. A protective duty on foreign grain is the onic
way in which such a national calamity as the ruin °f
our agriculture can be averted.
The corn laws should not be repealed, because the
landed interest is the greatest and most stable in the
state, and therefore claims the first consideration to he
protected by legislative enactment. Any meastn.e
5
tending to the permanent injury of this-important classlrma necessarily injure every subordinate class in the
community. With their interests are bound up the
interests of the whole population.
The corn laws should not be abolished, becanea'
their repeal would involve a wholesale robbery of vest
1
capital. It may be taken for granted that the capital
invested in land in this country and Ireland amount,
~
to upwards of two thousand millions of pounds! 111.P0
is exclusive of the capital of those who are engaged
the cultivation of the soil. What should we think °/
the honesty of a proposition to rob the landlords 0,
one-third or one-half of the above enormous amount;
Yet such would be the proximate effect of a free trade
in grain. A reduction of one-third or one-half on te,
rental of the land would be equivalent to the abs d,
tion of the same proportion of capital. The lag..
holder would not be the only one that would sit,
from the perpetration of so flagrant a robbery. f'v
one who has invested his capital in mortgages on 1%0
would ultimately suffer. The reduction of rent' d
lands and tenements in the country would be follOro,'
by a corresponding depreciation of household lioo
pert), in the towns. Cheap living,- conjoined with of
rents, in the country, would operate as an indueel/lar
to draw thousands of the more respectable and ill
pendent classes of society from the towns. The id
effectual preventive of this sort of emigration ‘v()-ed
be a reduction in the rents of town houses.
holder of fixed property, whether in town or eon°
tfl
would thus be subjected to spoliation.
like
The cultivation of land being a slow process, 11-n ted
the operations of a manufactory, the capital inves,ad,
requires years for its full development, and it w%ri,
therefore, be highly unjust that the interests of ag
ue
culture should be unnecessarily disturbed. .Anyaptl
who knows anything about the rotation of eras e of
other agricultural matters must recognise the fore
the preceding remark.
Tilt
to
Laws enacted for the protection of property oib
possess the element of stability, especially if the ca ble
tal invested in such property is not easily convec_ree
to other purposes. No man would be induced to the
a manufactory, build a ship, or unite with•others 0110(
construction of a railway, if he were. labour 0! tbe
the apprehension that there was. no, senurity that a be
laws affecting the value of suckjzitsili "t 3
he
• - u°
permanent. On_ the same,..prit4Aeifoo4ole col
?.xpected'to lay:Out
,niotey'7',it-OW',',lll* ot. es
oo
do'
or the improvement of :the. soil,, .by the expensive :-vere
cess of draining,..marlini;lidejTig, &c.; unlessbe, fot
convinced that the laws which have- beat ..'enacted

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lie protection of agriculture were likely t 6 continue m
force.

For the present we must content ourselves with ur-
ging the preceding considerations on the attention of
our readers. Want of space precludes us from enter-
ing any further into the question. 'We shall, however,
again and again recur to it.

'We beg to direct the attention of our readers to a
condensed report of the proceedings at the half yearly
meeting of Proprietors of the Bristol and Exeter Rail-
way, which appears in another column. it will be seen
from the Report of the Directors, that if their exertions
are seconded by the support of the bona fide share-
holders, the completion and opening of the Line as far
Bridgewater, (a length of 34 miles) may be depended
upon during the course of the present year; and we
trust that a consideration of the benefits which would
result to the undertaking from the success of such an
effort will not be lost sight of.

Yesterday a meeting, convened by the Mayor, was
held in the Sessions House, for the purpose of " con-
sidering the propriety of petitioning the Legislature in
favour of the Irish Municipal Bill." Our radical
contemporary of this day will no doubt blazon forth the
resolutions passed at this meeting as the expression of
the public opinion of the inhabitants of Liverpool. The
resolutions express no such thing. They merely convey
the sense of the Popish rabble of the town, who are,
almost to a man, utter strangers in the town, the lowest
and most degraded of the vagabond Irish, who an-
nually cause an immense addition to our parochial
rates, and among whom not one in a hundred can
boast of either a vote, a clean face, a decent coat, or an
honest character. Such were the men whose dirty
fists were held up in favour of the resolutions which
were carried yesterday.
The Radical party, for some time after the meeting
had been convened, imag,ined that no opposition would
be offered to the proceedings : but on discovering that
the Conservatives intended to muster their forces on
the occasion, the emissaries of •the Precursor Society
were dispatched in every direction to collect together
the low Irish Papists, for the two-fold purpose of in-
timidating the respectable part of the inhabitants, and
of carrying the resolutions in favour of the Bill for
converting the Irish Municipal Corporations into
schools of Popish " normal agitation." The expe-
dient was, to a certain extent, successful; but it failed
in exciting any feeling of alarm in the minds of the
Conservative gentry of the town.
The meeting was • appointed to take place at
twelve o'clock. Long, hoWever, before that hour,
the principal avenues to the Sessions House were sur-
rounded by a dense body of low Irish vagabonds,
Whose very appearance was sufficient to prevent any
man of respectability, or possessed of delicate olfactory
nerves, from making any approach to the entrance
doors. The mob were evidently bent upon excluding
from the meeting all excepting those who were in
favour of the Popish Bill now before Parliament.
When the doors were opened, the Irish rushed in, and
took possession of all the space behind the rails. The
Conservatives were compelled to seek an entrance
through the side doors, which had been previously
opened for the admission of the few "gentlemen of the
broad cloth" in the Whig interest who " honoured"
the-meeting with their presence.
When it was perceived that the Conservatives were
making their way in great numbers to the lower part
of the room and the galleries, the signal was given by
the notorious Langan, and repeated by several members
of the Common Council, for a rush inside the bars on
the part of the Irishmen. The signal was immediately
understood, and the rabble began to clamber over the
seats, in order to dispossess the Conservatives of the
seats usually reserved for the more aristocratic part of
the audience. Hundreds of Conservatives went away,
being totally unable to obtain an entrance. The be-
haviour of the Irish was--that of blackguards of the
lowest degree. They did not hesitate to jostle and as-
sault every man who had a decent coat who came in
their way ; and several Whig gentlemen were thus un-
ceremoniously treated, being mistaken for Conserva-
tives.

On the first division which took place, the parties
were so nearly balanced, that in common with many
others, we were unable to say which party had the ma-
jority. The Mayor, however, decided in favour of the
Liberals, though many felt persuaded that the Con-
servatives were the more numerous. Of this we feel
assured, that if the " broad cloth," or the gentlemen
Ott 'Change had had to decide the matter, the majority
would have been five to one in favour of the Conserva-
tives. The principal' speakers on the Conservative side
were Messrs. N:-Robinson, J: Wright, T. B. Horsfall,
J. Sheppard, Isaac Holmes, and C. Bushell. In ad-
dition we noticed, amongst a large body of Conserva-
tive gentlemen, Sir Thomas Brancker, Messrs. James
Aspinall, R. Gladstone, W. Potter, T. Sands, T. Moss,
George Green, Robert Horsfall, Thomas Porter, J.
Fairclough, J. N. Wood, Jos. Cooper, James Lawrence,
Duncan Gibb, W. Huson, C. Boutilower, Josias Boo-
ker, C.. Groves, Daniel Neilson, J. Wellstood, Richard
Griffiths, Win. Shand, William Jones, M. Bousfield,
Nicholas Bold, J. A. Tinne, &c., &c., &c., besides a
large body whose names we cannot enumerate. It is
an undeniable fact that, even if the first resolution was
carried, in accordance with the decision of the Mayor,
the negative was carried by an overwhelming majority
of the more respectable portion of the meeting.
Once more we beg emphatically to deny: that the
resolutions alleged to have been carried at the meeting
yesterday, convey the sense of the merchants and
tradesmen of Liverpool. They were carried through
the sheer physical force of the Irish strangers in the
town, marshalled under their fugleman, the ex-boxer,
Langan. If the Mercury says anything to the con-
trary to-day—it lies.

Tnn
Cuuncih—James Clarke, Esq., Recorder of Liver-
pool, has contributed one hundred pounds towards the build-
ing fund for the erection of St. Thomas's Church. Lancaster.
List of Cabin Passengers on board the George Washington,
Captain A. Burrows, from New York, arrived on Tuesday
George Wildes, London ; Mr. L. Palmieri, Naples,
,-,
• onsul of the Two Sicilies for the U. S. of America ; Mr.
C.
L. Boric:, Philadelphia; Mr. F. M. Tobias, Liverpool.
Died on the passage, Mr. Henry Clark, Hackney near Lon-
don.
FESTIVAL CHORAL SOCIETY.—On Tuesday evening the
Festival Choral Society gave their sixth public performance
. in the Music-hall, Bold-street. There was a numerous and
respectable attendance. The scheme comprised a selection
from Handers Acis and Galatea, and Haydn's first service.
The principal vocalists were Miss Leach, Miss Stott, Mr.
Lunt, Mr. G. Lunt, Mr. Davies, Mr. Earnshaw, and Mr.
P. Gardner. Mr. G. Holden was the conductor, and Mr.
Elliot lead the band, which was highly effective. The per-
formance gave entire satisfaction.
AN OLD HANOI—By the Parkfield, which arrivtal the other
day, there came a convict transported for life for forgery,
from Liverpool, under the name of Drake. Unfortunately
for him, our convict police system partakes somewhat of the
Fouchii perfection, and the consequence was, that he was
discovered by Mr. Ryan, chief clerk of the Superintendent
of Convicts' Office, to be one John Roberts, an absentee
from Van Diemen's Land in 1830, by the ship Sorry, and
was assigned to Captain Swanston, and represented himself
to have been a clergyman of the Church of England. Not
liking his quarters there, he joinediome other desperate cha-
racters, and they effected their escape by taking possession
of the Badger schooner. With her he sailed to America,
and there be re-assumed his reverend character. under the
name of the Rev. William Robertson, M.A. America did
not suit him, and he wended his way back to England, and
in Liverpool he committed the crime for which he has been
. transported, under the name of John Drake. He was for-
warded to her Majesty's gaol of Sydney, to be forwarded to
Van Diemen's Land, to take his trial for the piracy. On
being questioned as to where he obtained his degree of M.A.,
he replied at Eton. The following is a specimen of his style,
which certainly appears to be cultivated. The extract is
from a letter addressed to the surgeon superintendent on the
way out :—'• Respected sir, I fear that the avalanche of your
displeasure has fallen on my devoted head."—Sydney Colo-
nist.
ROYAL UNION SOUP.—MARCH OF INTELLECT.—At an
eating-house in Somers-town, 'a board is exhibited, on which
is painted in large letters : —W. and S. Weeding, perveyor of
Soop to Her Mayesty Victorier the Furst, and Prince Al-
bert the Furst's loyal subgects. The only house in the me-
troperlis where a basin of Royal Union Soop can be hobtain-
ed. Hot Joints from 12 to 3 Daly. Noospapers taken
hin."
BLENHEIM, NEAR WOODSTOCK, SUNDAY.—The Duke of
Marlborough, accompanied by his eldest son the Marquis of
Blandford, arrived here express last evening from town in
consequence of the demise of his noble father the late Duke,
on Thursday evening. His grace was staying at the man-
sion of his mother, now dowager duchess, in Park-lane,
when he received a letter dated from hence on Thursday,
informing him of the late duke's dangerous illness; the next
post brought a second, informing him of the duke's disso-
lution. The obsequies of his grace are fixed to take place on
• , Priday next, at the mausoleum of the Churchill family, built
by the celebrated Duke of Marlborough. The late duke had
lived in comparative retirement for some years on a wing of
yfjl `,his noble mansion, seldom quitting it except for a short visit
1/41
NI. to one or the watering *places every year. The present duke,
1 .(by his marriage with a sister of the. Earl of Galloway, has
tio'n tour. children,. the Marquis of Blandford, in his 18th year,
tadY.Louisa'Sjiencer Churchill, and Lords Alfred and Allan
Lord, Churchill,. formerly Lord F.
enper, brother. to, the late duke, and his son, the Hon. J.
.
and Lord* Charles Churchill
it'is expetted,•attend the funeral. Lord John Spencer
Churchill will be absent, having sailed in command of the
‘llruid frigate for the East India station. Tha Dowager
'DuChess•of Marlborough is now in town.—Morning Herat&
of Tuesday.

Infirmary
Blue-coat School
Compassionate Society
Mendicity Society
Infant Schools
Bible Auxiliary
Bible Association

£359 19 6
231 7 0
129 13 3
CO 10 6
60 14 0
40 19 0
27 15 7

£l9 7 6
0 0 0
1 1 0
3 17 6
1 11 6
2 2 0
5 11 2

Total I £9lO 18 10 j £33 10 8
So that in this place Churchmen give TWENTY-SEVEN
POUNDS for every one given by Dissenters.

EXETER.

Institutions.

Hospital
Dispensary
H umane-Soaiety
Lun. Asylum—Benefactions,
Deaf and Dumb Institution
Lying-in Charity
Coal Charity
Blanket Society
Eye Infirmary
Penitentiary

Sums subscribed.
Churchmen. I Dissenters.

Total 1X12,189 8 10 I £1270 8 6
Here :again Churchmen give NINE POUNDS for every one
given by Dissenters.
GLOUCESTER.

Sums subscribed.
Churchmen. I Dissenters.

Institutions.

Infirmary
Lunatic Asylum .
Dispensary
Benevolent Society
Female Ditto

Ladies' Dorcas Charity
Lying-in Charity
Magdalen Asylum
Gloucestershire Society

£1482 19 0
48 4 0
175 17 0
93 2 6
21 8 0
27 9 0
50 0 0
267 13 6
258 6 0

£4O 19 0
3 3 0
19 19 6
5 14 0
2 9 0
12 2 0
1 0 0
3 2 0
2 2 0

Total i £2424 19 0 £9O 10 6
In this instance TWENTY-SIX POUNDS are given by
Churchmen for every one pound by Dissenters.

£lOlB 0 0
363 0 0
360 0 0

i £1741 0 0
your of the churl

1£20,000 0 0

5,000 0 0

£25,000 0 0 1 £llBO 0 0
in favour of the church.
[NFIRMARY, 1832.
£79 19 8 ICollected at
Dissenting
1124 6 6 Meeting-houses