The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-24 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL LETTER CARRIERS.

The wretched remuneration received by this most valu-
able class of men, for services involving great labour,
fidelity, and personal hardship, has recently been brought
very forcibly before the public; but. like all cases of un-
just treatment or of suffering, is, we fear, less regarded
in the immediate locality where they present themselves
than in more distant places where they do not come
hourly under observation. Morning, noon, and night
their fellow-townsmen see these patient drudges perambu-
lating our streets, in frost, in sleet, in rain, or beneath a
burning sun and amid the stifling dust. They are the
vehicles which bring us messages of love or of disaster,
remembrances of distant friends, or warnings of approach.
ing enemies. They bear to our doors those communica-
tions which set in motion the wheels of commerce, and
call into action the industry and the ingenuity which
would otherwise pine unemployed; and they bring also,
faithfully, the stipulated rewards, for which we have
striven. And yet we never inquire bow much of this
world's compact these important pieces of human
machinery are permitted to enjoy, or whether he, who,
during the week, may have been the means of conveying
thousands of pounds, or their equivalent in joy, to the
homes of others, can take home, at the end of that week's
labours, the means of procuring comforts or even bare
necessaries for himself and those who may be dependant
upon him. 'We never ask whether servants of the public,
so useful, have justice done to their merits, or even com-
mon consideration given to their necessities.
For the information of those of our fellow-townsmen,
we fear a large number, who may not have made them-
themselves acquainted with the claims of these men to
the support of their fellow-townsmen, in the effort now
making to procure from the proper authorities an adequate
remuneration for their services, we shall briefly state what
these services are, and how they are rewarded.
The duties of a letter carrier, with an ordinary extent
of district, commence by an attencite.ce at the General
Post Office at seven o'clock in the morning, where he
sorts and arranges his letters, and having done so, sets
out upon his delivery. He may finish from ten o'clock
until half-past eleven, when he may be permitted to take
breakfast. He is again at the general office at one o'clock,
and after having sorted-his letters, sets out once more
with his delivery. He must be at the office at four
o'clock, and again goes through the same routine of la-
bour, finishing perhaps by eight o'clock or half-past, at
night. This is the week-day duty. On Sundays be must
attend to his first delivery, sacrificing, of course, all chance
of attending morning service ; and during the rest of the
day is liable to a call from the office at any hour, to assist
in the forwarding of any letters which may arrive by post-
office packet ships or merchant vessels. During the pre-
valence of westerly winds, this Sunday duty is very ardu•
ous, and almost certain to be required.
For this amount of labour, to be performed, be it re-
marked in all weathers, the post-office authorities in Lon-
don allow the weekly dole of 205.; and when, in addition
to the amount of bodily fatigue and exposure to be en-
dured, we bear in mind that every letter carrier trust pos-
sess more than a mere working man's amount of education,
and consider the great trust placed in him, (which we are
happy to say, has, in this town, been seldom violated)
it will be acknowledged that this sum is miserably beneath
their deservings, and unworthy alike of that important
and flourishing branch of the revenue to which they are
attached, as it is of this great commercial community.
The letter-carriers of the metropolis have 255. a-week—
a sum little enough in all conscience—and besides they
have a uniform once a-year, a top coat every two years,
are provided with a wallet for their letters, and set down
by a post-office omnibus at their several districts : more-
over, the men attached to the general delivery go out only
once a-day, and derive a revenue from late letters. The
Liverpool letter-carrier has not one of these aids. At
this inclement season, we see him, insufficiently clad,
holding his packet of letters, containing, perhaps, valua-
ble remittances, in his numbed hands, trudging on his
fatiguing duties, with less than the pay of the meanest
artisan to reward Lis usefulness.
This should not be; and we trust that our fellow-
townsmen will not bold back in the effort now making to
impress upon government the just claims of the letter-
carriers to a little more liberality at its hands. If we are
grateful for the advantages derived by us from the penny
postage system, we ought not so far to wrap ourselves up
in selfishness as to shut our eyes to the fact that the
humble instruments by whose aid that system is carried
out, and whose labours it has doubled, are the most mise-
rably remunerated body of men in the public service. A
memorial to the post-office authorities, numerously signed,
would, we are confident, produce the de-ired effect. Let
such a memorial be prepared at once. We have seen
movements made in Liverpool for far less worthy objects.

1 SPLENDID WORK ON FRESCO DECORATIONS AND
STUCCOES.—We had the gratification of inspecting a few
days ago, at Mr. Linnecar's repository, in Ranelagh-
street, a splendid and elaborate volume in royal folio, en-
titled " Fresco Decorations of Churches and Palaces in
Italy, during the 15th and 16th Centuries, (Parts I. and
II;) Forty•six Plates and Descriptions by L. Grumere
with an Essay on Arabesques, Iy M. Hittorff." The
plates in this work exhibit all that is beautiful, curious,
or grotesque, in these species of mural, roof, or columnar
adornment, and though a difference of opinion may exist
as to their general applicability in this somewhat humid
climate, we feel convinced that they may be introduce/
in good substantial English buildings, public or private,
with admirable effect, and would be found sufficiently
durable if the compositions introduced by modern science
were employed—especially in the fine parts, viz. papi4
mache. They would not only (if selected from the serious
rather than the grotesque) be suitable for churches; but
appropriate designs might be found for our handsome new
shops, which, independent of their intrinsic beauty and
richness, would, here at least, have the merit and attrac-
tion of novelty. We recommend our architects to an in-
spection of the book, to which is appended a key-plate,
showing the formation and rich coloring of the pieces of
each compartment, as working designs.
VOCAL CON CERT.—The lovers of music in Liverpool had a rich treat at Mr. Radcliffe's concert of Friday
evening last. An uninterrupted course of enthusiastic
applause and numerous repetitions (though far fewer than were clamorously callea for) are tolerable criteria of the
feeling of the auditory ; but of the intense gratification
elicited by the pure tone, refined taste, and perfect know-
ledge of Mrs. Sunderland, those who heard her are alone
competent to speak of. Some idea may be formed
when it is stated, that Mrs. Sunderland sung in a dozen
morceaux, and repeated three of them, and narrowly es-
caped additional instances. The concerted pieces were
as near perfection as can he accomplished, and the admi-
rable effect of four fine voices,—the lady above,
Messrs. Milnes (one of the finest counter tenors
e e ever heard), Peace and 'fWilkinson (a splendid
bass, who, we find, are much in the habit of meeting
in orchestras), was exquisitely demonstrated in some
of the finest glees, madrigals. &c., in the catalogue..
The enthusiastic delight with which then were listened to
evinced a great advance in judgement no less than taste,
and the repeti ion of Battye's prize glee " Hail Memory,"
scarcely seemed to allay the thirsty admiration of the
hearers. Mr. Ryan's mr rits are too well known to need
enforcing, but we do not ever recollect him more impres-
sive or successful, (encores b?ine admitted as proof,) and
we were particularly struck with the force and expression
developed in the two beautiful duetts between this gentle-
man and Mrs. Sunderland. Mr. Wilberforce accompa-
nied with great judgement anti taste ; and a very elegant
and delighted audience crowded Mr. Radcliffe's very spi-
rited undertaking.
BURN'S COMMERCIAL GLANCE FOR 18-15.—N0 sta-
tistical d icun ent, ever got up by private enterprise and
industry in this or any other country, has ever been in-
vested with such universal credit and acknowledged use-
fulness by men of all shades of orinion as the " Commer-
cial Glance," for many years past published by the late
John Burn, of Manchester. By leading statesmen in both
houses of parliament, and by the entire mercantile com-
munity, it has been regarded as affordine a correct index
of the transactions in every departmentof our cotton mann-
ficture ; and it will be with no small degree of satisfaction
that our readers will learn that the publication of the
Glance will be continued, with the same accuracy and im-
partiality, which distinguished it during the lire-time of
its original compiler, by Mr. Robert Burn, his son, who
will be aided by the possession of the whole of his late
father's compilations and sources of information. An ad-
ditional claim to public support in this undertaking Mr.
Burn possesses in the praiseworthy motives which have
actuated him in its execution, which we may here take the
opportunity of explaining. The late John Burn left the
copyright of the " Glance" to his second son, who has
since died, leaving such copyright, by will, to his widow,
with instructions that Mr. Robert Burn, his brother, who
had for some years actively aided his late father in its
preparation,should beassocinted with herin the labours and
profits of its publication. It has been found advisable to
join with them a third patty, by whom several new and
valuable features Will be added to it; and, in pursuance
of the agreement between the nartiec, which we have
perused, Mrs. Burn, the widow, is ensured a third portion
of the profits, without risk, in case of its failure—a con-
tingency which we cannot regard as within the bounds of
probability.
m en
BURGLARY.—Yesterday, at the Police-court, a you, named Thomas John Southern, was brought beforeng Mr. Rushton, on a charge ( f having broken into the
shop of Messrs. Pierce and Crossfield, and stolen there::
from a considerable sum of money, and other articles.
Thomas G. Capper, assistant in the shop, said that he
had left the shop on Monday, the 16th instant, about
eight o'clock, when everything was secure. On return-
ing next morning he found the trop-door in the floor of
the shop open, and everything in confusion. He then
missed a bag which had contained a £lO note and other
moneys, and which he had for security concealed in a
plsce in the shop which no one not acquainted w th the
premises would have thought of searching. He also
missed two boxes from the counter which were used to
hold cigars for retail, and some other money that had
been left in the till ; he also missed some snuff-boxes.
On examining around, be found that the party or parties
had effected an entrance into the cellar under the shop of
Mr. Dean, druggist (next door), by a window that looked
into it, and that he or they had thence got into Messrs.
Pierce and Crossfiekl's cellar by removing some bricks in
the wall. Mr. Love, assistant to Mr. Dem, said that a
pane of glass had been removed from- the window of Mr.'
Dean's cellar. On Saturday last, in consequence of in-
formation given that the prisoner was suspected, a police.
officer who saw him in Tithebarn.str.et arrested him.
Inspector Anders found upon him some keys end a silver
watch, with which he and the officer proceeded to the
prisoner's lodging in No. 5, William-street. The keys
opened the prisoner's boxes, and they found within a £lO
note, £4 10s. in sovereigns, £2 ss. in silver, and 6s. 044.
in copper. The note was in a snuff-box produced. Mr.
Pierce said he had lost in all from £2O to £25 ; he identi-
fied the £lO note and the cigar-boxes ; the prisoner had
been in his service eighteen months ago as shop-boy.
The officers ascertained that the prisoner bad on Thurs-
day purchased the watch from Mr. Harrison, of Castle-
street, for £3 10e., which be paid for in silver. The
snuff-box was identified by the assistant in the shop.
Ile was committed for trial.
CHARGE OF EMBEZZLEMENT.—At the Police-coon
yesterday, a respectable looking man, named Wafter
Blount, was placed before Mr. Rushton on a charge of
having embezzled several sums of money from his em-
ployer, Mr. John Lane, brewer, Vauxhall-road. The
prosecutor said that the prisoner bad been employed by
him as book-keeper, and 'also to receive moneys at the
office, which he had to hand over every Saturday eight,
the account being kept in a small book, and the parties
afterwards credited for the same in the general books.
Prisoner had left his service about two months, he having
discharged him on suspicion of dishonesty. On the 11th
of June Mr. Hartley, secretary to the Reform Association,
paid him £2O for grains, and he had only accounted to
him for £l5 of that amount. The witness was severely
cross-examined by Mr. Owen and Wardle on behalf of
the prisoner, with a view to show that no regular settle-
ment of accounts had ever been made between him and
the prisoner, and the result proved that, if this were not
so, the books had not, either previously or afterwards,
been kept in a very business-like manner—the witness
acknowledging that he did not know tow many thousand
pounds might have passed through the prisoner's hands
while in the service. Evidence was gone into as to the
charge, and it appeared that £l5 only out of the £2O paid
had been accounted for. Two other cases of receiving
money were next gone into—one of £4 55., and another
of £1 18s. Mr. Owen then elicited from the prosecutor
that the prisoner had banded in a list to him, asking him
to see if he had received any of the amounts, or whether
any of them could be properly charged to prisoner, who
expressed his willingness to pay them, as well as for any
ale It might have got, but this, it appeared, was tco days
after the prisoner was discharge'd. The complainant's re-
cone, tion as to the list was not very clear, and Mr. Rash-
ton decided (on its being produced) that it should be ex-
amined by the books, which would take some time. The
£5 short accounted for from Hartley wee in it, but not
the two others. Of the latter, however, there was not
sufficient legal evidence to go to a jury, the receipts pro-
duced being defective. Ile was of opinion, however, that
the first case was clearly one of embezzlement, as the pri-
soner had made a false entry. Finally he remanded the
prisoner until Thursday, so that the list might be ex-
amined.

APPEAL. CASE.—At the sessions, on Saturday, a case
was heard before the Recorder, in which Mr. George
Walker, a very respectable retired brewer and publican,
who recently filled the office of President of the Liverpool
Guardian Society, was the appellant, and Mr. Edward
Rushton, Stipendiary Mag'strate, was the respondent.
It was an appeal from one of Mr. Rushton's decisions,
in which he ordered Mr. Walker to be committed to pri-
son for three months, on a charge of having indecently
exposed his person, in Devon-street, to four females.
Three witnesses were examined to establish the respond-
ent's case, and their evidence is alluded to in the Re-
corder's summing up. After a long address from Mr:
James in favour of the appellant, thirty witnesses, Includ-
ing the Rev. F. Ould, Messrs. Joseph Cooper, Councillor
Kilshaw, J. Ashcroft (ironmonger), T. Turner (boot-,
maker), Whitt y (China dealer), and Evans (solicitor), were
called to character, and in all our experience of courts of
justice we never heard a higher character for morality and
respectability than Mr. Walker received from every otte
of those witnesses. The Mayor was ready to be called
to give a similar character, but, owing to the lateness of
the hour, be was obliged to leave for the Town-balL
Witnesses were also called who said they would not be-
lieve Steed and Bell (two of the witnesses for the respon-
dent) on their oaths. The Recorder then delivered judg-
ment at very considerable length. file remarked that it,
was a meet serous, painful case, and that the duty of de..
Biding .1 -conscientiously had been rendered still more
import in consequence of the highest possible charac-
ter 1%1-, Walker had received from respectable sources.
It was ieipessible to say the defendant was innocent with-
out cciLieg to the conclusion that three witnesses for the
prosecution were wilfully perjured. He admitted that
Belt had been considerably peached ; but, still, omit-
ting altogether the evidt nee of Bell and Steed, he was
disposed to believe that the vory of the little girl Walsh
was the tothruth. The witnesses'were all unacquainted with
each er ; and if there was a conspiracy amotig them to
lay the charge, wl ett was it concocted ? acid what motivec
h.id they for bringing it ? when, without even deiniin fing
money from Mr. Walker, they celled a policeman and
hail him sent to Bridewell. tic cenclud. d by seeing, that
with very greet regret,
he saw no grounds for reversing
Mr. tiuttr,ton's eecidon. Mr. Welker, who sat in front
of Lig counsel deritig the proceedings, was then removed
to th- Borough Prison, three to spend the remait,der of
the three ninntl.s' imnrisontnent, for which period Le had
been committed by Mr. RnEl.ton.