The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONI)O

the Court) thought the explanation which the learned
Recorder had given must have been satisfactory to
the whole Court. For himself, he must say the Go-

•
vernment had shown its wisdom in the selection

they had made in this case. He would say in pass-
ing, at the same time, that he should have preferred
the letter of Sir George Grey to have been addressed
to the Court of Aldermen, as such, whose officer
the Recorder was, rather than to the corporation at

large, though the learned gentleman acted for the
whole corporation. He said that because innova-
tions had been made on their privileges as magis-
trates of London, and he liked to stand by the old
ways, and to see that nothing was done to detract
from the dignity of their position. It was important
for the Court to consider next how the judicial
functions devolving upon the Recorder could best
be discharged during his absence. The duties at-
taching to his office in connection with the Central
Criminal Court might be performedfor a time with-
out extraneous aid ; but in the Mayor's Court,
where great questions of compensation were con-
stantly arising, the Recorder had arduous duties to
discharge, and he suggested that the matter should
be referred to a committee for consideration, with a
view to some arrangement being made with Govern-
ment for the temporary discharge of those duties.
He concluded by moving a resolution embodying the
sanction of the Court to the acceptance by the Re-
corder of the office of a commissioner for inquiring
into the lamentable occurrences in Jamaica, granting
him leave of absence for that purpose for six months,
and referring it to their General Purpose Committee
to consider and report as to the necessary steps to be
taken for the performance of his judicial functions
in the meantime.
The motion was briefly seconded by Mr. Alder-
man WILSON, who availed himself of the opportunity
to congratulate his brethren on the evidence the ap-
pointment of the Recorder by the Government on
this important mission afforded of the wisdom the
Court showed in electing him, years ago, to the
office he now held. He also took occasion to con-
gratulate the citizens on having recently elected to
represent them in Parliament a man who had already
shown so much capacity to serve the State as Mr.
Goschen had done.

Sir JAMES DUKE, from long experience, also spoke
in flattering terms of the Recorder's public services,
and of his high judicial qualities ; adding that ho
trusted his connexion with the corporation would
long be maintained, honourable as it was alike to
them and to himself. (Hear.)
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY apprehended that they
would never see the Recorder again, not that he was
distrustful of the care of Providence over his learned
friend, but this was so marked a selection by the
Government from the legal talent of the whole
country that he could not but think he was destined
to fill a higher position. Adverting to the forth-
coming inquiry, he said it behoved the court, in that
the only way which was in their power—namely, by
sanctioning the appointment of the Recorder, to aid
the Government in this emergency, and he trusted,
as a matter of justice to all concerned, as well as of
sound policy, that the investigation would be im-
partial and complete beyond all doubt or cavil, so
as to satisfy the whole country.
Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE, M.P., congratulated
the Government on the selection they had made in
this case, than which, he said, no appointment could
have well been more satisfactory to the people of this
country or more likely to afford satisfaction to the
community of Jamaica. He felt that the high cha-
racter of the Recorder would be an ample guarantee
that the inquiry would be full, free, and impartial,
and would disarm every kind of attack that could
possibly be made hereafter, from whatever quarter
it might proceed.
The resolution haVing been put to the meeting
by the Town Clerk, and carried with complete
unanimity, the Lord Mayor, turning to the Recorder
and shaking him cordially by the hand, expressed
his great gratification at the result.
The RECORDER said it was impossible for him not
to feel very deeply the kind expressions that had
been used towards him on this occasion. His whole
professional life had been more or less identified with
the corporation of London ; he had always taken the
deepest interest in its honour and welfare, and to be
thought well of by those with whom he had been so
closely connected was exceedingly gratifying to his
feelings.
With that the proceedings terminated, and the
Court immediately afterwards formed themselves
into a committee for giving practical effect to the
resolution.