The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-11-28 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

saw ;" and to-morrow he may be found running !by the way, however. Our concern is only with
before a nor-nor-westerly gale, with all his sails the folly and unreasonableness that would debar
set, and steering for a port, with whose cruizers be any member of the united kingdom from that post
was yesterday exchanging broadsides. Nothing to which he was otherwise suited, and thereby pre-
exceeds his Protean talents, except the " modest vent the cordial amalgamation of the entire empire
assurance" and total absence of a blush, with into one body of symmetry and strength. It is
which he stands up to display, or to defend, his only with reference to Ireland, or rather to the
shamelessness. Irish Church, that this feeling at all exhibits itself.
Awhile ago the Times was the thick and thin And it is here especially that the injustice and im-
supporter of Conservative principles and of a policy of such feeling is most demonstrable. For
Conservative administration. With what unction all purposes of good or evil, Ireland may now be
' did he then lash the back of Whig-Radical inca- regarded as near to us as Wales or Scotland. We
pability ! Anon, we saw him smiting the head of can't help it if we would. It is of the first impor-
that very Conservative administration, and revel- tance, then, that the two countries be drawn more
ling in the fun of the D'lsraeli Razzias against closely together, and held together in the bonds of
him. Once more the Times has found a new in- mutual benefit, dependence, and sympathy. The
spiration; he has " got rid of an old love and got on United Church, as bylaw established, is the great
with a new." The wretchedly incapable government bond of union : and as the high places have not
of Lord John Russell has become the god of his been hitherto dispensed in a manner to conciliate
idolatry; and Sir Charles Wood, Earl- Grey, and the sympathies of the Irish portion of it, it is really
Co. are pattern statesmen. An article in his little short of adding insult to injury whenever an
publication of Saturday last affords the most outcry is raised against the Irish clergymen in
striking proof of the "assurance" of our contem- England, who, with hardly an exception, occupy
porary that we ever remember meeting with in his nothing else than posts of ill-requited toil.
columns. After attempting to ridicule the idea The dawn of better things, we think, has over.
that any ministry can be formed, which is likely to taken us. Let each man, irrespective of country,
be an improvement upon the present, and referring be judged of according to his own merits. The
to the reports which have been current of an man who would keep alive a smouldering jealousy
approaching change of men, our contemporary and prolong a party feud is not the friend of either
proceeds to ask— country, but the enemy of both
" What public reason can be assigned for a change?
The ministry still commands a majority in parliament.
England has escaped a revolution. Ireland survives a
rebellion. Trade and confidence are reviving. The funds
are still on the rise. The revenue is recovering itself. No
considerable alterations of policy are desired, except some
impossible demands by one or two insignificant cliques.
Repeal is hushed, Reform is discreet, Free-trade is satis-
fied, the church is on a good understanding. Without
over-confidence it may at least be said that there is no
political case for a change. When ministers meet par-
liament next February they will probably have as good a
hearing as this time last year."
The political reasons which can be urged for a
change are to be found in the existence of a general
prostration of the enterprise and industry of the

IN directing our attention to a series of articles,
in recent numbers of the Manchester Courier, in
refutation of the Bullionist Dogmas,—the second
of which, in part, appears in our columns this
day,—a correspondent, whose opinions, both from
his commercial experience and thorough knowledge
of the subject, are regarded by us as most valuablt,
offers a few remarks, which may serve us now as a
text for an exposition of our views as to oee branch
of the currency question, upon which we have not
as yet entered in detail. Our correspondent says :
" Now it may be that our Liverpool Currency Reform
Association is quite right in sailing so nearly under the
same colours as the Birmingham extreme incontrover-
tibles."—

country, and a conviction, prevailing in the minds
of nine-tenths of the community, that the present
men, notwithstanding their fondness for mischief,
are perfectly powerless in designing or carrying
out any remedial measures. With respect to the
"good hearing" which they are likely to have next
session, which may be "as good a hearing as this
time last year," we can only say that it may be all
this and be no great things after all. Our con-

which, by the bye, is scarcely a correct description
of the Association's principles ; and he proceeds :

" To continue under Peel's crushing act of 1844 cannot
be right ; and, as we have inferred, the Birmingham ex-
treme inconvertible doctrines may be right. But surely,
in case of the latter meeting opposition, it might be well
to try the limited or, as it ismore correctly termed, the equi-
table mode of convertibility propounded in the book on
the national distress,' &c., recommended by our con-
temporary, (which was referred to in terms of praise by
ourselves, in a recent article, addressed to the Manchester
Guardian,)' the expense of which must at any rate prove
less than the present. And even, if not so abstract, or
economical a theory as that of inconvertibility, it com-
bines many of the latter's advantages, all the vaunted
but wanting perfections of the " Peel. Loyd," purely
moneyed interest Bill of 1844; and will commend itself
to many practical, hard-headed, useful, and sensible men
of business, who are unwilling, and cannot be expected to
find leisure, to dive into the hidden merits of a theory,
however beautiful in the abstract, but who have been
again and again cheated by practical ideas—as in the case
of Free Trade—of cheapness—and in that of our fearfully-
pervading evil, the currency—of convertibility into some-
thing valuable, viz., gold—in other words, of summat
for your money ; " and who forget that bullion is only
useful and necessary for the liquidation of international
balances, a mere representative of value in internal ex-

temporary proceeds—
" It is not the general opinion of the country that they
have either abused or neglected the quasi dictatorial power
with which they were then freely invested. Their ability
has neither been untried nor found wanting."
If he can find any six sane people in Great
Britain, Ireland, and the colonies, not including
placemen and expectants of place, entertaining the
opinion that their ability has not been "found
wanting," our contemporary will be clever. We
shall only offer a few words of comment upon the
following remarks, which conclude the article :
" It is true they have been indulged with an extraordi-
nary concurrence and almost competition of support, so
much so that we have just had what may almost be called
an unanimous session. It may, indeed, be said that their
strength was external rather than their own; and that
they were more fortunate than successful. But a sus-
picion which exists in spite of contradictory facts is no
ground for censure. Ministers have succeeded, and are
therefore uncondemned. Such is the case of the Govern-
ment as a whole. Whether it might be improved by a
few judicious changes is a question which involves mere
personal considerations. Nay, it involves also individual
convenience and acquiescence. As yet we have not heard
that any member of the Government is likely to quit
either willingly or otherwise. These are not days when
men of note and position prefer peerages to power. The
House of Commons is still the chief battle-field of the
country. The mind of the age loves that warm hearth, and
envies not the chill grandeur of the Lords. Our readers
may depend upon it, that neither the love of a title, nor
fear, nor idleness, nor diffidence, nor the voice of the
country, is likely at present to withdraw any of her
Majesty's present advisers from their envied position."
The laudation meted out here is rather of a
questionable character. The strength of the
ministry has been "rather external than their
own." They have been "more fortunate than
successful They "have succeeded" (in what?
"and are, therefore, uncondemned." A cold sort
of backing his friends is this, on the part of our
contemporary. The denial which follows, "that
any member of the" (Whig) " government is likely
to quit willingly," was quite unnecessary. We
never knew a Whig quit any good thing willingly.
But the " envied position" of her Majesty's present
advisers beats every thing. Our contemporary
must have been indulging his satirical vein.

changes."

Our correspondent, in a word, wishes the Cur-
rency Reform Association to concede a point, not
so much to the bullionists, or rather to the advo-
cates of the present system, but to satisfy the
doubts, as to convertibility of the paper-pound, of
that "hard-headed" class of people, who conceive
that the possession of gold is the summum bonum
of human happiness, by enabling the proposed
national bank at all times to redeem their engage-
ments in that "commodity." At the same time
he reminds the class in question that, under the
Association's system. gold will only be required
for the adjustment of our international balances,
our domestic currency being sufficiently provided
for.

It is not at all likely that the association should
forget that gold would, from time to time, be re-
quired for the purpose of adjusting, temporarily,
our adverse balances with other countries, caused,
for instance, by an unforeseen failure in our do-
mestic supplies of food. In such an event they
proposed to purchase such gold, for foreign pay-
ment, at its market rate, which would be its rela-
tive value as a commodity to consols returning
three per cent. per annum. Of the details of this
portion of their plan,—whether they would compel
the Bank to keep in stock a supply of coined gold,
and at what rate they would issue it to the public,
or receive it back into their coffers,—we do not
assume the possession of sufficient information to
speak. For ourselves, however, we should not at
all object to keeping at least as much of that
rather expensive currency in the Bank as would
give to it quite as large a redeeming power of its
notes as is given under our present system ; and
should be disposed to agree to some such plan as
that laid down in the able work, to which our cor-
respondent refers, and which we shall briefly ex-
plain. It is proposed by the writer that the weight
in gold of the present pound shall be considered at
par with the paper pound, or with three per cent.
consols, whenever the Bank shall be possessed of
a certain supply of bullion, to be fixed upon by the
Legislature, say eleven millions and not exceeding
fifteen millions ; and that, for every million which
shall be withdrawn from the country, a small ad-
vance, to be definitely fixed, shall take place in the
amount of paper money payable for a given amount
of goleen pounds. For example, when the stock
of bullion falls to ten millions sterling, £lOl in
paper shall be worth £lOO in gold ; and, as the
supply still further decreases, the amount payable
in paper pounds shall increase in a cumulative
ratio, according to a sliding scale to be agreed upon.
The effect of such a plan, it is urged, would be to
attract back the gold exported, so soon as ever it
was materially at a premium over our domestic
currency ; and to promote reinvestment of the
amount in manufactures and other commodities,
which the equable supply of domestic currency
provided by the paper pound, based upon consols,
will have kept in their usual relation to the value
of each other, and that of labour, and all other
commodities, except gold itself, and the particular
article which is temporarily in deficient supply.
Such a plan could not possibly produce the same
fluctuations, even in the value of the precious metals
themselves, as compared with a paper currency, or
with commodities, as that to which consols and
every other description of property and security
are periodically liable under our present monetary
system.

Our valued contemporary, the Dublin Evening
Mail, devoted a long article last week to the re-
cent appointment, by his Grace the Lord Primate
of Ireland, of the Rev. W. H. Guillemard, M. A.,
Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, to the
Head Mastership of the Royal School of Armagh.
Our contemporary complains, that, inasmuch as
Irishmen are systematically excluded from corre-
sponding situations in England, and 'since such
posts of honour and emolument are so very rare in
Ireland, an injury and slight is offered to the
Church and University by passing over men of
equal, if not superior, attainments, to make way
for the introduction of :a stranger for the respons-
ible post in question. In arguing out the case he
writes as follows :

" Let us inquire what can have been the reasons which
caused the claims of the University to be neglected.
" Perhaps we are more backward in our mode of edu-
cation in Dublin than in Oxford or Clmbridge. Let us see
whether this be the case. Cambridge has been much
praised for the alacrity which she has manifested to ex-
tend and improve her course of instruction. In every re-
spect Dublin showed her the example.
" In the year 1843 she instituted a voluntary theologi-

nation has existed in Dublin since 1814, and probably be-
fore that date. Perhaps, however it will be said that this
is intended only for candidates for prizes. We answer,
two examinations, compulsory on all divinity students.
have existed sincelB37, in Trinity College, Dublin.
" Another of the improvements just adopted in Cam-
is, that students are to be required to attend two
courses of divinity lectures during one term, before they
are admitted to this examination ; in 1837 Dublin adopted
a more stringent rule, which requires six terms attend-
ance at divinity lectures, previous to the final examina-
tion.

bridge

" A third of the Cambridge improvements of 1848 is
the institution of a moral tripos at the degree examina-
- What is this but the Dublin ethical moderatorship

of 183

" Again, we have the adoption of the tripos of natural
sciences, which is only another form of our engineering
school, our natural history, anatomical and medical

" Another of the much-lauded Cambridge reforms is
one ' to secure a correspondence between the Mathema-
tical Professor's Lectures and the Mathematical Examin-
ations of the University.' Every one acquainted with the
system in Dublin knows that this correspondence has been
accomplished here long since, both in the graduate and
undergraduate classes.

We would make a concession of this nature,
however, as one offered to appease a prejudice, and
not at all as giving up the principles for which, along
with the association, we have contended, viz. :
that currency needs not to possess any other value
than its interest,—bearing, or accumulative power;
and that it should be strictly a measure to determine
relative values in corn

' Again, in the year 1846, a grace passed the senate of

lic examinatic

should r

pass a preliminary examination in an elementary
from which they should be recommended to be-

gulation published in ti
1834.

Dublin University Calendar of

modities. We admit that
the concession involves considerable, and in every
other respect than its tendency to put at ease the
minds of a section of the community, a useless
expense to the country. We do not at all believe
that, our present system abolished, and a currency
established which will be regulated by a fixed rate of
interest, and based upon an ascertained amount of
the accumulated labour of the country, any con-
siderable drain of gold, and consequent depreciation
of the pound in its relation to gold, can evei occur.
It is our settled conviction that, under such a
system as we have laid down, the Bank might at
once convert ten millions of her bullion into a
golden calf, or a golden goose, or a family group
of Samuel Jones Lloyd, Sir Robert Peel, and other
worshir

"If, then, Cambridge be keeping up with the age,
surely we must allow that Dublin has been taking the
lead in this march of reform."

We have alluded to the matter for the purpose
of laying before our readers, on such competent
authority, the course insisted upon in the Dublin
University School of Divinity. It has, somehow,
become fashionable in Liverpool to decry the
attainments and information of the Irish clergy
located amongst us. One of our contemporaries is
frequent in the use of the word 'literate,' as applied
to them, intimating, as the word is understood,
that they are men without any regular university
degree. Nov, it happens that no Irish bishop
admits to holy orders any but a graduate of his

ers of this precious metal, and proclaim
yearly to the British people that the interest upon
this bauble—£3oo,ooo per annum—is the cost of
what politico-economical philosophers term "con-
vertibility."

CHURCH PASTORAL-AID SOCIETY.-At a meeting of
the Bath Auxiliary to this society last week, the Rev. W.
Pollock seconded a resolution, and expressed his satisfac-
tion that that city stood at the very head of the associa-
tions connected with the society. Mr. Pollock spoke of
the exertions of the Rornanists, and expressed his belief
that they were alarmingly successful in many of our large
towns. There were also, he said, many corrupt and me-
lancholy forms of religious dissent. He had found in his
own district, containing a population of about 12,000
souls, that the Latter-day Saints, the believers in the
Book of Mormon, were exceedingly busy. A thousand
forms of dissent, of the most unhappy cast, prevailed—
dissent, for the most part, meaning mere hatred to the
Church of England. He was bound to state the truth,
that, after labouring for eleven years amongst a crowded
population in the north of England, he had never in one
solitary instance come across the track of any dissenting
minister among the pauper population, and he had never
come upon any species of a dissenting visit paid to the
wretched, and the lost, and the sick, with the exception
of those occasionally of the local preacher amongst the
Methodist a.

THE DOCK TRUST AND THE DOCK CHAIR-

MANSHIP,

A fortnight ago we remarked upon the Parliamentary
notice which appeared in our columns the same day, pro-
posing to apply for power to remodel our present Dock
Trust, and to take away from the Council all control over
its affairs. Since then the project has been actively can-
vassed out of doors, and various opinions expressed as to
its object and propriety, and the parties from whom it
emanated. With respect to the latter question, we are
credibly informed its originators were the Committee of
the Shipowners' Society. Nine members, out of twelve,
it is said, met together, whether for ordinary business or
specially called together we know not, on the 11th inst.,
when the proposition in question was submitted to them.
Five voted in favour of it; two were neutral, and two
voted against. On the authority of this decision the no-
tices were at once issued. So we are informed.
It has been observed that an effort was made by the
shipowners ten years ago, to secure to the dock ratepayers
the power of electing to the Trust a number of members
equal to those nominated by the Council, the proportion
being then, as now, eight by the ratepayers and thirteen
by the Council, including the chairman. The attempt,
however, was a failure ; and from the apparent hopeless-
ness of an attempt to secure the nomination of the whole
body, after failing so recently to secure that of half of it
only, a strong opinion has gained ground out of doors that
the present proposition is only a demonstration, and that
its object is to deter the Council from proceeding to effect
the rating of the Dock Estate. Acting upon this opinion,
the pro-rating party in the Council, which body has, by
existing law, the privilege of appointing the Dock Chair-
man, have come to the conclusion that it is imperative for
the success of their cause that such chairman should be a
pro-rater; and we believe we may state that Mr. Hender-
son has been fixed upon as a candidate, and will receive
their undivided support.
Of the perfect fitness of this gentleman for the office
there cannot be a doubt, especially in the minds of those
who, like ourselves, have had the opportunity of observ-
ing his indefatigable exertions, and the acumen which he
has displayed es a member of one of the most important
sub-committees of the Trust—that of the Albert Ware-
houses. It is most important that the public should be
early and constantly put into possession of the paving capa-
bilities of this expensive property, before permitting the
Trust to be further committed to its principles, and from
Mr. Henderson we need fear no reserve on this point.
Independently of the split between this Committee and
the Council on the rating question, and the hostile de-
monstration of the shipowners, it is highly probable that
the unanimous voice of the Council would have nominated
to the vacant chair Mr. Alderman Nicol, the present
deputy-chairman, and the able coadjutor of the late
Chairman, the present Mayor, in his most successful
efforts to extend the efficiency of the Estate; and that
gentleman will no doubt be influentially supported. But
we feel, with the friends of Mr. Henderson, that the great
question of relieving the oppressed Burgesses of the
town from the fearful burthens which they have to bear,
by calling upon this great Property to contribute its fair
share, cannot be allowed to be compromised on the score
of private friendships, or individual fitness for the office.

BANKRUPTCY COURT.

,-YESTERDAY,

IN RE JOAN STOCRDALE.—IMPORTANT DECISION.
Mr. RIGGE, of the firm of Messrs. Laces and Co.,
made two applications to the court, on behalf of the Bo-
rough Bank, the directors of which, as the court was
aware, held certain houses, lands, and tenements belonging
to the bankrupt, (valued at £17,500,) as security to them
for a debt of £16,400. His applications were, first, that
the declaration of the dividend be postponed, in order to
allow the creditors to hand over the property to the as-
signees, by whom it would be disposed of for the benefit
of the estate ; and secondly, that the creditors be allowed
to prove on the estate, and that no dividend be given until
they had so proved. He might state that an application
to that effect had been made to the court above, an answer
to which could not be received before the sth of Decem-
ber, therefore he wished the postponement to extend to
that date.

Mr. BLArn appeared for the assignees and opposed the
applications. _ _

Mr. Commissioner PERRY, in passing judgment, said
that he saw no ground for admitting either of the applica-
tions. The creditors had ample time to have disposed of
the security if the market had been favourable for that
purpose ; and if not, they had also ample time to have
surrendered previously. The fiat was now out 8 months,
and it was rather strange that all that time they could not
make up their minds as to the course they would adopt.
He would, therefore, dismiss both applications until the
court above had pronounced its judgment.

MISS WHITNALL'S GRAND ANNUAL
CONCERT.

The annual concert of this deserving favourite of the
public was, held last evening, when a distinguished and
most fashionable audience attended, amongst whom we
observed the Earl of Sefton, with a large party. We
have already given the programme of the pieces and the
singers engaged. Part Ist opened with the Grand March
from Sonnambula, which was well played by the military
band of the garrison, whose presence was given by the
permission of the commanding officer of the garrison,
Captain Greig. In the first part the songs principally ap-
plauded and encored were those in which Miss Whitnall
herself, Mr. Harrison, and Mr. Machin were engaged.
The first was in fine voice, and Mr. Machin was equally
excellent. Mr. Harrison we did not think was in such
good voice, yet most of his favourite ballads and other
pieces in which he appeared were encored, a

'ere most

deservedly those of Miss Whitnall. Mrs. Moore is a
pretty singer, but a little short of power. The concert, as
a whole, went off most satisfactorily.

The receipts at Preston for the Church. Missionary
Jubilee were £574.

LANCASHIRE HUSSARS.—The Gazette of Tuesday an-
nounces the appointment of T. S. Gerard, Eq., as lieu-
tenant of this corps.
An effort is now making in Toxteth- park to increase
the number of magistrates. The gentlemen selected to be
recommended to the Chancellor of the Duchy are R.
Harbord, Esq., Harmood Banner, Esq., and E. Cropper,
Esq.
EXAMINATION OF MASTERS AND MATES.—At a meet-
ing of the Board of Examiners, held the 21st inst., Mr.
William Draper, first officer of the" Digby," of Liverpool,
was examined and found duly qualified for a second-class
certificate as master.

On Friday evening, about eight o'clock, Robert Torn-
kinson was found dead in a brook near to Aughton, in the
neighbourhood of Aintree. He was a skinner, but had
been much depressed in mind, owing to want of employ-
ment. He had left his own house only half-an-hour be-
fore the discovery.

Sermons, in behalf of the Liverpool Church of England
School Society, were preached by the Rev. H. H. Hig-
gins, on Sunday week last, at St. Bride's Church, when
the amount collected somewhat exceeded £18; and on
Sunday last, at St. Silas's Church, the amount collected
being £9 93. 6d.
FURIOUS DRIVING.—At the Police-court, yesterday, a
car-driver, John Kelly, was fined 40s. for having, while
intoxicated, run over and injured a little sailor boy, and
40s. for his subsequent misconduct, and told that if he
did not make some compensation to the poor lad his
license to drive would be withdrawn and withheld.
FIRE.—On Saturday morning, a fire took place at the
rice mill of Messrs. Hill and Smith, in Edmund-street.
which at one time threatened considerable destruction
to the neighbouring property. The premises were gutted,
and the whole loss is estimated at £5,000, which is covered
by insurances in the Royal and Yorkshire offices.
ST. CLEMENT'S DISTRICT.—On Sunday next we per-

ceive that two sermons will be preachectiti St. Clement's
church in aid of the funds for providing a scripture reader
for the district. As the greatest benefit has been con-
ferred on the neighbourhood by the labours of such an
assistant, we hope that the appeals will be liberally respon-
ded to.
Cuur,es-‘

—The decision kif the magistrates at
t.new parishes under Sir Robert Peel's