The National Register.
London, England, 1817-07-21 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

COMMON COUNCIL.

Thursday a Court of Common Council was held at Guild-
hall, for considering the propriety of removing Sir %Vatkin
Lewes, from tile sit nation of High flailitt of Southwark, and
proceeding to a new Election for that Offlee.
The Court was uncommonly crowded, and a great deal of
miscellaneous business was transacted before the principal
question of the day was discussed.
A petition was presented flow Mr. Richard Platt, who was
wounded in Mr. Beckwith's shop, in Skinner-street, on the
day of the riots in the city, last sinter, praying for such
relief as the Court would be pleased to grant, in considera-
tion of his heavy expellee for medical -treatment, and the
other losses be had endured owing to his long confinement.
Mr. Platt appeared at the bar, and had nothing to add to
the statement in his petition.
Mr. S. Dixon hoped far a liberal and generous unanimity,
as politics had no concern in a ease like this, to allow the
petition to be sent to a Committee, with the view to their
considering the matter thereof. 1-re moved, that the peti-
tion be referred to a Committee of general purposes, fur their
consideration and report. The notion was agreed to UllilUi-
mousiy.
The Rev. R. Herehell presented a petition for a spot of
ground belonging to the city, io Moorfields. on such reruns as
the Court would be pleased to grant, for the purpose of elect-
ing thereon a school for the education of 1,000 children, on
the principles of the Church of England. Referred to the
Improvement Committee.
SERMON ON TRINITY SUNDAY.

Mr. Favell complained of what he considered to be a
breach of prisitrge, in the mode of publishing the Sermon,
preached by the Lord Mayor's Chaplain, at St. Paul's, on
Trinity Sunday. What ke complained of was a preface to
the Sermon, containing the una ;; ill ions thanks of the Court to
the Rev. Chaplain, for his sermon. It should have said, " the
thanks of the Court of Aldermen," fur the Court of Common
Council had not voted any such resolution; vet, as the ser-
mon was printed, their approbation may be thus implied.
His object was, by a resolution' to require that the Court of
Aldermen should iu ordering publications of this nature, spe-
cify in distinct terms, that it was by their desire they were so
published, and not in rhis ambiguous generality let the Court
of Common Council be supposed to slip in to share fame and
honour to which they had no title. He concluded by mov-
ing, that in future, the resol tians of the Court of Aldermen
should be worded specifically and distinctly, so as nut to be
exposed to any misapplication of this kind.
After some observations in point of order on making such
a motion,
Mr. Vl'ailliman defended the propriety ofits being put, and
said he knew of uo standing u! der that could prevent his
worthy Friend from taking the sense of the Court on such a
motion. The plan of printing these sermons was a very ex-
pensive and a very useless cue. He had applied to the old-
est and most religious Members of that Court, to get a peep
at one of them without effect ; he had applied to the Officers
of that Court, who might be supposed to possession of such
doeuments„and here he was told, that as they perhaps made
convenient rag paper for the child ICU, they had disappeared
in that manner. 'thus, the Court paid out of their exhausted
funds 2001 or 3001. alear for the printing of sermons, which
they neither heard nor read. 1n hen he first saw the preface
to the sermon, he thought the HlLlition of the resolution of
approbation was a forgery ; for he never could have thought
that the Court of Aldermen would have unanimously approv-
ed of such a sermon, more especially as the Lord Mayor was
one of its Members.

Mr. Dixon contended, that the resolution was printed in the
usual form, at all events, this deluto must serve the Rev.
Chaplain, for it would adverb a his sermon.
Mr. Wailliman concurred in the opinion, that this debate
would Aive some publicity to the sermon, butt that was no rea-
son why the Court ,should nut perform its duty. and rectitj•
all error that ,had been committed.
Mr. Favell's motion was then carried. _ _

Mr: Pearson cd for thr, appointment of a Committee
of cloven, to consider of the papers first presented, and re-
port thereon.
Mr. Fayell Peconded this motion. If the practice in ap-
pointing Special Juries now in existence were found to he of
a nature that may withold front the Prisoner, in certain cases
that fair chance of an impartial trial to which he was entitled
.--then the sooner it was revised and remodelled the better.

The following Gentlemen were then named fur this Coin-
mittee—
Sheriffs itrydges and Kirby, Aldermen Thorpe and Hurcombe,
Sir Thomas Bell. Mr. Pearson, Mr. Paved, Yr. Waithman,
Harvey, Mr. Oldlean, and Mr. Moore.
DISMISSAL OF SIR WATKIN LEWIS.
ltfr.frisby rose and proposed a resolution. expressive of
Sir Watkin Le woa's inability to perform in person the duties
of the office of High Bailiff for Southwark, which was agreed
to by the Court; and also, that au eligible person be now
appointed to till that office.
Alter these papers had been read—
Mr. S. Dixon moved, that Counsel be heard at the bar
against the removal of Sir Watkin L.7wes from his situa—
tion asßailid of Southwark. He said, that the result of the
discussion involved the subsistence of the individual for his
few future years. He expected this day, that hir Watkin
Lewes would be tried on his politic life—a life that had eli-
cited their repeated approbation in his civic offices, and also
as one of their representatives in Parliament. He suds now
arrived at extreme age, a prison...r in the Fleet,alid attended
by an only daughter, and with the only support of the office
from which his removal was sought. All aged officer so
placed, had at least a str,ing clans on their humanity, arid
should not be sacrificed to the speculations of characters who
•
reek toned on appointing his successor.
The question was then put on the motion for the removal of
Sir Watkin Lewes, and was carried in the affirmative.
Mr. PC:11'&:111 tilt 11, lit au eloquent speech, proposed that
Mr. Prince!), citizen and skinner, be appointed to till that
office. -lie presented a petition from this gentletuati, stating
his qualifications to fill that bilnation.
Mr. Princep appeared at the bar, and said, that he had
been so 1011'4 known to his fellow citizens, that he had nothing
to add to his petition, except that, ifs:•lected, lie would do in
this office what lie had invariably dune in es cry situation iu
life—his ditty.
Jupp then proposed, that Mr. Holmes, the Deputy
Bailiff, be appointed as the successor of Sir Win kin Lewes.
tie had always adopted the maxim, that it was better to get
a man for the place, than a place fur the man.
Mr. Holmes, ou appearing at the bar, bad nothing to add to
his petition.
ballot was then demanded for the respnetiv ei:aditiates,
the.result of which m a
,Fur Mr. rinterp 1.1
Fur Mr. Rotates TJ
Fur
7.lle.ourt t c adjounr.d.

POLICE.

MARLBOROUUII STREET.

DISAFFECTED PRI:ACID:R.—Mark Hollis, a shoe-blacks
calling himself" Christ's own Annointed," was brought up by
the parish officers, who found him preaching a niischievons
doctrine, tending greatly to prejlidice i2norant persons against
the true tenets of the cstabli.lioil church.

The Magistrate inquired if lie had a licence, and was an•
swered in the affirmative.

Magistrate—" Why don't you preach at home, as your
licence specifies? You must not be prowling and collecting
mobs about the streets."

Prisoner—" Oh, heavens ! then the ignoront people must
receive no knowledge,—(Laughter.)—Why, Sir, sixteen
years ago it was I first began my devotional duties : at that
time I entered my name at Mary-le-bonne Court-house, to
take up arms in (Vence of the country "--(Much Laughter.)
The Worthy Magistrate said he believed the prisoner was
not the most capable of imparting knowledge to the igno-
rant, and said he should certainly send him to the House
of Correction if aver he was found offending in like manner
again. He should for this time discharge him.—Discharged
accordingly.