The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-02-10 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL GUARDIAN SOCIETY.

The twentieth anniversary dinner of the Liverpool Guardian
3ociety for the Protection of Trade took place on the evening
,f Tuesday, in the large room of the York Hotel, William-
son-square, which was elegantly decorated for the occasion.
About one hundred and fifty members and friends of the so-
ciety were present, amongst whom were the Mayor, the
Town-clerk; and Mr. Bermingham and Mr. Samuel Cottam,
a deputation from the kindred society at Manchester. The
dinner and wfnes were of the best quality, and the entire

ents were of the most satisfactory description. The
chair was occupied by Mr. William Coward, president for
the past year, and Mr. Joseph Hickey, the president elect,

arrange

officiated in the vice-chair,

The usual preliminary toasts of " The Queen, Duchess of
Lancaster," " His Royal Highness Prince Albert," " The
Queen Dowager, and the Royal Family," and " The Army
and Navy," having been given,
The VIOZ-PRESIDENT proposed the health of the members
' for the borough, Lord Sandon and Sir Howard Douglas, to
whose attention, whenever the interests of the society re-
quired their aid, ample testimony was borne. The toast was
drank with three times three.
The PRESIDENT said the next toast was the health of the
Mayor of Liverpool,—(cheers)—and thanks to him for his
kindness in honouring the meeting with his company, and
for the gentlemanly manner in which be received the deputa-
tion sent to invite him. (Continued cheering.) They were
all aware what important duties the mayor of this large town
had to perform, and how exceedingly difficult it often was
for him to perform those duties with anything like satisfaction
to such a great community as Liverpool consisted of. His
worship, however, had, since he entered upon office, not only
deserved but absolutely " won golden opinions " from all
classes,—(cheers)—and he had won them easily, inasmuch as
he had, from the first, gone a direct course, neither turning
to the right band nor to the left. (Hear, hear.) He (the
president) had no doubt that the conduct of Mr. Gladstone
in the chair of the chief magistrate would, in future times,
be a precedent for succeeding mayors to act by ;—(cheers)—
and it was not a mere compliment to say this, for no person
in Liverpool could be ignorant of the fact. (Cheers.) He
begged to propose the health of the Worshipful Robertson
Gladstone, Esq., Mayor of Liverpool. (Renewed cheers.)
The MAYOR, on rising to reply to the toast, was received
th long continued bursts of applause. He said, gentlemen,
ti.e very kind and flattering reception which you have just
given to the toast which you, sir, had the kindness to pro-
pose, demands from me a more suitable acknowledgment
than, I fear, though I have all the inclination, I have the
power to make ; but for the very signal mark of your kind-
ness and favour extended towards me. I beg you to accept
my most grateful thanks. (Hear, hear.) To me it is, as you
may suppose, a matter of very great satisfaction to see my-
self surrounded by so many of my fellow-townsmen, whose
esteem and good opinion I should be, at all times, anxious
to preserve. (Hear, hear.) The occasion which has called
you here to-day, afforded me the opportunity of looking into
the principles which originally led to the formation of this as-
sociation ; and I must confess that from a perusal of what
was very kindly placed in my hands, I never met with any
association which appeared to me to have more important
objects in view than that of the Guardian Society of Liver-
pool. (Great cheering.) The protection of trade against
fraudulent practices, the punishment of the evil doer, and the
encouragement given to the fair and honest dealer, are mat-
ters in themselves well deserving of the fostering care of any
association (hear, hear) ; and 1 can only say, that although
there may be some who consider that the interests which
this association advocates are those alone of its members, that
I, for one, take a wider and a still more important view of
its duties—and that I consider the community at large as
much benefitted by the principles of this association as any
member belonging to it. (Cheers.) With these sentiments,
entertaining them as I do most conscientiously, I can sin-
cerely and heartily say, I wish this association every possible
success. (Great and long continued cheering.) And, find-
ing myself surrounded by those to whom the town of Liver-
pool is so much indebted, and who are, in themselves, so im-
portant and so respectable a. branch of the community, per-
mit me to say how deeply I have felt, as I am sure you must
have felt, for that melancholy depression of trade which has
visited the commercial world, and which must have been, to
many of those whom I have the pleasure of seeing around
me, no less trying than to others engaged in mercantile pur-
suits in Liverpool. (Hear. But, to the everlasting honour
and credit of the town, it may be said, that the tradesmen
and shopkeepers have come out from the ordeal unscathed,
with their honour and credit undoubted. I firmly believe,
and I trust I am not indulgfng in a vain hope, or one not
likely to be realised, that those clouds which have so long
darkened the horizon are now, at last, about to disperse, and
that better times are in store for us. (Cheers.) May Ibe
permitted also to refer to a subject which came before me, in
my official capacity, upon which I was consulted by a gen-
tleman sitting on my right, (Mr. Evans,) and who took an
active interest in it. (Hear.) I refer to a memorial pre-
sented to me upon the subject of a public holiday on the
Monday following Christmas Day, Christmas Day having
fallen on Sunday. (Hear.) I assure you it was very great
regret on that occasion, when I consulted my friend upon my
right, the Town-Clerk, who was just as anxious as I was to
meet the view of the memorialists, I was obliged to decline
the prayer of a memorial so respectably and so numerously
signed. (Hear' hear, hear.) lam sure if there was any cir-
cumstance which could have induced me to step out of my
sphere upon that occasion, it would have been the fact that
that memorial came from those whose respectability and
r‘ hose influence could not for a moment be questioned.
!leas., hear.) It does appear to me that the subject of na-
, nal holydays—and this is not one of my own ideas, for it
rs suggested by a gentlemen lower down on my right (Mr.
uhn Smith)—is one worthy of legislation. (Hear, hear.)
.lore we all are, with a certain number of years to remain
upon this earth, striving more or less from morning to night
to gain a livelihood, with no prescribed periods which can be
termed days of recreation. (Hear.) Whenever this subject
shall be taken up, I for one shall be ready to memorialize the
government, or petition both houses of parliament, with the
view of having something arranged, for nothing can be more
annoying, particularly amidst so much depression as we have
seen, that when Christmas Day falls upon the Sunday, that
those who would make a portion of it a holiday, should be
deprived of the opportunity they have hitherto had. (Loud
cheers.) Permit me, gentlemen, most cordially to thank you
for the kindness you have shown to me, and to wish vou all
prozpci ity and havpinpcc. (Great nnd continued cheering.)
Air. J. Smrril said he was about to go on with another
verse in the same chapter as the last toast, for he had received
permission to propose one kindred to it. Before doing so he
would take leave to mention, that no one could be more feel-
ingly alive to the wants of distressed and afflicted objects,
than the Mayor was. He (Mr. Smith) had brought before
him cases of distress arising from the late calamitous fires, in
which the parties had no prospect before them but that of
absolute want, and he had never found anything in the Mayor
towards them but the readiest and most affectionate atten-
tion. (Hear.) Not only had he received the utmost cour-
tesy from his worship,but he had substantially proved his com-
miseration by handsome donations in those cases of distress.
(Cheers.) Mr. Smith then alluded to the attention of Mr.
Formby in the case of Gilmour and Co., which was brought
before him, as a county magistrate, through the instru-
mentality of the Guardian Society ; and he concluded by pro-
posing the health of Mr. Formby and the magisterial bench
of the county, adding a hope, that the proceedings of this
society might be such as to render their office a sinecure
(Cheers.)

Mr. FORMBY returned thanks in a neat and appropriate
address.

The PRESIDENT proposed the healths of the members of
the Town Council, whose duties, he observed, were increasing
every day. Their proceedings were of great importance, and
they were regarded by the public with much attention. They
discharged their duties only with a desire for the public
good; and, therefore, he begged to propose their healths.
(Cheers.) •

The MAyort said that, in the absence of any other mem-
ber of the Town Council, it fell to his lot to return their
thanks for the toast just proposed. The President had al-
luded to the increase of their duties,-and to the fact that at
all times the public had an eye upon their proceedings. He
(the Mayor) would observe, that there could not be a ques-
tion that their duties would increase; but, at the same time,
he regretted to say that in one respect there had been no
increase—namely, in their revenue. (Hear, hear.) From
particular causes, they had now very little surplus revenue
to spare ; and before the corporation could proceed in
making any very extensive improvements, some time must
elapse. The meeting must be aware that there was a very
large building now in progress—namely, St. George's Hall
and the Assize Courts (hear, hear); this had swallowed up
a considerable portion of the funds of the corporation, and
consequently some portion of time would elapse before any
new undertaking could be commenced. (Cheers.) The
duties of the Town Council were pretty clearly marked out
by the Municipal Reform Act, which required them, in the
discharge of their duty, and of the responsible trust com-
mitted to their care, to dispose of the funds of the corpora-
tion for the public benefit of the inhabitants at large (hear);
and though there were in the council men entertaining dif-
ferent opinions to his (the Mayor's), he should be doing
them the greatest injustice if he did not state his belief that
they acted conscientiously, and that they did what they be-
lieved to be right. (Cheers.) More it was unnecessary for
him to say ; and, in conclusion, he begged, in the absence
of any more competent member of the Town Council, to
return thanks for the kindness the meeting had shewn to
them. (Applause.)
The PRESIDENT said the next toast was the health of the
Town-clerk of Liverpool, whose merits were well known to,
and appreciated by, every member of that association. He
was a pattern of diligence to all Town-clerks (hear, hear) ;
and it was well known that his decisions in matters of law

had not only been prompt, but had never been overturned.
(Cheers.) •
The TOWN-CLERK acknowledged the compliment paid to
him, and expressed the strong convictions he had of the
great utility of this institution. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. REAY proposed the health of the deputy town-clerk,
whose presence, he mentioned, had been prevented by his
engagements at the sessions now sitting. (Great cheers.)
The TOWN-CLERK returned thanks on the part of the
deputy town. clerk.

The PRESIDENT proposed the health of the officers of the
Manchester Guardian Society. That society, he stated, was
founded upon similar principles to the Liverpool Association,
and a constant correspondence was maintained between
them. He should, indeed, be glad to see the links which
bound the two associations together carried further than
Manchester—namely, through all the manufacturing dis-
tricts; for it was a fact that those gentlemen who "lived by
their wits" very soon travelled onwards from places where
such societies existed. He recommended similar establish-
ments to be formed at Stockport and other towns round
Manchester. (Cheers.)
Mr. SAMUEL COTTAM, on the part of the Manchester
Society, returned his warmest thanks for the kindness shewn
to them ; and said that the excellent suggestions of the presi-
dent would receive every attention.
'he TOWN-CLERK proposed, "The Liverpool Guardian
..cciety," which was suitably responded to by Mr. WIL-
T IAMs,

Ir.
BERMINGHANI proposed, " The town and trade of
(..rpool ;" to which Mr. KNAPPER made an eloquent
ly.

Tire MAYOR, in a most appropriate address, proposed the
health of the president of the evening, Mr. Coward ; to
whose zeal and exertions, on the part of the society, he paid
a well-deserved tribute.
The PRESIDENT said, he felt extremely obliged to his
worship for the mode in which he had proposed the toast,
and to the members of the Guardian Society for their recep-
tion of it. To them he owed much, very much, for their
patience in continuing him in office; and to the committee
he was under special obligations. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. JOHN SMITH, after showing the advantages which
might arise from the proposition, suggested that the society
should turn its attention to the discovery of the best mode of
Preventing and extinguishing fires. He showed that the
efforts of the society might be very usefully occupied in this
work ; and, after strongly recommending it, he closed an
able speech by proposing the health of the Vice-President.
The VICE. PRESIDENT returned thanks in a neat address.
The TOWN-CLERK rose, amidst loud cheers, to propose
the health of Mr. David Evans, solicitor to the Guardian
Society, upon whose professional and private merit he passed
a just eulogium. There was not a more worthy practitioner
in the town of Liverpool; and his exertions on the part of
the society were proved by the smallness of the Jaw charges.
(Hear, hear, hear.)
Mr. JOHN SMITH.—The smallness of the account shows
the greatness of the merit. (Cheers.)
Mr. EVANS, in returning thanks, observed, that this asso-
ciation did not derive the great influence it possessed so
much from its numerical force as from its moral power,—