The Express.
London, England, 1857-10-10 00:00:00

the licence was ranted the distuasion of that day would
not be without effect.
The Chaimon put the amendment, whip b wee negatived,
end the licence was granted, without condition, by 18 votes
to 8.

—fie result wee re dvcd o ith a cheer which rang through
the building.

THZ AIOTLL ROON4.—HETTRAL or THI LICINCI.
Robert Richard Signe!! applied for • renewal of the
licence for music and dancing for the Argyll Be,om Wind-
mill-street, Haymarket.
Mr. Edwin James, (.1 C., Mr. Bodkin, and Mr. Shish,
appeared In support of the application ; Mr. Seojeant sain-
ting and Mr. Metcalfe opposed on the part of the rector
v,
e.huretwardene, overseers, and governors and
dfret7tOltemol the poor of the parish of St. James, Westminster.
Tito petitions for and against the renewal of the licence
having been read,
Mr. Seijeant Ballant Inc said ho had the honour, instructed
by the authorities of the paneh of St. James, Westminster,
to &prom on their to oppose the renewal of this
licence. In doing so he should occupy but little of the time
' of the court, as the grounds upon whe h he rested his oppo-
chino to the renewal of the licence were notorious and patent
to all, end therefore it would be inancemaryfor him to occupy
their time by proving them over and over again. Without
ri enteng into the evils of prostitution that was not now the
question before them ; but in this case he had, on the part of
the parish, to claim protection from the bench against one of
he greatest evils that ever existed in the capital of any coun-
try. It appeared from the petition which had been presented
by the perish that Mr. Blind originally came to the court
under a false representation, for it was not M. Laurent but
Mr. Bignell who was then the proprietor ; and although M.
Laurent was put forward, Mr, llignell wee the only person
who was to be benefited by the granting of the licence. He
professed that his “ljeci m ebtaiung the licence was to
gin tint-clos music end first-clam concerts; and the
MA, In granting the licence never dreamt for a
moment of each things ea hied. arisen, or that the
house could be visited by each characters as be should
have to prove. The place, instead of being used
to l
azrave the character of the people, was solely
to by gay women, who went there to pursue their
trade, sad he did not believe that one respectable woman woo
ever men within its walls. He then at some length stated
that the place vas almost exclusively attended by the moat
Improper &meters, and that as soon as it was over the
neighbourhood was "flooded" with peons of ill
repute, to the great annoyance of the inhabitants, and all
who might have to peas through the Haymarket,
rerv.:drs pram', and Regent-street, on their way to their
homes. In conclusion, he said he hoped the bench would me
I.=allow this blot to remain on the parish, but would
It to elect other reforms, and get rid of a nuisance
which was now • great and crying evil.
Evidence was them called to prove the facts detailed by the
learned counsel, the "'Musses king a superintendent of
polioe and two impeders who proved that the place was re-
sorted to by imprepor characters, that as soon sa=lel,t
the Casino they became • nuisance to the neighbourhood,
and that offends brought under the cognisance of the police
had greatlyineremcd Once this place had been opmed
Mr. Edwin Joni, then addremed the court in support of
the applicant, Mr, llignell, and said that if they agreed with
Mr. Se-rjeant Ballantine on the grounds he had sot forth for
eppming this licence, it would in effect be to make Mr. Blr
Dell reerstsible for the prostitution which existed In the
whole of the metropolis. His learned friend had said that It
they renewed this licence they would be giving • legal sanc-
tion to prostitution, and whatever effect such an observation
might meta upon • jury, he felt assured it would not .have
the effect of producing a false judgment in the minds of
intelligent gentlemen like those he had the honour to ad-
dries. Prostitution wee no doubt • great evil, but
the real question was, had Mr. Bignell done
anything to Inc ream the prostitution of the me-
tropuli. P This establishment had been well conducted, and
not a single complaint had been made against it, and he was
not responsible for the conduct of persons after they had left
it. Mr. Bignell had Invited the parochial authorities become
and inspect his establishment, and there was no pretence
whatever for raying that it had been conducted with inde-
corum or mismsnagement. He (Mr. James) denied that Mr.
Bignell had violated any pledge; and as to the Haymarket
being resorted to by improper characters, that state of things
existed before this lima wee ever granted. All that Mr.
Bigneft bad to do was to see that the place vas properly
conducted, and not one word hod been uttered which would
justify the court in stopping the licence nor had Melees
any breach of decorum to affect the grounds upon which that
, limes bad been obtained originally.

The Chairman then put tfo quiiiiion, and the licence was
refund by a large majority, there only being throe hands
held up in Its favour.
The court then arlicituned.