The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-11 00:00:00

COURT OF ALDERMEN.

Oa Saturday a court was held for the purpose of
taking into consideration a motion, of which Alderman
Wilson had given notice, relative to the reform of the cor-
poration. There was a numerous asvemblage of Aldermen.

♦DDREEU OP CONOHATVLATION TO THE uultzti.
Upon the motion of Ald-rtnan 'fitotarsox, scemptcd by
Sir Pavan Lamina, an address of congratulation to the
Queen upon the birth of the infant prince was voted, and
ordered to be presented to her Majesty by the whole court.

CORPORATION REFORN.

Alderman WitrinisaiTilfetooTit for granted that, in
consequence of what had transpired in the House of Con- 1
mons on the subject of a measure of reform for the corpora-
tion, the court would have no objection to allow him to
alter the shape of the proposition, of which he had given
notice, in order to adapt it to the investigation which was to
take place. lie would now simply move that "it be re-
ferred to a special committee of the whole court, to consider
the question of reform of the corporation of Londoa,to confer
with her Maj.sty's tniniate rs thereon, and to take such mea- '
sures as they ai.y be eels i.cd,and to rep ,rt from time to time
to the court." The commissioners who were to be appointed
would no doubt be willing to hear the members of the Court
of Aldermen, as well as the members of the Court of Com-
mon Council, upon a question of such importance. It land '
always been his eminioe that the delays and disappointments
which had occurr.ol even after the expressed anxiety of Lord
John ltussel► in IS3S to know whether the corporation had
drawn up any plan of reform of its own would inevitably
lead to the irtereosition of the glvernment. Still his attempts
to induce the court to act had been frustrated. His object
now was to supply the commission with all the necessary
information relative to tree Court of Aldermen. The com-
mittee of the Court of Coronae:. Council was an doubt occu-
pied in deliberating upon the same question, and as there
were certain members in tl.at assembly who were desirous
se see the privileges of th•r aldermen reduced, if nut com-
pletely annihilated, it became indispensable that imme-
diate measures should be taken to counteract the effect of
such opposition as the latter had reason to anticOate.
Sir Perm Laynta thought that such • charge was cal-
culated to provoke the members of the other sou: t.
Alderman WILSON proceeded Ile considered that
neither court was qualified to reform the other, and that
whatever improvements the Court of Common Council
might suttees in effecting in its own elements and construc-
tion, its judgment end candour were not to be at all relied
upon in any project for a change in the Court of Aldermen.
,(Bear, hear.) lie believed that a commission was the
most advisable alternative which now remained, and that
the commissioners would be soon able to ascertain upon
which court the hanu of reform should be laid. If his ad-
vice had been taken years ago, the obloquy which had been
poured with such industrious malignity upon the beads of
the aldermen, as the enoicies of improvement and the up-
holders of invete rate abuses, would have long since
vanished, and their t'aims to independence and integrity
and to the station which they held in the
opinion of those who hest knew them would have
b,en universally acknoselerteed. (Hear, hear.) He rejoiced
at the appointment of the- commission, as it must lead to
the admission of the blemeless conduct of the Court of
Aldermen ; and he hoped the court would assent to his
motion, upon the ground that the more strict the inquiry
was the more advantageous would be the result to those
must essentially interested. (Hear, hear.)
Alderman 11IONIPSON said the commission would no
doubt be appointed, and the court would consistently accu-
ululate all the information in their power for the use of the
commissioners; but there was one part of the proposition
of Alderman Wilson which he could not think of adopting.
He did not see why the court should use language calcu-
lated to show that they had a lurking desire to be in favour
with her Majesty's ministers. '1 hey should act indepen-
dently of all ministers. (Hear, hear.) He was glad of the
inquiry. it would show that • (else estimate had been
made of the Court of Aldermen ; and if, after the inquiry,
ministers should briug an unjust measure into parliament,
there was still au appeal to which resort could be had.
, (Ilea., hear.)
Alderman F,
I throne.

Lza—We can go tt the foot of the

Alderman 'l UONIPSON—The court was conscious of the
reetitude of its actions and intentions, and an application
for extraneous aid would be altogether despicable. He
should therefore more as an amendment that the words im-
plying the desiro to confer with her Majesty's ministers
should be omitted, and he trusted that the court from re-
gard to its own character would adopt his view of the
question in that respect. (Rear, hear.)
Alderman F.titrrsttoTnut seconded the amendment, and
declsred that he had in his speech on Easter Monday, at
the Mansion-house, given a hearty invitation to her Ida-
jesty's ministers to investigate and inspect all the proceed-
ings of the Court of Aldermen. lie had stated upon that
occasion that the sidemen performed their arduous
and important dui ies without the slightest reward or remu-
oeratioo, except the tccompcnse which sprung out of the
gratification that they honestly performed their duty to
their fellow citizens and the public. (Hear, hoar.)
Sir PETRI. LAURIE denied that there was any charge
against the Court of Aldermen, or ground for charge. The
administration might, it they pleased, proceed at once with
the commission. lie did not apprehend the slightest
dazger. Already the noise about the coals was at an end ;
and other misapprehensions and misrepresentations would
have a similar issue.
Alderman WIRE supported Alderman Wilson's proposi-
tion, and rejoiced that toe commission was to be appointed,
for he was of opinius that an investigation into the affairs
and proceedings of the Court of Aldermen was necessary, in
order that a public and perfect refutation might be aff trded
to the idle and scandalous generalities which were written
an# uttered to their prejudice.
The court loudly applauded the speech of Alderman
Wire, but the majority decided in favour of Alderman
Thompson's amendment, and the words signifying that the
committee were to confer with her Majesty's ministers were
expunged.
Alderman Wth.sosr expressed much regret that the court
had not adopted Dice view of the question by proceeding to
reform themselves.
The court then adjourned.