The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-05-07 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

1 THE MAGISTRATES, THE TOWN COUNCIL,
AND THE ORANGEMEN.

meeting of the Town-Council on Wednesday last
throws a little niOre light than we had previously upon the
proceedings of the authorities with respect to the seven
members of Orange benefit goCieties, who have been dis-
covered to belong to the Liverpool Po:.
ice Force; and, we
must say, the disclosures made do not very motet itlll, im-
prove the position of the magistracy. What is it that is
urged in defence of the proceedings of that body, and in
mitigation of the charge brought against them of having
slighted, by the course which they adopted, the Watch
ahsclaule.
osc
Committee of the Council? It was explained by the
Mayor that the whole affair, so far as regards the ques-
tion of Orangeism in the police-force, originated out of a
procession,
too
usebe
the languageanOringep of m
rocessiorn.Henry
;" and
Lawrence,
whichwor efyne
tpo;ohsva said
have t
been " a paltry procession of a few lads,
with virh
a ribbonsproee s s
iaonnd
hen
vci
nr age kt
taken
nd r u
place,m . " a
sW
hisi h the
fact
cue,
the Stipendiary Magistrate bustled to the Mayor. with a
face full of horror doubtless, and made to him "certain
representations ;" but what were these we know not. We
can only guess hat they were representations which had
been conveyed to himself by the late Head Constable,
Mr. Whitty, to the effect that there were a large number
of Orangemen connected with the police-force. The
Mayor sent for the Town-Clerk to share and advise with
him upon the important representations of the Stipen-
diary ; and, having so consulted with the Law Officer of
the Council, suggested, very properly, that they should
communicate with the Watch Committee. So tar, then
affairs were conducted quite regularly ; and had the May-
or's suggestion been adopted, the injurious collision
which has since arisen between the Watch Committee and
the Magistracy would have been avoided.
But such straightforward course was not that advised
by Mr. Rushton and the Town-Clerk. "The objection
they had "—we quote the Mayor's words as reported
—" was simply this : they thought the matter might be
kept perfectly quiet, and done in a qaiet way (I) They
did not think it would be necessary even to consult the
bench of Magistrates" (I I) So far then, by his worship's
own showing, no question had arisen as to conflicting
jurisdictions, between the Watch Committee and the
Bench. That body was not to be asked to lend the sanc-
tion of their authority to any course which might be
adopted ; but, in a quiet way, Mr. Edward Rushton, was
to assume the powers of a Fouche, the Mayor's room w ,s
to be converted into a bureau of secret police, and the
community was to be astounded by some such master-
stroke of policy as was wont, in the days of the Empire,
to startle France and the world !
But it will be asked—what, during all this time and all
this awful secrecy, had the question of Orangeism in the
police force, to do with the " paltry procession of lads
with yellow ribbons and a cracked drum "—the assumed
origin of the movements of the Mayor, the Stipendiary,
and the Town-Clerk ? Had any one of the seven Orange
policemen neglected to enforce order on the occasion of
the procession in question ? We havb never heard that
such was the tact ; and had it been, we should have heard
of it soon enough. We assume, therefore, that no such
neglect had occurred, and proceed with the doings of our
secret tribunal.
Whitty, Mr. Miller, and Mr. Dowling were sum-
moned to its presence, and directed to make such inquiries
as should enable the stipendiary and the Mayor—not the
magistrates, mind—to detect the unfortunate parties who
were to be quietly done for. But, alas ! before such con-
summation could be effected, the whole affair got out !
The Mayor would have us infer that this unfortunate con-
tretemps occurred owing to the instructions given to Mr.
Whitty and Mr. Miller being laid before the Watch Com-
mittee ; and a contemporary declares that the proceedigs
in the Mayor's room, which should have been kept as "A
POLICE SECRET" (!)—from whom ?—would never have
been divulged but for the circumstance of Mr. Harbord,
a member of the Orange order, being also a member of
the Watch Committee! That both these conclusions are
erroneous, we know; and in fact that they are so, is self-
evident. Mr- Whitty had informed the seven men them-
selves, and, we bel,eve, the whole force, of the resolution
to which the Mayor and stipendiary had come—(that
Orangemen were ineligible for the situation of police
constables)—some days before the Watch Committee
knew that anything of the kind was in agitation. Why
should the Watch Committee fly up in indignation, if,
whilst quietly, the proceedings of the Mayor and stipen-
diary had been regularly conducted, and Mr. Whitty's
instructions recorded at the time in the proceedings of
that committee ? Upon this part of the defence—for as
such it appears to be given—we feel assured that we need
say no more; and with respect to the disclosure of the
great " police secret" by Mr. Harbord or any member of
the Watch committee, is was known to ourselves, and,
we venture to say, to the Mercury as well, (who appears
to have been well primed as to what was going on,) before
either Mr. Harbord or any other member of the com-
mittee knew a word about the matter !

The doings in the Mayor's room, and the " Police
Secret" of Mr. Whitty, having transpired we need not
describe the alacrity with which the majority' of the ma-
gistrates (who were themselves•,. in the first instance not
to have been consulted) rushed to aid with their authority
the Mayor and Mr. Rushton, and thus brought to a full
head the very pretty quarrel in which they had got them-
selves involved with the Watch Committee. Knowing as
we do the materials of which that bench is in a great part
composed, we are not surprised, at finding that Mr.
Rushton's conduct received their sanction ; but it does
strike us with some little surprise to see the names of one
or two conservative gentlemen recorded, as the utienqui-
ring registr irs of Mr. Rushton's or any body's decrees.
If Mr. Rushton's secret police bureau had thought it po-
litic and prudent to• act, without the concurrence or
knowledge of the Watch Committee, there was no earthly
reason, secrecy being no longer necessary, for persisting
in the course of slight towards that body which had been
originally and unfortunately adopted ; and we cannot but
think that, on reflection, the gentlemen in question will
be dissatisfied with their silent acquiescence in the pro-
ceedings of the Radical majority.
We are quite disposed to acquit the Mayor of any desire
to outstretch the authority of his office, or to shew any
want of attention to the Watch Committee, throughout
this affair. He wished to have communicated with that
body. But it is not at all clear that Mr. Rushton and
the Town-clerk can be excused so easily. Both these
official parties appear to have set themselves above, not
only the Watch Committee but the bench as well; and
this conclusion is not at all• weakened by the explanation
of the Town-clerk, that the Watch Committee were to be
communicated with "at the proper time." Their pur-
pose was—and would have been carried out if the " police
secret" could have been well kept,—first, quietly to pro-
nounce the law,. and then quietly to weed the force ; and
then, possibly, the empty compliment would have been paid
of informing the Watch Committee of their proceedings.
That such project was not successful, and the committ-e
rendered merely the recording body of the presiding genius
of the police-court, we have to thank the able stand mode
against the encroachment meditated upon their powers by
Messrs. Aspinall, Harbord, Turner, and other of its
members, which we are happy to see adequately appre-
ciated by the majority of the Council. Whatever may
be the opinion of the authorities to be consulted, with
respect to the legality or illegality of the Orange order,
and the eligibility of members of that body to situations
of public trust, we are confident that the expression of
public opinion which has already been elicited; will pre-
vent any further attempts of the bench, or a single, but
eminent, member of it, to arrogate an authority which, if
they do possess, which we doubt, might be wielded with-
out the very injurious result of weakening, by outward
and deliberate slight, the moral influence and consequent
usefulness of a body, to whose labours the public of Li-
verpool are so deeply indebted,
A few words, with respect to the outcry which has been
raised against Mr. Harbord, as a member of the Watch
Committee and, at the same time an influential officer—
not the Grand Master, as he is erroneously styled—of the
Orange Order. It was urged by Mr. Rathbone, at the
meeting of the magistrates, that it was highly improper
for " such a person " as Mr. Harhord to remain a mem-
ber of the Watch Committee. Let any member of the
Council come boldly forward and propose tte opinion
which Mr. Rathbone thus volunteered, in his capacity of
magistrate, as a resolution in the Council ; and, if he
succeed in the effort to carry it, he will earn the adulation
of the Mercury, and—the indignation of the Council.
With this challenge we take leave of the subject.

MERCURIAL ELEGANCIES & AMIABILITIES.

Our very excellent contemporary, the Mercury, is just
now in anything bat a sweet temper, which we, are com-
pelled, in candour, to attribute to the rapid decline taking
place in the number of his advertisements and in his
circulation, and the increase of those of two or three of
his contemporaries,—our own paper in especial. We are
the more irresistibly driven to this conclusion from the
fact that all, or at least the principal proportion, of his
ire is directed against those contemporaries. We give a
few specimens of the elegancies with which he bespatters
us, in what he facetiously styles his notes "To Corres-
pondents," but what the world might appropriately call
" Grunts from the Mercurial stye." We quote verbatim,
and in order.

" The Crescent tiny tory asks—"
" Our half brother of Liver Court"—
" The conductor of a shameful paper"—
"The veracious Mail"—

" The Crescent Cory"—
'` Our friend of the Courier"—(Our friend is not ma-
terially damaging the Mercurial property, and hence, per-
hails, his being let down so easily and with so sweet a
name.)
These are but the titular insolencies of which the spleen
of a falling organ vents itself. The insolence of remark
is infinitely more disgusting and indecent. The conduc-
tors of a print acknowledged to be the least talented in
Liverpool, or in Lancashire,—whose influence is solely in
its " Houses to let", " Situations anted," and " Wanted
a maid of all work," &c.,—ought to be more modest.

EARLY CLostNG.—We are glad to 'pereeive that the
boot-makers are about to adopt the now almost general
system of early closing.
GRAND CONCERT AT THE ROYAL AMPHITH EATRE.
—A grand concert is announced for to-morrow evening
at the Royal Amphitheatre, under the patronage of the
Worshipful the Mayor. It is for the benefit of Miss
Hamilton, of the Philharmonic Conceits, a highly ta-
lented and deserving young lady, who has for this occa-
sion, engagaged, at a great expense, a constellation of
talent, instrumental, as well as vocal. Amongst the
stars" will appear the far-famed Herr Ernst, the greatest
violinist of the day; Signor Paltoni, of the Italian Opera
House, London; Mr. John 11,eves, from the Theatre
Royal. Drury-lane; Miss Keale, pianiste ; Mr. S. Per-
cival, flutist, and many favourite t at we pet .
torroP.r.;. Mr.
George Holden, will precide at the piano, and it fully
anticipated that the entertainment will be a rich treat to
he musical world.