The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-30 00:00:00

MEETING AT TH E MECHANICS' INSTITUTION

LAST NIGHT.

A meeting of the friends of, and subscribers to this in-
stitution was held in the theatre of the building yesterd 'y
evening, fur the purpose of aiding the committee in the
establishment of a girls' school in connexion with the
institution. The Right Hon. the Earl of Sefton took the
chair amidst great cheering, and, rising, said that it was
not his intention to occupy the time of the meeting with
any remarks as to the object for which they had met;
and though he would yield to no person in a desire to pro-
mote that object, yet he knew his powers of eloquence
were inferior to hose who would enter into details, and lay
before the meeting an outline of the proceedings intended
to be pursued, by a series of resolutions, to which he
did not think he had any necessity to crave their at-
tention, as they were not there to promote any political
ascendancy—they were there to promote the good of the
community—(cheers.) The secretary would read a letter
from the Bishop of Norwich. after which an appeal
would be made to the hearts and common sense of the
audience, and a not less sensitive appeal to their pockets
—to which he felt assured they would respond in a man-
ner suited to their class. The secretary, Mr. Hodgson,
here read the letter from the Bishop of Norwich, in
which he approved in the strongest terms of the object of
the meeting, and lamented his inability to attend.
T. WISE, Esq.. M.P., then rose to propose the first re-
solution, which applied to the establishment of the schools,
arid the necessity of providing education for the female
portion of the community, and advtered in most glowing
and eloquent language, to the progress of the institution
since he had last (some years ago) had the pleasure of ad-
dressing an assembly in that building. He then ventured
to hope that but a few years would go by ere such insti-
tutions would be spread through the land : this he had
ventured to prophecy—and other institutions, not oppo-
nents. but imitations—not to throw objections in the way,
but to rival it in doing good, now existed. He alluded
to the cramped means formerly offered for attaining know-
ledge, which made education a manopoly, and its proles.
sors an aristocracy; and in an affecting manner pictured
the utility, and the blessing, an educated woman was to
society, and to the influence women possessed over the
masculine portion of tbe community. He depicted the cha-
racter of the Eastern women, and the influence custom
produced on them, and illustrated the progress of educa-
tion through the women of the more civilized nations of
Rome and Greece, proving that the great object of educa-
tion in women was to produce a corresponding influence
on men, as mothers and as wives—for behind the greatest
characters of men was seen shining the radiating influence
of the mother. He then alluded in stronger language to
the depraved condition of the colliery arid factory classes
designating them as in a state of heathen blindness and
crime, and concluding his most eloquent address, by ex-
horting to spare no exertion in forwarding an object that
would be of so much benefit in improving the moral c
dition of a class who had as great a claim on society for
education as their more favoured brethren, the male por-
tion of the community. He retired, after speaking up-
wards of an hour, amidst great applause.
H. Hominy, Esq., in a short address, seconded there-
solution ; after which

The SECRETARY read a luminous report of the corn-
mitte, which is about to be published, and which is cer-
tainly worthy of attention, as it treats the subject in a
most masterly manner. The report concludes by stating
that through the munificence of George Holt, Esq., the
committee had made arrangements for Blackburne H ottse,
a building admirabiy adapted for the purpose proposed.
Dr. BLACKBURNE moved the adoption of the report,
which was seconded by Mr. BRANCRER, and carried una-
nimouslv.

Other resolutions were carried relative to the prelimi-
nary department of the establishment, and the meeting,
after voting thanks to the Chairman and Mr. W.se, sepa-
rated, all apparently highly delighted, and much interested
in the object for which it was called.

SURROGATE AT WEST DERBY.—The Rev. Thomas
Gardner, M.A., the incumbent of St. Anne's Church,
has been appointed by the Chancellor of the Diocese one
of his surrogates for the granting of marriage licenses, the
probate of wills, &c.
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.—We understand that the Rev.
Joshua Hughes, vicar of Abergwili, Cartnarthenshire, who
is nearly related to the Rev. Wm. Hughes, of this town,
preached in the 'Welsh language, to a very numerous con-
gregation, at St. Paults Church, last Sunday afternoon.
We hear, likewise, that the Bishop of St. David's, whose
palace is at Abergwili, performed the duties in Welsh at
Abergwili church, last Sunday, in the vicar's absence.
The inhabitants of the principality can now justly feel
proud in having the above learned prelate often officiating
in their own ancient language.

CHARGE OP CRUELTY AND ASSAULT AGAINST A
CAPTAIN.—On Saturday afternoon, and by postpone-
ment yesterday, Mr. Rushton was engaged for many hours
in investigating a case in which an English captain (Peter
Petre) master of the barque Lydia, was charged with
having inflicted several dangerous wounds on several
parts of the body of one of his seamen, Josiah Lawton,
a native of Massachussetts in the United States. The
defendant, for many years, held a commission in the
navy, and had ever since commanded merchant ships
oursof this port. Mr. Harden (barrister) appeared for
the defendant, and Mr. Owen (solicitor) for the com-
plainant. Mr. Owen briefly stated the tacts, which in-
volved a charge of a very grave character. He then
called the complainant, who appeared with his fingers
bandaged, and both his hands suspended in a sling.
Complainant stated that on the evening of the 19th of
December, when on the passage from the Brazils, be re-
ceived orders from the mate to go aloft, a .d take in
the top-gallant studding sail yards. He went aloft but

of one of the boOrns being too fast for him. He came
down= on deck for a marlin spike to unloose it. He
asked the mate if he could tell him w' ere he could find
one, and the reply was " Do you think I carry a marlin-
spike in my pocket!" Complainant said " I don't
know whether you do or not,', and the mate exclaimed
" I want none of your jaw." The captain then came
up, and on being told by the mate what had happened,
said "Tut, tut, I never heard the like before. Com-
plainant said if he were not allowed to cut the heel-
lashing he could not send the boom down. The captain
complainant had
to
the would not allow him to do so, telling him he must go
gotaloft
partlyan d completea pta
rigging,htask.is
When
mate called
to
learn what he said of him, and he repeated the
words. The captain thereupon cried. " You d—d
Yankee son of a—, come down here." He came
down, and the captain said, "The mate shall have you
slung up, and give you a severe flagging." The com-
plainant replied " the sooner the better," and the
captain immediately struck him two blows on the face.
The captain and mate then seized him. The former
dropped his hold and ordered two of the crew to take him
aft. They obeyed taking him aft as far as the mainmast.
The captain then went to the cabin and speedily returned
with a sword in his hand : he went up to the man (who
was held by the two) and struck him once or twice with
the sword in its scabbard; but almost immediately after-
wards, complainant saw the sword naked. The captain
then cut at him with the sword, severely wounding him
on the arms, shoulders, head and hands—cutting at such
a rate that complainant cried out " for God's sake, spare
my life !" He, however, received two or. three cuts pore,
when he again cried for mercy, believing at the time that
he was bleeding to death. After the second appeal the
captain ceased to cut him any more. He then told the
captain he was bleeding to death. The captain in a
coarse wanner said he did not believe he was bleeding at
all. The two men held him whils•the captain struck him
with the sword, it being very dark ; but when they found
suet) a weapon was used they let him go. The complain-
ant afterwards asked the captain to dress his wounds.
He at first refused, but immediately afterwardS seeing (as
a light was brought,) he was bleeding Copiqu-IY, he had h's
wounds washed, and dressed them. Complainant denied
that he ever struck the captain or the mate, though it
appeared that he had had " a gripe" or tuss'e with the
latter, and that they were both successively down under
some water casks. Several of the sailors on board cor-
roborated this testimony, and spoke to the dalagerous.
nature of the wounds. Kelly, a passenger on board,
dressed them daily, at the request of the captain on the
remainder of the voyage. Hr. Harris, of the Northern
Hospital, said complainant had• been brought there the
day before, and described the wounds on the arms, &c.
Half of one of his little fingers had been cut off. The
wounds he considered to be at first dangerthis to life,
and had evidently been inflicted with a sharp instrument
A sheathed s..ord could not have inflicted them, as they
were clean cut. Mr. Harding said, by instructions, that
a naked sword bad not been used, and that the captain
had long born an excellent character. He called the
chief mate, who stated that on the coast of Brazil com-
plainant had, when near a dangerous shoal, steered the
ship from aide to side, in order as complainant said,
" to have a row with the captain," and that at the
time of the affray he had struck the captain, and
immardr— him Ms.'" ` T'ha —11150,-1211 tug its

attempted to " gouge the mate. Another passen-
ger said the captain's conduct was that of a gentleman,
and that he had not used undue violence.—Mr. Rushton
said that no doubt the complainant had been saucy; that
he and the mate had had a previous grudge, but that the
conduct of the captain imusing such a weapon was rash
and intolerable, and he must answer for it before a tri-
bunal of his country.—The Captain was admitted to bail
until yesterday, as (it was stated that he had some incul•
patory evidence to adduce,) himself in £5OO, and two sure-
ties in £250 each.—Yesterday the captain again'appeared,
and Mr. Harden addressed Mr. Rushton at some length,
urging that the ends of justice would be satisfied by the
case being disposed of, by fine, in that court; that -the
captain had had great provocation ; had for a moment lost
temper, and done wrong, but that an arrangement forcom-
pensation might, he understood; be made
it with the com-
plainant. He added that he had some mitigatory testi-
mony, but when it was called failed to satisfy Mr.
Rushton's mind, and after commenting on the over-
stretched exercise of the captain's legal powers in the
case, (though he himself had long known and respected
him,) he said that even if a compromise could be come to
with the complainant, the pnblic interests and public jus-
tice must take precedznce of private feelings, and he had
no resource but to send the case for adjudication in -the
Central Criminal Ccurt. As, however, some :witnesses
were absent, who, it was stated,
.would throw some miti-
gation upon the conduct of the captain, he should not then
commit, but take the same recognizances for his appear-
ance to-morrow (this day) at two o'clock. The recogni-
zances were produced, the captain in £5OO, and two in
£250 each, and the defendant was liberated. Most of the
witnesses were also bound over to appear at London, the
complainant (who is an inmate of the Northern Hospital,)
in the sum of £lOO —(We have been requested to give
Capt. Petrie's most solemn denial that he used, during any
part of the affray, a naked sword. We have also received
a written explanation of the circumstances, which, if Capt.
Pe' re can substantiate on his trial, will go far in relieving
him from his serious position.]