The Express.
London, England, 1847-09-17 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL

PRIVILEGE OP EXEMPTION PROM ARItES'T FOR
Derr.—Yesterday Mr. Anderton gave notice of motion,
" That the court petition the House of Commons that the
members of that house shell not, by virtue of their being
so, be privileged from arrest upon writs of execution issued
against them by their creditors for enforcing the payment of
their judgment debts."
Tuff OFFICE OF UNDER-SHERIFF.—Mr. it. Taylor
brought up the report of the Secondaries and City Courts'
Committee, to which the subject of the last appointment of
the clerk of the county of Middlesex was referred. The
report stated that the committee, upon proceeding in the
inquiry into certain statements to the effect that a judicial
appointment had been disposed of for a sum of money by
one of the under-sheriffs, who had served in the office some
years ago, were led to believe there were grounds for
the imputation from the fact that the gentleman alluded to
as the principal in such transaction had refused to /mower the
questions put to him by the members. But upon further
investigation, and upon the solemn denied of the suspected
official, and additional testimony in proof of the incorrectness
of the charge, the gentleman supposed to have been a party
to the sale of the place was completely exonerated from re-
proach or insinuation.—The report was ordered to be entered
upon the minutes of the court.
T R P URCH ABE OF SHAILSPE ARV'S HOUSE. ^ Mr.
Thomas White brought forward his motion that the court sub-
scribe a sum of money in aid of the subscription for the pur-
chase of Shakspeare's house. Other public bodies had, he
said, some forward to contribute to the purchase, and he
trusted that the corporation of London would not hesitate to
join in the attempt to prevent the destruction of that national
monument. (" Hear, hear," and some murmurs )—Mr. R.
Taylor seconded the motion. He thought that every means
should be adopted to render honour to the greatest name in
this or any other country. The court had expended a large
sum in the purchase of a single signature of Shah/Team, and
they could not consistently refuse to join with a number of
other bodies in saving from destruction the house in which
the greatest genius the world ever produced was born.—
Mr. Anderton said he had ae much respect fur the genius of
Shakspeare and for the character of the country and of the
Court of Common Council as any man, and, impressed with
that feeling, he was convinced that the honour and dignity
of all would be beet consulted by an acquiescence in. the
amendment that the question be not put. It was said as an
argument in favour of the motion, that the money was to he
paid fora house in which Shakspeare had lived. It was sot
the only house in which that great man had lived, and, if
they were to join in the purchase of that house, it might be
reasonably expected that they would subscribe to buy up
every house in which he had resided at,d every theatre in
which his masterly performances had been represented-
With regard to the autograph, that related to property
within the City of London, and was a literary curiosity coo-
sleeted with the transactions of the corporation itself. (Revs,
hear.) Very different indeed was the subject of the
present discussion. It would reflect but little honour
upon Shakspeare to put a large sum of mosey
into the pockets of the present owners of the house.—
Mr. Blake was in favour of the motion. He wished to know
whether it would be consistent that in one page of the cor-
poration records it was set down that in the year 1844 the
sum of 1401. was given for the autograph of Shakspeare, and
that in 1847 the same corporation refused to aid in prevent-
ing the destruction of the house which had been always re-
cognised as the favourite residence of the poet.—Deputy Pea-
cock seconded the amendment.—Mr. White hoped the cor-
poration would not be influenced by the objections which had
been raised to the proposition to do honour to themselves,
but would at once aid the subscription fur the purchase of
the house, which was at that moment about to be disposed
of.—The question was then put, and the amendment was
carried by a majority of 31.
MONUMENT TO SHAILSPEARE.—SiT Peter Laurie, who
entered the court at the conclusion of the last discussion, rose
to give notice of a motion that a sum of money be subscffieel
, by the court towards the erection of a suitable monument in
, the metropolis, in honour of William Shakspeare. (Hew,
hear.) HO bad lately returned from Scotland, when he
• had seen with admiration a great monument to the simnel
of Sir Walter Scott. From that moment he detenniesd to
. submit a motion to the corporation on the subject of raising
• monument to the greatest man that ever lived, and he
knew that he should obtain the eager assistance of ectsy man
who knew anything at all about the poet of Enema.

BANK OF ENGLAND.
A general court of the proprietors of the Bank et
England waa held yesterday, to madder of a dividend, sad
upon other affairs. The envoi:lance WAS 'nth MI"
numerous than usual, probably a expectation that scow
thing intimating might transpise in refs/ewe to the late
serious eenbarremnsents in the mercantile world. The
James Morris, Eel. the deparyigovernor, G. F.
Rai., end mod of the directors, enterdd th.""rt"
mast twelve o'clock, and alter the minutes of the last
eeenftbed been read by the seenetary.
Vs• Goviturson rose sad said: This is one of war MIA
Yearly coasts for the pupae* of declering a ddend, and
sae of the quarterly coasts appointed he the charter • end!
()nth the plermre to inheres you that the Court el Direeisa•
upon a renew of the state of the affairs of the hash, kos
resolved to recommend that a div.idend of 41 per oat ia•
tenet and profits les paid for the half-year aloft GRIM
10th of October nest—(great cheering)—wilheld
lof the income tax; and it gives me great ereisheddlS II
able to state, that after the payment of the basal
there will be a sum of 26,4111. te be added to the rest.
(cheers). It is necessary that I shoals' inform yoe, Oat
this isnot a dividend of 44 per cent., but • dividend of 34 P
cent. and a bonus of 1 per cent., that the proprietors vibe
have a life interest only might participate in the profits si
the half year. Although, therefere,-1 now tell it a dividet
of 44 per cent., it is only one of al per cent., with a boon
1 per cent. I mention this lest you might suppose Rita
are to go on permanently with a dividend of 44 per NIL
We have no such intention, unless the
on affairs o
jof the DA
should be in such a prosperous positi as tustify dist
dividend.
Mr. FIELDER The statement that has been made is
highly satisfectory.
Mr. CLARKE: What will the 'test be ?
The Goviturroa: The Rest will he 3,270,7541. It end
that on August-oLitre deronnhich the half yearly accounts
were made up. It was 3,270,7.5.11. after the deduction of the
amount of the dividend of 41 per cent. There will be a see
plea added to the Rest for the half-yeas of 28,4121.
Kr. Coo's: The great point for the coot a catiaalk
how much is it necessary to have se • Bagg-alU=
'edged by every one that 3,000,0001. of
I cannot therefore see why the 2701750. of a mirl7lll-Ibirli

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