The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-29 00:00:00

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND

The bill of Mr. Campbell, M.P., to regulate the exercise
of church patronage in Scotland, after reciting the act of
Qeen Anne, proposes—
That if at the meeting moderating in a call in favour of a
presentee to any church or parish in Scotland, the major part
of the male parishioners or members of the congregation to
which the minister is to be appointed, being of the age of
twenty-one years' complete, who, at the date when the then
existing vacancy in the said church or parish occurred, were
in full communion with the Church of Scotland, shall not
concur in the said call, either by subscribing the same, or by
not expressly dissenting therefrom, (all who do not soodissent
being holden as concurring,) but shall appear before the
Presbytery, and state in its presence their dissent from the
call; and if after the Presbytery shall have endeavoured, in
the manner hereinafter provided, to remove any misappre-
hensions that may appear to them to exist in the minds of
the parties so dissenting, their number shall not, by with-
drawal of their dissents, be reduced to less than a majority
of the whole male communicants as aforesaid, and the Pres-
bytery, or superior church judicatory reviewing its judgment,
do not find that the said dissent proceeds from factious or
malicious motives, or otherwise than from a conscientious
regard to the religious interests of the congregation, all right
competent to the presentee under his presentation shall
thereupon cease and determine; and upon a final deliverance
by the Presbytery or superior church judicatory to that effect
being pronounced, the patron shall have power to issue
another presentation to a different presentee, provided the
same be done within the period of six months allowed by
law to patrons for presenting; it being declared always, that
in computing the said period of six months, the interval
which elapses between the lodging of any presentation with
the Presbytery and the final deliverance pronounced there-
upon by the Presbytery or other church judicatory, shall in
no case be reckoned or included, and failing of the patron
issuing another presentation within the said period so com-
puted, the jus devolutum shall take effect in manner herein-
after provided.
That the individuals composing in each parish or congrega-
tion the body of male communicants hereinbefore mentioned
as entitled to dissent from the call shall be ascertained, and
the mode of stating their dissent before the Presbytery shall
be fixed and regulated in such manner as the Charch may
direct' and it shall in all cases be incumbent on the Presby-
tery, before pronouncing any final deliverance on the said
call, to take such means as to them shall seem most expedient
to ascertain that the dissent of the major part of the male
communicants as aforesaid does not proceed from factious or
malicious motives; and further, if they see cause, to take
such means as they may judge suitable for removing misap-
prehensions from the minds of the people, and obviating their
objections to the presentee ; and it shall in all cases be com-
petent to the patron or presentee, who may allege that the
said dissent proceeds from factious or malicious motives, to
establish the same before the Presbytery or Superior Church
Judicatory by evidence competent uccording to the law of the
Church, in the judgment of the said Judicatories.
That in no case in which, in virtue of the provisions of
this act, the right of any presentee under a presentation in
his favour shall have ceased as aforesaid, shall it be competent
for the Presbytery of the bounds in any event to claim or
exercise any right tanquam jure devoluto, to present to the
said church or parish forthat vacancy, any law or practice
to the contrary notwithstanding ; and if thereafter the patron
shall fail, within the time by law provided and computed as
aforesaid, to issue a presentation which shall prove effectual
to fill the vacancy, the right to present to the said church or
parish for that vacancy shall thereupon devolve upon and be
exercised by her Majesty, and her heirs and successors, as
fully and freely in all respects as the right to present tanquam
jure devoluto, is at present used and exercised by Presbyteries
of the Church ; the presentations or successive presentations
so issued by her Majesty, and her heirs and successors,
being always subject to the provisions of this present act.

The smallest of British quadrupeds is supposed to be the
harvest mouse, hitherto f,,und only in Hampshire, and which
is so diminutive that two of them put into a scale just weigh
down one copper halfpenny.
REGISTER COPIES. We beg to remind our clerical
readers that certified copies of marriages, or certificates of
marriges, for the quarter ending 31st of March, are required
to be delivered to the Superintendent Registrar of the dis-
trict on or before the last day of the present month. No
entries of a subsequent date are on any account to be made.
Such gentlemen as may want forms for the returns should
apply for them by letter to the Registrar-General.—Church
Intelligencer.

THREATENED DIBTURBANcES..IN THE NORTH

WALES COLLIERIES

The greatest excitement has prevailed in Hawarden, North
Wales, near the seat of Sir Stephen Glynne, Bart., for the
last few days, in consequence of the turn-out of all the hands
working in the extensive collieries of Messrs. Rigby and
Hancock (a firm paying about £5OO per week in wages), and
the attempts of these men to cause other operatives in col-
lieries to turn out and support them in what appears to be
most unreasonable demands. The question in dispute is
somewhat of a similar nature to that between Messrs. Peto
and Grissell, of London, and their men, which occurred a
short time ago—viz., whether the men should choose a su-
perintendent over them, or that the proprietors of the mines
should retain the undoubted right of appointing their own
agents. It appears that the firm of Messrs. Rigby and
Hancock is at present carried on by trustees, and that a
gentleman of independent property named Staley has been
appointed agent to the collieries. This gentleman, having
received many complaints that the coals were not properly
cleared from small slack, introduced riddles to be used by
the colliers with larger apertures than those previously in
use. This gave offence to the colliers, and they refused to
work; they came out of the pits, and assembled in conside-
rable numbers in the town of Hawarden, threatening violence
if the agent persevered in introducing the obnoxious riddles.
Finding this to be the case, Mr. Staley repaired to the house
of Mr. Leigh Rigby, and consulted with him as to the best
plan to be adopted under the circumstances, when it was
agreed that they should be allowed to use the old riddles, on
condition that they cleared the coals better. On this propo-
sition being made to the men. the greater portion of them
appeared satisfied, but about 80 or 90 of them surrounded
the door of Mr. Staley's office, and on his attempting to
take his departure they surrounded him, and stated that they
should not go to work again unless he promised to leave the
works, never to return. Mr. Staley, after vainly attempting
to pacify them, tried to pass through the mob to mount his
horse, when he was violently seized and carried towards the
railway formed for conveying coals to the river Dee, at
Queen's-ferry. Here he was thrust into the bottom of a
railway coal waggon, and conveyed, very much bruised,
along the line of rail towards the river, the ruffians on their
way telling him that lie had not long to live, as they intended
to drown him in the Dee. On arriving at the Queen's-ferry
they stated that his life would be spared then, but only on
condition of banishment to England. Be was then placed
in the terry-boat, the colliers threatening vengeance if ever
he dared to return.

Information was given to Mr. Leigh Rigby of the outrage,
and as soon as the mob had dispersed from the ferry he con-
veyed Mr. Staley in his carriage to his house at Hawarden ;
but the colliers having had a scent of where he was concealed,
he was obliged to get away by stealth the same night, and in
the morning, 300 men surrounded Mr. Rigby's house, de-
manding that Mr..Staleyshould be sent out of the country.
Mr. Rigby informed them that if they were determined to
select their own masters, they had better go and obtain work
elsewhere than at the collieries of Messrs. Rigby and Han-
cock, as the works should not again go on under such law-
less proceedings, so far as he was concerned. The colliers
subsequently went to the rest of the coal mines, endeavour-
ing to get the rest of the colliers to strike work, and the re-
sult has been that they are now demandinc, higher wages.
They now average from 18s. to 235. per week' a man. Four
of the underground superintendents of the mines have since
been compelled to leave the place from threats of violence,
and Messrs. Rigby, who are away from the scene of disturb-
ance, are determined to support Mr. Staley, and to resist the
demands of the men. The magistrates are on the alert to call
in the military should any further violence be offered. Se-
veral houses have since been broken into, and it is expected
that several of the ringleaders will be taken into custody.
The police force of the neighbourhood are very weak, and
Mr. Staley dare not enter Wales;to identify his persecutors,
from fear of his life.

ALARMING RIOTS AT DUDLEY AND THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD.

BIRMINGHAM, MONDAY NIGHT, HALF-PAST 11.—This
evening rumours reached Birmingham of serious disturbances
said to have occurred during the afternoon among the work-
people of Stourbridge, Dudley, and other parts of the iron
districts.

The circumstances which led to the outrages detailed be-
low are as follows :—About a fortnight ago a number of the
ironmasters in the neighbourhood reduced the wages of their
workmen—some, it is said, to the amount of 4s. in 20s.
Many of the men (chiefly nailers) refused to resume their
employment upon these terms, whilst others, compelled by
circumstances or influenced by a conviction of the justice of
the reduction, continued to work at the price offered. The
turnouts were, however, determined to compel the masters to
pay the old prices, or eject the " knobsticks ' from the vari-
ous manufactories and works in which they continued to be
employed.

Por'this purpose, it appears, this morning some thousands
of workmen congregated from Lye Waste, Craidley, and
Netherton, and proceeded to visit the works of several of the
most extensive and influential masters of this populous ma-
nufacturing district. Upon being told that the reductions
made were in consequence of similar reductions being made
by competing manufacturers, the rioters proceeded to seize
the masters and violently force them into their ranks. In
this manner, Mr. Nock, of Craidley-heath, Mr. Joseph
Jones, of Redhall-hill, Mr. Jones, of Rowley Regis, Mr.
Lewis, of Darby Hand, and other eminent ironmasters and
manufacturers, were laid violent hands upon while on their
own premises, and, being conveyed into the midst of the
mob, which lined the roads in their respective districts, were
marched in apparently triumphant procession to the town of
Dudley. Mr. Lewis, it is said, was treated most scandalously
by his assailants, but the other gentlemen, for a time at least,
escaped without experiencing much injury, except the annoy.
ante and alarm to which their situation must have exposed
them.

On arriving in Dudley the mob escorted their prisoners to
the hotel for the purpose, it is said, of confronting them with
the other masters to whom they had alluded. The streets
were at this time densely crowded with people, and the shops
in a few minutes were generally closed. The ironmasters
were in close conversation in the hotel for some time, and
more than once there appeared to be considerable excitement
amongst, although no actual violence committed by, the
mob.

The first intimation of the affair known in Birmingham
was the sudden departure of a troop of the Enniskillen Dra-
goons,—and it appears that while the masters were under-
stood to be still deliberating at the hotel, the troops from
Birminghrm suddenly made their appearance at a hard gallop
in the streets of Dudley, and the crowd almost as suddenly
retreated up the various by-lanes and streets of the town.
The troops (after the riot act had been read, as I am inform-
ed,) proceeded to clear the thoroughfares, and in consequence
of some individual acts of resistance, or by accident, several
parties have been wounded in a slight or a severer degree by
the Dragoons.

At 8 o'clock to-night the hotel was guarded qy the troops,
and there was considerable excitement in the town. The
chief of the parties who had arrived in Dudley in the earlier
part of the day had, however, retired to the outskirts of the
town, but it was feared that during the night outrages might
be committed upon the premises of the gentlemen who re-
remained in Dudley, and who, after being taken prisoners in
the morning, were still unable to return to their homes, at a
considerable distance.

BIRMINGHAM, TUESDAY EVENING.—The facts I hur-
riedly communicated to you last night prove in the main to
be correct. It appears that the mob, wearied out by the
procrastinated deliberations of the masters within the hotel,
commenced an attack upon the gates leading to the back of
the premises, and it is thought, that had it not been for the
timely interference of Moon, the porter at the hotel, Mr.
Mollineux, the magistrate, would have been seriously, if not
fatally, injured by the mob. Dudley, during last night, re-
mained perfectly quiet, and the police force despatched by
Mr. Commissioner Burgess returned to Birmingham at an
early hour this morning; but it was deemed prudent to keep
the military in the neighbourhood.
The fears I expressed last night have been in some degree
justified by the reports of to-day. The rioters, after retreat-
ing, upon the entrance of the troops from Dudley, proceeded
to the out manufacturing districts, and this afternoon,:it was
stated by persons arriving from the neighbourhood, that the
nailers had congregated at Rowley-Regis, Craidley, and other
adjacent places. There is no doubt but great excitement
exists throughout the entire of the manufacturing districts;
but I think the disposition to riot is greatly exaggerated.
Another troop of Enniskillen Dragoons left Birmingham
for the manufacturing districts this afternoon, and the Kings-
norton troop of Yeomanry were ordered to muster and take
up quarters at Oldbury, but the latter order has been since
countermanded. . _

There is no doubt but that it is the unsettled state of the
workpeople, coupled with the events that occurred at Dudley
yesterday, which has led to the adoption of these precau-
tionary measures. Absolute. outbreak, according to present
appearances, if due precautions are observed, need not, I
think, under present circumstances, be anticipated. The
magistrates of Dudley have been engaged most of to-day in
the examination of prisoners apprehended last night, some
of whom have been committed, and others held. to bail to
keep the peace.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY.—The Worcester troop of
Yeoman Cavalry last night received a hasty notice to depart
for the scene of the riots ; as many members of the troop
as could be mustered accordingly left, late last night, for
Kidderminster, there to await further orders ; and the
remainder of the troop, in detached groups, have left the
city during this day. The Witley, Westwood, Stourbridge,
Bromsgrove, Kingsnorton, Evesham, and Tardebigg troops,
have also been ordered under arms and drawn up in the
neighbourhood of the apprehended danger, that they may
be ready to suppress, at a moment's notice, any outbreak
which might arise.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY EVENlNG.—Although af-
fairs remain in Dudley and its neighbourhood in a very fe-
verish state, there has not yet been any recurrence of the
violence manifested on Monday.

Yesterday afternoon there were, however, strong symp-
toms of disquietude, and additional troops were marched into
the disturbed districts. Detachments of the Enniskillen
Dragoons are stationed at lialesowen,Dudley, Oldbury, &c.,
and in addition to the Yeomanry being under orders to be
called out at any moment, two pieces of ordnance have ar-
rived in Dudley, in the charge of a company of artillery. These
appearances in the tewn last night, as might be expected,
created no little sensation amongst the turn-ont nailors and
miners. The Hon. Robert Clive, M.P., the Colonel of the
Worcestershire Yeomanry, arrived in Birmingham this after-
noon, and immediately proceeded to Dudley. . _ _

Several individual acts of violence were committed, and
the perpetrators yet remain undiscovered. Parties deemed
inimical to the interests of the nailors were, to use a local ex-
pression, " slily dropped upon," and more than one very
severely injnred.

AN OMINOUS OCCURRENCE.—The village of Leyland has
been during the last week thrown into no small consterna-
tion, by the sudden departure of the feathered occupants of
the large rookeries contiguous to Worden and the vicarage.
A simultaneous feeling must have actuated both colonies, as
they took their flight the same night, leaving their nests and
young ones unprovided for ; and, as they have been for years
in their late quarter, their sudden emigration is looked upon
as an omen not to be despised.—Preston Chronicle.

THE ART UNION.—The sixth annual meeting of the mem-
bers of this society, for the purpose of distributing the prizes,
was held last Tuesday, at Drury-lane Theatre, which was
placed at their disposal through the kindness of Mr.
Macready, one of the committee of management. It was
expected that His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
wiuld take the chair on this occasion, but he was unfortu-
nately prevented in consequence of an accident he had sus-
tained, and Mr. Bond Cabbell was, therefore, elected to pre-
side in his stead. The yearly report was then read, annoithe_
ing the amount of subscriptions for this year to be £12,905,
of which £8,900 were allotted for the purchase of pictures,
and £4OO for casts. It was also recommended in the report
that a reduced model of some celebrated pieces of sculpture
should he introduced among the prizes; and secondly, that
the society should extend its patronage to the art of medal
engraving, to which end it was suggested that a series of
dals, illustrating the history of British art, should be emme.
menced, and one die engraved every year, for which then
should annually be set aside. Two scrutineers:wer
elected, and two young ladies appointed to draw the prizes,
which which were divided as follows:-1 of £4OO, lof £3O
6 of £lOO, 6 of £BO, 8
x0r£,7404,
lo
2°of 026 000 f
£2OO, 3 of £l5O,
14 of £5O, 20 of £4O, 26 of £3O, 33 of 25
£l5 60 of £lO. In addition to these, 20 b
10 of plaster were distributed. The ronze casts and
ceremony of
being concluded, a vote of thanks was p y drawing
Macready for the readiness and affability proposed to Mr-
n affording the use of his theatre ; after which he had shown
man w„ thanked, and the meeting broke which the chair-
up.