The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-09-10 00:00:00

"In these times of conflict among certain classes of the com-
munity, keep at the utmost distance from all associations which
are subversive of the principles of true and proper liberty, em-
ploying unlawful oaths, and threats, and force, to acquire new
members, and to accomplish purposes which would tend to de-
stroy the very frame-work of civil society. Such connexions
would inflict a dangerous wound on your spiritual existence,
and greaLy injure ithe life of God within you. Watch against
the evil tendency of many cheap and imposing► publications
now circulating through the land; and which, to say the least,
contain nothing that can nourish faith and love. Read the
holy Scriptures, and meditate upon them day and night. Ob-
serve the' duties of the Sabbath with all due solemnity; and
promote its sanctified observance as far as possible in others.
Be serious and punctual in the several exercises of family re-
ligion. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another.'
Let love, perfect love to God and man, sweeten all your tem-
pers, and adorn all your actions, both at home and in your ordi-
nary intercourse with others. `Beat peace among yourselves.'
Be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace
will be with you.' "

"Signed in behalf and by order of the Col!Prenee,
" RICHARD TREFFRY, President,
"EDMUND GRINDROD, Secretary.
" Manchester, August 12th, 1833."

The publicity given to one grievance often calls forth
representations on matters of complaint in cases allied to
it. So. it has turned out with reference to the regulations
which led to the comments in our last number on the
Custom-house. Our budget increases; but we will ab- •
stain, at present, from any further detail on that especial
subject. A gentle hint may suffice; if not, we must give •
a broader one—" JoruNNY KEALE'S broad hint," if nothing
else will bring about the• desired result. To those who
are curious to know what kind of hint it was that JOHNNY
gave, we recommend a perusal of the late Lord KING'S
speeches in Parliament; promising, if they cannot dis-
cover it in a reasonable time, to tell them the story on a
future occasion. Our present business is with the " Bill
of Entry" office; a sort of establishment which, in these
reforming times, should not be quite overlooked. When
we discover real evils, and can satisfy ourselves that prac-
tical good will result from their correction, we shall be
foremost as reformers. Our" objection lies against that
prevalent indiscriminate attack on existing institutions,
merely because they exist ; as if the converse of the
poet's words were the truth, and that "Whatever is, is
wrong, "
•
We have elsewhere given two letters under the signa-
tures of "Justus" and "R," on the appropriation of the
fund levied for information afforded to the public through
the medium of the " Bill of Entry." Without, at pre7
sent, travelling into the original history connected with
the grant under which this document is published, we are
quite willing to admit that the intelligence it conveys is
useful, tolerably ample, moderately correct, and furnished
with promptitude and regularity ; in short, it is so useful
that its suspension would, at this pet iod of our commer-
cial affairs, be an inconvenience. But, then, this intelli-
gence may be bought too dearly ; or the application of
its price may be impolitic, or even unjust. Without
feeling ourselves compelled wholly to adopt the opinions
of our correspondents on this latter point, we still see
enough in the facts they detail to convince us that it
comes within the class of cases to which we shall never be
averse from applying the pruning knife. High though
the charge be to those who receive the " Bill of Entry"
as a commercial 'document, we think no party would
regret the outlay, were the profits of the fund applied
strictly in support of that which its title places before the
public—" The Customs' Annuity and Benevolent Fund."
Is this so? We fear not. Our correspondents shew us
that £3OOO per annum is the proportion contributed from
the port of Liverpool, and that, after paying the expenses
of the establishment here, necessary for its management, a
sum exceeding £2OOO is annually remitted to London in aid
of the fund ; and one of them avers, that "no clerk at this
. port ever has or can benefit by the said ' Customs' An-
nuity and Benevolent 'Fund' ;" notwithstanding each
clerk is compelled by the fourth section of the act (56
Geo. 111., cap. 73) to contribute to its support out of his

salary :
" Such contribution shall be assessed for the first eight quar-
ters, to be reckoned from the commencement of such contribu-
tion, or thenceforth from the first. assessment of every person
appointed after the passing of this act to the Customs, in
respect of whom the said contribution is hereby declared to be,
and thereafter continue to be compulsory, at the rate of two
pence in every pound sterling, and in every fractional part of a
pound sterling, and for every succeeding quarter the sum of
one penny in every pound sterling, and in every fractional part
of a pound sterling."

This is a part of the fourth section. We will give
next, a part of the sixteenth section ; the latitude of
which does not run quite in harness with the compulsion
of the preceding :

"The Directors are hereby declared to have the "full, entire
and exclusive control and management or the fund, and everything
relating thereto,
to all intents and purposes whatsoever, under and
subject to such provisions, directions, regulations, and re-
strictions, as may have been made in that behalf; and it shall
be lawful for such directors, if they shall at any time after any
such rules, regulations, and tables of rates of. subscription shall
have been made, think it necessary from time to time to alter
any such rules, regulations, and tables of rates of subscription,
and to make any new and additional rules, regulations, and
tables of rates of subscription, which may appear to be essential
or expedient for the better regulation, management, and con-
trol of the fund."
This, it will be admitted, gives latitude enough to the
said "Directors." Whether the " Rules, Regujations,
and Tables of Rates -of Subscription," made by them as