The National Register.
London, England, 1811-10-20 00:00:00

CITY BUSINESS.

On Thursday last, P. Court of Commnn Council was held at
Gni!filial], which was numerously attended.

The Coal .:nd Corn Committee delivered in a Report for di".
continuing Ltie-City's Officer, at Grove Park, Hertfordshire 051
s
the Grand Junction Canal, which was read and a..reed to.
The Committee for General Purposes presented a Report for
making certain alterations at the Mansion House, suggested by
the Lord Mayor Elect, which, after some debate, was rejected
by the Court.
Another Report was delivered relative to the Lord Mayor's
state coach, which was represented as not worth repairing, and
the Committee suggested the n.cessity of a new one. The
Court, however, sent back the Report to the Committee, with
directions to order such repairs in the state coach as were absu.
iutely necessary for the present.
Mr. DIXON stated, that a most alarming:pram:tr. was current
through the City, which had ezcit.d a very considerable degree
of solicitude and consternation ; he meant among the ladle!. he
rumour to which he alluded was, tit there was to be no public
festival at Guildhall upon the ensuing Lord Mayor's day. The
worthy Magistrate had now an opportunity of setting' the public
opinion right upon' the subject.

Mr. Alderman HUNTER replied, that he had submitted his
opinion to some Gentle-men of the Court, that, as, in considera-
tion of the melancholy state cf. his Majesty's health, it had bvtii
deemed right to suspend the'Lord Mayor's feast last year, the
same motives ought to produce a similar suspension on the ap-
proaching occasion, especially as tht presence of no branch of the
Royal Family, or of the Memhets of Government. and great
Officers of State, who usually attended, was to be expected. It
was not, however, his wish to share his pocket, as in lieu thereof
it was his intention to give six dinners, with balls, &c. at the
Mansion House, to the Members of the Corporation.
Mr. DIXON objected to any innovation. The omission of the
entertahnient last year could afford no precedent, for the plea
upcy, which it was omitted was not his Majes:y's illness, but the
death of the Princess Amelia.
Mr. W 'MILK thought, that after the entertainment given by
the Prince Regent, which, in point of extent and elegance, was
never equalled in this or any other Country, there could be no
possible objection to the usual City Festival, on the 9th or next
month.
Mr. QUIN argued strongly on the same side, expressing his
astonishment that the present Lord' May r and late Sheri&
should not have taken an opportunity of satisfying thr Corpora-
tion that their forgetfulness of the 9th of November, did not
proceed from any regard to their own pockets.
Mr. Alderman HUNTER then declared, that he cheerfully ac-
ceded to the wishes of the Court, and that the Lord Mayor's
day should be kept as usual.

ILLEGALITY OF
ARRESTING DEAD BODIES.
-.......- . .
The dead body of a Mr Elliott, late of Hoxron,'wai arrested
last weel'v
.wo days before it was intended to be interred, at the
suit of a b icklayer and a carpenter, to whom the deceased was
indebted Jl. The surviving relations refusing to make any
compromise, a shell was procured on the day fixed fur inter-
ment, and placed on the ground before ate house in which the
body lay; the corpse was then taken from its coffin, placed in.
the shell, and carried away in the carpenter's cart, and decosited
in his cellar. What has since become of it we are flyable tat
clikbut give the following to she* the illegality of the pro.
ing :
lit,the case of " Jonef v. Ashhurnham," decided in the Court
oT King's Bench, in Hilary Term. in the 44th Geo. M. the
arrest of the body of a deceased debtor was solemnly adjudged'
to, be contrary to law. Upon that occasion; atter noticing the
opinion of many high Law Authorities, Lord Ell, nborough
says, among other things, " As to the case cited of a mother who
promised to pay on forbearance of the plaintiff to arrest the
deadhody of her son, which she feared he was about to do—it
is contrary to every principle of law. Such an act is revo:ting to
humanity, and illegal; and tharcfore any promise eatortact by
the feat of it Weald never be valid." .