The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-02-27 00:00:00

THg LIVERPOOL STASIbARD

THE POOR LAW AMENDMENT BILL,

The following are the heads of the clauses of this bill
now before parliament, as introduced by Sir J. Graham,
who, we are given to understand, conceives they will re-
move every objection to the New Poor Law Bill. The
clauses refer to that portion of the present act which re-
lates to bastardy, vicious and unjust as it stand. hut
which, our readers wilt perhaps concur with us, would be
rendered doubly unjust to unfortunate mothers and to
parishes by this would-be "amendment." We invite the
public, however,—and the question is a most important
one,—first to read, and then to judge for themselves :
" Repeal of existing remedy of Parish against the puta-
tive Father, and enactment of remedyfor the Mother
of a Bastard against the putative Father.
" Clause I.—All powers of making order on putative
father shall cease, except in pursuance of this act.
" 2. The mother of a bastard may apply for a summons
to be served on the alleged father, for the next petty ses-
sion.
" 3. The justices in petty session may, after hearing
proper evidence, make an order on the putative father to
pay to the mother a weekly sum, not exceeding 4s. and
costs, and may enforce such order by distress and impri-
sonment.
" 4. The hearing in petty session may be adjourned,
but every application must be determined within forty
days from the service of the original summons. The pu-
tative father may, on giving security, appeal to the quarter
sessions.
5. " Money payable under the order shall be paid to
the mother, or, if she be incapacitated, to a person to be
appointed by the justices to have the custody of the child.
The child must not be chargeable, and the order is to
cease when the child reaches the age of thirteen, or at the
marriage of the mother.
6. " The mother of a bastard neglecting to maintain it.
or deserting it, is to be punishable under the Vagrant Act,
(5 Geo. 4, c. 83.)
7. "No officer of any parish or union is to receive the
money from the putative father, or to interfere in making
the application to the justices. If the mother is dead, or
incapacitated, the guardians or overseers may apply to
enforce the order.
8. "Any person conspiring to cause false evidence to
be given, shall be guilty of perjury. Any parish or union
officer endeavouring to promote marriage by threat or
promise, relating to an order in bastardy, shall be guilty
of misdemeanour. Any person having the custody of a
bastard misapplying the money for its support, or ill-
treating it. may be fined ten pounds.
9. " Orders already made, and proceedings pending,
not to be affected by this act ; but no order made before
the 14th August, 1834, shall be in force after the Ist of
January, 1849.
10. "The clerk to the justices in petty sessions to trans-
mit to the clerk of the peace a list of orders made, &c.
Copies of these lists are to be forwarded to the Secretary
of State for the Home Department."
Now, we venture to state, even on these naked premises,
that such "amendments" (!) or anything like them, will
not only reduce the existing inadequate remedy which
parishes now have against the father, but in almost all
cases, cruelly and unjustifiably deprive mothers of all re-
medy whatever. We have Herod now, but these propo-
sitions, if carried, will out-Herod Herod.
The mother may apply for a summons (at her own cost,)
to be served on the father for the next petty sessions, at
which the justices, on hearing " proper evidence," (brought
up also at the cost of the generally poor woman, and,
generally the deceived and aggrieved party,) may make an
order on the father for a considerable weekly payment,—
it might be 4s. What the " proper evidence" may be, we
are left to infer, but the chances are that the father being
generally by far the richer of the two morally offending
parties, may readily smother up all " proper evidence"
by superior force of nickey, if, indeed, the woman can
muster enough to come into court at all.
Then the hearing in petty sessions may be " adjourned,"
and every application must be made within forty days,
while the putative father may appeal to the quarter sessions.
How is a poor and dishonoured female to be supported
while these protracted proceeedings are going on ? Can
she ever appear against the seducer at all ?
The sth clause appears to us to be most nefarious, un-
just, and immoral in its tendency. The money payable
under an order is to be paid only to the mother by the
father, thus bringing the two parties into contact weekly,
and the child must not be chargeable. We need scarcely
say that this will beget a sort of compulsory meeting,
which is not likely to improve the habits of either, but
the contrary. The mother, as a natural consequence, may
forgive a portion of the debt, for no witness of the pay-
ment need be by ; and a new intimacy may beget a new
progeny.
The 6th clause renders the mother liable to punishment
as a vagrant if she neglect or desert the child ; yet this
new law throws so many barriers in the way of her ob-
taining a maintenance for it from the man who ought to
support it, that in nine cases out of ten she must be con-
signed to gaol.
No parish officer is to receive money from the father,
or to interfere in assisting the mother in, the application
to the justices. She is thrown upon her own resources.
No parish officer is to• endeavour to promote marriage
between the parties by threat or promise relating to an
order. Such endeavour would certainly be wrong ; but,
so far as relates to promise of marriage given by the fa-
ther, the animus of the clause is, that no father of an
illegitimate child ever wronged the mother; that she is
the sole offender, and ought alone to be punished. •
The proposed amendments would operate as hardly on
parishes as on mothers. Nineteen out of twenty of the
latter could never dance attendance first at petty sessions
and then (in case of appeal) at quarter sessions, to take
proceedings against the man, who may fee counsel, pay
witnesses, &e., against her. The application, too, in the
first instance, must be made within forty days.. The man
may have gone to sea or elsewhere, and no summons can
be served upon him. The mother has then, no redress,
nor the parish either ; and the aggressor msy glory in his
impunity. There are other portions of the " amend-
ments" equally reprehensible; but we must now con-
clude by expressing an opinion that the proposed bill
would be a further carte blanche to libertines, and could
not be carried out in a town such as this. We are glad
to learn that the magistrates have already had a meeting
on the subject, and have sent a strong representation
against it to Sir James Graham. We will just, in con-
clusion, suppose that a mother obtains an order for 4s. a
week (the maximum), and goes on Saturday night to re-
ceive it from the father. He is most probably intoxica-
ted, having just received his wages, and in ail probability
knocks the poor creature down, or persuades her to re-
ceive a smaller sum, and, by promises or threats, induces
Here
and we
batteries,have
(e)rubrieelaepvsiel
assaultsferonmnstavniritue.
and a probable increase of population (if not of vice) any-
thing but Malthusian. The whole thing is, we have no
chhearnc to
e oafno a tdh
hesitation in saying, not only unjust, but grossly absurd.

LECTURE ON ENGLISH POETRY, FOR THE BENEFIT
OF MR. MACKRILL'S WIDOW.-Mr. Parker, of the Cus-
tom-house, a gentleman every way qualified for the task
by education and talent, has handsomely consented to
deliver a lecture on English poetry, at the Town-hall of
Birkenhead, to-morrow evening, for the benefit of
the widow of Mr. Mackrill, who lost his life a
week or two back, at the George's Pier ianding-steps.
John Dean Case, Esq., and Wm. Jackson, Esq., will
preside on the occasion. The latter gentleman has gene-
rously contributed ten guineas to the fund. We hope the
attendance will be numerous.

FANCY BALL AT THE TOWN-HALL.—The ladies and
gentlemen who love gorgeous and quaint array,and " mirth
and antique pageantry", may prepare their bonnets, and
plumes, and spangled attire as soon as they please, for,
lo ! it is decided that the fancy ball, in aid of the public
charities, will take place, at the Town-hall. at the close of
next month. The brilliant bachelor's fite, which took
place a short time ago, will have prepared numbers for
this new festivity ; and hundreds of others, whose hearts
and hands are ever open at Charity's call, will no sooner
learn the fact than ready invention will be followed by
" jauntie tailor and the sempstresse trim", and chaos after
chaos of cloth, stuff, satin, velvet, and calico will be
formed into robes, vests, tunics, trunks, mantles, boddi-
ees, petticoats, and all sorts of habilliments of all desig-
nations. An advertisement, announcing particulars, will
appear in our next publication.

NEW CUSTOMS REGULATIONS REGARDING SPIRITS
FOR SHIP'S STORES.—The following general order has
been received at our Custom House here, from the ho-
nourable Board of Commissioners in London :—On an
application of Mr. John Driver, requesting that masters
of temperance vessels may be relieved from the general
regulations in force, on the shipment of stores, by being
allowed to take such small quantities of Brandy only,
as they may require for Medicinal purposes, without any
other spirit, and also be allowed to ship such spirits as
they require in stone jars. We are of opinion that the
masters of Temperance ships, provided they waive their
right to any allowance of spirits, as stores, may be allowed
to ship from warehouse, for Medicinal purposes, upon
their application and certificate to the above effect, Brandy
in the proportion of one tenth part, to the whole aggregate
quantity of Brandy, and other spirits to which they would
be entitled for stores, according to the complement of
the crew, and the duration of the voyage, also that there
is no objection to the shipment of spirits for stores in
stone jars, provided the whole quantity of each descrip-
tion of spirits is contained in one jar,and you are to
apprize the applicant."

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STRANGERS' FRIEND
SOCIETY.—The yearly meeting of this useful society was
held yesterday in their room in Slater-street, the Rev. J.
Hargreaves in the chair. The treasurer, Mr. M. Ashton,
read a list of the donations to the society during the past
year, amounting to £607 Hs. 6d., which, added to the
balance of £64 16s. 3d. left over last year, made up an
amount of £672 14s. 9d., which they had received to meet
the demands of the present year. They had expended of
this sum £593 3s. 10d.. and had, on the 30th December,
to which date the accounts were made up, a balance in
hand of £7B 10s. 11d. The secretary then read the report,
from which it appeared that, with the limited means at
their disposal, the visitors and officers of the society had
relieved 1922 cases of destitution, comprising 4576 per-
sons. 472 were cases of widows and their families.
In addition to the affliction of poverty, they had met du-
ring the year much sickness; and had the gratification of
reflecting, that through their agency many unfortunates
had been snatched from death. They had to remark
upon a most satisfactory change in the temper with which
their bounty was received by the poor. They met now
with much gratitude and thankfulness, and their lessons
and admonitions were listened to in many cases with
eagerness, where formerly they had only noticed impa-
tience and almost insult. After a few remarks by the
Treasurer upon the extreme value of the society, Mr.
Freme moved a vote of thanks to the officers of the society
for their valuable services, and particularly referred to
those of Mr. Eden, the secretary, who had been indefa-
tigable in his exertions for the benefit of the society and
the alleviation of the condition of his suffering fellow-
creaturegi, The meeting then broke up,

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The imports of some articles were rather more than in
in the previous year (1842), and in some few considerably
less; and the duty received on the whole shows rather
an improvement, the gross receipts for 1842 being
£22,596,263, and those of the past year £22,636,659.
The import of spirits was nearly alike. It is worthy of
passing remark, that from the import of eels in, from 70
to 80 vessels, the government received in gross amount of
duty in 1812, £985, and in 1843, £1,106.
No. 2.—Exports of Foreign and Colonial Merchandise
shows a decrease in the export of cocoa, corn, unnaanu-
factured tobacco, and cotton and sheeps' wool, metals,
&c.; but an increase in that of coffee, spirits, sugar, &c.
The Exports of British Produce and Manufactures
(No. 3) in cotton goods, earthenware, glass, hardware,
linen, metals, salt, silk goods, woollens, &c., on the whole
exceeded the previous year, the declared value of those
exported in the year ending sth January, 1843, being
£40,785,350; and that of the succeeding year £44,720,563;
The Net Receipts of Customs Duties, (No. 4) after
payment of bounties, drawbacks, &c. was, in the former
year, £22,465,839';. and in the latter, £22,574,103.
The number of vessels employed in the foreign trade of
the kingdom, with their tonnage, is next given. From
this it appears that in the year ending as above in Ja•
nuary, 1843, 19,647 ships, with a total tonnage of
3,655,230 as entered inwards; and in the year following
(last year) 19,564 ships—tonnage 3,925,422, In the
former year 21,402 (tonnage 3,691,574) cleared outwards;
and in the latter year 21,980 ships—tonnage 3,755,369.
Of the last number upwards of 15,000 were British ves-
sels, and about 600, of the United States of America—
the rest being of the European states.
The final table shows the number of vessels employed
in the coasting trade : total during 1842, 127.800, with a
tonnage as entered inwards of 10,785,450; in 1843,
131,461—tonnage 10,842,176 as entered inwards. In
1842 cleared outwards 141,010—tonnage 11,302,657; and
in 1843, 141.697—tonnage 11,321,138. Of these last
clearances 16,760 were of vesssls employed in the inter-
course between Great Britain and Ireland. The years
stated end on the sth January of the next year.
These accounts (which are made up from the custom-
house returns of the different parts of the kingdom) fur
nish a gratifying proof of a very considerable increase in
our trade and navigation, notwithstanding all that has been
asserted of a general depression in the commerce of the
country.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, 5w,i7.0,,, Feb. 24.

(Before Lord Abinger and a Special Jurg.)
PICEFORD V. GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY.
Mr. Martin and Mr. Cardwell appeared for the plain-
tiffs; and the Solicitor-General with Mr. Crompton, for
the defendants.
This was an action brought to recover compensation
from the defendants for a breach of their duty as carriers,
the declaration alleging that on two occasions large quan-
tities of pork had been delivered by the agents of the
plaintiffs to the defendants at Liverpool, to be carried by
them on the same night to Birmingham, whence they were
to be carried by the plaintffs to London. Instead, how-
ever, of so doing, the defendants detained the goods till
the next following night, by reason whereof the London
markets were lost, and the plaintiffs deprived of the cus-
tom of the parties to whom the pork belonged. The
defendants denied that the goods had been received on the
terms set forth in the declaration, and it was now shown
by the plaintiffs in each case that the pork had been deliv-
ered at the " goods station " of the defendants, between
five and six, o'clock in the afternoons of two days in Jan-
uary, 1812, but that in neither case did the pork arrive in
Birmingham until Saturday morning, and only reached
London on Saturday night, whereby the plaintiff missed
the market and lost nearly £6O.

The Solicitor-General having, in the cross-examination
of one of the pork-dealers, elicited the fact that there
always had been, and now was, a large board at the defen-
dants' sta'ion on which it was notified in large characters
that all goods delivered after 4 o'clock p.m. would be for-
warded on the following day, and also that on several
occasions special application had been made to.the super-
intendant when perishable goods were delivered after that
hour to insure their being forwarded on the same evening,
went to the jury upon the case as proved by the plaintiffs'
witnesses, contending that the contract declared on had
not bees proved. The defendants had a right to make
what terms they pleased in the performance of their busi-
ness.

Lord Abinger was clearly of opinion that the defendants
were entitled to the verdict on the plaintiffs' own showing,
and where he the party to decide,should say so without hesi-
tation ; but it was a question for the jury, to whom he
would submit it, rather than nonsuit the plaintiffs, in order
to avoid farther litigation.
The jury, however, did not at first seem to be unani-
mous with the learned judge, and begged• to retire.
Leave having been granted to that effect, they were
absent for about one hour, at the end• of which time they
returned with a verdict for the defendants.

DEATH FROM BURNING.—On Saturday an inquest was
held before the Borough Coroner, to inquire into the cir-
cumstances touching the death of Isaac Appleton, a child
two years of age. It appeared that the deceased lived
with his parents at 38, Tenterden-street ; and that, while
left alone in a room, in which was a lighted candle, he was
so severely burned on the left arm and side that he died
shortly after. A verdict to this effect was returned.
THE NEW YORK PACKET-SHIP YORKSHIRE. —AVe
recently noticed this fine new vessel, commanded by Cap-
tain B4iley, and on a second visit were much gratified by
a visit to her accommodations for steerage passengers be-
tween decks. The berths are not, as is usual ranged along
the sides, intercepting the light from the small ports, and
exposing the luggage, and frequently the bedding to. damp
and water. They are fixed amidships, or, in other words,
ranging with the masts in a double tier ; and are roomy,
commodious, and dry at all times. The whole space on
the lower deck is thus left free open and well ventilated
and lighted for the purposes of exercise or recreation.
The Yorkshire is, in fine, a superb passenger vessel in
every respect, and her appointments in every respect su-
perior. Her fore and main masts are in one piece and
splendid sticks, being 32 inches in diameter below, and 56
feet in height. She will sail, we understand, on Friday
next, and we wish her and her polite and gallant com-
mander every success.

REVIVED PROSPERITY OF THE MANUFACTURING
DISTRICTS.—Our readers will no doubt remember the
gh begins to
stranger and
unction with which the members of the league used to
ocpied
dwell upon the ruinous state of the borough of Stockport
—its unemployed factories and untenanted shops and
dwellings. This borough was their chosen example of the
injury inflicted by the corn-laws upon manufacturing in-
terests—distress even yet they are slow to acknowledge as
passed away. Even Stockport, however, now gives the
til
i and
aee
f
lie to their false prophecies and unprincipled statements,
as the following extract from a local paper—the Stock-
n Inlto ofm
s edour of,
atl ourd the
industrious now
brightened fully
pamsoosrurtemApeledaar
pleasing
nbt
gaisrteaore—ttehrwe imrl le
os
resident
eoniwnt i
iht`ai`
nnOg ituita
s assumed "Our
for some
u
employed operatives, added to the eager occupation ofs
osr
i beasendk.
dw iThei n s busyl o
g habits
closed,
wholly
of the inhabitants long depressed, give to our streets
vitality,
and
shopsfy,,ecatra, andetheito our population unequivocal signs of commercial
bani,hing from amongst us that mournful appearance
ul appearance
which untenanted houses and "shops to le
cipal streets and thoroughfares. were t" in our min-
every well-wisher of this towt:." wont to convey to

ileb. 2/, 1841

THE TRUTH-TELLING MERCURY AND TO
ANTI-MONOPOLY ASSOCIATION.

having disciosed to the world the tact that, on se e'„f
Our Friday's contemporary is wrathful against u: foe
recent occasions, and more particu'arly on the occatiniV.
an attempt to gull a public as,embly, held at LasselLs
room about ten days ago, " the young men who corn Pr.
the lecturers of the Anti monopoly Association" have brty
outvoted by their opponents. We tou,t certainly pleadgaire
to the charge, if guilt it can be to have told the truth.
have informed our readers of the result of these aPPon'
to the public, and shall continue to do so. We have notri
however, to introduce our readers to a gentleman, one °
the " young men," doubtless, who has the modest assl;
ance to inform the world, through the columns of t
Mercury, that what we have reported of the particular,,
meeting referred to is not the truth. The " young man
shall tell his own story.
"TO THE EDITORS OF THE LIVERPOOL MERCURY.'
" Gentlemen,—Allow me to call your attention to song
remarks in Tuesday's Standard, on a lecture delivered bf
me. as a member of the Anti-monopoly Association, 011
Thursday evening, at Lassell's-roorn, Great Richman"
street.

" The report of the Standard is, as usual, utterly
From what I have seen before of the doings of the 5071;.
dard to endeavour to serve party, irrespective of PrifigiL
ple, on this question, I was not surprised. Our proceed'
ings were, as on former occasions, interrupted by Of%
score or two of DIRTY BOYS, whose only argument Ws'
plentiful use of their ' most sweet voices.'—Yours,
" H. DaNsori•
The vanity of lectureship is strong in Mr. H. Dail'
whoever he be. But " young men
should be modes
however high an opinion they may entertain of themselves'
We must take leave to assure Mr. H. Danson that out
report is not false in any one important particular; i
Mr. H. Danson, on perusing it, discovers that be
made a blockhead of himself, that is his affair, not can'
Despite his eloquent lecture, himself and his party were
outvoted on this, as on many other, occasions ; and qielf
defeat was acknowledged by Me chairman
of the wellf
They were not " dirty boys " who replied to Mr. I
Danson's shallow sophistries, but bearded men—aye, at
grey-haired men—men equal to Mr. H. Danson in ever'
particular except, perhaps, that more cotton was on tbe"',
backs than linen or broadcloth. So far, then, Mr. „•
Danson, we give you back the compliments which 1011
have ventured to offer to ourselves.
And now, sir, a word in seriousness. How dare yoa,
or your Whig-radical ally, the Mkrcury, indulge in a sneet
at the working men who composed a large portion of these
meetings? Is this your "liberalism "—your toleration,
-
The honest operatives, forsooth—the "dirty not to come " between the wind and your gentility! The greasy artisan is not to raise his " most sweet voice
in your neighbourhood ! Consistent gentlemen ! Isg
prate to the world your anxious solicitude for the interest,
of the poor man; and if he ventures to express an opinion
of his own, as to the effect of the nostrums you offer hitaf
he is straightway a dirty fellow—part and. parcel of art
"unruly rabble " unfit to possess the rights of as
Englishman, or to breathe in a land of liberty. A pretty'
set of despots, in truth, would be these same " young
men who compose the lecturers of the Anti-monopoly
Association," if Mr. H. Danson is an average sample.

WATERLOO COURSING MEETING.
THIS DAY AND THURSDAY.
MR. M'GEORGE, of STAINDROP, JUDGE.
The Dogs to be in the Slips at Ten o'clock.
The following is the Drawing for the- first Day.
WATERLOO CUP.
Mr. Bake'S Birdlime against Mr. Pont:des Lancer
Gale's Ajax • . Hughes's Mungo Park
J. Robinson's Hoc .. Harper names Hostess
Robinson's Ariel .. Wynne's Briton
Swans Sparks of Fire .. Bagge's Traveller
Garven ns Knocknawling .. Barton's
Slater's Speculation .. Barker's Hector
Ball ns Young. Priam .. Watt's Slaughterman
Standish's Streamer • . Mare's Mounseer
Fletcher's Freeman
.. Eglinton's Blue Banner
Sharpe's Skylark • • M'Guire's Garland's
Clark's Dressmaker • . Dr. Brown's Cantrip
Deakin's Wing • . Jebb's Titania
Craven's Canto • • A. Graham's Sir Edward
G. Barge ns Tyrant .. Etwall ns Brocade-
Eden's Exquisite • . Scott ns Dangerous
WARTERLOO PURSE.
Eglinton ns Bugle against Garven's Glengeath
A. Graham's Screw .. Sharpe's Star
Dr. Brown ns Sportsman .. Bake's Kake
Bagge's Tramp
.. Slater's Sandy
Deakin's Driver • • Etwall's Billy-Fo.by-reul'
Swan's Sovereign Queen .. Jebb's Criftin
s.
Clarke's Drainer . • Wynne's Baroness.
Eden's Rowena • . Pollok's Loudoun.