The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-30 00:00:00

the Circular comment, as conclusive evidence of
the unfair immunity from taxation which the land
enjoys—" the whole" (the italics are theirs) " of
the public burthens on a very extensive estate in
Renfrewshire not amountinz to Bd. in the pound,
or 31 per cent. on the rental, whilst it is well known
that all the necessaries of life —bread, tea, coffee,
sugar, &c.—are taxed from 50 to 200 per cent. ! ! "
Again, the notes of admiration are theirs, not ours;
and we should imagine that they hail made them in
amazement at the extent of their own dishonesty and
impudence. It never was meant to he represented—
as the writers ought to have known, and, if not
utter blockheads, must have known—that this Bd. in
the pound constituttd the whole of the burthens
upon land even in Renfrewshire ; but only the
amount paid by the landowner himself, or allowed
out of his gross rental. It does not include the
local burthens paid by the tenants ; and the whole
argument is, in fact, as gross a piece of dishonesty
as if we were to say that the tithe composition, or
land tax, paid by the noble owner of Knowsley, or
by any other large proprietor of land, represented
the whole amount of the poor-rates, church-rates,
highway-rates, county-rates, &c., &c., paid by the
occupiers of his estate. The writers of such a
monstrous piece of folly, or worse, ought to blush
for themselves.

The set made by Mr. Roebuck, as the terrier of
the administration, against the hon. member for
Knaresborough, has terminated as all the world an-
ticipated it would. Four weary debates, interrupted
only by an occasional scene, have occupied the time
which ought to have been devoted to the public
business.; and, as the issue, it can neither be said
that the character of the House of Commons has
been materially advanced in the eyes of the country,
or that the parties in whose behalf we have hid all
this fussy talking, occupy a position one jot better
or worse than before. The whole world entertains
the same opinion that it did a week ago, of the pu-
rity of Sir James Graham, and the honesty and wis-
dom of Mr. Hogg; and although we do hear some
alarming news of Mr. Ferrand, that he is " extin-
guished," or " shelved," or " silenced," we shall
take leave to doubt, whether his enemies or his
friends will find that any thing so frightful has
occurred.

We shall not here enter into a consideration of
the merits of the question at issue between Mr.
Ferrand and his opponents. Possibly there may
have been in some respects imprudence in his re-
marks upon the conduct of Sir James Graham.
No doubt that great statesman is all that is pure-
minded and honourable, as a minister and as a
man ; but we cannot see, nevertheless, that the
House of Commons, by any vote or resolution of its
members, can compel us to adopt any other con-
clusion from given facts than we were already pre-
pared for. The " great Mott case," as it is termed,
will be appreciated just the same, whatever the
House of Commons may say or think; and the
world will continue to believe that Sir James Graham
was delighted to get rid of Mr. Walter, and cheered
the finding of the committee which ejected him.
But there is one consideration arising out of these
proceedings which forces itself upon our notice.
Farcical and undignified as they may he, in
one respect they are important, as evincing,
on the part of the House of Commons, a disposition
to stretch its authority a little beyond what is con-
sistent with a due regard to the maintenance of
public opinion and the liberty of the subject.

What right has the House of Commons to sit in
judgment upon every word uttered out of doors by
one of its members, which happens to grate upon
the sensitive feelings of this or that cabinet minister?
Who constituted the House of Commons a Star
Chamber ? Who invested it with the power to deal
with any portion of the actions .r isn*.isc of ita
members beyond its walls ? No one. The whole
of these proceedings we believe to be founded upon
an assumption of power which the House never
legally possessed, or ought to possess; and which
requires to he watched attentively, and resisted, too
if we would not have it stretched into an intolerable
despotism. Once grant to the House the power of
this inquisitorial sway over its members, and who
can say how soon it may lay claim to the privilege
of dragging others to its bar, and rendering it as
dangerous in this free country to assert, or to hint,
that this or that minister is not the quintessence of
purity or wisdom, as it would be in the dominions
of the Brother to the Sun and Moon to suggest
that that near relation of the planets is not infallible.

There are strange things done occasionally in
private committees of the House of Commons ;
strange sights witnessed there. Small men, at
home,—when transported, as portions of deputa-
tions, to the cloisters of St. Stephen's,—become
amazingly fussy and important in look, in lan-
guage, and in bearing; and not a few forget, in
the zeal of their partizanship, that although, in
imagination, far above the world in which they have
hitherto moved, that world will nevertheless not
forget to watch and to comment upon their pro-
ceedings. But, strange as are ordinarily the things
done and witnessed in these committees, we really
cannot bring ourselves to the belief that anything
more strange has recently occurred than a portion
of the proceedings in the opposition offered to the
Liverpool Dock Extension Bill.
We stated in our last that the leading parties to
this opposition were Mr. Brownrigg and Mr. Wm.
Jackson, the latter of whom is well enough known
to be a leading commissioner, park and dock pro-
jector, &c., of the enterprising town, or city, or—
what shall we call it ?—of Birkenhead. By these
two gentlemen a very persevering opposition to the
bill, in all its stages, was kept up. It failed, how-
ever; as the efforts of small men do fail, when they
so ridiculously over-estimate the extent of their
influence as in this case. The committee on the
bill refused to obstruct the progress of the port of
Liverpool. The preamble of the bill was carried,
notwithstanding the startling announcement made
to the bewildered members that the port of Liver-
pool had been built on the wrong side of the river
Mersey ; and Messrs. Brownrigg and Jackson were
thus delicately, but decisively, reminded that they
were still mere men, and, in the locality of Old
Palace-yard, very ordinary personages.
The committee having declared the preamble of
the bill proved, the opposition then proceeded to
cavil at some of the clauses. They were unwilling
that the Dock Committee should be permitted to
ratify their bargain with the Harrington Dock
Company; and accordingly it was insisted upon by
their counsel that, the purchase of the property being
conceded, its value should be assessed by a jury.
We were to depart from the practice, under every
other private bill, and the appeal to a jury to assess
the value of the land required for our southern
docks was to be not optional but compulsory ! The
committee were asked, in effect, to declare their de-
liberate opinion that the bargain between the Dock
Committee and the Harrington Company was a col-
lusive bargain; and that a jury was imperatively
required to keep both parties honest !
Happily, however, the committee paid the people
of Liverpool the credit of supposing that property
could be honestly sold by a company to a public
trust. They thought, no doubt, that as parks

could be projected on one side of the water, without
the projectors having the slightest view of profiting
by the sale of the necessary land, docks could be
so projected on the other side. And they thought
right. Depend upon it there is quite as much ho-
nesty and virtue amongst the members of the Dock
Committee of Liverpool as amongst the Commis-
sioners of Birkenhead or any other body.

THE FUNDS—SATURDAY NIGHT.—The market for
English securities exhibits no change to-day. The closing
quotations are :—Consols, for money and the account,
99 to ; Three per Cents. Reduced, 981 to 99 ; Three-
and-a-Half per Cents. Reduced, 102 to + ; New Three-
and-a-Half per Cents. Reduced, 1021 to 103; Long
Annuities, 12 7-16 ; India Stock. 285 to 290 ; and
Exchequer-bills, 755. to 775. The foreign market pre-
sents no particular feature. Beleian left off 104 to 105 ;
Brazilian, 80 to 81 ; Buenas Aires, 34 to 36 ; Chilian,
102 to 104; Colombian, 14+ to 158: Danish, 88 to 89;
Dutch Two-and.a-Half per Cents., 61+ to ; Ditto Five
per Cents., 104 to 1; Mexican Five per Cents., 35+ to 4i
Ditto Deferred, 151 to ; Peruvian, 29 to 30 • Portucruesei
454 to 461 ; Spanish Five per Cents., 26 to 8 ; and Ditto
Three per Cents., 361 to
THE LIVERPOOL DOCK BILL.—We are assured by a
most respectable gentleman, that the conversation be-
tween Captain Evans and the counsel for the opponents of
the Liverpool DOck Bill before the Parliamentary Com-
mittee as alluded to in our last, was not on any subject
connected with the bill, but on a totally different ques-
tion. A contrary impression was, however, raised in the
minds of several uninterested gentlemen present.
OPERATIVE PROTESTANT Assoc' ATION.—We are glad
to find, amidst so much lukevvarmriess of principle as is
now unfortunately manifested on every side, that this
useful, scriptural, and truly Church of England Society is
still zealously prosecuting its objects. A numerous meet-
ing of the members took place last night, when several
admirable addresses were delivered, but we regret that, as
the meeting was held on the eve of our publication, we
cannot attempt even a brief analysis of the arguments ad-
vanced by the speakers.
HOUSE RortnEnv.--On Saturday, Robert Leyland and
Robert Quick, two young men, were committed for trial
by Mr. Rushton, for breaking through the back window
of a Mr. Scutcheon, and stealing some wearing apparel. a
brass tap, a candlestick, &c. Yesterday the other, of the
gang of three, was found by inspector Anders in his
father's house, concealed under a stair in a dark cellar.
His father had denied that he was in, and the prisoner
when told of the charge aeainst him, said, " This will be
a seven years' job for me." He was committed.

THE FIRE AT MESSRS. PLATT'S, PARLIAMENT-
STREET.—It will be observed from our contemporaries,
that another fire occurred at the premises of Messrs.
Platt & Co., in Parliament-street, on Wednesday last, the
24th inst., in which it is stated considerable damage was
sustained. We are happy to inform the public, that al-
though forty or fifty barrels of turpentine, contained in
two pans, besides several other barrels on the floor, were
all in a blaze, that such was the superiority and safety of
the new building that in less than one quarter of an hour
from the commencement of the fire, the whole was extin-
guished without any damage whatever, and did not even
interfere with the business of the day.
MYSTERIOUS AND CURIOUS ROBBERY. During
Monday afternoon, a cash-box, containing money in
gold, notes, and cheques, to the amount of some £220,
was stolen from a lodging room, in the house of Mr.
Steele, surgeon, of Westgate, in this town. As two men
were going to their work, on Tuesday morning, they
found the box in the old goit near the mill of Messrs. E.
SEA and Co. They immediately took it to Mr. Brigg,
constable. The box now contained £l4O ; so that, after
taking from it about £BO, the thief had thrown away the
more valuable portion of the booty, some of it consisting
of sovereigns ! The party is unknown ; but there can be
no doubt of its being some person acquainted with Mr.
Steele's house, and who knew the " whereabouts" of his
cash box.—Bradford Observer.
THEFT OF OPIUM.—An elderly man named Stephen
Brett, was yesterday charged before Mr. Rushton,
with having in his possession about 41Ibs. of Turkey
opium in balls or cakes, which it was suspected he had
stolen. Messrs, Woolley, Bell, and Co. had received
from on board ship fifty chests of similar opium. One of
the packages had not been seen weighed by their clerk,
but it had been weighed by the landing waiter, and was
about 131bs. deficient, as compared with the invoice. The
theft had therefore been committed before it was weighed
at this port. There was no direct proof that the prisoner
had stolen it, and he had not been employed at the ship;
but as he was required to account for the possession of it
in his house, and merely said a young man had left it in
order to sell it, but he did not know his name, he was,
under the act provided for such cases, committed to gaol
for three months. The opium is, we learn, destined for
the Chica market.
SMUGGLING EXTRAORDINARY.—Last week an in-
stance of smuggling on a large scale was brought before
our stipendiary magistrate. A respectable firm in the
town had consigned to them 450 barrels of rosin from
New York, the proceeds to be handed to a third party
coming over, who arrived by another vessel a few days
before the consignment arrived. He showed much anxiety
that nine barrels (particularly marked) should be de-
livered to himself, and some suspicion having consequently
arisen, the consignees, to check his impatience, said the
whole should be examined by the proper revenue officers.
That evening he wrote to the consignees, stating that he
had departed for London, and desiring that the particular
casks described sbould be stored for 'film-, and not sold or
bonded with the others. The nine barrels were examined
by the officers, and found to contain tobacco inside the
rosin, of fine quality, and cased in tin—the aggregate
weight about I,ooolb. of which the duty to be evaded
would be about £5OO. No blame attaches either to the
master or mate of the vessel, which was placed under
nominal seizure, but has since, we learn, been released.
The party who came over to receive the proceeds and the
nine barrels is said to be a Kentucky trader.
COMMITMENT FOR THEFT IN A DWELLING-HOUSE.—
Early on Saturday morning, while Inspector Anders was
on duty in Scotland.road, he observed two suspicious
looking Tiling men, Willialijaylor, and John M'Donald,
hanging in the streets. He watched them, and followed
them as far as St. James's-road, near the Mount, where,
while a servant girl was sweeping outside the house of
Mr. Robert Youd, one of them, Taylor, slipped quietly
into the lobby, and sown returned with a top-coat under
his arm. The other stood at the outside, and they went
away together. The inspector, and a shopkeeper's assist-
ant, named Joseph Roberts, who witnessed the transac-
tion, followed them down Alfred-street, and at last (after
he had dropped the coat in the street) found him concealed
in an out-heilding in Norfolk-street, and apprehended
him. Roberts picked up the coat and took it to Jordan-
street bridewell. Taylor was brought up at the police-court
on Saturday, and committed for trial. Yesterday morn-
ing Inspector Anders called at M`Donald's father's house,
in Oriel-street, where he found the prisoner, who was
brought up the same day, and being identified as being
with the other at the time of the robbery, he, too, was
committed.

ADMIRABLE PORTRAIT OF JOHN GLADSTONE, ESQ.
—Our townsmen cannot fail to be highly gratified by an
inspection of this full-length portrait, (pow on view at
Mr. Grundy's Repository of Paintings and Prints, in
Church-street,) not only as a superb work of art, but as
a characteristic and striking likeness of a distinguished
individual, whose long and honourable career in our town
as an enterprising merchant, entitles him to be ranked
amongst the fathers of the commerce which she now en-
joys. The colouring is rich, mellow, and harmonious,—
uniting great breadth of light and shade with great power
and effect. The picture is, moreover, remarkable for the
firmness and vigour of execution displayed throughout.
Altogether it is a most masterly work, and one which, for
artistic skill and sterling merit, will rank with the finest
portraits of our times. In these opinions we but submit
an echo of those of all parties who have seen it, and who
are competent to judge of, and appreciate, its worth. One
of these (whose good taste is beyond question) has stated
that it is a speaking likeness; and that the head only
wants the mellowing tone of age to be as fine as any by
Vandyke. We may add, that the engraver has done full
justice to the picture in the admirable translation he has
achieved. The likeness is perfect. In the same room is
still to be seen the fine original picture, by Wilkie, of her
present Majesty's First Council, together wih a variety of
first-rate modern engravings, &c.
CAUTION TO EMIGRANTS.—DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT
OF SOME BOATMEN.—Yesterday, a boatman named
Jacob Francis was brought before Mr. Rushton on a
charge of having (with three others) taken two emigrants
out into the river to join the ship in which they had taken
their passage to America, and on their inability to meet a
most exorbitant demand for their conveyance, after catch-
ing the ship, threatening them, and afterwards bringing
them back, so that they have lost not only their passage but
their clothes, provisions, &c., which were on board. One
of the complainants (M`Carthney) said he and his com-
panion had taken and paid for their berths by the Henry
Bliss. On Saturday the vessel went out into the river
without them, they having mistaken or overlooked the
hour of her departure. Just as she left the basin they
ran down and called the three boatmen to endeavour to
take them on board. They called the prisoner from the
quay to assist them, and the whole pulled off, and in about
twenty minutes overtook the ship, which was under weigh,
and got a line from her, so that they could easily have put
them on board. The fellows, however, demanded .£1 for
their services, saying they would land them if they did not
pay that sum. They had not nearly so much with them,
but eventually mustered up 45., which they received, but
were still dissatisfied, demanding the 20s. in all. M'Cart-
ney hearing them threaten to let go the rope, took hold of
it as his last chance, whereupon the prisoner threatened
to cut off his hand with a knife if he held on. They then
said they had more money on board if the boatmen would
take them, but they refused, and heartlessly casting off
the rope, brought them back to the shore, destitute and
pennyless! The three other men the complainants could
not afterwards find. The other complainant corroborated
his companion in the misfortune. The only defence at-
tempted was that the prisoner was only the servant of the
others, called by them to assist, and obeying their orders;
but this did not avail him. Mr. Rushton strongly repre-
hended such conduct, adding, that 2s. in place of four was
ample legal payment. He regretted that the act affecting
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