The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-19 00:00:00

COMMON codivciL.

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday, at Guildhall,
for the discussion of general business.
A petition was presented from handl.), inhabitants of the %Ward
of Vinery, for effecting an improvement in the Ward, which Ives
read and rAerred to the City Lands Committee to consider and
report.
The town Clerk hid before the Court a letter 'which he had re.
ceived from the Secretary to the,West India Doek Company, in Te-
-1 lation to an application which the Company had made to the Loris
of the Treasury for the purchase of the City Canal in the Isle of
Dogs, for the purpose of connecting the same with the said Packs;
which being, read, was referred to eh:. Committee for improving the
Port of London, to consider and report upon.

On the Report of the Committee on the New.Cmial, it was moved
that a petition should be presented to Parliament, against the Bill
now pending, for making a canal front the River Leu to the Regent's
Canal, on the ground that it would deprire the City of certain dues
and tolls to which it was entitled. . .

.....
Mr. PEacoca observed that they had no right to oppose the
making of this canal.
Mr..lldemisn Iluttnags said that items not the intention of the
City to oppose the bill, but merely to ask for a compensation for
an infringement of the City rights.
Mr. JAMES desired to know the amount of compensation asked
for ? . _

Mr. Alderman WOOO stated that It was a motion of course for a
petition to oppose the bill, and their object was to obtain a clause,
giving to the City a certain compensation for any injury it might
sustain by reason of the proposed alteration.
The petition was then agreed to.
The Court referred it to the Improvement Committee, to request
an interview with the Lords of the Treesury to solicit their assist-
ance in carrying this great improvement into effect, as connected
with opening of a great North Road, which the removal of Fleet
:Dirket would expedite, and the Committee were instructed to make
arrangements, if possible, with the County of Middlesex, fur effect-
ing the improvement beyond the boundary of the ('ity.
Mr. Thomas Coleman tendered to the Court his resignation as
Deputy Governor of the Irish Society, which was accepted, and
' Mr. Samuel Favell was appointed in his room.
Mr. S. Ihxox rose to call the attention of the Court to an attack
which had been made on the Lord Mayor. With an attack on Mr.
11'aithman, personally considered, the Court would have nothing to
do, hut it would not tolerate that the Chief Magistrate of the City
of Londen should be calumniated by falsehood.—lt was here
suggested to Mr. Dixsn' that he had better suffer the or'inary
!memos of the day to proceed, before they entered on the subject.
This being seceded to, the reports of the Committee for the removal
of Fleet-market, and of the Finance Committee on the same subject,
were read. They were at variance, the tint recommending the
measure strongly, the second opposing it, on the ground of the vast
expense to which it would expose die City.

Mr. PAVEL'. said it was not the object of the Finance Commit-
tee to throw any obstacle in the way at so grand a work ; hut that
it was necessary to look at the expense, at:d the Finance Committee
had dune no more thun thdr duty in apprising the Court that it
would cost them 144.1,0ti01. to carry it into inecution. Ile had nu
motion to submit on the subject, turther than that the Report should
be entered on the Joumidst . . .

..... .....
Mr. Do niironn remarked, that at the last meeting he had
stated that they were pursuing too hasty a step in voting such a
large sum as 150,0001. on the spur of the moment-
Mr. Jasszs was also of opinion that they were too hasty; but he
had understood that a worthy Alderman was ready to advance the
whole of the money on the security of the tolls anti dues of the
market. (Cries of " No, no.") If it was not so, he hoped the
Court would pause before they launched into such an expense.
Mr. Alderman WOOD thought that the Finance Committee had
been very.carcful of the City's cash. Many years ago this question
was agitated in the Court, and lost only by one vote. He hoped '
that would not be the case now, as the removal of the market cer-
tainly was ntr.....ry. He knew a person who would take the mar-
ket on a fourteen years' leasc.provided that the City did not restrict
him to a particular sum in his rents. To this, however? he
Alderman Wood) could not consent ; but he would take it off their
' hands at the prices of the stalls reported by the Committee, so that
the new market should cost the City nothing. He certainly was
very anxious for the removal of this great public nuisance.
Mr. S. Dixon opposed the measure, and advised the Court to,
pause before they decided on the borrowing so large a sum of
money in the present impoverished state of the City chamber.
The motion was then put, and carried in the affirmative.
Mr. RICHARDSON. the Chairman of the Bridge. Committee,
presented a Report from the London Bridge Committee, stating
that Messrs. Jolla% and Beata had offered to keep the old bridge
in repair until the new one was built, for 1,0001. per annum. Ile
moved that the Report be agreed to ; which, after some converse...l
don, was carried.
THE LORD MAYOR.
Mr. 8. Dixow begged to call the attention of the Court to a,
report of language attributed is the Lord Mayor while presiding
over a Waxdmote held—_--
The Loan MAYOR here rose and said, that the Gentleman was
out of ortkr in the observations be was making, unless be meant to
found a motion on the subject, or to charge him (the Lord Mayor)
with a breach of privilege. Hetet' that he was at liberty to state
his opinions without being callttd•on in that Court to account for
them. If he was incorrect, Sniff the Court felt inclined to give
their attention to the Gentians!" en this subject, he would not
ehject, provided he might be bird at length as to what lie did
say.
• • - - •

Mr. Ness* remarked, theikhie.ebject was the defence of the
Lord Mayer; as he was cony tjarrire never could hare uttered
the sentiments that were attributeto hint.
The Loan MAYOR again sit* that the Gentleman bad no right
to take the subjeee up against him, union he meant to tax hint with
a breach of privilege.
Air. Favt:t.t. observed, that the time of the Court was too pre-
cious to be taken up by this conversation ; there was business be-
fore it, to which they had better attend.
Mr. Manx said, he could have told the story in half the time
that hod been consumed in opposing him.
The Loan 31AY011—I do not sit here to hear stories, Sir; if
you have any charge to riake affecting my honour as a Magistrate
or a man, you had better makes motion on the subject.
Mr. Pr Li.Esr was of opinion, that a communication ought to
have been made to the Lord Mayor before such a subject was
brought thrward.
Mr. Drxorr said, that the Lord Mayor seemed very sore on the
subject ; he AM endeavouring to wipe off the aspersions that had
been cast on hint. lie remembered when Mr. Alderman Bridges
was Mayor his character, during his mayoralty, was very freely
canvassed—
. . . . .

The LOUD MAYOR begged to set the Gentleman right on that
point : the aninwlversions were made on Mr. Alderman Bridges
fur calling in the military. He had seen no report of what he had
said on the occasion now alluded to, except a slight extract from a
paper which was shewn to him while he was conversing with Mr.
Alderman Wood ; all he could say was, that lie had made use of
no other observations, our expressed any other opinions, than what
had always fallen (ruin him when discussing those points, and they
were obsavations and opinions that he would state again whenever
an opportunity presented itself. He would observe again, that the
Gentleman was out of order.

Mr. Fat-rt.'. moved the Order of the Day.
Mr. Dixow said, that he should have telt obliged to any one, if
hr had been situsted as the Lord Mayor was—
fAWELL remarked, that as the Honourable Member did not
mean to found any motion on the sobivet, and as the Lord Mayor
had declared him to be out of order, he moved the Order of the
Day.
Another question was they put, and the conversation dropped.