The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-06-30 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL, STANDARD.

MR. ALDERMAN LEYLAND

AND
THE CORPORATION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STaND.4RD.
SlR,—The character of a public man is public property, and
it is the duty of every member of the community to vindicate
and protect character when it is unfairly and unwarrantably
assailed: You, sir, I presume, cannot be ignorant of the ru-
mours which have been actively circulated within the last few
days relative to Mr. Alderman Leyland and the Finance Com-
mittee of the Liverpool Corporation. These rumours have,
indeed, found their way into one of our local prints, and, con-
sidering the spirit which has been evinced in that journal, it is
not unreasonable to suppose that the enemies of the corporation
rejoice at the apparent dissensions which the transaction alluded
to is calculated to cou,ntenance, and the angry feelings which it
is said to have excited.
I know it is a delicate subject to call upon you to offer any
opinion on a subject in which many of your warmest friends
take opposite sides. I, however, do not ask you to offer ary
opinion; I only crave permission to state mine; and I solicit
the benefit of your medium and your columns on the gro. ltd of
justice and strict impartiality.
That few men have conferred greater obligations on his na-
tive town and on his country than Mr. Alderman Leyland will
be admitted by all who know him. He is a wealthy banker,
and in that capacity he has important duties to discharge, nut
only to himself, but to his constituents, and for the sake of
public credit. In unsettled times like these, when the nation is
reeling towards anarchy, and when a wild love for change shows
as little regard for property as for principle, the duty of a banker
is to protect himself by protecting others on whom the commer-
cial, manufacturing, and trading:interests of the nation chiefly
depend. That Mr. Leyland is an acute observer of the times
he has repeatedly proved. That he has foresight to apprehend
danger, and energy and skill to avert it, will be admitted by
every experienced merchant in this community.
Bearing these facts in mind, I will proceed to the matter in
dispute. The paragraph in the newspaper to which I have
alluded, and which is confirmed by public rumour, states that
Mr. Alderman Leyland, at a meeting of the finance committee,
on the 19th instant, without any previous intimation, informed
the committee that the banking house of which he is the head
had resolved not to make any further advances to the commit-
tee; and. public rumour, not content with this, goes farther and
says that Mr. Leyland demanded payment of the balance due
to liii-houte, aniouuting to upwardslgila",ooo:—.i---
IsTow, sir, I take upon myself, being well acquainted with the
whole facts, t 0 assure the public through youAbat Mr. Leyland
is by these rumours most grossly misrepresented. I have before
me a copy of the minute entered upon the books of the finance
committee, at their sitting of the 19. h instant, and it is iii these
mauls
"Mr. Alderman Leyland stated to the committee, that Messrs,
Leyland and Bultins would not allow the debt due from the
corporation to their bank to be increased beyond the present
amount, £12,869 I9s. 10d., until it is ascertained what provision
will be made by parliament FOR THE SECUTITY OF THE CRE-
DITORS OF THE CORPORATION in the municipal regulation bill
slow before the house."
This is the whole offence, if offence it be, which Mr. Leyland
committed. He did not demand his money—he only asked for
information. , He did not question the credit of the present cor-
poration—he only desired to be informed whether their succes-
sors were likely to be as honourable men as themselves—whe-
ther the payment of just debts would be proiided for by the
municipal -reform bill—and whether the claims of creditors
would be respected by Lord John Russell and the House o
Commons.

I say that in this intimation, and most proper and salutary
intimation, there was nothing whatever to give uffcnce or excite
angry feelings. No man can entertain a more sincere respect
for Mr. Alderman Sandbach than I do—there is no man with
whom I more desire to be on terms of reciprocal esteem and
mutual confidence—there is no man whose word or whose
honour I regard more ; but still Mr. Sandbach will pardon
me when I say that I think his condact was too warm and un-
necessarily precipitate. I moreover think that the committee
took, on the spur of the moment, and most unfortunately, a mis-
taken view of the subject. It was a serious matter, which called
for grave deliberation. It would only have been an act of
courtesy towards Mr. Leyland if they had postponed the con-
sideration of the communication until some other day. It would
not have derogated from their dignity—it would not have mili-
tated against their credit—it would not have been an unreason-
able deference if they had submitted the communication to a full
meeting of the common council. This proceeding would have
done no h trin —it might have done good—it might have pre-
vented
much soreness, and ended in union and harmony.

Consider, sir, the state of the case. Mr. Alderman Leyland
did not demand any bond for the money he had advanced. He
did not insult the corporation by saying he would not advance
any additional sum except upon the bond of the corporation. No;
all thal he asked was inquiry and explanation. He did not im-
pugn their credit—he only questioned the probable power and
credit of their successors. Mr. Leyland has often been in ad-
vance to the corporation of sums reaching to about £.59,0X)i,
tie-'knew that such another-advance would br, required in a few
weeks, and he also knew that on the 26th of October' next,
should the present bill pass, the powers and liabilities of the

corporation would probably be in new hands. Was it unreason-
able, therefore, that a banker thus placed should seek for
i nformation

There are those, I know, who think that, even under the pro-
visions of the new bill, the credit of the corporation will not be
affected or impaired. lam sorry to say that I differ from the
gentlemen who think so. It is impossible to tell what the fran-
chise, approaching almost to universal suffrage, will do with the
Liverpool corporation. I have observed its direful effects upon
the corporations in Edinburgh and GlasgoW. I have seen there
that intelligent and independent merchants have been rejected
from -borough councils by the populace, and bankrupt shop-
keepers, unprincipled attorneys, and characterless quacks placed
in their stead. What has happened on the other side of the
Tweed may occur here, and the credit of the corporation of
LiverpooLmay sink' like.that of Glasgow.
I beg pardon.for pressing, as I most anxiously do, these ob-
servitions upon the attention of my fellow burgesses. By in-
trusting you with my name, you will perceive that I am no un-
interested intruder. I think the conduct of Mr. Leyland has
been misunderstood, and that his motives have not been pro-
perly appreciated. These are my sentiments, and I give you
full liberty, as being the ardent and able friend and advocate of

all the parties concerned, to comment upon them as you may
think proper. I am, sir, •

Your very obedient servant,
A BURGESS.

EMIGRATION TO AMERICA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL S7'.4NDSRD.

SI R,—Having been appointed as emigrant agent in this city,
for the purpose of assisting my countrymen on their arrival
here to obtain whatever object they may have in, View at the
least possible ccst or inconvenience, but more particulaly to
protect them from falling into the snares of a host of land
sharks who infest the ships on their arrival, I take an early
opportunity of furnishing you with some particulars that,
through the medium of your valuable and widely circulated
paper, you may, if you think %proper, warn, the numerous emi-
grants to be upon their guard. •

On the arrival of a ship with passengers, several of these
characters (called bete "runners") flock around the unsus-
pecting emigrants, and, by flattery and falsehood, actually
make them believe .whatever they assert. These again are
supported by a tribe of boardinghouse-keepers, who are brought
up to coroborate the truth of their assertions, and thereby give
an.appearaiace of truth, and, supporting the whole with extreme
liberality, the poor fellows not unfrequently become entangled
in their snares and Atiipt of their money. The runners re-
ceive from their employers Is. a head for passengers, and con-
sequently care not so long as they get them to what inconve-
nience they are liable; and as an instance, I now hold under
summons before the corporation two of these fellows, who, a
short time ago, took passage money for eight persons (totally
unacquainted with the geography of the country) to Buffalo,
on Lake Erie, whose destination was Cobourg, in Upper
Canada, opposite Oswego, on Lake Ontario. I should have
sent them there for five dollars, whereas they would go 3(X) or
400 miles out of their course, and at a considerable additional
cost.

Innumerable such instances might be related; but all I can
ask of you is to be assured that by occasionally referring to
these facts, and warning the public that such an appointment
has taken place, and that they may rely the information
given them by me may be depended on, and that without any
cost every assistance in my power will be rendered. But
they will be told that no such person is to be found this they
must not notice.

You will do a public good—you will have the satisfaction of
saving many a poor fellow probably from utter ruin, and you
will confer on me a favour I shall never be able to repay, by
assisting me to do my duty.—l am &c.

CHARLES ATKINSON, Lieutenant of Royal Marines,
Agent for the Canada Co., and British Emi'grant Agent, 48,

Water.street, New York.
New York, United States, May 23, 1835.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIPERPOOL STANDARD,

SlR,—Have the goodness to hold up to. public notice the
gross delusion practised on the house, by. Lord John Russell,
on Monday night last, on the corporate reform question, and
which seems to have caused great effect on the house, and re-
mains still unanswered, as far as I have observed, although the
papers tell us there are now seventy town-clerks in London,
every one of whom must have been well aware of the fallacy of
his lordship's argument. I allude to the exhibition by his
lordship of a schedule of the number of freemen made in 128
boroughs for a given number of years, by which it appears tha
in the years on which elections have taken pace, the numbers

frac•nea I.nitted was ener!n usly increased, meaning to iin-
Tess on the house that they were so made for corrupt purposes,
iuring the approaching election, than Which nothing can be
:nore untrue. Every town-clerk, and. every electioneerer,
knows that young freemen of the lower orders, having no other
Ise for his franchise, rarely takes it up till roused by the ap-
proaching election; and that, if five year§ have intervened, the
number of young freemen admitted must be greatly increased
on -that year. When this is known, his lordship's.argument
4ppears to me to offer slight grounds for the cheering that fol-
lowed it. liis lordship played off the game argument with
equal success on the reform question !
Not wishing to intrude on your valuable space, I will refrain
from remarking further on the prevalent blindness and absolute
infatuation of the lower, middle, and even h;gher orders of the
commonalty, in thus rushing headlong to the destruction of cor-
porate rights, (rights wrested by our forefathers from our kings
and nobles during their contentions,) by asking them if they
think that on the fall of the Liverpool corporation, as an effi-
cient body, the power of the Sefton and Derby families will not
frame liately and progressively increase?—l am, &c.
Lwerpool, June 27, 1835. A FREEMAN.

TO THE EDITOR OF TILE LIVERPOOL .STANDARD,

Sta,—Some person, under the signature of a "Fireman,"
has inserted in to-day's Albion a letter in which he has. thought
fit to introduce my name. The paragraph he alludes to in the
Journal is as follows:--

"FIRE.—On Wednesday night last, about twelve o'clock, a
fire was discovered in the shop of Mr. Brown, druggist, White-
chapel. Iu a short time the West of England engine arrived,
followed by two of the fire police engines ; and there being a
good supply of water in the mains, the fire was extinguished in
about two hours from the commencement. Owing to some un-
accountable delay, which frequently takes place in I ingirig the
fire bell after an alarm has been given, all the firemen, except
the one who resides in the station, were quietly reposing in
their beds at the time the engines were arriving at the scene of
the conflagration."
His version of the same is :

"In the Journal of Saturday a paragraph' appeared, by the
authority and at the express desire of Mr. Whitehouse, as I
learned from the editor, stating that the fire bell was not rung,
in order, as is insinuated, that.the fire police engines might be
first at the fire(lhat 'there were no firemen present, in conse-
quence of the bell not'baving been rung; that the West of
England errgithi4was,firsOun the spot; and that she'assistedlo
extinguishing the are." '

I have only to reinark that I think it a Waste of time to'enter
:nto a discussion with a man who thus distorts and misquotes
,o serve his own purposes.—l am, •&c.

June 29, 1,835.

\\%'NVII.ITE HOUSE

THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION BILL.--PUBLIC
MEETING OF FREEMEN.

Yesterday, at twelve o'clock, a public meeting of the freemen
of this borough, hastily convened by placards on the walls,
signed by Mr. Alderman John Wright, was held in the Large
Room of the Golden Lion, Dale-street, for the purpose of taking,
into consideration the propriety of petitioning the House of
Commons not to assent to those clauses of the corporation reform
bill which would, if passed into a law, deprive them and their
children of their rights and privileges. Considering the short-
ness of the notice given, the meeting was numerous and highly
respectable. Amongst the gentlemen present, whom we recog-
nised as stanch friends of the freemen, we noticed John
Wright, Esq., T. B. Horsfall, Esq., J. Nelson Wood, Esq ,
Thomas Tobin, Esq., Richard Dawson, Esq., J. Irving, Esq.,
Jantes Foster, Esq., R. Horsfall, Esq., Thomas Carson, Esq.,
J. Brassey, Esq., and R. Houghton, Esq. Mr. Alderman
Wright having entered tue room amidst loud applause,
Mr. CYRUS Moattai.r. advanced to the table, amid said that
his brother freemen were well aware that they had met together
to petition on a subject extremely interesting to them all, and
he was happy to see that they badpaid that attention which the
importance of the question to be discussed demanded. (Hear.)
The first step to the commencement of the proceedings was to
propose a chairman, and he felt great pleasure in introducing
to their notice one who had ever distinguished himself as the
steady and uncompromising advocate, not only of the interests
of the freemen but of the borough at large,—he meant Mr.
r-John Wright. (Loud Cheers.)
JOHN WRIGHT, Esq., having been unanimously voted to the
chair, then said he thought most present would agree with him
that as it was but just twelve o'clock, the 'hour when the opera-
tives ceased work, it would be advisable; and but fair, to give
those who laboured in honest industry an opportunity of coming
forward to hear what he and others had to say on a subject in
which they were so deeply interested. He therefore proposed
that a quarter of an hour should elapse previous to the com-
mencement of the business ; and then, if they had anything to
say or propose, the meeting would gladly hear them.
`This proposition being assented to, and the meeting haYing
in a short time considerably increased,
Mr. WRIGHT said that as it had been intimated to him that
there were many present obliged to be back at their employment
at a certain time, and seeing that the meeting had received-an
accession of strength, he thought, for the purpose of accommo-
dating, that the business had better proceed. He felt satisfied
with the appearance of the meeting, but was certain that had a
little longer notice been given, the attendance would have
been infinitely greater. For his part he had no son to be
deprived of the rights and privileges which the corporation re-
form bill contemplated; but he could not forget that the free-
men of Liverpool had twice placed hitn in that high and enviable
office, i:i which it was his pride to render all the service in his
power, and he felt it his duty to conic forward and make a stand
ite protect the rights and privileges of the freemen whenever they
were attacka Cheers.) His apology for putting the placards
on the walls and calling them together was, that he thought it
high time when they found such had feelings broached by a
minister of the crown towards the freemen, for them to rouse
themselves. Expressions during the last .week had been used
in the House of Commons which were startling. It had been
said that men had no right to privileges from the accident of
their bit th. He would just look how far that species of reason-
ing would go. -There was Lord John Russell, who, if he had
not been Lord John Russell by the " accident of birth," could
never in his (Mr. Wright's) opinion have obtained that title
and distinction by any merit or works of his own. (Cheers and
laughter.) If that argument was to be tolerated, they might as
well apply it to the King's son, and say he had no right to suc-
ceed his father in the throne. And the same would apply to the
House of Peers. (Cheers.) They had probably read the re-
port of the commissioners, and 'likewise the speech of the
Attorney-General thereon. The Attorney-General had pre-
sumed to say that charters were not to he considered, and had
called all rights given to the freemen by the charters usurpa-
tions. (Hear.) When they say this, was it not, he would ask,
time for them to bestir themselves and petition the government
not to assent to those clauses which deprived them, their chil-
dren, and children's children of their rights by a system of mis-
representation? (Hear.) He would allude a little more to
what the learned gentleman had chosen to say. He had stated
that the freemen were a degraded set'of individuals, and a curse
to the country ; that they were wretched demoralized persons,
whose lives (the greater part of them) had been passed in gaols.
(Cries of " Shame !") The person who made use of this
language called himself a liberal. He (Mr. Wright) had never
appropriated to himself that title, and he hoped he never
should whilst such language was identified with liberality. It
was almost impossible to describe.the disposition of a person
who could thus speak, and he was afraid to trust himself with
words to designate him by his proper character. He would,
however, ask the freemen of Liverpool not to allow this person
to add to his assertions and epithets, " that they were pusilla-
nimous; and afraid to protect themselves as honest men," or to
stand up for the privileges of their children, and apprentices
who were bound to them. He hoped they would not allow it to
be said that they were cowards, and shrunk under the ca-
lumny, but that they would come forward with respectful lan-
guage and petition the House of Commons. Mr. Wright con-
cluded amidst loud cheers, by informing the meeting 'sat there
were gentlemen present prepared with resolutions to be sub-
mitted for its adoption.
THOMAS ToBIN, Esq. then came forward to propose the first
resolution, which was to the effect, that the meeting observed
with surprise and alarm the introduction into the bill for the
reform of municipal corporations, of those clauses which ex-
clude from the new corporations the ancient burgesses of
England, and deprived their sons and apprentices of their in-
choate rights and privileges, which prevented the latter from
obtaining the elective franchise so recently and solemnly guar-
ranteed to burgesses or their successors. 'Having read the re-
solution, which he felt great pleasure in proposing, Mr. Tobin
said that he regretted to hear that sonic of their own body
were then in London, as a deputation, endeavouring to procure
the passing of these clauses which were to deprive their
children and successors of their just rights. (Cries of " Hear"
and " Shame.") -
N. D. BOLD, -Esq., said, that coinciding as be did in the sen-
timents of Mr. Tobin, and with the resolution, be begged leave
to second the motion, which was put by the chairman, and una-
nimously carried.
T. B. HORSFALL, Esq. then moved the second resolution,
and in doing so, said, that having been al,sent from home
during the past week, he had learnt more of the precise object
of the present meeting from the remarks of their excellent
chairman, than from any other source. He had certainly cast
his eye over the debates on the municipal reform bill, and had
seen quite sufficient to make him concur in the sentiments which
were expressed in the resolution which he had the honour to
propose. He had seen also remarks to which the chairman had
alluded, stated to have been made by the attorney-general re-
specting the freemen, although those remarks in the report
which he had seen were couched in somewhat different terms ;
they were in language equally unwarrantable and abusive; and
he would tell the attorney-general that as far as Liverpool, at
least, was concerned, his accusation was utterly untrue.—
(Cheers.) The language which he (Mr. H.) had read was,
that " the freemen were a mean, beggarly, exceptionable set of
individuals,"—that the property they held " was held by usur-
pation," and that they existed by corruption." It was an
easy matter for persons to deal out empty declamation when de-
ficient in argument, and he would beg leave to tell the attorneys
general that his definition of those epithets was not the true one.
There were mean individuals who brought charges against
others which they could not substantiate. (Cheers.) There
were beggarly individuals, who cared not how they could get
place or power, so that they might live upon the bounty of the
public; (cheers) those were exceptionable individuals who went
hand in hand with Mr. O'Connell and others in endeavouring
to subvert every existing institution of the country; (cheers)
those were usurpers who grasped at official situations• for which
they were neither qualified by nature or acquirenknt; (cheers)
and those existed by corruption who were paid to support mea-
sures which they did not in their heart approve, and to plead
causes whether their consciences approved them or not. (Loud
cheers.) But with regard to the clause in the bill respecting
the right of freedom by inheritance, he could not believe that the
House of Commons would pass it;—he did not believe that Lord
Melbourne himself could approve of it. He could not conceive
how any peer could by possibility sanction the clause. Pass
but that clause,—abolish the hereditary rights of the freemem
and the rubicon would be passed;—the hereditary rights of the
peerage would quickly follow, and well would it lie for England
if an hereditary monarch was permitted to ascend the throne.
They had been told on high authority that they must not now
depend upon the, Lords—he, however, did depend upon them,
and lie felt convinced that should that clause pass the Commons,
the Lords would do their duty ; they had stood by the freemen
before and they would stand by them again. (Loud cheers.)
And he would have them remember there was a third estate of
the realm—there was set a King—it was a King who had
granted these rights to their forefathers, and he felt assured theta
King would uphold and protect them for their children's children.
Air. Horsfall eousluded by moving a resolution, calling upon

~~~~-

the House of Commons not to assent to thoie clauses which
'affected-the rights and privileges conferred upon the burgesses
by the charters of the town.
JAMES IRVING, Esq., briefly seconded the motion.
RICHARD DA wsort, Esq., then said that he had been request-
ed to move that a petition be adopted by the meeting, to be
submitted to the House of Commons, and he felt great pleasure
in doing so, as he was at all times anxious to render to his brother
freemen what assistance he could. He was proud to see the
spirit which was manifested by the meeting in defence of their
rights, against the oppression of faction, and he trusted that a
similar spirit would be infused in the freemen of other towns.
He had no doubt that the example of Liverpool would spread
throughout the country, and if' so,. they might look for a protec-
tion of those rights which were so justly theirs. (Cheers.)
,Mr. Dawson then handed the following petition to Mr. Car-
soh; and that gentleman having read it to the meeting, it was
seconded by WILLIAM SHAND, Esq., and adopted amid loud
cheers, not one dissentient hand being held up against it.
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled.
The Humble PETITION of the undersigned BURGESSES
of the Town of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
SHEWETH,
That by virtue of divers charters, granted by his most gracious
Majesty's royal predecessors, the town of Liverpool possesses
an ancient municipal corporation, consisting of mayor, bailiffs,
and burgesses, and which is known by the corporate name or
style of the " mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of Liverpool."
'chat your petitioners are the burgesses of the said corpora-
tion, and as such, are entitled to vote in the election of mem-
bers of Parliament for the borough of Liverpool, and also in the
annual election of the mayor and bailiffs thereof; and they are
exempted from the payment of all town dues and tolls at the said
town, and have various other rights and privileges granted and
confirmed. to them by the said charters.
That the ordinary mode of acquiring the right to be admitted
a burgess of the said corporation, is by birth or servitude ; that
all sous of burgesses, born within the borough, upon their
attaining the aee of twenty-one years, are entitled to be ad-
mitted and enrolled as burgesses; and all apprentides bound to
burgesses fora term of seven years, and having served the full
period of their apprenticeship, are entitled to be admitted and
enrolled as burgesses of the said corporation.
That your petitioners have observed, with surprise and alarm,
that by the bill introduced into your honourable house for the re-
gulation of municipal corporations in England and Wales, it is
intended to exclude your petitioners from being members of the
corporation to be established in Liverpool, and that such cor-
poration is to be composed of a body of Individuals distinct from
your petitioners, by virtue of a new qualification—that it is pro-
posed to deprive the sons and apprentices of your petitioners of
their inchoate right to become burgesses; and moreover, that
Such sons and apprentices will also be prevented by the said
bill from obtaining the ancient elective franchise of the said bo-
rough, although the object of the bill is stated to be merely
such a reform of the municipal corporations, as will make
them racire'gfficient instrments of local government.
That whifil your pelitigners do net object to a large and li-
heral measure of Municipal reform, yet the% respectfully sub-
mit to your honourable house, that it would be inure consistent
.rnstite- towards the-eissiegeisses who shave iii! t, been.
members of municipal corporations, that they sheuld be and
continue members of the new corporations proposed by she said
bill, and that'this plan of framing the new corporations so as
to conSist of the old and new burgesses, would be in full ac-
cordance with the principle of the reiOrm act, which, while it
conferred the right of voting upon a new and numerous class of
individuals, preserved to the burgesses their ancient elective
franchise. ••
That your petitioners would earnestly appeal to your honour-
able house on behalf of their sons and apprentices, for on these
will fall, with peculiar hardship, the consequences c,f the pro-
posed bill. That they humbly conceive that the inchoate rights
of their sons are legal and indisputable rights derived from the
said charters, and by virtue thereof already vested; that the
right to all privileges and exemptions conferred by those char-
ters now exists, although the period of enjoyment is postponed,
and that Parliament cannot destroy such right without disre-
garding the' sacredness of the property of the subject. And
that whilst your petitioners would also urge the same argument
in behalf of their apprenticei„ they would further state to your
honourable house, that with the view of obtaining the rights,
privileges, and exemptions granted by the said charter s, the latter
have bound themselves fur a long period of servitude, have in
many instances paid large premiums to their masters, and in
others have been contented to receive very trifling wages. That
your petitioners, therefore, confidently hope that your honour-
able house will pay due regard to contracts thus entered into,
and in part performed.
That your petitioners would further complain to your honour-
able house of those clauses of the proposed bill which would
now deprive their sous and apprentices, and future sons and
apprentices, of the ELECTIVE FRANCHISE in the borough of
Liverpool, although, by the act for amending the representation
of the people of Englatid and Wales, recently passed, that fran-
chise was guaranteed, not only to your petitioners, but also to
their sons and apprentices, in perpetuity.
That the above-mentioned act, at the time it was passed, was
declared to be a final measure, and the conclusive settlement of
a great national question ; that, whilst it conferred the new
right of voting, it confirmed the old, end bestowed the elective
franchise upon all classes of his majesty's subjects.
That your petitioners have not yet heard of any just reasons
why an attempt should be thus suddenly made to break that
solemn compact between the parliament and the people, or why
one of the two peat classes of electors, whose rights and privi-
leges it declared should be maintained, should thus be sacrificed
without any offence on their part, or any general demand on
the part of the nation at large; and your petitoners would re-
spectfully represent to your honourable house, that this attempt.
is not only suddenly made, hut sought to he accomplished by a
measure avowedly brought forward for a different purpose.
That your petitioners conceive that the character of parlia-
ment is involved in the present measure, and they confidently
trust that your honourable house will never sanction a bill,
which they respectfully, but. earnestly, submit to your honour-
able house will be a breach of feith with a large and imp irtant
body of the electors of England.
Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that your honourable
home will preserve to your petitioners, their sons, and ap-
prentices, and their future sons and apprentices, all their rights
and privileges in as large and ample a manner as they have been
enjoyed by their predecessors, by virtue of the said charters,
and confirmed (as to the elective franchise) by the said act'of
'parliament; and that your honourable house will refuse its
assent to those clauses and provisions of the said bill, which in..
terfere with the rights and privileges of the burgesses of Liver-
pool ; and that your petitioners may be heard by themselves,
their counsel, agents, and witnesses, at the bar of your honour-
able house, against Such of the clauses and provisions of the said
bill as affect your petitioners, their sons, and apprentices.
And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.
J: NELSON WOOD, Esq., then advanced to propose that the
petition read to the meeting be forwarded to Lord Sandon for
presentation, and that Mr. Ewart he requested to give it his
best support. He said that although he was much pleased in
having au opportunity Of serving the freemen in any way, he
must state that he should have proposed the resolution more
Madly had it not contained the namaof one for whom he could
not conscientiously entertain the least respect, lie meant that
of Mr. Ewart. (Cries of " Hear, hear," and " We'll not have
the meeting disgraced by his name.") Mr. Ewart was called
one of the representatives of Liverpool, but he Vv-odd)
denied that he was the representative of the opinions of the
people of Liverpool or of the commercial interests of the bo-
rough. (Hear, hear.) He was certainly a representative, but
of what ? Why, of a radical faction, with whom he was ready
to go any lengths to pull down and destroy every institution
sacred to the country. (Cheers.) He was against the insertion
of Mr. Ewart's name in the resolution, but was induced, at the
suggestion of 'a friend, to give him another trial, as he had re-
peatedly denied being the enemy of the freemen. This was the
reason why he now did not object to Mr. Ewart being called
upon, as one of the members for the borough, to give his best
support to the petition. (Mr. Wood concluded amidst the cries
of " No Ewart," "Ask Lord Francis Egerton to support it.")
THOS. Mootie, Esq., seconded the motion.
The meeting appearing to be against the insertion of Mr
Ewart's name,
Mr. WRIGHT said that he wished to say a word upon the sub-
bect of the resolution. He hoped they would not for a moment
elieve that because his friend had moved the resolution with
Mr. Ewart's name in it, that Mr. Ewart was any friend of the
mover or to the cause. It was merely to give Mr. Ewart an op-
portunity of openly declaring what his sentiments were towards
the freemen. They knew that Mr. Ewart at one time had stated,
when they voted for him, that the freemen had nobly retrieved
their character. The freemen had not been charged with doing
anything wrong since that expression, therefore, when Lord
Sandon presented the petition they would see whether Mr.
Ewart was sincere or not, or whether he would steal off as here-
tofore, or say yes, or no,.stO their prayer. When Mr. Ewart
came to Liverpool they would also have an opportunity of ques-
tioning him and ascertaining for'a certainty whether he was fur
them or against them. (Hear.)
Mr. ALEXANDER SMITH was of opinion that the insertion of
Lord Francis Egerton's name instead of Mr. Ewart's would be
most calculated to serve the interests of the freemen. (Hear.)
Mr. WRIGHT.—" We wish to nail the gentleman to the
counter." (Laughter.)
Mr. WRIGHT filen put the resolution to the meeting, when
it was resolved that Mr. Ewart's name should not be erased.
T. B. LYON, Esq. then moved that the thanks of the meeting
be given to John Wright, Esq., their worthy chairman. From
the enthusiastic reception the meeting had conceded to him he
was quite confident the motion would be approved
JOHN SA smarts, Esq.', seconded the motion, and in doing so
urged upon the meeting the necessity of individual exertion to
obtain signatures to the petition, as there was no time to be lost.
A Gentleman then proposed three cheers for the chairman,
and three cheers for Lord Sandon, which were heartily given.
Mr. Ntrimir, in return for the compliment, again came for-
ward, and claimed permission to thank them sincerely for the
attention his brother freemen had shown him, not only at the
present time, but whenever he hag occasion to meet them. He
was not apt to give pledges, but he would say that he would
pledge himself, ever to be ready to the best of his ability to
protect the rights and privileges of the freemen whenever they
were attacked. He hoped that he had an honest heart to stand
by them if he had not eloquence to speak for them. lie wished,
in conclusion, to impress upon their minds the necessity of sign-
ing the petition. If they had any feeling of respect for him,
themselves, or their chilldren, or those who were bound to them
by indenture, they must not neglect. it, but use every exertion
to get their fellow freemen to sign. He knew from high au-
thority that if it was numerously signed it would hare the de-
sired effect. The information they had received was recent,
and that was the reasou why longer notice was not given. Mr.
Wright concluded amidst loud cheers.
• The meeting then separated, having previously given three
cheers for the King, the same for the Queen, and the same for
the House of Peers.
Notwithstanding the brevity of the notice of this meeting,
the placards not appearing until Saturday evening, the atend-
ance about a quarter of an hour after the commencement of
the proceedings was very numerous.

OPERATIVE CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION.—The feeling.
which we noticed last week is spreading rapidly arrinng the
working classes, and we hope soon to find that Operative
Conservative Associations have been established in every dis-
trict of the town. A general meeting was held on Wednesday
evening, at the Coach and Horses, London-road, for the purpose
of enrolling znembers in the association already established, and
for making other arrangements, when some gratifying informa-
tion relative to the spread of sound feelings amongst the opera-
tives was given by the persons assembled. A suggestion thrown
out by a poor weaver deserves to be recorded, as a proof of the
attachment to the constitution, which exists to a tar greater
extent than is generally imagined, and which ought to be fostered
and encouraged by the higher classes. The difficulty of obtain-
ing votes by those persons whose poor-rates are paid I.y their
landlords was under discussion, when this poor man declared
that he would immediately set about retrenching in some de-
partment or other of his expenditure, in order that be might he
able to raise the money to pay his own poor-rates; and he re-
commended every one present, who was situated as he was, to
do the same. The committee meet every Wednesday evening;
at the Coach and Horses, to enrol the names of such-persons as
may wish to join the society : and in order to secure the admis-
sion of none but men of sound principles, it is necessary that
every person applying should be known to at least two of the
ineinhers,-141anehes.er Courier,