The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-21 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE

THE ROYAL CHRISTENING

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
ilready is the din of preparation resounding in the
ears of expectant thousands ; already is the enerossine theme

TO THE I

of the approaching celebration of the infant Prince of Wales
occupying the thoughts of the loyal subjects of dear old
England, while a strange spirit of apathy seems to pervade
the once spirited, and, I believe, still loyal town of Liver-
pool.. A change appears to have come o'er the spirit of her
dream, and we find her merchant princes and men of com-
merce, her tradesmen and inhabitants generally, evincing a
lethargic indifference to the event as remarkable as it is un-
precedented. What! does not the second port in the king-
dom possess a kindred spirit with the metropolis and places
of minor importance to join them in celebrating an event
so important as the induction of the heir apparent to Eng.
land's protestant throne into the pale of the Christian
church: Away with such apathetic indifference, and let us
devise some scheme, such as regaling the poor, and proclaim-
ing a general holiday throughout the town, that we may tes-
tify our cordial joy upon such an occasion, and stamp upon
the future annals of Liverpool the loyalty of its inhabitants,
and the demonstration of their joy at so auspicious an event.

I am, Sir, your constant reader,
Liverpool, Jan. 191 h, 1842. A BRITON

TO THE REV. THOMAS YOUENS, D.D

Rtv.'Slß,—l have read, with all the attention I can com-
mand, both your pamphlet and the Rev. Hugh 111`Neile's

reply. My impression, however, is, that Mr.c.M*Neile has
placed your church in a dilemma from which at present I
see no way of escape. My opinion is, that you must either
give up the authority of the Council of Ephesus, or the Creed
of Pius IV.

Doubtless you will not let the matter rest here, and my
motive in addressing you is respectfully to suggest a more
careful examination of the premises, from which you draw a
conclusion which militates against the reformed faith.

It is as follows :—" Suppose that I address myself to ten
individuals with a view of proving to them that my opinion
is right. If by my arguments I satisfy two of them, it' is
clear that any opinion is proved to two of them ; but the
circumstance of its being proved to two is no criterion that
the two who agree with me are right, and that the eight dis-
senters are wrong. The probability is that the dissentients,
being more numerous, are in the right, and I and my two
friends are in the wrong, notwithstanding my proof." (p. 8.)
(Before noticing the above, allow me to state that I take
exception to your mode, p. 7, of " proving a doctrine Irons
Scripture," but time will not allow me to enter upon it.)
Allow Ape to inquire, was the subject of your address capable
of deMonstration?—beeause, if you established your point
by a legitimate process of reasoning—if you proved it to de-
monstration, it would be proved, and there would be an end
of the matter. It is of no consequence whether eight or
eight thousand individuals deny that two and two added to-
gether make four : their dissenting from the proof will not
alter the fact. It is, therefore, idle to talk of eight out of
ten being " probably" right on account of their majority,
after a given problem has been proved.
On the other hand, supposing the subject of your address
be such as will not admit of absolute or mathematical de-
monstration, it is obvious that your proposition lacks one of
its most important components, which gives it such an inde-
finite existence in the mind as to engender doubts, and almost
prevent our reasoning upon it ; and therefore it has an ap-
pearance of sophistry, which ought to be avoided by all Chris-
tian teachers. You leave us completely in the dark as to
your audience! Are we to understand that they were all (so
far as may be) of equal intellectual power? equally acquainted
with the subject? not one of them willing to take your state-
ments upon trust ? and each and every one of them equally
interested in the subject and its results ? were they prejudiced
against you or prepossessed in your favour ? were they
equally indifferent alike to you and your subject, or was it a
mixed assembly ? Now, on none of these suppositions should
we be justified in concluding that the majority were probably
right on account of their number; because much would de-
pend upon your mode of address, and there would exist in
every mind to some extent the prejudice of self-love and
pre-conceived opinion. The majority of mankind regard
their opinions and their prejudices as personal property, which
in too many instances they leave with their children. But
again.

Suppose, upon any given subject the dissentients or affir -

matives were more numerous, an

must be regarded as an accident, becau.se the various interests
of man on the one hand, and the secret springs of action on
the other, prevent our admitting the probability that a party,
because the more numerous, are right ; and this for three
reasons : first, the probability of truth or error would rise or
fall in proportion to the majority ; and secondly, because
right and wrong are not convertible terms and lastly, be-
cause this mode of determining truth, would make that truth
in one place which was error in another. The Roman Catholic
creed would thus be right in Spain and wrong in England,
because in the former it is professed by the majority and in
the latter by the minority.
Another objection to your theory exists in our very nature,
which appears to have a natural aversion to pains-taking ex-
amination. 1t is much easier to swim with the tide than to
stem it ! Most men are afraid to dissent from the crowd,
forgetting that the mass are like Samson of old, deceived by
blandishments, and led to and fro by insignificant persons.
Man has been defined to be "an animal who thinks." The
misfortune is, that he does this by proxy. He has sight, but
generally uses it through the medium of spectacles tnanufac-
turedfor him, and belonging to another person. He has a
head upon his shoulders. but he too uses that of another, to

le exclusion o

Another objection to your theory presents itself in the fact,
that its adoption has been an awful barrier to the happiness
of the human race. It was this that plunged Galileo into a
dun.eon. He was in the minority,—nay., did he not stand
alone, before all the wisdom, and science, and philosophy of
his day ? " Still it mores," was his exclamation, and he was
right! - - -

Innumerable similar instances of the opposition of weak
and ignorant men to truths of the greatest magnitude and
importance, which have been drawn from nature's storehouse
by men who were themselves despised and theories rejected
—men whose memory after ages embalmed in the imperish-
able utility of the discoveries which the deep digging of their
master minds produced. They were ever in the minority,
and it was the reception and influence of the dogma you have
propounded which immured some of them in dungeons, and
laughed others to scorn.
Suppose we admit your theory, what would be the result?
It would he the funeral knell of Christianity : even its no-

minal professors form only a speck in propor,i.ut to the inha-
bitants of our planet. Could not an infidel wield your
argument against you with overwhelming force? The Chi-
nese adopted it when they barbarously murdered some of
your missionaries ! Suppose Voltaire addressing his coun-
trymen, and convincing eight-tenths of them that his dan-
gerous opinions were right, would you admit that the mino-
rity were in error ? You have already placed it upon record
that the probability is the more numerous are right ! Why
do you adopt a standard in one case which you reject im a
similar ?

But, as you apply your theory as a test, and thereby infer
the error of the reformed faith, it is but fair that we should
examine whether the dogma we have propounded' has any
warrant in Scripture.

Nice have no means of ascertaining, and therefore it would
be folly to speculate upon, the number in the antideluvian
world ; but we do know that only Noah and seven other
human beings escaped the awful destruction ! and we know
that Noah preached to them at least during a period of one
hundred and twenty years. Can you doubt that he and his
family formed an intinitessimal portion of the human race?
The event proved that they were right, but it was not until
the flood came that they were proved to be so.
When the cities of the plain were destroyed, it was a simi-
lar theory to yours which caused their overthrow, for had
TEN righteous ones been found, Sodom had not been de-
stroyed ! Would these ten r►ot have formed a minority of
the inhabitants of Sodom ?

When 'Moses uttered that important question,—" Who is
on the Lord's side," was he answered by the majority ?
Elijah was dismayed at the majority when he prayed for
death, and fled like a• fugitive to Horeb ! But Elijah was
taught that majorities are not in themselves criterions of
truth ! When Isaiah, the bold protestor against the idolatry
of the Jews,—when Isaiah, the sublime prophet exclaimed,
" except the Lord of fl oats had left us a very small remnant
we should have been like to Sodom and Gomorrah." He
knew that the truth was confined to few.

When Jeremiah was in " the loathsome pit ;" when the
three Jews braved the fiery furnace, and when Daniel was
cast into the den of lions, what supported them but the con-
viction that the majority were in error ?
The Jewish church acted upon your dangerous dogma
when they crucified our Redeemer; they vainly thought that
the minority was so small that they could annihilate it with
the point of a spear, or destroy by nailing it to Calvary's
cross. The event proved how dangerous it is to trust to ma-
jorities as the test of truth
Mr. M'Neile well observes that " the Saviour argued with
many, but convinced few."

Are we not warranted, then, in rejecting your dogma
Are we not justified in contending that numbers do not in
themselves afford even prima facie evidence of truth. Then
let every man remember Paul's exhortation,—" Prove all
things—hold fast that which is good."
Hoping that, in your reply to the Rev. Hugh M`Neile,
you will show us more tenable grounds for your opinion
which, as it at present stands, will Ca condemned as a fallacy.
I am, Rev. Sir, yours,
Liverpool, IWe Jan., 1842. I3APTISTES.

MR. SLATER'S RESIGNATION

TO 'THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlR,—The conduct of Mr. Slater, the titular councillor
for St. Anne's Ward, and the proceedings of the town coun-
cil regarding such conduct, seem to have made but little
impression upon the minds of those whose duty it is to de-
mand the immediate resignation of that trust which they
had reposed im him, when he statedly informs them that he
is unable to exercise the duties of that trust. • ,

If he refuses to resign, after publicly avowing that he can-
not fulfil the duties of councillor, and that refusal be sup-
ported by law, 1 prognosticate a speedy clearance of the
council chamber. But there will be one method of remedy-
ing this palpable evil—by the public inquiring, previous to
any future elections, whether the candidates be men of ho-
nour and confidence.

If Mr. Slater has had the audacious presumption to offer
his invaluable services for the town's weal, and knowing, at
the same time, that he could not fulfil his proffered services,
would not such conduct be considered, by the law, as an
imposition on the public?
But, if he is now compelled to leave the borough in con-
sequence of some unforeseen event, his first care should be
a resignation of the trust into the hands of those from whom
he received it.

It now behoves every individual to emerge from the cold
shade of neglect in which they have allowed themselves to
lie dormant, and use such clear measures as will prevent a
repetition of such disgraceful proceedings.
In conclusion, sir, I crave permission for a little additional
space, for a few lines, which, though they are not directly
connected with the prelude, yet they are concomitant with
the subject generally, and may prove useful to the unbigoted
part of the municipal electors. It is a most mischievous and
absurd idea, but one that has prevailed, if it do not still pre-
vail, that a common councillor is not required to possess
great talents, that he may be a dull and plodding man, that
he may be dull in his moral sensibility, that he need not be
a religious man, and yet may very well discharge the duties
of his office. But if Heaven has given any man a greater
share of talent, virtue, or piety, let them know that they
cannot choose a better man ; neither can he choose a nobler
field for action, than that of town-councillor. And let such
a man enter this field, not to go through the dull round of
prescribed duty,—let him throw himself into this sphere of
action with his whole mind and heart, with every wakeful
energy of thought and kindly fervour of feeling, to think
and to act, to devise and to do all that his powers permit,
for the minds of the many youths of both sexes, who are
committed to his first charge ; and to transmit them to the
second charge of masters, who will labour to win their affec-
tions, to quicken in them the love of scriptural knowledge,
to inspire with every noble impulse the breast of ingenuous
youth, and to raise up sound scholars for literature, devoted
pastors for the church, patriotic citizens for this
do this,is country,
s
and glorious men for the universe. Let councillors
the record of
and none shall leave brighter signatures u
I must
honoured and well-spent lives. To the friendspon of scriptural
education, as well as the actual labourers inits
cause,
Press •
in fire,—for the future, pass the watchword—"
say, ,of • turd knowledge gave birth
onward ' The spread scrip
to civil liberty; the increase of such knowledge must give it
stability and security. The fortunes of the civilised world

are embarked in• till's cause: The great deeps are breaking
up, and the ark that is to ride out the storm must have skill
engaged in its construction, and wisdom and truth to preside
at its helm. The war of opinion is already begun ; and for
its safe direction, knowledge founded on scriptural truths
must take the command. In the war, not the greatest war-
rior, but the schoolmaster, must marshal the hosts to battle.

I It is he that is to train the minds which are to engage in this
contest. It is he that is to train up orators and legislators,
statesmen and rulers. Would the free spirits of our coun-
try, especially those of Liveipool, look to the defence of this
cause, it is no dubious question where they must look. Their
outposts must be free-schools ; their citadels must be uni-
versities ; their munition must be Ow Bible; their pioneers
must be the religious schoolmaster and pious pastor; and
the mighty engine that must hurl destruction upon the le-
gions of error, is the free press. Let the people do this—
which can be done—by electing men of honour, truth, and
religion ; and show the bigoted priest that we and our school
are not to be guided by men who, when el-
compel us to bow down to idolatrous Ito-
tyrannical " altar of " superstition and bigotry.-
Yours, &c., CONSISTENCI

uce offers, will
S proud and

WAR IN CRINA.—Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane
has been selected by the Lords of the Admiralty to hoist his
flag and proceed immediately to China.
Enjoy the blessings of this day, says Jeremy Taylor;
God sends them, and the evils bear patiently and sweetly ;
for this day only is ours ; we are dead to yesterday, and we
are not born to to-morrow.
CAPTURE OF _THREETHIRTY SLAVE VESSELS.—Tbe

following is an extract of a letter from the Cape of Good
Hope, Dated November 9, 1841 :—" Her Majesty's ship
Fantome, returned to Simon's 13ay on the 24th ult.. after a

six months' cruise on the coast of Angola, for the suppres-
sion of the slave-trade, having had the Brisk and Water-
witch under her orders, during which period they have cap-
tured 33 slave-vessels, and liberated 3,427 negroes—viz.,
Fantome, 16 vessels, and 1,340 negroes ; Brisk, 10 vessels,
and 1,136 negroes; and Waterwitch, 9 vessels, and 937
negroes.

, MELANCHOLY DEATH OF AN INFANT AND ITS MOTHER.
—On Wednesday night a long enquiry took place at the
Commercial Tavern, London, on view of the body of a male
infant, a month old, whose death was occasioned from the
severity of the weather whilst travelling, in the mother's
arms, from Bristol to London, by the Great Western Rail-
way. The mother was quite well on arriving at the end of
her journey, and was staving at the inn ; and in the course
of the inquiry the coroner sent for her, and the poor woman
accompanied the officer up stairs to the door of the inquest
room.' She then became faint, and was led into an adjoining
room ; becoming worse a surgeon was sent for, and Mr.
Fuller also attended her. In less than two minutes after the
latter gentleman had left the room, be_ returned very much
excited, stating that the mother had just breathed her last.

DARING ATTEMPT AT BURGLARY.—Yesterday morning,
at 1 o'clock, the neighbourhood of Maida bill was thrown
into the utmost consternation and alarm by the cries of
" Murder ! Police ! Fire !" and the springing of rattles.
The inhabitants rushed to their windows ; and one gentleman
in his fright ran into the streets in a state almost of nudity.
It appears that some thieves on the previous evening ascended
the root lof a newly-built house opposite the Paddington Canal
Maida-hill, occupied by Mr. Anderson, the vocalist, and in
an attempt to get down the chimney, the robbers dropped a
dark lantern in that gentleman's bed-room. Being awoke
by the noise , he gave the alarm, but the thieves got clear oil.
The next day Mr. Anderson gave information at the station,
house of the circumstance, when he was assured attention-
should be paid to his communication ; however no additional
policeman was put on the beat, and in consequence, the
thieves attacked the policemrn, and nearly murderedhim.
Half au hour elapsed before any other constable made his
appearance, notwithstanding that the cries for help were
heard in Edgeware-road. At last two policeman appeared,
but the thieves had got off. Several serious robberies have
lately been committed in that vicinity, and at one house the
whole of the plate, worth nearly £lOO, was stolen and carried
off—Sun of Wednesday.

REPRESENTATION OF DUBLIN.—The writ has arrived—it
has been transmitted from the Hanaper to the High Sheriff
—proclamation has been made, and the election will take
place—as we originally announced it would—on Monday next,
the 24th instant. Mr. Gregory is proceeding with his canvass
in the most triumphant manner; and we rejoice to say that the
dissatisfactions felt and the apathy manifested are rapidly
;ving way to confidence restored, and 'd. There

res, sun zeal awakenec.
is 1.10.-doubt, but that much indifference did prevail previous
to the opening of Mr. Gregory's canvass : and we hold them
no good friends to the cause, who would either deny it,
explaining it improperly away, or doubt its pernicious ten-
dency. But, thank Heaven, all jealousy and mistrust have
vanished, and are succeeded by an enthusiasm and energy
which more than compensates for the previous delay.—Dub-
lin Mail.

Tint SLAVE TRADE.-+WC are enabled to state that the
treaty for the suppression of the slave trade, lately con-
cluded by the five powers, is a repetition of the treaties
already in existence between France and England. In ]B3l
a convention was signed between both countries in refer-
ence to the mutual right of search, and in 1813 another
treaty was agreed to, specially regulating the mariner in
which the fanner convention was to be carried out. Now,
Great Britain, not satisfied with resting upon treaties
subSisting merely between herself and the other great powers,
has brought them to concur iu a joint convention with her,
similar in all respects to the treaties above alluded to, and
thug rendering the mutual right of search and suppression of
the slave trade, the common law of Europe.—Morning
Herald.

A metal-brOker's circular, with a statement of the business
of that department for the past year, has been handed us,
and from this it appears that the article speller has engaged
a gbod deal of the attention of the speculators, its value
having risen from £23. 10s. per ton in January to £4O per
ton!in. December, but from which it has subsequently de-
clined to £37 and £37. 55.: the great increase in consump-
tion, the short stocks, and the decline in production have
been the chief causes of the rise. The side or British iron
has been at very depressed prices in our markets, in conse-
quence of the heavy stocks ; and it is stated that there is no
prospect of improvement for the present, as pigs can be de-
livered in the Clyde for £2. ss. to £2. 10s. per ton. The
steady demand and the short stock of quicksilver, now not
more than 2,000 bottles,. has induced.the contractors to raise
the price to 45., and there is stated to be no chance of re-
duction for the present. The new feature in the tin market
is the quarterly sales by the British Miners, one of which
takes place on the. 27th instant, when 'l,OOO tons will be
T'-' t"' thiv - le, which, it

Jam _his is the second sale on this princip
is said, will greatly benefit the general trade.

POPISH IMPUNITY FOR FRATRICIDE.—The Late intelligent
traveller, Mr. Eustace (a Romish priest), speaking of the
notoriously depraved state of morals in Italy, asks, " May it
not be ascribed to the corruptions of the national religion, to
the facility of absolution, ana to the EASY PURCHASE OF
INDULGENCES ?"—(Eustace's " Classical Tour in Italy,"
vol. iii., p. 342.)—0ne fact will furnish the best answer to
this enquiry. "At Tivoli (says Miss Graham, who spent
three months in the vicinity of Rome in .1819), a man was
pointed out to us who had stabbed his brother, who died in
great agonies within an hour. The murderer went to Rome,
purchased his pardon from the church, and rec ived a writ-
ten protection from a cardinal; in consequence of which he
was walking about unconcernedly—a second Cain, whose life
was sacred.—(" Three Months' Residence in the Mountains
East of Rome." By Maria Graham, p. 34. London, 1820,
Bvo.)—From the Church of England Quarterly.
RADICAL LOYALTY.—The Lord Mayor (Mr. O'Connell)
gate his first civic dinner yesterday at the Mansion-house.
The invitations were confined exclusively to the Aldermen and
Town tmuncillors, some members of his own family, and a
few gentlemen connected with the Liberal press. 'Nothing
occurred either in the nature of the toasts or the speeches
with which they were prefaced, that calls for observation,
except that the health of his " Excellency the Lord Lieu-
tenant"—the Viceroy of—" our amiable and lovely little
Queen" (as Mr. O'Connell is fond of familiarly and im-
pudently designating her Majesty)—was omitted altogether.
If such a violation of decorum, and-of decency as thi. had
been perpetrated by a Conservative party during the ad-
ministration of Lords Mulgrave or Forteseue, we should
have had the whole Liberal press teeming with indignant
articles in reprobation of the insult. On two occasions,
when the healths of these noblemen were coldly or unkindly
received by the company, although respectfully proposed by
the President, the anger of our contemporaries knew no
bounds. They are silent upon the subject now, however.—
Dublin Mail, Wednesday.
THE LAW RELATING TO APPRENTICES.—A few weeks
ago, a case was heard at the Borough Court, Bolton, relating
to an apprentice in the service of Mr. Kirkman, ironfounder,
of that town, in which Mr. Taylor appeared for the defence,
and objected to the jurisdiction of the court, on the ground
that no apprentice-fee had been paid ; and that, therefore,
according to a recent decision in London, the master had not
the power to compel the services of the apprentice. The
magistrates, however, said, that they should act agreeably
with their former decisions, until convinced of their error ;
and they committed the young man to prison ; but, on the
application of Mr. Taylor, liberated him on bail, in order
that an appeal against the conviction might be tried at the
borough quarter sessions. The appeal, however, was aban-
doned by Mr. Taylor ; and on Monday last, at the Borough
Court, a young tnan, named James Keeney, an apprentice in
the service of Mr. William Higson, ironmonger, Deansgate,
Great Bolton, was brought up, charged with neglect of work,
and general misconduct in his master's service. Mr. Tay-
lor, in this case, appeared for the prosecution, and said, that
it was exactly similar to the former case, there being no ap-
prentice-fee ; but he now took a different view of the law,
and thought it would be a very dangerous principle to say,
that the bench had no jurisdiction in such cases. With
regard to the former case, he had taken the opinion of Mr.
Hulton, the barrister, and by his advice had abandoned the
appeal. The case he had alluded to, in which the judges
held the magistrates had no jurisdiction, was reported in the
third of Adolphus and Ellis ; but this was under the 37th
George the Fourth, and related to parish apprentices, the
act stating where " not more than £10" is paid • and there-
fore the judges held, although an omission in the act, that
some amount must be paid.—Mr. Barnes and Mr. H. Ash-
worth said, it was necessary the magistrates should decide
upon some fixed course, otherwise a number of apprentices
might leave their employment; and they asked Mr. Taylor
if, in order to decide the question at once, it would not be
better in the former case, to procure a mandamus. Mr. Tay-
lort replied, that it would be too expensive ; and he did o
think it necessary, as the magistrates had power to commit.
The magistrates consulted together, in the priVate roa
or
about half an hour, and, on their return, said that
Mr.
Taylor might proceed with his case. Evidence w 55 then
and
gone into, showing the general misconduct of K._Munches-
he was committed to hard labour for two monthisi-ere
adduced,
ter Guardian.—[With reference to thea master
we may state, that at our police-court Y
- esti endiary magis.
made an application to Mr. Rushton, the e
'refractory appren-
trate in writing, touching the conduct ofda;
and, that Mr. It.
tice, with a view to his being punishe
that as no pre -
still abiding by his former opinion; stated,ould not ajudicate in
mium or apprentice fee wrs paid,
prentices in future the
the case—adding, that in takingrap,P cases
rday,
however. small—even a
applicant should require a prerniF ban within the jurisdic-
tion of the court.]
shilling would be sufficient to bring
Too well assured of his
THE JOYS OF MATRIMO'
avenging himself, •
an unfortu-
nate habitation of one Lottard. Commissary of
Ac
'd of his a
misfortune, but afraid
of December,
Igt,ofretqhueesltBedth the
nate fellow named
Police, to pay a visit to
thiem
to the house in question where he •
morning
found
functionary rep?
cordingly, on
d balf.dressed, near
a bed which wrs ill a
Lottard alone, a
disorder. But •• -t• •
jas ice argus-eyed, and
wretched state of
is not to be.east Y hoodwinked. T
a he commissary, on look-
ing about hum, perceiver' woman under the bed in a state
of apparentn sensibility. lie
tut she only drew her gently from her
seemed to recover her senses to
fall into violenthysterics. Threats of vi et armis, however,
soon restored h
declaring the commission of an act o f
adultery.
On Thursday last the " frail f • air one," and her paramour,
appeared before the Correctional Tribunal, where the injured
husband complained that he had been beaten by his wife,
who, meeting inns in the street of the
Trois-Maures, had
entered into a dispute with him, andwound up her arguments
by giving him .
a rap on the head with a spade. The wife, on
the other hand, accused her husband. "I only beat him,"
said she, " in self-defence; and if I have been unfaithful to
the marriage-bed, it was he who first drove me to prostitute
myself for the sake of gain."—" False ! infamous !" replied
the unhappy Benedict, " I work hard, and gain quite milli-
cient to maintain us and our four children!" The Tribunal
granted Thibault the only reparation in its power,' by con-
demning his " frail rib " and her paramour to six months'
imprisonment, and to a fine of 1001r.--Parie paper.