The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1832-12-04 00:00:00

S'br g,,ibtrpeol ktanbarb.

Douglas" would instantly suggest itself—and in fine he
would say; "my friend, lam come not only to ask
what you will not do, but also what you will.
In the same manner the community
of Liverpool will
tell Mr. Thornely, when his views of questions of religious
legislation come under discussion=" we do not wish to
know *hatyou hate only--butalso what you love: Doubt-
less you hale pluralities, you hate non-residence, you hate
the lax or corrupt administration of Patronage—but, in
thus denouncing the abuses which have crept
_into the
Church, do yon denounce them for the sake of those eternal
truths which she embodies, and which these abuses 'cOn-
tribute to nullify and 'obscure? Will you support the
King in the exercise of his coronation oath, wherein he
pledges himself before God, to maintain the fundamental
laws of the Established Churches of these realins ? Will
you duly weigh the obligations of that oath which all
Members of Parliament are required to take, and whereby
they pledge themselves to do no dertiment,- by virtue of
the office they are about to assume, to the National Esta-
blishment, (of course) as a National Establishment ?
Will you above all, Wherever and whenever laW and the
countenance of Government, at home or abroad, is re-
Inited to aid in the advancement of sound, scriptural,
and influential christianity, use yotir energies in the main-
tenance of those truths—which you conscientiously depre-
cate and deny ? "
We earnestly submit this solemn subject to the public:
particularly to the Dissenters of this great community.
We propose speedily to offer some remarks on the posi-
tion occupied by the National Establishment, as the,best
bulwark against Socinianism on the one hand, and Popery
on the other.

TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 4, 1832.

•
'1"& fittest accounts Which have readied us from
land and i3elgium still leave us in doubt as to the proba-
ble issue of our warlike measures against the Dutch. On
one I.)oint, hoWever, there is no. mistake, namely, that
the Belgians themselves depredate the friendly interven-
tion of our wise ministers, and their allieS, the French.
We daily feel a stronger conviction, that after all the
boasting of the tuinisterial.press, the formidable "Demon-
stration," whiCh has I.Yeeit pit tip fo 'frighten the Dutch,
having failed in its object, seine pretence will be found for
withdrawing but itedt.Trom the. Dutch coast, and the
French troops,from Belgium,' leg,ying tlye..pattis inte,
rested in the citiarrel to• settle their differences in their
own way. Indeed, one of the London Sunday papers
(the John, Bull) asserts, that a new. treaty has already,
been got up bet Ween •tis and our allies, and that the old
Diztica will again come into recutsitiou.
_ .

"The kitigcif Flivace, with:fifty thousand men,
Mai 4 a hill, and then, mari.l'd di*n again.,"

The following observations, which we -copy from the
.Bloenin; Chronicle of the 30th ult:, one of toe ministe-
rial organs; so strongly corroborate our opinions upon
this subject, that we lay them before our readers :
‘,4lille Wish •r'e were well rid of this-and all other affairs into
which we .have been dragged by the holy alliance. If the Bel.
glan affair were 'ciLe trusttiiatWe Shall keep clear
,;icontinental bton. in all tnnecoiiiiil;j To the phrase, Ho-
uOur of nienati:m; we never had any strong attachment, the
object of tuose who use it being generally to propose measures
i.reconciliable wiih the dictates of plain sense.
"If nnuisteis can snixecd iii setctinsthis'affair without bring-
iug on a geticral War„tni,y, will be entitled to (he thanks of the
nation. in the ni‘.;antAte, we trait, they milt withdraw thentselres
from the allalt• (Li sathcas the,,ii curt, With any decency."
Ministers have thus, in the opinion 'of-a:thick-and-thin
suporter, get thcanselves into a false position, and the
sooner they can kick out Of it the better: We never
doubted this, and ahitough we shall owe no gratitude to
taose who have:so nearly itA,olVecl us in an uncalled-for
and most unjustiSalite,War, Ak're'Shall.yet be Well pleased
if, having hiundeted in, they can also-blunder-out again.
From Opor:-.6 Wte 'tire Os° NOthOlit urivintereSting neivs.•
If it he true, that the object of the Ala. rquiA Palmella's
mission is to englige ministers 'Ito• interfere in behalf of
Don Pedro, we, imagine the dititeulties of the Belgian
question wilrproduce, at least, anominous hesitation- as
to again Meddling With matters. which' el(f not concern us.
The Landoll papers speak confidently of a dissolution
of Parliainent, as this day, and that•the announcement
will appear in to-night'S Gazette. 'ln *this case we may,
expect the election to take plade here • next week, when
we hope to have proof, ttiat the Conservative spirit of thiS
ancient and loyal borough, although long dormant, is
neither extinct liar 'enfeebled.

DURING the progresS of a contested. election we are
always prepared to see the utmost ingenuity exercised
by the traniers of placards and squibs, in order .to exalt
the merit of their own favourite, and to depreciate that
of the rival candidates. In such ephemeral. productions,
a too strict adherence to truth is seldom 'expected ; but
when a grave and serious appeal is•made to. the " dispas-
sionate reason and judgment" of the electors, and this
appeal is sanctioned .by the.name of a well-known indi-
vidual, as chairnian of a committee,. we should have ex-
pected to have foUnd fair and candid arguments made use
of, instead of insidious misrepresentations, by means of
inuendo, calculated to excite the worst feelings of the un-
reflecting many, who, not unnaturally, may be expected
to take upon trust whatever is stated upon such autho-
rity. We allude, as will be at once perceived, to the ad-
dress of the committee for conducting Mr. Thornely's
election, signed by Mr. William Rathbone, as chairman.
The particular passage in this address, to which our
remarks especially apply, is the following For it must
be evident, on the slightest consideration, that the great
questions which will be agitated in the reformed Parlia-
ment, questions of the greatest and deepest import, will
be those involving, the conflicting interests of the landed
as opposed to the mercantile community of the aristo-
cracy, as. opposed to the community at large." We
do
.not scruple to affirm, that a more gross delusion,—a
more mischievous insinuation, could not be practised or
put forth upon the credulity of .the .public; than is to be
found in the foregoing extract. What can we think of
the candour and political honesty Of
.nien, 'who thus at-
tenipt to instigate one class of the -community to array
themselves against the other ? Who, id no very covert
manner, would persuade the industrious dasses that the
landed proprietors, the aristocracy of the country, are
their natural enemies and oppressors ? We call upon
the committee —we call upon their chairman, to shew, by
fair and sound- reasoning, In•Nirliat maimer the landed in-
terest is oppOsedto the mercantile community, or that of
the aristocraey to the community at large, to exhibit to
us how it is possible for the one interest.to prosper with-
out the other participating in its prosperity, or for the
mercantile community to be 'labouring under serious de-
pression, without the landowners•bearing their full share
of the distress. If they cannot, or .will not do this, the
public will form their own opinion of the goodness of
that cause, which has to be supported by bold assertions,
which will not beat the test of calm'anu dispassionate in-
vestigation. • • •

V 4 are well aware of the odium. which is cast, by in-
terested‘partieS, upon those, who call public attention to
the religious tenets of candidates for 'e'ats in parliament.

.
And, indeed, _nothing can be more unwarrantable than
giiing an 'Undue importance to the shades . of minor
d&ietiees, or than instituting a .presumptuous inquiry
into questions determinable only by Infinite Intelligence.
Such a procedure, unwarranted on any occasion, is, when
adopted far .electioneering ,purposes, absolutely execrable.
hut We. Cannot forget, that there are also certain broad
grounds of -difference, and certain definite and determin-:
ate point§ in 'religion,. to which we are •entitled to look..
We are not to discuss questions beyond the province Of
humad_perccptioris :. but we are npv oly permitted,—we
ore constrained to give due attention to those within it:

And, as it is alWays warrantable, nay obligatory, to mark
these ISSENTlAL.differences, so the warrant becomes
more indisputable, the obligation more imperative, when
we are considering the propriety of committing a solemn
and•a sacred trust to a person, whose case comes within
our rule.

Of course *e allude to the case of Mr. Thornely. We
make no attack on ,his • opinions as an individual—Lbut
when he aspires publicly to the high station of member
for Liverpool, we feel compelled to.ask .seriously of the
andliighly respectable body of christian dissenters
in this• Place,
I. Whether, at all times, the goyermilent a a christian

A prodigiqns outcry has'been. latelY raised by some of
our contemporaries, self-styled "liberals," against what
they are pleased to designate ." Tor intimidation," the

,
country ought, . not •to be regulated by strictly christian extent of which, upon their own shewing, amounts to
principles; at least so long as it declares -christianity to this, that the friends of the constitution have intimated
be the established religion 'of the land? to some of their tradespeople their determination to with-
-. - Whether this obligation is not. now rendered ten-, draW their custom from those who shall, at the approach-
fold more imperative, when the state of that establish- ing election, vote for candidates ryhOse principles they
rnent is ahOlit to come under the eonsideration of parlia- (the TOries) 'deem. subvers;v- of ail good- government.
went,. and when the. fortunes Of. a Church, hitherto Threats have been held out of •publishing the names of
esteemed the bulwark -of Protestantism, are, under God, all those Who shall be disco\ b..efl to have acted so "basely
to be committed to its charge ? " and infamously ;" and an individual, of-the name of Pres-
S. Whether it is -not the opinion of Christian Dis- ton, has addressed a letter to the Ilfeecury,'whieh appears
senterS as well as• the doctrine of •the National Church, in the last number of that.paper, detailing a conversation,
(Whether right. or wrong, is not now the question,) that which he accidentally overheard, between a gentleman
the Socinian creed- absolutely overturns the faunddion and a tradeSman, in a shop iii town, which he noted
of a •thiystfaps hio.., and points out a roaclto -salvation, down as soon as the gentleman left the shop,-and sent to
be it real or. imaginary, wholly distinct from their own ? the editor of a newspaper for,publication. We leave our
4. Whether under these circumstances, they will readers to make their own reflections upon the delicacy
attempt eonfidi .g the iegulafion of the.affaira of a Chris- of such a proceeding, and we' should 'be' glad to know.
tan Church, to ny man, no matter how pre-eminent his what there is in the whole affair to make a fuss about.
iitAtißu;liow bri lianf. his mercantile repute (granting Mr. Does not everyman, Tory, Whig, Radical, or Infidel act
..Thoinelv these (.I)palifi'cations, which we really doubt his 'upon this principle, although he may not think it neces-
poikssessing,) who is essentially arid 'absolutely'hostile to sary to declare it in so many words ? Will the members
its fundamentaldoctrines ? . of Mr. Thornely's committee patronize a Tory printer,
Have they ,foigBttEn -the Memorable declaration of, or stationer, or shoemaker, or tailor, if they can get
Burke: (ThoikhlS on-the 'French 'ReVoliition), "Ve -things equally good from one of their own .partisans?
shall never be'Such-fools as to
scall in -an enemy to the :We trove not, then, why are Tories expected to deal with
SUBSTANCE of any'system, to remove-its corruptions,l Radicals, after they discover them to be so ? We ima-
to supply its,cletects, or to perfect its. construction." 1 :gine, it is in reference to something of this 'kind, that
iV•e.do liotb liev eit Of any but a • faction, 'and'that no Mr: Thoinely, in his address to the electors, says, "he
respectable one of Chiiitian,Di§genters. Hive did— shall be much mistaken if the approaching election_ do
if we could believe that the Dissenters could so far forget not demonstrate the necessity of restitting"to- vote. by
the tie of our coMinpnoliristianify,•as o l'Atnni Neconda- ballot." The argument has been Used a thousand times,
iry
.consideration !whatelTer Sppergetle•thi. primary one, that this measure is indispensibly necessary 'to. protect
~,,•, 1.60,1,, itim ant :such a delusion. not the less bitterly the -honest aizd'eonscientiotts Voter (none but our modern
from ' &trig assayed, that they 'themselves ~WOnlkiiOcAbe liberals a-e honest and. conscientious!) from the •conse-
the last to discover thefatal character. of its consequences, quences of a faithful discharge of his duty. We know
and to rue therre- , . .
~. - not Which is the most-conspicuous, the absurdity of the
~ ..
"It is too 1at1,4,1; say-some 'of the . real Tteforme'rS,. "Jo argument, or the .stnpidity of those who advance it.
raise thettp of, the Church in`danger." _lt .is not too From the first introduction of the reform bill, up to the
fate, if the ChutCh be 'featly 'in danger; 'lt -May have present Moment, its advocates have stoutly asserted, that
been raised, like thenlarm of “ the .W. 011," upon insufficiH ,nine-teriths.of the people throughout the empire were in
ent or Irttudutent inotives. ,'Sall ive therefore follow our, its favour; if this be true, howcan a tradesman suffer, by
prototype in the laßle, ind now when the:wolf is really i voting so asto please such an immense Majority, *hero
CORI% lea e` iLe 'flock defenceless. to . their destroyers?, for Oneeteity'hemakes, he gaihs.nine friends ? Instead
Some bad xneii'hav4i4de that 61.3,,,, bugbear: other, bad! of wishing for the-ballot to conceal for whom lie votes, he
well-strive to flake it a laughing stock.stOck. Good men con- would naturally court the utthostpublicity, that h'emight
idilmiltitelf6riet. 4 : )sittill they swell the .chorus of the latter ? be known • -as one -of the “ friends of the people," and
Mr. ThornelY srtand `..._,.° upon the great IninCiple Of; thereby secure their patronage and protection. The
Protestant .Di4enttl" ' Whatis "Protestant Dissent "ii trtffh, as the Reformers Well knoW, is directly the reverse.
.
A negatin, doubtless, d Popery, and :61-Chniehinafiship : They see and.feel, that the property, the respectability-,
but of *44 is its an kermatzon •Ofnotiring, absblntely the intelligence, of the country are oppOsed to radical in-
nothing..., A man. may be- deetiti*:of. Jigliet destitute of novationil--,-. :and hence the clamour which they raise for
religious principle, dead to' all the- .spiritual. interests of vote by ballot, to protect, as they allege, the tradespeople
guankiucl,-,and yet lie-ina-y 'can Ifiroself a Prot#Stant bis, in .towns and tlte.-tenauts .at w ill .in the tountu, from
seuti,and. nine can contradict him,.. for be is as truly and! .the virldiaiVe hostility ioftheir customers -and landlords;
inclisp4k...bly a Pratatant Dis§eriter, as. -ati Ott-tin, -a .6ax- in plain agliih; -they lit'sth. to- get a Measure introduced,
ter,. or a Bowe. Aid it IS: on 'Lillis' vekative entity, 'that! w-hich shall screen a 'paicel of 44ast_rdly hypocrites from
Mr. ThiJrnely takes Lis. stand.- We want to know of lfirn -the "consecitierict-fs of being sefTetly 'tile foes, Whilst they
who **re* to be . our representatite, tot only what die) Pretend Jo.' be 't,17,. .'friends of those .to whom they are
has net, but: likewise and_principallY.',.ytillp.t hp: has. i chiefly indebted fot their support, and the station which
. .
What,:wp,uld Mr. 'T horribly" think, if upon his can i titer 06011)y: in sb,Le'ty. .W `e
rejoi6e,:thai the delusion is
1,41;0/lel I atiOmroi' P6siffire'sul3plort,• •warennswered -With I fast. pasii4g. away, and that even the humblest classes in
tvathing: but, vrhat *wag rren-ati Vb ? 'f I dolicit:mean to vote ! ifie community are jbeginning- to understand who are
far Lad salid.zu "—" lAtt'perh-aps'youniay.for Sir Howard I really their "friends-irid' benefactors , Ana "we shall be
1