The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-05-14 00:00:00

May 14, 1844.

CORRESPONDENCE.

R. COLVILLE'S MEASURE AND THE LIVER-

POOL BUILDING SOCIETIES.

A People of proprietors may be governed by gentle laws.
Where ric n.proprietors compose the greatest part of a nation it
.1.5 different. They can be governed by harsh laws only."
HELVETIUS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
• SIR,—In the point of view from which the remarks in
flay last emanate, it is impossible to pass by unnoticed
Smother numerous class of owners—that supplied .by
Building Societies. I have no hesitation in stating that
eve suffer more from improvidence than has ever been
Imagined. What is it that peoples our gaols, swells our
epolice reports, and crowds our workhouses?—the lack of
theality and industry—to what may be traced much of
mmorality and vice which abounds in society ? doubt-
less to the same cause. Improvident youth and strength
glide away with the velocity of a meteor, and when the
dream of life is nearly over, the dim perspective of the
future becomes pregnant with portentous clouds, atid evil
terminating in crime or the purlieus of a workhouse.
Row many in the evening of life are obliged to revert with
Pain to the sunny days of youth, and to reflect upon what
they might have been—how they might have avoided the
quicksands of life, and secured for old age those comforts
wbich were once at their command. They terminate an
I:IT-Provident life in sorrow and dishonour. Now the end
of all good government is the promotion of virtue among
rthe People, and virtue must be encouraged by induce-
ments. And I maintain that Building Societies afford the
iee?st Powerful inducements to the provident and indus-
-""s• The plan of building funds has not only been con-
ceived, but it has also been tested in practice, and it has
succeeded, and the legislature has Ondorsed it w.th an act
for the protection and encouragement of such societies,
declaring in the preamble of that act that it was expedient
so to do. How then has this been regarded by the
people—have they availed themselves of its advantages?
----let "
the number of Building Societies in this town an.
Soci't- There are in Liverpool upwards of fifty of these
eties, in the whole of which there cannot be less than
Ch e
e'—`' members, two-thirds of which number are pur-
owners ase
members, and consequently nominal or fictitious
me
0. property, and that of course cottage property.
ghat the ha
cannot then but suppose, nay it is beyond question,
bits of frugality and industry to which these
institutions are accessory, must have an almost otnni•
-Potent influence upon the condition, moral, social, and
*Political, of the people. While party spirit has been run-
l'ing high, political empiricism, rampant and professing
Patriots pouring forth their desolating lava against what
they term the corrupters of the people, these institutions
have, like gentle spring showers, been producing silently
Comfort. happiness, virtue, arid morality throughout the
land. In them the fondest anticipations of a benevolent
legislature have been exceeded. But let us glance at the
constitution of these societies : the members comprise
chiefly mechanics and labourers, or in other words, the
Working classes, who may
be divided into two sections,
the tiny capitalist and the one without capital. To
the former, Building Societies afford the best facility for
the acquisition of a little property, and to the latter, they
present all the advantages of a saving bank, as regards
security, with a much greater rate of interest upon
deposits.
I shall now demonstrate the manner in which Mr. Col-
tiille proposes to frustrate the benevolent intentions of a
Paternal legislature; in fact, the virtual repeal of the 6th
and 7th Wm.
IV. cap. 32.
The success of a building society is of course dependent
Upon that of each individual
member. A " break down,"
as it is vulgarly termed, is not less embarrassing to the
sWhit ociety than it is ruinous to the individual. Now, upon
mainly depends the success of the individual mem-
,
l • It is upon the precision and accuracy of his calcu-
ations in his undertakings. The points for his conside-
ration are—the number of shares he will require to com-
Itle his purchase of property, the periodical payments to
difference
he will be liable in respect of those shares, and the
e between the aggregate amount of the rents of
IcalchuPr"ertY and the subscriptions to the society. These
lations made, the member's purchase, or rather its
c,otnteentf , is
:gOverned by his resources. Well, a member of
of ththese societies has purchased property, and having
eed from the society nearly as much as the amount
sub
!ppsutoliorocfenhaiosse, money,fohi the rents obtained from that pro-
,Ptertysen
:purse insufficient for the payments of his
The deficiency, however, is not greater
purchase was made to keep within
than
nr
his
its: but then he has nothing in reserve. Sup-
Pose, en, a
ZAtive. A. poor-rate upon owners were to become ope-
uneenee,"P ! he would then he ruined. An extra and
Would ;Fe" &Wand upon his fund, increasing his deficit,
gtrneeslifootriisable him in his engagements to the society ; the
societ ni-Paernent would increase in geometric pro-
s Property would fall into the hands of the
Industry is little capital—the fruits, perhaps, of years of
taa and retrenchment—alienated for ever; and he
cYa en mourn over his loss, break his heart, and die,
uF,. use he had not brain enough to anticip ire Mr. Col-
"le's Ph.l
Col-
of e I Osoph-.
Y Silly man ! Upon the faith of an act
Pas-seaer'asatneut, the preamble of which sested that it was
his all ;or hi% encouraeement and p
ruinehis rceectien, he embarked
for d
the legislature break their truce, and he is undone
unsuspecting credulity. But this is not all : this
he si roan remains as a warning to others, who will not
petty ow to benefit by his history. The purchise of pro-
' and with that the purchase of shares in the society,
Z. The sources of profit dried up, the society, which
peradventure may not have seenits second year, becomes
extinct. This is the Colville mode of repealing parlia-
etteelharY enactments, without the aid of the old-fashioned
7:ulttrsoublesorne course of royal assent. We are certainly
1.
In an age of improvements ! But, independently of its
this impost upon owners would be most unjust in
Principle towards the member of a building society who
Izight be unfortunate enough to be the nominal owner of
Property. A member holds cottage property, say, to the
amount of £5OO, but he has borrowed the amount from
the society for its payment,, and having paid it may be
only twelve months' subscription in liquidation of the
loan, his beneficial interest in the property is a mere
mockery. Is that man, so circumstanced, a fit object
for parochial assessment—to be rated as the owner of
property ? It is more than absurd—it is monstrous !
Corporal Trim said to my Uncle Tobv, " This man
shall surely die." That is the language of Mr. Col% e's
Measure as respects building societies. But let u, c range
the point of view from the landlord to the tenant. It may
be said in reply to what I have advanced, that the effect=
Which I have stated would be maternity qualified by an
Increased rental, that the owner would reimburse himself
the.raising his rents. Now without committine myself to
!Ines areument, I shall enquire what it is worth. Why, if
assertion be true, the measure would be a mere farce,
for would be inoperative ; and in the next place, the ar-
obje:t amounts merely to a removal of the burden. The
o‘e shit character of the scheme is increased if the
s suer shift the burden from his own shoulder to that of
11,1_ Psoor tenant—its effects would be intensified, as the
ruetsfnure would descend upon those least able to hear it ;
Probe-1;••Y own part, however, I think it much nearer to
:ahgeeeeniti.RY to say that the owner would attempt to raise
whit, I doubt that he could obtain it. Rents in cot-
t°hPertY have reached their maximum point, beyond
the rentall' cannot go. The effects of an effort to increase
fo herdt
physicl;4on the domicile of the poor would be injurious
morally. They would be compelled to
t:"ett and
enittees;, ier several. families in one house.: health d com-
e°ul then be sinecures, and building acts passe
Politi health of the people a dead letter. lam a tyro in
the ea or I should have made scene observations upon
fnc
irahise, which would be materially affected by the
,tion of this measure. I can, therefore, merely make
to intlendo. Thus have I endeavoured (feebly it is true)
eur"Pose the mischievous tendency of this proposed mea •
e ; and in the language of the present First Lord of the
mtrl
'easury I would ask "-Where is the necessity for such
tteleasure—where its polscy ?—in principle partial and
ea,4ustantagonistic to the British Constitution in ope-
`loo—a drag upon the wheel of industry, sacrificing
'ei but benefitting none—a measure engrossing into
P lf all that is
and misery unjust and odious ire principle, with pau-
er m,in
its train ; virtue and morality, and
411 the noblest sentiments of humanity, join in its condem-
nation."

Liverpool, 11th May, 1844. ILLAUDATUS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIR,-1 had an idea of sending this letter to your op-
ponent the Ilfercury, but as I thought that the great
blodesty for which he is so notorious (and which is inva-
riably the conccmtitatit of merit) would prevent
.him from
blowing blowing his own trumpet, I have altered my mind,
''''esidered you would also have it in your power to show
t
/our
good turn.
tnagnanimity towards one who deserves so well a
Vl)ur hands, by doing him a
The facts are as follow :--- I have been suffering for
11°tne time past from sleeplessness, and my medical mar,
patience, by trying
itli! exhausted his ingenuity and
l}t somniferous effects of themvyarious drugs in the
ArrnlacoPeia," as he expresses. himself. However, all
t,,,e,1,Pd of no avail, until a kind neighbour, on a Friday
ei,:iing about three weeks ago, before I took nay medi-
zs e'
br°lltht me in the Mercury of that day. I com-
therne,"l4 to read his leader, and before I had got through
beea-vnd"B I began to feel drowsy ; after tenththeh line I
triir former slie-eP
lit'e feu"erPawered • and ere I had gone. halt'-dozen
Lours. ruler., ~ ,
hardly for some
afterL was fast asleep. I remained so.
Causes 7" waki g and supping, little suspecting the
fore
ot.
mtleirstinissed the
fore resumed , I took up the paper, but hha
the remainder of the leading articlleh
vee-
11°N° I.
Wa's fast a'leep, and slept
fiend that
" doctor," and find that a small dose
leadiap.eurY, especially a leader, has the desired e
hect I.
Renerail are to .1. .
',I ,e 1),• I must, however, admit t a I
I hav,,Y.-ceeP much better on a Friday.
111.0 1 ~,,,- "1011:ht it only due to the Mercury to state thisre:
4 little "Id also state that I believe if the Mercury wt 4'
doctoll°re read by the operritives of Liverpool, the
would have less influence over them.
I have to subset ibe myself,

GRATEFIII:, PATIENT.
_ A
I:l4ri er
use, !ianh?Ca ri:
hl )ei t Ic4
in-
had b'morn infant, portions of whose mutilate
ng
1 ir
ceus tana MURDERas n cheeAsl Td
attendant beforeiiAm Pl‘TiOor Nn. W
the 7CaOkddul eeßaYrTtehtf oti ?flit: na:
/44107: fonnd in and near to the sewer belongi
adverted
to have 1: Court Palace. The particulars already
INRas no ...e.." oar.ated, Mr. Wakley observed,dthhaett
there
a ej;.:(!of that this child had been murder,
°lved by'4:ealment of birth took place, and that was fol-
ould
he t 6„. horrid acts of mutilation, the inference
ehite,': it had been killed, lie was of opinion thatw this
throWrici ."t comerem the Palace at all;. but had
someheen
Persori
_aro. the drain, and very likely. by-
tat,,d min from a distance. The jury having
ktlrclerr 4 few minutes, returned a verdict of '`(Wilful
against some person or persons unknown.

CONDITION OF THE WORKING CLASSES,

On Saturday, pursuant to previous public notice, a
meeting was held at Willis's rooms, St. Jamrs's, of a
Society "fur the Improvement of the Condition of the
Labouring Classes." There was a very large attendance
of highly respectable persons, including a considerable
proportion of ladies. Among the gentlemen on the plat-
form were Lord Ashley, the Bishop of Salisbury, Viscount
Chelsea, R, v. R. Burgess, Sir George Rose, Rev. H.
the Rev. Mr. Bull, Mr. Colquhoun, M.P., &c.
Lord Asn LEY took the chair, and opened the proceed-
ing.; by an appropriate speech.
The Rev. HUGH M'NEILE, after some introductory
observations wth reference to himself and the circum-
stances which required his almost immediate departure
for Liverpool, said, with reference to the object which had
brought the meeting together, that she poor had feelings
as well as wan s, and this lay at the root of their real
work, if they would accomplish any real benefit. They
were engaged in forming a society for the improvement of
the condition of the labouring classes--a noble project,
but att-nded with serious difficulties It required no
;aibmutaitt arned-
dmeos
desire
t thhaen
aaccc ommn
snh
mc he rni st t
oi af n s hue:he ‘a• onl e
on eb
jee tcot
ow
uuired themudc„lstimreorweittrh) aei mffecatt. w prlt reecqiusiiorend, awnd wisdom
—arhrey
scrupled not to say worldly wisdom—a quality which was
not always found combined with piety and benevolence.
In the prospectus which had been printed preparatory to
the formation of this society there were three objects digs
tinctly laid clown. His lordship had already enumerated
them ; they referred to the dwellings of the poor, field
gardens or the allotment system,and friendly loan societies.
He apprehended the last would be found the easiest to be
carried into effect, because they would not be embarrassed
here by any consideration of property, which would
meet them in both the other instances. It might, per-
haps, sound strange if he referred to some places in Ire-
land as models for friendly loan societies; nevertheless,
he did so, and he ventured to say that inquiry concerning
the operation of friendly loan societies in some districts,
especially of the north of Ireland, would be attended with
an amount of information, both as to the details of the
working of those societies and the rules by which they
were to be set agoing, which could not fail to be highly
beneficial. On the other points they would at once meet
with the difficulty arising from property. He presumed
it was not the design of this society to confer upon land-
lords any increased rental. Yet the condition of the poor
man relatively with his landlord must be taken into ac-
count before they could wisely proceed to make any im-
provement in his dwelling ; for, how could they prevent
the landlord from demanding more rent than was formerly
paid if he found his tenant dwelling in a better house
than he formerly inhabited ? They might not increase
the generosity of the landlord. The landlord who would
stand by and allow them to make improvements on his
property, rather than make these improvements himself,
would, he thought, not improbably avail himself of the
improvements effected ; and thus, although the poor
man might have a better dwelling, be would never-
theless be compelled to pay a higher rent for it. This
must also be considered in the allotment system. It
struck him that, before any plan such as was sketched
in the prospectus of a model for imitation by the country
could be carried into effect, the society should pur-
chase an estate ; they must become themselves the
landlords. This would be an excellent mode of com-
mencing ; an es'ate should be purchased, its present cir-
cumstances accurately noted—the number of acres, of
dwellings, of population, and rent should all be clearly
stated and published ; then the new system should be
in'roduced, and after it had had fair operation another
statement should be published, showing the increase of
cultivation, the increase of population, the increase of
rent, the increase of happiness, the increase of all the ele-
ments of present prosperity and future happiness to the
people of the country. (Cheers.) Yet even here the
manner of proceeding demanded great care, for, as he said
before, they must remember that the poor had feelings as
well as wants, and all their efforts to relieve the physical
wants of the poor would prove in vain unless they were
administered with an enlightened regard to their moral
feelings. (Cheers.) Bounty would be misunderstood and
abused if it were administered without sympathy. In
vain would they improve the cottage garden or the small
farm,—in vain would they improve the arrangements
and drainage of the dwelling, thereby increasing its con-
venience and salubrity, unless at the same time they
made personal friends of the inmates. (Cheers.) The
enemies of good order were perniciously active in poison-
ing the fountains of moral feeling, especially with reference
to the bounty of the rich, in the bosoms of the poor; and
there was too much truth in the caustic definition of in-
gratitude which was given by that noble philosopher, Lord
Bacon :—" Ingratitude is a keen insight into the motives
of benevolence." A still higher authority had said that
" He who would have friends must show himself friendly."
This was the point—the poor must be made friends.
(Cheers.) They could not improve them as they im-
proved machinery—an outlay of money was but part of
what they required—there must be an outlay of care, of
kind atterition, of brotherly feeling, a manifestation of
regard for them as fellow-creatures, for whom Christ
died. (Cheers.) If noble lords, and right hon. and hon.
gentlemen, the proprietors of land and the proprietors of
factories, would give themselves the trouble to make
themselves personally acquainted with the poor under
their charge—if they would spend hour after hour amongst
their labouring poor—not grudging the interruption in
the labourer's time necessary to make a friend of the la-
bourer himself (cheers)—if they would go from farm
to farm on their estates, and from room to room
in their factories, manifesting an interest and culti-
vating a confidence, the best results might confidently
be anticipated. (Cheers.) It was only in this way
the thing could be done. He was bold to say that
the greatest outlay of money without the outlay of sympa-
thy and personal kindness would never attain the object
they had in view. (Cheers.) How was this to be at-
tained? It was easy to sign a check for a subscription to
a society for the benefit of the poor, and think no more
about the poor for whom that money is to be expended;
but that would never do. There must be a manifestation
of kindly feeling, and in order to this there must be an
appreciation of the poor man's character. The poor, he
repeated, had feJ ngs as well as wants. He claimed res-
pect for the poor man's character as well as pity for the
poor man's condtion. (Cheers.) All squalid as he
looked, bowed down under toil, what was he ? He was a
rnan ; arid what had he ? all ruined and penniless as he
appeared, he hid reason, conscience, immortality. Com-
pared with these, what were mines and lands? what were
stately mansions and gorgeous furniture? what the luxu-
ries of toe palace? what the rivalries of the Senate-house?
what the dignities of the Cabinet ? what all the conten-
tions and cold-blooded theories of an abstract philosophy ?
(Loud cheers.) Behold the labouring man—his brow
was furrowed, yet he seemed not careworn—there was an
air of serenity about him. His eye was sunk—perhaps
his nouri.hment had not been sufficient—perhaps his
home had been a home of sorrow—yet he did not seem
d:scontented. Tiler, was an expression of satisfaction
about him. He had not only reason, conscience, and im-
mortality, but all these were sanctified—he was a
Christian. God the Holy Ghost dwelt in him as in a tem-
ple—God the SO'n deigned to call him brother—God the
Father had adopted him as a child. These composed
tile true dignity of man—these would stand and shine in
everlasting, glory, when stars and honours among men, if
dissociated from piety, would shrink into everlasting con-
tempt. (Loud cheers.) But he was obliged to toil, he
was obliged to labour for his bread—he was so, but did
this make him less respectable? His object was to ele-
vate the poor man's character in their estimation ; they
must have a good opinion of his character—an opinion not
based upon the representations that were made continu-
ally of the wretchedness inseparable from his present con-
dition, and the crimes which perhaps were inseparable
horn that wretchedness—an opinion not gathered from
the statistical returns which represented the poor in a
disgusting point of view, but derived from their own
sense of what they owed to their fellow-creatures—to
those whom God delighted to honour, for he called the
poor of this world, " rich in faith, and heirs of the king-
dom ;" and one of the peculiar characteristics of the ever-
lasting Gospel, the basis of all our happiness was, that it
was preached to the poor. (Cheers.) He must toil—be
it so ; did that diminish his respectability? There had
gone abroad a most unaccountable infatuation, that the
necessity of constant labour was an evil ; and that they
were the favoured sons of Providence who were not under
any necessity to toil for their li‘.elihood. There could
not be a greater mistake; for industry, independent of
the blessed results that arose from it, was in itself most
sweet and satisfactory. Industry relieved the mind from
that distraction and that want of point and object which
rendered the slothful males path a hedge of thorns. In-
dustry was the guard of innocence ; it was the daily check
against those tendencies to vice which would otherwise
manifest themselves to our fallen nature. And who was
he that looked down on the man of toil ? Who despised
the man who was obliged to labour for his bread? Who
was lie who, traversing the wide domains of his own
estate, it might be, and looking from hill to hill, exulting
in the pride of his possessions—
" Views the simple rustic hind,
" 'Whose toils uphold the glittering show,
" A creature of another kind,
" Some coarser substance unrefined,
" Placed for his lordly ease far, far below ?"
(Cheers.) Who was he? It might be the slothful man
—infected with the leprosy of wealth—the bane of those
who had no employment they must attend to, and had no
nobleness of mind to make an employment for them-
selves. Sloth was detes able, mischievous—worse than
useless. The slothful man was a disgrace to his species.
The powers of mind and body which might be used to
the glory of God and the good of our fellow-creatures
were frittered away, morning after morning, upon a pro-
longed toilet, which, when made, only made the wearer
of it ridiculous ;—(loud cheers)—and evening after even-
ing upon eating and drinking and pleasuring, which
served but to rivet on their votaries the chains of selfish-
ness and vanity. (Continued cheers.) The man of toil
was the man of the highest respectability. The man of
daily, diligent, industrious toil for his family, who, by
the sweat of his brow, under the solemn curse of our first
parent, continued to produce materials for the support of
himself and family—compare that man, returning with
his stained person and his weary sinews from his toil
to his home in the evening—compare him with the
youth of fashion returning from his idle lounging
ride or walk—which was the more respectable ? which
was more an object of affection—on which would
they lavish more attention—which would they have
more respect for? (Cheers.) He claimed respect
for his poor friends' character. He asked the affection of
their hearts for them ; and then they would set about im-
proving their dwellings and their condition, not with a
cold attention, but with a warm heart. (Loud cheers.)
It was in this way their object was to be gained, and in
this way alone. Tue poor must be visited, not with the
ostentation of condescension, which would barely wait for
a reply to questions put with scarcely civility, and which,
instead of good, inflicted a double evil—evil to those who