The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-03 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

A FEW THOUGHTS ON THE PROCEEDINGS
OF THE MAGISTRATES.

I think that, in the absence of the direct provision of
a place of refuge for those unhappy gentlemen who, though
anxious to display their wisdom in public, have been ig-
nominiously kicked out of the council chamber by their
fellow burgesses, the frequent summoning of the bench
appears capable of being made into a substitute. The
magistrates' room is not certainly so large a place to
figure in as the Town-hall; but a more fitting erection
might easily be provided, and, instead of his worship the
mayor presiding, we might have Mr. Edward Rushton as
"perpetual dictator," with en aristocracy under him,
ranking in authority, according to the number of times
each member had been rejected by his constituents.
These honours (!) might be marked by stripes, or X's
upon their coat collars, or bells upon a pyramidical cap,
which Prince Albert would, perhaps, be willing to design
for their use. William Rathbone, William Earle, and
Thomas Bolton would, from the number of their rejec-
tions rank high amongst the aristocracy. Perhaps the
former, from the number of his honours of the kind, and
his small quantity of coat collar upon which to display
them, might be allowed a kind of belt, or wear an apron
hieroglyphically adorned. The new building might be called
" forum," in compliment to the classical tastes of Mr.
Rushton ; and the seal of office might bear, as motto,
the observation of Bully Bottom—
" I can roar you as gently a, any sucking Dove."
I think, whatever Mr. Rushton may think, that when
he said to I'dr. Dowling, " you are either to obey the or-
ders of the magistrates or not ; if you decline to obey
their orders, the magistrates must be summoned," he
tittered, what most men would interpret into, a threat of
dismissal, unless they could bring themselves to regard
the magistrates, as men who were likely to resemble that
king of France who

------" Marched up the hill
With twenty thousand men , "
and afterwards, nobody but himself knows why,
" Straightway marched down again."
I think Mr. Rushton's expression, " Ring the bell, and
send for Dowling immediately," was scarcely complimen-
tary to that gentleman. Mr. Dowling, the stipendiary
might remember, although " acting as head constable," is
a barrister, and, as such, entitled to be addressed as a
gentleman. I don't know, by the bye, who the prelimi-
nary, " ring the bell !" was addressed to, or whether the
mayor, or what other magistrate jumped up to execute
the mandate.

I think when Mr. Rushton asked the " acting head con-
stable" if " he believed that he had any hostile feeling
against him," and the latter authority said " No," both
parties must have forgotten a certain collision which oc-
curred not a hundred years ago i❑ the Police-court, and
was not calculated to leave behind it a conviction that
either of them could rely upon the good feeling towards
him of the other. I think that a gentleman, in whom the
stipendiary expressed such " perfect confidence" on a re-
cent occasion, had little occasion to have held out towards
him a threat of being reported to the magistrates in case
of disobedience to orders.

I think it never was-sufficiently explained how Mr.
Dowling is to be whitewashed for not having read to the
police force that part of the proceedings of the magistrates
which reflects upon the character of Mr. Parker. The
matter at present stands thus. A portion of the resolu-
tions of the bench—the concluding order, as to entering
them upon the watch committee's books,—was set aside
by Mr. Rushton's order; another portion, the preamble,
was omitted reading to the force by the discretion exer-
cised by Mr. Dowling. Thus we have three parties con-
tending with the watch committee for authority in matters
relating to the police force; viz. first, the bench of magis.
trates, secondly the stipendiary, and thirdly the " acting
head constable." Which is pre-eminent in authority?
How are we to reconcile their difference of opinion and
superiority in discretion. This puzzles me, and I think
it will puzzle wiser heads.

On Sunday week the sum of £44 was collected at St.
John Baptist's Church, Toxteth-park, in aid of the
schools attached to that church, after sermons by the
Rev. T. Nolan and the Rev. W. W. Ewbank.
SAILORS' HOME.—It will be seen from a❑ advertise-
ment that subscription books lie at the usual places. We
trust every friend of such an excellent object will, as early
as possible, afford his aid to it.
The 49th Regiment, from Winchester, will succeed the
6th at Chester and Liverpool.
On Thursday night, the office of a merchant in Goree
Piazzas was broken open, and bills and notes to the value
of £BOO, together with some silver spoons and other plate
were stolen.
The dinner to Sir Henry Pottinger w:11 take place on
Tuesday, the 17th instant. Several distinguished charac-
ters have already accepted invitations, and there is no
doubt that this will be one of the most splendid enter-
tainments ever given in the Town-hall.
GUANO.—The arrivals of African are numerous, both
here and at the outports. The demand is exceedingly
limited, at £5 les. on the spot ; at sometsing under this
rate there are large buyers. For forward delivery there
is rather more inquiry, but very little business doing.
Peruvian is without change.
ARMY MOVEMENTS.—The following removals of troops
are ordered to take place :—The 56th Foot from Ireland
to England, the depot of the 14th Foot from Ireland to
England, and the 67th Foot from England to Ireland.
The 72d Foot embarked at Cork for Gibraltar, on the
27th ult.

SIR HENRY POTTINGER.-The gallant General, with
his aide-camp, Captain Fane, paid a visit to Chester Gar-
rison on Friday last. The veteran hero was received with
military honours by the Royal Artillery and the Gth Regi-
ment of Foot. Sir Henry left for Newton, near Chester,
the residence of Major-General Sir W. Warre, whose
guest the gallant officer was.

On Saturday last an inquest was held before the borough
cot oner on the body of Mrs. Standing, of Devonshire-
place, Everton. The deceased was in her usual good
health on Wednesday night, and on the following morning
was found dead in bed. A post mortem examination of
the body was made by Mr. Jonathan Greenwood, surgeon,
Kirkdale, who found the cause of death to be enlargement
and ossification of the heart.

HAND BOOK OF BIRKENHEAD.—We last week paid a
well-deserved compliment to the typographical plan of
the Lancashire and Cheshire Railways, kindly lent us by
the proprietors of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Since
then our attention has been called to a pamphlet with the
above title, to which is prefixed a " plan issued with
the same newspaper, and composed entirely of moveable
types. It is more than double the size of last week's
plan, and executed with equal care and clearness. It is
certainly a great curiosity.—Railway Record.

On Sunday last, the largest and most respectable fune-
tal that has yet visited St. Mary's Cemetery, Kirkdale,
followed the remains of Mr. Joseph Onions, late foreman
to Messrs. Wilson, iron ship-builders of this town. lie
was universally esteemed by all who knew him ; he was
beloved and respected by the men who worked under him,
for his kindness and humanity, which was plainly proved
on Sunday, by between 400 and 500 men of various cal-
lings in the iron and foundry business paying the last re-
spect in their power to his remains.

DEMAND FOR WAGES.—On Friday, at the Police-
court, Captain Treadfoot, of the ship Sir John Beresford,
appeared to answer the summons of Peter M'Lellan, one
of his crew for refusing to pay him £9, alleged to be due
for wages. The captain showed that during the voyage
the claimant had not only shown ignorance of seamanship,
but had disobeyed orders, and had, in conjunction with
the mate, been insolent and insubordinate, putting him
(the captain) on one occasion in fear of his life. Mr.
Rushton reduced his claim by ss. per month, and said he
should also proportionately reduce the wages of the mate.
POST-OFFICE ROBBERY.—Some ingenious thief has
managed to commit a robbery upon the Ely post•oflice.
A. packet, containing £350 in country notes, was posted,
it appears, at March, in Cambridgeshire, some time since,
and addressed to a banking-house in London, the postage
having been duly paid as upon an ordinary letter. The
packet was missed from the office previously to the making
up of the bag, and was not heard of for five days after-
wards, when, strange to say, £290 reached the house in
London ; the thief having only taken £6O in Bank of
England notes,

THE QUEEN v. MURPHY.—The Irish judges decided
on Thursday, by a large majority, that the conviction of
Mr. Henry Murphy, the attorney, at the last commission,
for wilfully destroying documents relating to a cause in
Chancery, of which he had the conduct for a Captain
Richardson, was wrong, inasmuch as the document proved
to have been destroyed by the defendant was merely a re-
ceipt for rent—an exhibit proved at the hearing of the
cause, and that it was not such " an original document "
as was contemplated by the legislature when passing the
9th George IV., c. 55, under the 21st section of which
the prisoner was indicted. The result, of cours will be
the discharge of Mr. Murphy.

PROPOSED NEW CANAL.—It is now pretty generally
understood that a canal is about to be cut from Sankey
to Warrington, in order to connect the Sankey canal with
the river Mersey, the point of junction being near the
Warrington Bridge. By this arrangement vessels from
Liverpool will be able to come up to the town at all tides,
which they are now unable to do, by entering the canal
at Runcorn Gap. It will also directly connect St. Helens
and the coal district with Warrington and Manchester.
The necessary surveys have been completed some time,
and the plan proposed has, it is said, been sanctioned by
most of the landowners on its line of progress.—Cheater
Courant of to-day.
CHESHIRE WINTER ASSIZES.—The Commission was
opened yesterday (Monday) at Chester Castle, before Mr.
Baron Gurney. We hear that Mr. Jervis, Q.C. is specially
retained to defend Mr. Winterbottom ; and that Mr. C.
Wilkins, of the Nortbern Circuit, will appear for Mr.
Port, the Cancer Doctor." At half-past two yesterday,
the High Sheriff, Geo. Wilbraham, Esq., proceeded from
the Royal Hotel, with his carriage and the usual retinue
of officers and javelin men on horseback, to meet the
learned judge, Sir John Gurney, who arrived from London
by the Grand Junction Railway Company. The elm-
mission was then opened with the accustomed formalities ;
and the business of the assizes will commence this
morning.

SINGULAR OCCURRENCE.—About a fortnight ago one
of the dogs, named Libertine, belonging to the Lanark-
shire fos-hounds, disappeared when hunting at Jervieston,
and notwithstanding every search, was not discovered
until 11 days afterwards, when the pack were in the same
locality, and some of the dogs stopped suddenly at the
mouth of a coal waste, and would not leave it. The
huntsman, in looking down the pit, discovered a dog
which he supposed to be Libertine ; and having got ropes
and sent down a man, the missing dog was brought up so
little the worse for having dropped down twenty fathoms,
or 120 feet, and been starved for eleven days, that he was
able, after geting some warm milk, to walk to the kennel,
and he is again in good hunting trim.

KIRKDALE CHURCH.—The following collections were
made after the sermons preached on the occasion of re-
opening this church :—On Thursday evening, after a
sermon by the Rev. Hugh Stowell, £l9 Os. 10Id. On
Sunday morning, af,r a sermon by the Rev. D.. James,
incumbent, £43 10s. fild. ; and on Sunday evening, after
a sermon by the Rev. Hugh M`Neile, £37 12s. Id.,
making a total of £lOO 3s. 6d.
LIVERPOOL, ORMSKIRK, AND PRESTON RAILWAY.—
Of the many railway schemes now in progress, and in
embryo, there are few that have stronger claims on the
attention of the public, more particularly of the inhabi-
tants of Liverpool, than this line, forming as it will the
most direct communication between Liverpool, Preston,
the North of England, and Scotland. We have, there-
fore, learned with pleasure that the arrangements for car-
rying the bill through Parliament are proceeding with
every prospect of success, the requisite plans and docu-
ments having been lodged within the prescribed period.
MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.—At the monthly meeting
of the Town Council, to-morrow, the proceedings of the
Finance Committee will comprise a recommendation for
the purchase of Mr. Logan's premises in Oldhall-street,
and a recommendation for the sale of the reversion of a
piece of land, in Upper Islington, for the erection of an
Irish Presbyterian chapel. The Mayor's communica-
tions amongst other things will comprise a letter from
Mr. Alderman Horsfall, resigning his seat as a member
of the Dock Committee ; and a memorial of the Directors
of the Liverpool Collegiate Institution, praying for a
grant in aid of that institution.
THE CANADIAN REBELS.—The American line of
packet Switzerland, which left the St. Katharine's Docks
on Friday afternoon, for New York, had on board, in ad-
dition to a full cargo of British manufactured goods, a
large number of cabin and steerage passengers, among
which latter were upwards of 30 persons who were con-
cerned in the riots in Canada about four years ago, and
were in consequence taken prisoners by the British au-
thorities and transported to New South Wales. '1 hey
have recently received an amnesty for the offence in con-
sideration of having undergone a portion of their sentence,
and having arrived a few days since from Sydney in a ves-
sel lying in the Lcndon Docks, are now on their way back
again to their native country.
SERIOUS EXPLOSION AT ROCK FERRY.—At an early
hour on Friday morning, an alarming explosion of gun-
powder took place in Limekiln-lane, Rock Ferry, on the
premises of Mr. Carrington, customhouse broker. Mr.
C. had a son who had returned from sea as mate of the
ship Fairfield, which arrived in the river from Ichaboe on
Thursday. The magazine boat, not having, as is custo-
mary, gone alongside to remove the gunpowder on board
that depository, the powder, consisting of one barrel, and
paper, containing in all about 321 b. of the combustible,
was deposited in au outhouse, as the ship could not go
into dock with any powder on board. The immediate
cause of the explosion is not precisely known, but it is
stated that a younger son found his way into the place,
and was handling the paper when the explosion took
place, and narrowly escaped with his life. The outhouse
was levelled with the ground, and the windows of the ad-
joining house destroyed. The boy and a servant girl were
severely but not dangerously injured.
THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGA-
TION COMPANY.—The proprietors of this company held
their annu it meeting in London on Friday last. The
report noticed the contract made with the Govercment
for the extension of the mail service to and from India.
The financial arrangements fcr carrying the object out
have been made by the directors, and the proprietors have
paid the first instalment of £5 per share on the 4,000
new shares of £5O each. The directors have entered
into contracts for four new ships of 1,300 tons each, and
one vessel of 700 tons, to be ready for sea next year. It
is expected that the new monthly line of communication
to Calcutta, Madras, and Ceylon will commence in Janu-
ary next, and the communication to China will be opened
as soon as the new ships can be placed on the line. The
company have at length purchased the Precursor steam-
ship for £45,000, and £5,000 contingent upon a mail con-
tract 'being obtained. Her original cost was about
£BO,OOO. An additional sum of £B,OOO has been ex-
pended in increasing the accommodation of the vessel.
Some arguments were used at the meeting in favour of a
railway from Alexandria to Suez, but the chairman (Sir
J. Campbell) explained that the company was chartered
for the purposes of navigation only, and could take no steps
in the improvement of the passage across the isthmus.
The profits of the last year (eliding 30th September)
were stated to be £140,042 which, with the undivided
profits of the preceeding year, makes a total of £199,897.
The usual dividend of 31 per cent, was declared for the
six months eliding Ist October, and the undivided profits
after deducting this and the April dividend, were stated
at £72,020. To reduce the insurance the investment of
£lO,OOO was voted towards the formation of an insurance
fund.

On Sunday last, according to announcement, his
Worship the Mayor, accomp-nied by several members of
the Council and a large number of influential gentlemen,
attended divine service at St. Barnabas' Church, Parlia-
ment-street, where a sermon was preached by the
Rev Thomas Nolan, in aid of the Southern and
Toxteth Hospital. Among the gentlemen present we
noticed the following—viz., W. Shuttleworth, Esq., Town
Clerk; P. Wright, Esq., Clerk of the Peace; Aldermen
Chilton, Houghton, Griffith ; J. N. Wood, R. Rigby,
T. Roy den, G. G. Hornby, J. Aiken, R. L. Jones,
J. B. Yates, J. Platt, Duncan Gibb, J. Wilkinson, Dr.
Dickinson, T. Robinson, T. Rimmer, J. Rimmer, A.
Browne, S. Martin, J. Ingram, D. Clarke, G. Barnsley,
A. Robertson, E. Whitelegg, J. Cooper, Kendall,
John Lawrence, W. Wagstaff, T. Wagstaff, Richards,
&c., &c. At half-past ten the procession left the Town-
hall, preceded by the officials of the Corporation, the
Re;cls. T. Nolan and C. A. Graham walking with the
Mayor. Upon arrival at the church, the Mayor, Town
Clerk, and Clerk of the Peace, were shown into a pew
very handsomely fitted up for the occasion, over the
entrance of which was erected a neat arch, with a beau-
tiful carved Liver on the top, for the purpose of holding
the civic regalia. The remainder of the gentlemen were
accomwodated with seats adjoining the Mayor. After
the p s had been read, in a most impressive manner,
by the Rev. C. A. Graham, the Rev. T. Nolan ascended
the pulpit, and took for his text the 13th and 14th verses
of the 9th chapter of St. Matthew—" They that be whole
need not a physician, but they that be sick," &c. The
subject was discussed in the most eloquent, touching, and
energetic manner, well calculated to make a lasting im-
pression upon those who were privileged to hear it. We
cannot refrain from expressing our delight at the manner
in which the service was conducted throughout, and par-
ticularly the musical portion of it which, we understand,
was performed by the choir belonging to the church. At
the conclusion of the service the handsome sum of £62
was collected.
larsx SOCIETY.—SPLENDID DONATION.—The ad-
vocates of this institution made out so satisfactory a case
last week i❑ this town, that the society is likely to derive
very substantial benefits from it. The Rev. Hugh
M'Neile presented, in an intelligible shape, the masses of
the Irish people, for whose especial benefit the society
was formed. He described them as consisting of three
classes. First, such as are altogether ignorant of the
English language; secondly, such as are acquainted with
a few common-place phrases in English,.but unable to
read, or understand the reading of an English book ;
and, thirdly, such as are so far acquainted with the English
language as to be able to read it a little, and to carry on
their traffic with the neighbouring market to by means
of it ; but who still think in Irish, and convege with one
another in Irish, and are wholly incapable of receiving
any moral or religious instruction, except through the
medium of the Irish language. The first class he esti-
mated, from some documentary evidence, at above
600,000; the second and third classes at about 2,000,000.
For the instruction of this large body, impervious as it is
by the English language, nothing has been done, except
by the Irish soceity. All the public money voted for
education in Ireland has been expended through the
medium of the English language. Thus nearly three
millions of our fellow-subjects have been left uncultivated.
After discussing the higher branches of the subject con-
nected with the salvation of the immortal souls of these
people ; after showing and urging the duty of giving
them, arid teaching them to read, the Holy Scriptures in
their own language; and after answering, in a concise but
convincing manner, the objections commonly urged
against the perpetuating of a barbarous tongue, Mr.
M`Neile truly said that the people in question, being so
numerous and so neglected, could not fail to become
dangerous, giving physical weight to the will, however
arbitrary, of the priesthood—to the agitation, however
pernicious, of the demagogue.—We advert to this now
because we are requested by Mr. M‘Neile to state that,
as a fruit of the case so made out, he has received for the
society, from a gentleman who desires, in very decided
terms, that his name may not be mentioned, a donation
of ONE THOUSAND POUNDS.

CHARGES OF PASSING BASE COIN, &c.---At the
Police-court, yesterday, a man named Peter Bower, and
a boy named Joh❑ Hampson, were charged—the former
vith having in his possession implements used for coin-
ing, a.,ld the latter for uttering base sixpences. Mrs.
Francis, publican, Milk-street, Tithebarn-street, said
that on the 26th of last month the younger prisoner came
to her house, and gave her, in payment for a glass, a six-
pence, which, after giving him the change, she put into
a drawer in which were no other sixpences. After he
had gone sbe discovered that it was a bad one, and re-
solved to observe him if he came again. On Saturday
last he went to the house, and offered another bad six-
pence, when he was given into custody. On being
searched, there was found in his pocket a letter addressed
to himself at a house in Enerdale-street, and thither the

Inspector went, some further
evidence in the case. The house was tenanted by the
elder prisoner, and he found in it, up the chimney, a
mould for making sixpences, a small quantity of plaster
of Paris drying in the oven, a peculiar knife, a file, some
lead amongst the ashes, &c. Bower's wife and family
lived with him in the house, and he was a mat-maker.
The younger prisoner said he had received the sixpence
from a young man, named Jones, who lodged there with
him, and from whom he had borrowed it—he having
always plenty of moneF. The elder prisoner said he cer-
tainly kept the house, but knew nothing of coining. The
other prisoner and Jones (alluded to) lodged there, and
always paid. He made mats for a living, and went out
part of the day selling them, Both prisoners were re-
manded.—A man named M`Leary was next charged with
uttering two base shillings. Mary Ann Moran, publican,
in Wapping, said that some days ago the prisoner came
in and tendered her a bad shilling, which she detected,
and told him of it. He said that it was not bad to his
knowledge, adding thatif she would give it back to him,
he would go and geta good one for it. She was persuaded
again,
with
n
returnaoe
man,t. On
and
Su nda9 night last he came
gave
in
payment another
bad shilling, which she immediately noticed, and bent it.
The prisoner very impertinently asked her to return it,
but she refused, and detained him. The other man made
off ; prisoner attempted to escape, but was secured. He
was fully identified, and was committed for trial.