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

est. lie i

keen, bright, arid reads for

breathes the very s

!wive w

we deem appropriate in the defender or what
may be called our ancient ecclesiastical feudalism. With all
the gallantry and all the skill of the olden knighthood, he
pons of his intellectual warfare, and burns

wields the

with an ardour, if not so martial, fully as heroic

There is everything winning and prepossessing about Mr.
M'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. lie 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 practical advocacy °four 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. 1841.

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

Marquis of Lothian
Earl of Belmore...
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..
Bishop of Kilmore....
Baron Faversham ....
Baron Monson
Baron Sydenham
Baron Wrottesley
Earl of Falmouth ft 55
As also the following Scotch and Irish peers without seats
Earl of Home I Lord Dulferin& Clanboyne
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 he properly classi-
fied with either of the above, has also died.
The following members of parliament :
Capt. R. Alsager. S:s P. B. Vere.
Sir R. J. Donkin, Knt. Sir R. C. Ferguson, Knt
J. B. West, Esq. W. Lester, 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 ty. F. Johnstone.
Sir. W. Johnstone.
Sir E. J. M. M`Gregor
Sir A. M`Kenzie
Sir H. Meux.
Sir T Molineux
Sii. E. Mostyn

Aged 47

~ 67
„ 46
„ 65

~ 76

And Knights :
Sir R. Bayne.
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. Hollauds.
Sir F. G. G. Lee.
Sir W. Long.
Hon. Sir J. A. Maude.
Sir J. Ri, bards.
Sir G. Scott.
Sir H. Le F. Senhouse
Sir T. A. Strange.
Sir I'. E. Tomlyns.
Sir J. Viney.
Sir H. Weir.
Sir J. F. Whittingham.
Sir John Wells.
Sir D. Wilkie.
Sir T. Williams.
Sir H. Worsley.

Sir G. Pigot.
Sir E. L. D. Saville
Sir T. M. Stanley.
Sir J. G. Thomas.
Sir G. Tuite.
Sir J. T. Twisden.

FACTS FOR THE ANTI-CORN-LAW FACTION

(From the Halifax Guardian.)

We have had a hearty laugh at the strait to which some
ADM) mous correspondent has this week put the editor of the
Manchester Grardian. 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 f"ct 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 £24,559,375 in 1839, and in 1840, £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 cotto❑ 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 83,216 1811

WOOLLENS.
11,981
12,174
13,971

1839
1840
1841 22,542 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.

COTTONS

MIXTURES

UNPARALLELED SPEED.—A gentleman who left Connie'
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.

EiniklYcoAnsTegßußenlSeTeooLf.--1 11,1Uci;inter.est
has T Rb
eAni. TRIALS rto B
in BL:Li
Bristol
sepahpepnrioy_aclvilizng,
trials of two of the leading Socialists fo • blasphemy—viz.,
Oral l of Reason, And
Charles Southwell, the editor of the
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
theirexposed
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 work contained the quotation for
the bona fide purpose of refuting it he should say that it was
not criminal; but the grand jury must he satisfied that it
was done for the purpose of refuting arid putting down the
blasphemy, and not, colourably, to extend it. The trials for
blasphemy came on on Saturday, when the jury found
Southwell guilty, aod Sir C. Wetherell, after an impressive
address, sentenced him to twelve mouths' imprisonment.