The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-05-28 00:00:00

CO..VTEMPORARY PRESS.

The contest in Portugal between Don Miguel on the
one side and Don Pedro, Lord Palmerston, and Louis
Philippe on the other, may be said to be drawing near to
a termination. According to accounts which carry with
them an air of great probability there is absolute starva-
tion raging in Oporto, acd the foreign soldiers of the
Ex Emperor seem likely to be obliged shortly to be
forced to serve out the attenuated and lifeless bodies of
the inhabitants as necessary food to each other.
In this dilemma, however, there is still one hope left,
however forlorn it may seem. Captain Napier, R.N.
a gallant Commander in his Majesty's service, has un-
dertaken with the aid of seven steamers to land 3,000 men
in Black Horse square, or the Terrero de Passos, from
whence the conquest of Lisbon could be easily effected.
No plan is given of these brilliant movements and inten-
tions, but the fact seems to be taken for granted that
they will assuredly be carried into effect and without op-
position.
Captain Napier is a veteran in the art of scheming, and
we are inclined to think that this among others will be
little more productive of honour and profit than his steam
navigation on the Seine, which we believe did so far suc-
ceed as to plant a steamer between Rouen and Paris,
where for a short time it exhibited with as much success
as from little custom and shortness of means could be ex-
pected.
It is said that Captain Napier has actually sailed on his
romantic expedition accompanied by the Marquis of Pal-
mella. The Noble Diplomatist, however, whose trade
is not fighting, is to be dropt at Oporto, before the gallant
Commander commences operations. Such are some of
the stories of the day.—Guardian and Public Ledger.

The following appears as an advertisement in the Leeds
Times of Thursday :

" PUBLIC NOTICE.

"A paragraph headed Caution Co Manufacturers' having
appeared in the Leeds Mercury of the 18th instant, imputing to
a gentleman (Mr. S), late candidate for the representation of
this borough, that he had threatened a manufacturer in the
following words, viz. ;—`Sir, if I met you on a dark night, with
a pistol in my hand, I would shoot you and having received
from that gentleman an assurance that we gave an entirely
false representation of the cohversation, we have made such
inquiries as have satisfied us that the imputation conveyed by
the paragraph is wholly false ; and we thetefore beg to apolo-
gize to him for the insertion of the paragraph, and to express
our regret that we have been led by the information we had
received to publish it.
" We were prepared to have given a further public expres-
sion of our regret, for the injury. vhich such a paragraph was
calculated to inflict on his character, but have to acknowledge
his forbearance in waving it.
" EDWARD BANES AND SON,
" Proprietors and Publishers of the Leeds Mercury.
"Leeds, 22d May, 1833."
The Messrs. Baines, who thus confess themselves guilty
of a falsehood no less serious than the charging Mr. Sadler
with a threat to commit a foul assassination, are the head
of the Socinian, which is the Whig party in Leeds. We
do not wish to aggravate the sufferings of those who have
been compelled to make this miserable confession of
falsehood, and the wretched apology annexed. But what
is to be thought of the party who follow such leaders—
that has recourse to such arts—and so promptly crouches
under manly opposition ? What is to be thought of that
party ? Why, that it is fitly represented.—Standard.

" MARSHALL AND MACAULAY FOR EVER."—This once
popular cry is now fairly shelved. We have recently al-
luded,, more than once, to the great dissatisfaction ex-
pressed by many of the stanchest friends of the liberal
members for this borough at their parliamentary conduct;
and we have now to apprise our readers, that at the
weekly meeting of the council of the Leeds Political
Union, held on Tuesday last, the whole of the proceed-
ings of the representatives of this borough were brouht
under review by a leading member of the council. '1 he
" superhuman" Mr. Macaulay and his excellent coadju-
tor, Mr. Marshall, were tried in the balance and pro-
nounced to be wanting. Of Mr. Macaulay nothing else
could reasonably be expected, considering the situation
which he fills; but after the flattering promises made by
the other worthy young member, it surely was not pre-
sumptuous to hope better things of him. The principal
topics which had occupied the attention of Parliament
since the opening of the session were brought under no-
tice, and on each point the question was put, " Have the
members of the borough of Leeds done their duty to their
constituents on this subject, or have they not ?" Seven
important subjects were considered, and on five of them
the decision was against our representatives, either for
having absented themselves from the debate and division,
or for having taken the wrong side.. The discussion was
adjourned to Tuesday next, when the remaining votes of
those gentlemen will be canvassed, and we understand
that if the final decision is against them, a public meeting
will be called to take into consideration the propriety of
requesting them to resign their seats. This is in accord-
ance with the professions of the members, when they de-
clared that the moment a majority of their constituents
called upon them to resign, they would do so. We hear
that the leaders of the union are certain they can obtain
a great majority of voters who will join them in the re-
quest, and put the members at once to the test of veracity.
We trust that some decision will be come to speedily, be-
cause it would not be very agreeable to Mr. Macaulay to
be unceremoniously called upon to give up his member-
ship after having resigned, or at least made a feint of re-
signing, his seat at the India Board, in order to curry fa-
vour with his constituents.—Leeds Intelligeneer.

The bill proposed by Sir A. Agnew for the better ob-
servance of the Sabbath has been most uncourteously
rejected by the House of Commons—nay, not rejected
merely, but actually scouted. The reformed house had
just listened, not only with the utmost patience, but with
high delight, to the profitless altercation between Mr.
Cobbott and Sir R. Peel, and in numbers nearly three
hundred : no sooner, however, was a question to be in-
troduced that related to the all important subject of that
Christianity which is part and parcel of the law of Britain,
and which our legislators, above all, ought ever to reve-
rence, than half the members rush out of the house, and
half the remnant assail the proposal with a ribald shout,
and ultimately kick out the bill with " loud cheers !"
Seldom has there been exhibited a more disgraceful scene
within the walls of St. Stepen's than that exhibited on
this occasion. The Popish and revolutionary members,
we are told, were prominent actors therein above all the
rest—insomuch, indeed, that Mr. A. Johnston, (M.P. for
Cupar,) had formally to complain of it to the Speaker;
but as well as they, even ministers themselves opposed
that Christian measure, and employed against it the whole
influence of government.
The result affords another striking instance of the utter
disregard with which the Whigs and Liberals treat the
petitions of the people, when the object is one opposed to
their views, or uncongenial with their feelings. The pe-
titions lately presented in favour of the principle of Sir
Andrew Agnew's bill are computed to have borne the
signatures of almost half a million of people—aye, and of
the very best portion of the people too—not from their
rank or their wealth, but, what is far better, their moral
and religious worth—their possession of all those quali-
ties which make men the best subjects, and the best citi-
zens. Yet in the first reformed Parliament, a class of peti-
tioners, at once so numerous and respectable, are driven
away in a manner scarcely merited by the most worthless,
the most despicable! The bill might, perhaps, be somewhat
objectionable in a few of its details—though, if the habits
of society are to be made conformable to the Divine law,
rather than that law—one jot or tittle of which is not to
fall to the ground—should be altered to suit the habits of
society—much less so than has been generally asserted ;
yet tile principle of it was sound and good; and in a com-
mittee of the house it might easily have been modified.
Yet instead of this, the High Court of Parliament—lately
reformed upon the most improved Whig principles—scoffs
and sneers at the subject, and finally rejects the measure,
principle and all, with great acclamation!—Carlisle
Patriot.

The London papers for the last two or three days have
been occupied to a very considerable extent, with the
evidence furnished to the coroner and jury, impannelled
to investigate the circumstances attending the death of
the policeman who was stabbed by one of the mob du-
ring the late affray in Cold Bath Fields, London; and
with remarks on the most extraordinary verdict returned,
viz. that the policeman met his death by an act of fuei.
fiable homicide! The case appears to us to have' been
as clear a case of murder as ever was made out. The
jury, however, in their dislike to the arbitrary proceed-
ing of the Whig government, and their indignation at
the violent conduct of the police, thought fit to pronounce
the act of an assassin as one not merely capable of exte-
nuation, but even justifiable ! The populace improve
upon the hint, and by their outrageous conduct at the
funeral of the unfortunate deceased, show that they
think the murder not merely a justifiable but a laudable
act. This is a new feature of the times, attributable to
the insane conduct of the Whigs in fomenting agitation
to keep themselves in place. So, if men are beaten with
constables' staves on one side the street, a ruffian is not
guilty of murder who kills an unoffending policeman
with a dagger on the other I for there is not a tittle of
evidence to prove either that the man killed had. misbe-
haved himself, or that his slayer bad received D. tingle
blow ! We say nothing of the fact of- men attending
political meetings with concealed daggers, an un-Et:glish.
mode of proceeding reserved for the present age of isbcr-:
alism. We wish the Whigs joy of the new doctrines de.,
veloped by these proceedings, and trust ther will not
long be permitted to govern a country is which, under
their fostering care, they have been permitted.tc ttike
root.—Hull Packet.

Various rumours are afloat as to dissensions in the cabinet
relative to the slavery question. That there ere dissensions is
evident, and they are not confined to the cabinet. We see
Lord Howick opposing his father's government. Mr. Charles
Grant, it is understood,- has sent in a conditional resignation.
Mr. Macaulay has done the same. The learned gentleman ob-
jects to the principle of the ministerial proposition, and to mak-
ing the negroes pay for their freedom and work out the fifteen
millions.—Leeds brlvlliyencer.