The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-05-01 00:00:00

LIVEAPOQL STANDARD.

GREAT PROTESTANT MEETING OF THE
COUNTY OF 'CHESTER.

(From our own Correspondent.)

One of the most numerous, and certainly the most respecta-
ble pubtic meetings ever held within the county of Chester, took
'Glace oh Tuesday last, at Northwich. The meeting was con-
villein); the High Sheriff, James EL Leigh,. Esq., of Graen •
hall Lodge, in c•rusequeuee of a requisition signed by 130 of
the nubility, magistracy, and great tended proprietors of the
county, praying him to call such meeting, fur the purpose of
expressing to his Majesty their unfeigned regret, that a factious
Opposition shinild have occasioned the retirement from his coun- '
cils of ministers, on whose wise and temperate measures, then
in progress in parliament, a great majority of the nation relied
for the preservation of the protestant religion, and the safety
of the constitution of the country; and also to express their
serious alarm at the attempts now making, in the tower house of
parliament, to increase the power and influence of the Roman
catholic church of Ireland, at the expense of the protestant
establishment of the United Kingdom.
The meeting was appointed to be held at the large room of '
the Ciown luu, in Northwich, but it was found to be incapable
of holding a twentieth part of those in attendance, and an ad-
journment was therefore made to a large field adjoining Witton
Church. Thither the assemblage went in procession, headed
by a band of music and sundry flags, bearing the mottos," For
Kims, Lords, and Commons,"—and, "For Church and King."
One man bore a black treusearency on the top of a long pole,
on which appeared a death's head and cross bones, and the
motto "No Popery." Another bore a similar transparency, at
the top of which appeared a representation of his must satanic
majesty, who wicked about a most prodigious tail, with the num-
ber of joints in it which are said to compose the tail of O'Con-
nell. limier this appeared the name of the grand agitator and
thirty-two names of Irish members, making the tuetoorat,te fac-
tious majority of 33—fatal to the existence of the late ministry.
-Beneath these were the words,—" Remember this majority of
33 Irish papists have decided for the plunder and destructiou of.
the protestaut church in Ireland, and that they will do the same
iu England ; the whigs have found the way.—Oh ! Oh! Oh!"
On arriving at the field the hustings, composed of a few wag-
gons placed tegether, were speedily crowded; and the multitude
being arranged beneath, the. High Sheriff, in the midst of a
heavy fall of rain, which continued until a few minutes before
the close of the proceedings, opened the business of the meet-
ingby reading the requisition which had been sent to him, and
urging the meeting to hear the speakers uninterruptedly. •
Lord Delatuere then stepped forward and was received with
loud cheers. He said that although in general adverse to the
calling of county meetings for the discussion of political subjects,
or inched to the forMation of meetings or clubs for any political
purpose whatever, yet in contradiction to these statements they
saw his name amongst those who had signed the requisition to
the high sheriffto call this meeting; and they also saw his name
enrolled anain;gst those who had thought it essentially necessary
for the gooderf the country to institute Intel coustitute themselves
a conservatives Club in the county. (Cheers.) The excuse tie
had teeriake for this seeming deviation from his general princi-
ples was one.which he trueted they would allow was a good one,
—it was the fearful state of the times in which we lived, added
to the numerous; extraordinary circumstances and acts that had
lately occurred in this country, which he thought were of a
most appalling nature and character: (cheers) he alluded to the
very straege,e-not to use a stronger term in reference to it,—
coalition between two adverse parties in the state, the circum-
stances connected with which were the most extraordinary ever
heard of, And unprecedented in our parliamentary history, and
which had compelled the late ministry,—a ministry in which
the country confided,—to retire from their situations. (Cheers.)
He (Lord Delainere ) had noticed with much pain for .a
length of time the rapid strides, under the specious name of re-
form, that had been made eowerds the utter destruction of our
'glorious and happy constitution in church and state; (great
cheering), and that the measures resorted to to effect this infa-
mous end had their origin in Ireland, tinder the auspices of that
grand agitator O'Connell, by uniting with whom the whigs
were biinging.ruin upon the country. (Cheers.) Thus was
the repeal of the test act demanded and granted; then came
the great question of the emancipation of the roman catholics,
a measure which had been long struggled fur and contended
against, until at length under the belief and the faith that it was
to be a final act, and was to have the effect of tranquillizing
Ireland, it was conceded, and• what good had resulted from it?
(" None, none !") None whatever, unless they called that
good which was effecting increased misery to our protestant
clergy. (Cheers.) And now carnethe demand for the abolition
.of.tithes,—and the endeavour to get possession of a large portion
of ecclesiastical property for the purpose of converting it to secular
purposes; if this were granted we might bid adieu to the existence
of the protestant faith,—("and our property too,")—for that was
not intended to be a final measure ;—no ! with that they who de-
mand it will not be content, and they make it their boast that
they will never he satisfied until they have effected the separa-
tion of the two kingdoms. (Cheers.) This was the avowed
determination of O'Connell, who was at the bottom of all the
troubles that now shook the timer;—he,was the grand a,gita-er
and instigator of those measures that were now in progress for
the destruction of the constitution,—and unless we were ac-
tively and zealously determined to stop that progress, the coun-
try was lost to us for ever. (Cheers.) Uwe svisl;ed to protect
our country, when that country was in da.neer,—if we would
protect the protestant church when it was threatened anti at-
tacked,—if we would preserve all those dear blessings-which we
now possessed, we must rouse ourselves, not for this occasion
only, but on every occasion chew to the world and to posterity
that we were determined to do Our best endeaveurs to defend
our king, defend our church, and defend our constitution.—
(Great cheering.) No one could form an idea of the advan-
tages accruing to those who were of conservative principles by
the great assistance to their cause of Sir Robert Peel. (Cheers.)
He had admirably, consistently, nobly, and with temper and
judgment beyond precedent, conducted himself during his
short ministry; and it was a source of bitter regret that he was
now no longer the ministerial advocate in parliament of conser-
vative principles. Those principles were not possessed bt a
majority of the House of Commons, but when they considered
the number that still advocated their cause and their principles,
as compared with theiwesent parliament, conservatives had
no right to descend ((cheere.) He ...rid conclude by saying
continue TOIll exertions and prosper. (Great cheering)
had an undress to the king to priepose, Which had h,,,n .sawn
up by a friend of his, and which seemed to embody all the sen-
timents that he (Lord Delamere) "entertained On the subject,
and he Should-Move that it be adopted. (Cheers.)
Here some gentleman from the back of the hustings urged
the propriety of putting down the devil, who was whisking
his O'Connellite toil at the front of the hustings. His observe-
thins created much laughter, but the tail still continued to whisk
away.
Mr. Hostage, the Under Sheriff, then read the address to the
King. Its reading was received with much acclamation, and
at its conclusion three times three cheers were given fur the ad-
dress, and one cheer snore.
Harry Mainwaring, Esc!. then stepped forward amidst much
applause. He said, that having been called upon to second the
address which had just been read, he should not shrink from the
task, however incapable he felt himself of doing justice to it,
for he thought that they were arrived at that perilous crisis
which called for the active exertions of every lean who wished
to save the institutions of the country from the danger which
threatened them. , Atter alluding to the measures in contempla-
tion on the subject of the Irish chutch which he characterised
as revolutionary and destructive, he asked whether there was a
man present who was not convinced Of the truth of the state-
ments made to the house by Sir Robert Peel ? And yet, strange.,
to say, there were 3'22 members found to vote in opposition to
those statements. What was the conduct of the whigs in refer.
once to tire Irish church question? In May last, Mr: Ward
moved a resolution to the effect " That the protestant episcopal
establishment in Ireland exceeded the spiritual wants of the
protestant population, and that it was the right of the state to
regulute the distribution of church property in such a manner
as parliument might determine." At that time the whigs op-
posed the resolution by a majority of 396 to 120, Lord Althorp
having stilted that -a commission had been appointed to in-
quire into the amount of the Irish church revenues. This
was their conduct in Office ; what was their conduct out of
office? Without waiting for the report of their own com-
mission, they actually propose such a measure as they last year
opposed when in office, they resolve to apply to secular purpo-
ses what they are pleased to-term the "surplus " of the church
revenues, but until their own commission had made their report
how did they know that there was any surplus? Was conduct
like this liberal or consistent? (It is Whig conduct and that ac-
counts for it.) It was neither liberal nor consistent, and for-
sooth they did not pursue this line of conductoto turn Sir Robt.
Peel out ofoffice,—oh ! no, they did it for their country's good
(laughter and cheers) but yet it accidentally happened that .it
did turn Sir Hobert out. ( Laughter.) No, they would prefer
anarchy rather than Sir Robert Peel, (cheers) 'and it was our
duty to tell them that ere twelve Months are over, they will
have to fly to the arms of Sir Robert Peel for protection against
the anarchy they had treated. God grant that it might not be
too late. (Cheers.) The present ministry could not carry on
without the assistance of those by. whom they were despised and
countenanced, and in the mean time the country was in a state
of confusion,—no person would embark property in any specu-
lation, and trade would stagnate,—the country relied solely
upon Sir It. Peel, and to him only, he sincerely believed, were
the interests of the country safely to be confided. (Cheers.)
Mr. Mainwaring then referred to the memorable and spirited
conduct of Queen Elizabeth, when told that the country was
threatened with an invasion by the Spanish fleet; he sincerely
hoped that the patriotic spirit which animated the breast of their
good Queen Elizabeth, would now animate their gracious cove-
reign, that the same ardour which then.ewelled iu the breast
of their forefathers in defence of their country would now reign
in their 'breasts, and they should be found manfully standing
forward in defence of their laws, their liberties, anti their reli-
gion. (Great cheering.) He would net. detain them much
.perientms.:n(rainisto,_(.. 'They
longer in the rain (cries of "goon") he would just observe, that
at the last election, many members had made speeches, in
which their expressed their determination constantly, and to
the utmost oftheir ability, to defend the church. As to the abi-
lity of theme parties, if it could point out no better mode of pro
tecting it than by throwing it over to O'Connell, much could
not be said in its favour (laughter) and as to their consistency
he should say no more than that if he in such a case had acted
as they had done, he should be ever after ashamed to shew his
face to his constituents. (Cheers.) He would conclude by ad-
vising them to support Sir Robert Peel, to rally round that man
by whom alone he believed their property would be saved, and
the constitution in its.integrity preserved. (Great ceheering.)
George Wilbraham, Esq., one of the members for the South-
ern division of the county, here made some observations from
the body of the crowd, and as soon as his voice was recognized,
a storm of hisses and groans saluted him.—He was, however,
with some difficult), got into the hustings, and as soon as any
thing like order mile he obtained, he observed that he had
great doubts whether he ought to have attended this meeting—
(cries of " no' one wanted you")—because the greatest part of
the friends whose ()pinions corresponded with his own had u"reed
n suppose
pod
p- oneet
not to attend to disturb tire harmony of the meeting, trot when
o
he understood that the present meeting was intended as an at-
tack upon high—(laugher, and cries of" we erc:ria,eesonern,:t.l)ti
you")—he was determined to attend to defend himself, and to
show thiit he was not only always ready to meet his friends,
but equally ready to face his opponents.—(Cheers,)
could say that he had weed inconsistently, nothing that he bud'
teverhat eitherhe
.would sai dsuoirwdoornt ea ctoourlyd
ugliivree
faonnytt h
were a reforming ministry")-s-a ministry composed as that Of
Sir Robert Peel was.--ee wished not to say anything dispar-
agingly of. Sir Robert Peel—(hear, bear)—he was a man of-
great power and great talent, but whilst he was surrounded by
mete of a totally different character, it was impossible that lie
'could have the support of the House of Commons. (Great his-
sing.) He would not detain them many minutes if they would
only hear him. 'The ministry had not thrown themselves into'
the hands of O'Connell—("They have")—he denied it. Here
ate groaningrbecame very great, and when it had partially sub-
sided, ,M,r. Wilbraham was heard to say that lie came not there'
to Oporogize.oe to justify his. conduct, for any attempt at justi=
ficatitin might,seem that he bad acted wrong—(biases)--he had.
no such feeling, and if similar circumstances were again to
happen, he should dentin vote precisely in the same way as he
had done before.—(" You.must go to l'avistock then, we'll not
have you here.") He would not further allude to any pette
insinuations against his conduct, but would just make a few
observations on the great subject of difference .among men,
the Irish Church. (Hear, hear.) That church though simi-
Ler in its doctrives to the established church of England was al-
together in different circumstances Ilona the church of Eng-

,land were certainly a eery numerous body, but there was a ge-
neral disposition to support the church;—it was, however, totally
different in Ireland, there the great body dissented from the
church, for out of the seven millions.of inhabitants which it
contained, there were nut 'more than half a million of protest-
ants,—(cries of "A million and a half")—and where there were
many churches were no one attended but the minister and his
faintly, and the clerk;—(" No, no," and Much hisaing)—where
there was no coegregation!whatever, and yet everything went
on at the expense of the inhabitants just the same as if there
was. Now when it was found that in a great many parishes no
one attended the churches, but the elegy man alone—(" It is not
true ")—he thought it was high time that the funds devoted to
the maintenance of these useless ministers should be applied to
what would better satisfy the country, and be laid out iu supply-
iug christiau education to ail parts of the community. (Cries
of "Off; off, we have heard-enough.") What had the tones
been doing in Ireland for the last three centuries ? (" What
are you doing there,
.man?") He asked any man whether
the tranquilization of Ireland would not be better effected by
—("'robbing the church.") The laughter that followed this
interpolation drowned the hon. member's voice, and the re-
mainder of his sentence was lost. He continued, he was a de-
cided enemy to sinecures wherever they were to be found in the
state or the church. (" You are libelling. the church in Ire-
' laud.") 'With respect to the word "faction" of which such
liberal hse was made; he might observe that though he had fru.-
quently heard of a ictious minority, be had never heard of a
factious majority, but if faction must be spoken of, he'could
point out certain factious parties, who, for the last three qr four
years, had impeded the business of the country, and carried on
their factious proceedings to such a length as finally to sub-
vert the government. ("Off, off.") Now, to say that the
present Ministry had done anything to impede the business
of the country was not true,—(" It is,—O'Couneil and' Co.")
Here the uproar became so great that it was impossible
to catch more than au occasional observation of the hon. mem-
ber. We understood the tenor of his remarks to impute great
blame upon the conduct of the tones during the time of the late
Whig administrations. We at last managed to- hear him say
that they might turn him out from the represeutation of the
county, but they could never turn him from the principles
which he professed. He did not think it necessary to enter into.
a much longer discussion, during the heavy shower of rain,
(which still continued) particularly as he was addressing an un-
willing audience,- but had they heard him patiently, he ,would
have not justified his conduct for he was unconscious of
having done anything that requiredit,—but he • would explain
to them his reasons for every vote he had given in the House of
Commons. (" You don't need.") He should continue the
same line of conduct, because they were in accordanee with
principles he had ever professed :—his. first motive in. every
vote he gave was the good of the country, and the benefit of the
people. He would do all he could to remove whatever btirdened
or pressed upon the people, and at the same time he told them
that he would never give up the interests of the'church—(" what
church?")—of England, of which he is a sipcere member.
(Cries of " Hypocrite,") He felt that he vVas addressing an
unwilling audience—("you are")—and he should, therefore,
conclude by thanking them far the imperfect attention: with
which they bid listened to him.
The resolution, that the address be adopted, was put from
the chair and carried•unanimously. •
W. 'l'. Egerton, Esq., one of the members for the. county,
nest .addressed the meeting, and made some very severe re-
marks upon the conduct of the Whigs, which he tenned most
factious and inconsistent.

Trafford Trafford, Esq., chairman of the quarter sessions, in
a verj, eloquent speech, moved the adoption of an address to
Sir Hobert Peel, expressive of their approval of his character
and coudnet.

The motion was seconded by R. E. E.. Warburton, Esq.; who
in allusion to Sir Robert Peel's ministry, said "the ruler of
the feast was appointed, and was preparing to pour out the
wine, when murmurs of discontent arose amongst the guests.—
Smile said " your liquor is not, strong enough ;" others, " your
measures are not large enough ;" and a thud party said, "we
will not take wine from his hands, come, let us help ourselves."
Thus, they have dashed the cup from his hands, unmindful of
the intoxication which will follow their unmeasured draughts.
" Those who will drink soberly and moderately," said Mr.
Warburton, " meet at the sign of the Sir Robert Peel : those
who will not, let them go to the sign of Dea►h's Head and C ross
Bones with O'Connell." (Great cheering and laughter.)
The address was unanimously adopted, and it was resolved,
on the motion of Sir Richard Brooke, seconded by Col. Ford,
to entrust both the addresses to the conservative members for
the county, Sir Philip Egerton, and W. 'l'. Egerton, Esq., for
presentation to the King and Sir Robert Peel. Thanks wcre
then voted to the chairman, and the meeting separated.
There were, at least,. six thousand peuplepreseut.