The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-05-02 00:00:00

" The affair, as between the deputy-chairman of the Watch
Committee and the head constable, is now settled. Not so
the question betwee❑ the chairman, as well as the deputy.
chairman, and the public. The chairman, it will be recol-
lected, when the conduct of the police, in laying informations
against publicans and beersellers, was under discussion at the
council on the sth instant, in vindication of the resolution of
the Watch Committee, for a return of the names of the officers
who had laid those informations, positively stated, that officers
on whose veracity reliance could not be placed had been sent
out to lay informations, and that one of the men ' employed
in the duty, a reduced inspector, was well known to be a
person whose word could not be relied on.' And the deputy-
chairman, it will also be recollected, corroborated the state-
ment of a general want of truth on the part of the men, by
giving the cases in which Cunningham and Dutton were
concerned, and out of which the whole lumber arose. Now,
we have read over the report of the debate in the council, as
reported in the Mercury, and though both the chairman and
the deputy-chairman alluded, by name, to both these men,
we cannot find that either explained to the public how it
happened, that ' well-known' dealers in falsehoods are re-
tained in the police force; or that, in making the assertion,
the chairman had stated what he could not support by evi-
dence. For if by his silence on the point we are to infer that
the original charge was correct, the public demand to know
why the reduced inspector' is not dismissed from the police ;
but if, on the contrary, they are to infer that the charge is
not true, they then demand that the slander on the character
of the poor man, reduced inspector' though he be, should
be retracted as publicly as the imputation was made. Mr.
James Lawrence must give a public explanation on this most
important point. He owes it not more to his own character
as a gentleman than to the character of the force over which
he presides."
He would further read an account of a mistatement which
appeared to have been made by some gentleman of the press.
In the report of the proceedings it said, " Mr. James Law-
rence said he wished to explain something which had fallen
from him at the last council-

The NIAYOR.—You made use of the word " justification,"
and that made all the difference. If you had said " explain,"
no doubt you would have had the permission of the council
to do so.

Mr. JAMES LAWRENCE.-1 thought I did Say "explain."
The MAYOR.—No. The Town-clerk will bear me out
that you said "justification."
Mr. JAMES LAWRENCE.—Then I will read the following
from the report in the Albion, which will bear me out in
saying that I did make use of the word " explain :"
" Mr. James Lawrence said, he wished to explain some-
thing which had fallen from him at the last council. Dutton,
he was willing to admit, bore an excellent character, so far
as their books showed ; but the reason for his observation
was, that he made a statement before the committee that he
afterwards denied."

I never made such a statement (proceeded Mr. Lawrence)
as that which appears in the Albion, as to Dutton. I could
not make it, after the character of the man had been read in
the council, and also the resolution which was unanimously
agreed to by the committee, that the choice of Cunningham
was an injudicious one. I think it must be admitted that
that is quite a mistake; and I need not, I think, explain
more upon that ground. As far as my recollection goes, he
(Dutton) was the only person I named. My observation
with reference to Cunningham was grounded upon what he
said when he made a report against Ainsworth, another
policeman. He stated before the committee, that, to gain
access to the house, he had asked the girl to let him have
drink, which she refused. He went out, and upon his ex-
amination by the committee, he positively denied that he had
ever stated that circumstance before the committee. Of
course, if a man will come before a committee to state one
thing, and in less than five minutes afterwards deny it, he is
an unfit man to be trusted : that was my reason for giving
the statement, and I think I was justified in it. Ido not
wish to say any more on the subject, because I think the
explanation must be quite satisfactory to every one. Mr.
Harbord, Mr. Hornby, and other members, were present
when Cunningham made the statement, that he did ask the
girl to let him have drink, and they heard him in less than
five minutes afterwards deny it. For the dismissal of the
man I am not responsible ; the majority of the committee
must answer for that.

Mr. HARBORD, as chairman of the sub-committee for the
day, corroborated the statement made by Mr. Lawrence.
After a few words from Mr. Thornhill, the subject dropped.

PHILHARMONIC CONCERT AT TIIE COLLEGIATE

INSTITUTION, ON THURSDAY LAST.

Before we enter on the merits or demerits of this concert,
we must bestow our meed of praise on the Committee of Ma-
nagement, for having exerted themselves in the manner they
have done to revive. the good old town of Liverpool concerts
on such a scale, and with materials so worthy of themselves
and encouraging to all lovers of music, and for which they
richly deserve all the patronage they receive : for a more
numerous and distinguished audience we do not remember
having ever seen in Liverpool, with the exception of the Fes-
tivals, or perhaps one or two of our late Subscription Con-
certs.

The first act consisted of selections from the opera of Se-
miramide, and the second act miscellaneous. The overture
to the opera was extremely well performed, and does infinite
credit to the party who drilled the orchestra, as a most per-
ceptible improvement was observed from the former concerts ;
and we may now be allowed to say, that, with a few modifi-
cations in the observance of light and shade, or piano and
forte, it was all that the most fastidious could wish for. The
opening chorus—Belus we celebrate—was given with preci-
sion and effect. The quartett, by Miss S. Novello, Mr. E.
Mr. Eccles, and Signor Giubilei—" Kings, princes,
nobles, guard thee round"—was perhaps the most meagre in
its performance of the evening, and defective in some of its
parts, which Mr. L, ilermann, the able conductor, tried to
remedy as much as he could, but it would not do, and conse-
quently was received with coldness and apparent indifference.
But we were amply repaid in the next piece, a Cavatina—
Ah ! that day I well remember—by Mrs. Alfred Shaw. That
charming singer and interesting lady exerted herself to the ut-
most, and was received with that distinguished applause which
she so richly deserves ; such an organ, such management,
feeling, pathos, and superb enunciation it has seldom fallen
to our lot to hear, and though she unquestionably laboured
under a depression of spirits, or severe cold, we listened to
her charming singing with breathless delight.
The duet which followed,—Bright, lovely image,—between
the same lady and Signor Giubilei, was also very effective ;
and here we congratulate Signor Qiuhilei on his very great
improvement; he sang with spirit, and gave general satisfac-
tion. We were particularly struck with his fine intonation,
perfectly in tune, which he must permit us to say was not
always the case on former occasions.

The cavatina,—Arsace will return,—by Miss S. Novello,
rather disappointed us. The duet—'Tis well my life I tender
—was effectively sang. Mrs. Shaw's fine contralto exqui-
sitely given.
Act the second commenced with the overture of Margua-
rithe D'Anjou, by Meyerbeer, which, though not quite so
effective as we could have wished, was well played. The
national song,—Came ye by Athol,—by Miss Novello, is a
pretty light melody, and was prettily executed.
Lutzow's Wild Hunt, by Weber, was every effective, and
the echo by part of the chorus singers from behind the or-
chestra was very pleasing, and deservedly encored ; and
now we come to the song from Oberon, " Araby, dear
Araby," (Weber,) by Miss Poole. Her beautiful voice,
excellent style, and distinct articulation came unawares upon
us, as we certainly did not expect such a treat ; she is, in.
deed, a charming singer, and we sincerely hope she felt sa-
tisfied with the enthusiastic reception she met with, which
was richly deserved by her. We understand she is a pupil
of Signor Giubilei, and we congratulate him on having made
such a scholar.

The Aria Buffo, by Giubilei, " Ilgirato," composed by
Balfe, is suite in the Signor's style, and he was perfectly at
home in it, and deservedly encored.
, e might almost say that the next trio, by Cimarosa, sang
by Miss Novello, Miss Poole, and Miss A. Shaw, was the
gem of the evening ; it was beautifully given, and, if possible,
every one of the ladies tried to outvie each other; and we
may be permitted to say, if there was any preponderance, our
decision falls upon that clever lady, Miss Poole. So, we
believe, the audience felt : by the sensation her solo part
created, it was also encored, and richly they de,served the ap-
plause which was bestowed upon it. Mr. Hume sang Una

Furtiva.
The remainder of the concert went off equally well, and
every one retired with perfect satisfaction at the treat which
they had received.