The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-04-17 00:00:00

NEW CHURCH, KIRKDALE.

The foundation stone of this edifice was laid on Tuesday by
James. Aspivall, Esq., our worthy chief magistrate, in the
presence of a large concourse of spectators. A platform was
erected for the accommodation of the ladies, commanding a
view of the whole proceedings, and the day being very fine a
large multitude assembled, who appeared much interested in the
ceremony. At eleven o'clock his worship arrived at the Liver
Inn, where he was met by the trustees, and Mr. Alderman
Horsfall, Mr. James Heyworth, Mr. J. S. Leigh, Mr. W.
Potter, the Rev. Messrs. Moss, Buddicom,Fearon, Davies, and
Wilson, and about fifty other gentleniiii; who immediately
formed a procession and proceeded to thb`site of the intended
erection.
_ _ _

Every preparation having been made by Mr.Toinkinson, the
contractor for the building, the trowel was presented to his
worship by Mr. Samuel Holme, oue of the trustees, who spoke
as follows:

" Mr. Mayor,—ln presenting your worship with this trowel to
lay the .first stone of a church in Kirkdale, to be called St.
Mary's, it may not be deemed irrelevant or improper if I state
to you a few of the reasons which have caused us to assemble
together on this interesting occasion.
" The village and township now contains, if I am rightly in-
formed, a population of nearly 4,000 persons. The parish
church of Walton is 'distant more than a mile, and contains no
accommodation for a greater number of persons than now attend
it. Everton church is alto considerably distant, and is toll, and
if it were not, the pew rents forbid the•attendance of a large pro-
portion of the community. As a humble member of the church
of England, I must say iliat I think we have ourselves been
highly culpable, by our apathy and indifference towards the
spiritual necessities of this numerous class. I mean the better
portion of our artisans, • our traders and that numerous body
who possess salaries varying from E.BO to £l5O a-year.
- - -

" We have made. abundant provision for the rich, and, with
praiseworthy liberality, for the poor also • but for the accommo-
dation of the valuable class to which I allude, we have done
positively nothing. The church we are now about to com-
mence is intended in some measure to supply this deficiency,
and I hope our endeavours will be crowned with success. Be-
lieving, as I firmly do, that our national church is the great
breakwater, behind which all our institutions, social, moral, and
political, ride in safety and security; believing that her doctrines,
her articles and her homilies, are founded upon, and consonant
with, the immutable word of divine truth, I call upon all who
hear me to render us their aid in the establishment of what I
consider a national blessing; and so firmly sin I cons-int:oil; of

her usefulness, that instead of one church I should indeed re-
joice if the first stones of a dozen were laid this day. I, for one,
feel no jealousy that our dissenting brethren have been before-
hand with us in this place, that they have been the first to put
iu the spiritual ploughshare and break up the soil: Let it urge
us to greater exertion. lam asked, why do I, and why does my
valued friend who has aided me interfere in this place, where we
possess not an inch of land, nor any property that can be bene-
fitted by the erection of a place of worship? I answer, we have
entered on it on the broad basis of christian beuevoleucei and
from a firm conviction of its necessity and utility, and we wish
you to join us in our attempt; convinced that such efforts as
these will give to prosperity a double blessing, and will extract
from the trials and anxieties of life all their sting.
" Nearly, too, lir, is the great question of education connect•
ed with the building of churches. The demand for education
has gone forth, and you might now as well atteinpt to grasp the
winds as stop its progress. For myself, I freely confess I think
every church incomplete without a school attached, and more
especially a Sabbath school, that education may have its proper
tendency, and the schoolmaster be under tho superintendence of
the clergyman.
. _ _

" I now, sir, place this in your hands, and fervently hope that
as this stone, which is set for a pillar, will be laid with prayer
and devotion; so our topstone may be brought forth with praise
and rejoicing, and that the divine presence may rest upon and
bless our wort:."

His worship replied as follows :
I rejoice, sir, that I have been selected on this occasion to
lay the foundation of an edifice to be dedicated to the worship of
Almighty God, in this place. I am sure that every one must
cordially agree in the benefits of our excellent establishnient,
and the necessity for its extension. In times like these, when
that establishment is attacked, it is the duty of every man to
come forward in its defence, and at the same time exhibit to-
wards dissenters a better spirit than they seem just now to be
showing towards the church. I quarrel with no man for his re-
ligious opinions; let every man worship his God according to
the dictates of his conscience; all that I claim is, the saute
charity and liberality from them which I would gladly show to-
wards them. Ido think our national church is intimately connec-
ted with the welfare of the state, and I feel convinced that if she
were to fall the state and every one of our institutions would fall
with her. But lam glad that there is a spirit roused in her de-
fence which will work for good; and I cordially agree in the
sentiment that has been expressed regarding schools. for the
proper education of the young. That spirit convinces me that
a scriptu, al church has nothing to fear. I hope the design of
this building may prove of value to the whole neighbourhood,
and that the divine blessing may rest upon it. I thank you for
your patience, (especially ladies whim. I see around ine,) and I
cordially co-operate .in the good work."
The Mayor then spread the mortar, and the stone was lower-
ed into its place amidst the most profound silence. His wor-
ship (who is, we believe, a member of the masonic order,) the
used the mallet and level to bring down the•stone to a solid
bearing, and to prOve its accurac).
When this was dune, the Rev. Thomas Moss offered up a
most devout and suitable prayer for the blessing of Ged upon
the undertaking, and concluded the ceremony by the apostolic
benediction.

A cold collation was laid out at the Liver Inn; of which the
mayor, the clergy, and the assembled gentlemen afterwards
partook.

STATE OF THE COUNTRY.-IRELAND.

REVOLTING MURDER IN THE QUEEN'S COUNTY.—About
three o'clock on Wednesday, an old man, aged 73 years, named
William Carter, was found murdered within a quarter of a mile
from his residence, at Upper Ballyfinn. Carter was a farmer
in comfortable circumstances, and left his house about an hour
previously; and on one of his sons going to ascertain the cause
of his delay, the mangled body was found at the above place.
The fragments of a broken pistol were found near the body;
the murderers carried off the deceased's shoes, and a sum of
money, the amount of which is not exactly known, as he had
been in Maryborough. On Wednesday evening, Mr. O'Brien,
C.C., received intelligence of the murder, when that active and
efficient officer immediately proceeded to the spot with a party
of constabulary, who, though having made a harassing and di-
ligent search through that mountainous district during the en-
tire night, were unable to obtain any information respecting the
murderers. Colonel O'Donoghue and Dr. Smith attended, and
inspected the body, which presented a most horrible mutilated
spectacle. The wounds probed and examined by Dr. Smith
were as follows :—Deep stabs from a bavonet—one on the left
nipple; one six inches above, between the neck and chest; one
at inferior end of chest, in lined to the left side; four at upper
and right part of chest; eleven on left side of face and under
jaw; three on the left ear. Wounds as from a hatchet—four
transverse large cuts behind the left ear, fracturing the skull—
two on the upper part of the head; skull completely battered
in ; one at the lower part of back and right side. The four
hatchet wounds on the head were parallel to each other, as if
struck in rapid succession while the body lay stretched vin the
ground. There were no gun-shot wounds. At half-past five
o'clock, on Thursday, Mr. Delany, the coroner, wills Doctor
Jacob, arrived. The body then underwent a post mortem exa-
minatiou by Doctor Jacob. The jury were sworn, and bound,
each in reeognizances of 1:50, to attend on Monday, at eleven
o'clock, in the Court-house of Maryborough, where the ad-
journed inquest will take place. Under the coroner's warrant
the following persons are in custody on strong suspicion :
John Meagher, Patrick Meagher, Laurence Meagher, Mary
Meagher, John Judge, and' Edmond Lawlor. The family of
the deceased consisted of his wife and eight children ; two sons
and two daughters of the latter having gone to America in con-
sequence of the disturbed state of the country, and their lives
haying been several times threatened. Scarcely a member of
the family that does not exhibit the marks of wounds received
in the various attacks made on them from time to time. The
eldest son is in a state of idiotcy for the last fifteen years, from
the effects of a fracture on his skull, inflicted by a party who at-
tacked him, and left him for dead in the fields. No man could
tear a more excellent character than the deceased, as well as
every member of his family, for an upright, friendly and reli-
gious course of life. Acts of kindness to those living about
them had marked the old man's career on every occasion; but
the deceased and his family were protestants, and this was their
only offence!. On yesterday three other persons, named Thos.
Judge, Timothy M'Cahe, and Martin Meagher, were committed
for further examination under the above offence.—Leiniter Ex-
press.
ARREST OF A MAGISTRATE, AND RESCUE.—At the petty
sessions on laat Saturday, John Nevin appeared before the ma-
gistrates, to complain of the illegal conduct of Thomas Nagh-
ten, Esq., of Arkeeuan, a J.P., for the county of Roscommon,
whom he had arrested at the suit of Mr. Peter Notten of this
town. Nevin said, that he had received a warrant, signed by
the sheriff, for Mr. Naghten's arrest ; that he went tb the last
petty sessions of Ballydangan, where Mr. Naghten was presid-
ing in his official capacity as magistrate, and when Mr. Nagh-
ten had left the Court-house, that he arrested him accurdin" to
the instructions he hail received. He further stated, that'Mr.
Naghten, instead of submitting to the law, tore the writ, and
gave him in charge to the police; and when he was enlarged,
that he again followed the magistrate and caught him by the
breast, when Mr. Naghten called to sonic of the countrymen
around him, and asked them "if they would let him be taken;"
on which the "drummers laid timber on him," in a most un-
merciful manner. The magistrates immediately granted infor-
mations against Mr. Naghten, -and we understand that both
parties have been summoned for the next petty session day.—
Athlone Independent.

TO THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF HIS MAJESTY'S
CUSTOMS, LIVERPOOL.
_ _

S la,— I beg to ask why three of the most efficient officers
employed on the quays are sent to the London Cu-stom-house, when
there are so many vessels in this port waiting for landing waiters.
Is it to annoy these- officers, or the Liverpool merchants and
ship-owners ? You may, perhaps, decline to answer this ques-
tion. I would therefore suggest that one of our members, in
his place in parliament, should call for certain private corre-
spondence carried on between this port and London, with a view
to a full investigation of this transaction, which, like many
others, is highly prejudicial to the interests of this town.—l am,
sir, you: most obedient servant.

A LIVERPOOL SHIP-OWNER.

CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION.—We are authorized to state,
that at the ineeting of the South Lancashire Conservative Asso-
ciation, held yesterday at Newton, the chairman was requested
to forward two letters, which were submitted to the meeting, the
one to Lord Francis Egerton, and the other to the Honourable
Mr. Wilbraham, expressive of their most cordial approbation
of the line of conduct they have pursued as the representatives
of this division of the county, and thanking them for their
zealous services during the whole period of the recent struggles
in parliament. These letters were sent last night as directed.
We can also state, and we do it with infinite pleasure, that at
the above meeting it was unanimously agreed that petitions
to both houses of parliament, in support of the protestant church
as established in Ireland, should be forthwith prepared, and in
ibe course of next week they will be submitted to the public for
signatures.
T►ls Onvrontos.—These performances were concluded last
night. The house was better attended than on the two previous
nights; but the speculation though a bold, has, we fear, been a
losing one. To reimburse the composer for the labour bestowed
on the work, a concert or theatrical performance is intended to
be given-for his exclusive benefit. _

SHIP LAUNCH.—A very fine vessel, burthen per register 150
tons, was launched on Tuesday last from the building yard of
•Messrs. Wilson and Sons, Trenthan•street. She glided from
off the stocks into the river in fine style, and, r.-hile on her pas-
sage, received from a lady, with the usual benediction, the name
of " The John of Gaunt." She was built for the house of
Messrs. John Gladstone and Co., and is intended for the China
trade.
We understand that Sir Thomas Braneker and James As-
pinall, Esq. the Mayor, have received a notification of tie sr
being appointed to the commission of the peace fur the count,.
We understand that James •Hevworth, Esq., of Evertor', has
also been appointed a justice of the peace for the county.
LIVERPOOL ADORESS TO THE KING.—ThiS address was for-
warded on Saturday last by Mr. Alderman Robinson, chairman
of the Liverpool District of the South Lancashire Conservative
Association, to Lord Skelmersdale, for presentation to his ma-
jesty. The noble lord was honoured with an audience on
Tuesday, when he presented the address to the King in person,
which his majesty was pleased to receive most graciously.
PARISH ACCOUNTS.—We are glad to find, from the annual
accounts just published, that there has been a considerable re-
duction in the parish expenditure in the past year. The expen-
diture for the year ending 25th March last was £51,201. 9s. 9d.;
and for the same period ending March, 1831. i:58,981), 7s. 9d.,
being a reduction of upwards of .f.:1,700. We believe the great-
est economy has been practised in every department, and great
praise is due to Mr. Dowdalt, the governor of the Workhouse,
for the excellent arrangements be has adopted for the manage-
ment of that establishment. The rate of the past year was
2s. Ed. in the pound ; and we understand it is proposed that the
new rate shall be ls. 9d., which will be the smallest rate known
in Liverpool for many VMS.
MR. Liver,
THE Ol'ilEDlAN.—This gentleman, who has
for many )ears been well known on the Liverpool and metro-
politan stage as an actor of great and varied talents, was on
Monday night presented with an elegant silver snuff-box, bear-
ing the following inscription :—" Presented to S. J. Browue,
Esq., by his friends and the admirers of his dramatic talent in
Liverpool. 1835." That this acknowledgment, gained by Mr.
Browne's professional exertions ou the mimic battle field 'or in
the tender love-scene, might not prove an expensive or maple
empty trophy, ten substantial sovereigns were inclosed in the
box as a fund to supply it with snuff front time to time, and at
all times. This is the most sensible way of giving a snuff-box
we ever heard of. To a snuffer, an empty snuff-I,ox is an Linen-
' durable abomination. We recommend alt givers of snuff-boxes
tti follow the example of Mr. Browne's friends.
ACCLIRIAT!.D PLANTS.—It is nut possible for an informed
person to walk during the early summer months in the vicinity
of our great towns without being struck by the daily increasing
number of our acclimated plants. The heliotrope, fuchsia, ver-
bena, triphylla, many species of geraniums, and others, may be
seen growing luxuriantly in the open air, of which starved spe-
citneus were formerly nursed in greenhouses. Mr. Bushnan
(Study of Nature) adds many examples of useful as well as or-
namental plants; among others he mentions that the tetragonia
expansa, or New Zeataud spinach, introduced by Sir .Joseph
Banks only in 1772, and treated as a greenhouse plant, is now,
in the neighbourhood of Exmouth, so abundant that it has be-
come quite a weed.—.ltheriaton.