The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-07-30 00:00:00

TIE LITEEPOOL STANDARD.

TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 30, 1850.

THERE can no longer be any doubt in the minds
of reasonable people with respect to the importance
of retaining the shipbuilding trade, and those con-
nected with it, upon one or other bank of the
Mersey. These trades are capable of employing a
working population of at least 25,000 persons; and
two important questions suggest themselves for
the consideration of the Council,—shall we make
some exertion to provide such accommodation in
Liverpool, or appropriate the Corporation property
in Birkenhead for the purpose ? To allow the
business to be taken from the locality altogether is
out of the question. It would be wanton folly to
throw away sources of employment, and of profit-
able remuneration to the owners of property within
the Borough, if by any reasonable sacrifice they can
be retained in the neighbourhood.
That there are difficulties in the way of providing
for the shipbuilding trade on this side of the river
we are well aware,—difficulties, however, which we
have made for ourselves. There is some show of
reason also in the arguments used for availing our-
selves of the property which we own on the Cheshire
shore. Our estate on that side must in some way
be brought into profitable use. It can boast of the
possession of bold water, fit for launching purposes;
and the site is readily approachable for the other
trades dependent upon shipbuilding. Mr. John
Laird reminds us that for the fitting up of some
ninety vessels, built in Birkenhead during the past
few years, not less then ..€400,000 have been ex-
pended in Liverpool; and it is agreed that, hence,
we shall still derive a vast benefit, even supposing
our shipbuilding yards are transferred to the
Cheshire side. But the fact is indisputable that,
in the first instance, the operatives engaged in
shipbuilding must inevitably he removed to Birken-
head. Temporarily our carpenters and others might
remain on this side; might occupy Liverpool pro-
perty and pay Liverpool rates and taxes ; but a
permanent removal of the trade to Birkenhead
would drive the population employed by it to be-
come permanent residents in the neighbourhood
where their living is earned. Some thousands of
rated dwellings in Liverpool would he emptied of
their present tenants; and a large area of paying
cottage property be converted into a scene of deso-
lation. Such would he the first effect produced ;
but the injury to Liverpool interests would not stay
here. The trades subsidiary to shipbuilding would
certainly not remain in Liverpool long after the
parent trade had left it. Our ropers, blockmakers,
sailmakers, engineers, and othere would follow the
shipbuilders to their newly adopted locality. Ship-
repairing would follow shipbuilders as a natural
consequence; and then the question would arise—
can the Corporation of Liverpriol accommodate all
these trades upon their own Birkenhead property ?
We think they cannot.
However we doubt much whether it is in our
power to accommodate even the shipbuilding trade
upon the river frontage of our property in Birken-
head, without doing serious injury to our other
property in the locality. For example, the Corpo-
ration own some valuable household property in
Church-street, Birkenhead, in Mersey View, snd
the neighbourhood, which is let to respectable
tenants. How many of these will remain in their
present residences if they are to have the clatter of
builders' and boiler-makers' yards in their immedi-
ate vicinity? Again, where shall we provide dwell.
ings for the operative population employed ? We
have no land for the purpose. They must avail
themselves of such sites as the land speculators of
Birkenhead can afford them. Do our utmost, and
the issue must be that we must damaged the Li-
verpool ratepayers, and rob our Corporate Estate.
In one way only can we account for the evident
anxiety of some of our authorities to convert to
shipbuilding purposes our .Birkenhead property.
There appears to be a marvellous lack of suggestive
power as to what to do with it. That it ought to
be brought into profitable use is certain ; but to
use it as antagonistic to the Corporate Estate on
this side of tlje water strikes us as suicidal and
absurd.

For what is the Corporate Estate on the Liver-
pool side of the Mersey ? We have already said
in a preceding article upon this subject that it em-
braces, from three fourths to four-fifths of an area
comprised within a line running up Dale-street,
along Low-hill, Edge-hill, and from Windsor to
the boundary of the Park. Within this area we
have heretofore accommodated with dwellings the
bulk of the persons engaged in the shipbuilding
trade of the port, and those connected with it.
Here we have the cottage residences of our opera-
tives, the shops of our sailmakers and smiths, our
ropemakers, our blockmakers, and a host of other
trades connected with shipbuilding. Take these
men from their present holdings, and what becomes
of the value of the property occupied by them ?
Again we lose not only our shipwrights, and other
operatives, but a number of other respectable
tradesmen and shopkeepers dependent upon them.
Already we have seen the effect produced by the
decline of the trade both at the north and south
ends of the town—the latter especially. Some
hundreds of comfortable court and cottage houses,
in the streets east of the Queen's and Brunswick
Docks, as well as further southward, are at present
unoccupied, or have families living in them rent
free to keep them from dilapidation. The small
shopkeepers and publicans are half of them mine];
and the injury extends even to property of a better
class in the upper streets of the locality. At the
north end the effect of the removal of the building
and boiler yards has been somewhat mitigated by
the demand for dwellings for the masons, exca-
vators, and others employed in the construction of
the new docks, and by the expenditure of their
earnings in the locality. A considerable number
of these men, however, have already been turned
off, and a further reduction is being made, which
must operate most injuriously to owners of pro-
perty and tradesmen in the neighbourhood.
Considerable stress, we believe, has been laid
upon the cheaper rate at which land for ship-
building purposes can be afforded in Birkenhead ;
and it has been asked—would you give a bonus to
parties establishing themselves on this side by
granting them sites at half or a third their real
value ? We say to this question—decidedly, yes ;
we would make this sacrifice, if found necessary, to
enable us to retain the trade, which, however, is
not to the extent assumed. It must he borne in
mind that the question is not one for the trades-
men.of the town, or the private owners of property
alone, but for the corporation itself as the largest
owner. It is a serious thing to contemplate a per-
manent reduction of some thirty per cent in the
corporate property—in the rental of houses and
fines upon renewals of leases—in the revenue of
our public markets and the yield of our water
rents ; yet such reduction must inevitably follow
the transfer of a large portion of our working
population to the Cheshire side of the Mersey, or
the loss of the trade from this locality to some other
port. We owe it to the bondholders of the corpo-
rate estate to see that their security as a whole is
not lessened in value ; and, if we can do this by
voluntarily giving up some three or four thousands
a year to retain in the locality the most important
trades of the port, we ought to make the sacrifice
cn prudential grounds. We could readily save the
amount by eschewing in future such expensive
I.obbies as St. George's Hall or the Rivington
Pike scheme. But we much question whether,
after all, the question is one of comparative cheap-
ness so much as of convenience. Provide ample
space, and a Graving Dock to each building yard ;
afford proper accommodation for our engineers,
and thus enable machinery for large seagoing
steamers to be fitted in the locality where they are
built, and we have no hesitation in predicting that
such premises on this side of the river would be
preferred even at higher rents than are paid else-
where. Liverpool is the natural site of the ship-
building trades, as indeed it is of the entire com-
merce of the port. We prefer loading our ships on
this side of the Mersey. All the blandishments

which have been held out to us by our Cheshire
neighbours have failed in inducing more than a
few solitary vessels to load in their docks. And if
men thus prefer to have their ships loaded under
their own eyes, or those of their servants, within a
few minutes walk cf their offices, of the Custom
House, of the ship chandlers, of the bonded and
other warehouses, surely the shipowner must also
prefer to have the vessel, upon whose construction
he is expending thousands, equally under his daily
supervision. The same preference to this side
would be given by the operative classes themselves,
whose associations, connexions and habits, wed
them to Liverpool as their natural home. The
bulk of the earnings of the operatives at present
located in Cheshire find their way to Liverpool, to
be spent in our shops and public markets ; and
such would be the case for years to come were the
shipbuilding trades transferred to Birkenhead
altogether.

We look upon it as utterly improbable that any
other trades are likely, as suggested, to replace
those which it is proposed to transfer to the Che•
shire shore. Where can such trades be found ? We
are not likely to see the cotton manufacture more
extensively introduced here ; and at the south end
of the town there are no conveniences for it—
no water power. The chemical manufacture we
have already driven as far out of the town as pos-
sible, and crippled those engaged in it by all sorts
of restrictions. The only probable result of a
neglect to provide accommodation for our ship-
wrights must be permanent deterioration, and,
indeed, destruction of a large mass of the rateable
household and shop property of the town. What
must he the effect upon those parties whose avoca-
tions bind them to remain in our central thorough-
fares, or within the borough, at a convenient
distance from our docks and offices? What, in
especial, must be the effect upon our vast piles of
warehouse property ? It must be a very serious.
increase of our parochial and other local burthens.
Let it be borne in mind that when sending our able-
bodied working men to contribute to the rates and
the rental of Birkenhead, we do not get rid of any
portion of the existing pauperism of the borough
of Liverpool. We do not lessen one iota the
pressure of casual pauperism. Ireland will continue
to send us her hordes of mendicants, her crime,
and her disease. We shall have the same police
and prisons to maintain ; and gas rates, water rates,
having and highway rates will fall with an increased
pressure upon our heads for every ratepayer that
crosses the Mersey. We shall see every family
which can get away to the outskirts hurrying off
in all directions to avoid an infliction of taxation,
which will have become utterly unbearable. Let
the ratepayers of Liverpool look to it in time, and
by their remonstrances against the present policy
of the Council prevent any further steps being made
in a direction so ruinous to the best interests of
the town.

We have great pleasure in giving due promi-
nence to a portion of the speech delivered by Sir
Robert Inglis, whilst protesting against the admis-
sion of Baron Rothschild as a member of the
House of Commons. The Right Hon. Baronet
deserves, as he will receive, the gratitude of Chris-
tian men for the following manly expression of ids
sentiments :
Baron L. N. DE ROTHSCHILD was introduced to the
house, being conducted from the bar to the table by Mr.
J. A. Smith and Mr. P. Wood. He handed in his qua-
lification to the clerk, and then, being asked how he would
be swam.

Baron ROTHSCHILD said—l desire to be sworn on the
Old Testament.

Sir R. H. INGLIS, who sat on the front seat of the
opposition benches, in that place usually occupied by the
late Sir Robert Peel, rose and said in a voice that quivered
with emotion, " I protest against it." This declaration
was followed by loud cheers, and cries of " withdraw."
Baron Rothschild bowed to the SpeaEer, and then
withdrew behind the bar.

Sir R. H. Isous then proceeded to address the house,
and his manner was marked with much agitation as he
(lid so. My belief, sir, is that I distinctly heard the
words pronounced, " I desire to be sworn on the Old
Testament." (" Hear, hear," from members on both
sides of the house.) Then I was not mistaken. (Cries
of " No, no.") From the time that this has been a
Christian nation, and this a Christian legislature, no man
has ever used such words as these; no man—l do not
mean to apply the word offensively—but no man, I say,
has presumed to claim a seat here, unless he took, and
was prepared to take, when required to do so, his seat
under the solemn sanction and invocation of the nstrilo of
our common Redeemer ( hear) ; and it not upon that
book in which we all believe, yet upon that which was at
least the symbol of our common Redeemer. (Hear.)
I do not undervalue—God forbid I should--the Old Tes•
tament ; but if the hon. individual who came to that bar
had asked to be sworn upon the Bib!e, with my
knowledge of what his opinions are, I would have felt
bound to object to it, as 1 know that he rejects a part of
that blessed book; but now lie has asked for a different
thing. We have not the Old Testament in our collection.
(Cheers.) The Old Testament may be found is courts
of criminal judicature ; and if this was a court of crimi-
nal judicature, and the hon. individual were called before
it as a witness, the case would be entirely different.
(Hear, hear.) But in this instance the hon. individual
claims a right to legislate tor our Christian Church, and
still a Christian people, and I for one never will giva my
assent to him doing so.

Much speculation exists as to what course the
House of Commons may take in this matter, and
the result of one alternative which may be adopted
is thus pointed out in the Herald of yesterday :

" Let the House of Commons plunge into any depth of
absurdity and contempt that it likes,—there stands the
oath, still,—` on the true faith of a Christian.' The
House of Commons cannot erase those words from the
oath without the consent of the House of Lords; and
Mr. Rothschild must pronounce and sign them before he
can take his seat. What will be gained, therefore, by
getting the house first to begin swearing the candidate i n
as a Jew and then reject him because lie is a Jew,—except
making the house look ridiculous—it is not very easy to
discover."

DURING the past week the Wesleyan body have
held a meeting to consider the question of reform,
which at present agitates the mind of every mem-
ber of that community. The speeches delivered
on the occasion lead to the inference that the con-
claves, whence proceed the dicta which are to
regulate the operations of the community, are quite
opposed in constitution and character to that spirit
of unpretending piety which has always been con-
tended for by this sect. The recent acts of Con-
ference were calculated to afford a profitable lesson
to the whole christian world, while they may im-
press the minds of the members of their own com-
munion with the most serious alarm. In those
acts we see the consequences of permitting the
clerical management of the temporalities entrusted
to their charge, and in the affairs of their church
or sect generally. Tyranny and oppression must
perforce be the result wherever the clergy, or any
other body of men, are intrusted with irresponsible
power; where there is no appeal from the decisions
of such a synod, the judgments may be expected
to bear an arbitrary character. It was the boast of
Wesleyans that they repudiated any such alliance
as that which subsists between the National Church
and the Crown: their s':rength consisted the
humility of their ministers, and the apostolical
character of the plain rules which were to guide
their teachers, and direct the officers of the whole
community. How hate these expectations been
answered ? Little more than a century has elapsed
since the sect was heard of, and yet it is re t by
unforeseen contentious. By degrees their ministers
have monopolised the whole executive power, and
now they are charged with exercising greater
tyranny over their flocks than even the Romish
priesthood. We have no intention of criticising
the sincerity or piety of the body of Wesleyan
preachers ; on the contrary, we believe them to be
an exemplary and industrious body of Christian
men ; but we contend that the much-lauded sys-
tem known as Methodism lacks the essence of
universality and perpetuation. As long as it con-
sisted of a few devout christians, scandalised—we
are ready to allow—by the apathy of the National
Church at a time when she really slumbered, it
carried with it a blessing, but when it set about
modelling a church after its own fancy, and that,
too, when the necessity for separation no longer
existed, the scene was changed. Its teachers,
originally untutored men, aspiring no higher than
to the name of the most fervent seekers after truth
amidst those who were virtually debarred from dis-
charging these obligations, where alone they should
have .
been performed, with the elevation of their
position society, naturally languished for that
station enjoyed by the national clergy; in pursuing
this course they have overshot their aim. It was
impossible that the imperfect and crude system to
which they were attached could ever give them that
subordinate and well-poised, yet certain and full,
power which is the legitimate right of the national
clergy, and therefore they seem to have combined
to usurp a control over their flocks that effectually
confutes all the pretensions of the sect to the liberty
of which they have so loudly boasted, and belies
their repudiation of priestly power.

THE steady rate at which the stock of gold in
the world is being increased, is at length creating
misgivings in the minds of its worshippers, as a
money, with respect to the permanence of its rela-
tive value to commodities. Every advice which
reaches us from California brings confirmation of
the fact of its abundance. It is diffusing itself
rapidly along the shores and amongst the islands
of the Pacific, giving an impetus everywhere to
speculation and to commercial enterprise ; and it
has at length begun to shew its effects throughout
the length and breadth of the American continent,
and is rapidly extending its magical influence to
Europe itself. In every country where it is recog-
nized as a money, or a measure of value, it is
extending the quantity of the circulating medium,
and lowering the rate of interest. Crises and
panics are being regarded as things of remote pos-
sibility, so long as the golden stream keeps pouring
upon us from the El Dorado in the West. Then
United States, with a balance of trade against her,
for which she has to find specie remittances, expe-
riences no difficulty and no inconvenience ; for
notwithstanding such remittances, which under
other circumstances would have produced severe
monetary pressure, and sacrifice of every descrip-
tion of produce and valuable securities, money
continues abundant in supply, and the rate of inte-
rest lower in that country than ever it has rated for
any lengthened period.
Every authority upon the subject is now prepared
to make the admission that this influx of gold to
Europe, and to Great Britain in particular, is likely
to continue for some time to come. Not only does
it pour upon us from the west, but Russia is
largely augmenting her production ; and additional
golden discoveries are being made in nearly every
quarter of the globe. Only a few weeks ago we
heard of Australia being added to the gold-pro-
ducing regions ; and but yesterday we had tele-
graphic news from Constantinople of the opening
of a mine in the Sultan's dominions. What must
he the issue of this state of things ? There can be
but one, viz., a gradual but extensive change in
the relative value of money—gold—and the com-
modities of which it forms the legalized measure.
What is a pound ? is about to become more than
ever a perplexing question. True, it may remain
fixed as 123 grains of gold of a given fineness ; but
will it exchange for its former quantity of labour,
or commodities ? Certainly not, if there be any
truth in the doctrine of political economy. We
shall see land, houses, property, and produce of
every description enhanced in price, as measured
in gold, or currency based upon the .possession of
gold. The relations of debtor and creditor must
undergo a complete revolution, in which the latter
at length will find himself to be the victimized
party. The disorganisation produced throughout
the commercial affairs of the world will he precisely
similar to that, which would take place if the legal
yard were by some freak of nature to be reduced to
thirty inches, or the pound avoirdupois to twelve
ounces.

We have for some time been prepared for seeing
our bullionists in this precious dilemma. Hitherto
the stock of their idolized measure of value has
been a tolerably well ascertained quantity, and its
natural worth as unchanging as any commodity
which could have been selected as a circulating
medium. The lynx-eyed money monger could
watch its ebb and flow from country to country for
the purpose of regulating exchanges and liquidating
adverse balances of trade ; and out of the alter-
nating scarcity and abundance thus produced they
have been enabled to reap rather profitable harvests,
and at every turn of the screw to sweep into their
own pockets the fruits of their neighbours' perse-
vering industry and enterprise. This game, how-
ever, seems at length to be approaching to an end.
A good Providence has stepped in to release the
world from the thraldom in which a cunningly
devised system had held it so long. There are
more kings and queens in the pack than when the
cards were first dealt, and the calculations of the
astute player are baffled. The diggings are pro-
ducing gold sufficient to enable us to settle our
foreign balances without deranging our home cir-
culation. America can pay for an occasionally
increased import of Manchester goods without
sacrificing her cotton, her grain, or her provisions ;
and Great Britain is rapidly reaching a position
which will enable her to sustain a potato rot, or a
deficient harvest. without haying to sacrifice him-
dreds of millions of her realized-capital, or to sus-
pend fora season the exercise of the industry of her
people. As the basis of a currency for conducting
even an extended commerce we have now in pros-
pect gold in sufficient quantity_ Bye and bye we
shall contemplate its influx to ow shores with any-
thing but pleasurable feelings—with the certainty,
in fact, a doleful one for men of mere money and
of fixed incomes, that they will be called upDn to
pay an increased number of their worshipped
pounds for every article of necessity or comfort,
whether of foreign or domestic production, which
they require.
The fact is undeniable that the direct_ effect of
any great increase in the stock of gold in the world
must be to raise the price of every other article, as
measured in gold. By making it a money we
enable any variation in its supply to disturb the
whole social and commercial system of the world,
to alter the relations of debtor and creditor, and
change the nominal value of labour and of pro-
perty of every description. Keep it solely as a
commodity; and an extra or deficient supply would
have no more effect in producing such social and
commercial disturbance than an extra or deficient
crop of cotton, or sugar, or any other article. And
in a movement in this direction—the stripping of
•this metal of its fixed value as money—lies, we
feel convinced, our only resource in the difficulty
which is before us. We observe, indeed, that the
London Times, at length convinced of the reality
of the Californian abundance of the precious
metals, is contemplating as the result a reduction
of the interest paid upon the national securities;
and the able writer of the monetary article in the
Liverpool Albion expresses a similar view. We
cannot at all see its reasonableness or justice. If
the value of the pound is being depreciated, how
can we propose to give to the national creditor only
two-and-a-half of those depreciated pounds for his
claim of three pounds of full value ? Or by what
process is the principal of our three per cents to be
so enhanced in nominal value as to render such an
operation as a reduction of interest practicable.
We can account for real property or produce of
every description being raised in price, as afford-
ing more solid and permanent value than a mere
security for depreciated pounds ; but few, we sus-
pect, would be disposed to reverse the operation,
and give more than its present price for a security,
the interest derivable from which is daily decreas-
ing in its command over commodities.
We shall wait with some little interest for the
result of the debate upon the subject likely to
arise upon the motion announced by Colonel
Thompson for this evening. We can scarcely
gather from its terms the precise opinions of the
gallant Colonel upon the subject. But it is
obvious that along with some others of his school
he is at present a little ill at ease upon the whole
subject ; that the money cl:a g rs of Lombard-
street are beginning to feel the pressure of the
Californian discoveries upon their once thriving
trade ' • and that the entire question of the currency
will shortly be re-opened by the very party who
have all alongso obstinately defended their favourite
dogmas. Another interesting speculation suggests
itself connected with this movement, viz., what
would have been the course pursued by the late
Sir Robert Peel, the author of our present system,
under existing circumstances? and whieh of our
present ministers will step forward to assume his
mantle, and to defend his favourite system ?

It will be seen that a meeting will take place in
the Lecture-hall of the Mechanics' Institution to-
morrow (Wednesday) evening, when Mr. Copway,
late an Indian Chief, and now a devoted Christian
Minister, will give some important and interesting
details connected with a scheme which he has in
view, fraught with great advantages, spiritual and
temporal, to thousands of our fellow-creatures. We
sincerely hope he will receive the attention which
his people merit justly at the hands of a nation
which by its legislature has robbed and expatriated
them. Mr. Copway will remain in this town until
the close of the week, when he will proceed to
London, Manchester, &c., and thence to Frankfort.
He will return here early in November, when he
purposes delivering a course of lectures on subjects
of a very attractive character.

JULLIEN AGAIN AT THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—We
learn that it is most probable that Mons. Jullien will ap.
pear again at these Gardens on Monday next, when those
disappointed of their expected treat by the unfavourable
weather of Friday last, will be enabled to hear his unri-
valled baud.

THE AMERICAN INDIANS.

Yesterday morning a meeting was called to be held in
the cotton sales-room, for the purpose of hearing a state-
ment from the Indian chief, now in this country,
Kah-Ge-Ga-Gah-Bowh, or Geo. Copway, respecting the
condition of the Ojibway Indians of America, relative to
a plan for forming them into a settled nation on the east
bank of the Missouri. Mr. Copway, who was a chief of
the Indian Ojibwa), nation, was some years ago con-
verted to Christianity, and became a preacher attached to
the Wesleyan body, attended divine service on Sunday
morning at the Wesleyan Chapel, Birkenhead, and in the
evening at the Brunswick Chapel, Moss-street, in this
town, where he delivered two impressive sermons.
It appears from a paper circulated in the room,
being an address to the American nation, that the visit of
Mr. Copway to this country is in connecJon with an object
which he has been for some time labouring to accomplish
—the concentration of the Indians of the north-west upon
territory to be purchased by the free contribution of the
American people. His applications to the Government of
the United States, on the subject, have been futile, and
he now appeals to the people themselves. Mr. Copway's
proposals are embodied in the following plan :—The In-
dians in the north-west, consisting of about 100,000 souls,
to be concentrated upon territory to be set apart to their
use in perpetuity, by the Government of the United
States, one hundred miles north of Council Bluffs, on
the east bank of the Missouri river. The territory thus
given to be one hundred and fifty miles square. A Go-
vernment to be at once organised by the appointment of
a Governor, (who shall be a white man), Lieutenant-
Governor and Secretary of State, by the President of the
United States. A Territorial Council to be elected by
the different tribes, in proportion to their population,
which Council shall pass all laws needful for the govern-
ment of the whole people, subject to the veto of the
Governor. The lands to be distributed, free of cost,
to the Indians. subject to such regulations of transfer and
limitation as the Council shall establish, one of which,
however, mast be, that it shall never be transferred to
white men. Common schools and higher seminaries of
learning to be established throughout the territory, a lead-
ing branch in all of which shall be the science and prac-
tice of agriculture. White residents to be excluded,
except such as shall be employed by the United States
and Territorial Council. For the first few years the ter-
ritory will be represented at Washington, by a Commis-
sioner to be appointed by the Council. Mr. Copwav
anticipates that in process of time, this Indian territory
will apply for admission into the Union as a State ; and
bec3me an integral part of the great confederacy.
The meeting yesterday was very thinly attended, but
amongst those present we noticed the Rev. J. H. Stafford,
of St. Paul's ; the Rev. C. M. Birrell, Baptist Minister ;
W. Rathbone, Rich. Rathbone, Rushton. Esqrs., &c.
The chair, shortly after eleven o'clock, was taken by Mr.
W. RATHBONE, who said that it was owing to various
circumstances,—the arrival of the packet with American
letters—the shortness of the notice—and morning meet-
ings being inconvenient in a mercantile community—
that so few were present. It was therefore deemed
advisable that Mr. Copway should not go widely into the
matters he had to lay before the public, but should re-
serve the greater part of what lie had to say for Wednes-
day, when a public meeting would be called in some more
convenient place, of which notice should be given as early
as practicable. He ( Mr. Rathbone) had been induced to
take the chair on the present occasion in order to afford
Mr. Copway an opportunity of exphining his views ; but
in so doing he begged to state that the address which had
been circulated was an address to the people of the United
States, and not intended for general circulation in this
country. It was far from their wish to interfere with the
government of America, or to undertake a business which
did not property belong to them. Neither did they intend
to read a lesson in morals to the Americans. Their object
was to read a lesson where it was much more needed—at
home, for the conduct we, as a nation, had pursued to-
wards the aborigines, whom we had first invaded, then
degraded, and after that deprived them of their territory.
On this subject he trusted the British public would awaken
to a sense of their sins, and do all they could to save the
remnant now left. ( Hear.) The speaker concluded by
introducing Mr. Copway to the meeting.

Mr. COI WAY then came forward to address the meet-
ing. As he had only a very short time to address the
meeting in, he should merely give an outline of the pro-
ject, which was, in his opinion, the only means of securing
a country for his native brethren in their native country.
As the chairman had already stated, the address which
had been sent to several in Liverpool, was merely an ad-
dress to the people of the United States. It was not his
intention to complain of the conduct of that government,
or to interfere with any particular government, but the
universality of doing good was so broad and extensive
that there was no limit to it, and the right to do good was
so universally admitted that mankind acknowledged the
brotherhood of all men, end it was on that ground that he
appeared before them to explain the plan lie had endea-
voured to form for the benefit of the Indian. (Cheers.)
The speaker then in forcible language depLted the aggres-
sions which had been made upon his brethren, the Ojib-
ways, who had been continually driven westward ever
since the white man, or pale-face, as he was called, had
begun to settle in America. Oflate years, however, efforts
had been made by various societies in the new world, as
well as in the old, to ameliorate their cmdition, and al-
though some good had been done, yet not so much as was
expected. ( Hear.) Naturally, the Indian was a native
genius. He easily acquired a knowledge of the arts and
sciences as pracuseu oy the American people, atm quicalv
obtained education, but the kind of civilisation which had
been introduced, so far from being beneficial, had been
injurious, and had induced them to become reckless. The
white man had gone on acquiring territory—being greedy
of gain, and whether right or wrong was no great conse-
quence in his estimation. They had introduced disease
and intoxicating liquors, and whilst in a state of intoxica-
tion had caused one tribe or nation to raise the war-whoop
against another, until both were almost destroyed. He
next referred to the fact, that so soon as the Indian had
been induced to settle quietly down, had acquired the arts
of agriculture and science, and when his land was just be-
ginning to be valuable to him, then, on the argument of
necessity and the strong law of might, he was deprived of
it. Missions that had been established were abandoned,
schools and seminaries of learning had been broken up,
and he was obliged to remove further westward ; seeing,
therefore, that whatever improvement he might make in
his land would be of little use to him—he was
compelled to dispose of it. Many had returned to their
old habits of living by the chase. This had been the
continued conduct of the American government ever
since the days of Jefferson. Not less than 97,000 Indians
had been driven across the Missouri twice, and before
long, unless something was done, they would either be
exterminated or driven across the rocky mountains. The
speaker then glanced at the reasons why it would be dis-
advantageous to allot them a certain district of country
where they might be formed into one community, and be
taught the arts of agriculture and civilization, and where
ultimately they might form an additional state to the
Union. The portion of land he had chosen was a district
not yet settled, known as the north-west territory, be-
tween the territories of Nebraska and Minnesota, on the
eastern banks of the Missouri. The great Sioux river
being, at the eastern boundary from its head waters, on a
line westward to the Missouri. This would form an Indian
territory large enough for all the scattered tribes of Michi-
gan, Wisconsin, lowa, &c. After stating that he had
ceased to continue officially as a preacher in the Wesleyan
body, on the ground that he might do more good by ap-
pealing to the people on the broad basis of humanity and
justice, be proceeded to observe that he had no doubt the
plan would ultimately be successful. He had visited since
last year no less than 17,000 Indians, and found them be-
ginning to be alive to their interests. Most of them bad
stated that if a territory were allotted to them, they would
take their wives and children and their all, and go and
settle in that country, and teach their children agriculture,
together with arts and science and education. He was
proud to say he was born a British subject. He belonged
to a portion of Canada under the sway of the sovereign of
England. Ile that country there were now twenty-three
Indian villages under this country ; they were now form-
ing their houses, had formed a boys' school, and were
about to establish one for girls. The reason why they
were thus settling was because they believed they were
not likely to be removed. (Hear.) The Speaker con-
cluded with an expression of anxious solicitude for the
welfare of the Indian, whom lie should ever meet and
welcome as a brother. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN, after expressing his thanks to Mr.
Copvtay for his able address, urged on those present to
invite their friends to the meeting on Wednesday (to-
morrow) evening, in the Lecture-hall of the Mechanics'
Institution.
The company then separated.

The Marchioness of Stafford was safely delivered of a
son and heir on Saturday.
The Duchess of Kent paid a visit to the Queen at Os-
borne on Saturday.
Sir Robert Peel has relinquished his post of charge
d'affaires, at Switzerland.
Preparations are making for blowing up, by gunpowder,
the cliff at Seaford.

The president of the French Republic visited the
theatre comique on Thursday. He was not well received
—groups of men in blouses insulted him.
An immense quantity of oysters, a thing unprecedented
at this season of the year, arrived at Billingsgate on Mon-
‘lay, in six large vessels, and at Hungerford in one.
At Durham assizes, on Saturday, several persons
pleaded guilty to indictments, charging them with keep-
ing houses of ill fame. They were bound in recogni-
zances to appear for judgment when called on.
The Bebington flower show will take place on the 15th
.1f next month, in the Rock Ferry pleasure-grounds. No
doubt the interesting fete will be as fashionably attended
as usual. few places offering such advantages for a display
of the kind.
A RICH CARGO.—We understand that a vessel is on
the passage from California, to this port, freighted with
the rich produ33of the El Dorado. One house it is said
has no less than three hundred weight of the precious
metal on board—which is worth considerably more than
£lO.OOO.
IMPORTANCE OF CAUTION IN THE USE OF CRANES.
—To-day, inquests will be held on the bodies of two men,
whose deaths have been occasioned by a blow from a
winch, not at the same time, but under similar circum-
stances, though in different places. One is the case of .
Charles Lavery, a porter the service of the City of
Dublin Company, who died in the Northern Hospital, on
Sunday. Particulars appeared in our last pubic ition.
The second case is that of a man named Michael Fagan,
who died in the Infirmary, on Sunday. He was employed
at Messrs. Finch and Willey's foundry, Windsor, and
was assisting another man to lower an immense weight of
castings, when, for some purpose, his companion left the
crane, the winch being secured by the chain in the usual
way. It is supposed deceased interfered with the ma-
chinery ignorantly, as the chain was heard to run down,
and the man was found prostrate apd senseless under the
weight of castings.