The Express.
London, England, 1846-10-09 00:00:00

the perish of Aram, 63 ; for the parish of Edgbasten, 7. The
objections were very few.
Bismittoasit.—Tbe lists of voters for the borough
of Birmingham were revised on Thursday by A. Hayes,
Esq.

ELECTION OF LORD MAYOR.
A special Court of Aldermen was held at eleven
o'clock yesterday, for the purpose of receiving certain papers
relating to the late trials in Ireland in respect to the 1 alacre
Mining Company.—The LORD Mavoa having laid them on
the table and caused them to be read,
Alderman COPILA%D said he regretted that Aldernein
Wood had not relinquished his claim to the civic chair for
another year, at least until a full inquiry could be made into
the truth of the accusations against him. The worthy
Alderman requested certain papers relating to the conduct of
Mr. Alderman Wood to be read, which was accordingly
done. They stated that although the verdict against Alder-
man Wood had been reversed in a second trial in the Court
of Queen's Bench, Ireland, the cause of Howard v, Shaw
and Wood bad been carried by writ of error to the highest
tribunal in the land, viz., to the House of Lords. He wished
bygones to be bygones, but he felt it his duty to state that
the legal proceedings egainet Alderman Wood in Ireland had
not been brought to a conclusion.
Alderman Woofs strongly denied that he had kept back
any information of which he was in possession. lie fear-
lessly asserted that the charges and allegations which had
been made against him by his brother aldermen and in the ,
public newspapers were totally without foundation. The
action which had been decided in his favour was not
carried to the House of Lords. If he had been met in that
court by his brother aldermen as a gentleman, it would not
have been necessary to trouble them with hie own affairs.
The documents which had been laid before the court clearly
proved that the charges which had been made against bim
were unfounded. lie had been most basely calumniated in
the public prints. He had applied ta the Times for the
name of the writer of the letter inserted in that journal
signed " Truth," but shortly before he came into that
court he received a verbal communication from the editor,
declining to give the name of the author of that document.
Alderman Wood here read a number of letters and docu-
ments relating to the late trials in Ireland, in which he
was concerned, and contended that they fully bore out
all the statements he had made to the public. It was
averted that there was a writ of error to the House of
Lords; it was well known that a writ of error to the
highest tribunal in the land could not he brought without
the appellant giving security for double costs, and the
appeal must be lodged within a limited time. Neither one
nor the other had been done, and, therefore, no appeal could
now take place. Gentlemen at the bar often slandered and
calumniated individuals in the discharge of their prufeMonal
duty ; he had been unwarrantably attacked. The worthy
alderman then alluded to what took place before the Lord
Mayer at the Mansion House yesterday. He declared that
on Monday all the fees to counsel were paid into the hands
of counsel, except as regarded Mr. P. Wood, and neither
that gentleman nor his clerk were at the office, therefore the
fees were left with the clerk of Mr. Kinderaley. If Mr.
Anderton hail come to hint ho would have produced the
receipts for counsel's fees, but ho did not do so; he chose
rather to placard the streets with a gnu libel. He had pub-
lished a falsehood, and had staked his veracity on its truth.
He knew of no language too strong to condemn such conduct.
Falsehood was published as truth, and he believed by many,
but when contradicted Mr. Anderton did not publish the
contradiction, and therefore it had acted most injuriously to
his (Aid. Wood's) interest. He hoped, whatever might be
the termination of the contest, that he should never disgrace
himself u a member of that Court, or in his character of a
gentleman. He thought it hard that private affairs should
be raked up by the press for the put pose of doing an injus-
tice to individuals.
Sir GEORGE CARROLL denied that the letters complained
of by Mr. Alderman Wood emanated from his committee
room—Alderman FAREDROTHER said he understood the
trial against Alderman Wood, which had taken place in
Ireland, was not brought to a final conclusion. A writ of
error had been brought and security given, and therefore at
present the judgment was not perfect, but as far as it had
gone the verdict was for the plaintiff. He could not stultify
himself by coming to a different opinion to what he had ex-
pressed on former occasions; he was friendly disposed to-
wards Alderman Wood, and exceedingly regretted that he
had not taken the advice given to him, and retired for a
time from becoming a candidate for the highest honour to
be conferred on a citizen of London. The action in 'rel.-nil
was not settled even according to Mr. Wood's own state-
ment, and therefore he was not justified in asking the Court of
Aldermen to place him in the civic chair.—Alderman Wool)
repeated, that as security had not been given for carrying the
decision of the Queen's Bench in Ireland by writ of error
into the House of Lords, the decision of that court was final.
—Sir P. Leems said if that were so, Alderman Wood
ought to have given them notice of it a month ago ; in that
case an opportunity would have been afforded of obtaining
official documents from Irelend. It was too bad to conic
forward on the eve of an election and ask the Court to place
reliance on the statements which had been made.—Alder-
man COPELAND felt firmly convinced in his own mind that
the legal proceedings against Alderman Wood in Ireland
had not been brought to a close, and therefore further in-
quiry was nee-eery before he was elected to the office of
chief magistrate of that great city.—Alderman Cu LLIS
suggested that all the papers and documents which had been
referred to should be submitted to a committee.—Alderman
HUGHES MEOHES WU Of opinion that nothing which had
been .aid had removed the allegations which hod been made
against Alderman Wood, and therefore he ought to retire
until a full inquiry could be instituted.—Alderman MOON
wished Alderman Wood to retire on the present occasion ; if
not he should feel it his duty to vote against him ; as he cond.
dared he was at present placed in circumstances that disquali-
fied him from filling the office of chief magistrate of the City of
London. Alderman SIDNEY said that if Mr. Thome+ Wood
was not qualified to occupy the civic chair he was not fit to
discharge the duties of magistrate or aldermen. He, how-
ever, WAS of opinion that Alderman Wood was in every
respect qualified for the office to which he aspired, but
having been assailed in the manner he had, probably it
would be the most prudent course to retire from the contest
on the present occasion, and stet wait for an adverse vote of
his brother aldermen. A rest objection had been raised
against Aldershot Weed es secount of his being a poor man.
—Alderman Paimenmufwwft, end several saber of the alder-
men, &tamed in the stresyst manner that the question of
Ahlareaaa Weedbelfig a pew or rich man, had never come
wader that imarilisiniaa. 'They were of opinion that he had
set memuffed the serious allegations which bad been made
agaimet bias—Alderman SIDNEY continued :-16-14 livery-
men' had recorded their votes in favour of Alderman Wood,
thereby showing that they considered him qualified to fill
the civic chair; but, under all the circumstances at present
existing, he trusted his honourable friend would on this
occasion retire from the contest.—Alderman HUMPRERY
explained that there could be no objection to Alder-
man Wood because he was poor, for the City allotted
sufficient funds to uphold the dignity and hospitality of the
office of Lord Mayor.—Alderman FAREBBOTHEE: I did not
find it so. (A laugh.).—Alderman HUMPHRRY: Being poor
is no crime. How many members of that court had put
money into their own pockets from the salary of the office.
(Great confusion, and cries of "Name, name.") The sum
was sufficient if judiciously laid oat. [Sir P. Lazrie : I
wish, for God's sake, you hadn't got up.—Alderman Hum-
phrey : Yee, my dear fellow, but for my own sake I am glad
of it.—A scene of confusion here ensued, several of the
aldermen baiting Mr. Alderman Humphrey with extraor-
dinary questions. He proceeded.] He would not mention
names, but the fact could not be denied. (Cheers.) 8,0001.
during the year of office was quite sufficient to keep up the
hospitality which was expected from the chief magistrate of
the City. lie should give his vote in favour of Alderman
Wood.
Alderman WOOD said he was not sorry this discussion
had taken place. He had been gulled and entrapped into .
an unfortunate joirr-stock speculation, which would render
him more cautious in future. He bad been most unfairly,
most wickedly assailed. He cared not by what tribu-
nal he was to be judged, he cared not in what earthly
court his conduct was to be investigated. He had a con-
science void of offence, and which assured him that he had
acted uprightly and correctly. He had been injured by ca-
lumny, and forced into expenses which ought not to have I
been imposed upon him. After some further ob-ervations
Alderman Wood said, having heard the opinion of several
of his brother aldermen, he felt it his duty to take the sense
of the Court. He had been returned to that Court by the
livery, and, whatever the decision might be. he should lie
down on his bed that night in peace.
Alderman COPELAND moved that a committee be appointed
to inquire into all the allegations against Alderman T. Wood.
Several aldermen objected to the appointment ; but a show
of hands was taken, which was in favour of the resolution.
Another amendment was proposed, to the effect that the
sheriffs' report be now received, which led to a very desultory
conversation. The motion for receiving the sheriffs' report
was then adopted, and the resolutions for appoint rag a com-
mittee negatived. The Court of Aldermen then sat with
closed doors.
The Hall was not re-opened until half-past three o'clock.
The Recorder then announced that the choice of the court
had fallen upon Alderman Sir George Carroll, whom he ac-
cordingly declared to be Lord Mayor for the year next en-
suing. The announcement was received with some applause,
but far more general disapprobation.
The Loan MAYOR elect returned thanks to the livery for
the distinguished honour they had conferred upon him, and
assured them that it would be his pride and his pleasure to
support all their rights and privileges, and to exercise the
hospitalities of his office. He trusted that at the expiration
of his year he should have given no class of the citizens rea-
son to regret the distinction with which they had invested
him.
Alderman WOOD then came forward and was cordially
received. The return made of the votes of the liv.ry was.
that of the show of hands in the first instance, and had frus-
trated the expectations of those who thought that their
calumnious imputations would cause the livery to give him
no countenance whatever. On the contrary, the livery had
sent him up to the Court of Aldermen, backed by a number
of suffrages only nine fewer than those received by the ex-
cellent person who had been adopted by the cou t. (Cheers.)
The Court of Aldermen, after a long discussion, harefused
to receive the justific story documents which he had offered
to its examination. The livery and the public would judge
for themselves of this conduct. (Hear, hear.) The cilium-
nies of the writer, who monstrously called himself " Truth,"
had been thoroughly confuted ; the whole public was now
enabled to appreciate his utter want of truth (hear, hear) ;
and numbers of livermen who had given their votes
against him (Alderman Wood), or who had abstained
from voting solely in consequence of the mendacious
slanders of " Truth," had since the appearance of his con-
futation in the public prints, assured him that they deeply
regretted what they had done. (Cheers.) Whoever the
man was who hail anonymously assailed him under this
most perverted appellation, he challenged to
t come foim
r-
ward and meet him publiclfe, and he would convict h