The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-04-18 00:00:00

THE SELECT VESTRY.

This day being Easter Tuesday, the annual election
takes place to supply the vacancies in the Select Vestry
caused by the one-third going out by rotation, and also to
confirm the filling-up of the several vacancies which have
taken place during the year. Until within a very few
years, it was the practice for the churchwardens to make
out a list of such of the rate-payers as they considered
most eligible, and this list was submitted to the parish-
ioners who attended the annual vestry, the sole object
being to secure the election of such men as were not only
conversant with parochial affairs, but would manage the
large amount of public funds entrusted to their care with
fidelity and regard for the interests of the whole of the
parish. Unfortunately for the credit of the town, a prac-
tice has recently been adopted of making the Select
Vestry the representative body of particular interests, or
rather of certain cliques, having particular objects in view
to be gained at all hazards. There are the Cottage-owners,
the House-owners, the Warehouse-owners and keepers, and
some other class-interests ; but it is said that the former
has now the majority, and makes use of its power to in-
crease it on all occasions when vacancies occur, while at
general elections there is usually a compromise between
the more powerful factions for certain individuals to be
returned; this is a state of things which ought not to be
allowed to continue. The consequence has already been
that respectable individuals are deterred from coming for-
*ard as candidates, and the proceedings of the Vestry
furnish usually a theme for comment by no means flattering
to the good sense, the good feeling, or even the good faith
of those who take part in them. The effect of the Cot-
tage-owners having a preponderance is already apparent
in the attack made on the Warehouse property under the
pretence of its insufficient assessment, while it is openly
stated that, by means of Committees, of which Cottage-
owners have the nomination, Cottage property is exempted
from burdens to which it is liable.
Neither of these interests should be allowed to predo-
minate, nor, indeed, to be represented at all as such. The
Select Vestry should consist solely of ratepayers, having
no other interest than the general good of the whole ; and
the parishioners should attend the Vestry meeting to-day
and vote for such candidates as, belonging to neither fac-
tion, will, therefore, constitute the best members.

THE DAY OF FASTING AND HUMILIATION

(From the Supplement to the London Gazette of Friday,
April 14.)
By the Queen.

APROCLIMATION FOR A DAY OF GENERAL HUMILIATION
AND PRAYER.

Victoria IL

We, taking into our most serious consideration the just
and necessary war in which we are engaged, and putting
our trust in Almighty God, that He will graciously bless
our arms, both by sea and land, have resolved, and do, by
and with the advice of our Privy Council, hereby com-
mand, that a public day of humiliation and prayer be
observed throughout those parts of our united kingdom
called England and Ireland on Wednesday, the 26th day
of April instant, that so both we and our people may
humble ourselves before Almighty God, in order to obtain
pardon of our sins, and in the most devout and solemn
manner send up our prayers and supplications to the
Divine Majesty, for imploring. His blessing and assistance
on our arms for the restoration of peace to us and our
dominions; and we do strictly charge and command that
the said day be reverently and devoutly observed by all
our loving subjects in England and Irelatid, as they tender
the favour of Almighty God, and would avoid His wrath
and indignation ; and, for the better and more orderly
solemnizing the same, we have given directions to the
Most Rev. the Archbishops and the Right Rev. the
Bishops of England and Ireland to compose a form of
prayer suitable to this occasion, to be used in all churches,
chapels, and places of public worship, and to take care the
same be timely dispersed throughout their respective
dioceses.

Given at our Court at Windsor, this 15th day of
April, in the year of our Lord 1854, and in the
17th year of our reign.
God save the Queen.

STRIKE AT STOCKPORT.—Some thousands of ope-
ratives have struck against the reduction of wages to the
standard of May last, but there are no means of ascer-
taining the numbers with accuracy. The week's notice
given by some of the masters expired on Thursday, and if
the whole number of operatives affected by the notice left
work, from 15,000 to 18,000 would be on strike ; but seve-
ral employers, having contracts to complete, or other ob-
jects to accomplish, seeing the determination of their
workpeople to resist the reduction, have withdrawn the
notice. These, however, are few, and are supposed to
affect the employment of only-about 2000 or 2500 people.
To prepare against all disturbance the magistrates, on
Thursday, swore in as special constables most of the cor-
poration servants, including men employed at the gas
works, the fire brigades, and the able-bodied street
hweepers, in all about 100 persons.

CHARGE OF MURDER ON THE
HIGH SEAS.

YESTERDAY, Captain Wm. Henderson Honor, Thoma.,
Henry Chadderton (first mate), and John Barthe (second
mate), of the ship Mongasteen, from Singapore to Liver-
pool, were brought before Mr. Mansfield, the sitting
magistrate, charged with the murder of three Manilla
men, part of the ship's crew, on the voyage home. Mr.
Aspinall appeared for the prisoners.

Detective-officer Kehoe said that, on the authority of a
warrant which had been put into his hands on Friday
last, he apprehended the three prisoners at the bar on
Saturday last. They were charged with the murder of
Emanuel, alias Valparaiso, on the 4th of March last ; of
Henry Fisher, on the 21st of March ; and of Pedro, on the
29th of March last. The case affecting the death of Val-
paraiso was gone into first. The first witness called was
Daniel Gillman Low, carpenter of the ship, which be-
longed to London. He signed the ship's articles of agree-
ment on the 17th of November last, in Singapore. The
prisoner Barthe joined after witness ; both the other pri-
soners and the deceased were on board before him.
Valparaiso was a Manilla man, and was shipped as a
seaman. They sailed from Singapore in November, and
Valparaiso was ill-treated by all the prisoners. The ill-
treatment commenced about the beginning of January.
The captain was the first who ill-treated, and flogged him
with a rope's-end, but witness did not know what it was
for. Valparaiso was frequently ill-treated after that; and
he was struck on the head and back and shoulders by the
captain, and the other two prisoners, by the captain's
orders. He was ill-treated two or three times a week and
sometimes two or three times a day. (The witness here
took out a memorandum-book, which he began to peruse,
when Mr. Aspinall requested to see it. On examining the
book, the learned gentleman said he did not object to its
being used, after he had ascertained that the entries had
been made at the time the occurrences narrated in it took
place. He, however, requested his worship to observe that
the entries commenced on the 18th of February, and ex-
hibited a hiatus till the let of March, when they became
regular up to the arrival of the vessel in Liverpool.)
The examination then proceeded : the witness saying, on
the 4th March, Valparaiso and I were on the same watch.
On the morninc, of that day the captain flogged two men
at the wheel, and' Valparaiso was one of them. The cap-
tain flogged him again, with a rope's end, between seven
and eight o'clock the same evening. Valparaiso was
steering, and did not steer within half a point of his
course, and it was for this that he was flogged. He was
flogged with what the captain called his cat ; it was a
piece of hard wood, 25 inches long, and 5 inches in diame-
ter, with four holes bored through it at one end, and four
pieces of log-line rove through them and knotted at the
ends. Valparaiso was struck both with the lash and with
the wood. On the 4th of March Valparaiso was beaten
by the captain over the head, shoulders, and face. He
was frequently beaten during the day, and to such an ex-
tent that he was unable to walk, in which condition the
captain ordered him to be taken to the lee side of the
deck, and kept walking backwards and forwards, in the
course of which he fell down on the deck, unable to walk.
The captain then ordered him to be lashed to an eye-belt
attached to the skylight, which was done. The captain
struck him a blow which knocked him down, and after-
wards struck him several blows while he was lying on the
deck. Valparaiso said nothing, but groaned heavily. He
was kept on deck till near midnight. when the captain
ordered him to be stripped naked, and supported against
the deck-house, where several buckets full of cold water
were poured over him. After this he was rubbed down
by the captain's orders, and his wet clothes were put on
him, and lie was conveyed into the sail-locker, where he
was laid on 'some sails and rigging, and there left.
Between four and five o'clock in the morning he was
found to be dead. After the death of Valparaiso, the
captain manifested some agitation, and was unable to go
on with the burial service after he had commenced reading
it, and requested witness to finish it, which he did.
This witness was cross-examined at great length by Mr.
Aspinall; but the cross-examination did not elicit much
to change the general tenor of his evidence. In reference
to his signature to an entry in the official log-book of the
ship, he exhibited a good deal of hesitation, at first saying
the signature was not his ; then admitting that it might
be his, but he did not recollect it, and at last admitting it
to be his; and that he signed it at the instance of the
chief mate, who told him that the captain wished him to
sign it. The entry was dated March 4th, 1854. It stated
that " Manuel Gonsalis was sent to the pump with the
rest of the watch, and he fell on deck ; he could not stand,
and appeared to have no use in his legs ; he felt cold all
over his body ; took his clothes off, and washed him with
salt andavater, and rubbed him down with cloths to re-
store animation. Gave him an emetic, and put him to
bed, but he expired at eight a.m. next morning ; held an
examination on the body, but could not ascertain the
cause of death."

Robert Evans, steward, said they sailed with a white
crew, but there was a foreigner or two amongst them.
Several hands left and others were engaged (mostly
foreigners), at Singapore and other places. The deceased's
name was Manuel, and they called him Valparaiso, be-
cause he hailed from that port. Had seen the captain
ill-treat several of the foreign sailors. On the 4th March
Manuel was very much ill-treated, two or three times, by
the captain and the chief mate. The mate struck him on
the face with his fist because he contradicted him. A few
minutes after six in the evening, saw the captain on deck
punching Manuel under the jaws. • Manuel was then at
the wheel, and the captain close to him, punching him with
a thick stick. The stick was called a " cat," and had four
pieces of knotted line at one end, but the captain was
punching deceased with the other end of the stick • he
gave a 'kind of yell when he was punched ; the Chief
mate was then standing to leeward, on the poop. Saw
the man again between nine and ten, on the quarter-deck ;
he was trying to stand, but could not, and fell. Did not
think he was so bad, and went forward ; saw him again at
half-past eleven, sitting down against the skylight. The
captain ordered the second mate to send the men to the
pumps, and be also ordered Manuel to be dragged to the
pumps. The second mate, assisted by witness, got him
up, and he fell down quite helpless ; he had no use in his
limbs. Felt his pulse, and his forehead, observing that
he was as cold as ice, and there was no pulse at the time.
The captain came up and, said to me," B--t your soul,
if you don't hold your jaw, I'll give you something behind
your ear-hole that'll make you as cold as ice." We dragged
Manuel to the pumps, but his limbs were helpless, and
he could not hold his head up. The captain told them to
stick him up against the side of the house ; and he then
told them to strip him. This was about midnight. Several
hands held him up, amongst whom were the chief and
posomheede water passed
tphasesetdopaloofngthethieioutopzoonf
mthaenhuoeursseh;eadit w;
aa,ts
second mates. The captain ordered the carpenter to get
this time he was stark naked, and held up against the
house ; thinks the boy poured four buckets of water on his
head, but the captain ordered the boy to pass the fifth
bucket down, when the captain hove the water into the
man's face, and then pushed his head with the bucket
against the house. The captain cursed the men all
the time for not holding Manuel upright. The captain
ordered witness to get some medicine ; he fetched an emetic,
and tried to give it to him, but could only force a little of
it into his mouth with a spoon • could not get his mouth
open, as his teeth were firmly closed. The chief mate said
he thought the'man was lock-jawed, when the captain said •
" If you don't hold your tongue, I'll shove the b—y lan-
tern down your throat." The captain ordered them to
rub him down with his clothes, and then put them on.
When they had rubbed him down and put his clothes on,
they took him to the sail locker. Never saw him alive
afterwards. Saw the corpse about seven the next morn-
ing. His left eye was swollen up ; observed that his eye
was wounded on the previous night. The men did not
have a full allowance of food till within a few days of
reaching home ; they had 2-k lbs of bread among five men
per day ; that was for a length of time, but they had had
more of late. Had heard the captain tell the mate to beat
the men on several occasions, and curse him for not doing
it. The mate appeared kind, but had no peace without he.
beat the men. Three or four.days before Manuel's death,
he was beaten three or four times by the captain. .
Cross-examined by Mr. Aspinall.—The captain had .`
charged witness with stealing brandy, and beat him; this
was shortly before the affair with Manuel. On arriving
in port, he got a summons for the captain for beating him.
Went to Mr. Snowball, solicitor, to get the summons soon
after getting his wages ; was sent by Mr. Snowball to Mr.
Clough. Thought the chief officer would have made the
present charge, or he would have made a minute of it.
Had sailed with Captain Honor when he was second mate
of the Europa. Had been paid full' wages, without
deductions.
_

The evidence was then read over to the prisoners, and
the case was adjourned until this morning.

DEATH FROM Bunrusba.—On Saturday night, about
half-past ten o'clock. as a woman named Mary Madden
residing at No. 18 o'clock.
Crosshall-street, was making
some starch by the fire, her clothes caught, and she was
instantly enveloped in flames. The poor woman screamed
out, and, assistance arriving, the fire was subdued by
pouring water upon her, after which she was removed to
the Northern Hospital, where she died the same night.
An inquest will be held upon the body this day.
GRATIFYING TESTIKONIAL.—On Thursday last, a large
number of the congregation of St. Thomas' Church, Park-
lane, met in the school-room, for the purpose of present-
ing the curate, the Rev. C. P. Hobbs, with a testimonial of
their esteem on his removal to St. Augnstine's. The
chair was occupied by the Rev. Thomas L. Pain, who in a
feeling speech presented Mr. Hobbs, on behalf the congre-
gation, with a valuable gold watch and chain, a handsome
pocket communion service, and a purse of gold ; the
. watch and communion service bearing the following in-
scription :—" Presented by the Congregation to the Rev.
Charles Parsons Hobbs, Curate of St. Thomas' Church,
Liverpool, as a token of esteem, and appreciation of his
services. 13th of April, 1854."
THE PRESTON STRIKE.--The proceedings of the me-
diation committee are still kept private. The number, of
immigrants during the week is reported at ninety-nine,
about seventy-four of whom were available. The Tr,-.1.
of old skilled hands returning to their empletvnprinners,
riously estimated. The secretaries to the Master
Association report that seven hundred.handstn during the
re-
ceived to work at the different mills in Prres
ane
uo the
last week. Messrs. Horrockses, MiPel:3po persons at
largest employers in town, have,,_ now' 1i The total
work, and, it is said, receive da"Y by the Operatives'
number of hands relieved last weeks 9d. The previous
of £3,195 s.
Union was 13,813, at a cost
13,875, and the expenditure
were re-
, week the number relievedi
was
see-sheet of the power-loom
£3,216 10s. 3d.
£1042 remaining over from last week,
all sources, including
that their expenditure was
was £2,086 Ss. gid
the balance-sheet
received this week from
weavers shows than:
£2,136125. ld. ;
aThe spinners' balance-sheet shows the
ti;erebalance due to the treasurer
of £5O 3s.
income an 4
s.had9 .10d. The card-loom hands had
an a deficit of £9 1
of £457 16s. 2d., and their expenditure was
receipt of £613 7s. ; expenditure of £7OB 7
I
s. Sid,
Il7s.
, leaving the amount due to the treasurer
£40155. 7d. On Saturday the unemployed held a meeting
in a brick field about two miles from the town. The state
1-11 Stockport was the chief
toofpaiffcaildiluastsed7anendt tehttmeeing meeting brae up with cries for
the ten per cent,

AN EMIGRAN?S GLANCE HOMEWARD.

Far, far from those whose tender watching bred me;
Far from the hedge-row haunts that pleased my youth ;
Far from the friends whose gentle teaching led me
In the blest ways of innocence and truth ;
E'en from my own peculiar Northern Star,
From every childish memory, I am far!

Perchance no more may meet my foreign ear
The chastened kindness of a brother's tone;
A mother's voice no more may call me dear,
In the fond language only mothers own;
And she, whose name is never named by me,
The loved, the unforgotten—where is she?

Yet I am happy in my distant home;
A sunny sky smiles ever over me;
And let what will from God'a good pleasure come,
My friend, my husband, I have always thee;
And gaily round our laughing treasure plays,
In all the winning graces of childhood's ways.

I never can be lonely. Where Igo
With these, is borne; but yearnings fond and bland
For those departed days, where all things glow
With a bright glory. from that far off land,
Wind round my heart, as with a magic chain,
Which I must kiss ere I unwind again.

Oh ! days for ever gone—for ever fair !
Fair, because gone—oh, sunbright, youthful days !
Are ye not worth one earnest thought, one care,
One heartfelt lay devoted to your praise?
But not the lays of an immortal tongue
Could give me back the days when I was young.
The kindly hands which mine with love would press,
The beaming eyes that with affection shone,
The loving lips, whose sweet and pure caress
Still marked how dear that young beloved one;
England again my hopeful eyes may see,
But these can never be the same to me.

Far, far from those whose tender watching bred me;
Far from the hedge-row haunts that pleased my youth ;
ar from the friends whose gentle teachings led me
In the blest ways of innocence and truth ;
E'en from my own peculiar Northern Star,
From every childish memory, I am far !