The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-11-05 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

In the adve!ti,etnent of the I.!ccnsed Victuallers• Ball, in our
last pubiicAion, the price of the tickets was ttated t) be 138.
instea4 of Os.

The gentleman alluded to by " Fair Play" is certainly deservng
of 'be homur, by birth, dignity, and princely liberality; and
wer we assured that he desired the office, we sir old Le the
first to enforcz his c'ahns to the utmost of our power.
We were conspelted at a late Hour to withdraw several letters
and paragraphs.

Cbt ittnrpuol

TUESDAY MO RA ING, NOV. 5, 1844.

We should imagine that the result of Friday's
municipal contests must have convinced all but the
stupidly obstinate of the Radical party in this town
of their unhappy and hopeless political imbecility.
"The friends of justice to all classes, and the welfare
of the town at large,"—as our poor Mercury ludi-
crously styles his faction—have been victorious in
one contest ! " A number of persons of a certain
description"—as the same oracle styles the Conser-
vative candidates for municipal honours—have de-
feated, in fair fight, the " well-connected gentlemen,
fit to appear in the pubic service, and able to com-
prehend the bearings of questions affecting the general
and local policy of this great community ; and—
strange to say !—tbat community itself has had the
casting voice in the struggle. Surely in this there
must be something Radically wrong. We must
want a reform of the Municipal Reform Bill ; and
we long to know what is to he the specific, by which
the Radical faction—the rejected of the people--
the despised of the constituencies which themselves
createde--are to be restored to authority in the local
affairs of our borough. Positively, if things go on
at the present rate, before long we shall not have a
single specimen of the genus to ornament and en-
lighten the Council chamber—a calamity to be de-
plored!
We wish we could say that the faction have made
their exit from the political arena like gentlemen.
They have not. Their proceedings on this occasion
have exhibited them in a very different light, as we
shall briefly shew. In North 'l'oxteth they carried
the contest to a close, with a candidate who had not
only declared, by letter to his committee, that he
" could not, on any consideration whatever, under-
take the duties of a common councillor," but had
even intimated that, if they persevered, and he was
elected, they must "be prepared to pay the fine of
his nan-serving of the (Sive." Surely this was wan-
ton and disgraceful factiousness ! In -South Tox-
teth, again, they fought the contest against the Con-•
servative, with a candidate wit) had previously de-
clared by letter that he " most decline, in the most
explicit manner, the honour" of t, ing proposed;
and enumerated such a list of bodily afflictions to
prevent him, as rendered the liberty taken with his
name a piece of heartless cruelty. The very letter
in which this intimation was conveyed, and which
stated that, "whilst I am writing I am writhing with
.pain," should surely have preserved him from being
so indecently trifled with, and from the additional
pain of the defeat which has resulted. The nomina
tion of Mr. Gladstone for Great George's Ward, in
the Radical interest, contrary to his expressed
wishes, is similarly scandalous, whilst the pro-
ceedings of the faction in Pitt-street are perfectly
disreputable to all parties connected with them.
The most rotten of the disfranchised rotten boroughs
never took more scandalous measures for getting up
a contest, or proved themselves less worthy of the
franchise, than the parties in question.
We are sure that the whole of these proceedings
will meet with the reprobation of the respectable
members of the Whig-Radical party. No course
can he ima,ined so eminently calculated to prolong
their exclusion from the confidence of their fellow-
townsmen, than a continuance of such practices.
We beg pardon: there is one influence almost
equally efficacious, viz : the twaddling insolence
with which their opponents are continually bespat-
tered by such scribes as those of the Liverpool
Mercury, of which the article from which we have
quoted above, affords a few specimens. Whig-
Radicalism in Liverpool has indeed cause to ex-
claim "save me from my friends !"

The announcements conveyed in the address of
Mr. Moss, at the meeting of the Grand Junction
Comp-my, on Friday last, possess an interest not
only to the holders of shares iu that Company, but
to all who are embarked in Railway undertakings.
We are now formally made aware of the fact, which
we hat always aniicitytted, that those two great
Railway properties, the Grand Junction, and the
London and Birmingham Lines, have ceased to be
carried on in conci.rt with e .cli o; her—have entered
indeed upon a course of antagonism-; and we have,
in the address in question, the opinions of a gentle-
man, perhaps better and more intimately conversant
with Railway management than any other man in
the kingdom, as to the effect, upon the interests of
the Company over which he presides, of the unfor-
tunate split which has taken pli.ce. These opinions
we purpose examining, having first, however, briefly
noticed the proceedings which the Grand Junction
Company have resolved upon adopting, with a view
of strengthening their position.
The course, Mr. Moss states, is for the GrandJ unc- •
tion, "to be prepared for any alternative" : and an-
nounces that, accordingly, "all needful measures
are being taken for putting before parliament their
Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, and also their
Shrewsbury and Stafford Lines," relying upon the
judgement and fair consideration of the Board of
Trade, to decide which of the rival schemes offered,
are the most likely to be conducive to the public
benefit. Mr. Moss cannot think that parliament
will allow new lines to be made, running parallel
and close to the Line of the Grand Junction Com-
pany ; but, allowing the worst to happen, and such
competition to be directed against them, he believes .
that, " the lines authorised, or to be authorised,
north and south, as well as in Ireland, will, to a
great extent, compensate them for any loss of traffic
which threatens them"; and, he reminds the share-
holders that they possess an advantage in the race
of competition, arising from the cheapness of con-
struction of their own Railway. He depends, too,
upon the arrangements recently made and contem-
plated, for promoting the convenience of the public,
amongst which, he mentions most prominently, the
increased number of second class trains already pro-
vided; the increased comfort and reduced price of
the third class trains, and improvements now mak-
ing, and hereafter to be made at their stations.
From all these considerations, he deduces the con-
clusion that, "if parliament would only protect
them against unnecessary competing: Lines, the
public would be vastly benefited, for the Company
have no wish for exclusive advantages, their view
being to divide with the public the profit of increased
traffic, both in the way of low prices, and increased
accommodation!'

We agree with the bulk of the opinions here ex-
pressed ; and, with Mr. Moss, feel assured that par-
liament will not sanction any needless competing
Lines, provided the Grand Junction fairly, and in
earnest set themselves to the work of providing all
the reasonable accommodation within their power
to the various important localities which lie adjacent
to their Line. We cannot, however, but regard it
as an unfortunate circumstance, and one calculated
to weigh seriously against them with any Commit-
tee, before whom their claims to protection may be
laid, that they have hitherto done so very, very little
in, this direction, considering the vast margin of
profit at., their disposal. A Company, which con-
cedes'to the loudest requirements of the public only
upon_ compulsion, is not usually the object of public
sympathy, when attacked in their monopoly :and
we are nor, therefore, so certain as we should other-
wise have been—nor, we suspect, is Mr. Moss him-
self—that several of the proposed competing Lines,
to which, as natural appendages to their own Line,
the Grand Junction Company might have fairly laid
claim, will not be thrown into the hands of their
present projectors. The legislature, as evidenced
by the Railways Regulation Bill of last year, appear
to have arrived at the conclusion that some strong
coercive policy is required to force existing Com•
panics into concessions to the convenience of the
public; and there are many schemes sanctioned last
session, which tend to prore that the weapon, in
which their greatest reliance is placed, is encourage-
ment to competing Lines. We cannot, therefore,
assure the proprietors of the Grand Junction Line,
of immunity from legislatorialro y inthe
perretiirisal for the past.
Their fancied exclusive p
through which their Line runs will,we are confident,
be strongly and successfully attacked; and, although
we rely, with as great a confidence as Mr. Moss
himself, in the elasticity and resources of the con-
cern over whose interests he so ably and honestly
presides, we fear that, for a time, the. shareholders
must prepare for some sacrifices of interest upon
their investments and less imposing dividends.
The future welfare of the concern is, however,

still in the hands of the direction, and may be ad-
vanced, or sacrificed, according to the extent to
which they prepare themselves to carry out those
improvements of which their important Line is so
capable, and, we may add, so greatly in need ; and
here we may address to them a few words of advice
—of complaint indeed—suggested by that portion
of Mr. Moss's speech which points to the proposed
future proceedi-igs of the Company. Mr. Moss al-
ludes to improvements to be made in the Company's
stations. We have heard too of projects for short-
ening the Line from near Warrington to Liverpool,
by which, the outrageously large angle, at present
seen upon the map of this line, will, to some extent,
be cut off. But really, and seriously, we must tell
the Board that, such alterations as we have heard are,
in projection will not satisfy, and ought not to
satisfy, the public. The Company must do some-
thing on a more extended scale. They must not
hope to be permitted to drag their traffic some miles
round to a junction with the Liverpool and Man-
chester at I-luyton or Rainhill, for the sake of saving
the cost of an independent station. Both stations
of the Liverpool and Manchester Line are already
incompetent enough for the accommodation of its
own legitimate business; and when so great a dis-
tance can be saved by the Grand Junction, by a di-
rect line from near Runcorn Gap to the south end
of the town, the expense of a separate station and
tunnel ought not to be an object of consideration,
with a Company so wealthy and prosperous as this
has ever been, and is at the present moment. In
such an effort the public and the legislature would
recognize a bona-lide desire on the part of the Com-
pany to make the best use of the extensive means
at their disposal; and without such an effort we are
satisfied that the encroachments of rival undertak-
ings must go on and become, at no distant date,
seriously damaging to their interests.
We have made these remarks with all good feel-
ing towards those of our fellow-townsmen, and others
who are embarked in this undertaking, and we trust
that they will be taken in the same spirit in which
they are offered. They may be found worthy of
consideration.

The retirement of Mr. Sands from the office of
Mayor, at the close of the municipal year, affords us
an opportunity, which we gladly embrace, of making
a few remarks upon the mode in which he has dis-
charged the important functions of that high office.
Mr. Sands, it will be remembered, entered upon the
discharge of those functions under circumstances of
some difficulty. A charge had been preferred
against him, affecting his private character as a mer-
chant; and some men there are who would have
preferred to waive their claim to such an honour,
rather than undergo the searching ordeal necessary
to clear them from the imputations brought against
them. Mr. Sands was not such a man. He went
boldly to the proof of the perfect purity of his
actions. He was absolved from every thing which
could savour of even the appearance of dishonoura-
ble conduct, by an imprtial tribunal ; and he en-
tered upon his duties, as Mayor of the second town
in the empire, with a character for probity and
honesty, not sallied in the slightest degree by the
attempt made to do it injury.
Entering upon such an office under such circum-
stances, the conduct of Mr. Sands in his official ca-
pacity has naturally been more strictly subjected to
criticism than, otherwise, it might have been; and
we rejoice to say that even the tongue of malice can-
not bring against it an imputation. We do not
affect to say that it has been to our own perfect sa-
tisfaction.
Upon one subject, and upon one alone
(which will be sufficiently recognized by those who
have beea in the habit of perusing our leading
columns), we have felt it necessary to object to his
proceedings and opinions. We pass this by, how-
ever. We know that, on that occasion, the conduct
of the Mayor was dictated from motives the most
pure of what he was led to believe was his duty ;
and we:readily forbear all further notice of the subject
We can well afford to an honourable man the right
of private judgement, and esteem him still honest
and consistent, ;iltliough he may differ from us upon
any particular point not all-important to the cause
of which we are the humble and unworthy advocates.

In the hands of Mr. Sands,—and we have
watched his career attentively,—the duties of the
Mayoralty of Liverpool have been performed with
dignity and credit to the tow-, over which he has
had to preside. It has fallen to his lot, during his
tenure of office, to dispense the hospitalities of the
Town-hall to many distinguished visitors. It has
I been his privilege to entertain royalty ; and none
who have attended his entertainments upon any of
these occasions can say that the honor and credit of
this great town were not munificently sustained by
him. But better even than this,—because mere
vanity and ostentation could not he said to have been
the impelling causes of action—we point to the
readiness shewn by Mr. Sands, on all occasions, to
make his high office subserve to the cause of charity
and the social amelioration of his fellow-townsmen.
In this use of his dignity no man within our memory
has excelled the gentleman of whose merits, as
Mayor of Liverpool, we are at present recording our
humble opinions.
We take leave of the subject. It required not
even this length of remark. We may, h- wever,
further express our grateful sense of the personal
amenity which has ever distinguished Mr. Sands,
whilst occupying his high office; and assure him that
he will retire into his station as a member of the
council with the good wishes of all, with whom his
more elevated station has brought him into contact.

A paragraph appeared in the Journal of Saturday,
and was copied into the Albion of Monday, contain-
ing statements respecting the forthcoming election
of mayor, and aldermen of this borough, to which we
feel bound to give the most decided contradiction. It
is asserted—and sneeringly asserted too—that Mr.
James Lawrence is to he elevated to the mayoralty,
by a species of compromise with other gentlemen,
supposed to be aspirants to the office, and agreed to
at a preliminary meeting of Conservative members
of the Council ; and a list of names is given of the
parties to be elected aldermen, as a set off to the
withdrawal of opposition to Mr. Lawrence. The
whole of these details are pure inventions,—as false
as they are utterly ridiculous.
No such preliminary meeting as is spoken of has
been held. Of that we are well assured. And,
further, we are perfectly confident that Mr. James
Lawrence would never submit to owe his elevation
to the mayoralty to such a degrading compromise
with other aspirants, as is alleged to have taken
place. Mr. Lawrence submits his claims to that
honour entirely to the unbiassed and unbought con-
sideration of the members of the Council; and we
believe will be elected by their unanimous voice,
although certainly in accordance with no procon-
certed arrangement by which his honor can be com-
promised.
With respect to the parties to be elected to the
office of aldermen, we are assured that not only has
no such arrangement—no such "compromise"—
been entered into, upon the terms alleged by the
Journal, and, copied by the Albion, but no arrange-
ment at all has, at this moment, been come to, or,
so far as we are aware, attempted. We could not
point, nor do we believe that any other man could
now point, to the name of a single gentleman whose
aspirations to the honor of election to the office of
alderman is secure, or, from any other consideration
than his merit, likely to be responded to by the
majority of the Council.
We are unwilling, for reasons which on a former
occasion we have given, to enter more at length into
this subject, or to suggest anything to the Council
with respect to the course for them to adopt. We
leave the elections to he made unreservedly to their
good judgment and consideration.

THE FUNDS, SATURDAY NIGIIT.—The funds have
scarcely supported the currency of yesterday. business
having been limited, and the market closing early. Con-
sols for money left off this afternoon 994 to ; and for
the account, 991 to par. B ink Stock closed 203 to 205 ;
India Stock, 287 to 289; India Bonds, 89s. to 91s. pre-
raium ; '1 hree per Cents. Reduced, 99 to k ; New Three-
and-a-quarter per Cents., 101/ to 101 ; and Long Annui-
ties, 12. Exchequer-bills continue to feel the influence
of tb- increased demand for money, leaving off to-day at
655. to 675. premium, which within the last fortnight
shows a decline of Bs. premium in the.e seeuritie., the
quotation having been previously 735. to 755. premium.
In the foreign market business was of the least impor-
tance. Spanish is quoted rather firmer, but the Stock
Exchange Lad closed before The Times was received in
the city with the news of the attempt to assassinate Ge-
neral Narvaez and Baton de Meer. The effect is antici-
pated to be unf-tvourable when the market opens on Mon-
day. Spanish Three per Cents. this afternoon closed at
35/ to 1; Five per Cents., 234 to 24. The other prices
ip;ere Dutch
nt 1:9w5o4••
were--Belgian, 101 to 102 ex div. ; Brazilian, 85/ to 86i;
Chilian, 101 to 103; Colombian, in to 14; Danish, 884
to
9FoBu9r ;a -tHh
the
livfipveer Cents.,
Cents.,
211971
0,•
9t9h e;
atondi
Mexican, 344 to the Deferred, 15P "
1184 to 194. to 4: and Russian,