The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-13 00:00:00

T 11

tile,,cost,of works.which they, havealready provided in their, '
own. The attention of -the commissioners is respectfully'
invited to the report.of Dirt, Walker, Sir William Cubitt,
and gr-Bruuel,.,WhiCla was.made and will b 3 laid
before them.. ,Since the period of that report further and
extensive.works.have been executcd.,.on the, principle ap-
proved. proved.by these eminent engineers,till atlast the sewerage
of t,,b3.t,y,4 all. but completed, and the reduction of the
rates 114 already commenced.
l'if4hlB. It is said that the accounts of the corporation
areintentionallY.kept in an unintelligible form.
.'"%s'"e,,fleilY both the asserted fact and the motive
The Chamberlain keeps the requisite set of books
fog ilaq,coriduct of the business of his ()Ice, in which the
general transactions of all' the various funds in his depart-
ment are daily posted and balanced. He keeps, in addi-
tion, a separate set of books for each of the distinct !Lc;
counts or trusts in respect of which he is treasurer, the
entries. of which are regularly balanced with the general
cash books. , This separation of funds (without which in-
extricable confusion would result). is proVided for, at the
same time that an efficient check is furnished by the repub
Lotion of entries. These accounts ars again arranged for
audit accordinc, to the sy.,tem known as charge and dis-
charge,' which has been in operation more than a century.
The system affords proof of accuracy, and has called forth
expressions of satisfaction from all who have made thetn-
selves,Aequainted with its working.
That it is quite. misunderstood by, those who have
ga*,pvpaa,reenyti.donee. upon it before this commisSion will be made
4-1*re01f.441,. ,the acoounts of funds arising from
public Moneys under the control of the corporation, are
laid annually before Perliabsent. . , ,
Upon,this head it will probably be s ufficient-to 'add
that, apart froin all theory, the -efficacy of the system as
now established will be best fu'DVP4..147,1.4; practical 'work-
ing
erfedt security for the , various
fun' which, has afforded pds committed by the corporation .to ' the charge, of the
chamberlain.
" The statements made to the effect that the audit is
conducted apart from the Cheek. . afforded' by the comp-
troller's charge, that vouchers ire nut '''''''''''' :and that
the audit 4,performeal by the officers and not by the audi-
tors, aro qiufte contrary to fhat.— Walkout asserting that
the corporation arrangementS'in these respects are perfect,
and admitting that from time' to time all.well considered
iw.vemt,4,Bahould he ,introduced, yet feet cenfident
tharc:ao,s, hrla.nfh:. of the corporation 'administratieu will'
iiet, be ifeWlsi A415'9411y of comparison with that of other
(19P5499148;:uniniciPal or eveiiimPerial, and is un-'
deseXv44.
,91,,the,eiistire bestowed upoult,
• ``,Si,l•Plitif4said that, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen,
and.CPEIPR., oopeil, • during the present century, haie
bceAi ;ii?4-arcl,tgiOpleeopera;
,that theyare greatly inferior to
thgg P°i'l3°,j'a4oll er.fdruier times, in rank, respectability, in-
te)livnce, and public spirit ; that they are unfit for their
positions, and, have been regarded with disrespect by the
citizenS. ' . ' ' •

ther than we have hitherto done. The witnesses against
the corp Oration have not only failed to establish, but
they have almost abstained from making, any tangible
charge against our conduct as corporators ; as if they hoped
by casting imputations upon our resp ctability, and by
instituting invidious comparisoes with former times, to
justify their attacks upon the corporation itself. We, who
are not conscious of any corruption in our administration,
are not surprised at this course having been taken.' It will I
be remembered that amongst the parties examined there
are some witnesses who have had the means and opportu-
nity of knowing all that we know, and have in their evi- •
dence shown no disposition to screen or withhold anything
that could injure the character of the corporation or its
individual members. We therefore feel ourselves justified
in concluding that it is principally by a fallacious comparir
son of the present andpast generation of corporators that it
is hoped to succeed in this object.
"It is almost as difficultto find a dividing line to separate
two generations as it is to make the separation of com-
mercial classes. But as two of the principal witnesses to this
part of the case have fixed upon the end of the last and the
commencement of the present century as the point on
which the respectability of the corporation was said to
turn, we will adopt that as the boundary line between the
two periods, and we will examine the condition of the cor-
poration in the 18th and 19th century.
"In the 18th century the aldermen obtained an act of
Parliament (the 11th Geo. I.). by which they contracted
the municipal constituency ; and, giving out of their own
hands the pow 9 to regulate their own proceedings, they
encumbered their elections with a mass of expenses and
dilatory forms, which ire and have been the admitted ob-
struction to the many beneficial alterations which other-
wise have been made in our corporate constitution.
" In the 19th century the aldermen have joined with the
common councilmen in seeking to repeal this act, and to
place the constituency and the forms of election upon an
extended and solid foundation.
" In the 18th century, four years after the passing of the
act, the corporation raised the redemption fine for free-
doms to 251., besides the charge of the livery companies
and numerous fees to officers, thus imposing an additional
pecuniary impediment to the exorcise of elective rights.
" In the 19th century the corporation remitted the 251.,
abolished most cf the fees, and passed a resolution ad-
mitting householders and persons carrying on trade in the
City without the intervention of the livery companies.
" In the 18th century non-freemen were constantly ha-
rassed and sued by common informers, who put the old
of Common Council in force for their own private
•
'Pan.
" In'the 19th century the Common Council put an end
to the trade' of common informers by passing an aot inter-
'dieting such proceedings.
" In the 18th century almost all the officers of the cor-
poration were remunerated by fees, and the offices were
sold or disposed of, both in possession and reversion ;
offices judicial and administrative were disposed of in this
manner, although the produce of the sale rarely found its
way into the corporation chest.
" In the 19th century as offices have become vacant the
fees have been diminished or abclislied. Not only has the
sale of offices been discontinued, but the corporation has,
as occasion served, bought up the right of alienation wher-
ever it existed.

•
",§tatements to this., effect have been made by many of
those ihb:haire,:hden examined: 'One witness condescends to
refdr to vulgar caricature 4 and others indulge in coarse and
disparagiug langnage, and in terms more or less offensive.
One Witness illeges:that a sluris cast upon us by the higher
classes, :of. the, commercial community, and insinuations
abound throughout theleYfdence that the corporation have
fallen into distepnt
•because, the aldermen and Conimn
councilmen, 'unlike the great cerPOrators of former times; '
are newlaken frotnthe., retail shOpkeepeis of an inferihr
".AS f„ii; as the; conalnissioners are concerned, it wOuild.
seem:armpit unnecessary. to notice such aspersiOns, for the
witnessei'making them can h,irdly have hoped to bias the
judicial rnind of the commissioners by such statements, blit
as theiy have:been circUlated throiigh the public press as
assertions made-upon oath, some of them by men of chin
ratter and station,. it b4comes our duty to reply to thecn,
lest they should be-COnsideredunansWerable if left withoVt
refutation'nr coiximent. • •
``Oneof this class of witnesses says that the corpoiatiL
impede all pnblic.improveinents, =dare guilty of jobbing
and inisuianagement. He attempts to support it .by
wincing the, foyowing•
" 1. He says that thncorporation. jobbed away the cdn-
trol of the New Riier, in consequence of which the citizens
are Surcharged ,for. Water to: ten times the, amount they
ought, to pat- .1 The •:zorporation,,reliwinished all soncern
with New.Rlyer two centuries ago. •
‘,‘ 2. That the corporation,b;y:collnsion with the Govetn-y
raent;jollbeil: away the Greslaanci-Vouae and grounds, on
lease:ia perpetuity, for 5001. a year, by which the public
lost 1.0514()04.--the sum for which the lease .has recently
.aold. This transaction, be its Character what; it may, took
„place in; 17,99..
"3: Ire Saysthat the cdtporaiion,refused to make doCks
frpto. J.lgndon-,bridge,toßlackwall,in consequence of which
:the inedrcrianta:ahandoned the corporation, and established.
the Do'ck ; this; however, was in 1799. he wit-
neai :fro that -time, the downfall of the corporation
in be dated; • •
Another witness,. though he:employs less offensive lan-
guage, speaks, with equal disrespect of the corporation,: as
being' now •Colleposed of persons of an inferior class ; 'he
fixes the same period as the fOrmer witness as the dat of
the' downfall of the body in commercial respectability.
Altliongh,this gentleman profesSe.s to speak as from his
own personal knowledge and observation, ho totally mis-
takes facts, which if correctlyState.d,wonld entirely nega-
tive the inference he draws from them.
"The witness represents that his friend, the late Mr.
Robert Williams, the banker, of Birchin-lane, threw up
his gown, and that a partner in Glyn's house did the same,
and that' from that time there seemed to be a sort of slur
cast upon the position of aldermen.'
" How far Mr. Robert Williams, the gentleman referred
to, meant to cast any such slur upon the position of the
colicagueS be left behind him may be judged, of by the gni-
19wing:letter addressed to them, an his retirement.
" `.TO /*GILT MOAQIJR4IM4X IRV ,LOR1), MAYOR AID
• • • , COURT orr ALDERMEN. • ,
" Gtsitlemeu.—As I find myself quite
thronghllas ra.ultiplicity.of hilliness in which .1
ant engaged; to. give that tune and attention to the duties
of a magistrate which I think such an offiee requires, and
knowing how important it is that,t'uey should not be ne-
glected, I think, it both for the interest and credit of your
respectable. cart and niy fano ,-14:itizens in general, that by
retiring fioni my pres.:uit situation I should give an oppor-
tunity to so respectable a part of the City to elect some
person bett9Canualided to represent it in the magistracy.
On these,groundsi will requeayour lordship and thecourt
to accept the resignation of my gown. In thus thingfrom
situation which,l skull. ever considerns the most honour-
able a citizen or Loudon can be placed in, I beg to add.
that I do so with the deepest sentiments of gratitude and
respect.for the Court of Aldermen collectively, and to
most every individual of it, for such marks of cordiality
and friendship as I have received, and which I never eau
forget.,—t have the honour to be, my lord and gentlemen,
your -most obliged and. faithful servant, . •

" In the 18th century the corporation likewise sold Mid
leased, or authorised the Lord Mayor and the sheriffs to
sell or leaie,'at fines and at nominal rents, the profits of
the markets of the City, as well as the profits of certain
coal, cern, and other meters' places.
"In the 19th century no such sale can take place ; by pay-
inent of large sums of money, and by granting equivalent
annuities and post obit cempensations, which have new
been almost all discharged, the corporation have bought
up the revenues thus wasted in former times.
aln the 18th century, in consequence of the system, of
administration then prevailing, the corporation became, in
a very embarrassed state.
" During the 19th century, by increased attention to the
business of the corporation and by improved management
of its affairs its old debts have been paid off, the revenue
has been lifted above its expenditure, and its credit has
been so completely re-establish, d that when, for the pur-
pose of effecting great public improvements, the corpora-
tion has had occasion to go into the market to borrow very
large sums of money, its seal has commanded the required
loans on the lowest and most advantageous terms.
" During the 18th century members of both courts
were eligible to corporate offices and employments in the
gift. of the corporation, and such offices and employments
were held by them to a large amount.
"In the 19th century, none of these offices' can be held
by a member of either court : by standing orders of the
Common Council every office is closed against every mem-
ber, and every employment and every contract is closed
against notonly every member:but his partners also. The
self-denying regulations of the Court of Common Council in
this respect have perhaps extended beyond those of any
other popular assembly, for they render all its members
ineligiblefor office unless they have for three months before
theelection ceased to be members of the court. Th, sons
of members of the court are likewise rendered ineligible
for office by a recent resolution.
"During the 18th century bankrupts and insolvents
might remain corporators. The Court of Aldermen thence
became a very mixed body. Bankers and bankrupts re-
mained seated together. The vicissitudes of commerce
that swept the merchant from his place left the magistrate
in his seat, and many men continued to retain office icing
after the power to discharge its duties had ceased.
"In the 19th century this anomalous state cf circum-
stances no longer existed ; the Lord Mayor, aldermen, and
commons obtained an act of Parliament, by which not only
were the seats of corporators vacated by bankruptcy and
insolvency, but abience from duty for six months worked
a forfeiture of office.
"In the 18th century, and even at the commencement
of the 19th century, the corporation, with an income, of
80,0001. a-year, remunerated their four.standing" commit-
tees with cash, allowances to the annual amount of 1,10 K,,
and tavern expenses ad libitum, amounting upon an a.l/4,e-
-rage of seven years to upwards of 1,0001. per annum.
"But in the 19th century, by a series of resolutions, the
same four committees, administering a revenue of 210,0001.
a year, discharge their duties without any money allow-
ance, and with tavern bills restricted to 1,2001. among
them all.
" In the 18th century the 251. redemption fine for the
admission of freemen was imposed and exacted, but two
donations of one hundred pounds each were all that Was
returned out of the corporate funds to their indigent
widows.
" In the 19th century the fine has been remitted, but for
the last twenty years 5001, has been annually' applied to
this just and beneficent purpose. ,
" In the 13th century no assistance was rendered to pub-
lic education in the City, and the corporation, resting sa-
tisfied with performing the liberal trusts of John Carpen-
ter's will;gave a superior education, with board and cloth-
ing, to four youths out of the revenue of an estate left for
that purpose.
" In the 19th century the corporation have interpreted
the same will in a liberal as well as a literal sense; they
still give board and education to four youths, and they
have likewise expended 20,0001. in the erection of the City
of London School, and contribute out of their own .uhds
9001. a year to aid in the education of. the scholars.
" In the 18th century the corporation made no provision
for the education and maintenance of the orphans of free-
men who had contributed to their funds.
" In the 19th century the corporation has erected and
endowed an orphan school, in which provision is made for
boarding and educating orphans of freemen at the expense
of the corporation. The fines, paid by persons for not
serving the office of sheriff, and the ancient fine of 21.'65.
Bd. for freeman's admission, are applied to this fund.
" In the 18th century the corporation provided no sling-
houses for decayed freemen.
" In the 19th century the corporation have contribnted
upwards of 5,0001. towards the erection of alEnshouses
and have endowed them for the benefit of poor decayed
citizens

• ROBERT WILLIAMS, jl.ll.
, •
" ‘,Betlfora;squarel,2sth May,. 2,601..'
" Whvis, this,.late Mr. Rohext Williams retired from the
corporaticei, left,behiud. him Sir Wm. Curtis, Sir John
Perrin,g,, and Sir Charles Price, all of them baronets and
bitukers of London, who rereaiwxl members• of the court.
till the day of their; respective deaths, and also Sir Richilrd
Carr Glynn, the head of-his eminent house, who remained
for More than a quarter of a century, till he retired full of
bonoura and of years. . ,
.`r We deny that-that there is
,any foundation for the!as-
nertion so often made, in .erms more or less disrespectful,
that thur,orpors.tors, as a, body,,are inferior to the corpor-
atOr.s.bf former times in the qualities essential to fill with
hon Our and ufsefulness the position they occupy. •
" Several witnesses, who in their evidence appeared
anxious to separate themselves from their fellow-citi2iens
.by fanciful distinctions,of classes, speak of themselves as
merchants and gentleinen commercially connected title
the City.;' while they describe the corporators by the
of 'retail dealers of an inferior class,' who live in the City.
We deny the existence of such class distinctions in 'the
various walks of commerce and trade as has been assumed.
it is true you may define the characteristics which, in the
earlier history of commerce, distinguished the merchant,
the maeufacturer, the wholesale and retail trader from each
ether ; but we say that commercial operations are now so
Intermixed that it would be difficult to distinguish the
-various classes referred to, and there are probably but few
of the members of either court who are engaged exclu-
sively in retail trade.
" Of the existing Court of Aldermen, eleven of its mem-
bers have graduated to their present position through the
Common Council.

".The personal honour and respectability of the alder-
Irian, and the perfect honesty and independence with which
they have discharged the duties of their office, have not
been impugned by any witness; on the contrary, they
have been made the subjects of praise by some of the wit-
nesses, who, upon principle, would prefer stipendiary jus-
tices.

Wet .belieye that there exists amongst the citizens of
London a, very strong prepossession in favour of the reten-
tion of, ;aldermen as magistrates, instead of having justice
administered in the City by stipendiaries ; and in our
opinipn theres.,,exists well-founded reasons,. for this prepos-
session.. Almost all the aldermen are or have been engaged
lathe pursuit of commerce and trade within! the City, and.
have been.acaustomed, to judicial inquiries, by occupying
the lemt,, soeuessi vply- of-petty, special, and 'grand jurymen
fur atany,yeare., - In the great majority of cases that come
beforeeltho•sdderraeh .the matters to be investigated are
questianeof,fact, on which their commerce with the world,
anti theies-lmowledge, acquired as jurymen prove of the
gveate"t. 'valUet;eanti the relative proportions of acquittal
a,ad cottvicJieneof.liti coniluitments to the Central Crimi-
nal Con "isalalfesti.7 Prove that the judgment exercised by
them is at least as frequently: justified 'by the result of the
tri.d.ateini eases of other coeateitreents to the same tribu-
No-wituess has questioned: the character and profes-
sional &Aug. pf the , clerks in. attendance upon the Lord
mayer,andrthealdermen in the justice-rooms. To them is
of adjusting the forms of the
omen titeel thepexclulfive duty
proceedings to meet the casewbrought hefere the aldermen
iti.i attainment,
their
itid whichln
qualifyandth themeya.e Biento asofsiii'letgatlhood,uailatrmioueannwd
ent
and. advice in cOsia Wber° ci4434i°ll.slQi•a Purely technical
chapter arise, uport.which it may be suppesed that alder-
Magistratenot of the legal profession,
mese-like all,othec, *
are oat, r-, -• '
We 130oiskker, Quit, allquestions, as to the manner in
witioivnius4ixes.is,:pra4ticany,,admitti,t,ered , by the Lyra
Mayor end aldetmensre more fitly the subject of evidence
than etatensent, We 'therefore propose to place before the
• commissioners for examination the .elerks and other Wit-
nesses who canfltruiSh facts upon which the commissioners'
judgment lusay iv, vote safely; formed. The objection raised
i n the evidence, against, the aldermen is, that they are not of
the same .rank 411(1 • staudiug „in•the, COM mercial world as
seme'o"l'e,til.lernieu in follitiltetlitlee- 'W,O-aseert that it
would be difficult to find, in the Ilousti. of Commons, or in
any other ..large:h4xly tta the, 440k:dole, the same number
of men,who could he taken -.alphsbetically, or by lot,•
frem-tlie,entire mass, who could produce so many evi-
dences as these gentlemen do that they enjoy a large share
of public ecaidenc.e expressed in so many, different ways.
beiugyalticileetetbby the inhabitants of their wards,
°tit of the twenty-six, eight of them are, or have been,
memberS of thetllouse of Commons, five of them for large
metropolitan .eenstituencies. Fifteen• of the aldermen,
a 3 well as several members of the. Common Council,
are county magistrates, some of them for two or three
counties. One of the alderman is, and has been for many
years; a Bank director, and is the .chairman of the Society
of Merchants Trading to the Continent ; one of them is
the chairman. of the Conunitteo of the Joint Stock Banks
of. London ; two of them ,are dit octets of the London and
W eitsninster Dank; o f th e na are direc tors of . the London
Joint Stock Bank, and two of them of the Union Bank;
andeuestof them who hare leisure and inclinatioartihe many
of the Common Conneil, are directors efinsurancecompanies,
gas companies, canal and water companies,. connected with
the reetropolimi. It is hardly necessary to observe that
men are chosen for these offices of trust by their brother
shareholders, who possess the strongest motives to select
persons of character and station, of respectability and pro-
bity, of business aptitude and habits; to be the guardians
of their money and their interests.
"There are oecasions when men are compelled to assert
their true position.._ In the present ease, therefore, we deem
it a duty not only to ourselves, but to the citizens who have
°lento:1114 sad to the important Interests they have commit-
t id to ix= chars'', to pursuethis part of the subject fur'

office. He had therefore had ample opportunities of mak- I
irig himself acquainted with the:finances of the city of
London. The principal duties of the Chamberlain's chief
clerk were to attend to committees and afford information
as to the state of the accounts, and generally to superin-
tend the accounts in the chamber. He has never been con-
sidered as the deputy of the Chamberlain, but he has power
to sign cheques, and is removable by the Chamberlain, but
his appointment was subject to the sanction of the corpo-
ration. The whole of his emoluments as chief clerk
amounted to 9001. a year • but he held another indepen-
dent appointment, that oiclerk to prepare the accounts for
the auditors, which yielded him another 1001. a year. The
duties of this office consisted in arranging the Chamber-
lain's accounts in the form of charge and discharge pre-
vious to their being submitted to the auditors. He did not
think there was any foundation for the statement which
had been made, that the City accounts are kept in a cum-
brous and confused manner ; and he considered that those
who had made that charge could only have done so from
ignorance. In 1839 a committee of the corporation made a
report recommending a net account of the City revenues to
be made out, that was, an account showing the gross pro-
ceeds, with the expenses deducted therefrom. This was the
system of account that was pursued in Liverpool. The
Common Council were dissatisfied with this form of net
accounts, and the matter was referred back. to the same
committee. The committee afterwards made a further re-
port, recommending a return to the former mode of keep-
ing the accounts—viz., the system of charge and discharge,
which was originally introduced a century ago, at the sug-
gestion of twelve merchants of the City, who were inde-
pendent of the corporation, and who were called in to ad-
vise. In 1840 the same committee made a further report,
recommending the form of accounts now adopted, and in
1841 the Common Council agreed to this report. Mr. Ac-
land, in his evidence, had alleged that there were discre-
pancies to the extent of 9,0001. between the accounts of
the comptroller and the accounts of the Chamberlain. The
reply to this was, that the comptroller's account was a
prospective statement of what ought to be received, which
he, as the custodian of the corporate leases, could alone
calculate; and the account of the Chamberlain gave the
actual amounts which were received ; and if, therefore,
the two accounts perfectly agreed, it would be•almost a
prima facie evidence of collusien. The difference between
the two accounts was caused by the amount of the arrears,
at the commencement of the year and that of the arrears
at its close, which were carried to the next year. Each
committee could draw upon the City's cash by the signa-
tures of seven•of its members. The Court of Aldermen
drew-by the tewn-elerk, :who was their officer ;- the sepa-
rate 'power of the Court of Aldermen• to draw upon the
City purse being practically confined to certain • heads of
expense, viz., prisons, conservancy, getisions, and matters,
connected with the administration of justice. The corpo-
rate officers take no part in the audit beyond simplylaying
the books before the auditors, who require the production
of a written warrant authorising every separate payment
The livery elect the auditors in certain cases. Wherever
the corporation is authorised to appoint additional audi-
tors it has always exercised that power, even where the
exercise of that power was not compulsory, but merely op-
tional. If the officers of the City Chamber were not such
as they have been for' many years past, viz., men of the
highest integrit7, the auditors elected by the livery some-
chi

titles would not an inefficient ,neck over the ac-
counts. The office of auditor was not so valuable as to
make it one that would be greatly sought after. He
could not recommend the' appointment of a profes-
sional accountant as' an auditor, because, in his expe-
rience' he found that professional accountants had
generally some crotchet of their own, as to the form
of the accounts, which they paid more attention to
than to the items themselves. If the corpora-
tion were placed under a Government audit board
as regards their accounts, it would remove a great deal of
suspicion which now most unjustly attached to them. In
1829 an application was made to the Government for a
million of money to be placed at the disposal of the cor-
poration for the execution of public improvements, and
the Duke of Wellington, before acceding to such a request,
required that evidence should be adduced by the corpora-
tion as to the mode in which it kept its accounts. Its
accounts were accordingly submitted to a committee of
the House of Lords, who, in their report, expressed them-
selves highly satisfied with the manner in which the cor-
porate accounts were kept ; and subsequently a committee
of the House of Commons agreed to a report likewise eulo-
gising the corporate accounts as reflecting the greatest
credit on all connected with them.
The Chairman—Are there certain sums placed at the
disposal' of the consolidated committee?
Mr. Scott—Your question refers to what has been called
the secret service money, I apprehend?
The Chairman—Tes ; it has been stated that you are
cognismit of that expenditure, and can give us any infor-
mation with regard to it which might be desired.
Mr. Scott—There is no specific sum placed at the dis-
posal of the consolidated committee for any such purpose.
The circumstances are briefly these :—The corporation
some few years back were very dissatisfied with the re-
ports of their proceedipgs which appeared in the public
papers. The reason why their reports were not so fully
given as they might be were two-fold—first, because there
was no heal press in London, as there is in the provincial
towns, which pays particular attention to municipal pro-
ceedings ; and next, that the reports were occasionally in-
accurate. As an illustration of the latter point, I may
mention that four years ago large sanitary powers were
vested in the corporation, and they appointed Mr. Simon
as their medical officer of health at a salary of 5001. or
6001. a year. By some accident one of the " noughts"
was dropped from the amount by the press, and the con-
sequence was that it appearing in the papers that 501. or
601 was the salary, several articles were published reflect-
ing on the corporation for allotting so small a sum for
so important an office. This circumstance drew par-
ticular attention to 'the defective nature of the reports,
and the matter was taken up by the consolidated commit-
tee. There were three temeclit s proposed for the evil. One
i was to engage official short-hand writers to take notes at
the table • but on inquiry of Mr. Gurney, it was found that
that would involve very considerable expense ; and that,
besides, professional short hand writers were not in the
habit of condensing their reports, but giving a tran-
script in full, which was not precisely what the corpora.
tion wanted, and would be toe voluminous. Another
plan was the encouragement of the more general atten-
dance of the reporters of the public press, by circulating a
certain number of newspapers containing good reports. The
third plan was, that a weekly organ should be established,
containing at greater length than heretofore reports of the
debates, for circulation mong the members of the corpora-
tion and the constituency. Such reports, it was conceived,
would prevent the misrepresentation and misapprehension
which frequently interfered with the discharge of the
duties of the corporation. The consolidated committee
thought it desirable that a week:y organ should be encou-
raged, and in January, 1849, the Citizen was commenced,
but it commenced quite irrespective of the corporation or
or its pfficers, being started by a stranger named Pete.
Shortly after its commencement some difficulties arose as
to the management of this paper, and Mr. Toulmin Smith
became its sole proprietor and editor. I should not have
felt myself justified in giving evidence on the subject had
Mr. Smith's solicitor not been before the commissioners,
and given evidence as to the proprietorship of that paper.
It is not strictly correct that I was joint proprietor with
Mr. Smith. I advanced a sum of money out of my own
private resources to carry on the paper. My views and Mr.
Smith's coincided very much on the subject, and it was
arranged that the paper should remain the sole property
and be conducted under the sole editorship of Mr. Smith.
The matter being before the consolidated committee, it
was suggested by me and others, that it would be conve-
nient that there should be an organ for reporting the cor-
porate proceedings, if it could be so arranged.
The Chairman—Were you a joint owner at this time?
Mr. Scott—No, I was not. I had advanced a sum of
money which was to give me " privity" of the proceedings
of the paper. bet I carefully abstained, as an officer of the
corporation, from being a proprietor of the paper.
—Dr- what

If blame is due to the alienation of the house and _'he Chairman—Does no.
grounds left by Sir Thomas Gresham for the purposes of some way a joint proprietor ?
education, as stated by one of the witnesses, this took Mr. Scott.—l do not think it does. It certainly never
place in 1769, and that reproach lies on the 18th, and not was my intention to be so. I had a claim for the sum I
on the 19th century. had advanced, but I was no proprietor. The paper was
."In the 19th century the present corporation have, not- sold without my knowledge or concurrence, and therefore
withstanding, obtained favour with distinguished persons I conceive I was no proprietor. The consolidated com-
whohave desired to find faithful guardians of funds destined mittee bad no power from the corporation to deal with any
to the purposes of education. Mr. Beaufoy generously in- such matter at that time, and when the subject was in
vested 6,000/. for four exhibitions to the University for suspense certain officers of the corporation advanced cer-
scholars at the City School, and constituted the corporation tain sums from their own pockets to keep the paper afloat
guardians of his bounty. Alderman Salomons, a member of until a determination should be come to by the corpora-
the existing corporation, has followed this example • and tion. At the same time the consolidated committee ex-
when the proprietors of the Times determined that a2large pressed what the officers considered a justification of their
sum of money presented to them for a great service ren- keeping the paper so afloat. lam not aware whether the
tiered to the commercial community should be applied in committee placed such an expression formally on the mi-
the endowment of a scholarship, they selected the City nutes, as that is not within my department; but certain
School, and appointed the Lord Mayor and the Chamber- officers, including myself, kept the paper alive for four
lain of London trustees. weeks, in order that it might be in existence to carry out
"In the 18th century it appears to have been the policy the committee's object if it were deemed desirable.
'of the corporation tclisvoid publicity in the conduct of its 'The Chairman—This was under the expeetation that the
affairs. The Common Council frequently, and the Court paper would be ultimately taken up by the conkoliclated
of Aldermen and the Commissioners of Sewers constantly, committee, and that they would repay the officers their
deliberated with closed doors-. They did not publish ac- advances?
counts or minutes, and gave no facilities for the reporters Mr. Scott—Yes, it certainly was my impression that we
of the public, press. would be repaid for keeping the paper alive until a decision
In the 19th century a totally opposite policy prevails; , would be come to. While the paper was thus sustained, a
the ceiporation publish their annual accounts, the minutes difference arose between certain officers and Mr. Smith
of their proceedings, and the reports of their committees. difficulties occurred, and the paper was sold by Mr. Smith
To insure a full, attendance and a knowledge of the voting for a nominal consideration, ponding the discussions of the
of each member, lists of the members present at the courts consolidated committee. The corporation ultilnately re-
and the names on divisions are printed on the minutes. paid the officers the sum they had advanced. Mr. Smith:
The Court of Aldermen and the Commissioners of Sewers,
,made a claim on the corporation for the money he had ad-
as well as the Common Council, hold their meetings in pub- ',sauced, and his application was referred to the consolidated
lie. They give every encouragement in their power to pro- committee ; but when they came to consider the subject,
mote the publication of their proceedings, and afford the Mr. Smith did not appear, and the matter dropped.
most ample and convenient accommodation to the seporters Twelve months after the transaction, the committee as an
of the pvblic press. act of grace (for I made no claim), repaid me the money
We desire emphatically to say that, by thus setting which they considered I.had put in jeopardy with a sin-
forth in coulparison the acts of the corporation in former' sere desire to serve the interests of the corporation.
days and the..acts of the corporation at the present time, The Chairman—Out of what fund did the consolidated
we conducting- to its legitimate conclusion an ar- committee make the repayment '
g u aremen hilt
t forced upon us by those who have impugned not Mr. Scott--The funds of the corporation, the matter
alone the acts of, the corporation, but the character and having been referred to them.
position of its members in the present day, as compared, The Chairman—Can you give us the particulars of the
or rather contrasted, with the corporators of former times, mini?
We confess that it had never; entered into our Minds to Mr. Scott—The Wel sum repaid to the other officers, in-
institute such a comparison, until it was presented to ns eluding Mr. Smith's (solicitor's) bill of costs was 2801., and
by the observations of the witnesses who ,have been exa- the amount subsequently re+ aid to me was 250/, making
mined. MO/. in all, It was certainly considered by the consoli-
"We haveno dCsire to cast censure upon the members dated committee as a confidential matter, and the 280S'
of the corporation who lived in evil times. In those times, appears in their accounts as " disbtuslements." The 2501.
ri,officers of every. grade, judges, • Ministers of State, the afterwards paid to me appears under the head of miseel-
tronage, and to (lisp°
'llurutl..and the Crown itself, were wont to sell their pa- laneous expenditure.
ses of places in their gift, as well in The Chairman—Was the money given to,
,the consoli-
po,Raysew.—Reviewing however all that has been al-
sseesion as iu reversion. , dated committee for this special purpose, or is there a fund
generally entrusted to them for distribution, under their
leged before this commission against the corporation, and discretion ? •
,
the absence of all imputation of moral turpitude or per- -11 fr. Scott—There:was a reference to them arising out
Nona' corruption against any of its present members, and of the defective nature of the report, and they were autho-
impressed with the contrast above drawn between the ad- rised to make temporary arrangement, and they' had
ministration of its affairs in the late and the presefit cen- drawn from the funds such sums, from time to time, as
turio',, we hope and believe that much of the obloquy to 1 they saw it. It has been already stated by a witness, that
which our body has been exposed is attributable to the papers were circulated, containing reports of the corpora-
tradition of ancient abuses, fur which the present genera- i tion proceedings. In 1849, the sum paid to the agent of'
tion are not responsible, and to the errors of our prodeces- the corporation for newspapers was 44/. 2s. 6d. ; iu 1850
sore, which it has been our constant endeavour to correct. it was 1951. 1 ls. 3d. ; in 1851, 346/, Os. lid. ; and in 1852,
" Under this belief, and strong in conscious rectitude of 156/. 15s. ; giving an average annual expenditure for circu-
purpose in the Performance of, our duties, the corporation lating reports of corporate proceedings of 1851. 12s. 10d.
has oesirted inquiry, and relies with confidence on the re- One witness has stated that a sum of 1,000/. a-year has
suit. They believe it will relieve them from a load of' been so expended. This is a total mistake, and may have
undeserved and unjust reproach.
arisen in this way : when the matter was under discussion
and acknowledging the in the committee, it was proposed to abolish the payment
weigHht4yvigstusortehptgedtainc°thne7na,ilhe corporation and all its of 8001. a-year made for the Old Bailey reports, and it was
.members appeal from.prejudice and uninformed abuse to in contemplation to add 2001. to this amount, with the
the impartiality and judicial wisdom of this tribunal, and view of obtaining sufficient reports of the corporation pro-
while they seek the means of improved and more effective cowlings. The real sum spent, however, was 185/. 12s: 10d.
action in extending the basis of popular confidende, on a-year, instead of 1,0001.
which alone their institutions can safely stand;they chal- The Chairman—How was that sum expended ?
lenge the severest scrutiny, and, contending for the main. Mr. Scott—ln the purchase of papers which contained
tenance of their just rights, they trust, to the truth for' the fullest reports of the meetings of the Court of Com-
their vindication. mon Council, the Court of Aldermen, and the Court of
" By order of the coranuttee,
" HENRY ALWQRTH MER Town
EWETHER, Clerk. , Sewers.
The Chairman—ls there any fund at all in the nature
(4
Guildhall, Jan. 10, 1854." of a secret service fund connected with the corporation?
The reading of the statement having been concluded, Mr. Scott—There is no fund under that name.
The Commissioners proceeded to examine The Chairman—ls there anythin at all of that descrip-
Mr. Benjamin Scott, who stated that he had been con- tion ? •
nected with the Chamberlain's-office rather better than 24 ' , Mr. Scott—There is no fund approximating to that Is
9EIO, Paid for the :last 12 yearg )la.cl been chief deryp that ihich is -anntl,l4 y.oted Parfilmirlit There t

you state make you in