The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-11-04 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1851.

About fifty nymphs assembled there, in the midst of five
hundred male admirers, to show off the new invented
attire ; and unquestionably they exerted themselves to the
utmost to win golden opinions from all sorts of persons, if
not in favour of the dress reform, at least in favour of the
individual reformers. Curiously enough, the waltz and
the polka, which we believe the Bloomers proscribe in the
lecture-room, were furiously patronized in the ball-room;
and the delicate Bloomeristes twirled away-long and fast
until supper-time arrived, when a new phase of the man-
ners and customs of the novel school for ladies was
exhibited. Then, indeed, I might say or sing :

There was a sound of revelry by night,
And England's capital had gathered then;
Her Bloomers, with their pantalettes so tight,
And lamps shone o'er bad women, and worse men.
The orgies within reached the crowd without, and if there
was queer and boisterous behaviour in the Hanover-square
supper room, there was a row-royal in the street. Had
the moh caught hold of any of the fair refugees, I suspect
they would have given a new pattern to her costume. The
police had enough to do to cave the ball-room from being
As it was, they had to capture several assailants ;
and two schoolmasters, a gentleman, an ironmonger, and

stormed

a butcher, were sent to prison for seven days, another
gentleman was fined 303., and another 103., by the magis.
trate next day, for the opposition to the Bloomer diver-
sion. So ended the first Bloomer hall in London, an ex-
hibition which I hope will not be allowed again to be held
in any respectable assembly room. This unaccountable
caper reminds me that the annual ball for the Polish and
Hungarian refugees will be given in the Guildhall on the
13th inst.,the corporation having again consented to allow
tne hall to be used for that purpose. I should like to
know when there is to be an end of this stupid harbouring
and supporting of the raff of all rations. Charity begins at
home in every country but England. We have thousands of
our own people perishing of want, and no one to relieve
them, but all the outcast foreigners on the earth come
here to dance, and England pays the piper.
What a melancholy exhibition is just now being made of
the It‘dical M.P. chymist of Oxford-street. He who is
so famous for analysing queer compounds has been him-
self subject to the process ; and what ingredients he is
found to be composed of ! The engineer has been hoist
by his own petard. Who would have thought the mild,
prim, unsophisticated Friend Jacob was the sly corruptor
of the innocent electors of St. Alban's ? This is, indeed,
a deceitful world—app'arances should go for nothing.
Where will the abashed Jacob hido his burning blushes ?
He cannot conceal them under his broad brim, for he has
discarded that convenient bonnet, and has lately doffed
the Quaker habits in more senses than one. It is a well
noted fact that the men who talk most noisily about
purity and all that, are generally found, upon examination,
to be much more corrupt than ordinary. Women of bad
morals invariably speak loudly and incessantly about their

honourand virtue. So your Radic.l Reformer is even fright-
fully vehement in denouncingbribery at elections, yet some-
how when his practices are minutely inquired into they are
found to differ from his precepts as widely as falsehood
does from truth. It is now incontestible that sterling
and attractive Bell. metal, to the amount of, say £3,000,
found its way to St. Alban's, at the last election, though,
of course, simple Jacob knew nothing whatever about it,
and would not for the world have thought of soiling his
tongue by asking any dirty question—and his partner in
the chymicals did not feel it to be his duty to mention
how the brass, bronze, or whatever it was, was departing
in heavy packages of £5OO worth each. What charming
innocence on all sides What a picture of the primitive
pastoral simplicity of the age of gold ! And Mr.
Coppock, too, the gentleman who " manages" the election
business for the government, what a pretty agent he is in
the affair! But commend me to Edwards for a first-rate
electioneering hand. What a broth of a boy he is, and
what superlatively-persuasive powers he does possess !
Why, he would persuade any free and independent elector
of St. Alban's to vote against his own father, nay, against
his own self ; and that by merely whispering a few
cabalistic words in his ear, and holding up to view a little
bag inscribed with the necromantic characters "£5."

" Oh, he is the boy for bewitching them,
Whether good humoured, or coy,
They cry out while he is beseeching them,—
Do what you will with me—joy I"
Ah, Jacob ! Jacob ! I fear your buttonless and unbaptised
friends of the drab habiliments are little proud of you at
this moment, and that they do not consider you any great
honour to the cloth.

That indefatigable confectioner of dramatic bon-bons,
Morris Barnett, has brought out a new farce at the Strand
Theatre, in which a young gentleman, whose imagination
is as strong as his common sense is weak, and who rejoices
in the poetico-penny-a-lining name of Byron Jenkins
Scraps, plays divers antics as humorous as they are
absurd, and in which he is aided and abetted by an intel-
lectual pot-boy of his intimate acquaintance. A soul-
subduing little clear-starcher is at the bottom of the plot,
which, of course, is brought to a finale in a manner the
most agreeable to all parties, includ ng the audience. Mr.
Belton and Mr. Rogers performed the respective rCles
of Scraps and Pots with great animation ; and the piece
went off, as all Mr. Barnett's do, most successfully. A
Miss Laura Keene has made her debilt on the London
stage, at the Olympic, in the character of Pauline, in the
" Lady of Lyons," and has made a good first impression.
She is pretty, with a graceful figure, and a voice capable
of modulation. In the present dearth of theatrical news
I may mention that Miss Glyn has been reading Shakes-
peare's plays at the Whittington-club. The other night
she read King John," and read it well and effectively,
particularly the part of Constance. These readings of
plays, now becoming so common, are well enough when
theatres are closed, but they are no more to be compared
to acted dramas than the dry bones of a turkey are to the
entire bird.

So Lord Campbell has returned at last from his mission
to Rome. He arrived at Stratheden House on Friday.
I wonder if he has brought the draft of a concordat, with
the " Sovereign Pontiff," in his pocket. I should not
be surprised if he has. The Ecclesiastical Titles Bill
was all moonshine. It was intended to be so. It is vio-
lated openly every day here in London, not to speak of
Ireland, where it is scoffed at. At the Athlone dinner,
the other day, given to the leader of the Roman " brass-
band," W. Keogh, M.P., the first toast drank was
" The Pope," and after that " The Queen." Where's
supremacy there ? Think of that Mr. Ferguson ! But
look at the signs of the times. Mr. Frederick Peel, who
opposed the bill in Parliament, is the first man who is
taken into high office by the government. Mr. Gladstone,
too, whom Lord Palmerston is now cajolling with con-
summate art, will be hooked in by-and-bye. Sir James
Graham and Mr. Cardwell will glide in, in due course.
Then heigh for Popery, and what you will!
Cleopatra's needle is coming at last ; Captain Lord
Edward Russell is at Alexandria, with Mr. Tucker, the
engineer in her Majesty's ship Vengeance, to inquire
into the best mode of conveying it. It is to be placed,
'tis said, in Hyde Park, on the site of the Crystal Palace.
What an absurdity it will be The thing is not worth
removing. All the hieroglyphics on the exposed surface
are defaced, and it is generally believed that those on the
sides and bottom are likewise obliterated. Heaven knows
we have enough of these old stones already, but if we
must have more of them, let us select some that are in a
good state of preservation ; there are plenty such to be
had for the asking.

COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR NEWCASTLE

SEVEN LIVES LOST.

On Friday morning another of these disastrous accidents
which, unfortunately, are of such frequent occurrence in the
coal-mining districts, took place at West Moor Pit, near Kil-
lingworth, a colliery village on the York, Newcastle, and Ber-
wick Railway, and about six miles from Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The colliery formerly belonged to Lord Ravensworth, but is
now the property of Messrs. John Bowes and Co. About one
o'clock in the afternoon, the pit being in full operation, and
upwards of 100 men at work, an explosion occurred in the
metal coal drift in the south district of the pit. 14 men were
working in that part of the pit where the explosion took place.
Attempts were immediately made to rescue the men, and in
a short time eight, who were very severely hart, were brought
to bank alive, and conveyed to their homes. Six others were
still missing; and at half-past two o'clock the first dead body
was brought up, and subsequently five others, all of which were
very much blackened and disfigured. It was ten o'clock in the
2vening before the last body was brought to bank. At seven
o'clock in the evening a boy of the name of Mason died from
the injuries he had received, making a total of seven deaths.
All the men, we regret to say, have left widows, and many of
them children.

ANOTHER LECTURE- ON BLOOMERISM, &c.7-Last
night Mrs. Catherine 'Winter delivered a lecture in the
Concert-hall, upon " How Ladies may be called to the
Bar, and on Dress Reform." The lady was attired in a
very unfavourable specimen of the Bloomer costume.
The whole affair was an entire failure, both as regards the
lecture, and also as to the attendance,—the house was not
more than one-sixth filled. The auditory in the gallery
consisted of about 33 individuals. Bloomerism may ren-
der itself notorious through the agency of lady lecturers,
mounting not only the unmentionables, but a public plat-
form also ; but by these means it will never become
popular. The Bloomer lectures this week are more plen-
tiful than Sowers in May.

PUNCH IN LIVERPOOL.

WRITTEN FOR THE LIVERPOOL .STANDARD.

" Unlike my subject will 1 frame my song;
It shall be witty, and it sha'n't be long."
Lord Chesterfield.

Good lieges of this loyal town and port !
Know ye, that I, great PuNcu, the Prince of Wit,
Finding my London, where I hold my court,
Just now deserted, dull, and quite unfit
For merry monarch, have resolved, for sport,
To take my note-book, and pack up my kit;
And LIVERPOOL, my bag in hand, to visit,
T'inspect, review it—and perchance to quiz it.

'Tis now the fashion for great potentates
To make progresses through their towns delighted.
It adds, no doubt, a trifle to the rates;

But then the Mayors all get praised and knighted
Besides, the streets get swept—and oiled the gates,
And places dark before for once get lighted.
All this is good for some. So here am I,
King Punch, to use my royal nose and eye.

I've seen your Docks; and really they're splendid
And shew great progress since my cousin Bess

The rivalry with antient CHESTER ended,

And made " creek" LIVERPOOL " a port"—no less.
They've even—l say it—very much extended

Since JEMMY'S time, when four-and-twenty ves-
sels was the number of your merchant fleet—
None quite so large or swift as some I weet.

Looking at these huge Docks and Ships so cheering,
And pond'ring what they sprung from, I declare
I feel my human feelings strongly veering.
The trade in " Niggers" brought in profits rare !
I'd like to have a little privateering,

Or a small " venture" on the sly ! But there
I'm stopped by black philanthropists. No more
Can town or prince grow fat on Afric gore !

COUNTY RATES and EXPENDITURE B'LL,

MEETING AT NEWTON YESTERDAY

Yesterday (Monday), a meeting of deputations
from boards of guardians and other persons interested in
the expenditure of county rates, was held in the large
room of the Horse and Jockey Inn, Newton-le-Willows.
The chair was taken a little after twAve o'clock by Robert
Townley Parker, Esq., of Cuerden Hall, near Preston.
The meeting was well attended by guardians and other
gentlemen from various unions in Lancashire, North Staf-
fordshire, Suffolk, &c. The following members of Par-
liament were also present :—William Brown. Esq., M.P.
for South Lancashire; Alexander Henry, EQq., M.P.,
South Lancashire ; James Heywood, Esq., M.P., North
Lancashire ; W. H. Barrow, Esq., M.P., South Notts ;
J. Wilson Patten. EQq MY., Nort., Lancashire ; James
Kershaw, Esq., M.P., Stockport; John Bright, E=q ,
M.P , Manchester ; Joseph Brotherton, Rai.. M.P.,
Salford; and J. Pilkington, EQq., M.P. for Blacklurn.
Mr. Roberts, the clerk of the Rochdale Union, officiated
as secretary.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said that
the object they had in view might be said to have made
some progress, though in another point of view they had
not made any progress, inasmuch as they had got a bill
which could not be worked No gentleman present would
like to take the responsibility of working it. He there-
fore objected to the bill, and utterly repudiated many of
its provisions. He objected to the principle of centraliza-
tion, which had been introduced into it,—to the Govern-
ment endeavouring to secure more patronage by it. The
Chairman concluded by calling upon Mr. Roberts, the
secretary of the committee, to read the circular calling the
meeting, and the letters of apology from gentlemen unable
to attend. Letters were read from Mr. Greene, M.P.,
Mr. Armstrong, M.P., Mr. Crawford, M.P., and many
gentlemen in various districts, highly approving of the ob-
jects of the meeting, but regretted their inability to attend.
Mr. LIVESEY, of Preston, read the report, for which
we regret we have not space.

Mr. ROBERTS then briefly recapitulated the proceed-
ings on the bill before parliament last session, and said
that the promoters of the bill had got the worst over,
having already gone through two committees, namely, one
to hear evidence, and the other to consider the bill. The
promoters, however, proposed a new principle in the bill.
They proposed that the whole financial hoard be elected
by the guardians. As the bill at present stood one half
were elected by magistrates, and one half by guardians ;
and in those elected by the guardians some magistrates
would probably be appointed. They were endeavouring
to carry out the representative system fully, and had no
doubt it would work well.

Wm. HODGSON BARROW, Esq., M.P.,rose to move
the first resolution. He said he felt the ull importance
of this bill. It was one of the oldest principles of the
constitution that the people should. in some sort or other,
be represented in the expenditure of their taxes. He
agreed with the chairman, that the bill in its present
shape could not work well, and considered it a great
absurdity that the government should have the power of
altering the salaries. The local boards were best able,
from their local knowledge, to fix the salaries. No supe-
rior power should have the right to alter those salaries.
The Financial Board should fix the salaries of its officers
in the same manner as the House of Commons fixed the
salaries of the officers of her Majesty's Government. He
was a county magistrate, and he felt no jealousy respecting
this movement; on the contrary, he should feel happy to
see his fellow-ratepayers represented. He thought that
the Board of Guardians should send two members
to the financial board—one a magistrate and the other
one of themselves. After some remarks on the unneces-
sary holding of inquests, the hon. member concluded by
moving—" That the proceedings of the committee be
approved, and that the report which has been read be
adopted and printed by the committee."
Mr. KERSHAW seconded the resolution, and in doing
so made some remarks on the tardy and equivocal conduct
of government in the matter. He concluded by exhorting
the delegates to persevere, telling them that " their views
were founded on right and justice, and must ultimately
prevail."
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
JOHN BRIGHT. Esq. M.P. moved the second resolution,
which was seconded by Mr. GARNETI, and also carried
unanimously,

"That the irresponsible power of the magistrates to
raise large sums of money, by way of county rate, and ex-
pend the same uncontrolled by the ratepayers, is a prin-
ciple so unjust as to require forthwith the interference of
the legislature, in order that the ratepayers may obtain
some direction over the funds that are expended ; and
this meeting, still sensible of the continued pressure of
local taxation, of which county expenditure now consti-
tutes one of the most important items, feels it imperative
that renewed and decisive steps should be taken for effect-
ing a reduction of such expenditure, at the same time pro-
viding a more economical administration in future."
Mr. JAMES HEYWOOD, M.P., moved the re-appoint-
ment of the committee, and that they be authorised to
obtain a good and efficient bill.
Mr. JOHNSON. of Wickham Brook, Suffolk, seconded
the resolution. Carried unanimously.
Mr. LIVESEY, of Preston, moved the fifth resolution—
" That the pest thanks of this meeting are hereby pre-
sented to the Right lion. Thos. M. Gibson, for
his kindness in undertaking the management of this
question in the House of Commons during the last two
sessions ; and he is hereby respectfully requested, in the
event of the deputation being unsuccessful with govern-
ment, to introduce another bill, embodying the sugges-
tions contained in the committee's repert presented this
day; and the committee are hereby authorised to prepare
such for Mr. Gibson."

Mr. OUSEY seconded the resolution, whicn was carried
unanimously.
Thanks were voted to Mr. Barrow and the other mem-
bers of parliament. and also to the chairman, for his very
zealous and able support to the movement for effecting a
reform of county expenditure.
The proceedings then terminated.

a good sea•aoing ship, and reflects no ordinary credit on
Capt. R. Loper, under whose sucierintendeace she was
constructed. She is commanded by Capt. a gentle-
man with whom we are not acquainted, but whose nautical
character is summed up in the words, " He is a sailor and
a gentleman." She is consigned here to Messrs. Harnden
and Co.