The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-07-18 00:00:00

CITY BUSINESS.

A Court of Common Council was holden yester-
day at Guildhall—at which the Lord Mayor, serea
Aldermen, the Sheriff, &c. were present.
A Report from the Committee cf Controul over
the Coal and Cerrn Meters, in rel ition to appointMx
one or more persons to attend at the Grand JanClion
Canal, near Watford, Herts, to ascertain the
weights and quantities of all coals, culm, or cirt
ders, which straitly brought nearer te London, by
the said Canal. and thereby become chargeable
with the duty of Is. 3d. per ton, to the 'city of Lon-
don, over and above the Government Dories, an 4
for other purpo.,es, was presented to the Court, read,
and agreed to, and referred back to the Committee,
to be carried into execution.
A further Subscription of 26251. to the West-In-
dia Dock Subscription was agree•' to, and the
Chamberlain directed to pay the same ACCOrditlZly
The Court unanimously voted the sum of 5001
to the Rtver Fenciules of the city of London, is
aid of their funds.
The sum of 1591. each, was granted to the Com-
missioners of Sewers, and the Commit en of Con-
trout over the Coal and Corn Mcteis, for a summer
excursion.
Several Reporti from the City and Bridgehouse
Lands Com:lli:tees, for granting leases. &c. were
read, agreed to, and referred back for execution.
Boacemti.oe sou f lIW

Mr. Jaccs rose, and, in a very able and eloquent
speech, took a review of the rise and progress of the
laws of this country,• and the retinal iocrease of
the rights of the people, from the feudal svvem,
when the people, he said, might be c.ols.deted to
have none, or scarcely any 401 s—unlimited power
being divided between the King and Nobles, down
to the imbecile reign of John, when .s;neela Cb.rita
was obtained. From thence he proetre.led to the
present time, when die rights of the: pe,,p,e, ;e ob-
served, were looked upon as one of the thai 'est
blessings. . He then adverted to the rimy persons
who had been, at differvitt yiercodeononsineted by
the Corporation of the city 01. London, to 611 the
ochre of Charter Magistro, its tile town and bo-
mugli of Sootherark ; and the consequent right the
city had to make such appointructa ; and that Ma-
gistrate M appointed, to sit and administer jo,iice.
It had always, he said, been the clown' t• r this
Magistrate to held his Ses,ions regu:arir, for the
ttial of mail offences, until the 'ye it 1765, whet,
the Gentleman, who now tills the oific-.4 was tip-
pointed. Ever since that time, the place has be-
come a complete siktoire; no kind of tett ntior.
whatever being paid to the administrarisn of justice
there—but the people are compelled to meter their
indiament at the county sessions, at an einemous
'sprees and inconvenience. lI 2 then low ancei se.
veral eases, in which this grievance was peculiarly
manifested; one of which was a prosecution by the
Corporation, against a man for are:thug rani* lead,
winch was commenced and c Allied on at Kiiigston,
at the expeoce of 401. to the city—when, if the la-
gi.trate whom they apiioirted, had done his duty,
they would nut have had to pay one quartet of that
slim. Hethen ordered a Memorial of-the inhabit-
ants of Southwark tube read—which being done, he
thnight it brealuty t sulimit.three resolutions, which
were to the following effea
Ist. That it vas the uad tight of the Corporation of
the eili• 1. t,.n to appoint si'iatate who .Mott sit gal
a•linioister jo.tice to the initslittantsof thc TJ'Xn a.,4 Butongh
of Seot*.re,sk
That it hal :11'1.11,1 been the tuatom until tome yam
back, I a 4.1 eillettacil to perform Mao ditties of thee
otficz.
3d. Thu the Court of Aldermen ehould Im requested to take
the matr.e iuto ecia.iiimation, and to propose some es-ane to
(Qat...4y tit_ .I.2fzet ; and 1- they yid net dt. .0, that thee the
Coto hon 4 shoutti thettseiret cans.dt.-t of it.
The Recast:ma, in answer to a question put by
ope of the Common Council, explained to tile Cows
that, according to the statute, no person was compe-
tent to be mad,: a charter magistrate of the town
and borough cf Southwark, except such gen:lemn
as hay passel the Lord Mayor's Chair, or the Re-
cor‘ler.
Atier a very short explanatory conversation be-
tw .en Mr..Aacks and. other members of the Cons-
mon Council, the Tiestion on the first resolnt;on was
put by the Recorder, and carried tmanimously.
•
On the second resolution being read ;
Mr. WCArtuai. rise and said, though be had
with all his heart agreed to the first resolution of
his worthy friend, yet be could not, on a seii.bus
consideration of the subj.:a, entirely agree to the
second or third. His reason for this-was, that he
did net think them strong enuti.;a, as, when a per-
son was appointed to an -ofricy, and received a sa-
lary. he thought it incumbent on him, if compe-
tent, to do the duty of such office. fie than advert-
ed to the many experces and incenvenienc;es which
the want. of this Court occasioned to the inhabi-
tants of Southwark, and to the community in gene-
ral, and concluded by saying,'that though be would
be one of the first to support. any future motion for
granting au akquate compensation to the gentle.
in in who now held the office, yet he thought it ne-
tessary to submit to the Court two amendments to
the two last resolutions moved by his worthy

friend.
Mr. WAIT!! aAn then read the amendments, 1
which were or a much stronger nature than the re-
rolmions, and c died upon the Court of Aldermen to
take into consist-ration the appointment of some
person adetriAte to hold and execute the office of
Charter Magi...state of the town :tad borough of
Sotto hwas k.
Alderman Comae said, he would not oppose the
resolutions or amendments, if t!,e Gentleman press-
ed them ; hut he thought it better to drop them at
the present; and he was sure, when it was proposed
to the Court of Aldermen, and they saw that the
Gentlemen of the Commons intended not to lose
sight of it, they would come to a decisive resolu-
tion, and he would answer for himself as one, not
to 0p,,,05e the wishes of the Gentlemen of the Com-
mons.
DIP, Warr nos Apt, on this assurance, withdrew his

amendments.
Mr. Jack's second resoliition was thrt, after a
♦erbal alteration by the Recorder, unanimously
agreed to.
The LORD MAT OR said, he would himself state
6.: business at the Court of Aldermen next Toes-
on which account the third ressolutiou was ni..t
pressed.