The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-02-03 00:00:00

THE ANTLCOBN-LAW "BANQUET"

This feed came off at the Amphitheatre on Tuesday even-
ing, and, considering the " dreadful note of preparation"

cements, by

"monopolising" the walls of the town, and by
and puffs in the radical papers; considering,

the shifts, the turns, the inventions multiform," resorted

to by the leaders of the

nti-Motiopc

sociation, and the

labours of their pool' clerks, who for weeks before had been

kept night and day scribbling invitations to " distinguished

individuals

" to be present (and _for which their unfeeling

employers ought to be indicted for " cruelty to animals");
considering all these things, the doment—both as regards
the attendance of " those of high degree" (said to be ex-
pected) in noble " lords" and M.P.'s, as well as in " ladies,"

I and also in the quality and staple of the " blarney" that was
I retailed out, after the guttle, in lieu of oratory—fell far short
of the anticipations excited amongst the friends of the revo-
lutionary cause which it was purposed to promote, and who,
feeling deceived and disappointed, exhibited most tragical
elongations of countenance ; while those, on the contrary,
who entertained contrary and loyal opinions—of whom many
were present from mere curiosity—enjoyed a hearty laugh at
s the proceedings, which they could only regard as a farce.
The tables were pretty well attended, as it was known that
Mr. Lynn was an excellent caterer ; and it was well that
such a repast was provided, as it might otherwise have been
imputed to the committee that they took the large sum of
admission charged, 12s. 6d. a head, without value given,
for beyond the cold collation there was nothing substantial
whatever—no ':.feast of reason" and no " flow of soul."
The boxes were appropriated for the ladies, at 7s. 6d. each,
and exhibited at the back a beggarly account of empty seats'
The witches got nothing for their money but the sight of those
below enjoying the viands and demolishing the sponge-cake
castles, &c. that ornamented the board, until their pretty
mouths watered again. We beg pardon ; they had also an
opportunity of hearing the blarney aforesaid ; and though
some of them retired pretty early, a few remained to the
last, thus exhibiting to an extraordinary extent that patience
under infliction which is so high an ornament of the sex. The
gallery was " opened" to the public—at 2s. 6d. each ; and a
few of the front seats only were filled. By the way, of the
entertainment—may it not be asked whether there be not
gross inconsistency in a set of men exhibiting theirgastronomic
powers at a banquet, at 12s. 6d. a head, at a time when they
are continually dinning it in our ears that thousands of their
poor countrymen are perishing for want of bread ? Why do
they not rather take a plain dinner, at their own firesides,
and give their five half-crowns to relieve the 'sufferings of
those with whom they affect to sympathize? Alas! with
philanthropy eternally on their lips, they are devoid of genu-
ine humanity in their hearts; with all their fine professions,
their humanity begins and remains at home; their feasting is
but a mockery of those who are fasting, and is but an addi-
tional evidence of their insincerity—their hypocrisy.
The house was decorated with flags and bedaubed with
mottoes. Over the chair was hung a large flag, representing
Britannia, in sorry plight, manacled and chained to three
blocks, or perhaps books, inscribed respectively " Corn
Laws," " Monopolies," and " Differential Duties. A figure
representing the ghost of Napoleon, appeared in the clouds,
staring, as if in triumph, at the fettered Britannia, and be-
low is inscribed a sentence to the effect that the corn-laws
have prostrated and enchained England, which the Berlin De-
crees had failed to do. A more insulting and traitorous re-
presentation we never beheld, and we tell the fellow who de-
signed it, to his teeth, that he lies,—doubly lies *hat Britan-
nia is not yet enchained ,and that neither the revolutionary spirit
which the despot of France may have left behind him, nor
any other power on earth shall ever exult in beholding her in
the humiliation in which she was there represented.
Amongst the delectable mottoes were—" The corn-law is a
rent law"—" Free traders are of no party"—"A protected
trade is a useless trade," (Qy.)—" Free traders shoulder to
shoulder," (when drunk, we suppose, so that they may
support each other!)—" If one man receives protection,
another pays it," (that is, pays protection; rather a droll
sort of payment,)—" No sliding scale"—" No fixed duty"—
" Commerce is barter," (what ghost told them that ?)
There was also at the back of the stage a representation of a
huge sliding scale, or as it was inscribed, a " Starveometer,"
with a double groove and index. Some little boys were em-
ployed to pull a bit of red calico up and down one of the
grooves to show the rise and fall of prices, to the infinite
edification of the youngsters in the upper gallery ! A more
ridiculous piece of machinery was never seen ; but it was
quite as suitable as the scenery for the farce.
The " banquet" being concluded, the chairman (T.
Thornely, M.P.) read a great number of letters from " dis-
tinguished" parties who had been invited, but who non
Brant inventi. The Earl of Ducie, who was to be the prime
card of the evening, was confined to his bed-room, and could
not attend. Lord Kinnaird was doubtful whether he could
leave Scotland " this month," and did not come. Lord
Radnor could not avail himself of the invitation. The Hon.
Fox Maule felt complimented, but had business in London
on that very day. Mr. W. Ewart thought "it would be
best for him to decline the invitation, as he would be of more
real use in London." He showed his good sense in staying
where he was and saving his railway fare,as he could really be
of no use here. Mr. Oswald, of Glasgow, " was detained
by the steamer not sailing as expected"—shame in the Cap-
tain not to be more punctual. Mr. J. Dennistoun regretted
he could not attend ; Sir John Easthope " found it necessary
to absent himself;" and lastly, Mr. Thomas Carlyle " was
detained by engagements."
So many of the intended actors being absent, as might be
expected, the performance was like Hamlet (Travestie), with
all the principal characters left out by particular and incon-
trollable misfortune. The committee must have known full
well, days (nay, weeks,) before, that one-half of those an-
nounced in the placards Would not make their appearance,
yet " their cry " to the last hour was " still, they come,"—
for the purpose of disposing of their tickets. " Old Dan "
did, however, arrive, and was of course the lion of the night
—albeit, lie roared most lamely. On his en t ranee the band
played up, and cbaunted, the very sentimental and delicate
air of " Jim along Josey !" with the words introduced of
" Paddy will you now," &c. This dignified strain quite
suited the calibre of the long.ears of the leaguers.

Of the speeches it cannot be expected we should say much,
in mercy to our readers. The chairman, who will never set
the Mersey on fire by his eloquence, did his best. Mr. Vil-
liers delivered by far the best address of the evening—evin-
cing much tact, and no small display of eloquence on the
wrong side of a question which he has been busy with for
years, and on; which he was at home. Colonel Thompson
spoke next, and as he is getting old, he urged the training of
the youth of Liverpool in " hidden principles," in the hope.
perchance, of their perpetuating his own delusions through
life,—though, we hope, such principles will remain " hidden"
from them. Mr. Quaker Bright made a furious, but im-
potent attack on a recent speech of the Rev. H.
and closed with a scrap or two of poetry. The Great Dan
succeeded, and amused the leaguers with a few Irish jokes.
Having concluded his part of the farce, he wound up, Irish
like, with a bit of the tragic, with reference to the destitute
mothers, widows, and orphans of England. Dan is advanced in
years, and is evidently as a speaker in the wane. He had better
rusticate for the remainder of bis days at Derrynane.
General De Lacy Evans let the andience know that he had
been abroad ; but what good he had done there or here we
could not gather. A Mr. James Wilson was called on, on the
Interest"fan hour behig
byto " Shrewsbury clock," a dryasted, and began and carried on
"Shipping
for
statement of Imports and exports, quite as interesting as the
reading of an old almanac or directory. He partly drove
two-thirds of the ladies out of the boxes before he had done
with the year 1839, and as there were three years to follow,
we seriously thought of sending home for our night cap.
The chairman gave him several admonitions private and
finally public, and the shuffling and coughing became loud
and not to be misunderstood, but
" Even though cautioned, he would gabble still."l
till at length (happy relief from his unintelligible facts and
figures !) the ladies having nearly all disappeared under his
continued infliction, and the whole house becoming noisily
impatient, he was obliged to close abruptly, amidst loud
cheers, not for his speech, but for his sparing of his friends
of its further extension. Mr. Sharman Crawford spoke
feebly and, happily, briefly. Dr. Bowring with more vehe-
mence than argument or grammatical accuracy. Mr. Wilson
had so monopolized the time of the meeting with his mono-
polies that several intended toasts were entirely skipped, cut-
ting out the redoubtable member for Vauxhall ward (Dr.
Blackburn,)
who, we learn, had, as the Yankees say, " a first-
rate" speech in his pocket, with which it is to be hoped he
will edify the Council on some early occasion.
The band played God save the Queen, and so ended " this
strange eventful history."

BOULOGNE AND CALAIS.—No less than 510 travellers,
25 horses, and 4 carriages, passed through Boulogne during
the week ending the 26th of January. Only 213 travellers
and 1 carriage embarked or disembarked at Calais during the
same period.
On the 26th ult., Mr. John Gittins, of Shrews-
bury,
Thursday, the
suicide, by throwing himself into the river
Severn. He had been unfortunate, and his furniture was
advertised for sale ; and the prospects of this, and seeing his
wife and four children brought to wants preyed heavily on his
spirits, and on the morning in question, at five o'clock, he
plunged into the river. When the body was found, it ap-
peared that the unhappy man, in the wildness of his despair,
had bound a handkerchief tightly round his nose and mouth,
previously to throwing himself into the river, which had in a
great measure prevented the body from sinking, although it
is probable the sufferings of the deceased were dreadfully
prolonged in consequence.
At midnight, on Saturday last, a number of ruffians attaeked
the farm-house of Mr. Thomas Carr, at Shelton, in York-
shire. The inmates made a most determined resistance. The
ruffians, finding all their efforts to break open the doors use-
less, commenced firing in at the upper windows of the house,
and when Mr. Carr presented himself at his bedroom, and
requested them to withdraw, several shots were fired at him,
none of which, however, happily took effect. The ruffians
ultimately effected an enterance into the house, and, having
pinioned Mr. Carr, they threatened him with instant death if
he made any alarm. The thieves were in the act of pillaging
the house when, from some causer they became alarmed, and
hastily decamped.

WRECK O,E A GREEK BRIG.—PLYMOUTH, Jan. 28.—0 n
the night of Friday, the 27th, the Greek brig Taxiarches,
Captain Carlo Vapapula, from the Danube, with bones for
Hull, but last from Falmouth, where she took a pilot, went
on the south-west side of the Raine Head, near this port.
Her pilot was below at the time, having previously, it is said,
left instructions to have the brig steered to the south-east.
Unfortunately she was steered to the north-east. It being
thick at the time, and the vessel having a fair wind, and stud-
ding sails set, ran.well up on the rocks before the crew, knew
where they were. One of them had his ribs broken in get-
ting ashore, the rest, with the pilot, escaped unhurt. The
vessel will probably go to pieces.
THE BRIGHTON PIER WELL.—The attempt to make an
Artesian at the head of the chain pier is still progressing,
though as yet no successful result has been obtained. The
pipe, through which the water would mount, has now been
sunk to the full depth intended-30 feet, which is sufficient
to prevent any mixture of the salt with the fresh water.
The bore extends some feet deeper, and will he proceeded
with till it attain a depth of 100 feet below the surfece of the
soil, when it will be a matter of deliberation whether the
i s soft chalk, and nearly resembles
bit
experiment shall be continued any further. There are well-
founded hopes, however, thautphotreTthheissporiel
throughscribedpominhticiis
ii
t—Brightart Herald.
reachedwttbeoler a
ea
ciin appearancespring
hss oo will
omade
ee
The war steamer Ariadne, in the service of the Hon. East
India Company, was wrecked near the entrance of Chusan
harbour, on the 23d June last. She was an iron-built
steamer, about 400 tons burden, and had two powerful en.
gives. She was lost in consequence of striking upon a rock,
during the operations prior to the storming and capture of
the town of Woosung. She was afterwards hauled into
shallow water to be repaired, and at night loud cries were
heard on board, when some of the crew of a neighbouring
vessel were sent to assist those osnhebohaardd,
swlihdenoffit
twhassbdisosk-
eesninhkainugled for security, and the water
coopvoeored't whichhe she vesselh a
dw as b
was rapidly flowing into her hold, and different iron com-
partments. Boats were instantly launched, and the eN-
ertions made sncceeded in saving the officers and all an, board
excepting three Chinese. These poor fellows went, cidw'n
with the vessel and perished. She is irrecoverably' lest.