The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-07-18 00:00:00

as if they flowed from the lips of

rather than emanated from the

heart of a living and sentient

iman being. But

not a word of encoi

agement to the loyal and peace-
able was mingled with the frigid denunciation of the
disloyal and rebellious !

Why will Sir Robert Peel, by the cold impassive
spirit which he throws into his public actions, de-
prive his countrymen of the power to love the man,
whilst he compels them 'to respect and admire the
minister p We believe him sincere in his desire to
preserve unhappy Ireland from the fate with which
her madness threatens to visit her. We believe him

sincere in his desire now to maintain inviolate the
Protestant Church of Ireland. Nay, by the tone of
disappointment and evident soreness in which, upon
the present occasion, he referred to the result of past
yielding upon this subject, we can almost hope that
the warning conveyed by that result has not been
lost. But why will he throw from him the revived
confidence and the love of those loyal subjects of his
sovereign in Ireland—almost alone in their loyalty !
—which would so powerfully aid and strengthen
him in a position of resistance to aggression ? Why
tell them of the intention of his government to "ful-
fil the principle of the Relief Bill ?" Why hint to
them his intention to maintain the present inopera•
tive and unjust education scheme? Why talk of

maintaining "justice and perfect equality between
Protestant and Catholic," in the administration of
the affairs of Ireland, when the fact is palpably be-
fore him that mere equality %vill not satisfy the latter,
and that the fatal attempt to conciliate by submission
to dictation--the fatal and absurd attempt to con-
ciliate by treating with equal favour the disaffected
and the loyal—has already brought the empire to the
verge of dismemberment ?

by which the rapid progress of disease and death in we may inhale without the risk of infection..
this once-salubrious and healthy town could be The first measure to which we shall call the at-
checked; and it is gratifying to us to know that tention of the Council and the communityat large, is
our efforts have not been altogether unsuccessful, the ventilation of those dense masses of narrow
Something, approaching at least to the seat of the streets, which exist in some parts of the town, by
evil, has been achieved. By the act passed last driving through them wide and spacious thorough-
session, " for the promotion of the health of the in- fares. In no great town that we know is the con-
habitants of Liverpool," the further extension of that struction of the streets more faulty than in. this. In
injudicious system of building, to which is- attri- no town are great arteries, to facilitate communica-
butable much of the disease engendered in the tion and promote health, more wanting. For years
populous districts of the town, will be prevented , past all other towns have been devoting' their at-
and, at the same time, a portion of the evils atten- tention to such an object ; whilst Liverpool, -with a
dant upon the state of existing property will be gra- enterprising popula-
duallynoble corporate estate and' an
removed. Many valuable sanitory regulations tion, has absolutely stood still, or at least done so
have emanated from the " Health Committee" of the little that it is scarcely perceptible. Glance for a
Town Council ; and we may hope that at least we moment at any map of the town. See the masses
are progressing towards a period, at which we can no of wretched and and pestilential streets occupying
longer be reproached with the disgraceful fact—dis- 1 its very centre. Look, for instance, at the streets
graceful to us as a Christian community—that, with between Castle-street, Dale-street, and Whitechapel;
all the means ordinarily conducive to health within and say whether the opening of a spacious street of
our reach, we have permitted our town to become shops, or warehouses, or offices through the heart
the most pestilential and unwholesome locality in the 1 of such a locality is not an object in every respect
'
United Kingdom, and some thousands of our work-. desirable. By such a measure healthy ventilation
ing population to be swept off yearly by disease, of the entire locality would be promoted ; -and at
which might with a little sacrifice and care have the same time an important facility attained for the
" The country owed much to the Protestants of Ire- purposes of commerce.
conducted themselves with so much good been averted,
sense, who
se,
hadunder circumstances of great excitement, in the state With the valuable statistical details contained in An instance of the advantages (so far as the pro-
of the law especially, by which they were not allowed to the pamphlet of Doctor Duncan before us, that fact, motion of health is concerned), which is derivable
state their grievances ; while the other parties were al- from the formation of wide thoroughfares leading
lowed to have processions, though they were not of pre- however unpalatable may be its acknowledgment,
cisely the same character, because the person who was at longer be denied. Whilst in country dis- I
can no through densely populated and crowded parts of the
the head of the repeal movement managed to keep within town, is mentioned by Dr. Duncan. Saint Andrew-
tvheeriliamwe.nt Hewo slvdas sotror to the
f noble earl that the Go.. trios the annual mortality is but lin 54.91, in the
bearance, though they werel
enprepamre
tdhetoir florlicneceteryofrofoear.... the parish of Liverpool it is lin 28'75, and in some street, some years ago, a most unhealthy neighbour-
sure which might be necessary to maintain the peace of the portions of the town, inhabited principally by our hood, was so ventilated by the formation of a tole-
.
country." poor, the rate is infinitely lower. Whilst in the - rably wide street intersecting it; and the result was,
Nor perhaps will the following, coming as it does metropolis itself, the average duration of life is 261 a considerable diminution of the number-of fever
from a "Liberal"—Lord Brougham—be much less years, in Liverpool it is only 17, and, in some parts cases occurring there, and,, of course, of- deaths as
well. The generally improved appearance and con-
Norof the town does not probably exceed .10 years !
is the contraction of the period of human life dition of the locality may be known to many of our
the whole of the evil. We have to lament, as well, readers.
the loss of a great portion of its usefulness and a It may be objected, against the adoption of any
great portion of its enjoyment. Sickness renders
comprehensive measure for constructing such addi-
valueless a greater amount of the time of the labour-
tional thoroughfares through the crowded parts of
ing population of this, than of any other town in the
the town, that it:would require a great outlay, which,.
i
empire. Fever is ever prevailing; and it is remarked in the present state of the corporate revenue, could
as a striking fact in one of a series of valuable letters not be afforded. We maintain, however, that it
which appeared in our columns in January last, would not require that very large outlay which may
under the signature of " Medicus Achates," that the be generally supposed. A great portion of the pro-
class principally subject to its ravages are robust petty which would have to be removed is of a very
working men, whose families are dependent for worthless description ; and the increased value of
that which would be erected in its place, and the
existence and comfort upon the profitable and con-
tinuous employment of their labour. Doctor Duncan increased value of the entire property of the neigh-
mentions one locality—a court in Crosbie-street—
bourhood, would, in our opinion, go far to meet the
outlay.- Such has been the case with regard to most
in which " fifty cases of fever (nearly half of the
of the improvements in the- metropolis. Wherever
entire number of inhabitants) were attended by the
dispensary in a single year, besides a considerable a thoroughfare has been driven through any portion
number of patients with other diseases ;" and when
of the town, the large prices received for front build-
we reflect upon the amount of deprivation and ing plots have paid the greatest part, of the expense,
wretchedness which must have resulted from, pro-
whilst, at the same time, the neighbouring property
bably, weeks of compulsory idleness in each case,
has at once assumed a totally changed aspect, and
the sum is almost appalling to contemplate. been doubled and even quadrupled in value.
Whatever maybe the difficulties however, and by
It is needless, however, to multiply proofs of an
evil which is now admitted, or to picture misery whomsoever they have to be met—whether by the
Council or by the town by means of an Improve-
which, by stepping aside into any of the dens of
filth and disease which surround us, may be seen in ment Act—some such measure as that which we
the reality. A far stronger incentive to exertion
have pointed to must be undertaken. The awful Ba-
than would be any appeal which we could address
crifice of human life and health .and morality, re-
to our fellow-townsmen, is contained in the last two sulting from the present defective sanitory condition
lines of Doctor Duncan's pamphlet. " Could the of the town, must be arrested; and its toleration even
rate of mortality now be reduced to that of Birrning-
thus far is disgraceful to us as a Christian commu-
ham, 1,250 lives would be annually saved !" ONE nity. We can erect new prisons, new workhouses,
THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY LIVES new courts of law; we can lavish hundreds of thou.
s
preserved annually, by the reduction of the rate of sands in promoting the security of our merchandise;
and surely we can also be induced to step forward,
mortality to that of Birmingham only—a manufac- and
at least make an effort to snatch from premature
luring town, with numberless unhealthy employ-
graves those thousands of our working classes, who
menu for its working classes, and not a tithe of the
are yearly wasting in consumption or fever, pent up
local advantages for the preservation of health which
Liverpool possesses over every other large town in in filthy cellars or garrets, in streets whose pestilen.
the empire ! Would it not be a noble effort—
tial atmosphere is never visited by the sun, or the
would it not be an achievement greater than any to fresh breath of heaven !
which the energies of our fellow-townsmen could We shall return to the further consideration of
be directed—if we could, by any sacrifice, rescue this important subject. At present we have ex.
from the attacks of disease, and from premature ceeded our usual limits.
death, so large a portion of our wretched and suf-

To the debate in the House of Lords on Friday
night we can turn, however, with somewhat more of
satisfaction. Not that anything which fell from
ministers in that house can warrant the confi-
dent expectation that a better policy--more just to
the loyal portion of the people of Ireland—is in
immediate contemplation ; but because we conceive,
from the expressions of more than one of the mem-
bers of government in that house, that in the even
of being driven, by circumstances, beyond their
present policy, they are prepared to take their further
steps in the right direction. The following tribute
to the loyal Protestant body in Ireland, which fell
from Lord Wharncliffe, will, we are certain, be re-
ceived by thorn with cordial satisfaction ; and may
serve to prove the existence of a growing, though
rather tardy, conviction in the mind of government,
that the true strength of that distracted land is ITS
PROTESTANT STRENGTH !

gratifying :
" When he mentioned the word " orange," he felt called
on, in justice to that, the Protestant, party of Ireland, to
express his heartfelt gratitude to them for the manner in
which they conducted themselves on the present occasion.
If there were a party with which he most differed, and
with which be had been most constantly in conflict, it was
that high Protestant party ; but this did not blind him to
their great, their transcendent merits on this occasion.
They were placed in a situation which it was truly lamenta-
ble to think of. Whilst they were prevented by a penal
statute from giving vent to their honest, though mistaken,
opinions in a particular way (he meant by their old accus-
tomed processions), they saw their adversaries allowed to
hold meetings, suffered to have processions to any extent,
accompanied by banners and martial music, in military
array, and to boast that the discipline was so perfect that
they were as well trained and drilled under repeal wardens
as the Queen's troops under serjeants and corporals.
(Hear, hear.) Whilst the law did not prevent all this,
the orangemen were not allowed to hoist a single colour
or have the semblance of a procession." (Cheers.)
We ask of Sir Robert Peel—we ask of the go-
vernment—is it justice to treat with only equal
favour and confidence loyal men, and men who are
acting in daring and open defiance of the law ? Is
it " vindicating the "powers of the law" to permit
the monster gatherings of O'Connell and his priestly
confederates to intimidate the peaceful and encourage
the violent, whilst loyal and orderly subjects, who
submit to the law, are met by the cold shoulder of
the governing authorities ? Is it " maintaining in-
violate" the church in Ireland when a state of society
is permitted to exist, the result of which, as affecting
loyal churchmen, is thus deathbed by the Lord
Chancellor of England from the woolsack ?

" We find, however," remarked Lord Lyndhurst, "that
in some places where the Protestants arc few they dare
not show themselves; and this we know, that in Mallow,
where a great meeting was held on a Sunday, TIIE PRO-
TESTANTS DARED NOT ATTEND DIVINE SERVICE! !"

It is with pain that we put these questions. It is
with pain that we see the illegality and danger of
the repeal gatherings in Ireland admitted by the
Duke of Wellington, and denounced as even trea-
sonable by the highest authority of the empire—
Lord Lyndhurst; and yet are told that government
will maintain towards them " their principle of for-
bearance" ! and wait to put them down until they
have precipitated the empire into convulsion and
open rebellion. Sir Robert Peel doubtless esteems
this a prudent and a humane policy ; with the past
before us—with the exposed and defenceless position
of our Protestant brethren in Ireland before us—we

fear it is the contrary; that it displays timidity ra-

fering community ?We are all anxiety—all energy FAILURE OE THE IRISH EDUCATION SCHEME.
—when the object is to prevent the destruction of —From a pamphlet which has just been published,
. our warehouses and our property, by fire or any entitled " A Review of, the
Administration of the
; Board of National Education in Ireland, from its
1 other calamity; and LiUrely human life iis not to IN establistuutnit in 1031 to LO-I.3,"—from the poll of a

ther than prudence—that it is humane only to the dis-
loyal and rebellious, if even it have that meagre vir-