The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-07-14 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

It is becoming more and more clear every day
that there_is something wrong in our present system
of railway legislation, as there has been in all the
previous systems, of which this is called an improve.
ment. It is difficult to find any two committees
deciding upon the merits of rival schemes upon the
same principles ; laying down the same rules as to
evidence, or even determining, upon the same
grounds, the question—what are rival schemes ?
Committee A has a prejudice in favour of lines
brought forward and proposed to be worked in con-
nexion with existing railways. Committee B. is in
favour of the principle of separate management.
Committee C. supports projects which compete with
existing laws. Committee D. thinks that cheapness
of locomotion is not secured to the public by the
formation of two lines where one, well worked,
would provide the requisite accommodation. E. is
in favour of cheapness of construction, at the expense
of directness of route and perfection of gradients.
F. would go as the crow flies, boring through hills
and filling up valleys. 'We have some impressed in
favour of lines which open out mineral deposits ;
some which look at the accommodation of passengers
as the only object to be cared for. We have the
friends of a broad guage and of a narrow guage,—
in short, the different views under which committees
legislate, may almost be called Legion, and their de-
cisions are not unfrequently quite incomprehensible.

Independently of these differences of opinion, on
the part of committees, as to what should be the re-
commendation of a railway scheme to the sanction
of Parliament, there have now crept in political and
even private influences which, at least, greatly
weaken the confidence of the public in the impar-
tiality of such tribunals. We see Members one day
giving evidence in favour of a line which passes con-
veniently through his property in some county, and
the next day, perhaps, deciding upon the merits of
a line in which a member of the committee, which
sate in judgment upon that evidence, is deeply in-
terested, or even directly mixed up. The bias as to
the merits of this or that local scheme is not unfre-
quently a material portion of the claim of a Member
to the support of his constituency. Lord Ebrington
we saw, the other day, called to account before the
electors of Plymouth, and threatened with an oppo-
sition, because of his advocacy of ore particular
local project, in preference to its rival. His Lord-
ship's "influence" had been used in favour of the
scheme less popular with his constituents ; and how
used ? This is one of the mysterious processes which
the public want to have explained and got rid of.
There is no such thing can enter into the decision of
a question tried by any of the ordinary constitutional
tribunals of the land. What are the duties upon which
provisional committee-men, lawyers, and secretaries,
ordinarily employ themselves up to the moment of
presenting their schemes before a committee ? In
securing this mysterious "influence "of noble Lords
and honourable Members. .We hear of Compinies
who have strong Parliamentary influences—who can
pass any kind of project, to the preference of rival
schemes, however excellent, if brought forward by
parties who cannot hobnob with this Peer or that
Member, are unknown at Brookes's or the Reform
Club, and cannot chat familiarly with half the Mem-
bers they meet in the lobby of the House.
Of course we do not impute any malvelsation of
their important offices to the Members of the Legis-
lature, or any one of them. The character of an
English Peer, and of English Gentlemen, places them
above suspicion of being knowingly corrupt. Like
Ccesar's wife, however, they ought to occupy a posi-
tion above suspicion ; and to enable them to do this
they must be relieved from the great responsibility
imposed upon them individually as Members of
Railway Committees, with powers so large, and so
capable of being worked to the advantage of friends
or localities, as are wielded by these tribunals.
Diffused, as railway property is now, through every
part of the kingdom—held as it is by the nobleman,
the merchant, the trader, and the smallest shop-
keeper—there are few men of the class from which
our Legislators are chosen who have not either a
direct or a collateral interest in some line, which may
be presumed, unconsciously to themselves, no doubt,
to bias their views with respect to the relative merits
of co-operating or of rival lines. To extricate indi-
vidual members from this, their unfair position, and
the difficulty into which it brings them, we should
suggest the appointment of some capable and inde-
pendent Tribunal, over whose decisions, however,
both -Houses, in their collective capacity, might
have an over-riding power.

PRINCE ALBERT'S VISIT-THE MAYOR AND
THE TWO ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS.

It is really irksome to have continually imposed on us
the task of correcting the errors or the inventions of our
contemporaries. We have in another column expressed
our opinion of the mode in which his worship the Mayor
has been recently attacked by the Whig-Radical press,
with respect to his alleged conduct in insisting upon the
right to invite the Rev. Hugh M'Neile to the forth-com-
ing banquet at the Town Hall. Whilst writing the arti-
cle in question we were not informed of the facts of the
case ; but presumed upon the Mayor's character as a
high-minded gentleman that the correct truth had not
been conveyed to our contemporaries. We have since
been more fully informed, and proceed to give the genu-
ine version of the matter.

A list of names of parties thought most eligible for in-
vitation was placed before the committee assembled, in
strict privacy and confidence, to make a selection. Of
course, none of these gentlemen anticipated that their re-
marks, upon the fitness of this or that individual, would
be conveyed to the public through the press. After going
through a portion of the list, including the two rectors,
the Rev. Mr. Bold and others, the committee came to the
name of the Rev. Hugh M`Neile. The Mayor did not
at all, as represented, use anything like dictation as to the
rev. gentleman. He stated that he did not see how his
name could be omitted after his services to the
charity, and left the matter entirely in the hands
of the committee by whom his invitation was unani-
mously agreed upon. A number of the names were
subsequently gone through, after which Mr. Rathbone
astonished the majority of the committee by proposing
that the two Roman Catholic Bishops of the district
should be invited. The attempt to fasten on the Mayor
alone the disinclination to invite these gentlemen, is
shamefully untrue. A large majority of the committee
objected to their invitation as Bishops; and his Worship
frequently remarked, that he wished anything which fell
from him to be viewed only as a suggestion, as he was
desirous of merely carrying out the wishes of the com-
mittee. Mr. Rathbone was reminded that many members
of the Roman Catholic church were already invited, in-
cluding Mr. Weld, Mr. Blundell, Mr. Chaloner, and
others. Subsequently Mr. Rathbone attempted to mo-
dify his motion, by proposing their invitation as Doctors ;
but, eventually, finding himself in so small a minority
upon the point, he withdrew his motion. Mr. Earle's
proposal of Dr. Raffles was dismissed, without anything
like the feeling alleged being displayed by the Mayor,
who remarked that he had entertained the rev. doctor at
his own table, and was always ready to receive him there.
The rest of the statements promulgated with respect to
this matter are mere absurdities, got up appare,tly by
some ingenious and inventive brother of the quill, who,
having perhaps got a wind of what had occurred, was
good enough to supply the imaginative portion. One
as to the immense number of

which are said to be lying on his worship's table, is
downright absurd. The invitations are not yet issued.
The cards, we believe, are not yet printed I
Really, our contemporaries ought not toldegrade the
press by these pure inventions, which bear so much the
appearance of being intended to persecute a gentleman
whose chief offence is that he is opposed to them in poli-
tics. Surely, if even his worship were inclined to
indulge his political feelings in the administration of the
hospitalities of the Town-hal - in the performance of
his public duties, the Whig- al party are not the men
ho ought to complain. The Whig-Radical --
had in this town have not shown such ver

nicety upon these points. At the present moment we
have before us an address of congratulation, issued by the
Whig.ltadical Mayor of Manchester to the people of
England, upon the successful carrying of the late free
trade measures. Doubtless, were any one of the same clique
Mayor of Liverpool just now, we should have little of
delicacy used in following the same, or even a more ob-
jectionable course.

VISITORS AT CROXTETIL—The following noblemen
and gentlemen are at present staying at Croxteth, and will
remain during the week :—Hon. Mr. Balfour, Hon. Mr.
Forester, Mr. Glynn, Sir W. W. Wynn, Prince George
of Cambridge, Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Hornby, Duke and
Duchess of Montro3e, Capt. Rouse, Earl and Countess
Eglington, Hon. Mr. Leslie, Lord Glamis, Mr. and
Mrs. J. Townley, Hon. E. G. Mostyn, Miss Hornby,
Sir: R. Pigot, Bart.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge will honour
the Earl of Sefton with a visit at Croxteth this weak. His
Royal Highness will arrive, we believe, on Friday.
ELECTION OF COMMISSIONERS OF WALLASEy.—
The promoters of the Wallasey Improvement Act have
taken a very unusual and, as it appears to us, a very fair
and impartial course, in omitting from such act any no-
mination of the existing commissioners to act under it,
leaving them to be elected by the ratepayers. The follow-
ing gentlemen therefore retire, as they would have done
had no improvement act been past—viz., Mr. T. B.
Hughes, Mr. J. North, Mr, K. Edwards, Mr. Edwards,
Mr. H. Meadows, Mr. J. Mawdsley, Mr. Thomas
Dean and Mr. J. Bewley. The promoters, nevertheless,
think it their duty to recommend a list, of which the
following are the names :—Messrs. J. D. Maddock,
Miles Barton, Thomas Dean, Thomas Lester, Liscard ;
and Messrs. John Mawdsley, Seacombe; Henry Mea-
dows, Poulton ; and Evan Jones, Liseard. The re-
spectability of these gentlemen will ensure them, we
should suppose, the support of the ratepayers. The elec.
tion is to be held on Thursday next, at. the Queen's Arma
Hotel,. Unita village.

CELEBRATION OF THE TWELFTH OF JULY.

Ysterday having been fixed upon for the celebration of the
day of our deliverance from Popery, by the defeat of James
IL at the Boyne, by 'William 111. of glorious memory, the
Orange Brethren of Liverpool assembled at their various
lodge-rooms, and proceeded to the Monument, in London-
road, from whence they started at 9 a.m., and proceeded,
accompanied by several bands of music, and a number of
beautifully executed flags and banners, down London-
road, along Lime-street, Renshaw-street, Berry-street,
Great George's-street, St. James's-place, Mill-street,
Warwick-street, Windsor-street, Upper Parliament .street,
Smithdown-lane, to Wavertree, returning by Wavertree-
road, Edgehill, West Derby-street, and Pembroke-place,
to the Monument, whence they separated to their various
lodges. The proceedings, we are happy to say, were of
the most orderly discipline throughout. After dining in
their lodge-rooms, and going through the usual loyal
toasts, the evening was spent by the brethren in great
harmony. _ _

DINNED. OF LODGE 42.—T0 commemorate the glorious
12th of July, this loyal and respectable body of Orange-
men met yesterday evening, at Mr. Marshall's, Edge-
hill Coffee-house, where upwards of forty of the order
sat down to dinner. The room was most tastefully de-
corated—flags emblematic of the order, and illustrative
of British industry, were gracefully hung from the ceiling
and walls, and numerous vases of flowers were distributed
on the tables in a manner that gave a refreshing as well as
a truly picturesque appearance to the apartment. The
chandeliers were surrounded by evergreens, into which
were gracefully entwined the choicest flowers of the sea-
son, not the least prominent of which was the magnificent
orange lily. The chair, as a matter of course, was taken
by the Master, and was filled in a manner alike creditable
to himself and the society over which be presided. He
was supported on the right by no less a personage than
the Reverend T. D. Gregg, of Dublin, whose enthu-
siasm and frequent remarks were not only entertaining
but intellectual. The late Deputy Grand Master was
also present, as were numerous other equally impor-
tant individuals. A party of glee singers, some mem-
bers of the body, attended on the occasion, and their
efforts \sere such as to call forth most deservedly the
enthusiastic plaudits of all assembled. The dinner
was not only substantial but excellent, and to the
worthy host we do no more than a duty when we say it
not only comprised every variety of the season, but
those varieties (unlike most dinners) were well
cooked. After the cloth was removed, the toast of
" The Queen" was given from the chair, and followed by
the glee, " God save the Queen." "The Queen Dowager
and the rest of the Royal Family" followed, and was most
enthusiastically received. Glee—" The Two Roses."
" The glorious, pious, and immortal memory of the great
and good King William, Prince of Orange," was then
drunk in solemn silence. Glee—" Lovely Night." The
toast, " The Grand Master, the Earl of Enniskillen,"
was received with the Kentish fire, and followed by
the glee, " Bright sword of Liberty." The toast of
" The late Deputy Grand Master " was prefaced by a
short address from the chair, and followed by the glee,
" Hail Smiling Morn." The late Deputy Grand Master
briefly replied, but in that brevity there was an expression
of uncorrupted feeling and liberality that seemed to raise
the already buoyant spirits of the party, and the en-
thusiastic cheers that followed but faintly illustrated
the enthuastic joy it created. " The Worshipful Master
of Lodge 42" was given from the vice-chair (which was
most ably filled), and was ably responded to by the gen-
tleman proposed. Glee—" Spring's delights," To the
toast. " The Protestant Bishops and Clergy of the Dio-
cese," coupled with the Rev. T. D. Gregg, the latter
gentleman replied at length, and we are only sorry that
the lateness of the hour prevents us doing that justice to
to his address that its merits deserve—for in a word he
illustrated the present state of Protestantism, and the
duplicity of popery. He showed the firm course he had
pursued, and the position to be taken, and displayed a
knowledge, a tact and talent, that in a few words it is im-
possible to describe. The address was loudly applauded
throughout. Glee—" Good Night." The following
toasts were then given :—" The Town and Trade of Liver-
pool." Glee—"To all ye Ladies." "Our Visiting Friends."
Glee—" Banish, 0 Maiden." " Lancashire Witches ;"
and followed by a solo, with self accompaniment, " The
Accomplished Young Lady." Numerous healths were
afterwards drunk, and at a seasonable hour the company
dispersed, each highly delighted with the hilarity of the
evening and the loyalty that had been unanimously dis-
played.