The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-05-23 00:00:00

YANKEE EXAGGERATIONS.

The American journals are filled with speculations on
the probable result of the late Chartist demonstration.
Brother Jonathan seems to have given rein to his imagi-
nation. Long after the last of the extraordinary guar-
dians of the public peace in London bad flung down his
club at the feet of his domestic Omphale, and yielded to
the proud weakness of a hero returned home, the good
folks at New York gave us credit for having altered the
form of our constitution. In London we were at Year 1
of the British Repu'alic, under the auspices of President
Cuffey. The " corrupt aristocracy" bad taken flight, the
Dukes of Newcastle and Norfolk were seriously perpen-
ding by what means they could earn an honest livelihood.
The Bench of Bishops had been massacred in batches,
and a receipt in full for the national debt had been tende-
red for signature to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
This has not been quite so, but it is amusing enough to
see with what Alnaschar speed the American sympathizers
built up their castles in the air. Here is the first note of
the trumpet :
" There is the greatest interest manifested in this city, and
indeed throughout the country, to receive later advices from
Europe. The new steamship America, which is now in her
14th day, may arrive at any moment.• She will bring one week
later intelligence. Actual war between Russia and Germany
for the independence of Poland ; Austria and Prussia for
supremacy in Germany ; Denmark and Prussia for the annexe.
tion of Holstein to the German Confederation, and Sardinia
and Austria for the independence of Italy; and a revolution in
England and Ireland for universal suffrage, and a repeal of the
union, or something more, may have broken out in even that
brief space of time."

There is an old comparison in the literature of the
United States—when it is wished to express speed the
simile of " greased lightning" is employed by the more
forcible writers. We have in Europe been proceeding at
a pace rapid enough in all conscience, without playing out
on all sides such a general St. Bartholomew's as this.
With the full recollection before us of the sepulchral tones
in which a few weeks back the itinerant newsmen who
traversed the more distant squares and streets of the
metropolis used to roar out their cry of " War ! war ! war
Funds down ! Funds down !" we must demur to these
anticipations of our Republican friends on the other side
of the Atlantic. The passage we have just quoted relates
to Europe in general—here is one which deals with the
case of Great Britain in particular :
"The condition of England, or rather that of the whole
British empire, has, according to the last accounts, reached a
perilous crisis—one from which there would seem to be no
escape, without either a revolution or a bloody civil war. It is
an even chance according to the last accounts, whether England
is at this moment declared a Republic, or is in the midst of a
civil and bloody war that may last for years."

EXTINCTION OF THE PAPACY.

(From the Standard.)

The late revolution at Rome deserves more considera-
tion than our contemporaries seem disposed to bestow
upon it. The question seems properly to force itself
upon our attention. Are we not now witnessing the
fulfilment of one of the most striking prophecies of the
Apocalypse—the overthrow of the mystic Babylon ?
We, at least, shall be thought free from being misled
by a strained interpretation of scripture, when it is re-
membered that, reasoning upon purely political grounds,
we predicted more than six months ago that Pius the
Ninth would probably be the last Pope of Rome. This
was a merely political prediction, and to this we adhere ;
for whoever shall conquer in the present strife, the tem-
poral authority of the Pope is extinguished for ever. If
the Austrians prevail, as we trust they will, they will not
be again guilty of the folly of re-establishing upon their
weakest frontier that which has ever proved the disturb-
ing power of Europe. If the French once more achieve
the Protectorate of Italy, they, we may be sure, will use
it as their predecessors used it forty or fifty years ago.
In either case the Papal States will disappear : in the
former, absorbed into the Lombardo Venetian kingdom ;
in the latter, making part of the French kingdom of Italy.
There is something so remarkable in the downfall of
the Papacy, be it but temporary, be it final (as we de-
voutly believe it to be), that we cannot withhold from
our renders the striking fact, that a pious interpreter of
Scripture prophecies, 147 years ago, fixed the event as
foretold in the Apocalypse for this very year One Thou-
sand Eight Hundred and Forty Eight.
The prediction will be found in a little tract, by the
Rev. Robert Fleming. published in 1701, under the title
of " The Rise and Fall of the Papacy." This little work,
of which some editions have been lately printed at a cheap
rate, is one of the most remarkable and interesting reli-
gious works that we have ever seen. It is written in a
pure Saxon style, a clear method, and in a sober Christian
spirit, as far as possible removed from enthusiasm. The
book extracts from the " Apocalypse," by reasoning
almost strictly arithmetical, a prediction of the persecu-
tion of the French Protestants in 1723—0 f the massacre
of the Protestants at Thorn in 1724—0 f the movement
against the Jesuits towards the close of the last century,
and the destruction of the French monarchy at its end,
placing the consummation of that destruction as to be
effected before the year " one thousand seven hundred
and ninety four"—a prediction fulfilled to the letter by
the murder of the king and queen in 1793. Using the
same canon of interpretation, Mr. Fleming foretells the
obscuration of the Papacy in the first years of the present
century (the imprisonment of Pius VI. by Napoleon),
and its final destruction for the present year 1848.
Mr. Fleming died in 1716, before the fulfilment of any
of the extracted predictions of which we have spoken, so
as to exempt him from the class of seers who prophecy
after the PvAnt.

SOCIETY FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION

OF THE LABOURING CLASSES.

The annual meeting of this society, in London, was
held on Thursday in the large hall of the Freemasons'
Tavern. Long before the hour for which the meeting
was called (12 o'clock), the hall was crowded by a large
number of ladies, among whom were the Duchess of
Sutherland, and many other ladies of high rank.
On the platform were Lord John Russell, the Duke of
Argyll, Earl Fortescue, the Marquis of Westminster,
Lord Ashley, Lord Ebrington, the Bishops of London,
Salisbury, and St. David's; Dr. M'Neile, of Liverpool;
Professor Whewell, Sir T. Acland, S. M. Peto, Esq.,
M.P., &c., &c. His Royal Highness Prince Albert oc-
cupied the chair.
Prayers having been offered by the Bishop of London,
Prince Albert rose, and was received with loud cheers.
When they bad subsided, he said—Ladies and gentlemen,
when four years since this Society for the Improvement of
the Condition of the Labouring Classes was first established
on its present footing, I accepted, with pleasure, the offer
made me of becoming its President. (Loud cheers.) I
saw in this offer a proof of the appreciation the society en-
tertained of my feelings, my sympathy, and my interest
for the class of our community which has most of the toil
and least of the enjoyments of the world. (Hear, hear,
and cheers.) I conceived that great advantage would ac-
crue to it from the endeavours of influential people, who
were wholly disinterested, to act the part of friends to
those who required advice and assistance, which only a
friend could tender with advantage. (Loud cheers.) This
society has always held this object before its eyes, and has
ever been labouring in that direction. You are all aware
that it was established to erect model lodging-houses, loan
funds, and the allotment of land in different parts of the
country ; but it has been careful only to establish exam-
ples and models, mindful that any real improvement which
was to take place must be the result of the exertions of
the working people themselves. (Cheers.) I have just
come from the model lodging-house, the opening of which
we celebrate this day—(cheers)—and I feel convinced that
its existence will by degrees lead to the erection of others,
and that it will lead to a complete change in the domestic
comforts of the working classes, as it will exhibit to them,
that with real economy can be combined advantages and
comforts to which they have hitherto been strangers,
whilst it will, at the same time, show those who possess
capital which they are desirous to invest, that they may do
so in connexion with this institution with great advantage
and profit to themselves, dispensing, at the same time,
those comforts which I have enumerated to their poorer
brethren. (Cheers.) Depend upon it, it is to the interest
of those classes who are so often contrasted, but whose
interests are identical, to unite, and it is only ignorance
which prevents them from uniting for each others advan-
tage. To dispel that ignorance, and to show the means
how man can help man, notwithstanding the compli-
cated state of civilized society, ought to be the aim of every
philanthropic person. But it is most peculiarly the duty
of those who, under the blessing of Divine Providence,
enjoy station, wealth, and education. (Cheers.) Let•
them be careful how to avoid any dictatorial interference
with labour and employment, which frightens away
capital, destroys that freedom of thought and independ-
ence of action which must remain to every one if he is to
work out his own happiness—(Loud cheers)—and to
repose that confidence in each other, on which alone the
enjoyment rnd mutual benefit of mankind rests. After
some further remarks appropriate to the subject, his Royal
Highness resumed his seat amid loud cheers.
Lord Ashley, who was received with cheers, explained
the progress which had been made in prosecution of the
society's objects. and the further measures which it was
hoped shortly to accomplish. Little had yet been done
in respect to the Loan-fund, but it was expected that by
the next meeting much will have been effected. In
the allotment of land a good deal had been effected; but
the greatest progress had been made in that part of the
society's scheme which related to the erection of an im-
proved kind of lodging-houses for the working classes
and the poor, affording comfortable and wholesale ac-.
commodation at rents which are ordinarily paid for the
most wretched and filthy rooms. The next step rpro-
posed to be taken is that of building houses for females.
The Duke of Argyle moved the adoption of the report,
which was seconded by the Rev. Hugh M`Neile in a very
brilliant and eloquent speech, which we regret to find has
not been reported in the London papers.
The second resolution, inviting the cordial co-operation
of the clergy to give efficiency to the various plans for im-
proving the condition of the working classes, was moved
by the Bishop of Oxford, seconded by Sir Thos. Acland,
M.P., and adopted.
A subscription of £lOO from Mr. S. M. Peto, M.P., was
here announced by Lord Ashley. The announcement
was received with loud cheers.
A resolution calling upon the wealthy to aid the society
was proposed by the Bishop of St. David's, and seconded
by Mr. Colquhoun, and was carried.
A committee, headed by Lord Ashley, was then ap-
pointed for the ensuing year.
On the motion of Earl Fortescue, seconded by J.
Labouchere, Esq., a vote of grateful and respectful thanks
of the meeting•was passed to the Prince for his conde-
scension in taking the chair.
Prince Albert briefly returned thanks, and the meeting
separated, chaunting the national anthem.
A number of the inmates of the model lodging and
dwelling-houses then partook of a generous repast, pro-
vided for them by the society.

OL STANDAri.