The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-02-29 00:00:00

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ROME.

A meeting was held in Willis's itoOMS. King-street,
St. James's, on Thursday, to oppose the. bill introduced
into parliament for establishing diplomatic relations with
Rome, and other measures in favour of Popery.
In the absence of the Earl of Winchelsea, Mr. J. P.
Plumptre, M.P. was called to the chair. Among the gen-
tlemen on the platform were Mr. G. R. Clarke,. Mr. J.
Lord. Rev. Hugh Stowell, Rev. H. Beamish, Rev. R. J.
M`Gliee, &c. The attendance was very numerous and
highly respectable.
Mr. G. R. CLARKE moved the first resolution. The
bill to which the resolution referred was one of a series
calculated to take away the protestant character of the
country. The " doubts' which it professed to remove ex-
isted only because there were men who wanted to doubt,
and Jesuits who wanted to teach men to have double
faces. Lord Lansdowne, Lord J. Russell, and Lord
Minto, had, violated the law, and now brought forward
this bill to free themselves from the imputation. It was
not by the sovereign, but by a Popishly disposed ministry
which worked itself into power by means of the Jesuits,
that such measures were desired. He should not believe
that her Majesty would give her royal assent till she had
given it. He loved the queen, but he also loved the prin-
ciples on which her throne was founded in opposition to
Antichrist. There was a laugh when impeachment was
spoken of. It was thought Lord J. Russell and Lord
Lansdowne would not be impeached, because there was a
great body of people in Ireland ready for any bartarous
deed so that the Protestant spirit might be kept down.
That this country should be " reconciled" to Rome were
the wildest words a minister could use; and to carry the
Queen's mind through that expression would need some
Jesuitry. Lord Castlemaine was charged with high trea-
son for attempting to " reconcile " this country to the see
of Rome ; the Earl of Salisbury and another noble lord
were accused because they were "reconciled" to the
church of Rome. Parliament knew its duty better in
those days than now. They were at war with Rome, and
he trusted that till Babylon should fall they would keep
up everlasting war. Lord Lansdowne was such a chicken
in the hands of the Jesuits that he supposed the reception
by the Pope of an ambassador from the Queen would be
an implicit recognition of her Sovereign authority. The
present Pope was as great an enemy of Christ as any of
his predecessors. The declarations against the Bible So-
ciety would speak for themselves. But the Pope knew it
would not do to pour forth anathemas like Dr. M`Hale ;
yet could the Pope, who was "clothed with curses," give
them up ? No ; he would say " Amen "to all the curses
of his predecessors, however he might now be cheating
Europe with professions of liberality.
The Rev. HUGH STOWELL seconded the resolution. It
could not fail at any time to be painful for a minister of
peace to appear in antagonism to those whom God had
placed over them in the government of the land. It was
especially painful for a clergyman of the Church of Eng-
land. But be should be doing injustice to ministers were
he not to acknowledge that the country was greatly in-
debted to them, under God, for the Primate they had se-
selected. (Cheers.) Since the days of Archbishop Cran-
mer, a more meek, a more devoted, a more Protestant
Archbishop had not been set to preside over the reformed
Church of England, Whether Popery appeared within or
without the walls of their Zion, the present Archbishop
of Canterbury had never kept silence. His charges were
Protestant to the heart's core, and no elevation would ever
change his sentiments, because they were founded on
practical faith and godliness. But, if the government
thought by offering so conciliatory an appointment that
they would gag the Protestant feeling of the country, they
were sorely mistaken. There was something dearer even
than country, church, and friends, and that was truth.
Was it the Protestants who were keeping up a perpetual
fret and elbowing Parliament out of its ordinary course ?
It was Rome with her emissaries pressing on the Admi-
nistration. The framers of this bill were sensible of the
illegality of their proceedings. Why had no intimation
been made in the Royal speech ? Lord Minto's was a
Jesuitical mission, because the whole movement was such
that its authors could represent it as they pleased. The Pro-
testant feeling required but fair notice to rise against such
treacherous reconciliation. There had been a most en-
thusiastic meeting at Manchester. A member of the
Anti-Corn Law League stated that he had never seen a
room so crowded, or so large a proportion of men. There
were 200 Romanists in the room, but they were paralysed
and spell-bound. (Cheers.) On the next Saturday 95
duplicates were sent out, and on Monday the number of
signatures was 15,000, which on Tuesday increased to
20,000, and he believed the petition would receive 30,000
signatures in all. The time was when British ministers
would have blushed to stoop to such manoeuvres as had
been resorted to. Let the government dissolve parliament
or postpone the bill till another session, so that public opi-
nion may be tested. What was the object of having a
nuncio in England ? Was John of Tuam to send ais
hellhounds of savage war—to use an expression of Lord
Chatham's which might be applied to those who were set
on to hunt the Saxon ? Were they to cross tl'e channel,
or was England to be invited by France at the bidding of
Rome ? If so, why did not Lord Lansdowne draw the
curtain ? England would look the danger in the face.
He had no hesitation in charging the bishops and clergy
of Rome with causing a great proportion of the outrage,
bloodshed, and assassination which disgraced Ireland.
(Loud cheers.) Was the distaff of the scarlet lady to be
brought in aid of the sceptre of Victoria ? Were her
Majesty's ministers going to get Satan to cast out Satan ?
(Great cheering.) Did he call the Pope Satan ? No. But
if the Pope were to make his power subservient to Protes-
tant interests, the Pope would be casting out the Pope.
Every means should be tried to improve the state of Ire-
land before allowing the Pope to exercise his power under
the wing of British law. Lord Clarendon ought to be
invested with ample authority; the priests who had
ought to 0. ; and
if a Protestant were murdered, the priest who
him ought to be arrested. There was no parallel between
the case of Rome end that of other powers. Did the
Emperor of China, for example, hold the Queen to be a
rebel because a heretic ? The bull In Ccena Domini was
still in force. The Pope mapped out England into dio-
ceses. A lady could not give a tract in Rome without
being warned to leave the Papal dominions, or a clergy-
man an Italian Bible without being arrested. What sort
of reciprocity was there ? It made an honest English-
man's blood boil to think that his country had fallen so
low. Why should England go cap in hand to Rome?
Shame on the men who had placed England in an atti-
tude so degrading ! (Cheers.) Lulled by the Delilah of
Rome, which spoke of its 3,000,000 in Italy being backed
by 200,000,000 throughout the world, she would yet come
to make sport for the uncircumcised Philistines, the hier-
archy of Rome. The Pope had never been more power-
ful since the Reformation than now. He had not granted
one ecclesiastical reform, though politically he placed
himself at the head of the Liberal movement. The mea-
sure now proposed would strengthen the hands of the
Jesuits, who would fill the court in disguise, whether the
Papal representative were a layman or a cardinal. The
watchword ought to be, " No Popery and no peace with
Antichrist for England." It were to be wished that Lord
J. Russell was of the same opinion with his ancestor,
who, while he avowed himself a true and sincere Protes-
tant in communion with the Church of England, declared
Popery to be " an idolatrous and bloody religion"—that
the mantle of the martyred Russell should fall on the
shoulders of the Premier. He called on them to pray
that the land might be relieved .from the impurity and
consequent curse involved in communication with Anti-
christ. (Cheers.)
. The. Rev. R. M'GHER moved the second resolution.
The question he thought was, whether it was for a coun-
try calling itself Christian to enter into league with the
proclaimed enemy of the living God ? When the'British
Government took Babylon into their councils they took
at the same time the curse of Babylon. They proscribed
the word of God in the education of Ireland. They
taught a nation to despise the law of God, it now despised
their own. They crushed half the episcopacy of Ireland;
they endowed Babylon in the colonies : they. educated
•men in principles which were not only seditious, but
which they had called God to witness they considered
idolatrous. To enable the Government to rule the sub-
jects of Rome within their Sovereign's dominion, they
had degraded their. Sovereign at the feet of the Papal
Antichrist. He knew not whether more to wonder at the
sin of their folly, or at the folly of their sin. He never
before had heard of statesmen imagining it possible to
separate the Pope's temporal and spiritual power. The
Pope was not to be " the Sovereign Pontiff;" but " the
Sovereign of the Roman States." it were better still to
bIIDSLILL/Le His "Arm name or Papa"—(iaughter)—wmen
would be more appropriate to such puerile legislation.
As well attempt to separate the electric telegraph from
the agents which generate the electricity, as separate the
Pope's temporal and spiritual power. Lord Arundel and
I. Surrey. had lately published a pamphlet,' in which he
stated that his spiritual allegiance to the Pope was not
only compatible with the principle of loyalty to his Sove-
reign, but made him a better subject of the Queen. He
(Mr. M'Ghee) gave Lord Arundel and Surrey perfect
credit for sincerity; but the noble lord had been victi-
mized by some Roman ecclesiastic. His lordship referred
to the Canon Law, the Decretals of Gregory, Thomas
Aquinas, Cornelius a Lapide. Suarev the Jesuit. But the
Roman Catholic states of Europe would not allow a single
bull to be published without the exeyuatur of their own
Governments. But Ireland was governed by Papal bulls.
These circumstances afforded a commentary on the quo-
tations from Thomas Aquinas, who elsewhere raised the
question " whether princes on account of apostacy from
the faith lost dominion over their subjects, so that they
were not bound to obey them ?" Which. question, after
quoting cases apparently against his conclusion, such as
the obedience of Christian soldiers to Julian, &c., he re-
solved by declaring the opinion that Princes who aposta-
tized were not to be obeyed. Lord Arundel then quoted
the comments of Cornelius a Lapide, one Of the standards
of Maynooth, on Romans, chapter 13. Cornelius en-
forced obedience to Sovereigns, but they were Roman
Catholic Sovereigns ; and so Suarez. In the Moral Theo-
logy of Oscott College, a far worse book than Dens'
Theology, it was laid down that the ecclesiastical autho-
rity could abrogate the civil laws if they were contrary to
justice, and that heretics and schismatics by reason of their
baptism were made subject to the church. The Pope,
according to these doctrines, had power as soon as he
pleased to denounce the Queen as an excommunicated
heretic, and absolve all her subjects from their allegiance.
Lord Arundel and Surrey might yet see the day when he
would have to make a choice between loyalty to his Queen
and obedience to his church. (Cheers.)
The. Rev. C. PREST seconded the resolution.
The resolutions were all but unanimously agreed to
there being only one dissentient ; and petitions were also
adopted to both houses of Parliament.
The meeting then separated.

The Meath Herald states that Bridget Woods, Of Col_
liertown, a professional beggar, and apparently a most
miserable creature, was robbed the other da;f of half a
dozen gowns, two or three cloaks, 18s. in silver, a gold
ring, some other property, and a savinge biWk b„k,
recording depoits to the illuete4 0 X 97.

MEETING AT LIVERPOOL TO OPPOSE THE
GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL PROPOSALS.

On Thursday, a public meeting of the inhabitants of'
Liverpool, convened by the Mayor, T. B. Horsfall. Esq.,
in pursuance of a requisition, numerously signed by men`
of all political opinions and parties, was held in the Ses-
sions House, for the purpose of taking into consideratiort
the financial statement made to the house of commons
by the first lord of the treasury on the 18th instant, in.
order to petition the legislature thereon. The sessions
house was crowded, and many persons were unable to,
obtain admittance • but a proposal to adjourn the meeting
to the area of the Exchange was rejected, as it rained
heavily at the time.—The Mayor took the chair shortly
after twelve o'clock ; and, after the requisition had beets
read, the Mayor rose to open the proceedings when he
was received with tremendous bursts of applause. He
said :—if the requisition had been signed by one political
party only, I should not have convened this meeting.
(Cheers.) But signed as it is by gentlemen of every
political party, and entertaining every political opinion,
did not hesitate to do so. (Cheers.) We are not met for
the purpose of declaiming against her Majesty's govern-.
ment. We are not met for the purpose of declaiming
against any legitimate tax, but we are met for the purpose
of asserting and maintaining the principle, that the go-.
vernment of this country is bound to act as a private
individual with regard to income and expenditure. (Cheers)
If a private individual finds that his expenditure is ex-
ceeding his income, he is bound to see how far he caa
reduce his expenditure. The same principle should apply
to the government of this country. As I apprehend it
will be in the province of any gentleman to throw out any
suggestion with the view of economizing the expenditure
of the country, I will take the liberty of throwing out one
practical suggestion, which may have the effect of reduc-
ing the expenditure a little. (Cheers.) We have on the
western coast of Africa a fleet of something like thirty or
forty vessels of war, manned with three or four thousand
seamen, employed in the laudable, philanthropic, but
fruitless attempt to suppress the slave trade. (Cheers.)
On taking up the Times of last evening, I saw that Capt.
Pechell asked this question—" He should like to know,
if those vessels were withdrawn, what the merchants of'
Liverpool would do to find no protection given them in
carrying on their trade in palm oil and ivory." Now,
being connected with perhaps the most extensive house irt
the African trade, and also as Chairman of the African.
Association, I can frankly tell Captain Pechell that we
shall be very much obliged to him if he will withdraw the
vessels of war altogether. (Loud cheers.) For whilst
they do no good (applause) in suppressing the slave trade,
they are likewise of no good service to the merchant
vessels trading to that coast; or if they do any good at
all, it is the exception and not the rule. (Loud cheers.)
The common answer given to the merchants, when the
captains of the British cruisers are asked for assistance; is
"We have no orders from the Admiralty." This item
alone causes an unnecessary expense of £300,000 per
year upon the people of the country. (Hear.) After
some further remarks, his worship concluded by calling ott
the town-clerk to read a letter from Sir John Gladstone.
Liverpool, 23rd February, 1848.
MY DEAR SIR, Though ro longer a resident in Liverpool,
I shall ever feel a warm interest in all measures that are calcu-
lated to raise her reputation and promote her important con-
cerns. I was, therefore, much pleased to learn that you had,
as the Chief Magistrate, been induced so promptly to call a
general meeting of the inhabitants, to be held to-morrow, for
the purpose of taking into consideration the measures just
submitted to parliament, as contained in the Budget of Lord
John Russell, in which every one must feel a lively interest,
and on which you have expressed to me a desire to know my
sentiments. With this wish, though alive to my incapacity, I
willingly comply.
You are well aware how universally the continuance of the
income tax, much less its increase, is condemned by all poli-
tical parties, both here and elsewhere, as a tax most obnoxious
in itself, inquisitorial, unjust, and arbitrary in its application,
applying equally to the precarious fruits of talent and indus-
try, as well to the limited receipts of the annuitant as to the
permanent income arising from property, whether real or per-
sonal. This tax it is now evidently intended to make perma-
nent, although, when first imposed, the public were influenced
and deluded to consent under the assurance that it would be
of short duration, and certainly not to exceed a period of three
years.
_ .

The sources of taxation seem, in the present depressed state
of the country, to be exhausted. To increase existing sources
of revenue threatens to hazard the reduction of what they now
produce in the present disastrous state of trade, commerce,
and manufacture. Employment for the working classes is
daily diminishing, their rates of wages falling, and consump-
tion falling off, from want of means on the part of so many of
those who bought freely of the luxuries, now considered the
necessaries Gf life, affording large sources of revenue? such as
tea, sugar, and the produce of barley in malt, as spirits and
beer of all descriptions, with wines and foreign wochictions,
of which, unfortunately, both Customs and Excise are now
affording their testimony in the sinking state of their receipts.
The industrious classes every where complain they are without
income to contribute
t°hYTa
th(ifh 1 "le ''seeamrt
same
ei
ee Premier, rien
sourcesut' hme fol sc • :e." this
no gf
tax?
sea nf amount.et facts, eli
takestafori e°
is uhi
grantede
of revenue will in 'lB4B equal in amount
their produce in 1847, and even then holds out to as the neces-
sity for an increase in the present year of three millions, though
in the midst of peace, with presumed or hoped-for restored
prosperity, whilst in the midst of poverty and exhaustion. In
place of those delusions being realized, I feel forced to contem-
plate, and with apprehension and alarm to expect, a great and
serious deficiency in the revenue for the present year, probably'
to the extent of not less than five or six millions, to he added
to the three which Lord John proposes to raise by his unex.
ampled Budget.
The existing crisis and consequent panic, though at present
in a state of lull and resignation, has, I believe no one will deny,
produced the most disastrous and ruinous consequences to
many, and great injury to all the community engaged in trade,
commerce, and manufacture, which a great length of time must
be required to diminish or overcome; but, in the meantime,
the wants of the state must be provided for, if the servants of
the Crown are to be enabled to fulfil their engagements, and
keep good faith with the public creditors of the country. To
me it appears as if a period was approaching when every one
who possesses income arising from property of a permanent
nature, whether real or personal, are likely to find it necessary
vol.ui r,1,. e, contribute, and largely too, to the wants or neces-
sities of the State, when strict economy and retrenchment in public expenditure maydopseonmsieatnheingrs, us;taonnhueltptant
and
dt
servants
tsery does
antsseem to me that in aid, all
of the Crown, the Church, and the public, including even the
Crown itself,
must set the example by a voluntary resignation
to the State of a considerable portion of their incomes, many of
them very large, which they are now in possession of, ' and tat
the Government should be called upon to influence the Queen
and her Royal Consort to take the lead in so great a national
and patriotic measure, from which great good might be expected
to flow.

With our ordinary sources exhausted, with so many strug—
sling against poverty, and others threatened by its approach,
it seems to me next to idle for those whom you have invited to
meet you to-morrow to waste their time in charging our present
state to presumed causes; one party may blame protection. to
native industry, when it existed; others may condemn the free
trade systems now in operation ; some will charge great over-
trading as the cause of the fatal crisis; but whatever may be
cause, the evil consequences are too certain ; something of a
more decisive character is required and called for. Whether
the members of the present government, the proposers of this
obnoxious tax, in the event of its being rejected by the country,
as I trust it will be, remain in power, or resign and leave it to
others to take the reins of Government into their hands, you
will, I am assured, in the course you may take to-morrow, con—
scientiously and faithfully discharge the important public du
in -
ties placed your hands.
Believe me. to have the honour to be, with great respect and.
regard, dear Sir, your faithful and obedient servant,
JOHN GLADSTONE.
To the Worshipful Thomas 13. Horsfall, Esq.,
Mayor of Liverpool.
_ _

• Mr. J. H. WYLIE then moved the first resolution, for
the effect that the meeting viewed with dismay the attempt
to impose additional taxes. He thought that the ex-
penses of the army and navy ought to be reduced to the
same point as in 1835, for the fear of invasion was a mere
bugbear. He was convinced, from the state of trade,
that the financial measure of the government would be
inoperative, and that the deficiency next year would be
immeasurably greater than it was this year. The govern-
ment ought to retrench its expenditure, and begin by re-
ducing the incomes of its own members, and individuals
in high stations. _ _

The resolution was carried unanimously, after it had been
seconded by Mr. EARLE, who said that ministers ought
to have economised, and have removed the burdens which
crippled the commerce of the country. If economy
alone was not sufficient, he would not object to an
income-tax, but it must be a properly regulated, and not a,
dishonest one.
Mr. J. SMITH moved the second resolution, that the
present amount of revenue was amply sufficient, and that
any increase of taxation ought to be opposed. He thought
that the military and naval expenditure ought to be re-
duced to the standard of 1835, and that the probate and
legacy duties ought to be extended to real as well as per-
sonal property, thus enabling them to remove some of the
trammels which fettered commerce.
nlr. U. HORNET seconded the resolution with great.
pleasure, as he never recollected a statement which gave
greater dissatisfaction than that made by the prime
minister. He thought the government ought to retrench,
and even if no reduction could be made in the military or
...rel expenditure, tt diminution of the civil estimates
might be effected. Tile incomes of the officers of govern-
, ment ought to be diminished ; and though no one en-
tertained more respect than he did for the august person-
age at the head of the state, yet retrenchment ought to
begin in the highest offices of the state. As to the naval
and military expenditure, the squadrons on the coasts of
Africa and Portugal should be withdrawn. If the govern-
ment had proposed a diminution of expenditure, had ex-
tended the probate and legacy duties to real property,
and had lowered the duties on tea, their budget might
have given some satisfaction.

M'ENTEER then moved an amendment, to the
effect that all government salaries ought to be reduced;
but the amendment was rejected by an immense majority,
and the original resolution was adopted.
Mr. R. SHELL moved a resolution to the effect that the
meeting disapproved any income tax which did not in-
chide a graduated scale for different amounts, and a large
distinction between incomes drawn from property, and.
those derived from trades or professions. lie thought
a scale of the kind would prevent those enormous accu-
mulations of property which never did any good to their
possessors or to the country.
Mr. FERGUSON seconded the resolution.
Mr. Joux TAYLOR moved an amendment, to the effect
that the meeting entertained an objection to a tax on in-
comes derived from trades or professions, which was se-
conded by Mr. JOHN HASLEDEN ; but was rejected by an
immense majority, which adopted the original resolution..
Mr. CHARLES HOLLAND proposed a resolution, to the
effect that in a revision of taxation any deficiency of re-
venue should be made up by an extension of the probate
and legacy duties on real property, and by the imposition.
of other taxes on real estate, both in England and Ireland..
This motion was seconded by Mr. JAMES TilomsoN,
and was carried unanimously.
Mr. TODD moved the adoption of a petition embodying
these resolutions, which was seconded by Mr. HAROLEA,
LirrLEDALE, and carried unanimously.
Mr. R. GLADSTONE proposed a vate of thanks to the
Mayor, which was seconded by Mr. MOLYNEUX, and
passed.
The MAYOR returned thanks, and the meeting terminated
after the proceedings had lasted two hours and a half.
[On Friday evemng the petition was presented by Mr.
Cardwell, when he told the House that the meeting "wash
in point of nurabers, unprecedented in. LiVerpn9L'

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