The Statesman. — London, England, 1821-09-12 00:00:00

r COURT OF COILVON COUNCIL. A Court of Common Council was yesterday held by the Lord Mayor for the despatch of general business. Mr. W. Kerl, of the Ward of Cripplegate, was appoint ed a Ooveraor of Bridewell sod .Bethlem Hospital. in the room of D. KayeAsq„fieces,.sed.—The-Conimittee, -appointed to Consider in reaped to the Invitation of his Majesty to dine at the next Lord Mayor's Day. pre sented re Report, recommending that his Majesty be humbly requested to honour them with his Royal pre sence at dinner, at Ouildhall, on the ensuing Lord Mayor's Day, which was read and agreed 'to unani mously.—The Committee appointed to make arrange ments for the attendance of the Court at the .funeral of her late Majesty, delivered in a Report of their proceedings, which was ordered to be entered oft the journals. ' • VOTE OF THANKS TO SHERIFF WAI THMAN. Mr. Parm a. rose to make a motion, which be Intro duced in so low a tone that be was for a considerable time inaudible below the bar. Ile descanted on the in creasing tendency which be said appeared on the part of the persons in power to avail themselves of the use of military 'force instead of the civil authority,• and on the jealousy with which all attempts to supersede the civil power ought to be viewed. He would now iron-, hie the Court with some circumstances on which be , would found a motion relat ive to thi p art tal l ° by one' of their highest officers, on in occasion where the mili tary were concerned. Mr. T. N. Mit.' Atom said, that from the manner in which the Speaker had commenced his speech, be (Mr. T. N. Williams) clearly foresaw that it would end in a motion for a vote of thanks to Sheriff Waith man. The Speaker said' it was the standing order that notice should be given of any matters off' Wiper tance that were to be brought before the Court. The motion was one of great weight, and he claimed it at a 'right that he should have due time for considering it. Mr. OLDII tM requested that Mr. Favell would state what he meant to move. Mr. FAveLo. said the Court was entirely master of its own proceedings, and would at times suspend the standing Order. Mr. T. N. WowAsts opposed the proceeding, and wontol not consent to the irregularity. Mr. OLDHAM wished to take the opinion of the Chair upon the matter. The LORD MAYOR referred to the Standing Orders of the Court. which were to the effect that no Member should introduce a motion without first giving a cer tain notice upon the paper. His Lordship said that' unless the Court should suspend the Standing Order, he did not conceive that the Worthy Member could now propose any motion. Mr. llortcounz supported Mr. Favell, as did Mr. Durnford, who said it was 1i question of privilege, which, by the orders of the Court, preceded all others. Mr. Alderman Watxutiart said be had no knowledge of the motion which Mr. Favell intended to make, but if it related to the conduct of some of the soldiery on a recent occasion, we understood the Worthy Sheriff to say that he thought it a . question out of the range of the Standing Order, and he should feel it his duty . to lay a statement before the Court upon the subject himself. Mr. FAvzt.t. said, the privileges of the city had been violated through a . person of one of their highest oilicers, and as a question of privilege be pressed the motion which he intended to make. The Speaker proreoleil to make a statement of the riots before Knightsbridge Barracks, on the Sunday of the fune ral of Francis and Honey, nearly similar to those m hich have already appeared in the public prints. He would confine himself to that Sunday, as other mat ters in which the Sheriff had acted, were now under, a course of adjudication. He contended that from the bold and able manner in which the Sheriff had acted even at the risk of his life, on that occa- ' sion, for the preservation of the peace, be well reserved the thanks of the Court. The speaker concluded by moving a resolution to the effect, that the office of Sheriff was the highest and most im portant in the election of the citizens, and that it Was the duty of the Court to uphold its character, and to protect the officer in tlif proper exercise of his duty. That while they expressed their approbation of the prompt and effectual means employed by Mr. Sheriff Waithman for the preservation of the peace during the funeral of Francis and Honey, on the 26th of August* they cannot but express their abhorrence at the gross violation of the public peace by several of the Life-guards. and that the coolness and courage displayed by Mr Sheriff Waithman on that occasion, deserved the thanks of the Court and his fellow citizens. M r. Sheriff Warroom AN said, that from what heat first conceived as to the nature of the motion made by his Worthy Friend, he (Sheriff Waithman) had thought to have seconded it ; but as it was for a vote of thanks to Matte% he should trouble the Court kith a few ob •servations, and then retire. that they might be un shackled by any feelings of delicacy in their discus sion which Might arise from his presence. But he . considered the question as one which had very' Zile relation to himself, as every man oho had firmness of mind would have adopted the same course that be had adopted. it was a question which arose from one of 'the greatest outrages and violation' s of Vie most im portant of public offices that had ever been recorded. It had become a practice, whenever there wa any indi cation of a breach of the peace, to have recoirse to the Police Magistrates. But to preserve the pp'ke it was necessary to have recourse to persons who were of in fluence with the populace, and it could no t better be done than by estimating the task to tho s e , orlio, were of .the people's own election. Now on the Qt th of Au gust, although a communication was made to the Lord Mayor, to request that lie would be in attendance to preserve the peace, yet no communication was made on 'that day to the Sheriffs, who were the more proper persons, He (Mr. Weidman) was out from nine o'clock in the wonting until late at night, without taking any regular refreshment, yet not a single Ma gistrate could he see during the whole of tbeday. , Ile then proceeded to detail the conduct oldie 'atfiliers iq the front of the barracks, whom he described all basin provoked else wept* by appearing at the windows tind 'mocking tkom.'SoMe by pretending to cry, And othosio by pretending to shoot at them. A - brick tette toady thrown:amongst the people from the: haearieki: .11s dosetibedlbf conduct of wheat the soldieis, whom be should bo i l,. agpia, and who. laid bold otitis ham •is a Vie} aim oittuototosces which left his so altosiiitlye - bat to strike OW man. The Worthy. Sheriffibisi imeceedeao state that be bad rettelifisl al 'ester; witilb regretted that he was not at the 'barrack ttisoi it about nine o'clock at night tb armist Mr. Co nant, The Sheriff of London, exclaimed the speaker, 11 to assist a, hired Magistrate !" The speaker said be bad aide s statement of the 'attempt which bad been 'made upon his 4ife in the execution of his duty, but as nothing bad been said 'Spun the subject, and be bad never been called Vint, he thought himself warranted , in concludtag that no steps had been take% against the offenders . ; itfit although Mr. Conant had examined some police officers, yet be '(Sheriff Waithman) was. quite in the dark upon the subject, excepting that be understood' questions had bests put to those examined', with view of bringing out something agains t him self. He chaiacterised the whole proceedings as the, part-of a systematic and deliberate plan to subvert the lib. flies of the 'people. No one had a higher opinion of soldiers in general than himself, and Hon forbid that he should suppose that even in the Horse Guards 'there were not men with the proper feelings of huma nity. They *ere paid by the people fot the protection of the liberties of the country, but their character and disposition had become very different from what ! sdkllers ought to be. When two bodies were catrisd .by. one ,of which they were charged by 'Elie werdtat of a ~/nry with having committed wilful inardeN could ony thing more evince a malignant disposition , than, for the soldiers to mock and insult the populace who were carrying them ? It had been asked why he, was not present to quel the riot at Cumberland-gate. , Now he declared be knew nothing of the riot there at the time, and merely heard the firing of the pistols ; but what could the Siwalik have dons with the soldiers? He went to attend the funeral and not to quel a riot. Mr. OLDUA3t objected to the speaker's going into what occurred at any other time than at the funeral of ,he two men. • The Sheriff concluded with some farther °beefy*. tiona. Mr. Sheriff Wisaaaats said that before his colleague withdrew (rota the Court; he wished to make some ob servations in his presence. Although the motion be fore the Court did not in terms censure him (Sheriff Williams), yet it would hare the effect of a cenaure. —(Cries of " No. no !")—Although the mover might not intend any thing of the kind, yet he contended that such an inference might very fairly be drawn; as well as that his colleague had been making a speech to pro cure himself a vote of thanks. The speaker complained that in the accodut of the funeral of the Queen. Ito no tice had been taken of his having been in readiness to assist in preserving the peace. He also • complaitid that his colletigue had not gives him timely notice of his intentions on that occasion. On the night previous be said on parting—" I may be there , in my private, but ndrin my public capacity." At about eight or nine o'clock at night a letter came from him, stating, that be should be at Ifydevark-corner in his,officiel capacity at about seven o'clock. This letter was de livered in the ordinary manner, as if of no importance. and was put in the ordinary letter-box, and was nut re ceived until nine o'clock on the fullowuig morality I but he (Mr. Sheriff Williams) tatittettatety Of Air the city-road as the most likely directiPw, and , was upon,. duty the whole of the day. The vote of thanks. pro- , posed, if eareltd, be thought, from the meaner which it was brought forward, would not be worth having ; it would have the appearance of party thanker' it would appear as if his cause were weak and falling, and that it wanted patching. Mr. WAITIMAN then retired. Mr. T. N. Witaataus said that the whole savoured mncbAlf trick. He moved, as as amendment. that it should be referred to a committee to inquire into and report upon the matter. Mr. OuiDiesli said that, at least, it was exceeding bad taste to bring forward a question of that estate at that particular juncture, which was most certaia..to create party spirit, when unanimity was so much sought.—{ileac, hear !)—He would not go the length of saying that hr would not join in a vote of thanks if it were regularly brought forward, for he was a great enemy to the introduction of a military force on such occasions ; but he did not take upon himself to say that, however the worthy Sheriff might deserve the ap probation of the country for his conduct on the funeral of Honey, yet his conduct on the inquest deserted, and would meet with general reprobation. Ike speaker said he should not vote if the motion were pressed. A tong and stormy discussion followed, in which Mr. Hurcombe and Mr. Eicke suppotted the• motion, and Mr. :r. N. Williams pressed his amendment, that the matter should be referred for inquiry to the Gaol. Expenses' Committee. Mr. Sheriff WAITHMAN was called into Court by his friends, when Mr. Oldham repeated what he bad said as to the Sheriffs conduct on the inquest, tee; • Mr. Sheriff WAITHNIAIn replied, in explanation, that no man could have done his duty who bad not acted as he bad dune under such circumstances. A *how of hands was taken, when a- division-was demanded by Mr. T. N. Williame Defottr"tite -divi sion took place, Mr. Oldham Ind' a twat numbetw( the Court (which was a very full one) paired off. The soothers were as follows :—Foe the, weed's., —Alderman. 1--Commoners, For the original motion—Commouers. 13 -Tudors. 2-55. Majority for the original motion,3o. • Mr. Sheriff WAITHMAK returned- thanks. Mud ob• served, that notwithstanding the time which ballad devoted to the service of the Corporation, this was the first mark of their approbation which be bid ever received. The Committee appoineaddwanalte the necessary:nee rangemeats for the astwitineitie of the Court on the. Int. neral of her late Mejetiitatmetie a Report of their pro-, ceedings, which was Antlered to be entered on the journals. , . The Loan Matron &elated a vacancy in the oflee of Hall-keeper; occasioned by the death of Mr. Temple. The executors of the late Hall-keeper were desired to superintend the execution of that *See until the order of the Court ; and it was referred to the-City -LandoCornotitt4 to consider whether any, and what alteration, it may eapedient to =eke is the coaduct ingthat office in Ware. • Monday the Lord 'Nape 'Pre a iontpnioalliAlteer lid the Corporation of • Loutilite. * 'One )iteike wit: IRA us to detail tket. sitertilassmit :* the best fester* of theleasiwatiehalsenwmattP which men of &threat partiet•sat dodo, sad-posed as i lows evening together. r: or • . - :71 1i f . . ~Y.,-,~-,...rte:: __ , area 'wain At LegeoN-Illetwit To-bolitow. Monolog id oda. after 2.—Evedit It Oda site? r.. LONDISIN-: ItitsNix°, sePtiltari 1821, . STOCK EXCHANGE, TWELVE Cr . . There it very little blameless transaeting: i at the Stoth Exchaege this moritingb mid the Hotiimis eery tbhtly attended. The market looks vety heavy, width is attributed to the rise of 'corn. This awning Ctn. eels ate 7611. lite Coroner's.Awy.. awl this meridor aefraing to °l‘ skj ottrinsent, lied retired to emisider their: verdict, 'The verdict had not been given when oer paper west to press. As soon as it is aseertaineet we shall take rare to make it known. •• • •,. AN. ~ - Times, has in some measure weskeoed the sees. The anxiety of the public is m at the moment We be gin this article. most intensely awaiting the decision of the Coroner's Inquest on the destkeit *tenser) HONEY. Yesterday aftereowthe COstoxso un mod up the evidence that had been adduced in thocam L end delivered bit charge to thejniry ; and though no less than 94 witnesses had been examined, and much conflicting' and perplexing testimony bad bees introduced, the ConoNEa pressed the ;Jury to proceed at once to a de. cisioa, and said he thought the question lay in a nut. shell. From the views which the Coaortaa took of the case, the firing of the Life Guards on the pail* on the 14th of 'August appeared to be exerssable.-... An attack, of s most ferocious nature, as be is re ported to have stated, bad bees • eommeaced oa the soldiers, which they bad endered with great forbearance for some time, until ill-usage bad estop.: ratetll . them. They bad, in these circumstances, the common right of all winkled to defend themselves from the brutal attack thus made on men who were brought there to discharge a Olt unpleasant duty. It could not for a moment be imagined that they Were actuated by any preconcerted malice against the Crowd; and the malice which the legal acceptation the term implied, and which constituted in sect) ti/0. a ft -fagots offviee. Weis -1t- settled - auger is owe man against another . .. and a determinatiom of -revenge. These considerations with some slot . . , renextons on the natural cOnstitatioa of ma* and human frailty, were the -chief points the Coroner iirged upon the attention of the Jury. As to the pre- vise and important point for which the Jniywere con vened, the inquiry is what manner the deceased bad come to his death, little appears to bare bees said. It was admitted to be cestainly lig, and much to be deplored, that lives bad been lost; but it was asserted" that it would be Still More bard. if met, wider the 'circumstances of the Life Guards there were to be condemned for sack an a ct as this, or have their lives, brought into jeopardy. COriceraieg the necessity of firiag, or the competency of those who bad decided on it, or the regularity and legality of that and every other proceeding of the Life Guards 'es the day in qaeetion, net a single doubt was raised. The great omission of not reading the Riot Act, which bad arrays been deemed an indispensable form to warn F the people of their' danger , an d to j ustif y the military [le resorting to extremities, was scarcely ever noticed. The dispensing. with the . direction and even the pre mace of a Magistrate °maw occasion, wasaAr s egarded as affecting the exercise of military power: The un precedented andsrevehing eircumstaate of placing the Magistrate and evelk the military under the control' of an tadertaker's deputy, was never consklered as worthy the least reprebeasioa. AR seems to hate boss thought ea regk that was done with a view to conform to the orders of the Lord Chamberlain ; sad for the accomplishment of these, warnings of prudence, the counsel of the Magistrate . , and tlaisforms of law were spurned, without exciting an eaptessionid regret *et a tokeii:of displeasure. Mere then; re arrive is; a • point that is truly awful to contemplate. Whs.:vet any measure may be adopted against the strong and general feeling of thepeople.the.kast resistance may be .made the plea for the introdnctioa of military forge; the appearance of the soldiery arrayed *gaiast the people will aggravate theirritation. assifikeesion in 7 suit or assault ; and tL least pretegt en the prin ciple of self defence, lhive the solaisirj-,10414tut the 'restraints of lasi, at liberty team their armsaon * 4 the' ye - eple, not acCording to tbe rul e s of j ustice, but sec ord. pig to their own Oescretion or the impulse of *ay resentful passion that may be raised in their breasts. It is false to my. that 'soldiers staid arrayed &guild the. people in eirenmstances sigilr to the rest of liar Mid, and that they hasothe same right to net in theil 'olio 'Seminal dirisaieTheitarms intheir beads wait' $ •or • • f ear ful difference. 'fleet arms , ass *sweetie -to tbees - by she ; sad thereto net allowed is wai thee' bias as the law directs... On liesiand eats _llO 'is . thaw ~., : eaggested.. b ytbe l 0, it ie lotebelpla.;ol4 4enelderatias, of. the 4;4111 Cara.. What thiita t li tia lion will lie to : f. bo o we Will napalm* to to. A cotraldetiittle city which thes.„ wisdom of our ancestors thought fit •lo take 'against misconduct in Jurors. 'Th e early histoty of our law Is full of severe puoisli. ments indicted on Jurors . for misconduct: pre. ceedings of this nature hale of late years 'gone Into comparative disuse; but we presume time are •••• still means existing to remedy any grieereas - vlolation ai a Jurer l a fluty.". The object, of this intimation Is rendered manifest, though engrafted. as it is said, but generally and hypothetleallti 4. There are two. modes in wbiyls a Juror may be perjured; me fa r when through malignity, or toilful neglect, he datum a false face, as if be, from such causes, declare' t individual to be ideluified. who ' is not identified i ell any reasonable construction of the rhold evidence t —the other mode is, when having reasonable faille of knowing, by the instruction of the Coaoact,' Of otherwise, that the case does amount in law only to Justifiable Homicide; or at the most to Men. slaughter, he from the'iriotives above-mentioned per. silts in declaring, open his oath, that it is s con of . . WilfolAltirder." In spite of these intimidations we trees the Jury will maintain a firm and fearless seam of duty, and pronounce a verdict in the cue before. them according to their consciences and the trideson they had heard: Public events hare now risen to s crisis that mat, ~ • that will speedily terminate, either in the cortsil-' mentof military power vr is the subversioa of all chartered rights and comititational privileges. Is have, for many years, been maintaining a deadly 1 army, though all the world has been at perhaps*. And why are the people, who are alreadysearcelyable to live frail dayto day, thus to be bariened with. asi' 4 tranipled' 'down by, unnecessary taxes, in orating aniatain an arnly for which the country has se astd? Is it because the Ministers wish. and perhaps fait . ; necessary, to have a military force foe ever at hesi s . la order to forte the people to submit to their pi* sure. whitiver that *seen may be? ,if this 4 the intention, the meson las, we are funned m think, arrived is which it will be well Mintsten* bole to themselves. roe, if they examine the paps of Roman History they will fiati that monarchy ad its ministerial supporters have oftentimes bum &mint by the very means which they at first 00 necessary for the establishment of its dignity WI ths ' maintenance of its power. But we need not go bed to the li ma , of the Conan. Let as look arond- II upon the nations at the must day. Have they ast almost all of them been etridand by these means7-hy means it a standing army ? Has not, in short, ftt liberty of Europe been offeredvp at the shrine of U. litary despotism? And shall we, with such meek before our eyes, pursue the porno path, which led ere neighbours to the precipice? Can we expect qtateff super-human aid will, is the moment of destrectiv, be afforded us, if we blindly walk on in the higiiivi which we know conducted them to ruin ? . . Ministers should not trust too mach to their nits ewe over the arasye 4‘ They are (to use the itmft of Mr. Pulteney,) a body of men distinct fret tlit : people ; they are governe d b y different taws; t o Mod ehedieoce and an entire submission to the 0101 1 • is 'of their commanding officer, is their *sly prieeltik 1 And that isreallythe truth ; after the event' 11 4611 1 wel l the few last week" hive brought (pith, there MIA' in . ** mind of any veanuab l i. person, remain* argument which could throw ove r it the 'islet . of a dewbt. . May. we not sees a Sheriff Ix nes - lidos of his detyroot only tanked sad ly theiiitheri„ bat owing his life tw-ifse i a police officer; who, by striking down-the NNW a soldier• hindered hint from discharging. its c' .at the pima of a Magistrate? Aid 'habit 41 0 . 1 the couieottendes Which have. resulted from tics Magellanic of tbe . laws of *twisty. gaff tide setreff• the civil power of oar Coneelisitos? The stesdr still at large. though it is almost morally i that he could be unknown, Nor is this all: the dine against whom a ,Istry of the country !ell_ ' isleipelled. by tlsi Olden* which has bon raw I* Hag ii is Cardin of wilful warder, are abatis 'k seiro - unspensation, for outraging the dictates oil! i,ranisip and trampliag upon the cheitt l .t. viler, oT Englishmen I And will ItativPr who have, / for .so Sony years,: held Mt 0 ° siltation as the palladium ,or Illierty-- .44 which they saloytd by mass of the esies; . of power which ha bees maintained t • the catkin &Mathias of oar Coastitutios by cheek which *so off .ham 000: *64* iirt Visor ? Will *ley enterprise peak editro4... 4 • =iii Oast siOuriptioa 'far ?awarding dalias_, was araini the tined *sinusitis. tbitandialis .04 safery and glory of Eagland avowal:: weal .41Pe • _ ~. • ' 7 9 • lk dilterence of opinlott. it has ben intimated, prim& among them ; end therefore their adjournment'. this day to 'consider their verdict. instead of meriting the 'censure which a ministerial paper has expressed eft. cerning it, is, in oat estimation, deserving raw; They appear disposed to exercise the right, whi c h some would willingly deny them, of thinking fo r themselves. They may not so easily entertain the opinion which the Coroner suggested that the kit —.... g . restion was made . by the 'populace ; and they may not I* disposed to yield their convictions se the akthoriiy of men in office, or to the threats of those without. Ins paperbf this morning, is a passage di. rectly calculated for the purposes of intimidation. • , 0 The liberility of modern times, says The New pßipig o STO6OI TH la DAY kr ON" IrtiaoCC. Balk Stepk, , .r Isis Beak $ Vent Rid 8111.11It:1 ,- .9. pa pa Cent. Cal. 741 1149.44144 Ito* • • perßmat. • •• • dl aadi Bde Old Asa. 4 par Ceits. shut •••• . 81114911. 14+ • , por CLNavy 46. • • per Cad. . . .11ank for MONO* Ling Au • - ' " India %sato Imp Spar emot.,lll Cms. for Met Irl l ab /1 per Csmi r Lott. Tlekets 91. 194. . . etc gotatcsintan. " Tie IS INCOUPORktIIb wnin " tut rramesmaw." • -