The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-14 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL ANTI-MONOPOLISTS

A conviction of the entire harmlP.ssness which now happily
attends every tortuous wriggle of the slimy and contemptible
thing whiggery, has prevented us from sooner noticing the
recent fantastic movements of a knot of wiseacres, who con-
stitute the local vertebra;—the pitiful Liverpool tail—of its
wellnigh defunct corpus. We must be thankful, however,
for mercies, however small; and as we have no " great de-
monstrations " stirring, we must content ourselves with
more humble sights. As we have no " ocean in a rage " to
feast our eyes upon, we must be satisfied with watching " a
puddle in a storm"; and, being deprived for a time of the
entertainment afforded by the Cobdens and Russells of the
House of Commons, we must put up with the puny efforts
of the Thornelys, Heyworths, Hollands, and Joneses of the
" Liverpool Anti-Monopoly Association."
We have waded through a report of the doings and sayings
of these " small deer," at their " first public meeting"
(which we durst almost prophecy will be their last); and we
are only happy that we were not condemned to be present at
the exhibition itself. It is painful enough to have to read
the wretched imbecilities which faction and frenzied disap-
pointment occasionally impel men, in their station respecta-
ble, to utter; but to have been compelled to watch the
mouthings and the swingings of the arms, and to listen to
the stolid stutterings of these propounders of absurdity and
would-be hatchers of mischief, would have very far exceeded
our powers of endurance. Well indeed can we believe that
the better portion of the whig party have signified their dis-
inclination to be dragged into a participation with this new
" anti-monopoly" movement! The aristocracy of whiggery
—men who are not bent upon a total submersion in the mire
of faction—may very reasonably have refused to " march
throulili Coventry " with so ludicrous an assortment of noo-
dles and nobodies, philosophers-run-mad, and tatterdemal-
lions.

The truly modest views of these gentlemen may be de-
scribed briefly as comprehending the following objects--viz.:
Ist, the ruin of the agricultural interest ; 2ndly, the with-
drawal of all restrictions, in the shape of import duties, upon
commerce and a transfer of the taxation, thus taken away
from the commercial body, to the backs of the prostrated
agricultural body ; 3rdly, the sacrifice of the whole of our
colonial possessions ; and -Wily—bear this in mind, ye work-
ing men of Liverpool!—THE: WITHDRAWAL OF ALL PRO-
TECTION FROM NATIVE INDUSTRY!! "We must be per-
mitted to buy everything where we can buv them cheapest,"
exclaim the philosophers, one and all. " I can import salt
beef for the working man at 2d. a 1b.," exclaims Mr. Chas.
Holland. " I can supply them with coffee at 7(1. a 1b.,"
cries Mr. Richard Shell. " But we will not buy from these
junk-fed working men our boots, our hats, our stockings,
our tables, or any other production of their industry," ex-
claim the philosophers in a breath, " if we can buy them
cheaper from the foreign artizan ; and if the revenue should
suffer from our scheme—if the national creditor, the army,
or the navy, be left unprovided for—let a whig chancellor of
the exchequer put his hand into the pockets of the land-
owner, and extract thence, if he can find them, the necessary
funds !"

Such is, in real substance, the proposition of the " Liver-
pool Anti-Monopoly Association " ; and it is really hard to
determine whether a number of educated men, calling them-
selves merchants and gentlemen, who can deliberately set
about the agitation of a scheme so fraudulent, so unprinci-
pled, and so absurd, are more worthy of our ridicule or our
detestation. Our own opinion inclines to the former mode
of treatment, or to an apartment in Bedlam ; for, although
well enough disposed to become political firebrands, we
firmly believe that the intellectual seals of the whole bunch
of them, rubbed together, would not produce as much scin-
tillation as would light a working man's pipe. Poor, mise-
rable radicals ! we pity you heartily ; but do not fear that
you will be able to create any explosion, greater than an
explosion of laughter at your stilted, puff .rd-up, abortive
silliness.

THE LIVERPOOL JOURNAL ON AFRICAN IM-
MIGRATION TO THE WEST INDIES.

The Liverpool Journal of Saturday last contains an article,
upon the subject of African Immigration to our West Indian
Colonies, which is certainly the most singular production
which has lately come under our observation. Nearly three-
fourths of the article in question are devoted to a notice of,
and extracts from, a pamphlet, recently published by a fel-
low-townsman, (entitled " A Letter to the Right Hon. Lord
Stanley," &c.,) in which the importance, and indeed neces-
sity, of a large measure of immigration to these islands, is
ably and forcibly advocated ; and, so far as the reviewing
portion is concerned, we must confess that our contemporary
does full justice to the writer, and scarcely questions at all
the soundness of his views, much less ventures to impugn
one of his statements. Having performed this part of his
task, however, the candid reviewer lays aside his pen, and
the free-trade journalist mounts his stool,—not, however, to
contravene anything which the writer so lately under his
notice has said, but to " add a word or two by way of com-
ment."

We should really have no objection to our contemporary's
playing two parts in the same piece, or blowing hot and cold
upon any give❑ subject in the same article, provided he gives
both performances with the same fairness which he has done
on the present occasion ; for it is gratifying to us, who coin-
cide in a great measure in the opinions under critical judg-
ment, to observe that the reviewer has the better of the edi-
tor. We presume that the twain are one individual; and
indeed we rather suspect that the cruel constraint of party
politics alone impelled him of the editorial stool to differ
from his critical double. " Thus far"—we can imagine him
ejaculating—" we have coincided in the views which we have
perused and quoted ; but we must now give ourselves a gen-
tle backhanded blow, and have a flourish for the glorious
principles of free trade, and the superior cheapness of slave-
made sugar !"

- „ - -
" The practical application of the principle of immigra-
tion and free labour in the island of Puerto Rico has
been proved by the pamphleteer before us," it is true.
The same pamphleteer " stews very lucidly the advan-
tages to he derived by directing a stream of African
immigration to Jamaica, British Guiana, and Trinidad:"
—remarks the reviewer still. But we cannot admit any-
thing of this, retorts the reviewer's double. We cannot
get equality of the sexes in our importations from Africa ;
and, if we could, " all experience stews that it is next to
impossible to induce the savage, of any race, to work without
coercion." In short, as free-traders, and therefore bitter
enemies of our West Indian and all other colonies, which we
term " monopolies," we do not think it worth while trying
the experiment whether these colonies can or cannot, by a
supply of free labour, be enabled to compete with Cuba, the
Brazils, and other slave-holding and slave-trading countries;
for that experiment will cost us some fraction of a farthing
per pound more for our sugar—a circumstance which, to
sweet-toothed liberalism, is one of primary consideration.
We care nothing about " free-labour sugar " now, although
some few years ago we used to ticket that delectable material
in our shop-windows, and the bait was rayther a profitable
one. But now " our business is to buy in the market of the
world ; " we want only free-trade sugar; and we can just
take our gruel as well with the treacle, for the production of
which an African village has been depopulated, and the hor-
rors of the middle passage, the brand and the lash, have been
endured, as if it was distilled from the lips of angels or dropt
from heaven—provided it is the fractional part of a farthing
cheaper ! Amiable, philanthropic, disinterested free-trade
quacks
We do not, by the bye, impute these sentiments to the
editor of the Journal, for we can sec that the advocacy of
the policy to which they lead sits ill upon him. But can it
be, are ask, that our contemporary, believing, as he asserts
and we believe, that " the slave trade will only be abolished
with the abolition of slavery," and that such a consumma-
tion will not be accomplished until a " civil war" has spread
itself over the slave states of the world—in short, until the
white race in Cuba, the Brazils, the United States, N.c. shall
have been immolated by an outburst of the hoarded ven-
geance of their enslaved labourers? Is it, as the Journal
intimates, that to the example of Haiti the African must
look for freedom ; and, for that, not until " two or three
centuries hence, and after many severe struggles"—many
bloody massacres—from which they may emerge from sla-
very to freedom full as easily and rapidly as did the ances-
tors of many of the proudest nations of Europe?" Is it to
such a consummation that " liberalism" now looks for that
freedom for the enslaved African which has formed the sub-
' ject of so many empassioned appeals to the humanity of a
British public ? Oh ! shame ! shame ! Oh,—if it be so,—
withdraw every British cruizer from the shores of Africa.
Let the "meteor flag" of England no longer be desecrated
by the pursuit of an admitted mockery ! In mercy to the
deported African himself, release him from the horrors of
the middle passage—from the pestiferous hold of the Spanish
or American slaver! Let the slave-trade go on unchecked
and thus mitigated by half its horrors ! Fill Cuba and Bra-
zil with the African blood and sinews from which they ex-
tract their produce ; and let "liberalism"—humane, en-
lightened, philosophic liberalism—smear its visage plentifully
with the sweets wrung from slavery, until the coming of that
day ashen the infamy will be wiped out by the horrors, and
slaughter, and " civil war"—save the mark I—which it so
placidly contemplates !
Thank Heaven, we say, that a party which can deliberately
propagate such views—can tolerate so composedly the con-
tinuance of the slave trade and slavery for " two or three
centuries," and which then only contemplates its termina-
tion by wide-spread bloodshed and massacre—is removed,
we trust for ever, from the councils of Great Britain!

DEANERY OF ST. PATRICK'S.—We are glad to have it
.in
our power to state, on the best authority possible, that toe
Rev. R. Daly has not the most remote idea of abandoning
his suit. The decision lately pronounced does not affect the
real and final question at all ; extending only so far as to re-
quire that the compromisers or tellers who acted at the
election, should answer questions. The next decision of
court may (as we have every reason to think will) declare tlif!
act of the compromisers good. and the election valid in
which case Mr. Daly will at once enter into poseessiot;.—
TMblin Slatestna#4.

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL
STANDARD.

Mr.
_EDITOR,—I have a large family, and often give away
children's old clothes to casual beggars at the door, and who
are too often impostors, as I have had occasion to prove. As
there is much distress prevailing among the poorer classes, it
seems to me that the following would be a good means to ob-
tain donations of old clothes, cast-off shoes, old flannels, old
carpets, hats, handkerchiefs, stockings. socks, tkc., &c.,
and if each mistress of a house were to send only one single
article, conceive what an abundance of clothes would be
provided in this large town. There would be no necessity in
any case—unless they wished it—that the donors should be
known.

PLAN.—To have a depot in each ward for the reception of
the above clothes, &c.—the school-room to wit—or any other
suitable room—where benevolent ladies, who visit districts,
might take it in turns to receive the donations, selecting and
distributing the same to the best advantage, and giving a re-
ceipt to prevent frauds by the messengers.
How much better would be such a disposal of cast-off
things than the disposal of them to pampered nurses, which
is too much a general practice here.
Your insertion of this may perhaps aid your charitable
views at this severe season, and will much oblige, yours,
respectfully, A CONSTANT READER.

Liverpool, January, 12, 18-42,

THE CORPORATION SCHOOLS

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

SIR,—I have read, with much attention, the copious, and, I
doubt not, correct report, which annears in your paper of to-
day, of the proceedings in council, upon the important question
of the future management of the Corporation Schools; and
I must confess, that, much as I rejoice at the decision which
has been come to, as tending to secure for the children of the
poor a religious education, without which all other is worth-
less, I have risen from the perusal with feelings of the most
painful nature. That men, avowed infidels, or scoffers at
religion in any shape, as the mere mask of priestcraft, should
be indifferent as to whether the rising generation should be
taught their duty to their creator as well as their fellow
worms, is not surprising : but, that professing Protestant
Christians, men of education, who would feel themselves in-
sulted if any one were to doubt their regard for religion, or
their deep reverence for the revealed Word of God, should
openly maintain that they deem it of no consequence whether
the children of the poor are instructed in the knowledge and
fear of God, not merely as that which is the most momentous
consideration for all both for time and eternity, but as the
bond which of all others is the strongest that holds society
together, is to me most wonderful. Education, without re-
ligion, has been held, by the wise and godd of all times and
nations, as more hurtfultharf beneficial to society, and pity
it is to see modern liberality uphold the converse of the pro-
position. Leaving those, however, who come under this
category to their own reflections, let us review the remarks of
some of those who admit the necessity of a religious educa-
tion, but cannot agree as to the nature of that which should
be taught. The report of the Education Committee recom-
mends a course of proceeding which one would have thought
could not, in a Protestant country, have been objected to.
Prayer and praise at the opening and closing of the school
would seem to be particularly calculated to teach the little
ones to " remember their Creator in the days of their youth,"
and the daily reading of the Word of God seems only to be
obeying the injunction of our Saviour—" Search the Scrip-
tures." But here begins the controversy. Roman Catho-
lics are not allowed by their priesthood to search the Scrip-
tures. They declare that which our blessed Redeemer has
commanded, to be dangerous : the priests alone may search,
and the people must see with their eyes and hear with their
ears. And, in order to spare the feelings of the people hold-
ing doctrines which all Protestants believe to be dangerous
errors, at variance with the truths of revelation, and particu-
larly inconsistent with civil liberty, the children of Protestant
parents are to be deprived of religious instruction, in schools
reared and maintained by the funds contributed almost ex-
clusively by Protestants. Where was the feeling for Pro-
testants when the Irish Extracts were forced upon the schools,
to the exclusion of the Protestant Bible? Did any liberal
alderman or councillor protest against the measure as calcu-
lated to drive the children of poor Protestants from the
schools? No, not one. Even the humble proposal of Mr.
John Cropper, that a trial should be made of the authorisied
version of the Bible, for a few months, was scouted, because
the Irish priests would not allow Catholic children to attend
schools where that was read. And I blush to record it, the
Common Council of Liverpool—Protestant Liverpool—
truckled to the dictation of the Irish priests, and the children
of the Protestant poor would have been left to perish in de-
plorable ignorance, had not the good feeling of the community
been roused by the glaring injustice, and, with a prom titude and
spirit beyond all praise, raised in an incredibly short space
of time a sum amply sufficient to build and endow schools,
where they might receive that instruction of which they had
been so unjustly deprived by a council of liberals ! I am
curious to know what precise meaning Mr. Alderman Tur-
ner attaches to the scriptural maxim, ' Train up a child in
the way he should go." Is it by secular education without
religious instruction? If not, how can he by any half mea-
sures get out of the dilemma—how amalgamate oil and
vinegar, tire and water? If the Bible, without note or com-
ment, is to be admitted into the schools, he knows that the
Romish priests wilt not allow the children of their commu-
nion to attend—and would he debar children of Protestant
parents from acquiring in their youth a knowledge of the way
of salvation—of the truth as it is in Jesus, by withholding
the revealed word of God, out of deference forsooth, to the
tender consciences of those who, if they had the power,
would now, as they have heretoforedone, compel acquiescence
in their dogmas by the sword and by the firebrand ?
Away with such trimming and time serving. This coun-
try, God be praised, is Protestant—the crown, the con-
stitution, the church, arc by law established, are all
Protestant, and • Protestant laws and principles must
and will he upheld. Dissenters from that church have
that which is granted in no other country possessing
the blessing of a national church—perfect liberty of con-
science to worship their Maker, and to educate their children
as may seem to them best—but to call upon a Protestant
community to expend their funds in fostering and inculca-
ting those doctrines and principles which our ancestors
fought and bled, and many laid down their lives, to suppress,
is really " too bad." The exhibition—arguments would be
a misnomer—made by Mr. Alderman Earle, in seconding
Mr. Turner's amendment, if correctly reported, is most pi-
tiable—for him to talk of " proceedings which outrage de-
cency" is good—rich—decency ! indeed—to insult those
whom, in spite of his levelling declarations, he evidently
considers his inferiors in every respect—to traduce the ab-
sent—and to have the manliness to call a clergyman a coward
—are, no doubt, proofs of decency, according to liberal no-
menclature. How he must have felt the cool, quiet remark
of Mr. Moore, about the difference between a blue coat
and a black !—it must have incarnadined his cheek, " albeit
unused to the blushing mood." Mr. Bushell's observations,
it may be hoped, have put a wet blanket, if not an extin-
guisher, upon him ; and, if in future he should play the
wasp, the sting will be innocuous. Mr. Bushell's. whole
speech is full of sound reasoning and good sense, and, what
can be affirmed of few on the occasion, was to the purpose ;
he stripped the question of its sophistry, and manfully met
it as it should be met. Mr. Alderman Moore also gave an
earnest of what may be expected from him—the warm and
judicious supporter of our glorious constitution in church
and state. Happily he can bring in aid of arguments his
own experience, which is confirmatory of all history, that
wherever Romish supremacy exists there prevails a greater
degree of ignorance, immorality, and crime, that in those
countries where Protestant principles have the ascendancy.
The speeches of Mr. Aikin and Mr. Evans were, as usual,
full of common-place declamation, wide of the mark, and in-
tended merely to mislead from the real merits of the ques-
tion. By the by, I should like to know in what part of Scot-
land the former gentleman was educated ; he is reported to
have stated, that he never saw the Bible introduced ! I much
question if there be another Scotchman in Liverpool who
could safely affirm the same : at all events Mr. Moore's sar-
casm will probably make him (Mr. A.) a little more guarded
in future. Those who are not instructed in the Bible when
children, very rarely acquire much acquaintance with, or
reverence for, it afterwards.

The question being now decided, and the course of pro-
ceeding determined upon, I trust it will be carried into effect
with zeal and discretion. The clergy will be able to resume
those labours of love towards the offspring of their indigent
brethren which they have been shut out from for the last
six years ; and I trust and believe, with Mr. Sands, that many
of the Boman Catholics are not so bigoted as persons are dis-
posed to represent them ; and that very many of their children
will he permitted to avail themselves of that measure of educa-
tion which the schools will afford—reading the Bible without
being compelled to acquire any peculiar doctrines—and re-
ceiving at home or from their own clergy such religions in-
struction as their parents deem proper and necessary. I fear
I have already trespassed too much' ipon your space,. 1 will,
therefore, only add my hearty congratulation on the success
of that cause which you have so long, so consistently, and so
ably advocated, along with that unflinching and uncompro-
tnising champion, " The Lion of St. Jude's.'—Yours,
faithfully, PRESBYTER.
January Bth, 1841.