The Express.
London, England, 1849-07-19 00:00:00

THE CITY ELECTION.

Yea'erday a deputation from the eomnfttee of
liberal electors, heeded by John Abel S with, B q., M.P.,
waited upon the Lull Mayor to learn hie intention* ?septet.
logf_the approaching election for the City.
Mr. BMI If said that as his lordsnip bad not puhlisbel
any address to the electors, some ascension prevailrd as to
whether it was his intention to become a candidate, the
had felt it ri;ht to asoeviain what course his lordship would
punts if elected, putieularly in reference to what appeared
to them to be the paramount question of the day, be
meant the crowning act of religious freedom, the removal of
the Jewish disabilities.

The LORD MAYOR said, in answer to the first ques-
tion, he had no hesitation in saying, that great as he felt
the honour would be of representing this great city in par-
liament, it had not been onginelly sought by him. As
soon as the vacancy had become known, he had been so-
licited by a number of influential gentlemen to become •
candidate. He had accepted the invitation, and it was of
Inures, now, no matter of doubt tr questic n, whether' he
should act is conformity with the engagement into which
he bad entered. In regard to the question of the removal
of the political disabilities which still pressed upon his
Jewish fellow subjects, he thought hit beet answer would be
found in the recorded votes he had given in parliament. He
had for twelve years represented a constituency pre.emi•
neatly distinguished for their attachment to the great prin.
tip's, of civil and religious liberty.
Mr. SMITH assured the Lord Mayor that in fulfilling the
I duty which had been devolved upon him by the committee
to ask bin lordship's opinien upon too or three other sub-
jeets, it must not be taken as en indication of any d .übt on
his or their part of the sincerity of his lordship's profeasions ;
I much less must it be interpreted into any desire to interftre
in the slightest degree with his entire freedom of motion, but
merely to enable them to determine what steps they ought
to take in the present emergency. They desired to learn
from his lordship what ccuree it was bis it tuition to pursue
in reference to free trade and to the extension of the fran-
chise, and also whether his lordship would be favourable to
the amendment of the municipal institutions of the city in
conformity with the improving spirit of the age ?
The LORD MAYOR esid, that in ri gad to free trade, he
must again refer to his past conduct as the rule of his future
actions. He had always supported the leading principles of
free trade, and should continue to support them. He had
been subjected in 1841 to one of the most seven contests in
Boston in consequence of the course he had thonekt proper
to adopt on the question of the can laws. He had voted
with Lord John Revell for a fixed duty, and
he had afterwards voted for the repeal of the corn
laws altogether. He had always voted in parliament for the
extension of the franchise ; and yesterday he bad attended
in his place in the House of Commons to support the third
reading of a bill which would considerably enlarge the num-
ber of the municipal voters for the Cite. The electors might
assent themselves that, if he were elected, he should take
cars that hie position as an al Jarman should not in any re-
spect interfere with the discharge of his duties as their re-
presentative.
The gentlemen of the deputation expressed themselves
much gratified by the frank and explicit manner in which
the Lord Mayor bad stated his opini ins up in the various
topics of discussion.

We derive the folliwing fnm the Standard:
" A reguaition has been drawn up, and is now in cosine.
of signature, to which is siren 'y appended a !vat of highly
iefluential names, inviting Mr. Jam.* Parker, Q.C., a sound
conservative, to stand f,r the City; and there is every reason
to believe that that gentleman will heartily respond to the
call."