The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-02-20 00:00:00

EXCLUSION OF NEWSPAPERS FROM THE
LIVERPOOL WORKHOUSE.

IVe have been ,4otoewhat surprised to read, in the
columns of the Albion of yesterday, a report of the pro-
ceedings of the Select Vestry at its last meeting, in
which we find our respected Junior Rector Campbell
stating, (with respect to the exclusion of the Liverpool
Standard and the Mercury from the workhouse,) that
" newspapers were prohibited by the poor-law commis-
sioners, but that the committee had ordered three copies
of Chambers's Journal, three of the Penny Magazine,
and six of the Saturday Magazine, to be taken weekly."
We are surprised at this statement of the rev. rector,
acting on the occasion as chairman of the board, inas-
much as it chews that in making this statement he has
been, by some party or other, grossly misled ; for we are
convinced, that he himself would be the last man to
sanction, by a perversion of the order of the commission-
ers, such cruelty as is involved in this shutting out of
the paupers in our workhouse from a knowledge of the
affairs of the world and of their fellow-beings, such as is
coni-eved in the columns of a respectable newspaper.
We beg to call the attention of the rector to the pre-
cise words of the order in question, by which he has
been induced to give his sanction to this course. The
order in question is contained in the 26th clause of the
instructions of the commissioners to the Select Vestry
of Liverpool; and is thus worded:
" No written or printed paper of an improper ten-
dency, or which may be likely to produce insubordina-
tion, shall be allowed to circulate, or be read aloud,
among the inmates of the workhouse."
The rev. rector, we know, will be among the last to
say that the Liverpool Standard is such a printed paper
as should not be circulated or read aloud in any commu-
nity. Our remarks upon passing events are certainly
neither of " improper tendency," nor " likely to produce
insubordination" in the workhouse.

We dare say, however, that it is upon the " explana-
tion " of this rule by the poor-law commissioners, that it
is attempted to mislead the vestry into the supposition
that newspapers are prohibited altogether. What says
that explanation ? That " the words printed paper'
comprehend any newspaper, handbill, book, pamphlet,
&c.," obviously, only if these are of " improper
tendency.'

If the "printed papers" mentioned in the explanation
are not to be limited, a respectable newspaper, by the
qualifying expressions in the original instruction, not
only is prohibited, but so are Chambers's Journal, the
Penny Magazine, and the Saturday Magazine, —so is,
in fact, THE BIBLE ITSELF!. There is, however, we
say it advisedly, no prohibition which can affect us any
more than these "printed papers" which are readily ad-
mitted. The explanation is general manifestly because
the limitation is contained in the instruction. May we
beg of the rev. rector and the vestry to reconsider this
question P As affects ourselves it is a light matter ; but
surely it is a hardship upon the poor prisoner of the
workhouse, that, once within its walls, the workl, with-
out should be to him for ever an unknown land, and its
proceedings and the prospects it holds out for ever
hidden from his vision !

LIVERPOOL ASSOCIATION OF ASSISTANT TRA MS-
MEN.—On Friday last, a deputation from this body hat}
an interview, by appointment, with his worship the Mayor.
They were very courteously received ; and it is expected
that some measures will arise out of the propositions sub-
mitted for his worship's consideration,' which will induce
a more extended adoption of the rule of closing shops at
seven o'clock.

ROBBING ST. ANDIrRW'S CHURCH.—Sophia Thomp-
son was brought before the police-court, on Friday, on a
charge of stealing a Bible and two Prayer-books from the
above-named'church. On the application of Mr. Dowling
she was remanded, there• being other similar charges
against her. On Saturday the prisoner was again brought
up and fully committed for trial.

TAELETON COURSING- MIIITING.—At this meeting;
which came off on Wednesday and Thursday last, the
Tarleton Puppy Cup was won by Mr. Brandwood's d.
Ajax ; Mr. Brandwood's d. Jebb ran up. The Bank
Hall Cup was won by Mr. Eden's d. Eau-de-vie ; Mr.
Taylor's b. Salute ran up. The Radcliffe Hall Cup was
won by Mr. Graham's b. Screw ; Mr. Eden's d. Eros
ran up. The Bretherton Puppy Stake was won by Mr..
Craven's b. Castlewellan ; Mr. Simpson's b. Madeira ran
up. The Craven Stake was won by Mr. King's d. Vanish ;
Mr. Rodgett's d. Claret ran. up.
SPLENDID PAINTING BY ETTY.—We yesterday viewed,.
by invitation, a painting of this now celebrated artist.
The name of Etty must be familiar to all acquainted with.
the art : and this is allowed to be, in every point, his mas-
terpiece. It is a `• Sleeping nymph,." and were it not so
denominated, some might be attempting to address her,
so near is the resemblance to life. The colouring is al-
lowed by the best judges to surpass even Titian, while the
drawing, particulariy the foreshortening, is worthy a
Raphael. In the colouring there is true purity, and every
limb as it were stands from the canvas, and this, too,
without the aid of those life-destroyers, shades, generally
used to produce effect. The back groundis equally rich ;
and we would recommend all connoisieurs to lose no time
in viewing, which they may do on application, one of
Etty's best works.

COLLEGIATE INSTITUTION.—WiIIiain Sturgeon, Esq.,
will deliver his first lecture on electricity this evening,
and certainly we never saw a moreattractive syllabus than
he hos put forth. The experiments will be numerous,
and the apparatus by which they will be made first rate.
These will be succeeded by a course on church music, by
Dr. Wesley, for which the Philharmonic Society have
been for some time actively employed in getting up the
vocai illustrations. These lectures are anxiously looked
forward to by every lover of music in the town, and,
from the high character of the parties engaged in it, we
are confident that the most sanguine anticipations of their
excellence will be realised. The merits of Professor
Rymer Jones and his beautiful diagrams are too well
known and appreciated to require us to do more than to
say that they will follow. We perceive that the cele-
brated poet, James Montgomery, Esq., of Sheffield.,
author of " The World before the F100d,." has consented
to deliver, at this institution. the course of lectures on
poetry which created such a great sensation at the Royal
Institution, London, and in several other places. The
subject and the man will fill the lecture-hall during their
delivery. Our facetious friend, Mr. Roby, has also pro-
mised to come forward in the autumn with his highly-in-
teresting course on botanical physiology, illustrated by
upwards of 300 diagrams, to be exhibited with the oxy_
hydrogen microscope. Judging from the exceeding popu-
larity of his lectures on botany, introductory to the pre-
sent course, we should anticipate a good fate for this.
Professor Calvart completes the list of the announcements
at present made by the dirertors. This gentleman's
oratorical powers never fail to fill the lecture-hall where-
ever he goes, any eulogium of ours, therefore, on his
merits, is needless. With such a brilliant series of
courses in prospect, the directors of this institution will
not only deserve but command success.
- -

ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH SCHOOLS.—On Sunday last
the Lord Bishop of this diocese preached two sermons,.
one i❑ the morning and the other in the evening, at St.
Andrew's church, Renshaw-street, in aid of the schools
attached to the church. His morning's text was from. the
19th chapter of Proverbs and 2d verse : " That the soul
be without knowledge it is not good." In the evening
his text was from the Gth chapter of Galatians and:lsth
verse: " For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision- avail-
eth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."
The collection in the morning amounted to the sum of
£95, and that in the evening to £42. It was announced
during the morning service that the bishop. would ex-
amine and address the children attending the schools,
in the afternoon. when a large and respectable congrega-
tion were assembled and witnessed an extremely inter-
esting and gratifying ceremony, the bishop, prior to
the examination and address, reading the prayers of the
church. In the evening his lordship was pleased to
speak of the children's acquirements in terms likely to
be peculiarly encouraging both to them and their teachers.
Indeed we knew not which most to admire, the simplicity
and fervour of the bishop's remarks to the children, or
the readiness with which they answered his queries, and
the facility with which they producer! Scripture quotations
to illustrate the various subjects upon which he questioned
them. He took the 9th chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel,
beginning at the 18th verse, and showed from it the power
of faith. He described the two sorts of life in man—the
life of the body and the life of the soul, and explained
that while the natural life was the gift of God, the spiritual
life was the peculiar province of the incarnate Redeemer
through the operation of the Holy Spirit. The illness of
the human soul is general ; and all men naturally go astray
like lost sheep. He described in a most simple and
beautiful manner the office of Christ, not only as the
Physician to whom all must go for cure from the universal
malady of sin, but as the Shepherd who know"; and takes
care of his flock, and especially of the lambs, who are ex-
posedthe blind men who followed the Saviour were fulfilling
hailing him as the son of David ; and he then
wasthhnaeodtwcshhe
has
ddet
ooe
vt
atpie:rei many
prophecy by
led the children to prove the divinity of Christ by the
miracles which he performed. He glanced at the value
that book which he exhorted them to value and study ;
torfutehwe showediSsdcorimptuthreast,waonudldavail a thet th ecllaiisltd riesntot that
foundth eonil
in
and told them that many things are wrong which are done
by great multitudes who profess much worldly wisdom,
and that the only safeguard of youth and manhood was a
of a multitude. We find many whom the world calls wise
theclos ewadherence tdo
wasthe t
o b preceptse believed o f the
before Bible,
the inasmuchopinio
nas
s
advocate opinions contrary to the Bible, but our only
to the opinions of man, but by the immutable word of a
se-
curityat
tthe iinasttemalpitamtiaonnkiinsdtoaraedhtoerbeetojuGdgoedd's, wnootrda,cibernoecterhiadoeuismnesges,
heart-searching God. He then proceeded to show, by
the life and labours of Christ upon the earth, his desire
over
to extend the Kingdom of God, and his exceeding love for
,aesa
ande thh , the
o watchesdoes
shepherdoes tohve
the lambs of his flock. He illustrated the compassion and
care of a shepherd by a striking but sample anecdote, and
and preserve all who come to him in faith. He
g tt-i
oo rfaonl 1,. and
pthinemi
children against evil companions when they
warned
went out as apprentices, and spoke with much feeling of
the DU nthae fold,
peculiarc I'
knowledge ndforeeuen-d1 es dhtgoieweOmf
number of those in this large town who have none to
leading of the Spirit of God, which would enable them to
care for
consequently
,inbutviweeh.o areHe berxolupagrhttedu
surmount temptation, t,,nd would bring t hem to the waters
of life everlasting; and he concluded an affectionate and
touching address by a fervent prayer for all the young of
Christ's fink in every place. We hope that this valuable
and laborious prelate may be long spared to the Church
of which he is so bright an ernment,