The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-31 00:00:00

THE EIGHTEENTH OF DECEMBER AT LON

DONDERRY.

In our last we announced the commencement of our
great civic anniversary of the shutting of the gates. At
dawn, on the " Glorious 18th" (Wednesday last), the
roar of artillery and the pealing of the joy bells were
heard as usual, and the flags waved in the customary
places—the city flag (1688) on the Testimonial, Royal
standard on the bastion beneath, the Irish Society's ban-
ner in thessouth.west bastion, and the virgin banner from
the east end of the cathedral. At eight o'clock the 'pren-
tice boys had assembled at the Linen Hall, and thence
proceeded round the ramparts with eight field pieces,
firing salvos at each of the following points in succession
—Mall Wall, Artillery Bastion. 'loyal Bastion. At 11
o'clock the apprentice boys, together with a vast number
of persons interested in the celebration, formed in pro-
cession and walked to the cathedral, in order to take part
in the customary services of the day, and to hear a ser-
mon, which, it was under3tood, would be preached by
the Rev. James Graham, with reference to the occasion.
The procession was met at the cathedral door by the
Dean, the Rev. James Graham, and the Rev. W. Stack,
when J. W. Gregg, Esq., President of the Apprentice
Boys, claimed permission, on the part of his brethren,
from the dean, to erect, within the cathedral, a shell
which had been thrown into the city during the siege,
and which contained a written proposal for a surrender in
the following words :

TO THE SOLDIERS AND INHABITANTS OF DERRY.
" The conditions offered by Lieut. Gen. Hamilton are
sincere! the power he hath of the King is real ; be no
longer imposed upon by such as tell you the, contrary.
You cannot be ignorant of the King's clemency towards
his subjects. such of you as choose to serve his ma-
jesty shall he entertained without disinction in point of
religion. If any choose to leave the kingdom they shall
have passes. You shall be restored to your estates and
livings, and have free liberty of religion, wlntsoevar it be.
If you doubt the powers given to General Hamilton by
the King, twenty of you may come and see the patent with
freedom, under the King's hand. Be not obstinate against
your natural prince; expose yourselves no longer to the
miseries you undergo, which will grow worse and w,,rse
if you continue to be opinionate ; for it will be too late
to accept of the offer now made when your condition is
so low that you cannot resist the King's forces longer.—
July 10:11, 169."

The shell was suitably mounted on a metal pillar, cast
at the foundry of Captain Coppin, and to it was affixed a
brass plate, with an explanatory inscription. The dean
having given his assent, the procession entered the church,
when their banners were p'accd on each side of the mayor's
seat. A very large and respectable congregation was
collected on the occasion. After the morning service,
Mr. Graham preached a most excellent and instructive
sermon from Phil. ii., 4—" Look not every man on his
own things, but every man also on the things of others."
The rev. gentleman taught his auditory that no feelings
akin to bigotry or party spirit ought to be awakened by
the event of 1688, or by its annual celebration in this
city, the defeat of James and his foreign mercenaries
being the defeat of arbitrary tyranny, as well es the pro-
tection of the laws, and the salvation of our civil and
religious liberties. He then contrasted the revolution of
1688 with that of France, and after enumerating the
blessings which flowed from the ever memorable even' of
the siege, concluded by urging the duty of cultivating
kind and Christian feelings towards all. The sermon
occupied an hour and an half in the delivery.
After the congregation had retired from the cathedral,
the apprentice boys proceeded to bring their field-pieces
again to the Mall Wall, where a royal salute was fired,
and three cheers given for Queen and Constitution, after
which the artillery was finally deposited in the Linen
Hall. An immense assemblage was by this time col-
lected on the ramparts and in the streets contiguous to
the Testimonial, to witness the burning of Lundy, whose
effigy, extremely well executed, hung from the capital of
the column. This portion of the day's proceedings went
off as usual, amidst the cheers and huzzas of the specta-
tors, not less than from eight to ten thousand were as-
sembled.
In the evening the summit of the Testomonial was very
agreeably illuminated by a device of the British crown
and the motto " 1688." This spectacle afforded very
great gratification to all who witnessed it, At ,the ust.al
hour the several clubs met at their respective rooms, and
the remainder of the evening was spent in innocent hila-
rity, and the expression of loyal feeling.
Nothing occurred during the entire day tending to give
dissatisfaction or offence to thee, who formerly looked on
our annual celebration with reprobation. There was no
display of party emblems--no music or banners ; all pas.
sed over with the utmost hilarity and good humour, and
at an early hour in the evening the city assumed its usual
quiet aspect.—Londonderry Standard.

THE TRAGEDY AT ASHFORD.—The coroner's jury
have returned a verdict of " wilful murder as to the death
of the woman, and fele de se in the case of the man."
THE FOG IN LONDON.—On Sunday morning, a few
minutes before 12 o'clock, the metropolis and its environs
were visited with so dense a fog that, though mid-day, it
had the appearance of night. At many of the churches
and chapels it was necessary to have the lamps lighted to
enable the clergymen to proceed with the service. The
steamers and other vessels proceeding up and down the
river dropped their anchors, it being totally impossible to
discern objects ten yards distant. About two o'clock the
wind shifted, when rain commenced, and the fog dis-
persed.
THE FOG
IN PARIS.—The Presse states, that an in-
tense fog covered Paris on Thursday morning. It was
dispelled at the moment the King quitted the Chamber of
Deputies and returned to the Tuileries, but it became so
heavy from 2 to 6 o'clock that the authorities were obliged
to forbid carriages to cross any of the bridges. It was
difficult, and indeed impossible, to drive a carriage
through the thick fog which covered Paris at that time.
Towards 6 o'clock the Place de Carousel presented a sin-
aular spectacle. Persons who wished to cross the pl-ce
found themselves in en opposite direction from that they
wished to attain. Coachmen who had lost their way were
heard to demand assistance, and for fear of accidents they
remained stationary. Immediately a number of boys,
furnished with flambeaux, made their appearance, and
for a trifling gratuity extricated the pass ngers from their
difficulties. At the same hour more than 100 carriages
were collected near the Pont Neuf, where they were
obliged to remain, the coachmen from their seats not
being able to discern the heads of the.r horses. On the
Boulevards the fog was scarcely perceptible.
A CATALOGUE OF MISFORTUNES. -- Last week we
mentioned the case of a grandson of Mr. Anderson, shoe-
maker, High-street, who was so severely burned by his
clothes catching fire as to cause death in a day or two
thereafter. We have since been informed that the fol-
lowing calamities have occurred in the same family within
the last three weeks :—A sister of the deceased boy had
her leg broken while descending from a cart, and has not
yet been able to bear removal from her bed. A brother,
while melting some wax at a candle, happened to let a
portion of it fall upon his mother's hand, which has since
become so inflamed as to create apprehensions whether it
may be preserved to her; while the same brother lately
nearly lost his life by some boys sliding down upon his
head as be was ascending a ladder, his cheek having been
cut to the bone. A second sister, on the day of her late
brother's funeral, fell asleep by the fire, and losing her
balance, grasped the bars with her hand, and was dread-
fully burned ; and the grandfat her, Mr. Anderson, in at-
tempting to save his late grandson, had his hand and arms
so severely scorched as to have disabled him from using
them since. A very wide-spread sympathy is felt for the
misfortunes of this family.—Perthshire Courier.
CATHOLIC BEQUEST ACT.—The Gazelle notifies the
appointment of ten persons, five of whom are Roman
Catholics, to act as commissioners of charitable donations
and bequests for Ireland agreeably to the provisions of
the act 7th and Bth of her Majesty, cap. 97. The follow-
ing are the names and titles given in the Gazette.—" The
Most Rev. John George, Lord Archbishop of Armagh,
and Primate of all Ireland ; the Most Rev. Richard, Lord
Archbishop of Dublin; the Most Rev. Archbishop Wil-
ham Crolly; the Most Rev. Archbishop Daniel Murray;
the Right Hon. John Heley, Earl of Donoughmore,
K.S.P. : the Right Rev. Bishop Cornelius Denvir ; the
Very Rev. Henry Pakenham, Dean of St. Patrick's
Dublin ; the Right Hon. Sir Patrick Bellew, Bart. ;
the Right Hon. Anthony Richard Blake ; the Rev. Pooley Suldham Henry, D.D." The Dublin Freeman makes a grievance of this notice on the score
that, whilst the dioceses of the Protestant archbishops
are given, the Most Rev. Dr. Crolly "
where," whilst Doctor Murray is " stylee. Daniel
Murray,' ' Archbishop of -- some place, it is to
be presumed, but our conciliatory G, vernment knows
not where." This carping seems, to say the least of it, a
little ungracious, when the simple facts are these ; for the
first time since the enactment of the penal laws, Roman
Catholic prelates have been recognised by their titles, in
an official document emanating from the Queen in Coun-
cil and published by authority. It will also be observed
that not only do the Roman Catholic bishops get their
titles, but they also get precedence according to rank.
Thus Archbishops Crolly and Murray take rank before
the Earl of Donoughmore, and the Right Reverend Bisho
Denvir before the Protestant:Dean of St. Patrick's. Thep Dublin Moni or states that there is a difference of opi-
nion between Mr. O'Connell and the majority of a com-
mittee of the Repeal Association, on the subject of the act.
The Irish crown lawyers, Messrs. Smith and Greene,
having been consulted in reference to the operation of the
act on the regular clergy, have given an opinion exactly
contrary to that of Mr. O'Connell. They say,
are of opinion that the 10th George IV., cap. 7, does not,
either expressly, or by implication, render a devise,
donation, or bequest to a member of such religious
order unlawful. A devise, donation, or bequest to a
member of such religious order, for his own use, or
upon any trust not contrary to law, would, in our
opinion, be valid. 2dly, We are of opinion that the
7th and Bth Victoria, cap. 97, has not in this respect
made any alteration in the law, and that it is not
calculated to prejudice or raise any doubt, by implication,
or otherwise, as to the pre-existing rights of any member
or members of such religious order or community." At
a meeting of the opponents of the bill, held in Dublin, on
Wednesday se' nnight, Mr. O'Connell, after refer ring to
the Catholic prelates on the board in terms of respect and
veneration, said. " It (the measure) was a triumph of one
portion of the Catholic community over anotl er, and he
was one of the defeated party. lie regretted not being
able to agree in opinion with these venerated prelates;
but, after all, they were, like himself, only fallible men,
and, with great respect, be expressed his opinion that they
were in error." Archbishop Murray has published a
pastoral
some address on the subject of the act, in which he re-
proves of his opponents, for " angry discussion,"
• misapprehension," and " mistaken zeal." Headmit s that
the act contains defects, which may be realedied by parlia-
ment, but he says that the benefits it conifers arc im_
portant, and that its agrees are comparatively of little
moment.