The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-18 00:00:00

THE REV. HUGH MNEILE'S ORATORY

(Prom the Critic In and Out of Parliament.)
' M'Neile is a title specnuen of a finished ecclesiastical
orator. mature has highly gifted him, and all her endow-
ments have been heightened and enharieed byevery aid which
sciencd can supply, and every finish which refinement can
suggest. lie is, so to speak, a coinpi,,te church knight-
errant ; every weapon of his controversial combatantahip
keen, bright, and ready for the episcopalian chivalry. lle
breathes the very spirit of that high-toned fervour and re-
solve which we deem appropriate in the defender of what
may be called our ancient ecclesiastical feudalism. With all
the gallantry and all the skill of the olden knighthood, he
wields the weapons of his intellectual warfare, and burns
with an ardour, if not so martial, fully as heroic.
There is everything winning and prepossessing about Mr.
31'Neile. Dignity and amiability are alike expressed in the
finely-chiselled features of his open, florid countenance. His
demeanour and appearance are in no ordinary degree impos-
ing and prepossessing; there is indeed a somewhat aristo-
cratic tone in his manner, subdued and tempered, however,
by native kindliness of disposition.
He is evidently a man of high culture and refinement. In
all he utters, whether in the matter or the manner, is evinced
the most careful polish of which either is susceptible. Yet
his style is most simple—nay, severe—strictly argumenta-
tive—and, indeed, always exhibits close, connected chains of
reasoning. His sentences, however, though unadorned, and
sometimes rigidly condensed, are neat, lucid, often elegant
in their construction, are powerfully expressive and admira-
ble in the selection of the words employed, and their appro-
priation and harmonious arrangement. His delivery per-
fectly corresponds with his style. It is distinct, clear, em-
phatic, and somewhat slow—an impressive adaptation of
moderation to the sense of the language used, the sentences
being usually formed on one chaste, careful model, and the
periods marked (at all events for a time) by measured pauses,
giving to each more weight and emphasis, as if every one of
them waited for its expression ere another followed, and
giving a kind of studied completeness to them all. There is
something strikingly—almost startingly impressive—in the
first tones of his voice—short, stern, iron in their sound,
each period falling separately, with sententious brevity from
his lips. But it is a voice of great compass and variety of
tone, and as he proceeds, susceptible of every change and
modulation—all exquisite in their harmony, and sounding
most expressively the appropriate music of every flow of
feeling and every character of sentiment. The style, how-
ever, in the very heart of a subject, never loses its somewhat
severe simplicity. It amplifies as the discourse advances,
but never or rarely becomes imaginative, ornamental or
figurative. He seems to aim at power more than splendour,
and clearness more than brilliancy; yet a generous oppo-
nent justly.characterised his eloquence as ' magnificent.'
He took the high ground of scriptural authority, treating
this branch of the subject, however, with a pointed terseness,
and a grasp of induction, which elevated it above mere verbal
criticism. He proceeded, with able, analytic investigation, to
the more nractical advocacy ofour church as an establishment;
with energetic and eloquent reasoning enforcing this philoso-
phic argument, that any priesthood would, independently of
the state, acquire over the popular mind immense influence,
and, in consequence, prodigious wealth ; that the temptations
would be too strong for any body of men for ever to resist ;
that superstition would give, and avarice would receive, and
ambition would abuse, till all power lay prostrate at the foot
of the priest, and then the gradation would be easy to the
central presiding authority of a despotic primacy : thence he
deduced the irresistible inference, that" the state should take
security from the clergy" through the medium of a recog-
nised state provision for the protection of civil and religious
liberty ; while to the question, why such illegitimate in-
fluence had not been exerted by dissenting ministers, he
answered that, so long as the church existed, they could not
use the formidable weapon of an exclusive administration of
sacraments ; and to the inquiry whether the Roman catholics
used this influence, he replied with overwhelming energy—
' they do !'—they do!'

In defence of the episcopacy of the church, he argued with
ardent warmth for the liturgy as " a hedge around the ortho-
doxy of the church ;" so considered, he said, in the " morn-
ing of non-conformity" by the Owens of other days ; and
what had been the result of an abandonment of this test?
" The answer," he remarked, in eloquent language and most
impressive tones, " may be he heard from walls where
Matthew Henry. or Baxter have expounded." How are the
orthodox fallen ! how have the faithful admonitions of the
fathers of non-conformity, as to the rich advantages of the
standard of truth furnished in the services of the church,
been confirmed by the history of their descendants, who have
since so fearfully declined, that in some of their congregations,
once most celebrated for biblical expositions, Socinian errors
are disseminated; and where formerly was listened to the
sweet music of Saint's Everlasting Rest,' are now heard
the janglings of a liberalised philosophy !
Forcibly he protested against the vulgar cry of voluntary-
ism that none ought to pay for a form of religion they did
not approve ; unanswerably urging that, if such were to be a
principle adopted, no great system would ever be established ;
for to none would there be an unanimous assent.
With candour and ability he renewed the various defects
in the working of the church ; justly observing, that the
firmest defenders of its principles would be franked in
avowal of its faults; among these he enumerated the un-
managable extent of parishes in large towns, and the ex-
treme inadequacy of many clergymen's incomes. Moreover,
in tones of the utmost modesty and amiability—(indeed, his
kindliness of heart won the cordial esteem of most deter-
mined antagonists, who went so far as to say that when he
was most severe, his accents seemed to counteract his words)
—he drew the attention of his brethren to the immense im-
portance of reading the beautiful services of the church in an
impressive manner. _

Mr. M`Neile never rises to a loftier tone of eloquence, and
closer cogency of reasoning, than when exposing the fatal
errors of superstition, and the vast value of universally dif-
fused religious instruction. With a most powerful appeal on
this head, he argued for the church as supplying this salutary
influence of what he described as the national mind to the
national body. He carried with him throughout his ad-
dresses the unqualified admiration and enthusiastic applause
of a most distinguished audience, of as high a character as
any ever assembled ; and whenever he made an appeal to the
more generous feelings of our nature, he acquired an irre-
sistible mastery over the heart; here, perhaps, he is most
powerful ; while there breathed in everything he said a spirit
generous and candid, which shed an additional charm upon
the warmth of his sincerity.

OBITUARY IN HIGH LIFE DURING THE YEAR
A.D. 141.

During the year just closed the following English, Irish,
and Scotch peers, having seats in the House of Lords, have
died :

Marquis of Lothian
Earl of Belmre.
Earl of Egmont ...
Earl of Elgin
Earl Fortescue
Earl of Harewood
Earl of Malmesbury
Earl O'Neill
Earl of Rosse
Earl Somers
Earl of Westmoreland
Bishop of Worcester „ 68
Bishop of Kilmore
Baron Faversham .. 77
Baron Monson
Baron Sydenham
Baron Wrottesley
Earl of Falmouth
As also the following Scotch and Irish peers without seats
Earl of Home Lord Dufferin & Clanboyne
I
Earl of Rothes Lord Henley
And also the following sons and other relations of peers :
Lord James Beresford Lord F. Lennox
Lord D. G. Hallyburton Lord G. Stuart
Lord Kilwarden Lord Valentia
The Bishop of Edinburgh, who cannot be properly classi-
fied with either of the above, has also died.
The following members of parliameut
Capt. R. Alsager.
Sir R. J. Donkin, Knt.
J. B. West, Esq.
The following Baronets
Sir. J. Bayley.
Sir T. Biddulph.
Sir A. P. Cooper.
Sir J. Copley.
Sir W. L. Cromie.
Sir J. Dalzell.
Sir W. R. Dunbar.
Sir H. Edwards.
Sir D. Erskine.
Sir G. H. Freeling.
Sir Rr. W. Horton.
Sir H. H. Hoarse.
Sir J. Huddart.
Sir 0. F. Johnstone.
Sir. W. Johnstone.
Sir E. J. M. M'Gregor
Sir A. Al`Kenzie.
Sir H. Meux.
Sir T. Molineux.
Sir E. Nlostyn.
Sir G. Pigot.
Sir E. L. D. Saville
Sir T. M. Stanley
Sir J. G. Thomas
Sir G. Tuite.
Sir J. T. Twisden

Aged 47

Sit P. B. Vere.
Sir R. C. Ferguson, Knt
W. Lester, Esq.

And Knights :
Sir R. Bavue.
Sir P. Campbell.
Sir F. Chantrey.
Sir R. Crown.
Sir T. Dundas.
Sir J. Fuller.
Sir G. Harrison.
Sir L. W. Halstead.
Sir T. Harvey.
Sir J. Hollands.
Sir F. G. G. Lee.
Sir W. Long.
Hon. Sir J. A. Maude.
Sir J. Richards.
Sir G. Scott.
Sir H. Le F. Senhouse
Sir T. A. Strange.
Sir T. E. Tomlyns.
Sir J. Viney.
Sir H. Weir.
Sir J. F. Whittingham.
Sir John Wells.
Sir D. Wilkie.
Sir T. Williams.
Sir H. Worsley.

FACTS FOR THE ANTI-CORN-LAW FACTION

(From the Halifax Guardian.)

We have had a hearty laugh at the strait to which some
anonymous correspondent has this week put the editor of the
Manchester G.ardian. The correspondent asked "whether
the exports of manufactured goods from this country, in-
cluding twist, &c., increased or decreased in the year 1840,
as compared with 1839 ?" The unfortunate editor, rather
than supply a fact which would belie the statements of the
league, limits his answer to this plain question by presuming
that the enquiry " relates to cotton manufactures." Still
the editor must confess to an increase, the declared value
being £24,539,375 in 1839, and in 1810, £24,668,618.
But a more convincing fact against the league is published
in an annual circular compiled from the official weekly list of
imports and exports, issued by the Hull Custom-house. By
this document we learn the number of packages of cotton,
woollen, and mixed (that is, both cotton and woollen) manu-
factures, exported to foreign parts from the port of Hull, for
the past three years. The particulars are as follows :

COTTON-TWIST.
1839 80,558 1839
1840 82,771 1840
1841
COTTONS.

WOOLLENS.
11,981
12,174
13,971

MIXTURES

1839 18,542 1839
1840
1841
These are the numbers of bales, casks, or boxes ; and
show, therefore, most undeniably an increase in the foreign
trade of the West Riding.

UNPARALLELED SPEED.—A gentleman who left Clonmel
for London on Friday morning, the 31st ult., at two o'clock,
arrived in London the following day (Saturday), at half-past
two o'clock p.m. The same person left London on Tuesday
last, at six o'clock; got on board the Nora Creina, at Bris-
tol, at eleven same day ; and arrived in this city in time for
the nine o'clock car to Clonmel, making each journey from
Clonmel to London in 36 hours.— Waterford Mirror.
TRIALS FOR BLASPHEMY AT BRISTOL.—Much interest
has been felt in Bristol in consequence of the approaching
trials of two of the leading Socialists for blasphemy—viz ,
Charles Southwell, the editor of the Oracle of Reason, and
Henry Field, one of the publishers of the pamphlet, against
each of whom true bills have been found. The Socialists,
with a view of annoying those persons who have exposed their
blasphemies, at the sessions on Thursday sent up bills before
the grand jury against those persons who sell a work
called Brindley's Gazette, published by that celebrated
anti-Socialist ; and at twelve o'clock the grand jury came
in court, and begged, through their foreman, to put the fol-
lowing question to the recorder, Sir C. Wetherell :—" Whe-
ther, if a bill were brought before them containing a quota-
tion from a blasphemous publication, for the purpose of
refuting it, that was to be considered criminal ?" Sir C.
Wetherell said, that if the workng eitonhteaisnheodutldhesaccuothtaattioitn
was
that •
not criminal;
the Lonafide
pbutirtpotsheeof grandrefuti jury. must be satisfied it
The trials for
blasphemy, and not, colourably, to extend it.
was done for the purpose of refuting and putting down the
blasphemy
Southwell
guilty rne, On
C. 'Wetherell, after an impressive
on Saturday, when the jury found
address, sentenced him to twelve months' imprisonment.
sad

MISCELLANEOUS

SUDDEN DEATH.—On Saturday night hat, as Lydia
Hill, servant of Mrs. Ryder, Coweill-street, Manchester,

was proceeding• through Ormond-street, accompanied by
George Sheppard, a coachman, of Rosamond-street, she
suddenly sank down by his side, and expired.
The Ten Towns' Messenger of Friday publishes a long and
interesting account of the grand lodge meeting and dinner
of the Grand Protestant Confederatio❑ of Loyal Orangemeri
held at Birmingham on the sth instant.

We hear that, among other things which are in contem-
plation at the post-office, it is intended that all letters pre-
paid by money, not by stamps, shall be charged double
postage. The object of this change is to diminish, if not en-
tirely suppress, accounts between the postmasters and the
general post-office.—Brighton Gazelle.
TRADE BETWEEN AMERICA AND PRESTON.—We under-
stand that a vessel is now being built upon the Marsh, whose
registered burthen will be upwards of 300 tons. She is in-
tended, we believe, as an American trader, and it is expected
that by the time of her return from her first voyage she will
be enabled to get clear up the river to Preston.—Preston
Chronicle.

The day for the celebration of the royal christening has
been fixed for Tuesday, the 25th instant, the invitations for
that day to those distinguished personages who will be pre-
sent at the ceremony having been issued by the Lord Cham-
berlain.

The Lord Chancellor, on the recommendation of Sir James
Graham, has directed that the names of John Clemison,
Esq., Edward Francis French, Esq., Charles Gaman, Esq.,
Henry Raikes, Esq., Edward Roberts, Esq., and Bevis
Thelwell, Esq., should be inserted in the commission of the
peace for the borough of Chester.
A shocking accident occurred on Thursday to a young
man, 20 years of age, named Henry Reeves, who fell from
the parapet of a house in Hope's-court, Whitechapel-road,
London, to the pavement, with such violence as to fracture
his skull, besides sustaining other severe injuries, whilst at-
tempting to catch a pigeon which had alighted on the roof.

ACCIDENT TO THE LYNN MAIL.—We regret to learn
that the Lynn mail, in consequence of crossing the road,
owing to the heavy fall of snow, was overturned early on
Thursday at Royston, and Simpson, the coachman, who has
driven this mail for some years, was killed on the spot.
Simpson was not driving at the time, having given up the
reins to the guard, in consequence of indisposition—Standard.

CONTINENTAL FORGERS AND SWINDLERS.—MOSt ex-
traordinary discoveries have been made within the last few
days, and two of the party arrested, in an affair relative to
Belgium and Prussian forged bank-notes, but we defer for a
few days giving the full particulars, in order not to thwart
the ends of justice.—Galignani of Tuesday.
RADICAL EXERCISE OF POWER.—Since the passing of
the Irish municipal reform bill, most of the constituencies in
that country are in the hands of liberals, and the patronage
they have to bestow is almost exclusively showered on the
heads of the radicals. We find for instance that of twenty
harbour commissioners elected by the town council of Cork,
but Iwo are Conservatives ; two are liberal Protestants, and
all the rest are Romanists. Where is the deference to the
prejudices of their opponents on the part of radicals. They
go straightforward in carrying out their principles, and
reward only those who have done them some political service.

There is a pleasant notice for John Bull in Friday night's
Gazette—a notice that touches him in the tenderest point—
his pocket—aud cannot fail to convince him of his folly in
committing his affairs to stewards who managed them so
miserably as to bring him in debt, on the transactions of a
single year, by no less a sum than two millions three hundred
and fifty four thousand and ninety six pounds, five shillings
and two pence three farthings—aye, eve❑ to the farthings he
is " fillipped " by the punctilious penman vs ho furnishes the
account. It is rather losing business when the balance leans
so heavily to that side of the scale, and we do not wonder
that, with all his proverbial patience, he got restive when,
notwithstanding the perpetual pull on his pocket, he found
his family so indifferently supplied, and that, though his ser-
vants were rioting in waste and wantonness, his children
were literally famishing for food.
LIMERICK, THURSDAY EVENING.—I am very sorry to
say that the spirit of agrarian outrage is still busy here. A
barbarous murder was committed on Monday last, in the
broad light of day, between ten and two o'clock, upon the
person of Dennis Roughen, steward or cow-keeper on Mr.
Waller's demesne of Castlewaller. The neighbouring pea-
santry, it would appear, had been for some time in the habit
of committing depredations upon the woods which cover a
large portion of the grounds, and the unfortunate Roughen
had summoned several of the delinquents before the magis-
trates. A few days previously to the melancholy occurrence
two men had forcibly entered the house of the deceased, and
not finding him within, had broken and destroyed whatever
they could lay their hands upon. On Monday, Roughan
having reason to suspect that some persons were actually en-
gaged in cutting the timber, repaired to the spot where he
believed the damage was being done. His suspicions were,
unfortunately, but too well founded, for, on his interfering to-
put a stop to the trespass, he was instantly felled to the
ground, and in that helpless posture deliberately murdered.
Suspicion has already fastened upon an individual as the
perpetrator of this savage act.

THE EARTHQUAKE IN CENTRAL AMERICA.—The earth-
quake in Central America (intelligence of which was brought
by the last packet that arrived from New 1 ork, at Liverpool,),
seems to have been unsurpassed in the extent of its ravages,
at all events for many years past. The scene of this terrible
calamity was Costa Rica (i.e.the Rich Coast), one of the states
of Central America. It is bounded on the south-east by
Veragua, and extends from the Spanish Main to the Pacific
Ocean, east and west, comprehending the western part of the
high land that devides the plains of Panama from those of
Nicaragua. It is a very mountainous district, and but little
known to Europeans It is only inhabited in its western
districts, those bordering on the republic of New Granada
being either unoccupied or in possession of independent In-
dians. Sugar, Timber, and Indian corn are exported to Peru
Chili ; and the district is said to contain some considerable
mines of the precious metals. Some mines of gold are worked
at the present time, those of the mountains Del Aguacate and
and at Real del Monte. San Jose, the capital, contains about
16,000 inhabitants, and the ravages of the earthquake here
were of the most heatrending nature, a very large number of
lives having been lost, and property to a great amount des-
troyed, by this fearful visitation. The state contains two
harbours—Puente de Arenas, on the eastern coast of the
Gulf of Nicoya, and Matins, on the Atlantic. Costa Rica
is divided into two departments. Oriente and Occidente.
Its commerce 'consists of cattle, hides, wax, and honey.

Dr. Shuttleworth was born on the 9th of February,l7B2, in
Lancashire ; of which parish his father was then Vicar. His
mother was daughter of Philip Houghton, Esq., and grand-
daughter of Sir Charles Houghton, Baronet, of Houghton
Tower, Lancashire ; and he was paternally descended, through
its younger branch, from the ancient family of the Shuttle-
worths of Gawthrop, in his native county. His Lordship
received his first education at the Grammar School of Preston,
Lancashire, of which parish his father was also Vicar, as
well as a Prebendary of York Cathedral. At the age of 14
his Lordship was sent to Winchester College, Oxford, and
in the year 1800 was elected thence to New College, in the
same University. Three years afterwards, he obtained the
Chancellor's Latin Verse Prize—the subject " Byzantium.
His learning, abilities, and high character,procured for him
afterwards the honor of becoming Tutor to the Honorable
Algernon Herbert, and subsequently to the present Lord
Holland. In the years 1814 and 1815 he travelled through
Italy with the late Lord Holland ; through whose influence,
as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in connection with
the late Whig Government, it is generally thought that he
was selected to succeed Dr. Otter in the Bishopric of Chi-
chester. Whilst he was again on the Continent in 1822, the
Wardenship of New College, Oxford, became vacant, by the
death of Dr. Gauntlett ; and on his Lordships return, the
Society determined to elect him as Dr. Gauntlett's successor.
In tne following year his Lordship entered into the holy state
of matrimony with Emma, daughter of the late George Welch
Esquire, of High Leek, Westmorland. This excellent lady
is now left with a family of five children. Ilis Lordship lived
to occupy the See of Chichester only a little more than a
single year ; and departed this life greatly respected by his
Clergy and friends, in the sixtieth year of his age.

THE OXFORD POETRY PROFESSOR.—ADOther effort has
been made to induce the committee for conducting the elec-
tion of Mr. Garbett, to withdraw that gentleman's claim for
the approaching contest, and the request has been backed by
a memorial, signed by 2-14 non-resident members of convo-
cation, being about one-seventh of the whole number. Lord
Ashley, as chairman of Mr. Garbett's committee, gives the
following reasons for declining to entertain the proposal :
He says, that "in selecting and bringing forward Mr. Gar-
" bett, his college had no reason:to suppose that they would
" disturb the peace of the university ; nor has it been his
`' nomination which has produced any such effect. His name
" has never been identified with any opinions or publications
" calculated to provoke opposition, nor can we contemplate
" the selection of any individual as a substitute more free
" from objection on this score. Believing, therefore, that
" the excitement now unhappily existing has arisen from cir-
" cumstances over which we have had, and can exercise, no
" control, and that even the withdrawal of both the present
" candidates would afford to the university no security
" against an early recurrence of similar difficulties, we feel
" that it is due to the numerous members of convocation who
" through us have tendered their support to Mr. Garbett not
" to abandon at this advanced stage of the contest the inter-
" eats confided to us ; still less to abandon them on a ground
" which would seem to admit an imputation to which Mr.
" Garbett is in no degree liable." His lordship adds, " that
lie sees no mode of avoiding an election in the usual course,
unless the Oxford committee of both candidates could agree
on some plan by which the sentiments of convocation could
be so clearly ascertained as to decide the contest and super-
sede the necessity of a poll."
COAL IN BORN o.—Among the recent geological disco-
veries which are communicated through the India papers is
that of the superior quality of coal found to be procurable at
Borneo. The honourable company's steamer Diana had
brought over several specimens, and from all accounts there
is every prospect of an abundance of the mineral being ob-
tained in that quarter. A. coal formation is found ou Pulo
Cheremin, an island at the embrosure of the Borneo river,
extending along its coast, and running out towards the sea,
by which it is covered at high water, and also taking a di-
rection inland ; but to what depth or extent has not as yet
been ascertained, although manifestly considerable. The
coast of the island, in fact, presents a naked surface of coal ;
and it is probably from the glistening appearance which it
has when the tide is out, that the island has obtained its
name of Pulo Cheremin, or Mirror Island, Some of the
most intelligent Nakhodas from the country had stated that
there were mountains of coal, by way of describing the quan-
tity, and that hundreds of ships might be laden with it. This
intelligence is conceived to be of great interest, and, viewed
in connection with the future establishment of a steam com-
munication to China, of the highest importance. Specimens
of the coal have been forwarded to Calcutta, and the subject
would, it was thought, obtain the attentive consideration of
the supreme government, and lead, not only to further in-
quiry and research, but to effecting an arrangement with the
Borneo chiefs to form depots of coal on the coasts, which for
a steam communication might be said.to be on the high road
to China.

OUR COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.-1I is a trutful and proud
boast that over the dominions of our sovereign thsre is never
complete darkness. The arca of the British Empire comprises
an extent of 2,250,000 square miles, equal to 1,440,000,000
acres, ever a large portion of which there are only from one
to three mouths on each spuare mile of surface ; while in the
United Kingdom alone the proportion of mouths to each
square mile is about three hundred (a denser population than
that of China, with its 368,000,000 inhabitants). The direct
annual revenue of the transmarine possessions of England is
£23,000,000 sterling, while the whole cost of the civil govern-
ment of those vasi possessions, to the home exchequer, is
but £228,000. Their maritime commerce amounts yearly
to £55,000,000, of which one-half is carried on direct with
England ; and the profits on which, to the whole empire, are
therefore equivalent to double the amount if carried on with
a foreign country ; the burthen of the shipping entering in-
wards and outwards annually in all our possessions amounts
to the enormous quantity of saven million five hundred thou-
sand tons, of which 250,000 tons is direct to and from Eng-
land. The troos of the line—cavalry, infantry, and artillery
—raised in our maritime possessions, or paid by them with-
pourotpaersthyillianngncuoasilt from the home-exchequer, amount to one
hundred and fifty thousand men; and the militia (consisting
immoveable in them—including
amounts to
entirely of Europeans) comprises 250,000 men at arms ! The
roads, buildings, forts, sin
x387,000y c,oreooate.d in our maritime possessions
fair data, at the enormous Douses,
. land, timber, mines,
and the amount of moveable and
merchandize, 84,c
•, has been estimated for each colony, o n
ships, harbours, cattle,st,hou san thousand
horses,
hundred
reepd,
million sterling