The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-11-27 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE,

(From the Greenock Adcertixer.)
,ROUT FORTY LIVES LOST, AND CONSIDERABLE PROPERTY
DESTROYED AY INUND tTION.
On Saturday night, the eastern extremity of this town, and a
portion of the adjoining village of Cartsdyke, were the scene of
the most awful catastrophe that ever occurred in this part of the
country. In consequence of the heavy rains which have fallen
so frequently of late, Beath's Darn, or, as it is popularly called,
the nVltiu Hill Dam," and which has latterly become the pro-
perty of the &taws Water Company, burst its banks, and poured
its waters down upon the low grounds with a force that swept
everything before it.
For some time before the flood reached the houses, the noise
made by its approach was heard by numbers, who were utterly
unable to conjecture the cause of the sounds which assailedtheir
ears :—some supposing them to proceed from a sudden and vio-
lent gale of wind ; while others conceived them to be caused by
the rapid progress of numerous heavy loaded vehicles on some
of the distant streets of the town. The real cause, however,
was soon apparent; fur, shortly after eleven o'clock, an lin-
mense body of water cause rushing down Cartsburn, bearing
'with it several huge trees, and having swept away the substan-
tial bridge over it near Cartsburn House, proceeded along the
street of the same name in a solid mass upwards of seven feet
deep. Nor was this street the only channel through which the
waters found their way to the river; for, breaking down the
wall of Mr. M'Farlane s tannery, by the side of Cartsburn, it
spread across the tanwork, and burst in the back doors and
windows of the houses at the head of Stanners-street, in Carts-
dyke, while another Mass came round the top, and flowed down
the street with scarcely less impetuosity than in Cartsburn-street.
The main branch of the torrent, on meeting with obstruction
on the north side of Rue-end-street, rolled rapidly to the west-
ward along that street, as far as to Virginia-street, passing up
with great rapidity the various streets on the south side of Rue-
eud-street. The first appearance ln St. Andrew's-street was
very striking. Coming in the direction it did, the inhabitants
were impressed with the idea that the sea had burst its bounds,
and was about to submerge the town. Almost immediately
after, however, this recoiling stream was met by one of the di-
rect branches of the main torrent, and was driven back with
great velocity. That portion of this branch, which could not
find vent by Carnock-street, broke down the walls of a coal-
yard and stable, and rushed across the gardens between Carts-
burn and St. Andrew's-streets, overthrowing several strong
walls in its course. _

To give anything like an adequate idea of the appalling scene,
when the torrent was at its height, to those who neither saw it
at the time nor have since witnessed its desolating effects, is ab-
solutely impossible. From the soddenness and overwhehning
force of the eruption, it was well calculated, under the most fa-
vourable circumstances, to strike all who were near it with ter-
ror; but when the hour at which it occurred,'and the great
darkness of the night, are taken into consideration, it Will easily
be seen how much its dreadful character was increased. There
can be no doubt whatever that these circumstances added ma-
terially to the amount .of mortality which it has occasioned.
Many of its victims were surprised in their beds, and drowned
before they could leave their houses ; while the fate of others
was, doubtless, accelerated by the means to escape, which, in
the confusion-and darkness, they had erroneously adopted.
The greatest loss of life occurred in Stainers'-street : this is,
no doubt, attributable to the free scope which the torrent had
over Mr. M‘Farlane's tan-yard, and the substantial new houses
in Arthur-street preventing the water from proceeding directly
towards the sea. .• The consequence was that the first intimation
many of the inhabitants had of the approaching inundation, was
the beating of the waters on the back doors and windows of the
ground-floors, and which; aided by the floating timbers they
carried on their bosom, soon burst their doors and windows,
completely filling every apartment. In one house adjoining
the back of •the tan-worit, occupied by Peter Douglas, grocer
and shoemaker, were himself, his daughter, about 17 years of
age, and his son, a bay about 14 years, the whole of whom, the
entire family, were drowned. A neighbour, in the same floor,
widow Fergusou, into whose house the water forced its way by
the back window which had been broken by a floating cart-
wheel, had implored the►n to come out; he insisted, however,
that their main chance of safety vas to remain where they were.
While he was speaking, his window was burst open, and in an
instant himself and his family here overwhelmed by the flood.
Mrs. Ferguson, who was in the passage speaking to Douglas,
was borne by the water into the front street, and perished in the
current, which now rushed with resistless velocity. Her daugh-
ter, about eighteen years of age, from whom the above particu-
lars were obtained, and who was in bed at the time, was also
carried away, and was ultimately picked up alive, floating in
the river on a piece of timber near Cartsdyke Quay, by some
persons in a boat. John M`Fadzean, a founder, who lodged in
the same house, was carried away at the same time and drown-
ed. In almost every house on the same side of the street like
fatal casualties occurred. In one six out of eight persons in the
house perished, and next door four out of six lost their lives.
Most of them were asleep when the water broke in, and w•e►e
• drowned in their beds.

When the water burst into the house of William Docherty,
which is the first at the head of Stanners-street, both the apart-
ments were nearly filled to the roof in an instant. He and his
wife seized a child each, and rushed to the front door. By this
time the back door had been completely broken in, and the cur-
rent, rushing through the passage into the street, closed the
front door against him as he was running out, and held him
, jammed in that position till the flood subsided. His wife nos
also pressed against the door with him, and succeeded in pre-
serving herself and the child. The husband's right arm, which
is very severely bruised. was outside the door, while he conti-
nued holding up the child inside with his left. In the confusion
of the moment they forget a child of two and a half years old in
bed, and, being utterly unable to relieve it, it was drowned.In the adjoining house of Mrs. M•Gunnion Robt. MiWalter, ,
an old man, was drowned in his bed. A young man, a lodger,
broke the pantie' above the door and leaped out jute the stream,
and was carried down the street with resistless fury. On
reaching the font of the street, he got hold of the floating body
of a horse, anti held by it till he was picked up. On the oppo-
site side of the street, mu the house of a man named M'Diarmid,
himself and two children were drowned. In the next house the
whole family were saved in an extraordinary manner. On the
water entering the house, the heshand and wife seized two chil-
dren each, and got on the top of a table. The water still conti-
nued to rise rapidly every second until it reached within a foot
of the roof. The parents vontinued to hold the children as high
as they could, till the mother, the water having reached her
mouth, exclaimed, "Edward, Edward, all is over!" Happily
at this.inoment the water subsided, and gradually descended till
they were all enabled to escape.
As already stated, one of the first effects of the inundation in
Cartsburn-street was the overthrow of the walls of a coal-yard
and stable. In the latter its occupant, Matthew Alexander, who
was in at the time endeavouring to remove his horse, was, with
the animal, buried under the ruins. Another horse was floated
out and escaped. The unfortunate man, we understand, has

left a family of eight children, all young, and, with his widow,
entirely destitute.
TAle Overthrow of the stable removed the chief obstruction to
the progress of the wateri to the back door of the shop of Mr.
M'Lea, grocer and spiritAealer, Cartsburn-street, into which
the Mod now milled with unchecked violence. Before this the
water had been forcing its way partially by the front door, but
'now it had full scope, and drowned Mrs. APLea and her
daughter, a
.girl about three years old. Her other children,
through the instrumentality of her servant, escaped to the floor
above. The property in the shop was entirely destroyed, and
about £BO in notes lost from the till. The husband was i❑ a
shop belonging to him near Cartsdyke Quay Head at the time,
with a son about twelve years old: they both escaped, though
the property in the shop cohere they were was partially destroy-
ed. From the position in which the bodies of Mrs. M'Lea and
child were found, it is supposed that at the first rush of the tor-
rent into the house she had gone to lift the girl from the bed,
and was drowned in the act.

An elderly woman, named Grace Reid; fdimerly cook to Alex-
ander Dunlop, Esq., Keppoch, was drowned in a house near
the foot of Cartsburn-street. She resided in the house of Chas.
Lusk, a cartwright, and was in bed at the time: It is conjec-
tured that she attempted to rise when the water came in, but
had stumbled in the dark and fallen, and, being a very heavy
woman, was unable to regain a footing. She was found drowned
immediately in front of the bed. Charles Lusk and his son, the
only other inmates, escaped.
Mrs. Salmon, an aged woman, who inhabited a bowie adjoin-
ing, but entering from Carnock-street, was fonnd dead tinder a
cart belonging to Mathew Alexander, whose death is mention-
ed above. The circumstances attending her fate are lot
known. In a house in Cartsburn-street, nearly opposite Mr.
M'Farlane's tan-yard, the wife of Mr. Colin Paul, plasterer,
and one of her children, were drowned.
In St. Andrew-street, the casualties were fewer in number
than in the other streets we have named. The water in it ne-
ver rose so high, and none of those who kept their houses have
perished. In one instance, however, on the wall of an adjoin-
ing garden giving way, a man named M'Latchie went out with
two children in his arms, and his wife followed with a third—
their entire family. The force of the torrent carried the whole
off their feet. The man was brought up by a lamp post at the
foot of the street, with a force that separated him from his
children, who, however, were ultimately rescued, as was the one
in the charge of Mrs. M'Latchie. She was less fortunate, being
taken out of the water dead.

In a house in Rue End-street, situated between the building
yards of Messrs. Robert Steele and Co. and Mr. James
M'Millan, an elderly man named Stewart, and two of his grand
children, were drowned.
Mrs. Tulloch, who keeps a grocery shop in Cartsburn-street,
• was serving a customer, when she first heard the noise of the
•approaching torrent. She ran instantly tot the door, and de-
scribes the appearance of the flood as resembling a huge white
mass of great height. She attempted to. shuttle:l door, but the
flood forced its way. She then retreated into •a back room, and
got upon the roof of a bed, where she clung tilllhe waters sub-
sided. So critical was her situation, that while the crown of
her head touched the roof, the water rose to her chin. The girl
whom she was serving in the shop, when she first heard the
noise attempted to gain a similar position, but fell, and was ulti-
mately picked up among some of the furniture in a state of in.!
sensibility, and still remains in great danger. Mr. M'Alpine,
an officer of excise who lodged in the house, who had been
asleep in. bed, clung for seine time to the side of the window,
the frames having been wholly destroyed, but was ultimately
carried away. Fortunately, while afloat, •he caught hold of a
lamp-iron at the corner of the house, to which he kept a grasp
till the water had fallen sufficiently low to enable him to de-
scend. Mrs. Tulloch's daughter, on the first breach of the
water, got out of bed, and attempted to make for the door, but
was opposed by her mother, who advised her to go back to her
bed, which might perhaps float and save her. Tfte young
woman obeyed, and the result justified the soundness of the ad-
vice, for although the water rose to the height of six or seven
feet, she floated securely, without being wet.
Mr. Duncan Baxter, grocer and spirit dealer, adjoining Mr.
M'Lea's, the death of whose wife and child we have men-
tioned above, had, with his whole family, a very narrow escape.
When the water forced its way into his house, the whole in-
mates who were at the time out of bed, rushed out by the back
door, and gut up stairs to the flat above ; but Mr. and Mrs.
Baxter had no sooner reaphed a place of safety, than they
found that two of their children were left behind. Mr. Dunning,
into whose • house they had gone, and who is a tall powerful
man, volunteered to rescue them. He descended accordingly,
and, on entering the house, discovered the bed on which the
children lay floating on the top of the water, and its ,ccupants
enjoying a sound sleep quite unconscious of their danger- They
joined the rest of the family in safety.
Mr. and Mrs. Beith, who occupy a shop and house immedi-
ately opposite Mr. M'Lea's, effected their escape by a back
window, from which they got upon an outside stair, which they'
scarcely t cached when their house was completely filled with
water.

One of the houses in Cartsburn-street, which was severely ex-
posed to danger by this calamity, was Shanks'-land, which is
built close to the side of Cartsburn, the centre of the inundation.
The ground floor at the southern extremity is occupied by Mr.
Beattie', grocer, and his family. The first rush of the water
burst in the frait window, and the inhabitants endeavoured to
save themselves by getting upon chairs and other pieces of fur-
niture, which were soon set afloat. Mr. Beattie clung to a sofa
with his wife, whose head he with great difficulty kept above
water. Fortunately the table at which they had been sitting in
a back room, and on which stood a lighted lamp, was also borne
aloft so erectly that the light was not extinguished. This enabled
him to use the best means of escape, which he ultimately eacted
by, a winding stair at the back of the house communicatiug with
the floors above, the residents of Which were ready *to assist
them. A child belonging to them was first picked up in a state
of insensibility, but by using the proper means was completely
restored. A young girl, Mr. Beattie's niece, was next got out,
but she was so far gone that nearly half an hour elapsed before
she manifested any signs of returning animation.
Several people escaped by those above them breaking through
their floors and pulling them up.
The appearance of the channel of the stream is entirely
changed. Between Mr. Kennedy's mill and Cartsburn-street,
in some places four, six, eight, and ten feet-of soil have been
removed, and the bed of the stream altered. Rocks have been
carried away front seine places, and in numerous others laid
low. Large and tall trees have been torn ap by the roots, and
carried to a distance that is almost unaccountable. Huge
moulds, some of them weighing two and three tons, were carried(
out of the foundry of Messrs. Scott, Sinclair, and Co., and de-
posited in Cartsburn. Immediately above , the dam of their
work there was a very pretty cascade, but the torrent made a
clean sweep of the rocks over which the water fell, with the
shrubs and trees upon the margin; leaving nothing to indicate
that a water-fall had ever been there. 'rite great iron-grating,
inteeded to keep large bodies from passing into the dam, al-
though apparently weighing not less than five tons, was lifted
from its place and thrown up on the bank, which is of consider-
able height.
It is impossible to give anything like an adequate idea of the
amount of property destroyed, but that it must have been nu-
amuse will be readily admitted by all who have witnessed the
desolate appearance of the streets through which the torrent
passed: '1 he ground !loots of the greater number of the houses
in Cartsburn and Rue End-streets being occupied as shops, and
these having been all flooded to a great depth, the most of their
contents have been entirely destroyed. The tan work of Mr.
Thomas MParlaue was swept of nearly its whole stock; and
in that of Messrs. James Arbuckle and Co, which was not
quite so thoroughly cleared, the damage done has been esti-
mated at £1,50U. 'rhe flint mill of the Clyde Pottery Com-
pany, which is the nearest to Beath's dam, had one side of the
building, including the casing of the water wheel, completely
demolished. The wheel itself was covered so completely by
trees and brushwood that for some time it was supposed to have
shared the same fate, A stout bridge adjoining was carried
away, as was one a little lower. Between this and Cartsburn
mill a smaller dam was borne away by the weight of the torrent,
and added its supplies to the inundation, which now left nothing
but bare rocks to mark its progress. The corner of a forge, at-
tached to Cartsburn mill, was swept away with a large stalk
that surmounted it. A horse bought the same day for £3O, and
several sheep, pigs, carts, Sec., were also borne down by the
flood. The horse was found drowned near Cartsburn-street.
A quantity of grain and several bags of flour were likewise car-
ried off, but some of the latter were deposited by the flood in the
mill of Messrs. Lindsay and Graham, which is used for rasping
dyewoods. This mill sustained less damage than might have
been expected from its situation, and its safety is no doubt at-
tributable to a large quarry close to the burn on the opposite
side, which diverted part of the waters into a new channel,
wherein it still flows. It next reached the dam of Messrs.
Scott, Sinclair, and Co., of which not a vestige is left, and broke
into the moulding shop of their foundry, the heavy contents of
which it tumbled about, and, as we have elsewhere stated, seve-
ral huge moulding boxes of great weight lying outside were
borne away into the burn. It will be satisfactory to those in-
terested, at a distance, to learn that none of the wood in the
timber ponds in the neighbourhood has been carried away,
which is doubtless owing to the free space there afforded for the
flood to dissipate itself into the sea.
Great as has been the destruction of both life and property
by this deplorable casualty—and the full amount of both it is
impossible as yet to ascertaiu—the time within which it was
effected was vet y short. The torrent took only ten minutes to
rush past Cartsburn grain mill, the people connected with which
had a very. narrow escape. In the town, front the various ob-
structions it met with, it of course took a longer ti me to dissipate.
but even there it had fallen comparatively low within about a
quarter of an hour or twenty .minutes of its first appearance.
We are well aware that those who were in imminent danger
incline to believe that its duration was much greater —some
even affirming that it continued for upwards of an hour. But
besides the truth of the saying that " sad hours seem long,"
which-would justify us in believing them guilty of unconscious
exaggeration, we know, front actual observation, that their
statements are incorrect. It was as near as possible a quarter
past eleven when the torrent made its first appearance in such
a way as to excite alarm, and by a quarter to twelve, although
the streets were still covered with water, it was not in such
quantities as to endanger life, and was becoming less every
minute.

As might have been expected, this melancholy catastrophe
excited touch sympathy among the, inhabitants of the other
portions of the town, and early on Sunday morning the provost,
sheriff, and other local authorities arrived upon the spot, where
they remained till the day was far advanced. The procurator
fiscal arrived at six in the morning, and continued the whole
day. Every assistance which could be given was afforded to the
sufferers, and the Rev. Mr. Menzies, the minister of the parish,
intimated to his congregation in the forenoon that at the second
service a collection would be made for the relief of their name
diate wants. He likewise set on foot a subscription among; the
more opulent people of the neighbourhood for the same purpose.
A meeting of the town council was held list night, at which
measures for giving immediate assistance, in food, clothing, and
lodging, to those who had been left destitute, were agreed to
and entered upon; and at two o'clock this day a public meeting
was held with the same view.

Provost Macfie was called to the chair.• He regretted the
melancholy occasion which had drawn them together, and stated
how touch the magistrates had been indebted to the exertions of
the gentlemen whom the casualty had attracted to the
_spot, in
their endeavour to relieve the disteess of the survivors. He par-
ticularly alluded to Mr. Steele, whose exertions well merited the
eulogy, and concluded by calling upon all who were able,_ to
come forward liberally, stating that the subscription list had
been headed by Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, who had put down
two hundred guineas for the Shaws Water Company and one
hundred fur himself. This announcement was received with
marked approbation. A committee was then named to collect
subscriptions, and one, consisting of several members of coun-
cil, the minister and kirk session of the east parish, and the
Rev. Messrs. Moserip and Stark, to relieve the present necessi-
ties of the destitute. A letter from Mr. Wallace to the provost,
deploring the calamity, was also read. On the motion of Haillie
Stewart, thanks were voted to Sir M. Shaw Stewart for his be-
nevolence on the occasion, which were given by acclamation.
Sir Michael made a short but feeling reply, in the course of
which be remarked that he was the more affected by the ea-.
lamity from the reflection that the dead and living sufferers
were all of the poorer classes. He moved thanks to the provost
for his conduct in the chair, and more particularly for his exer-
tions, so worthy of a christian magistrate, in reference to the
melancholy affair which had brought them together. The pro-
Yost made a brief reply, and the subscription paper was sent'
round.- and before the meeting broke up between EtPO and MO
was subscribed.

NOVEM II R 27. 1.5:35.

THEATItg-ROYAL, LIVERPOOL,

Air RS. CLARKE most respectfully announces that bet
.1.V.1 BENEFIT will fake place ou Monday next, the Oa
instant, On which occasion Mr.• KEAN, on his return frug,
Ireland, has kindly offered the aid of his valuable services. Oa
will sustain the character of Sir Giles Overteach, in the play
of A NEW WAY TO PAY OLD. DEBTS,

Positively his only appearance.
The grand Musical Drama of BLUE BEARD will be pro-
duced (for this night only) with all the splendour with which,
it was revived last season; and, to give every ssible effect to
the Piece, Mr. ATKINS the spirited Pro ietor of the lac'
logical Gardens, has in the most liberal Liner granted per-
mission for the stupendous ELEPHAN' tAJAH, belongnig.
to that Establishment, to appear in the rocessiou, in the First
Act, bearing Blue Beard under a rich anopy, and also carry-
ing on his neck hit young Conduct , who is ,constant at-
tendance upon him.
The rare and docile Animal, the large DROMEDARY,
which has been recently added to the Collection of Mr. Atkins,
will also join in the Procession, bearing Presents for Fatima.
The beautiful and curious- Animal, the LAMA, will 1115°
appear; the whole forming a Pageant of unprecedented attrac-
tion.

First Night of the new Petite Comedy of the CHRISTEN-
ING, written by J. B. Buckstone, Esq., the Author of the suc-
cessful Dramas of "Rural Felicity,'"Nfarried Life," Bze.
Tickets to be had of Mrs. Clarke, No. 1, Houghton-street,
and of Mr. Parker, at the Box-office, where Places will' be
taken from Ten till Three.

For the BENEFIT of Mr. ANDREWS,
/AN WEDNESDAY next, December , the Musical Pill
kJ of IVANHOE!
A M um/tr. 0 Lro will be Performed o Zeitter and Co.'s New
Patent Grand Piano-forte, by Mr. R. drews accompanied by
a Full Orchestra, arranged 191 hi s f expressly for this occa-
sion, and selected from the most teemed works of Ignace
Moschelles.—The Fall of Paris. nticipations of Scotland--
Kelvin Grove, Auld Robin Gray, Lord Moira's Strathspey.
Recollections of Ireland—Groves of Blarney, Garry Owen,
St. Patrick's Day; as performed by the Author, with enthu-
siastic applause, at the last Birmingham Musical Festival; to
conclude with brilliant variations on the Swiss Mr, as com-
posed by Mr. R. Andrews.
Mr. BEAN, of the King's Band, will perform a Fantasia 0.11
the Trombone, in which he will introduce Bishop's much ad-
mired Bravura Song "Should he upbraid."
A variety of favourite Songs and Comic Glees, by Messrs-
Frazer, Horncastle, Benwell, and Andrews.

To conclude with
CHARLES THE SECOND.
Captain Copp Andrews.
Tickets to be had of bir. Andrews, 10, Commutation-row

Eif Eiberpoot Z-tanZiartl.

FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 27,1835'

• Some people still maintain that there will be no war
between France and America. We are of a different
opinion, and so are the ministerial journalists of Pariso
General JACKSON has made up his mind to fight, be the
result what it may. Cotton bales saved New Orleanson
a late Iccasion and perhaps the General calculates that
they will save New York, Boston, Philadelphia,
Balti-
more, and the capital in the crisis which is nearly ripe'
We shall see.

From the very commencement of the negotiations
with France General JACKSON and his party have
clearly
evinced their intention to make good their claims bf
force of arms. That the president and the views Of the
president are popular in the United States is proved by
the result of the elections. He has decidedly increasea
his majority in the House of Representatives. He has,
therefore, the people with him; and if he do not lead
that people as pretty a dance as ever was performed la
the Temple of Folly, or in any barn dedicated to liberty'
and recklessness, we very much mistake the character Of
the man. He is a republican madman—tierce, proud, ar-
rogant, and obstinate—furious, positive, and ignorant--
vain, irascible, and pugnacious—upon whom no lesson
• will take effect which is not delivered in the shape
of a hip-and-thigh, a regularly unmerciful and down-
right drubbing. We borrow the English language d
America in order to make ourselves intelligible.
What is meant by drubbing we leave to connoisseurs in
dictionaries; and this drubbing the President and his'
equals must receive to their hearts' content, before any
thing like good manners or an approach to civilization,
can be expected in that quarter.
But let us view the ease fully in front and in detail-'
LOUIS PHILIPPE, commonly called the King of the French'
when he was in the infancy—the helpless infancy
of regal power, and glad to gain a friend anywhere, at.
'any Sacrifice—agreed that France owed and ought to paY
to the l.nited States some twenty-five millions of francs--
a shabby coin, fit emblem of a beggarly country—ia
compensation of certain claims set up by the citizens of
'America. LOUIS I'M:LIPPE was at that time a minor in
the hands of trustees. He was like a foolish young man
arrested by his tailor for a debt which he could not paY
without the consent of his guardians. Anxious to avoid
exposure he was induced to sign a judgment ; but, as,
every lawyer knows, the judgment was little better than
a fraud, and certainly not worth more than the paper ee.
which it was written. Louis PIIILIETE could not pay
the alleged debt without the consent of his guardians.
These were the peers and the Chamber of Deputies of
France. They demurred to the contract. They alici
their predecessors had for twenty years refused to ac-
knowledge the debt. They in fact treated it as an jai"'
position--as an usurious claim founded upon false Pre-
texts—as a fraud concocted by swindlers for the purpose
of extorting money. This last we believe tote as oesr
the truth as possible. LOUIS PHILIPPE, however, and
his ministers, both being peculiarly situated, consented'
to pay the specified number of dollars demanded for the
sake of peace. But their consent was a nullity, unless'
their draft were countersigned and indorsed by the chain=
bers. The chambers refused to acknowledge it. It was'
according to their decision, sto Ow bill. It was a Tot
DusicomuE acceptance. It was a transaction of which
mercantile men have the greatest abhorrence. They re- •
solutely declared they would not disgrace themselves by
having any concern in it.

-General JACKSON, being an utter stranger to the for
of commercial and civilized life, ventured. upon the
bold experiment of drawing upon the Treasury of Paris
for the sectional sum -agreed to be paid by Louis Poi'
LIPPE. The draft was presented and dishonoured. The
clerks and pOrters of the Treasury laughed heartily at!.
the impudence and absurdity of the drawer. And well
they might ! Mr. E. SMITH draws upon the Houseles9'
fund for twenty pounds. " Nc," says the treasurer of
the Houseless, "it may be a good bill, and the money
may be due, but until the board vote the money I cannot,
pay."

Such is Mr. President JACKSON'S case. His bill uPOll'
France was dishonoured. It was protested ; and various'
charges upon its transit, and in the form of agency Lld
.
commission, were made, whit!) Mister President Was
compelled to pay, rather reluctantly, and under a salute
of certain guns, morally charged, which, withdut slaugh-
ter, inflicted a serious wound upon his pride and his re' '
-pntattort—upon his dignity and independence.
BUt what does General JacKaix* do in so delicate a
dilemma ? He threatens France in along speech. He
admonishes the citizens to arm in defence of his claims-
He tells them that their. liberty and the dollars are jive-
parably mixed up, and that if they do not blow France
out of the water they will be doused out of their money
France, in fact, is treated, by this seventh-.rate nation, 25
the football of the Americans. She is insulted in ecerY
possible way. She is called a cheat and a swindler, and
every rogue in the United States is virtually instructed
to consider European manners, as illustrated by those of
France towards themselves, to be unsound, deceptive'
treacherous, and dishonest.
That may be the opinion of the empty and pugnacious
gentleman who is the President of the -United States-
He may gain some popularity with his savage citizensia
spreading such sentiments. But we enter our protest
against them. General JACKSON we take to be a man
who, from his habits and education, does not, and cannot,'
comprehend the policy of Europe. His native pride is
only exceeded by his ignorance. We take him to be a
fair representative of the indigenous arrogance which ig
so observable and so ludicrous in the mixed conuounitY
of whites and blacks over which he rules. He takes for
granted, being countenanced in his belief by the curio).
ethics of Mr. VAN BUREN, that what the citizens consider
.
to be right is right ; and, right or wrong, he threatens to
maintain his position at all hazards, even at the dee"
rate peril of dismembering and ruining the Commun..
wealth.
With such a man there is no dealing Within the bounds
of reason. He does not reflect that there must be 21._
least two parties to a contract. If the one can diciale
to
the other the contract ceases to be a voluntary act.
act in that case resolves itself into fraud or extortion;
If France consents to pay a certain sum of money to al

1%4;0 E5l 11
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ameowcimmt,a Am.,.--iesmarde-wricuele grmeAraicstionnA,
United States, surely she has a right to say how, when,
wheie, and under what circumstances she chooses to ply
it. A man may give money to a questionable claimant
merelyxto stop his importunity ; but it is quite another
thing ikcalled upon to pay by a swaggering fellow who
points td a pistol as the alternative. This last is exactly
the situation of France, and we do not believe there is a
nation in Europe which would act differently to what she
has' doge in similar circumstance;. Mr. President JACK-
SON says, " Pay me the dollars, or"—what ?—" I'll
make you pay at the cannon's mouth !" It is, in short—
THE moritiler WAR !
France very naturally takes umbrage at this bullying
sort of treatment, and she replies, " Recall your me-
naces, and here is your money—say you did not mean
to adopt any hostile measures, and the dollars will be
sent you forthviith."
The President obstinately refuses to make any such
concessions. He cannot say ha did not threaten, for there
is his own letter containing a most direct and unequivocal
menace. He cannot rail tha seal from oil the bond.
What then ? The President will not apologise—Fiatitie
will not pay—there must therefore be WAR.

It is highly gratifying to witness the zeal and unan-
imity with which that influential class of our fellow-towns-
men, the tradesmen and shopkeepers, are exerting them-
selves to secure the election to the Common Council, of
gentlemen qualified to perform the new and important
duties which will devolve upon that body. No efforts
are spared, no sacrifice of time or ease is considered too
great, to effect this object. We have visited several of
the Ward Committees, and the efficient manner in which
the business is conducted, and that too by those who
have hitherto, comparatively speaking, taken but little
interest in elections, satisfies us that the conservative
party in this torn never could boast of a more v-aluable
body of able leaders than those who are now united to
save it from the intolerant domination of a radical junto.
We most sincerely wish that we could bestow the same
measure of praise upon the merchants and those who
move in a higher, and what has, perhaps erroneously,
been considered a more influential, sphere—those who
upon all former occasions have come forward and taken
their stand in the front of the battle ; but, we regret to
say, that with a few laudable exceptions, we behold
them apparently indifferent as to the result of the strug-
gle ; indifferent, whether the property, the power, and
the influenced of the corporation shall be vested in men.,
who, themselves deeply interested in the prosperity of
the borough, will anxiously endeavour to promote its
greatness and exalt its character, or be surrendered to
those who can only exist in the. atmosphere of agitation,
surrounded by turbulent demagogues, factious partizans,
and the determined enemies of every institution we re-
vere—men, who, professing liberality, are narrow and
illiberal in their views—men destitute bf any useful ha-
bits of business, and who are no more fit to manage the
affairs of the corporation of Liverpool, and to protect the
interests of its creditors and lessees, than would be forty-
eight American citizens imported form the wilds of Ken-
tucky, or the woods of Tennessee. Yes, we repeat it—
we could wish to see more energy, more active useful-
ness displayed by the merchants at the present crisis;
let them join the several ward committees; let them ac-
?ively co-operate with those who, day after day and
night after night, are toiling in the good cause. Ano-
ther month of hard work has still to be performed ; but
when the victory shall have been achieved, let every con-
servative be able to say, " I too have assisted, have
borne my share, in saving this great town from degra-
dation and disgrace."
We make these observations in the full conviction that
they are not uncalled for. We say, unhesitatingly, that
this is no ordinary, no trifling, no unimportant contest;
and we therefore hope the patriotic spirit which has hi-
therto actuated the merchants of Liverpool, on all great
occasions, will again be displayed. We take leave to re-
mind them that, supineness and lethargy .never yet
achieved a victory.

LONDON LATEST NEWS.

City, Ifedneiclay.. Evening, Half-past Seven o'clock

The speech of the Queen Regent of Spain has caused some dis_
appointment, and has been followed by a decline in the Spanish
securities, as our speculators are always apt to expect miracles
and whether in pumping dirty water from the holes of S outh
America, or rattling with breathless violence along the Stock
Exchange moonshining railroads, or in expecting M. Mendiza-
bel to be possessor of the Cap of Fortunatus, are always buoyed
by impossible expectation, and absolutely fudge so regularly
and so repeatedly, that at last they put down the crotchets of
their inventive brains as matters of fact. According to these
worthies, the Spanish Bonds were to advance five per cent., in
lieu of which they have fallen otie per cent., closing this after-
noon at 173 ;. . .
That pet of the liberals also, the. Queen Donna Marie de Glo-
ria, has been playing a few pranks, turning old Saldanha out
one day, and reinstating,him the next, to the no small alarm of
our bondholders, who find, in consequence, Portuguese 5 per
Cents. at 90, and the 3 per Cents. at 56i. The creature has
however, what Bailie Nicol .Jarvie would call a "glimmering I
for she stated her reason for the dismissal of Saldanha and his
associates to be, because the Portuguese troops sent into Spain
bad been so despatched_in opposition to her wishes.
This has been settling day in the consol market, and the chief
business has been the clearing of the accounts. Consols for
Money left off at 91i 3. and for• the account at 91; 92. There is
an improvement in Exchequer bills and India bonds, compared
with the few previous days, the former being at 13 to 15, and
the latter at 6 pm. All the republican bonds are very flat, 321
is the price of Colombian, 44 to 45 that of Chilian, and 37 to 38
that of Mexican.

It is understood (and we have it from good authority) that
the revolutionary radicals of Westminster intend availing
themselves of the first opportunity of putting up Mr. Daniel
O'Connell, beggarman and bully, against Sir Francis 13urdett.
"Agitation for ever!"

SLANDEROUS ATTACKS UPON THE CLERGY OF
THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH.

(From a correspondent.)

Although the man by whom the coarse and brutal attack upon
the junior rector was instigated will find his punishment in the
blight of disappointed ambition, in the alienation of all his na-
tural friends, and the contempt of those seeming ones who de-
spise him while they use hiui as their tool, still we feel it our
duty to allude to the subject again. Such assaults on clergy-
Men whose stud] it is to perform their duties quietly, to abstain
from all party politics and all religious controversy, and give no
offence to any person, ought to be generally resented by the
publicly expressed indignation of every honourable man in the
town whatever his party may be. As for the virtuous condemn-
ation that is prononneed.against pluralities, in perfect ignorance
perhaps of tlie real truth, let people look at home. If none
but those wbo are without sin cast the first stone, there will be
fewer stones cast than there are at present. And for a venal
lit)eller who has offered to sell himself twice over to the highest
bidder to prate about -corruption is a precious piece of mockery
indeed! And yet instead of resenting such conduct men, call-
ing theniselves gentlemen, instigate it. We have heard of a man
in the profession, at least of a gentleman, going about the town,
calculating, and, We dare say, grossly overstating the public
and private incomes of the rectors, and reckoning how much
they get for each sermon ! . Now, suppose this argument were
retorted, what liberal profession would stand ! Suppose we
were to talk of a doctor Who gets a guinea for feeling an old
lady's pulse, and ordering her a dose of cinnamon water. Sup-
pOse'we were to get an assembly of day labourers about us, and
describe a greedy lawyer (an imaginary one of course) who,
having already realised a competent income, and married a wife
with a splendid fortune, continues to, get £2500 a-year by ex-
hausting bankrupts' estates, and pleading the cause of rich suit-
ors against the widow and orphan ? Suppose we were to calcu-
late how many pounds he gets for every ingenious fiction with
which he deludes dull jurymen into the belief that the "worse
is the better cause?" Suppose we were to tell our day labour-
Jag friends that the lawyer gets fifteen guineas for one speech
stuffed with legal quibbles; and that he clears by two such
'speeches more than they can earn by the sweat of their brow,
labouring six days in the week in the course of -a long year ?
Wijuld they not be ready to rise in mutiny and stone him I and
bnght not a gentleman to blush (if he can blush) to lower his
taste, and by mean calumnies against professional men court
fellowship with plunderers who make no distinctions between
lawyers and clergymen—who think them equally public rob-
bers, and will; if they can, sweep both away with the besom of
destruction? Shame on such gentlemen! In the glorious days
of Jack Cade, Dick, the butcher, undertook to "kill all the
lawyers the first thing," and men may make what distinctions
they please, but the day labourer will think he has quite as good
a right to share in the merchant's £lO,OOO a-year as in the cler-
gymnan's £1000; and quite as good a right to the lawyer's dock
bonds as the clergyman's, and if time principle is once established
he will claim hia right, eLich is thus asserted for him, and hare
it too: Therefore let envious rich men ben-are.

r:-•h~4!~+m~ n;s•.~.z.:Ssiet~r-t..--- <v_~rsrrrra:

~~r.-~c-rrs:- ~:•~a«+-arti~i'r—..fir:

REVISIO'g OF THE LIST OF VOTERS

We most earnestly call the attentiod of our readers to
the advertisement in another part of our paper, announcing
the sittings of the revising barrister: Persoris'who have claim-
ed, or have been objected to by the reformers, should not omit
to attend the court on Tuesday next. One vote ill a Ward is of
more importance than a dozen at a parliamentary elcbtion.