The Express.
London, England, 1847-03-26 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 26, 1847.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Yesterday a wart was Leld for the despatch of
business. _ _ _

CITY OF LONDON CoILFORATION Retwast.—Deputy PEA.
come brought up the report of the committee of privileges
Of the whole court, " fur power to prepare a bill for effecting
certain reforms in the corporation of the City of London.
The report stated ne follows ,—" We again proceeded in the
further consideration of the mutters re:erred to us, and this
court having on the 16th of March been pleased to agree
with our report then present d, in which we stated we were
of opinion the corporation required some reform, which could
only be effected by the aid of parh. taent, and being new of
opinion that a bill should be forthwith prepared for ffecting
I certain reforms aceonliegly, we recommend that we may be
I empowered to prepare the same bill."
Upon the tnotieie that the court agree with the report, and
that it be refereed back to the committee to prepare the bill,
' Sir I'P.TER Levan; said he considered the proposition
' to prepare a bill for parliament most extraordinary ant in-
jud.cioua in the petathr poot on of the court. ("Ileac,
hear," and " No, eo.") They lead submitted a aeries of pro-
positions to their lew officers w ith the view of ascertaining the
rights and powers of the court, and the opinion of those
officers as to the course befit calculated to promote the wel-
fare of the corperation, and, without waiting for the advice
considered an necessary, they wi re for starting at once into
parliament. Ho called that a periodical fit. (Load cries of
"It is no lit," and " Hear, hear.") There were three parties
in the court—one a very amen one, which supported the
hazardous course which th. Lord Meilen. had been advis
to adopt ; another, also he thouelit a small section, which
desired, under any circumstanct s, to go to parliament; and
a third, to which he helongeol, end which considered that
the corporation possessed pose era by which all reform that
was neceesry could be coolly accomplished. (Cries of "Hear,
hear," and No, no." At the same time he would ,ay that
if the motion, unseasonable as it was, were pressed, he
should not think it worth while to oppose it, but reserve his
opposition until the ad seems of an application to parlia-
ment should agree upon the form of a bill.
Dr. LYNCH said they had affirmed the principle that par-
liament must be applied to in order that some reform
be effected from a source hostile to the corrupt Milo-
ever of the corporation itself. (" Hear, hear," and expres-
si ois of di•approhation). It was a gross Wunder, and it was
exce-tive folly to believe that the Ccurt of Aldermen would
for a moment consent to reform itself, or that any improve-
meet could be accomplished in such a 'rody without
application to parliament. Whateve- powers were inherent
in the corporation as to the accomplishment of changes for
thn benefit of the citizens of Lmedon, it would be absurd to
expect any advantage from the co-op-ration of the Court of
Aloermen, that monster evil so which it was most necessary
to apply an immediate remedy. There were other evils for
which the application of the parliamentary medicine would
be necessary ; but the Court se Aldermen stood at the head
of all that was bad in the corporation of London. (" No,
no," "Yes, yes.") It was saidthat &reconciliation was about
to take place between tho two courts. That was exactly
what the constituency apprehelided most. (A laugh.) He
feared that event himself, fur he knew that such a reform as
would spring from such a reconciliation would be delusive
and ridiculous.
Mr. LAWRENCE said that Mr. King, in denying the sin-
cerity of those who formed the committee for the considera-
tion of former measures of reform, exhibited his own insin-
cerity on the present occasion ; tor, as to the past, that gen-
tleman had proved himself to be the decided enemy to any
proposition calculated to benefit his fellow-citizens. (" Hear,
hear, and laughter.) Whateser the feeling's of the majority
had been as to the propriety of applying to parliament, from
the apprehension of an interfere',. e =jerks= to the corpora.
tion, they were now determined to peril all rather than sub-
mit to endure what they had in t; c present mayoralty been
subjected to any longer. (L .nd &scene) It was sail the
corporation had the power to reform itself. Why, then, had
they not made the effort ? im fact, it would be absurd to
hope for the co-operation of the Court of Aldermen when
they had a Lord Mayor Wine in such a manlier. (Hear,
hear.) The Lord Mayor was meeting out the wish of the
Court of Aldermen in riding rough shod over the Court of
Common Council. (" Hear, hear," and "N0,n0.") Wes there
any man of spirit In the Court of Common Council who
would bear such degradation ? (Cheer', and loud cries of
"No.") It was said, " But look at what you will lose if
you go to p..rliameat." (Ilea?, hear.) But, he would ask,
will the aldermen lose nothing ? Will they not be clipped?
(Cheers.) They knew it. Tory really did aot object to the
Qualification B. They cared nothing about it until they
learned that it would oc followed by the more important
measure of checking their own expenditure of the City cash.
Without application to parliament, the court had nothing to
expect but a repetition of what had already occurred. But
if an application to parliament would cause the screw to be
put upon the Court of Common Council, parliament would
see the necessity of screwing up the Court of Aldermen pro-
portionately, (Cheers.)
Mr. It. TAYLOR advocated the report vigorotudy. He
objected to the argument of Sir Peter Lurie, that because
they had failed before they were to be always frustrated;
and he reminded that aldermen of the days of George 1.,
when fifteen members of the Court of Aldermen had gone
to parliament, and succeeded in obtaining an act which
comprehended the most flagrant violation of the rights and
privileges of the Court of Common Council. (Hear, hear.)
Why should not the Court of Common Council apply to tie
present parliament for the repeal of that atrocious measure ?
Would any one say that the evils which had been fixed upon
them by parliament could be removed without the aid of
parliament? (Hear, bear.) The difficulties in which they
had been placed had been aggravated by the decision
against them in thn court of law with respect to the whole-
sale dealers, and an appeal to parliament was the only
means which appeared to him to be likely to render any
service.
Sir C. MARSHALL had thought that all angry feelings
between the courts was dying away. (Loud cries of "No,
no.") He was confident that the court would be laughed at
if they determined upon going to parliament before they
received the report of tha seven gentlemen they had deputed
to confer with the court of aldermen.
Deputy STEVENS said the object was to prepare a bill
for parliament, but not to go to parliament without the con-
sent of the court.
Mr. Asnunisr said the Court of Aldermen showed the
greatest promptitude in joining the Common Council when
it was proposed to diminish the number of representatives
there, or to cause any other essential alteration in that
body ; bat the moment a word was uttered about making
any change in their own powers, nothing in their opinion
could be snore inconsistent. Plc. Ashurst then proceeded
to argue with much force upon the necessity of going to
parliament.
Alderman COPELAND said ho should support the motion,
having always been of opinion that the differences betwera
the two courts could not be settled without the aid of the

legislature.
Several other members spoke in farour of the report,
amongst whom were Mr. Anderton, Mr. T. H. Hall, Mr.
Cash, and Deputy Peacock. it wee opposed by Mr. Dodson.

To the arguments need the public ham been for some time
accustomed.

Ultimately the report wee agreed to by a very great ma-
jority. The proceedings of the day certainly gave very little
hope of the reconciliation spoken of at the commencement
of the discussion. Of the determination of the Court of
Common Council to go to parliament, there cannot, how-
ever be the slightest question.
Atter the transaction of some busineu of minor import-
ance, the court adjourned.