The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-12-03 00:00:00

TWENTY-THIRD DAY.
a'ell'otsincleiry was resumed this morning, (Friday,) at ten
'Aid to b 0n the opening of the court, Mr. Mawdsley, who wae
that h e formerly overseer of the parish of Seacombe, stated
considered there had been some trafficking or sinugglipg
sine,t_hoe.es4e and exchange of some land, belonging to charity
fru! ',Stet Wallasey, which was included in the purchases made
tioen`? Si J. Tobin and Mr. Askew; but it appeared after the ques-
h,e. eof
Mr. Mawdsley, by the Town-cle:k, that the matter
4,7
dices
to do with the Corporation, and that the bishop of
Zies.locess and the rector had authorised the exchanges or
The T
toe . ovvn-clerk here rose and addressed himself to the corn-
48u, stoners, and referred again to the question of the town-dues.
port of his proposition previously advanced, that the
410 re-clues question involved a question of right, and nothing
at the he referred to the summing up of the Chief Justice, who,
right e,
joutset, used these words: —" '1 he only question is on the
wis It had been said that no person who paid town-dues
tilde made free, but, with the same breath a complaint was
, e that thiee gentlemen, members of the Common Council,
wee would have paid a large amount of town-dues, had been
sootietnr ;John robin.
attiolaesifre.e.. He referred to -Messrs. Horsfall
.and Sandbach,
But it was also a notorious fact, that a
n opposite, Mr. Wm. Brown, a merchant of high emi-
Zettee and character who was not a member of the Common
ueil, had had his freedom given him. There did not ap-
peare,;uPall the Corporation books any gift by the Common
pers"ell of the freedom to private individuals, in respect of any
Ig2sonal claim they might have. On the contrary, some pob-
ervice had always been alleged as the ground of the gift.
' had been stated that a gr at number of persons had been
luade free at a former p 'od.c It is true there were on the Cor-
le:ration books variouserilnstances of the freedom of the town
eine.
for
ert e giavenn to persons who appear to have been gentlemen of
elid" d Property, residing in the neighbourhood of the town,
twenty ewes
scarcely a county family of any notoriety, within
th miles of Liverpool, whose pedigree could be iraced to v_ese days, who had not been complimented with the freedom of
le town.
It could not be inferred from this that they bad been
'e made free for electioneering purposes. Ou the contrary, the
;oafs of the history of the town, as disclosed, not only on the
orporation books, but otherwise, showed that those nomina-
'as were to be attributed to one ofthree causes. If they went
Lteua, ek to the charter of King William, it is obvious that a strug-
utook place in Liverpool, which was common throughout the
cheatirY, and the party who supported the charter of King
tier, es the Second struggled to maintain that charter, and re-
sister,
any attempts to obtain the charter of King William. It
Viaitt fact that individuals, at their own expence, solicited that
p,satter, obtained it, and were afterwards reimbursed their ex-
e' „--,eB. It was probable that one of the two contending parties
?"" that occasion may have had influence enough to have made
amber of freemen. That might be taken as the fair and un-
' rained account of the freemen made in that day. Coming
`elann later, there was a contest in Liverpool as elsewhere, be-
s" the Corporation claimed a right to prevent persons who
li-,ere not burgesses from setting up any trade in the town. There
• al ua entry in the. Corporation book; to show the
increase
of free
ftea 'night have taken lace in consequence-of that struggle.—
mightet be accounted for in another way. The house off)
_, by
ci
0_ pitie y
of at that time very great influence in 'the borough. The Bart
was mayor of the town and took an active part in its
cleat res, and it might possibly be to maintain the ascendancy of
teu'autily that freemen were created. But from whatever
erkse it arose, he again repeated, that it did not appear from the
s of the Corporation, that any freemen were ever made for
Beetfe_tio.neerin,,e purposes, or at a time when such an inference was
rent ; and
been the fashion in that resect te Corporation of Liverpool, !yrrept as it had hion h
so longstood
ItaasYe free than any other town in England from such an impu-
to4th"carn•tow(nCsh, eers..). It was not necessary for him to refer to
But eaewertcii:sfe dN but it was a matter of notoriety that the celebrated
ottingham, along with other towns in England, had
, at different periods, the right of. making freemen.—
ailethe Was no record of any transaction by the Common
cil of Liverpool, from the earliest period, to show that they
16ever made freemen for electioneering purposes. With 1.-
711ridthtoetohnelyMayor's freedom, it had already been explained it
benefit or return given to a gentleman for filling
Lasarduous office of chief magistrate, that he was privileged to
sn't!aw one nomination to that office. Itirhilst he was on the
open of the town dues, the only point which he had to remark
,t'en was the complete contradiction given to many unfounded
mould all
of savings by -members of the Common Council. He
Ze„,uuld call to the recollection of the commissioners the state-
nts with regard to the Messrs. Bourne, and the contradiction of
when It had been said that they had saved in all £40,000. Now
thaten the matter came to be inquired into, Mr. Bourne stated
t his share of the savings of his house averaged only £5 or
v,.ayear; which showed what exaggeration had taken place.
to; it.h regard to improvements, no street had been widened or
itt&oee'ment gone into without an act of Parliament, (cheers,)
point°ug he contended that the Corporation had a right, in
we of law, to expend their money as they thought proper, Toltilout the interference of Parliament. With regard to courts el:D'eniuserieost, it ev. as.n.ot necessary to say one word. The whole
tiou
.„. maintaining the different courts for.theadministra-
con_ue justice was paid out of the Corporation funds. The
,_rt in which they were now met was erected by the Corpora;
c7.1.1' who had also provided an ample library and every othe w`i_urvenience for the use of the court. The expenses of juries
aye likewise defrayed by them; and of the juries he might
stt! (and every gentleman at the bar would bear him out in the
of .eatent,) that a more intelligent, correct, and upright body
(egierrnen never were brought into any court of justice.
yS o mething bad been said about the mode of select-
einefethesPett
years
fury' but though Mr. Ellis had for nineteen . 4 etc(' out oa book the names of those jurors whose turn it
171 ePPea.red to be, neitlier he (the Town-clerk) nor his predecessor
eyer interfered with the selection in the slightest degree.
on had been said that the Town-clerk might influence the jury
tios,question affecting his own interests, or on a political ques-
f„...." No such trial had ever taken place; but were such an
--ger en
not .. ey to arise, it might safely be left to his common sense
. to interfere • but if that should deceive him, still he was so
dare
to the public, by means of the public press, that he
thenot pack a jury for his own purposes. (Loud cheers.) But
ti jury' might be increased to thirty-six or forty-eight. Par-
, es, 00 bot'n'sides had right to challenge ,• and could it be
Par-
, that, out' of forty-eighta jurymen, there should not be
(alto
e twelve honest men to decide without prejudice one way
i,er the other? These were all the observations be had to offer
c,lll the affairs of the Corporation. He would reserve his reply
touch, Dock question until the points on which ho had now
is,d were finally disposed of. toalr• Bolton. here rose and said, that he had a few observations
i,. Italie upon the able and eloquent speech of the Town-clerk.
iloiwtoas not his intention to recant any evidence that he (Mr.
facts u) had Previously given, for that evidence was founded on
intim aud figures that no eloquence, however brilliant, could.
1.11- re He could repeat the complaint he had made against
ta4Ttlterialrpiation, that the Common Council were self-elected
connected ; both these facts were. proved and ad-
without hey were profuse iu their expenditure,_andaintdswaost
I.le.keu,_seaoptrol.: thus they had given £177,000 R-TI
nee -_ " a, which returned the annual rental of £1658, or not
ye Per cent.; and on churches and other establishments, in ten
o:r&their revenue was not one per cent. on their elenditure.
teen, George's Church alone they had spent £29,9 Bin thir-
atilioAn roars; and if the congreoation made any further aPPlica-
Corporation, they should be considered as beggars,
pe; treated accordingly. It was said that the Wallasey pro-
le he. which had cost £177,000, was worth as much still; but
with
were offered it for £lOO,OOO he would decline the purchase.
mark, regardr to the church expenditure, he had further to re-
(lot
tbet'_ utat no money should be paid for such a purpose, biti.
(tonde.er congregation should support its own establishmen ,
4 ttir t cheers;) and he believed Christianity would never. have,
loess_ as
in this country till such was the case. But if any
id' 'FY vas to be given, it should be ectuallv divided, and 9ot
forte.o to one sect. The Corporation had a:peculiar affection
of
heir
own relatives, and a like aversion for others. To the
yet,
___. States the town was much indebted for its prosperity;
of
it within the thirty-five year. he had been in trade, he knew
the ewArnerican merchant being in the Common Council; and
Atr. blsdora of that body would not have been diminished if
repeal bone or Mr. 'T hornet had been admitted. Since the
had Its of the test and corporation acts, in 1828, no Dissenter
thou been admitted to the Common Council, or before then,
form thou they might have been elected, and sat, either by con-
the pip; or under the annual indemnity. He complained that
Petty aces of honour and emoluments had been given to one
ror
ssy,wihile the other had nothing, excepting paying town dues,
had la eh they got no consideration. That the Corporation
WhilsitcloaYalPathY with the public, was shown by the fact that,
r.
werly one-third of the voters in Liverpool supported
eouf, art at the last election, only one in fourteen of the
Sir ilon Council voted for him. He had only five votes, while
Reid thulerti Douglas had twenty-nine. The Town-clerk had
Raid
Doat, in the present man were no Whigs and Tories;
uglashought that the who would support Sir Howard
T Was not a Whig, but a Tory. (Laughter.)
b00..711-elerk.----The very person who induced Sir Howard
ses to conic forward as a candidate was one of the warmest
,elers of 7.-.
, ~ir Ewart at his first electien. (Loud laughter.)
al5 ra."3°4oll.—Then I can't account for his conversion. (Cheers
tion,
anghter.) Mr. Bolton now adverted to the town dues ques-
ia the " Said that he much regretted the absence of his solicitor
go t,s
stnoatter in litigation, who it appeared had been obliged to
charges
rbguee It was the duty of a merchant to
sltaecrtehrlittehti detha lel sin:fBStOwn dues as much as he could, and to
etated t, gut something for every thing he paid. He '.had
uf t„,,vn",,at they had no consideration in return for the payment
Port of does, and would illustrate the fact by following an nn-
PiUefit of Vud!. On coining into the channel, a ship got the be-
lot dues" light for the light dues, the skill of the pilot for the
vaiet, dock and quay room for the dock dues, a due equi-
kett 't.u,r, Cartage
m and even for the pay-
end thae ICAng'sduties, in the maintenance of the government
dile_ e peace of the country. But for the town dues he could
littioTtono consideration. The Rock Lighthouse was a specu-
bet4_ f the Corporation. There had been many bargains
Mel 'U the Corporation and the Dock Estate, but he would
L. onish the latter body, that in. the event of their buying the
C4I which
Ighthou
they should take care that, in addition to the strand
tettte_ . it stood, they should not submit to a charge for the
for
town r with which it is surrounded (A lauoh The charges
au dues were borne principa*lly by merethe'hants of North
kPeem:nett.h America, the East Indies, the ports of Europe, the
i.ties h_Tasgovs, Leeds, and Manchester. But none of those
hi'own_ 1" any consideration in exchange for these dues. The
lt the evvrk,ha.d said that the streets were. widened,, inferring..
thoeo advantage to the health of the people in Liverpool, but in
k eQula ese he had traced of the landing and stowage of goods
erke,discern no advantae. It had. been remarked that
eeth L.-street, Manchester had been i proved at the expense
Was e tuwngenerally, by ' laid al-
inhabitants.
forf gaite i., a rate upon the That
- thoee _ pg.t. Improvements should be made at the expense
ooe wno had property in the town, and he (Mr. Bolton),
Its ail o'e wollld cheerfully pay his share whether as an owner or
Inatte eutner. This was the honest and proper view of the
had br, ebb i
pre
een
thouga it was one for advocating which much obloquy
,te,. rown goonu him Th
Ittlealwa? robbed tpay a system by which
th• ---, ttlat h • Pa. ul. Aelro.tjhoehrnwaGgladstone had stated,
e trade
.„ e did not consider the town dues any burden upon
oce , _ s freedom eeolt
sught his the port. Mr. John Gladstone, about 1793, had
the fishmongers, or tailors, or some
alti:. body in London in ordr that he might escape hisa_l did not '
Ih.,:s The John pretend ogreconcile the consistency of the
had could hardl Gladstone of 1793 and the John Gladstone of
~ cogid prow) ybe the same person. Of his own knowledge
f pied
pied"
1".
anteße than"
stoin-h
them to be the same person. (A laugh.)
Passed en described the mode in which entries were
mime, and by which additional items were
sonted pree id to the list of articles liable to the dues, and
lector refeseed ents for the future. Up to May, 1830, the col-
;10eusly Paid, ttit()._ Pass entries unless the town clues were pre-
t, its entries l
eedDiaYrnent of us giving the sanction of the King's officers. to
e town dues. This he (Mr. Bolton) resisted,
Put
town dues'
ild. since been passed without the payment
.of
o the ss • it all had paid alike he never would have &s-
-ed paid t'aYraent of these
leh„, ,_ as he paid
the ese dues. If the Horsfa.ll3 and others
hilti ue entered. int%
th'e,,,util,g' in exchanoe fur
would have made no objection; but
4ti,ta:sle_re unreasonabi'r estion, and reflected that he had got
these dues, he was now convinced that
Bate
of
aid Mr Bolton
tiro :""Fl to be seen. etl unjust—whether they were illegal
equal rights and With reference. to the town duos ques-
n conclusion), I stand here as the, actv9-
'lleahl_et2tinns. y ears)eqties to every British suuject in
, Loud ch 41)C wn-cif.r c • , .
Li, that
..,, e , in allusion to the remarks of Mr. Bolton,
U the peopie of Ameriea sent gouda to this