The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1840-08-11 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

TILE GLASGOW COTTON, SPINNERS.—In the year 1838, five men named Hunter, M`Lean, M'Neil, Gibb and Hacket, were tried at Glasgow for murder, conspiracies, committing, and hiring to commit, violence on person and property, &c. The charge of murder was found, in Scottish parlance, " not proven," but conspiracy, violence, and hiring to commit violence, were substantiated, and the prisoners were sentenced to seven years' transportation. Disclosures of villainy so frightful as that in which these conspirators were implicated. had never before been known in civilised society. The sentiment of horror, and of the mischievous inadequacy of the punishment were universal. The Scottish Guardian—a Glasgow whig paper—said, " the apparent disproportion between the magnitude of the crimes and the leniency of the sentence, filled the minds of all classes in this city With a universal feeling of astonishment." The Scotsman also took the same view. " Three actual murders, twice as many attempts to murder, several daring acts of incendiarism, with numerous cases of assault, are clearly traced to this association. The proof is too clear that the association was nothing less than a conspiracy against life and property. After the disclosures that have been made, every one who remains in the cotton spinners' union must be considered a participator in an organised system of incendiarism and assassination. We have not the slightest doubt that 111`Leati was concerned in the murder of Smith, but full legal proof was wanting to convict him." Yet these conspirators, or four of them—so inadequately sentenced to seven years transportation—are, in less than two years, again let loose upon society, and are actually paraded in triumph through our streets, levying contributions as a compensation for the injury inflicted on them by the law ! What is this but to offer a premium—fame— money—honour—to murderers, conspirators, incendiaries ? Can society be held together—is it possible to secure life and property, in a country where such things are tolerated ? The prospect thus held out by our rulers to those who have any thing to lose, is absolutely terrific.—Manchester paper. Among the many sound and striking observations made by the gentlemen who spoke at the annual dinner of the Croydon Conservative Association on Wednesday last, it was well and strongly urged by Mr. Paynter, " that there was this remarkable circumstance connected with the history of the men now in power, that the longer they held office, the longer they enjoyed the means of promoting their own interests— the more they lost ground. They were falling, session after session, still lower in public estimation." This is true in' itself, and perfectly conclusive as to the character of the men who stoop to hold office, whilst they cannot but be conscious that they are no less the objects of public execration than of public distrust—detested by the poorer classes, whom they grind and oppress; and despised and suspected by the remainder of the community, whose feelings, sympathies and principles they equally outrage.—Another point observable in " the men now in power," was adverted to by Mr. John Walter, which is suggestive of matter for serious consideration. After an eloquent retrospect to Sir Robert Peel's last term of office, who, as he beautifully and truly remarked, " brought in his measures with dignity, and would have carried them forward with efficiency," he turned to the reverse of the picture, and asked—" Whereas since that time what have we seen ? A Minister of State? No, not even a Ministry of Departments, but a Ministry of Commissions and Commissionerships ! So that if any measure were erroneous, it would be next to impossible to know with whom the blame rested." This is the fact, and a fact not to be viewed without alarm. The government is now conducted so as to be practically irresponsible. Even to the garbling of the papers, ever reluctantly laid before parliament and deferred to the last minute, a desire to mistify and to conceal proves the consciousness of guilt, and gives ample cause for public suspicion and fear.