The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-02 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND COUN-
CILLORS OF THE LIVERPOOL CORPO-
RATION.

Gentlemen,—l perceive that one of your body has
given notice of a motion for Wednesday next upon the
subject of your schools. His object is to have the Bible
excluded from the class teaching. This will be called the
old calumny, but it is indeed the old truth. The preamble
to his motion sets forth that the system at present adopted
in your schools excludes the children of Roman Catholics.
On this ground he desires to have it alteredi or, if it can-
not be altered so as to remove this objection, he wishes
the schools to be sold.
Now, what part of the present system is it that excludes
the children of Roman Catholics ? The teaching of spel-
ling, or reading in the classes ? No ; this is not pretended.
What then? The teaching of arithmetic or geography in
the classes ? No. What is it then ? The teaching of
writing, or history, or natural history in the classes?
No. The hon. councillor will not so libel the Roman
Catholics as to say that any of these things exclude their
children. What then is it, I ask again, th-it excludes
them, if they be excluded? Is it the use of the Bible in
the classes ? Yes, clearly so. And how then can the
system be so altered as not to exclude them? Only by
the exclusion of the Bible from the teaching of the classes.
That is plain, however ingenuity may evade it, or elo-
quence mystify it. Depend upon it, Gentlemen, a large
majority of the constituencies of the town see the matter
as it is here stated, and feel that they have done their
duty in entrusting the municipal government of the town
to gentlemen, a majority of whom have declared that the
Bible shall be used in the classes of the Corporation
Schools. They have long since seen clearly through the
flimsy objection to the Protestant translation, and the
plausible pretext about a Roman Catholic translation.
The Roman Catholics have no translation without notes.
Their guides cannot trust the Word of God without com-
ment among them in any translation.
All their versions have notes. That is to say,—they
have no Scriptures uncontaminOed by Popery.
But, Gentlemen, it is a liber against the Roman Ca.
tholic people to say that the Word of God, or any thing
else in your present system, excludes their children. In
point of fact, it is falsified by your rolls, which contain
many names of Roman Catholic children, and would con-
tain many more if the Roman Catholic people were free
agents. But it is true, most true, that so far as the
knowledge and influence of the priests extend, the chil-
dren of Roman Catholics may not, must not, come in
contact with the Word of God unbiassed by the comments
of " the church." It is curious to see how Dissenters,
whose religious boast is the Bible without note or com-
ment, are made the unconscious tools of the Roman
Catholic priests, under the plea of liberality.
Gentlemen, if you will take an old friend's advice,
you will not open this discussion again,—but by an extin-
guishing negative show the town that causa finita est,
and that you will not consent to waste your valuable
time by refuting refuted objections. If it were a
matter of improvement in detail, reason would that
you should discuss again and again, and continue to im-
prove ; but this is a question of principle, rest-
ing on a foundation, which among all the fluctua-
tions of human opinion remains the same. It is not
for the word of man, however enlightened, that you con-
tend ; but, believing in the genuineness and authenticity
of revelation, Abhold, and I trust will bold, the paramount
claims of the /Ford of God.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, with much respect,
Your faithful friend,
FIDUS ACHATES.

Liverpool, Ist April, 1844.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIR,—My name having appeared in your paper of last
Tuesday, in the list of persons who attended the late
Fancy Dress Ball, I trust you will permit this note to
appear in your next publication as a refutation. I consi-
der such amusements light and frivolous, and not void
of contingent evils ; in addition to which, I denounce the
practice of late resorted to for the support of charitable
or religious institutions, because two-thirds of what is
expended on such occasions is devoted to the god of this
world, leaving only the remaining small portion (one-
third) for the object which is made the plea for such as-
semblies; such practice cannot, therefore, be acceptable
(in my humble opinion) to Him whose call we profess
to obey. With these remarks, I leave the serious con-
sideration of the subject to others; remaining, sir, yours
faithfully, RICHARD HARBORD.
Upper Parliament-street, 30th March, 1844.

IMPROVEMENTS IN SHAW-STREET.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—It was with great pleasure I saw, in your paper
of last week, an account of the proposed pleasure-grounds
in Shaw•street. Allow me respectfully, through your
means, to call the attention of the individuals engaged in
this laudable undertaking to the fact, that there is at the
north-east corner of this land the artificial mound on
which Prince Rupert's battery was placed, and which is
the only visible relic of the siege of Liverpool remaining
to the present day. It is to be hoped that this mound,
which is evidently cut, and of the usual form used in
fortifications, will not be sacrificed, but preserved un-
touched as it has remained from 1644 to the present time.
Yours, respectfully,
W. G. HERDMAN.
6, Lansdowne-place, Everton, March 30, 1844.

WEST DERBY :UNION.:

The sixth anniversary dinner of the guardians and offi-
cers of the West Derby Union took place, on Tuesday, the
19th instant, at Horne's Mersey Hotel. About thirty
gentlemen sat down to a most sumptuous repast, which,
together with the wines and desert, reflected the highest
credit on the caterer. The chair was most ably filled by
John Sheppard, Esq., the chairman of the board of
guardians; and the vice-chair was occupied by Thomas
Roberts, Esq., the deputy vice-chairman of the union.
After the cloth was removed, the chairman introduced
with very appropriate remarks the following toasts :
" The Queen," " The Queen Dowager," " Prince Albert,
the Prince of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family,"
" The Army and Navy," " The Bishop and Clergy of the
Diocese,"—(responded to in a very feeling and effective
speech by the Rev. W. Badnall. the newly-elected
guardian for Wavertree)—" England's pride and Eng.
land's glory, the hero of a hundred fights," " The Lieu-
tenant of the county and the Magistracy, particularly
John Formby, Esq., whose success as a magistrate and
an ex-officio guardian entitled him to the warmest thanks
of the public," " The Chairmen, Vice-chairmen, and
Board of Guardians throughout the kingdom," &e. &c.
Mr. ROBERTSON proposed the health of the chairman,
in which he passed a very high but just and well-merited
eulogium on the character of that gentleman, for the very
efficient and valuable services rendered to the union
during the two last years in which he had presided over
the board, and during which time he had united the ut.
most zeal and attention to the interest of the ratepayers
and the comforts of the poor with the most impartial,
kind, and gentlemanly conduct—by which he bad gained
the esteem of all who had the honour of his acquaintance.
The toast was drank with the most rapturous applause,
and evidently with the most sincere feeling.
Mr. SHEPPARD replied in a long and eloquent speech,
in which he contrasted the satisfactory and pleasing man-
ner in which the business of the West Derby Union was
conducted with that of other unions throughout the
country—remarking on the unanimity and good feeling
which prevailed amongst the guardians themselves, the
character and conduct of their officers, the humane and
charitable feeling entertained by the guardians and officers
towards the poor objects of their care, controlled by a
proper and just economy in the distribution of the funds
entrusted to them—and noticing in a more especial man-
ner the satisfactory mode in which the Workhouse was
conducted. On this subject the chairman dwelt at con-
siderable length on the disgraceful and painful proceedings
which had been published to the world with respect to
some workhouses in the country, and quoted the remarks
lately made in the House of Lords by the Bishop of
Exeter relative to the spiritual destitution existing in
some institutions of that nature. He (the chairman)
was proud to boast that the Workhouse of this union was
equalled by few and excelled by none in its excellent ma-
nagement, and could defy the world to find any just cause
Of complaint in the provision made either for the temporal
or spiritual welfare of its inmates. He alluded in very
complimentary terms not only to the kind and affectionate
treatment bestowed upon the inmates of 'that asylum by
the master and matron, but also to the zeaPand assiduity
with which the respected chapliin (the 'Rev. T. Dwyer)
and the schoolmaster and schoolmistresses performed
their respective duties—gratifying proofs of which were
given in overy inspection of the Workhouse, and more es-
pecially at the half-yearly examination of the children in
the Workhouse Schools—occasions fraught with the
most lively interest to all' who cared for the welfare of
their poorer brethren. The chairman, after alluding to
several other topics of a local nature, concluded his most
eloquent and interesting address amidst the greatest de-
monstrations of approval and delight. •
Mr. PARKER next proposed the health of Mr. Ryan,
the vice-chairman and father of the board, which was re-
sponded to with much feeling, and elicited from that re.
spected gentleman many excellent and appropriate senti-
ments in reply.
The health of Mr. Roberts, the deputy vice.chairmau,
was next proposed, and drank with much enthusiasm, to
which that gentleman replied in a very humourous and
pleasing manner, saying in conclusion that he did not
think there was such a union in the world as that of
West Derby. (Loud applause.)
The health of several members and officers of the board
and other toasts were drunk during the evening, and
many excellent speeches made—and every one present
seemed highly gratified with the proceedings of the day.

Oui MA.RICETS,—The spring delicacies, are beginning
to come to market abundantly, the convenience of rail-
way transit offering every. convenience for obtaining
garden and hothouse produce from the south, white
the steamers,. keep up an. abundant supply of eggs,
'
poultry, butter &c., from Ireland, the Isle of Man,
the North of England, &c., &c. The following were
the ruling paces for the delicacies of the early
eeason,
on Saturday last-- :.Asparagus. one shilling and sixpence
per bundle, of quarter hundred; kidney or French beans,
3s. per four bundles, each bundle, containing forty-
five pods; rhubarb, ls. 6kl. per bundle; new. potatoes,
Is. per basket, of about 31bs. ; radishes, 2d. per.bunch ;
mushrooms, 3s. a.bottle ; scented violets, 2d. per bunch ;
spring chickens, 3s. to 3s. 6d. per pair ducklingtl,ss•per
pair; salmon (prime), ls. 4d. per lb. ;trout, Is. 4d. per.
lb. Cauliflowers, brocoli, -&c., of fine quality, were
abundant and cheap.