The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-08 00:00:00

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ELECTION OF ALDERMAN FOR BREA 4 ;es
STREET WARD.
4 A
Yesterday the Lord Mayor held a court of wardinote
for the election of an alderman for Bread-street ward, in
the place of the late Mr. Alderman Lawrence. The
only candidates for the office were Mr. Lawrence, son -
of the deceased alderman, and Mr. Donald Nicoll, a
member of the Court of Common Council. ,
The _ceps -....ag been read,
The LORD MAYOR said he had the honour to preside
for the purpose of performing one of the most important
duties which the Lord Mayor bad to discharge, and be.
fore entering upon the business of the meeting he beg-
ged to express the strong feeling of regret that he expe-
rienced at the loss of one of the most efficient member's
of the corporation—the late Alderman Lawrence.
(Hear, bear.) Their rate representative was a man who
had bought his experience by mixing with the world.
He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, a
good magistrate, and one who was not only anxious to
do his duty to his fellow-citizens, but who probably
knew the history and affairs of the corporation better
than any other person. (Hear.) It was now their duty
to send an efficient representative to the Court of Alder-
men in the place of their deceased friend. (Hear.)
Mr. T. HUTCHINSON said he had great pleasure in pro.
posing Mr. Lawrence for election as alderman of the
ward. (Cheers, and cries of " No, no.") Mr. Lawrence
was the son of the late alderman, a man who had filse„l
the office of common counoilnaan for a great many sears,
and afterwards that of alderman, and to whose memory
they owed a debt of gratitude. As an instalment of that
debt he (Mr. Hutchinson) asked them to elect the son to
the office rendered vacant by the death of the father.
Mr. Lawrence was not only a man of the highest honour
and integrity, but also a man of fortune and education,
and in every respect qualified to discharge the duties of
the office. (" Hear, hear," and "No, no.") He had
been born, bred, and brought up in the ward. He had a
good example before him in the career of his father,
which he would doubtless follow out to the greatest ex-
tent. (Cheers.)
Mr. G. SHERRIFF seconded the nomination.
Mr. MOORE, in proposing the nomination of Mr. Nicoll
said he could assure the meeting that he should not utter
one word to disturb the harmony of the proceedings as
far as his hon. opponent was concerned, for he was a
gentleman whom he had known for a great many years,
and he was sure that the high esteem in which tlnilate
, alderman was held gave the son tlegitinratesslalt teethe , es
' Sliffrages Of the electors. The gentleman, however, whom
he (Mr. Moore) had the pleasure of proposing, was not
connected with business in any way whatever, his time
was entirely at the disposal of the electors, and had Mr.
Lawrence been placed in the same position he (Mr.
Moore) considered that that gentleman would have been
an eligible candidate for the office. Mr.Nicoll had served
a kind of apprenticeship in t'le corporation ; he had
been a member of the Court of Common Council fur •
about five years, and bad also held the office of sheriff
of London with great satisfaction to the citizens at large.
He was also a magistrate for the county of Middlesex,
and had been elected frequently chairman in the district
in which ho presided. That was a very strong proof of
the estimation in which he was held by hie brother ma-
gistrates.
Mr. WALPIN seconded the nomination.
No other candidate having been proposed,
•
Mr. LAWRENCE, who was warin'y received, rose and
said, that in coming before the voters as candidate for
the office of alderman of the Ward of Bread-street, he
felt himself surrounded by so many bind friends of
his late father, that he could hardly find words to ex-
press the very great obligations which he was under to
them. The only doubt that appeared to exist in the
minds of the friends of his opponent was in respect to hie
(Mr. Lawrence's) experience and capability for under-
teking the duties which had been so ably performed by
his floher, and lie appealed to the members of the ward.
whO knew him well, if they had ever known him under-
take anything which he had not Btu o !eied in carrying to
a satisfactory termination. (Cheers.) Wtien it was a ques-
tion of experience and of fitness for the office, he was
prepared boldly to meet his opponent in respect to any
matters connecte I w..th the City of London. For a very
long time he had taken great interest in everything con-
nected with the corporation, and there had been hardly
a meeting in that hall, or a wardneote' that he had not
attended. He entertehied the views that his very kind
and revered parent held with respect to the system of
municipal government as opposed to the system of cen-
tralisation which it had been the fashion in latter days to
bring into vogue. The very essence of the liberties of
the country depended upon local institutions, and the
liberties of the citizens of London depended upon their
managing tilt-ir own affairs. From his acquaintance
wi:h the internal working of the corporation in its dif-
ferent departments, he challenged proof that it was not
as well conducted as any of the departments connected
with the Government of the country. (Cheers.) Any
other ward than Bread-street would equally have served
the purposes of his opponent, but it had been his (Mr.
Lawrence's) ambition to be the alderman of Bread-
street ward only.
Mr. NICOLL, who on rising was loudly cheered, said
that probably at no period of the history of that ancient
city was it more immediately necessary that the elec-
tors should take care whom they selected to take the
responsible position of aldermen of the City of London.
(Hear, hear.) The question of municipal or local self-
government was to a great extent about to be placed on
its trial. The report of the Commission of Inquiry
into the state of the Corporation had yet to be con-
sidered, and he trusted that when the proper time
for the consideration of that subject arrived, every
right-thinking man would give his best attention to it—
the best attention that could come from those who were
well-wishers towards the noblest municipal institution
that over existed in the world.. (Loud cheer...) One of
their greatest lawgivers, iu speaking of the City of Lon-
don, had said it had been the cradle of English liberty,
and had disseminated the love of free institutions, and
particularly of local self-government, wherever the Bri-
tish race assembled together, and were under the protec-
tion of British laws. (Cheers.) He trusted it would not
bs ssi I of Bread-street Ward that they had taken a leap
in the dark, and had to depend upon hare hope for the fu-
ture. (Laughter.) It was quite true that in civil as well as
in military life they sometimes heard of a heaven-born
eenius, without tuition and without any practical know-
ledge whatever, suddenly becoming master of a situation ;
but such characters, it was well known, were, like angels'
visits, few and far between. (Renewed laughter.) Be
(Mr. Nicoll) therefore apprehended that the best course
for the electors to pursue upon the present occasion was
to select one who at all events had done suit and ser-
vice, and who was ready and willing to do it again.
He challenged any man, in the course of his public
career, to point out any unworthy act that he bad com-
mitted, whether as Sheriff of London and Middlesex, Cr,
again, as magistrate of the county; and as his friend
bad reminded them that lie had lately sat as chairman
of the division to which he belonged, either in that ca
pacity or as a member of the Common Council he (Mr.
Nicoll) defied any one to point out any act of which he
should be ashamed or which should render him ineligible
for the high office of alderman. (Loud cheering.) The
Corporatien 0f London were before both Parlianieut
and the public. With regard to the reformation of the
Court of Aldermen and Court of Common Council, the
part he bad taken might be very simply described
as his votes were recorded, and might be thus epi-
tomised. He had conscientiously voted that alder-
men should appear before their representatives periodi-
cdly. lle believed that as men were obdoed to appear
before their constituents to be elected members of Par-
liament at certain fixed periods, the same rule ought to
anply to the election of aldermen for the City. (Hear. )
Whilst he had ever been ready to promote judicious im-
provement, he had never desired to sweep away the
fabric entirely, and he would, rather than found a posi-
tively new mo hl or statue, wipe off the excrescence s
that had arisen from time to time, but leave untouched
and unimpaired the graceful outline transmitted tohoped
th em.
by their fathers. (Loud cheers.) In conclusion _e
that the contest might be conducted inhtohueldspibrie ; watind,
h
his opponent and himself desired it
whatever the result might be, he trusted that they should
pert as friends and good citizens, and
of the ward might not be disturbed. that the amenities
(Loud cheering.)
Mr. OCTRAH wished to know whether Mr. Lawrence
was in favour of shortening the duration of the office of
alderman ?
not prepared to answer or to
pledge myself to
Mr. LAwRENcE—I am tingle question connected with cor
parate reform
until
I haye the whole scheme before me.
Mr. OCTRAU--- ask the
question, yea or nay, are you
for shortening the duration of office of alderman ?
Mr. LAwßENCE—lndividually I have no objection how
often election takes place.
Mr. ouTßAes—That is not answering the question ;
that is shirking it.
Mr. LAwRENCE—TiII the whole scheme is before me I
will not pledge myself to any portion. (Hear, hear, and
marks of disapprobation.)
The LORD MAYOR then took a show of hands, and de-
clared the election to be in favour of Mr. Nicoll.
A poll was then demanded on the part of Mr. Law-
rence, which was fixed to take place at 10 o'clock to-
morrow (this day).
A vote of thanks to tho Lord Mayor, proposed by
Mr. Nicoll, seconded by Mr. Lawrence, and which was
carried unanimously amid considerable cheering, termi-
nated the proceedings.

---
THE AMERICAN SHIP CONSTITUTION. —LIVERPOOL,
Thursday.—This unfortunate ver•sel has been burned to
the water's edge,—every effort to save her, either IT,
scuttling or otherwise, proving unsuccessful. Her t'a_lr,,
g
is floating about the river, but that in the low!:
w° n,,
consisting of wheat in bags, flour, beef, and rosin,
i The
it is hoped, be saved, though in a damaged state.
Ferry. The value of the vessel and cargo is about
30,0001., but it is fully insured by underwriters in .r.,
masts, spars, &c , have been towed on shore near
land and the United States. x,,ng.
the Paris corres-
pondent announcement n
i 1 Inielligencer, that the French
FRENeRNATURALISATIOtNbeOF:t'tOeBrfioIGf N-BUILT VESSELS.
pondent of the Nation
achndflaacgq, uaitrteraaelltths
me
uacdhvaant:
promulgated a decree allowing foreign-
Govtrnment has
tages appertaining gour shipping merchants and builders,
built vessels to.
.bnenttuthrae
naturalised,
regardgit as one of the most important
who generally .
forn their intereststhat has taken place for
Notwithstanding. the admission of all the
mtmeaonnytyieomn3,eenaartnsto
Zaterial for shipbuilding into France duty free, there is
doubt expressed that our mechanics will still be able
to turn out as good, if not superior, vessels as those in
the shipyards of Franco at a less figure, notwithstanding
the ten per cent. assessment upon them. If this indeed
be so, France is so much in want of shipping that I am
inclined to think cur yards, which for a long time have.
loten almost deserted, will display an activity fully equal
to the days when the wants of the California trade gave
them such an impetus.—National ( U.S.) Infelligegave