The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-11-14 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS,

He thought there was no good ground at present to justify
any individual in holding the office for two years. What
would the country say.? Either that he (Mr. Gladstone)
was the only individual fit to preside over the town of
Liverpool, or that there was some under-current at work
which ought not to, exist. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear,"
and " No, no," from Mr. Aspinall and others.) In
making these observations, if he dtd not appear to be
grateful, he did not appear to be what he really was
at that moment. (Hear.) He had experienced no-
thing but kindness from the council, but he could not
shut his eyes to
_the fact, that the council ought to take

On Tuesday a, special meeting of the Council was held
at the Town-hall, " for the purpose of appointing some
officer of the corporation to be (subject to the pleasure of
the Council) Sergeant-at-Mace, until the appointment to
that office (now vacant) is filled up according to the stand-
ing orders."

The 'MAYOR opened the proceedings by stating that,
contrary to the usual practice, it, had been his duty, on
the recommendation of the Town-Clerk, to request the
attendance of the Council to communicate the lamented
death of Mr. Roscoe, who held the appointment of Ser-
geant-at-Mace; and to bring before them the propriety of
appointing some officer to discharge the duty for the pre-
sent, the confirmation being subject to the pleasure of the
council hereafter.
The TOWN-CLERK said, the Sergeant-at-Mace in this
borough was the officer of the Civil Court of Record.
His duties in that capacity were similar to those discharged
by the under-sheriff of a county. lie had the appoint-
ment, suspension, and finally, if necessary, the removal
of all the officers who were known as sheriff's officers or
bailiffs. It was his duty to take care that those officers
satisfactorily accounted to the suitors of the court fer the
monies they levied, and that they conducted themselves
in such a way as to act with humanity towards persons in
custody, and also when they took possession of the goods
of families. He would simply suggest that a gentleman
might be proposed temporarily to fill the office, who would
not, under any circumstances, be a claimant for the final
appointment ; and he would suggest that the present as-
sistant registrar, Mr. Francis Venn, should hold the tem-
porary appointment.

the highest'grounds for all its proceedings, but in this es-
pecially, and he thought it was only right and fair that
every man, by good conduct, and by the honest and faithful
discharge of his duties to the council, should look, at
some time, as a fair object of ambition,. to ascend to the
chair. (Hear, hear.) He happened to commnicate lately

to one who was very near and dear to him, the idea that
had been suggested by some friends that he should again
be a candidate for the mayoralty ; but the reply he re-
ceived was opposed to his accepting the. offer, (if made,)
with the remark, that " turn about is fair play." (Hear,
and laughter.) He saw on all sides of that room men as
fit as himself for the office.. He thought he should be
damaging the fair fame and reputation of the council by
accepting it, for he did not see how he could do so without
affording ground for the inference to be drawn that he was
the only person amongst them qutlified to hold the office
of Mayor. (No, no.) Without affectation, he might say,
that if they had re-elected him, it would have been a very
great inconvenience to himself. It would have been his
duty to give up any objection on that score, but the other
objection was of a different nature, and in his mind a very
strong one, and he did hope that the council would now
proceed to elect some gentleman to succeed him, for he
was satisfied that they would obtain gentlemen much more
able than himself, in whom every confidence might be re-
posed, let the circumstances with which they had to con-
tend be as difficult as they might, and who would have no
other consideration to actuate them but the public good.
(Hear, hear.) He therefore hoped the council would
make such a selection as he had spoken of, and he was
satisfied that the individual would do ample justice to
them in the situation in which he (the Mayor) had been
placed during the last twelve months.
Mr. AIKIN was exceedingly glad to hear the observations
which had fallen from the Mayor, and he must say that
he rejoiced at it because he thought Mr. Gladstone would
render them more service out of that chair than he could
by possibility render if he remained the Mayor of Liver-
pool. (Cries of " No. no.") The proposition had been
made to relieve the Council from a very painful position.
(Hear, hear.) He was extremely sorry that this came so
suddenly upon them; he lamented that any gentleman's
character should be injured in the slightest degree by an
unjust charge • he would be the last to lead himself to
any trick which was to trip a man's character up ; and if
it had been possible within the meaning of the act to ad-
journ for a short time, if they could go that day into an
inquiry, he thought that before three o'clock some such
report might be made as would enable the Council to
proceed exactly as they would have done if no such
charge bad been heard of. (Hear, hear,) He thought
they would have an excellent mayor in Mr. George Law-
rence, the chairman of the Finance Committee, because
he had been zealous and earnest in the discharge of his
duty. (Hear, hear, hear.) There was no man with
whom he (Mr. Aikin) had differed more than Mr. George
Lawrence, but he thought him first entitled to the chair.
(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") Next to him was Mr.
Thomas Sands, and if this charge were found to be frivo-
lous, he would make the amende honorable to that gen-
tleman who had been so unjustly charged. (Hear, hear.)
He said all this without any knowledge of the facts, or
means of judging of them, but he would never allow a
man's character to be taken away without inquiry.
If Mr. Sands now allowed his name to be withdrawn, it
would, under all the circumstances give an additional
impetus to this on dit that might be injurious to him and
to his house, and he and his friends would act more wise-
ly by saying, " Let us have the facts ascertained now.'
(Hear, hear.) He was quite convinced that, under the
circumstances, Mr. Sands had exercised a wise discretion
in declining the office of Mayor. _ _ _

_
Mr. LLOYD said, the only question which seemed to
arise with respect to the appointment of Mr. Venn was, as
to whether he should be appointed, he being the Deputy
Registrar, and the person who issued the processes.
The TOWN-CLERK said he would suggest that as the
many duties to be discharged by Mr. Venn were to be
without emolument, it was only fair that he should not
sustain any responsibility, but that that should fall on the
borough fund.

Mr. LLOYD moved that Mr. Francis Venn be appointed
to the office during the pleasure of the council, and that
in the diligent discharge of his duty he be indemnified by
the council, his present emoluments comprising his whole
compensation.

Mr. THOMPSON seconded the motion, which was unan-
imously adopted. It was understood that the instruction
to the Borough Court Committee should be made on the
9th instant, immediately after that committee should have
been appointed.
The Council adjourned at twenty minutes after eleven
o'clock.

The first quarterly meeting of the newly constituted
Council was held, nursuant to the statute, on Tuesday.
There was a very full attendance, but business did not
commence until about ten minutes to twelve.

The MAYOR then rose and said that the first duty of
the Council would be to elect his successor.
Mr. SANDS said that it was well known both in and out
of the Council that it was the intention of his friends to
put him in nomination, but he had received a communi-
cation from the present Mayor, that a statement had been,
made by Mr. Corrie, the receiver of the town dues, im-
puting to his house that the clerk had, for a period of
years, been call ng bales " trusses," and cases " boxes."
Now, he knew nothing about this. They believed that
they were doing that which was right and correct; but,
until that imputation was wiped away, he must decline the
honour which was intended to be conferred upon him—
the highest honour which the Council had in its power to
bestow. (Hear, hear.) He thought the Council would
be of opinion that he was taking the right course ;---for his
ovt n honour as a gentleman, and as a British merchant—
and the honour of his party, were all involved in the mat-
ter.

Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE
tion.

—There must be an investiga-

Mr. SANDS.—lnvestigation! of course ! I demand in-
vestigation. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. A. LACE wished to state, that throughout the
whole of the painful discussion on this subject, which
commenced on Monday evening last, Mr. Sands's anx-
iety had been that everything on his part should be tho-
roughly investigated. Until the slightest imputation upon
him was wiped away, he felt that, as a man of honour, he
ought not to aspire to that situation, which they intended
to confer upon him. Every gentleman would agree that
Mr. Sands had come to a right decision, and acted in the
manner which it became every honourable man to adopt
under such circumstances. (Hear, hear.) The proceed-
ings which were at present going on at the other side of
the water would most materially affect the town of Liver-
pool, inasmuch as those proceedings involved the whole
question of further extension of dock room. Important
matters would have, therefore, to come before the council
in the course of the year ' • and, under such circumstances,
he hoped he should not be stepping out of his course if he
said that the council would do well to request of Mr. Ro-
bertson Gladstone to continue in office for twelve months
longer. (Cheers.) He meant not the slightest disrespect
towards the two other gentlemen who were intended to be
put in nomination—(we believe Mr. James Lawrence and
Mr. Geo. H. Lawrence) ; but as Mr. Gladstone possessed
the confidence of the whole council, and was best suited
to proceed to London to carry on the great matters which
would have to be carried on there this year, lie hoped that
should be seer,- led by so- --ntl

Mr. BIRKETT quite agreed in what Mr. Aikin had said,
with one exception. Mr. Aikin had thrown out a hint
that this charge might have arisen from an improper mo-
tive. Now he (Mr. Birkett) had never heard of it until
yesterday, and it had given him a great deal of pain, for
a more painful charge could not have been brought.
Whether it was true or not it was not for him to judge,
but it was only fair towards an officer of the Corporation
to say, that he was a person of high, honourable, and un-
impeachable character, (Hear, hear.) He thought it the
more incumbent on him to make this statement. on
account of the suggestion thrown out by Mr. Aikin. If it
could be considered compatible,—legal he meant, he was
ready to agree to an adjournment for two, three, or five
days, or for a week, if necessary, but before he proceeded,
he begged to ask the Town-clerk whether the Council
could legally adjourn.
The MAYOR.—The Town-clerk says the Council can
adjourn.
Mr. BIRKETT.—Then I move that the Council do now
adjourn till next Wednesday. (Hear, hear, hear.)
Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE.--I am most happy to sec-
ond that. I think it is a most cruel thing to take away the
character of a gentleman in this way.

The TOWN-CLERK said the 69th section of the Muni.
cipal Act—in some copies it was printed as the 68th—
contained the regulations as to the meetings of council,
and after stating that all questions must be decided by a
majority of the whole number present—not being lees
than one-third—enacted that the first business transacted
at the quarterly meeting in November should be the elec-
tion of Mayor. It was incidental to all meetings of asso-
ciated bodies to allow adjournments, and in doing so, to
allow the discussions which then took place to go as part
and parcel of the proceedings of the day on which they
originally met; but there was another point which might
have been an awkward one under the first act. In that
act it was enacted that the Mayor shall continue in office
for one year; but by an amendment, in the 4th section
of sth and 6th Wm. IV., chap. 105, it was enacted that
the Mayor shall continue in office one whole year, and
until his successor shall have accepted the office of Mayor,
and subscribed to the necessary declarations.
Mr. H. HORNBY was anxious that Mr. Sands should
have every opportunity of clearing himself, and certainly
he would not be one to offer any opposition to an ad-
journment of the council, but he questioned whether the
adjournment could or ought to take place, or whether
they would be justified in doing so.
Mr. AIKIN quite agreed with Mr. Hornby, that there
was no sufficient ground for adjournment.
Mr. Alderman EVANS said it was his unfortunate lot
again to be on the opposite side. However much he
might regret a charge lying in abeyance, which might
prove false, and probably would, he could not satisfy
himself that the business of this great community ought
to be obstructed by any such circumstance. It was a
misfortune, no doubt, but it was not one of such irrepa-
rable character that the council must redeem it at the
expense of forming a very injurious precedent. (Hear,
hear.) A committee of gentlemen might investigate the
matter. Here was a charge made by an officer of the
corporation, and deliberately placed in the Mayor's hands.
It was the duty of the council, as a council, and in an
official manner, to investigate that charge ; and he ques-
tioned whether the council, without a new Mayor, was
exactly in a position to do so. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. NORTH said he was inclined to the same view of
things, though for different reasons. His object was to
obtain the vindication of Mr. Sands in the most perfect,
clear, and candid manner. If that council, by adjourn-
ing, could take up the question, not with reference to
Mr. Sands only—for he understood it was to be taken as
a general question—then he might be much in favour of
an adjournment. He had two objections to the adjourn-
ment. He thought, first, in an adjournment for a week,
any committee appointed could not give the necessary
consideration to the general question. His second ob-
jection was, that such a committee would naturally act
with a sort of leaning to vindicate Mr. Sands, who would,
in fact, be on his trial for the mayoralty. (Hear.) He
would, as an earnest and faithful friend of Mr. Sands,
advise him against that course. He would advise them to
have a fair and impartial committee of that council, who,
with time and consideration, should go into the whole
subject, and, without bias of any kind, come to a decision
on the subject. (Hear.) Mr. Sands bad done him the 1
honour to consult him on that most painful case. He
(Mr. North) had devoted some days of intense anxiety to
it, and he concurred in the resolution which Mr. Sands
had come to, in declining until a committee bad been ap-
pointed to inquire into the matter, the high honour in-
tended to be conferred upon him. In that opinion, he,
for one, still remained, but, of course, be was liable to be
over-ruled. He would just add one word in reference to
what fell from Mr. Aikin—without intention, he knew,
and meant nothing. In his zeal for Mr. Sands, he said
it was barely possible that this accusation—such as it
was—frivolous, indeed, as he (Mr. North) believed it—
might be the result of a trick. Now they knew that it
came from Mr. Currie, than whom a more pure-minded
man did not breathe. It was utterly impossible that he
could be guilty of a trick, or anything approaching to a
bias or leaning of any kind. It was utterly impossible to
conceive of such a thing, and he thought those remarks
due in justice to Mr. Corrie. (Hear.)
Mr. MEIN said he had no more notion of applying that
word (trick) to Mr. Corrie than he had of flying. How the
word got into his mouth he knew not. It did appear to
him strange that—not at the eleventh hour, but at the
eleventh hour and fi`ty-fifth minute, this should come
out, and it flashed on his mind that it might by a trick.
" I declare to God," said he, " It did not come from our
side." (Laughter.) In justification of Mr. Corrie, he
wished to be allowed to say that he was a man highly ho-
nourable, and in using that word he did not impute to
him any trick.
Mr. BUSHELL said it seemed very strange to him that
they first heard of this charge from Mr. Sands himself,
and that they heard nothing of it from the Mayor. He,
(Mr. Bushell,) taking not a legal view, but a common
sense view of the subject, thought it very rational that
the Mayor, having received a charge against a member of
that body—be he high or low—should state the nature of
the charge, and he could not but think it extraordinary
that the Mayor had not thought fit to bring the matter
before the council. He had received the charge in one of
his communications, and he (Mr. Bushell) was anxious
to know what it was. Let the council hear the letter to
the Mayor, and let them see whether it contained charges
of such serious importance as should induce them to de-
prive Mr. Sands of the honour intended for him.
The MAYOR remarked that if Mr. Sands had been pro-
posed it would have been his duty to lay that document
before the council ; then it would have been strictly in
accordance with his duty, as it would have reference to the
subject before the council. He had the document; and
if the council called for it he was prepared with it. If
Mr. Sands was not proposed, the course for him would
have been to have handed it over to his successor, and let
him
-lay it before the council.

_me gentleman, or, indeed, by
the whole council—(hear, hear)—when he proposed that
Mr. Gladstone should be requested to accept the office of
Mayor for the ensuing year. (Loud applause.) He re-
peated that he meant not the slightest offence to any one,
but as Mr. Gladstone possessed the confidence of all par-
ties, he trusted that every gentleman would yield to him,
whether he were an advocate for docks at the north or
docks at the south, for every thing sank in importance
compared with the great question of docks elsewhere,
which would soon agitate the town. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. SANDS.—I beg to say one word more, which I in-
tended to say before. It is simply that the practice we
have followed has been that of most of the respectable
gentlemen merchants in the town of Liverpool, a list of
whom I now hold in my hand. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. IsAAc liormEs.—Mr. Sands's name is only men-
tioned first, because it stands first in the town—
The MAYOR.—Mr. Holmes's evidence will be received
very gladly, at the proper moment, but at the present
time Mr. Sands had better confine his own remarks to
what relates to himself. If others have been concerned
in transgressing the law, it will be for them to be respon-
sible in their own persons, but I think the council will be
of opinion that Mr. Sands will do best to defend himself,
and himself only. (Hear, hear.) Ido not see that it can
serve him to say that others have been doing what he has
done. Sitting here, I should not do my duty if I allowed
the characters of others to be impugned.
Mr. SANDS.—I beg pardon. Mr. Mayor; but lam not
impugning their characters. lam not admitting that I
have done wrong myself. (Hear, hear.) Ido not admit
the allegation. (Hear, hear.) I deny it; nor am I im-
pugning the characters of others.
The MAYoR.—I think Mr. Sands will admit that there
is, in the first instance a prima facie case against him,
and that there is nothing against others. (Hear, hear.)
Now, I think I should be doing injustice to the community
if I allowed the names of others to be introduced here.
Mr. SANDS.—I have the authority of Mr. Thomas
Ripley, one of the greatest merchants in this town, and
one of the largest importers, for saying that he has been
in the habit of doing precisely the same thing, and he
told me that 1 might mention his name in the council.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. LACE thought it right not to enter into the ques-
tion now, and therefore that Mr. Sands was right in not
accepting the office of mayor before the matter was inves-
tigated and cleared up.
Mr. Alderman EVANS.—It was at my suggestion that
Mr. Sands got up to mention that numbers of other
houses had acted as he has acted. (Hear. hear.) He
had a list in his hand of the first houses in the town, and
I asked him why he did not mention it.
Alderman Sir THOMAS BRANCKER begged to second
the motion of his friend Mr. Lace. He was quite satis-
fied that the important matters to come befare the council
during the ensuing year would be of a description to re-
quire the very greatest amount of discretion, and if Mr.
Gladstone acceded to the request to occupy the chair for
another year, he would confer a great obligation on the
town at large. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. H. HORNBY thought that after what had fallen
from Mr. Sands and Mr. Evans, this discussion was pre-
mature. In the next place, he could not hold, and he
trusted neither that council nor the law of Liverpool
would hold, that because a practice was general it was
therefore right. (Hear, hear.) Until the investigation
had taken place they had nothing to do but withhold their
judgment, and he hoped the public would do the same.
(dear, hear.) It was with great satisfaction he had
heard it proposed that the present Mayor should be con-
tinued in office another year. (Loud and general ap-
plause.)
The council seemed about to pass the motion for Mr.
Gladstone's re-election unanimously, without further dis-
cussion, when
Mr. Alderman EVANS rose and said, that however un-
popular the course he was about to take might appear, he
would pursue it. There was no man in that council that
entertained a higher opinion of the present Mayor, or his
fitness for the office, than he did ; but the question of his
re-election involved a general principle, and was the com-
mencement of a system under which civic honours might
ring the changes amongst a few families or individuals,
and they would see every individual made twice a Mayor.
(Hear, hear.) " 0," it would be said, " you made Mr.
So-and-so Mayor twice, and he has not half the merit of
our friend." Now, he held that the rotation of honours,
—the opening of a wide field, and conferring them on a
great number,—was a great encouragement to good con-
duct on the part of those who entered the council, and he
had no notion that they ought to narrow the honour for
any of tne temporary reasons that he had heard assigned.
He wanted to see the council benches well filled with men
who had received the highest honours in the town, in
order that others might conceive that it was not an unat-
tainable position for any one of them. (Hear, hear.) He
must confess it was a very painful alternative for him to
oppose the re-election of Mr. Gladstone, because, though
he would not mention names, the person who probably
might be substituted for him, was one who, in his (Mr.
Evans') opinion, in all the requisites of a Mayor, would
be immeasurably his inferior.

The MAYOR was sure that if he had failed, on a late occa-
sion, to find terms of fitting acknowledgment for the kind-
ness of the council towards himself, he had much more
reason now to feel deeply indebted to them for what had
passed that day. (Hear, hear.) The opinion just ex-
pressed by Mr. Alderman Evans was the answer he (the
Ma)or) gave that morning to a deputation of gentlemen
who had called upon him to request that he would suffer
himself again to be put in nomination. (Hear, hear.) He
had always considered, since he had been a member of
the council, that the mayoralty was an object of fair am-
bition to every member of that council. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. -I\iicoi,s;idfleseCTrided the motion for adjourn-
ment (apprehending a difficulty had arisen out of the cir-

COMMISSIONERS OF BIRKENHEAD
n

cumstances) on the spur of the moment. The counc
had been taken very much by surprise, and the tow..
woul& be mach surprised] at what had happened. They j On Tuesday last a meeting of this body was held at the
were led up to yesterday, to believe that if Mr. Sands was Town-hall, Birkenhead.
proposed as mayor he would be elected without apposition. In reply to a question from Mr. WM. JACKSON, as to
Surely,. a thing of such moment—the election of mayor whether commissioners who had sold land to the township
--the first office—the chief magistrate—might be consi- could legally retain their seats at the board, Mr. Mallaby,
dared worthy of some consideration and some thought. the law-clerk, stated that they could, provided that they
Whether the council had arrived at a uoint where they abstained from tntinw any rtnet- in th _

could-give it that consideration and thought he very much particular question. - -
doubted. He thought a little longer time was necessary, Mr. Coxon, the road-surveyor, having tendered his
apart from all considerations as to the character of Mr. resignation, on the ground of ill health, Mr. Brine was
Sands. The matter was only before- them in the shape appointed to the office for three mouths.
of his refusal to stand, but apart from- that, there had Upon the report of the Finance Committee having been
been no time for the council to come to a decision, and read, Mr. STA,NSFIELD moved that the improvement rate
therefore, for these reasons, he hoped, an adjournment for the ensuing year be reduced from 9d. to 6d. in the
would take place. pound.
Mr. LACE said a sort of insinuation had been thrown This gave rise to an animated discussion, in which se-
out that Mr. Sands was not prepared for his defence. It veral of the members took part; eventually the following
would be gross injustice not to say that Mr. Sands imme- amendment,. proposed by Mr. Wax. JACKSON, was carried
diately, through the Mayor, received a copy of the letter, by a majority of one :—" That the subject be referred
and• the only reason of the Mayor in not bringing forward back to a committee, consisting of the chairman of every
the letter was not a desire to put Mr. Sands in an impro- committee, to look into the state of the funds of the ferry.
per position, but as he (Mr. Lace) understood, he detained and the necessary expenditure of the ensuing year, and to
it until called for. see whether it would or would not be expedient to appro-
-Mr. H. LAWRENCE said, it occurred to him that what priate any portion of the profits to the reduction of the
had been stated by Mr. Aikin was correct—that they improvement rate."
should not be doing Mr. Sands any favour or kindness, The proceedings of the Health Committee, which con-
but they would be placing him in an ,unfavourable situa- tained a recommendation to purchase 10,000 yards of land
tion by the adjournment. He was not inclined to quarrel for slaughter-houses, were confirmed.
with the Town-clerk's law—in fact,. he concurred with The Woodside Ferry Committee stated, that the
him entirely that until the election of Mayor nothing could amount received in the last month exceeded that of the
take place—but he did not think that any adjournment of corresponding month of the past year, and that, as addi-
the election ought take place under the circumstances. tional packets would be wanted at Monks' Ferry, they
Mr. North had spoken with considerable feeling, and wished for liberty to contract for another new boat. The
he (Mr. Lawrence) fully concurred in every thing he had report was adopted.
said. ERECTION OF A DOCK AT WALLASEY POOL.
Mr. PARKER said he supposed the question before them Mr. Was. JACKSON here rose and said,—There are two
was as to the adjournment. He asked the gentleman who subjects, sir, which I wish particularly to bring before
brought it forward, if, after hearing the Town-clerk's ex- you on this occasion—one of which has been already be-
planation, they would persevere?- If they adjourned till fore nearly every member of the board; and perhaps it is
Saturday, they would be exactly in the same position, for the most important measure ever brought forward, so far
the first thing they could do was to elect the Mayor. as regards Birkenhead. You are aware that our neigh..
From that day till Saturday not a single committee would hours on the opposite side of the water, in the Council
be in existence, and the whole business of the town would and in the Dock Committee, have, for several months
be neglected. What would become of the Watch Corn- past, been discussing the propriety of dock extension, and
mittee ? (Laughter.) There was none. It was dissolved I certainly have been surprised that in all their discussions
now. Gentlemen might laugh, but when they looked at they never alluded to the advantage of Wallasey Pool.
the immense population of this town, there were very es- But however silent they may have been, I can assure you
sential things to look to. He would willingly vote for the that we have not been idle—(hear, hear ;)—for you are all
adjournment; he was willing that Mr. Sands should have pretty well aware, from what has passed in committee,
every advantage; he would give Mr. Sands every oppor- that plans have been prepared, sections taken, borings
tunity of clearing himself of the charges made against made, levels obtained, notices prepared, and everything
him, but the Town-clerk told them that if they did not ready for your instructions this evening for our law-clerk
elect the Mayor they would be exactly in the same posi- to go to parliament for the purpose of receiving powers to
tion. The worthy Alderman (Mr. Nicol) wished them make the most capacious dock that ever was made in the
to adjourn to consider who was to be the Mayor. Did he kingdom of Great Britain or Ireland. (Hear.) We have
suppose that the 9th of November came upon them by obtained, as you are aware, the assent of the Admiralty.to
surprise—that they were not aware of the 9th of Novena- 'our enclosing the whole space from the bottom of the
ber—that they had overlooked it, and that they did not Woodside Ferry to Seacornbe—an area of not less than
know who was likely to be the Mayor? three hundred and forty acres. You are aware that our
Mr. BARCLAY and Mr. ATKIN suggested the propriety plans have been submitted to them, with gates and a tidal
of proceeding to the election of Mayor, and that this in- basin of 30 acres, or nearly three times the space of the
quirt' should take place afterwards. Prince's Dock, which, at all times of tide, will never have
Mr. J. HORNDY said that it appeared to him that an less than 12 feet of water for vessels to float in; and, by
adjournment would be very injudicious. Before whom damming up at the narrowest point, we shall have dock
was the investigation to be made ? It would be made space at Wallasey Pool to the extent of 120 acres. (Hear,
either before the friends or the opponents of Mr. Sands hear.) This may take the public by surprise ; but I
for the mayoralty. In either case there would be some • would only say that though the matter was under our
bias, and the investigation would not give that satisfaction consideration, prudence induced us to keep our own
to the town generally as a fair and unbiassed opinion. counsel until such time as our plans were ripe, and we bad
Besides that, he did not think a couple of days sufficient. received the assent of the authorities. Such, gentlemen,
There might be documents required from a distance, and is the subject upon which the committee have to report ;
these could not be provided in so short a time. and they now come before you for the purpose of obtain-
Mr. Nicot had no idea, in seconding Mr. Birkett's ing the necessary sanction to proceed to Parliament. I
motion, to give time for Mr. Sands's investigation. He may as well state, for the information of the members
had merely the idea that it would give more time to con- generally, that the principle upon which we proceed is
Sider of the Mayor's successor. If they were to adjourn this :—that we, as commissioners of Birkenhead, proceed
for a month they could do nothing in investigating Mr. to obtain the necessary powers to perform a necessar
Sands's affairs. ' work in Wallasey Pool—that on its owe-

Mr. HUGH HQRNBY had stated that he should not ob-
ject to an adjournment, but on further reflection, and after
what had fallen from Mr. North and others, he was per-
fectly satisfied that it would be exceedingly injudicious for
the council to adopt that course; one not only improper
as regarded the council, but exceedingly ungracious to
Mr. Sands. Any investigation could not be received as
an official one, and they would still be placed in the situa-
tion they now were in.
Mr. LLOYD thought the adjournment was necessary,
even to Mr. Sands, and it was only what was done to every
member of the council, in order that they might consider
who was to he the successor. He agreed with the obser-
vation, that next year the town of Liverpool would have
subjects before it that would require the council to take
seriously into consideration which way to fill the office of
Chief Magistrate—not only from what was going on in
the borough, but from matters out of the borough. The
council and the town having been taken by surprise, they
would be anxious to know why Mr. Sands had not been
elected. It was only just to Mr. Sands that they should
not go headlong to elect a Mayor, believing as they did,
that a few minutes to twelve o'clock they were to put Mr.
Sands into the chair. What would have been the course
if they had not had the knowledge of these charges up to
the present moment ? Mr. Sands would have been placed
in the chair, and then the present Mayor would have had
to give him documents impugning his own honour. It
was only right that they should adjourn for the first busi-
ness on the paper.
Mr. BUSHELL would vote for the adjournment, in order
that the question might have consideration out of doors ;
for although they were members of that council, they lived
in a commercial community, the members of which were
capable of investigating the charges ; and if they could be
satisfied that Mr. Sands was guiltless of any crime or
fraud like that imputed to him, if they could come to that
council satisfied that Mr. Sands had done nothing meriting
punishment at their hands, they could elect him Mayor of
that council, and then proceed to appoint a commit tee to
inquire as to this charge.
After some fur►her conversation, there were loud cries
of " Vote, vote !" and the question was about to be put,
when
Mr. SANDS rose and said,—Before I retire, which I
intend doing before you go to the vote, I wish to express
my deep sense of gratitude to the council for their con-
duct towards me. (Applause.)
The votes were then taken, when there appeared—For
the amendment, 42; against it, 18.
For the adjournment.—Messrs. Shand, Shaw, Hough-
ton, jun., I. Holmes, Blackburn, Blundell, Edwards,
North, H. Holmes, Tinne, Toulmin, Fawcett, Aspinall,
Sothern, Royden, Birkett, Wood, Boutflower, Bushell,
Lloyd, J. Ilornby, G. 11. Lawrence, Plumpton, Leigh,
Glazebrook, Lace, Trotman, Harbord, Sheppard, Smith,
Houghton, sen.. J. Lawrence, Brancker, Turner, Freme,
Crook, Nicol, Moon, Chilton, and the Mayor.
Against it.—Messrs. Thornhill, Chalmer, Thompson,
Preston, Aikin , H. Hornby, Stewart, G. Hornby, H.
Lawrence, Kilshaw, Rigby, Jones, Parker, Barclay,
Bulley, Griffith, , Holt, and Evans.
Absent.— Messrs. Hodgson, Sands, Rae, and J.
Holmes.
The council adjourned, at half-past three o'clock, till
Tuesday (this day).

In the Court of Exchequer, on Wednesday last, a rule
nisi for a new trial was granted in the cause Platt and
others, v. Young and others, tried at the last assizes.

ARRIVAL OF NINE AMERICAN INDIANS.—The packet
ship England, which reached Liverpool on Monday, from
New York, has brought to our shores an importation of
an unusual kind,—nothing less than nine bonafide Ameri-
can Indians of the Ojibbewa tribe, including the chief of
the tribe, and other persons of authority. Their object in
visiting England is to obtain an audience of her majesty,
to whom they are charged, as delegates from the tribe,
with a mission, the purport of which is to seek assistance
of some kind, in consequence of the wars in which they
have been engaged with another more powerful tribe.
The chief, who is 75 years of age, bears the singular name
of Oquewezance, whilst another member of the embassy
rejoices in the still more unpronounecable appellation of
Puttonogattowabee. They made a very short stay in Li-
verpool, having only stayed to refresh themselves at the
Angel Inn ; and they arrived in Manchester on the same
day (Monday), accompanied by an interpreter, named
Notinhain, who is what is called of " three-fourths" In-
dian blood, but who speaks English with facility, from a
residence of some time in the United States. Since Mon-
day, the whole of the party, which comprises two females
and a child, have been lodged at the Mitre Inn, Manches-
ter, where every accommodation is afforded them ; but so
small is the value they as yet attach to European arts and
civilization, that they cannot be prevailed :on to sleep in
beds, but uniformly prefer the couch of skins which is in
general use amongst this and other tribes. One of the
ladies, we should state, is ill, probably from the effect of
sea sickness on her voyage. During last week they visited
Mr. Catlin's unique collection of American Indian curi-
osities, at present in Manchester, and during the present
week they will form part of that interesting exhibition,
after which they will proceed to the metropolis.

DOINGS OF THE SWELL MOB.—On Tuesday a fashiona •
bly attired man named John Fry, was brought up at the
Police-court. John Lyt hall, from Carnarvon, stated that
being a litti e intoxicated he was proceeding up Church-
street, in order to reach 80ld-street, and asked the pri-
soner and two others his road. The prisoner took old of
his arm and said he would show him the place. They
walked for a long time up and down the street, and at
last went into Mr. Wrigglesworth's public-house, in
Brownlow-hill. A joiner, who said he knew the fellows
to be part of the swell mob, immediately gave information
to one of the police, who went into the public-house
before any attempt was made to get any of Mr. Lythall's
money. The prisoner made his escape, when he saw the
officer coming, through the lobby at the back, lying on
which were afterwards found a number of flash notes.
Mr. Rushton did not think the case sufficiently strong
against the prisoner, and was about to discharge him, when
Mr. Edward Price, tailor, of Hanover-street, said he had
a charge against the prisoner. He said that a few days
ago two men, the prisoner being one, came into his place
and asked him if he could make two suits of clothes be-
fore Saturday. He replied that he could not, as he had
some mourning to finish. They then said they would give
him till Tuesday, if he could complete the order by that
time. He agreed to do so, and one of the party (not the
prisoner) asked him if he could change a£s note. He
said he could, and brought five sovereigns, receiving in
his hand at the time he handed over the sovereigns a note.
The fellow asked then if he could not give him two half
soverelgns for one of the sovereigns? He said he could
not. The man then pretended the change would be of no
use, and asked the note back again. He opened. his fin-
gers and pretended to put the five sovereigns int 9 his
(witness's) hand. " I," said the witness, " thinking I
first
they dealing with honest me,', and supposing that at rs
they wanted to divide the £5 for the purpose of buying
the cloth for the clothes, gave the note back, closed my
hand upon the money, and put it into my pocket, thinking
it was all right. As soon as they were gone
found I was three sovereigns, short.., :%fi
would not like to swear to the pus,-

merits we raise
the money—that, while the commissioners of Birkenhead
will be the commissioners of the dock estate, the rate-
payers of the townships will not be taxed, directly or in-
directly, for the undertaking. I may also state, that there
are parties prepared to meet the necessary expenses, pro-
vided we are defeated in parliament—a result which I
cannot possibly anticipate—so that no reflection can be
made on the commissioners that they were using the mo-
ney of the township for this purpose. (Hear, hear.) It
is proposed that all the pecuniary advantages derived from
the dock shall be appropriated to the measure itself ; and
if ever, from the sale of land or otherwise, any other re-
venue from the dock shall arise, it is proposed that that
also shall go in the reduction of the cost, and in the re-
duction of the cost, first of all, on the dock rates ; and I
'dope that the amount received in this manner will be
sufficient to defray the cost of the construction of the
whole. (Hear, hear.) Many say we are very sanguine.
I own we may appear so; but, r say, judge us by the past ;
for I may safely state, that there is no measure which we
ever brought before the public that did not exceed the
most sanguine expectations of its promoters. And if I,
for one, am sanguine, allow me to observe, that I base my
opinion on the report of Mr. Hartley, the dock surveyor,
and also on the opinions of men in the Town-council and
the Dock Committee of Liverpool; and I have no hesita-
tion in saying, that we may go to parliament, and that,
with no other opinions but these, we may prove our case
in favour of docks being made at Wallasey Pool. If we
were going to make docks for the benefit of any landown-
er, or for any individual benefit, notwithstanding any
general benefit the works might afford, we might be op-
posed ; but we go that money may be raised for the con-
strustion, that any money which shall go in the cost of
construction shall be repaid, and that the revenue derived
shall be applied towards the same, until such time as,
with water space greater than that at Liverpool, we shall
be open to the whole world free of charge. (Hear, hear.)
I consider this subject as deeply interesting to the port of
Liverpool, and without that port we, as a branch, would
go to nothing. (" Hear, hear," from Mr. Mallaby.) I
consider that we are conferring a boon en the merchants
of Liverpool, greater than ever was conferred upon them.
A short time ago, an alderman of the borough said to me,
" I perceive you have got your pigmy committees." This
was at the time when the question of warehouse rents was
being raised, and when the insurance offices were advanc-
ing their rates from fifteen to twenty-five per cent. ; and
it struck me forcibly then that the fable was about to be
verified, and that the mouse of Birkenhead would be the
means of arousing the lion of Liverpool. (Hear, hear.)
Many persons allege that our docks hare will not be used.
It is a fallacy, and upon this ground :—seven-tenths of the
produce received at Liverpool goes into the interior, and
about five-sevenths by water conveyance to the interior.
It can make no earthly difference to the forwarders of
these goods whether they send them from the east or west
side of the Mersey; and if we can introduce competition
among the wharfingers, on each side of the pool, for we
are going only to make such charges in the docks as will
be reasonable for entering them, that competition among
the wharfingers will induce them to avail themselves of
the lighter charges. There is cotton, for instance. When
the raw material is at a shilling, and when it is brought
down to fourpence, the expenses are now the same. The
per centage on a bag of cotton is enormously heavy : so
that it behoves us to exert ourselves to carry this measure,
and to prove to the world that there is a means of giving
accommodation to them at a cheaper rate than any port
in the world can do ; and this we shall succeed in accom-
plishing by proceeding with this important work. (Hear,
hear.) I may also observe, that in the higher quarters
the project has met with unqualified approbation, and
that they consider it highly beneficial, not only because
it will afford increased dock space, but also because it
will, in all probability, tend to remove that great impedi-
ment to the working of the upper dock, Pluckington
bank. It is the opinion of many that it will cause the
removal of that obstruction ; but, under any circum-
stances, it appears to me to be fraught with good. It
may affect individual interests in Liverpool, but. as a
public body, we can hare nothing to do with those inte-
rests. It is our duty to legislate for the many, without
regard to the few—to serve the masses rather than the
smaller number ; and in a few years I have no doubt we
shall show that, instead of injuring the property of the
corporation, we have been its benefactors. by giving the
public that accommodation which the other side cannot
give, except at a most enormous cost. In the event of
the bill being carried, there are certain parties ready to
come down with money to commence the undertaking :
so that you are not proceeding on the supposition that
you will have no support. You will have the support of
all the outports. You will have the support of the Ad-
miralty in Parliament. You will have the support of
parties to carry on the competition in Parliament to any
amount ; and you will have the money to construct the
works. (Hear, hear.) lam able to prove, from statis-
tical tables, that you will derive a revenue from this un-
dertaking greater than it is possible now to mention, and
that the cost of all we contemplate is only £300,000.
Mr. Jackson concluded by proposing that the law-clerk
have power to give the necessary notices in the next Ga-
zette, and to take the necessary steps to obtain an act of
parliament.
Mr. Pim seconded the motion.
Mr. WOOD expressed his belief that the corporation. f
Liverpool would not have sold the land at so cheap a rate
bad they known the intention of the commissioners. At
the same time he thought that the commisioners ought to
make the dock at Wallasey rather than the corporation;
and he was glad it was going to be erected, for he was an
advocate for the extension of dock room.
Mr. BENTHAM read the following extract on the sub-
ject from an anonymous letter in the Liverpool Times :
" As mercantile men, we most heartily wish, with Mr.
G. H. Lawrence, success to the Cheshire Docks, by who-
ever made. Every increased facility to trade increases
that trade, and in no place are those facilities more
wanted than in this port. The Cheshire men have great
advantages to start with. Nature has done wonders for
them. As Telford said, when he looked down from Bid-
ston on Wallasey Pool at high water ' They have built
Liverpool on the wrong side.' Their docks are half made
already, and for £500,000 they can give the same area of
dock surface as all the Liverpool docks. They have no
warehouse interest to contend with, by introducing the
London dock system, may lower the insurance to the me.
tropolitan rates."
The motion was unanimously adopted. The question
of going to Parliament to confirm the purchase of the
Monk's Ferry was referred to a committee : anbl'eame-f
me-
morial proposed by Mr. W. Jackson, on the au j
to
o
Chester and Holyhead lineofrailway:was ordered
presented to the admiraltybyGrosvenoro. be
Lord Robert
The commissioners adjourned at a quarter after nine
o,c

ANOTHER LIVERPOOL LINER.—A new packet `flip,,
to be called the Yorkshire, was to be launched in Nevr
York, on or about the 25th ult., from the ship-yard of
Mr. W. H. Webb. The New York Herald says, she is
constructed after the model of the crack ship Montezuma,
barring a few feet more in length, in order, if posvilik to
give her increased speed. She is about 1050 tops n,
, e
and is to be commandpd 1-,,, (~-,- t 0. G.-Bailt
She i”s-icr
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however, I
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said he must be remanded