The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-08 00:00:00

majority of the council; he did beg and pray that they might
have a little rest—a little peace. They knew, as far as he
was concerned, that he approved, as a whole, of the course
of education now in course of establishment, though he had
endeavoured to engraft upon it some relaxation which he
thought would enable them to give some little instruction,
however slight, to the Roman Catholics who most needed it.
It was his wish, and it was also the wish of Mr. Gladstone,
and he had intimated it to the council, that if such and such
events should not happen, he was prepared to come forward
and say that others should be prepared. But how could either
he or Mr. Gladstone, who wished to open the doors to the
public generally, goon if they were harassed in this way ? Give
the schools a fair trial—let the committee have six months'
trial of them at least; hut if they were to have, day after
day, this eternal system of annoyance, he was sure the other
side would not answer their own end. They would do more
to perpetuate the schools upon their present system than
to suppress them.
Mr. BIRKETT would not have risen if it had not been for
the remarks of Mr. Lawrence. If Mr. Liwrence had taken
the same course upon the first occasion when the opposition
was offered to the wish of the majority which carried out the
declared wishes of the inhabitants, they would not have had
this sort of work. These sort of proceedings were encou-
raged by reason of the lukewarmness of tl►e friends of this
question. Mr. Lawrence had alluded to Mr. Gladstone.
Now he (Mr. Birkett) thought that Mr. Gladstone was
widely mistaken in what he said at the last meeting. How-
ever, if these sort of proceedings were to go on, he would
take the sense of the council upon it by a direct motion, for
he would move a vote of confidence in the Education Com-
mittee, and that their proceedings be not brought before the
council for six months. (Hear, hear, and " Oh, oh.")
Mr. Alderman EARLE.—Oh, put a hundred such notices
upon the book.
Mr. BIRKETT did not expect that Mr. Earle would thank
him for saying what he had. If ever he did, he (Mr. Birkett)
should begin to think himself much mistaken. He stood how-
ever upon this, that the town of Liverpool had, by a large
majority, sent a large majority into the council, mainly upon
this question—upon the question of protestant principle.
(Cries of " No, no.") Who said no?
Mr. MELLOR.—I do.
Mr. Alderman EARLE.—And I say " No."
Mr. BIRKETT was surprised at the exclamations of Mr.
Mellor in contradiction of him, (Mr. Birkett,) because, hav-
ing been once or twice returned by the casting vote of the
alderman, it could not be said that he represented any body;
and especially as there were only about 13 of his opinion in
the council, whilst there were 34 or 35 who held the opinions
that he (Mr. Birkett) held.
Mr. PLATT must express his gratification at what had
fallen from Mr. Lawrence. It was in consequence of the
allusions he had made that he had entered the notice
which he (Mr. Platt) had given on the paper. (Laughter.)
He would wait till gentlemen had done laughing. They must
all acknowledge that the education question had been one of
exceeding great difficulty ; it had given the council great
anxiety and concern ; and although he was an advocate for
the former system, yet he felt convinced that as long as reli-
gious instruction was to be given it never could be given to
different classes in the same school. Finding that the Roman
Catholic children were virtually excluded by the present
rules, he thought their priests had no alternative but to advise
them to withdraw from the schools. They ought to be com-
plimented for following that advice instead of being found
fault with; seeing that they maintained their principles, which
many, from their poverty, might be induced to abandon. In
conclusion, he did hope that some arrangement would be
made on this question which would embrace the views of all

parties.
Mr. BOLTON asked the Town-clerk whether any of the
apprentices referred to were Roman catholics? His reason
for asking the question was that if any of the Roman
catholics were required to attend church and teach the cate-
chism it was an act of injustice.
The TOWN-CLERK had not thought it necessary to ask the
question what religion they were. One, he believed, was a
Roman catholic.
Mr. LAWRENCE said that no such thing had been required.
Mr. MoLYNEux said the reading of the authorised version
of the scriptures would be expected from all; but none were
expected to attend church whose parents had a conscientious
objection to it. The parents of the children knew that re-
ligious instruction was administered to them.
Mr. EARLE asked if dissenting ministers were allowed to
attend to administer such instruction?
Mr. MOLYNEUX.—No.
Mr. YATES asked why the returns of the number of chil-
dren attending the respective schools were not given as usual ?
Mr. PLATT replied that the omission was acc►dental.
Some discussion ensued as to whether Mr. Earle had moved
an amendment, and whether he had any right of reply.
Mr. BOLTON expressed himself satisfied with the Town-
clerk's explanation, and said he would withdraw the motion,
so far as Ile was concerned.
Mr. EARLE did not make any reply, and it appeared to be
the general opinion that the amendment should be put.
The council then divided, when there appeared
For the amendment ll
Against it
The amendment was consequently lost. The following
members voted on the division :
For the amendment.—Messrs. Thornhill, Preston, Mellor,
Bright, Priestley, Yates, Jordan, Freme, Evans, Barclay,
and Earle.
Against it.—Messrs. Shaw, Shand, Copeland, Edwards,
Sands, Bolton, Rae, Aspinall, J. Lawrence, Cooper, Wood,
Birkett, Gladstone, Procter, Lloyd, Parker, Jones, jun.,
Brassev, G. H. Lawrence, Platt, Harbord, R. Houghton,
Nicol, Bramley-Moore, Molyneux, Crook, and the Mayor.
Mr. ASPINALL, seconded by Mr. LLOYD, moved an ad-
journment.
Mr. YATES said he would move that that part of the pro-
ceedings which related to the apprentices be referred back to
the committee for re-consideration.
Mr. EARLE seconded the amendment.
Mr. AsriszotA. pressed his motion for adjournment, upon
which, after a brief conversation, amid some confusion,
Mr. YATES withdrew his motion.
The council then adjourned at a quarter to four o'clock till
eleven o'clock this day, (Friday).

ANTI-MONOPOLY TEA & CAKE GATHERING
Last night the members of the Anti-Monopoly Association
had a tea party at the Music-hall, in Bold-street, for the pur-
pose of being enlightened upon the effect of the corn-laws and
other laws, and for some other purpose which at this moment
we are unable to explain. The room •,gas—we cannot say
tastefully—decorated with flags, bearl,l the usual anti-mo-
nopoly mottoes, the most conspicuous of which was in front
of the platform—" The corn-laws are opposed to the laws of
God and the happiness of man." The meeting was fixed for
six o'clock, at which hour, however, the muster was very
thin, and consisted principally of members of that emi-
nently liberal society who delight in free trade, buttonless
coats, and mouse-coloured bonnets, looking unutterable
things at the piles of cake and the empty tea-cups. By
seven o'clock, however, the drab was tolerably sprinkled
with more lively colours ; and when the tea equipages came
upon the table and the work of destruction commenced, we
feel bound to admit that a fairer and more orderly assemblage
never met to demolish sweet cake and buttered biscuits.
The latter, we may remark, (and we paid some attention to
them) it would be a misnomer to denominate " buttered."
They had been smeared with something of a greasy nature,
no doubt; and we half suspect that in their composition was
the identical " spoilt grease" imported as lard by a friend
of our Bolton " friend '—Henry Ashworth.
Mr. Laurence Heyworth was chairman on the occasion;
and amongst the distinguished people uppn the platform we
noticed Mr. J. Finch, of the Hall of Science, Mr. J. Brooks,
of Manchester, Colonel Thompson, Mr. C. Holland, &c. In
front of the chairman, girt round with gold bands, was the me-
morial of the ladies of Liverpool to the Queen, signed by
63,140 names ! ! After the usual quantity of material of all
kinds—liquid and solid—had been despatched, " the King
of the Teetotallers" rose and delivered himself, in his usual
style, of a sermon upon the corn laws, the landlords, the
sugar duties, free trade, and things in general. We shall not
weary our readers by reporting the mawkish and miserable
rubbish in question, as we have no doubt the illustrious in-
dividual would be happy to give a priyate repetition
of it to any gentleman or lady who may have a curiosity
to see to what a deplorably wishy-washy state the con-
stant drenching of a -man's stomach with weak gruel and
green tea, and the constant perusal of temperance tracts and
anti-monopoly pamphlets will reduce an intellect which, in
its best state, was never fitted for any more arduous occu-
pation than to " chronicle small beer."
Mr. Lawrence Heyworth was followed by Col. Thomson,
in a speech which we regret that we have not space to report
fully, and we will not mar it by curtailment. The gallant
colonel, despite his violent radicalism, is decidedly the most
talented man of the anti-corn-law party. We can readily
and honestly afford to say thus much in his behalf. And yet,
whilst we admit his talent, we are not blind to the fallacious
grounds upon which the superstructure of his arguments
against the corn laws are founded ; and shall probably, on a
future occasion, return to an examination of his display of
yesterday. Pass we therefore the gallant colonel for the
present, and next—
But how shall we describe thee—most inimitable of orators,
most rare of grimacers, most profound of financiers, philo-
sophers, calico-printers, and pirates—John Brooks ? A
diamond in the rough art thou—a Cicero—a Socrates—a
Liston ;—but language cannot describe thee, and thy speech
the pen of a short-hand writer cannot report. How could
it, when the face speaks so much more than the tongue can
utter, and when the breeches pocket speaks more than face
and tongue combined? We can neither describe nor report,
then, this cotton phenomenal ; but we can offer him, most
respectfully, a word of advice. " All the world's a stage,"
says Shakspeare ; and he knew the world and the actors in it.
" All the world's a cotton factory," is the opinion, however,
of John Brooks. " Motley's your only wear," was the
opinion of Shakspeare's melancholy Jilcques ; " calico,"
cries the honourable member for High-street—we beg his par-
don,—the ex-mayor of Manchester. Do—do—good kind gen-
tleman, when you next adventure to enlighten the people of this
benighted village—when you bring down upons the profundity
Of your own great city—leave thecounting-house behind you.
Leave at home "the shop"—the print works—Cobden—the
league ; and remember that although we have not here, in
our reverence for the pocket, laid aside the old bigotted no-
tions of toryism or whiggery—(few, by the bye, of that creed
will you find just now amongst us)—we have ;not as yet
debased ourselves to the level of Chartism, and made com-
mon cause with the rabble of the streets as has your mill-
ocracy, Mr. John Brooks.
Upon one subject—the concluding one in your multi-
farious speech—the subject of wages—and your notice of a
rev. gentleman, who has, it seems spoken out too plainlyifor
your peace, we may perhaps have a word with you anon ;
and we may at the same time have a word with your Guardian
upon the same subject. Meantime farewell—
" And when you next do ride abroad,
May we be there to see!"
The next gentleman introduced to the meeting was Mr.
Charles Holland, who said many wisethings, no doubt, which
those who like to peruse that gentleman's vapid mouthings
will, we dare say, meet with in the columnsof whichever of our
contemporaries may think them worthy of the trouble of re-
porting.—Mr. Rawling followed Mr. Holland, and the meet-
ing broke up, previous to which, however, the National An-
them was sung, the solo parts by a female singer from Mr.
Aiken's chapel, Mr. Russell presiding at the organ.

DEPOSITION OF A 'MINISTER OF THE SCOTCH CHURCH.
—At the meeting of the Edinburgh Presbytery, last Wednes-
day, the clerk, Dr. Gilchrist, read a letter from Mr. Hay,
of the Dean Church, addressed to the Moderator, making
the acknowledgement that he had been guilty of the sin of
fornication. He was aware of the consequences of this ad-
mission; but he felt still more deeply than these the scandal
he had been the means of bringing upon the name of religion.
He trusted that God had given him graco to repent of his sin,
and he threw himself upon the Presby° -ry. This gave rise
to a very affecting scene. The letter read by the clerk
in a solemn and almost inaudible vc. . and was followed by
a dead silence in the Presbytery .or some minutes. Mr.
Balfour then rose, and though every sound but that of his
own voice was hushed, we could only hear art indistinct
sentence, intimating that from all he had seen, and from
what he had heard, he believed Mr. Hay to be deeply peni-
tent—nevertheless, the Presbytery had no alternative but
to proceed, in accordance with the rules of the Church, to
depose him from the office of the holy ministry. A silence
of a still longer interval ensued, broke only by the occasional
whisper of one member to another. After the lapse of
of several minutes, the Moderator (Mr. Bennie) addressed
the Presbytery—" Fathers and brethern, is it your pleasure
to proceed with this bitterly painful case or to delay it? ".
No one spoke ; and, after a pause, he added, " If we must
proceed, it is usual in such a case to begin with devotionel
exercises ;and I have to request our Rev. Father, Dr, Brun tori
, to engage in prayer." Dr. Brunton offered up a fervent
and impressive prayer, after which the Moderator:pronounced
the solemn §enteuce of deposition,—Witness.