The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-12-16 00:00:00

will allow the allusion, when I speak of no compromise. I am
sure the present chairman (Mr. Bickersteth) believes that I
cherish the utmost affection for him, and will take in good part
what I am about to state. In order to promote union, you,
Mr. Chairman, asked, last evening, that Dissenters should give
up this, and Churchmen that; and especially, that we, as Dis-
senters, should give up our aggressive movements against a
system, which, I fairly say, we must utterly disapprove. Sir,
I cannot give it up ! I cannot abandon the aggressive move-
ment. My deep conviction is a conscientious one. I believe,
I stand on the Scriptures ; and I will not compromise my
sentiments. I differ, it may be, from my brethren, but I
claim the right of speaking what I please, and writing what
I please, while I retain the general principles in which we
concur. I will not agree to abandon a course of action which
I deem to be founded, not on mere opinion, but on the es-
sentials of Christianity. Will you, Mr. Bickersteth, give up the
Church and State principle? No! Why, then, require of me
to give up my Anti-State Church principle ? No, we must not
leireat each other to abandon anything that we hold dear, and
deem essential."
1 do not wish to lay undue stress on the statement of
any individual, as such ; but here a principle is affirmed,
which cannot be gainsayed without putting an end to the
alliance. It is not indeed denied ; nay, rather, as I have
said, it is boasted of—no one is to give up anything.
This being the case, then I ask how is there to be, how
can there be, co-operation? What common end can
there be in view ? This is a question which has not yet
been distinctly answered by any of the friends of the al-
liance. Some of them have, indeed, announced as the
end in view. a combined opposition to Popery, and many
warm-hearted but short-sighted Protestants have been at
once taken with this announcement. But, observe, in
the case of the proposed alliance, opposition to Popery is
not a common end, because the members of the alliance,
while they use the same words, do not mean the same
thing. The words are equivocal.
The honest Churchman in opposing Popery is opposing
false doctrine ; but the honest Dissenter, the conscien-
tious voluntary, in opposing Popery, is opposing Church
Establishments and endowments also. There can there-
fore be no real bona fide co-operation. For how, I ask,
and I invite you to consider, how, by what practical
procedure is Popery to be opposed ? Is it by writing,
and publishing? or is it by preaching? Or is it by
Scripture reading? or by all these? Well, the COMMON
CHRISTIANITY on which the alliance may agree in a
room, can do none of these things. Men must be em-
ployed, if anything is to be done, and then arises the
question what men? Are they to be churchmen, who,
while opposing false doctrine, will not oppose, but defend
state churches ? or are they to be dissenters, who will
oppose both ? If a churchman be employed, will the
conscientious dissenter give the weight of his co-operation
to what he deems erroneous ? And if a dissenter be
employed, will the conscientious churchman give the
weight of his co-operation to what he deems erroneous?
No, we may each acknowledge in theory the Christi-
anity of the other, notwithstanding our differences, but we
cannot either of us consent to compromise a jot of our
distinctivelprinciples, or give up our aggressive movements
against what we utterly disapprove.
We cannot therefore jointly employ any man; because
no man is an abstraction, such as that on which we are
agreed, but every man holds, and if an honest man be will
express, something from which some of us differ.
I cannot be a party to the employment and encourage-
ment of a man who 1 know will declare Prelacy to be part
and parcel of Popery. I cannot ask a Dissenter to be a
party to the employment and encouragement of a man who
he knows, will declare it to be the duty of Government to
establish a Christian Church. And I cannot ask any man
to stifle or compromise his own conscientous convictions,
and give up all aggressive movements, in order to become
an abstract representative of all paities, and compromiser of
none. How then is the alliance, as such, to get books
written, or sermons preached, or any thing done by honest
and conscientious men? Co-operation appears to me im-
practicable. And then the alliance comes to be a union
merely for the sake of union, not for the accomplishment
of any purpose. That is, it makes union an end, instead
of a mean towards an end. The next thing will be to talk
about the terms of union, and the next thing will be to
differ in opinion and divide again.
1 have thus stated, briefly and very inadequately, some
of my reasons for thinking no good can result from this
alliance.

I have other reasons for not joining it, arising out of
my convictions as to my duty and obligations as a minis-
ter of the Established Church, having voluntarily sacrifi-
ced a measure of my personal liberty for the sake of pub-
lic order ; but I will not enter upon these reasons, because
I cannot do so without seeming to reflect upon some of
my rev. brethren in a way calculated to wound, and my
object is not to wound but to heal.
I will conclude, therefore, by saying to you, my friends,
that I think I see, and I am extremely sorry to see, that
the proposed alliance, even in its present incipient stages,
is doing mischief.
It is creating unpleasant and estranging feelings among
ourselves, on every side. I have heard of very unkind
and wounding things being said and written by lay friends
of this alliance against their own pastors who have not
joined it. And 1 have heard of similarly unkind things
having been said by lay opponents of the alliance against
their own pastors who have joined it.
Oh I how subtle is our great enemy, and bow deceitful
are our hearts! Here by the appearance, and in the vain
pursuit of unity where such unity cannot be had, we are
tempted to distu b that measure of unity which we have.
If any persons dissatisfied with their own pastors for
having joined the alliance, and, pleased with me because I
have not joined it, have come to this congregation this
morning, I would affectionately entreat them not to
allow this matter to make any difference in their feel-
ings towards their dear pastors, who have only done
what they considered it their Christian duty to
Of course, I would say the same to any of you, my
brethren, who may approve of the alliance. Let it not
interfere with your kind and Christian feeling towards me.
Surely, while you claim and exercise liberty to judge for
yourselves, and would deem it bigoted and uncharitable
in me to condemn you for so doing, you will reciprocate
the same liberty, and not be guilty of bigotry and uncha-
ritableness yourselves.
If we cannot add to our true and happy union, at least
let us guard;watchfully and prayerfully guard, against ad-
ding to our divisions. lam persuaded my brethren, that
churchmen and dissenters will act best, most efficiently
for the glory of God, and in the long run most peacefully
here on earth, by acting separately. We cannot so over-
look or rise above one another's mistakes, as cordially and
conscientiously to co-operate with one another in detail,
but we may each serve our common heavenly Master in
our own way • and He can and will so overlook all our
mistakes on all sides, as to save gloriously all who love
the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth.

FEELING IN LIVERPOOL WITH RESPECT TO
THE IMPENDING CHANGE OF THE MI-

NISTRY

The announcement by the Times of Thursday week of
the determination of Sir R. Peel's ministry was received
with considerable surprise; but seemed not to be regarded
in our commercial circles with any great feeling of alarm.
On the contrary, nothing but the uncertainty generally
entertained as to the truth of the announcement pre-
vented the free trade and liberal party from going off into
extasies of delight at the prospect before them. Business
appeared about to take a turn for the better, and our
cotton, share, and other markets, wore a decidedly im-
proved aspect. The news of the resignation of Sir R.
Peel, however, changed the aspect of affairs ; and every-
thing is now uncertainty and gloom. Little expectation
seems to be entertained by any party that there are ma-
terials within Lord John Russell's reach for the constitu-
tion of a strong ministry, which is regarded as indispen-
sable in the present crisis of the country ; and we note on
all hands an inclination, scarcely repressed by any, for
the return of Sir Robert Peel to the head of affairs, as the
only minister who can safely pilot tic country through
the financial difficulties with which it is surrounded. The
state of the mercantile and monied portion of the commu-
nity with respect to railway schemes operates strongly to
induce a disinclination, at the present moment, for any
serious and protracted politic.,l struggle. It will be seen
that our markets, as well as those of Manchester and of
the manufacturing districts in general are almost stag-
nant.

The Earl and Countess of Sefton, who arrived in town
early the week before last, have since returned to Crox-
teth Hall.
CHARGE OF SETTING

FIRE TO A VESSEL.—At the
Police court yesterday, a seaman named William Searman,
belonging to the American ship Votage, was charged with
this offence. The evidence was elicited at great length by
Mr. Dowling; but was on the whole so indefinite, that a
sketch of the heads will suffice. The vessel had recently
arrived from New Orleans with a cargo of tobacco, cotton,
rosin, and staves, and was lying in the King's Dock to
discharge the tobacco. On Friday night last, shortly be-
fore seven o'clock, the ship was found to be on fire be-
tween decks (as stated elsewhere) and it was not without
great exet tions that she was saved from being burnt. The
outsides of nearly all the bales of cotton (upwards of 100)
were burnt. Some of the crew had left the ship on her
arrival in port, but others of them, including the prisoner,
were retained at work on board of her. On Saturday
afternoon, at three o'clock, after discharging part of
the tobacco, the hands knocked off, and several of them
went into the forecastle, where they remained some time
getting their suppers, and afterwards cleaning themselves,
after which they went on shore, leaving on board (of the
crew) the prisoner, .a man called Harry Thompson, and a
native of one of the Spanish South Sea Islands. The
ptisoner had it appeared been drinking during the day,
and being observed about four o'clock to be unfit for
work, was ordered by the mate to go to his berth in the
forecastle, in which the Spaniard, who was ill, was lying
onhis bunk. The latter was the principal witness, and
said that prisoner asked him for a candle, which he could
not give him. That he, the prisoner, was afterwards seen
by him rummaging a chest, and then to go repeatedly
through a hole forced in the bulkhead of the forecastle to
the between decks. The only other person in the fore-
castle during the time was Harry Thompson, who in reply
to the Custom-house officer, who heard a noise below,
and asked who was there, said "it was only him—
Charlie." Prisoner also told this witness, after he had
been in the hold, not to say anything, otherwise he (pri-
soner) would have to go to goal for 15 years. The
witness spoke English, but not very cl,stinctly. Towards
seven o'clock, a smell of burning cotton was perceived by
the custom-house officer, and the shipkeeper, and when
they opened the fore scuttle volumes of smoke issued forth,
and the fire was discovered. It appeared that Thompson
when be said that only he and the sick man were below,
must have known that the prisoner was there also, and he
was ordered into custody by Mr. Rushton, who considered
the case suspicious against him as against the other, The
prisoner Searman said be had lost his cap below, and be-
ing unable to find it when be first went down, had gone
back. To a question put by Mr. Rushton to the officer,
it appeared that none of the tobacco between decks was
missing. It was stated that the captain knew nothing of
the circumstances, but Mr. Rushton said he must see him,
and accordingly remanded the prisoners until, tbia day.