The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-07-01 00:00:00

POETRY

ROME REJOICING OVER THE DOWNFAL OF
ENGLAND'S PROTESTANTISM.

FOR THIS LIVERPOOL STANDARD

There are joyous hearts this day within the " holy city's" walls,
And merry mocking laughter rings amid her stately halls;
And through her streets the hurrying crowds pass on with

aspect gay,
For all her busy populace are keeping holiday
. .

,
A hundred are pealing out from steeple and from dome,
And shouts of triumph rend the air;—as when Imperial Rome
Has welcomed, in her day of pride, her warriors from the field,
And you heard the cheering hosts above the clang of spear and
shield.
Oh, well those sour ds might wake within their funereal urn
The spirits of her mighty dead—those soldiers stout and stern—
As, 'midst her ruined fanes they start, with their discordant din,
The echoes which have slept since la-,t a conqueror marched in !

Yet different far from those of old who trod her Appian way,
Keeping high festival, are they who throng Rome's streets to-
day.

No toga'd senator is here ; no proud patrician name
By all these myriad voices is breathed with loud acclaim;
No legionary fierce from Gaul or Germany is here;
No kn'ghtly pennon flaunts the air; no we.r-cry strikes the ear;
Nor wail of captives mingling with the cymbal's brazen sound,
Nor prancing tread of armed steed and chariot shakes the
ground.

But:..- in their stead, of cowled monks and priests a gloomy
, -

And cardinals in k rdly state, her streets are borne :long;
With crucifix and relic old for banner and for spear,
And mumbled Are Marys for trumpet shrill and clear.
And, as the host is rai,ed aloft and censers swung on high,
Each knee is bent, each head is bared, and, with abased eye,
Yet lower than to consuls or to emperors of yore,
Crouch down Rome's craven citizens those churchmen proud
before.

On, on they pass, that mingled throng, till, like a swollen tide,
At length they enter where St. Peter's opes her portals wide,
Filling with pent-up human forms each cloister dark and lone,
And flooding o'er the fabric vast. from nave to altar-stone.
Why lighted up is every eye, and decked each face with smiles,
As swells the loud Te Ileum adown the lofty aisles?
14 •rk ye those furtive whisperings each solemn strain between ?
There's triumph in those sneering lips and glances proud, I ween.
And he, that stern old man, who now before the altar stands,
With triple crown upon his head and sceptre in his hands,
What inward gladness fires his eye so pas3ionless and cold ?
What joy has flushed the whiteness of his cheek so worn and
old ?

Lo ! hushed is now the anthem ; Benedicite is said ;
And from each street and square and place those joyous crowds
have sped.
'Tis midnight in a lofty hall, within the Vatican,
Surrounded by his cardinals, sits now that stern old man.
Full many a furrowed face, with age and watching marked, is
there ;
Yet meet not those right reverend men in council or at prayer,
But, in high banquet seated, they pass the wine-cup on,
And 'mongst the names they toast are heard " Peel "—;` Stan-
ley "—" Wellington."
Uprises now, at length, from out his gorgeous chair of state,
His Holiness the Pope; and thus he speaks with look elate :

" Rejoice, my br thren of the cross ! your toils are almost done.
Rejoice, my soldiers staunch and true! the victory is won.
Proud England, lately of enfranchised Christendom the trust,
Beneath our feet abased, at length submits to lick the dust.
Our tools are in her sc nate and our influence round her throne;
Rejoice, my soldiers staunch and true I proud England is our
nvu n

Now will the sceptre mighty, which so long has swayed the
world,

Fall from her hands

and, in its stead, Rome's banner be un-

Now heresy must shrink aba,hed, and crouch beneath our frown,
And England's boasted liberties for aye be smitten down.
Soon in her rich cathedrals, and in each village fane,
Where breathed is now the Word of Life, in chaunt or simpler

The stately mass will be performed, the host aloft be borne,
And England be of Rome and of the world the Clive and scorn.
Our grasp upon her church, and our feet upon her throne—
Rejoice, my brethren staunch and true ; proud England i our

own ! "

The shout which rang within that hall, of triumph scud and
deep,

And stirred Rome's early martyrs from their long sepulchra
sleep.

Oh, would that it could penetrate the chamber, where at home!
Great Britain's senators are met to sacrifice to Rome.
And o'er a nation, once of truth and liberty the nurse,
To bring of foul idol try the scandal and the curse !
Oh, would the cry could reach our gracious Sovereign on her
throne—

That loud, triumphant boast of Rome—
own ! "

Proud England is our

G. B. J,

SELECTIONS

LOW FARES ON THE BELGIAN RAILWAYS.—We were
much struck with the low charges of railway travelling in
Belgium, as compared with those in England. From
Antwerp to Brussels, for example, a distance of about 24
miles, the fares are,—diligences, 3 francs 50 cents ; chars-
a-bancs, 2 francs 25 cents ; and wagons, 1 franc 75 cents ;
that is 2s. 91d., Is. 71d., and Is. 41d. ; whereas the same
distance upon any of the great lines in England would be
above Gs. 4s. and 2s. Upon an average we found it to be
only about one-half the expense of similar travelling at
home. The consequence is, that far more people travel
by railway in Belgium than in England. We were asto-
nished at the crowds that went with us in every direction,
but more particularly between Brussels and Antwerp,
and towards Ghent and Bruges. The increase in the re-
ceipts of the different lines has beep great, as the advan-
tages have been developed. The lines now in operation
were completed in October, ]843: since which time their
receipts have increased in a most extraordinary propor-
tion. During the past year (1844) the traffic of heavy
merchandise was nearly double the amount of the preced-
ing year, amoun.ing to about 500,000 tons. The increase
of passengers was still more extraordinary, that traffic
alone having realized something not far sbort, it is said,
of 10,000,000 of francs.—Ramsay's Belgium and the
Rhine.

THE LAKE OF VALENCIA.—A COMBAT AND ITS RE-
SULTS.—The natives are never wearied of praising the
beauties of their lake, and it certainly affords every ex-
cu- e for their partiality. The lake of Valencia, or Tar-
corigua is 517 varas above the level of the sea. It is
studded with islands, and fed by the numerous rivulets
which fertilize the surrounding valleys. It is twenty-five
leagues in circumference; its waters abound with good
fish, and its edges with wild fowl. No dangerous animals
frequent its favoured waters, the only reptile of the cro-
codile family which is found here being the bays, a small
alligator, about three feet in length, and inoffensive; in
fact, a benefactor to mankind. To him is attributed the
discovery of the efficacy of the raz di mato as an antidote
to the bite of the cascabel, or rattlesnake. The Indians,
who formerly dwelt upon the borders of the lake, had
long watched the combats between their venerated bavas
and the deadly enemy, without discovering the cause
of their encounter of danger with impunity. It
chanced that an aged chief, looking down from his
hammock as it swung from the boughs of a tree, wit-
nessed an encounter of longer duration than ordinary.
He observed the bays frequently during the fight, break
away from his antagonist, and, seizing in his teeth the
stake of a vine which grew thickly around, and tearing up
the roots, return to the combat with fresh vigour, till the
cascabel, being overpowered, was dragged off by the vic-
tor to his home in the lake. The crafty old savage,
descending from his hammock, examined the plant,
which was the raz di mato, and immediately spread its
reputation among his tribe. The raz di mato is said to
be uncertain in its operation, and much inferior to the
guaco vducho.—Colburn's Netv Monthly Magazine.
KING JAMES AT THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE.—
James beheld, from the hill of Donore, his left wing out-
flanked, his centre broken, his right inactive. The spi-
rit of his youth was frozen ; the elasticity which gives
nerve to enterprise was relaxed; old age and the impres-
sion made by unwarlike advisers had chilled those feelings,
which, in his earlier years, impelled him to encounter the
dangers of the fielo. The hero, who in Flanders excited
the admiration of Turenne, sunk into the coward on the
banks of the Boyne, and declined leading the charges of
his own horse, when lie might have restored the battle,
and prevented an inglorious retreat. Panic-struck, and
guided by counsels suggested by selfishness and fear, he
abandoned an army that was beaten, not broken ; that
yielded to superiority of numbers and generalship, but
had still resources and determination to prolong the con-
test indefinitely. Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Limerick,
Youghal, and the line of the Shannon, all of which were
in the hands of the Irish, presented obstacles to William's
success that should have inspired James with confidence
in maintaining the contest; but Lanni), sensible of his
ow.i incapacity in camps, but conscious of his admirable
talents for courts, was eager to quit a country where he
could reap no harvests of glory, and where he had no field
to exercise those arts and practice those intrigues which
had raised him to the pinnacle of favour at Versailles.
He, therefore, advised James to seek safety in flight, to
return to France, and thus escape being made prisoner by
William. He would give his right hand to have accom-
panied him, but his duty commanded him to guide the re-
treat of the French troops, or perish with them. This ill-
judged counsel was seconded by Talbot, Earl of Tyrcon-
nel. Talbot was brave in danger, pusillanimous in disaster.
In the route of the Boyne he viewed the cause of James
as hopeless, that of William as triumphant. He had
estates and dignities to preserve, and only in an accommo-
,dalion could he see security for them. If James re-
mained, the contest would be prolonged beyond the hope
of an accommodation. He, therefore, sent his chaplain
to him to press his flight to France, and to work on his
fears of tailing into the hands of William. James reaohed
Dublin op that same day ; and, conscious that his flight
would be construed into cowardice, be sought to shelter
his fame, not only under the cover of the suggestions of
his officers, but likewise under that of the advice of his
privy council.— O'Conor's Military History of Me. Irish
Nation.

A PARTY AT GLOUCESTER LODGE.—At this classic
villa of the foreign secretary, one of the suite of rooms is
the library. We went into it, to coffee, after leaving the
dinner-table. The conversation became literary. Wash-
ington Irving's Sketch-book was spoken of, and highly
commended. Mr. Canning said it was a work of extraor-
dinary merit ; but he preferred the American pieces. In
this preference others joined. The " Dutch School.
master " and " hip Van Winkle " were singled out, as
rich in humour. The topic changing, Swift came on the
tapis. Several of his pieces were called up. with genuine
gusto. Mr. Canning was on a sofa; Mr. Plants next to
him ; I and others, in chairs, dotted around. " Planta,"
said Mr. Canning, " pray hand down the volume con-
taining the voyage to Brobdignag ; seamen say that it is
capital ; and as true, nautically, as Shakspere always is,
when he undertakes to use sea terms." Mr. Planta took
down the volume, and read the passage. One sentence in
it runs thus: " It was a very fierce storm, the sea broke
strange and dangerous; we hauled off upon the lanyard
of the whipstaff, and helped the man at the helm."
When he was done, all admired the passage, under this
new view and commendation of it, which Mr. Canning
had given us. He himself said nothing for a few mo-
ments, but sat silent ; then, as if in reverie, he uttered, in
a low tone, yet very distinctly, the words " and help the
man at the helm ! and help the mon at the helm !" re-
peated them. It seemed as if the helm at the foreign of-
fice. with all its anxieties, had suddenly shot into his
mind, clouding, for a moment, his social ease. His fami-
liar friends of the circle bantered him a little on that
fancy. He declared off, however, and only said that it
was a fine passage. So passed this agreeable evening in
the library at the Gloucester Lodge.—Bush's Residence
at the Court of London.

ANTIQUITY or HORSE RACING.—In the drawing-
ro m (of Leasowe Castle, now the residence of Sir Ed-
ward Cust) is, among other valuable pictures, a very an-
cient one of a horse-race that occurred here in the days of
James 1., including portraits of that mcnarch and his
sons sharing in the sport, in which a buxom lady in a car-
riage driven by servants in the royal livery, participates.
The Wallasey Leasowe is probably the oldest gentleman's
race-course in the kingdom, being noticed by Webb as
existing in the early part of the seventeenth century.
The races at the Rood-eye, at Chester, or at Smithfield
and other places were comparatively the sports of a mere
fair, and could offer no rivalry to the aristocratic amuse-
ments of the Leasowe course, which, in 1683, had rather
an illustrious jockey, in the person of the famous Duke of
Monmouth. Attended by a great retinue of gentry, the
Duke was on a tour, courting popularity in the western
counties. At Chester he condescended to become spon-
sor to the daughter of the Mayor of that city, and, amid
the festivities attendant on that event, hearing that the
principal families of the county had assembled at the
Wallasey Races, he went thither and rode himself, which
he won, and presented the prize to his infant god-daugh-
ter. In addition to the high antiquity and noble jockey-
ship of the Leasowe Race-course, it also claims to have
once offered the highest prize in the kingdom ; for, in
1721, the great families of the west entered into an agree-
ment to subscribe liberally for a sweepstakes to be run
for ten seasons on this course. In conformity with this
arrangement the Groavenors, Stanleys, Cholmondelys,
Egertons, Wynnes, and some others subscribed twenty
guineas each annually, and undertook that their own
horses should be brought to contest the stakes. The last
of these races occurred in 1732 ; they were then removed
to Newmarket, where, for many years, the " Wallasey
Stake " formed a leading prize, but the Leasowe conti-
nued to be a trial or training course until the middle of
the last century. An old building in the village of Walla-
sey, said to have been the Grosvenor stable, yet exists, on
the doors of which the horse's plates remained until the
last three or four years.—Morlimer's History of Wirral.

imperial Varliamritt.

HOUSE OF OF LODRS.-MONDAY

In answer to a question from the Marquis of London-
derry,

Lord STANLEY said that the government would press
forward the Irish landlord and tenant bill ; but after the
second reading he would move that it should be referred
to a select committee.

In replytoa question from the Marquis of Lansdowne,

The Earl of bALHOUSIE said that iri all cases of acci:
dents on railways, the Board of Trade invariably dispatched
the Inspector General to the locality, even though there
might have been no injury to the passengers and car-
riages ; and when the causes were discovered, the railway
company was communicated with, in order that the re-
quisite precautions might be adopted.
Lord BROUGHAM moved the suspension of the stand-
ing orders, in order that the small debts bill might be
passed through all its stages. This was agreed to, and the
bill accordingly passed.

The Earl of RIPON moved the second reading of the
Scotch banking bill.

The Earl orßAnsoa opposed it, and moved that it be
read a second time that day six months.

Lord KivNAIRD seconded the amendment

The Earl of DALHOUSIE defended the bill ; after
which the amendment was negatived without a division,
and the bill was read a second time.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY

Mr. Serjeant MURPHY explained the circumstances
under which he had allowed the three Courts of Com-
mon Law Process Bills to be thrown out. After having
undertaken the care of the bills he found so much objec-
tion to them amongst the profession in Ireland that he
wrote to Lord Campbell, requesting him to relieve him
from their guardianship, and the noble lord had written
to him in reply, that he was quite right to wash his hands
of them (a laugh,) that he did not care much about them,
and that, perhaps, the best course to pursue would be to
let them drop as decently as possible. (Great laughter.)
lie felt it but just to himself to make this explanation, as
he must otherwise appear to have betrayed a trust which
had been reposed in him.

In reply to a question from Mr. E. B. ROCHE, Sir J.
GRAHAM said, it was the intention of the government to
pass the Colleges (Ireland) Bill and the Landlord and
Tenant Bill this session, but he thought it would be quite
impossible to pass a registration bill for Ireland.

Mr. J. O'CoNNELCpresented a great number of peti-
tions against the Colleges (Ireland) Bill, as it now stands.
Sir R. PEEL presented two petitions in favour of the
bill.

Sir J. GRAHAM then proceeded to state some of the
details of the expenses of the colleges. He proposed
that the salary of the president of each college should be
£7OO ; of the vice-president £4OO ; that there should be
twelve or fourteen professors at salaries of £3OO and £2OO
a-year ; librarian, £200; bursar, £100; and servants,
three hundred pounds. There would be a sufficient sur-
plus remaining to provide for library, philosophical in-
struments, and giving premiums at public examinations
to those pupils who might distinguish themselves. The
right hon. gentleman then stated that the Crown would
retain the nomination of the presidents and vice presidents
of the colleges, but he was not unwilling that after the
year 1848 it should be open to parliament to reconsider as
to the mode of appointing professors. He thought also
that an University to grant degrees should be a supple-
ment to these colleges. Every enco-ragement should be
given to the erection of halls ; and the heads of the reli-
gious establishments in those quarters should visit them.
Lord MAHON then moved his amendment, that "it is
the opinion of this House that in the establishment of
colleges in Ireland provision should be made for the te-
ligious instruction of the pupils by means of lecture fees,
tilt such time es private benefactions for that object may
have taken effect."

After a discussion, in which Mr. O'Connell took part
in opposition to the bill in its present state, a division
took place; when the amendment was lost by 189 to 49.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY.
Several railway bills were advanced ; amongst others
the Oxford and Rugby, the third reading of which was
carried, on a division, by 132 agaihst 95.
The Earl of ABERDEEN, in answer to a question from
the Marquis Of BREADALBANE, defended the conduct of
the Government with regard to the case of Dr. Kel-
ley, of Madeira, and declared that the treatment which
that gentleman and his converts had met with at the hands
of the Portuguese Government was quite sanctioned by
the liws of Portugal.

Lord STANLEY then moved the second reading of the
Irish Tenants Compensation Bill.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said, that he had in
his hand a protest signed by 36 peers, complaining of the
measure, as destructive of the rights of property, In his
opinion, the bill contained some most objectionable clau-
ses, particularly that providing for the Commissioner at
Dublin and his assistants, who were to exercise inquisi-
torial powers over landlords, and could not fail to excite
their utmost jealousy. It would be much better to leave
Ireland to herself than to force measures such as this
against the landed interest. 'I ha noble lord concluded by
reading the protest, and expressing his most decided
hostility to the bill.

After a discussion, the second reading was carried by
a majority of 48 to 34.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.--TUESDAY.
Mr. HUTT brought on the following motion, " that the
course pursued by Great Britain since 1814 for the sup-
pression of the slave-trade has been attended by large ex-
penditure of the public money, and by serious loss of
life to the naval forces of the country, and that it has not
mitigated the horrors of the middle passage, nor di-
minished the extent of the traffic in slaves." After
noticing the desire and efforts of this country to abolish
the slave-trade, be proceeded to contend that the time
was at length arrived when the House might inquire
whether these exertions had been successful. In spite of
all the expense which we had incurred, we had signally
failed in our efforts to put down the slave-trade, and with
consequences frightful to contemplate. He then referred
to the facts on which this opinion was founded, and
proved by copious quotations from Sir F. Buxton's book,
that the number of Africans annually exported from their
country to Brazil and Cuba, as slaves, had increased from
90,000 at the commencement of the present century, to
194,000 in 1833. He showed that it might be more, but
it could not be less at present than 200,000, when the
importation into Porto Rica, Buenos Ares, Texas, and
the United States is taken into consideration. He could
not calculate the number of lives among our own country-
men annually sacrificed to this useless system, but the
outlay of money was not less than £500,000 annually,
and since 1806 had amounted altogether to £17,000,000
sterling. He might be asked, if this system was bad,
whether he could propose a better? It was not his duty
to find a remedy for such a wretched state of things ; but
if he were asked for one, he would say, " Withdraw
your cruisers from the coast of Africa ; they are produc-
tive of nothing but evil—attend to the recommendations
of the report of your committee of 1842, and promote
commercial intercourse with the nations in the interior."
He did not recommend the House to send out another
Niger expedition, for that had always appeared to him to

be an insane project; but he did recommend it to throw
open the ports of the West Indies and its other tropical
colonies to the fullest importation of free labour.
Sir G. COCKBURN observed that the only difference
which existed in the House on this subject was as to the
means of putting down the slave-trade. Mr. Hutt
thought that it would be most effectually accomplished by
withdrawing our cruisers from the coast of Africa; but
in that opinion he could by no means agree. Last year
we had adopted a new system for the suppressiou of this
trade. We had doubled our force on the coast, and had
established blockades of the places where the trade was
chiefly carried on, and the success of that plan was now
beginning to exhibit itself. Besides, we had concluded a
new convention with France, by which an additional
naval force would be stationed on the slave coast. Our
present plans ought, therefore, to have a fair trial ; and he
therefore recommended the House to wait and see whether
they would not be more effectual in suppressing the evil
which all lamented than the singular plan proposed by
Mr. Hutt, of putting it down by opening a free trade in
slaves at once.

The House was soon after counted out, and the motion
consequently dropped.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY

On the motion of Lord ASHLEY, the Lunatics' Asylum
and the Pauper Lunatics Bill went through a committee
pro forma", in order to enable his lordship to insert seve-
ral amendments in it. The report was received forthwith,
and the bill was ordered to be printed.
On the motion of Mr. GREENE, the report on the Sta-
tute Labour (Scotland) Bill was brought up. The bill
was afterwards recommitted, and after several amend-
ments were made in it, the report was ordered to be re-
ceiveo the following day. _ _

On the motion of Afr: LIDDELL that the Dog-stealing
Bill_be committed, .

Mr. D. DU;CDAS opposed the measure on the ground
that it was unnecessary, and if necessary too severe. It
was monstrous to give two justices power to punish a
second conviction for dog-stealing with transportation
for seven years, especially when that conviction was made
without the intervention of a jury.
After ['few words to the same effect from Mr. H ENLE Y

Sir J. GRAHAM considered that the penalty of trans-
portation for seven years for a second conviction for dog-
stealing was too severe, and therefore recommended Mr.
Liddell not to persevere in the clause which imposed it.
He pointed out the anomalies in the existing law as suffi-
cient reasons for amending it. An indictment for steal-
ing a dog worth £25 would fail, unless a count were added
for stealing its collar, which might not be worth more
than 7s. 6d. A man was now undergoing transportation
for stealing such a dog, but he had been indicted for
stealing its collar, and had been convicted of that of-
fence, and no other.

Mr. LIDDELL was prepared to take the friendly advice
of Sir J. Graham.

After a few remarks from Mr. B. ESCOTT, the house
went into committee, and several amendments were made
in the bill. The house then resumed, and the report was
ordered to be brought up on Wednesday next.
On the motion of Mr. MACKINNON, the Smoke Pro-
hibition Bill was committed. Several amendments were
made, and considerable discussion took place upon its
clauses in committee. The house then resumed, and the
report was ordered to be brought up on Friday.
Lord JOHN MANNERS postponed the second reading
of the Pious and Chat itable Purposes Bill till Wednes-
day, the 16th of July.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and
the house adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THURSDAY

Lord STANLEY moved a select committee on the Irish
Tenant's Compensation Bill.
Lord PORTMAN moved the second reading of the
English Landlord and Tenants' Bill, which, on a discus-
sion, was thrown out.

Several other bills were forwarded a stage, and their
lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY

The Liverpool and Bury (Bolton, Vi;;;,-;,id Liver-
pool, and Bury Extension Railway was read a third time
and passed.—The lords' amendments to the Manchester
and Leeds llailway (Burnley Branch, and Oldham and
Heywood Branches Extension) were agreed to.
The SOLICITOR GENERAL moved for a writ of error
against the judgement of the Court of Queen's Bench
in the case of Howard v. Gossett, as an intermediate step
between the adoption of the views of the supporters of ex-
treme opinions on the subject of privilege, and the advo-
cates of abject submission by the House of the Courts of
Law.

Mr. HUME moved as an amendment that the privi-
leges of the house should not be intrusted to any other
authority than the house itself, which, on a division, was
negatived by a majority of 32 in a house of 124 members.
Mr. ROEBUCK contended that the house ought not to
make this pettifogging attempt to sustain its privileges in
a c ;urt of law, but should at once lay by the heels every
man who questioned its privileges ; and, after an ani-
mated debate, in which Sir Robert Inglis, Mr. B. Escott,
Mr. Sergeant Murphy, Lord Mahon, Mr. C. Wynn, Mr.
J. S. Gorthy, Lord John Russell, Mr. F. Kelly, and Sir
Thomas Wilde delivered their opinions at great length,
Sir Robert Peel summed up, and the house divided,
when there appeared—For the original motion 82 ; against,
it,JB ; majority, 34. _ _ _

The other orders of the day being disposed of the
house adjonrned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY

The report on the Ecclesiastical Courts Bill gave occa-
sion to a protest from the Bishop of Salisbury, who
thought such an important bill should proceed from her
Majesty's Minister's, instead of from an individual mem-
ber of the house. (The bill was introduced by Lord
Cottenham.)