The Sun.
London, England, 1839-10-05 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

area over which their duties extended was con-

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday for
the despatch of businesss.

siderably more than double that A
of the City,
and in every view of the case, 8001. would be
found by comparison to be as much if not more than
1,2001. each to two Metropolitan Commissioners. The
towns of Birmingham and Manchester had given a less
sum than 8001. to their Chief Commissioners, and yet

On the motion of Mr. NOTT, the new Sheriffs were
requested to take their seats on the Aldermen's Bench.
THE SERMON BEFORE THE LORD MAYOR AND SHERIFFS.

A motion having been submitted for the printing of
the sermon preached before the Lord Mayor and
Sheriffs by his Lordship's Chaplain, the Rev. Charles
Cator, on Saturday, the 28th September last, at St.
Lawrence, Jewry,
Mr. STEPHENS said he bad hoped the time was passed
in which the pulpit was to be made the arena of attacks
upon worthy and good men who differed from the
Church of England. He should at least regret very
much that the Dissenters' Meeting-houses should be so
desecrated.—( Hear.) If they were to have religious
liberty, let it be a reality, and not an empty name. He
understood the Court of Aldermen had acted very
judiciously with respect to the sermon in question. He
(Mr. S.) had not heard the sermon, but he should like
very much to read it before he agreed to any vote for
the presentation of a sum of fifty guineas to the
chaplain.

the extent of their duties was much greater than that
of the City of London. They would not, therefore in
his opinion be discharging their duty to their con-
stituents, if they voted more than 8001. in the first in-
stance. He felt strongly upon the subject, because there
were many economists and reformers who he understood
intended to support the larger sum, and he understood,

also that there was a strong anxiety out of doors to
have the names of the parties who voted on either side.
He should therefore move as an amendment that the

sum of 8001. instead of 1,0001. be the salary of the
Chief Commissioner of Police for the City of London.

Mr. GODSON seconded the amendment with great
pleasure. The duties of the Chief Commissioner of the
City would be comparatively light, and he would
have chiefly to sit in his easy chair.—(A laugh.)
He understood that one gentleman in turn did the duty

Another MEMBER observed that when sermons were
ordered to be printed, it asually implied a certain degree
of approbation as to their contents. The sermons of emi-
nent preachers were frequently printed at the request of
their congregations ; but in the present instance the ser-
mon was printed at the request of the Court of the
Corporation. If the sermon was to be printed, he honed
it was not to be taken as an approval of the sermon
by that Court before they had read it.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BURTON did not think that printing the sermon
implied any approval or disapproval of it. He hoped,
however, it would be in the bands of all the members
before any vote of thanks or sum of fifty guineas was
granted.
Mr. PEWTRESS quite agreed with the Court of
Alderman as to the manner in which they had acted
on the present occasion. If the sermon was offensive
to the ears and judgment of the Aldermen of that city,
who were warmly attached to the Established Church,
it certainly could not be very pleasing to the Dissenters,
who were lashed in a most unmerciful manner in that
sermon.—(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Pewtress) seldom at-
tended the Church, as he did not feel any very strong
inducement, from the tranner in which theological sub-
jects were there discussed. He must express his asto-
nishment and surprise that the Reverend Gentlemen
should have taken as his text " A citizen of no mean
city"—a sentence which had been made use of in de-
fence of rights of which it was attempted by the autho-
rities to deprive a man unjustly. He wished every
gentleman to read that sermon for himself, and if his
religious feelings and Christian charity were improved
by it, he should be very much surprised.

of the Metropolitan Commissioners, and therefore it
could not be said that the labour of attending to 400

could be very heavy, when one could do the duty
where there were 4,000. The vote of that day would
show who were really the conservators of the public
purse. If the salary was not found adequate, it could
be afterwards increased, but at starting 8001. appeared
to him quite enough. He begged before he sat down
to disclaim any connection with a letter in the Times of
that morning, although he fully coincided in its state-
ments. _

Mr. PEWTRESS said it was taken for granted that
some members of that Court were inclined to grant an
extravagant sum to the Chief Commissioner, but he
apprehended, whatever the amount should be was a
proper subject of consideration for that Court.—( Hear,
hear.) It had been stated by the worthy member who
moved the amendment, that they could get many
worthy and respectable gentlemen to fill the office at a
salary of 8001. a year. He (Mr. Pewtress) did not
doubt that, and be had no doubt they would get many
such if the salary was only 5001. But it appeared to him
the question was not how cheap they could get the duty
done—( Hear, hear)—because if the office was put up
to tender they might find persons willing to do it for
2001. The City of London should, however, take into
consideration the scale on which all its officers were
paid, and it would be unfair and inconsistent to give
liberal salaries to persons holding not more important
situations, and withhold it in the present case. It ap-
peared to him rather strange that those gentlemen who
had never found fault with the large sums granted to
other officers ofthe Corporation should now come forward
to preach up economy. He regretted that the sum to
be paid to the Commissioner had not been settled be-
fore the candidates had come into the field, for every
body knew now pretty well how the case stood, and he
feared there were considerations of a personal nature
mixed up with the question. It had been stated that
the amount to be paid to the Chief Commissioner at
Birmingham and Manchester was 7001. a year, but the
worthy Alderman had not stated whether a residence
was to be provided or not.
Alderman VENABLES—I am not aware of that.
Mr. PEWTRESS—I thought that was a very import-
ant consideration. They should also recollect that
they required the whole time and attention of their
Commissioner, while in the country he could act as a
professional man, and employ his spare time profitably.
It should also be recollected that 7001. in the country
was a larger sum than 8001. in the metropolis ; and that
the Chief Commissioner of the City of London would
be required to keep up some degree of rank and dignity.
The difference in his opinion amounted td nearly 5001.
per annum. Let them just look at what was given to their
Chief Magistrate, not for the performance of certain
duties exactly, but to maintain the dignity, splendour,
and hospitality of the City of London. Look at the
salaries which were paid to their Ketnembrancer, their
Solicitor, and other officers of the Corporation, which were
not a bit more important than that of Chief Commissioner
of Police. He hoped some uniformity and consistency
would be observed in these salaries. Another point
was, that they required their Commisioner to reside in
the City, but it appeared to him that they were not yet
competent to decide whether that would be necessary
or not, and it would be quite enough if they re-
tained the power of compelling the Commissioner if
it was thought necessary. He should vote for the
original motion for 1,0001. a-year.
Mr. ANDERTON had never been ashamed of any vote
he had ever given in that Court ; and if his constituents
refused to elect him again for the vote he was about to
give, he could not help it. He had the consolation of
knowing that he had done right, and he should feel
quite as comfortable out as in that Court.—(A laugh.)
He bad, however, no doubt that he should be able to
justify his vote before his constituents on St. Thomas'
Day. His opinion was that 1,0001. a year was not too
much ; for, first, it was to be remembered that the
Court required a gentleman to fill the office. lie must
associate with gentlemen ; and such being the case, he
would ask whether he could keep up that character,
and provide for his family, under 1,000/.—(Hear, hear.)
He strongly suspected that there were very few mem-
bers of that Court who lived under 1,0001. a year,
,rho had to pay rent and taxes.—(Hear, hear.)
He could not agree with that. part of the
Report of the Committee, which required that the
Commissioner should reside in the City. He thought

Mr. PRITCHARD said the Court could come to no
conclusion on its merits until they had the sermon be-
fore them.
After a few words from Alderman T. Wood, the
motion for printing the sermon was agreed to.

.... _
le ought to reside in such place as. that Court, and
,he Lord Mayor and Aldermen should think fit.—
"
Cries of " No, no.) He was not himself an extra-

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5. 1839'.

800/. a-year, and think it a hane,some remuneration.
Hitherto they had managed the ri;,ght watch by an in-
spector. The police had been •managed by one in-
dividual—Mr. Whithair. The. police were im-
proving in discipline, and the Commissioner would
not have to do as Mr. -Whithair did, take his horse
and ride the whole day through the city, looking after
the police—he would be f n his house the greater
part of the day, and all be would have to do
could be done in his house. Taking 8001. a year,
therefore, as quite sufficient, ;Ind certainly it was suffi-
cient for the first year, if the it Commissioner should in
talent or ability prove superi or to either Col. Rowan,
or Mr. Mayne, or any other iComrnissioner, they would
then have it in their power to increase the salary by
2001. or 4001. But why, in starting in the first
instance, and before knowing; what the recom-
mendations of their Commisseoner might be, fix
the salary at 1,000. a yea r ? He apprehended they
would be bound to procure a: police-office. The police-
office ought to be situate in the most central part of the
city, and the Commissioner o ught to be the occupier of
it, as Colonel Rowan and Mr. Mayne occupied the
office in Whitehall. He was not prepared to say what
was the rent of their house, lar lt be shouid think 4001. a
year. The Commissioner of tbe City Police ought to
have such a house—a first-rage house, fit for a Com-
missioner to live in, but the lower part of it ought
to be a police-office, He also had this feeling
on the subject, that the res ponsibility of main-
taining the peace would be divided. Hitherto the Lord
Mayor had been considered as h aving the responsibility
on his shoulders, and his lion. Friend near him (the
Chamberlain) when Lord Ms tyor , never slept out of the
Mansion House one night. Fle (the Lord Mayor)
could not say that, but hen Ler:forth the Lord Mayor
would have no control over the police compared to
what he had hitherto had. Ii a the event of a tumult
or disturbance, the Lord May or had always been ap-
plied to, but now the Commissio .ner of Police would be ap-
plied to. Accordingto theßeport ;, if they gave the Commis-
sioner 1,0001. he might take a house at 301 a-year, and
so comply with the requireme ut of having a residence
in the City. With respect to I) Cie; getting fresh air, there
weuld be no difficulty about that; unfortunately Mr.
Whithair had been lately very unwell, but he (the
Lord Mayor) had taken upon himself the responsi-
bility of allowing him to sleep of it of the City for a few
nights, but he left strict orders t hat he was to be called
at any moment when his preset ape was necessary, and
he had no doubt other Lord Mayors would have no
difficulty in pursuing the same course. The only ques-
tion was, could they or could tl icy not obtain the services
of a competent person for BOOt., at the same time
providing him with a suitable residence as an official
one. He had no doubt they
Mr. STEVENS said the ohs( irvations which had fallen
from the Lord Mayor were so obviously true and just,
that he apprehended there was. no one in the Court who
was not convinced the Court ought to adopt them. He
did not think now there was much difference of opinion
among them.
Mr. HEPPELL suggested ths .t the salary ought to be
1,0001., until a proper residence was provided.—(Cries
of " Ne, no.")
Messrs. TAYLOR and GALLOWAY cordially con-
curred in all that had fallen from the Lord Mayor.
Mr. WIRE considered that -the question of residence
and that of salary ought to be. kept distinct. 8001. was
the minimum of salary they ( :ould give under the Act,
and it was to be remember( Id that, although the Me-
tropolitan Commissioners had a greater area of
ground and a larger number of men to superintend,
there were two of them, and at least one of them had a
residence which would cost riot less than 5001. a-year,
and were provided with a large and efficient staff, paid
for by the country. How- did the question stand ?
In the one case Caere were two Commissioners who di-
vided the responsibility, and took the duty in turns.
Ie the other there was only o ne person upon whom the
whole duty and responsibility would devolve. He con-
tended that taking every thing into account, the duty of
the City Commissioner would be equally important and
onerous with that of the Metropolitan Commissioners.
He would now call upon tbarn to consider the amount
of the salaries paid to their other officers. There
was the Town Clerk, who filled a very respectable
and onerous situation, but his emoluments were con-
siderably larger them the salary it was intended to pay
their Chief Commissioner. There was also the Comp-
troller, who had a. house provided by the City, and
whose emoluments could not be less than 2,0001. per
annum. Again, th, ere was the Remembrancer, with a
large salary, very co nsiderable emoluments, and offices
provided at the eeepense of the Corporation. Tne
City Solicitor had fe4oool. a-year and offices provided
for him. There wus also the Clerk of the Court of
Requests, and othe r officers, equally well paid, whose
duties were not moi as onerous or important than those
of the Commissioner of Police. Taking all these matters
into consideration he should certainly say that 1,0001.
a-year was not too In tech, and he should OR these grounds
vote for the report. If the report was adopted it was
his intention then to ,propose another amendment.
Mr. ACHURST suggested to the honourable mover o
the amendment to witl idraw it, and to allow him to
propose in its stead •" that this Court do agree with
the report of the Committee, except so far as relates to
the salary of the Chief Commissioner of Police—th it the
salary be 8001., with a. residence and offices to be pro-
vided by the Corporation, in which the Commissioner
should reside." He th ought that would meet the views
of the majority of the Gourt.
Alderman VENABLES. had no objection to the sugges-
tion of Mr. Ashurst.
After a few words from Mr. Scott, Mr. Jones, and
Mr. Anderton,
Mr. Banee's amendment that the salary should be
8001. a-year, without a. residence, was then put and
negatived by a show of hands.
Mr. ASHURST then moved, as an amendment to the
original motion, that the Report. of the Committee be
a:reed to, that the salary be 8001. a-year—the Corpora-
tion to find a residence.
Mr. Alderman COPELA objected to the latter
amendment, considering that a residence fit for the
Chief Commissioner could be got at much less than
2001. a year ; and that a salary of 1,0001. was not too
great a remuneration for th a arduous duties he would
nave to perform.—(Hear.)
The amendment of Mr. Ashurst was then put.
Mr. HALL and Mr. WILLIAMS addressed the Court,
but amidst so much noise els to render them inaudible.
Mr. DAVISON moved th;it the word "permanent" be
introduced before " residen cef —Negatived.
After some verbal amendments, the amendment of
Mr. Ashurst was carried.
It was then agreed that the standing order requiring
candidates for civic situations to become freemen should
be suspended with respect to the election of Comis-
sioner.