The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-23 00:00:00

of a scrupulous reform. But did such a charge of cor
ruption come with a good grace from members of the
Common Council. For who were the members of the
Court of Aldermen ? (Hear, hear.) Why, during the
last ten years, fifteen elections for aldermen had taken
place ; and out of the fifteen so elected, nine had been
chosen from the Court of Common Council. Again, it
had been urged in disparagement of the aldermanic body,
that they did not sufficiently represent the upper classes
of the citizens ; but, notwithstanding such a charge, the
present court membered no less than twelve who either
were, or had been, members of Parliament; but putting
aside such imputations, no body of men were more de-
sirous of truly representing their fellow-citizens than the
aldermen themselves, and as they were desirous to stand
well with their fellow-citizens, they were unanimously of
opinion, that the time had fully arrived when the Corpo-
ration of London should be extended on the widest basis
suitable to the age. (Hear.)
Mr. BARNES defended the Corporation from the innuen-
does which had been cast upon it by many parties. He
was in favour of extensive reform. He thought that
London ought not to be considered as being upon one
side of the river merely, but that the area of the City
should he enlarged. What he wanted to see was a whole
and solid reform. (Hear.) He opposed the motion, be-
cause it was too vague, and therefore worthless.
Mr. PEAD reminded the Court that the chamberlain's
list was not all that had occurred in connexion with the
affair. A poor roan by the name cf Gentry had been
seized upon, and his goods sold.
Mr. Cox rose to orer.
The LORD MAYOR.--I think this matter has no refer
ence to the question before the Court.

Mr. PEAR.—Then I will give-notice of motion, my
Lord, so that the whole of the question may be brought
before the Court.

The LORD MAYOR.—That you may do at the close of
debate, but not now. (Hear.)

. ,
Mr. Cox contended that the apathy of the public was
no more roused at the present time than it had been
when they went to Parliament the year before, upon
which occasion the preamble of their bill was declared
not to be proved. They had had no public demonstra-
tion, and therefore he would oppose the application.
Mr. BENNOCH declared that he regarded the motion
cf Mr. Blake as embodying the greatest and soundest
principles of reform, and he thought they ought to en-
deavour to, obtain that at all events. He regretted
that the discussion had taken such a turn, as he hoped
the whole of the resolutions would have been considered
and carried together ; and he trusted a special com-
mittee would be chosen, to act day by day, until the
question was matured, and the bill prepared for pre-
sentation. (Cheers.) He would suggest that the whole
of the resolutions should be embraced in one motion.

Deputy CORNET defended the corporation as to the
fines. The Court had agreed to lower the freedom fine
to 6s. Bd. if the Government would take off the 2/.
stamp duty, but the Chancellor of the Exchequer could
not afford it. (Laughter.) He hoped it would be known
that this was the fact, so that the odium might no longer
lie at the door of the corporation.
Mr. W. A. ROSE hoped that the reform mooted by
the three motions would be entertained in one. He
did not wish it to go to the Freedoms' Committee, but
he hoped that the Court would agree to the suggestion
of Deputy Bennoch, and send the merits to be inquired
into to a special committee, as he thought that the
Freedoms' Committee was not altogether unbiassed upon
that question. (Hear, hear.)
Alderman LAWRENCE advocated the principle of re-
form contained in Mr. Blake's motion. If they obtained
a new constituency, he did not believe that the Court of
Common Council would be better than at present ; nor
did he think, as some did, that bankers, merchants, or
others, would even then be found in the Corporation.
(Laughter.)
Some further discussion took place, and a variety of
suggestions were made with a view of arriving at an
unanimous determination.

Mr. Deputy PEWTRESS rose to move the incorporation
of Mr. Blake's motion with that of which he had himself
given notice, to the following effect :
" That it be referred to a committee to prepare and
present to this court a bill for extending the franchise
for the wardmote elections in the City of London, to all
persons occupying premises within the city, and rated
to the amount of 10/, per annum. The bill to include
such other suitable alterations in the Corporation as may
be deemed advisable, and the committee to obtain the
support of the Government to the measure, and to re-
port forthwith."
Mr. BLARE and Mr. H. L. TAYLOR at once consented
to withdraw the motion and the amendment, and the
court unanimously agreed to Mr. Pewtress's proposition.
amidst acclamations.

It was then resolved that the committee should be a
ward committee, consisting of five of the aldermen pre-
sent, and one member of the Court of Common Council
from each w.,rd.—The court then adjourned.

THE CABMEN AND THE NEW POLICE REGULATIONS.—
Last night a crowded meeting of the members of the
hackney carriage trade was held in St. Martin's-hall,
Long-acre, to take into consideration the measures to
be :doted in consequence of the regulations recently
issued by the Commissioners of Police relating to hack-
ney carriages. Mr. James Scully took the chair, and
commenced the proceedings by remarking on the nu-
merous hardships endured by persons engaged in the
trade, and urged upon the meeting the necessity of
seeking redress by peaceable means. The recently
issued regulations of the Commissioners of Police were
most arbitrary and unjust. The law provided for the
protection of the public, but the cab-drivers were
treated without any consideration. (Hear, hear.)—
Mr. Willis moved that a petition be drawn up for
pi sent Won to the Secretary of State, setting forth the
grievances complained of, and praying for redress. (Hear,
hear.) Nothing, he said, could be more absurd than
the conflicting state of the law with respect to the alleged
infringement of the cab regulations, for nearly every
magistrate had adjudicated in a different manner upon
similar cases. By the new rules the cab-driver was not
only prohibited from drinkinc, or smoking, but from dis-
mounting his box while on the rank, and must not leave
it even to get refreshment after being out for many
hodrs. (Hear, hear.) There were 15,000 of them, who
were compelled to pay 10d. for a strap, which he defied
any one to say was worth more than 3d. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Wellbeloved seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously. A committee was then appointed
to take steps to obtain redress of their grievances.
Several speakers then addressed the meeting, which ter-
minated at a late hour.

ABSCONDING DEBTORS.— Yesterday a bill before,Par-
liament was printed to facilitate the more speedy arrest
of absconding debtors from Ireland. The bill is similar
to the act row in force in England. It is declared that
frauds are perpetrated on creditors residing at a distance
from Dublin by debtors embarking for distant countries
from various towns and seaports in Ireland.
THE SUICIDE AT BETIINAL-GREEN.—Yesterday after-
noon the body of the person found on Sunday morning
last in the garden attached to the White-house Lunatic
Asylum, Cambridge-heath-road, Bethnal-green, was iden-
tified by his relatives, and was•proved to be Mr. Andrew
Bennett Maurder, aged 68 years, a man of independent
property, residing at 30, Cannon-street-road, St. George's-
in-the-East. He had formerly held a lucrative appoint-
ment in the revenue department of the Excise-office.
Mr. William Baker, the coroner for Middlesex, has is-
sued his warrant for the inquest, which will be held to-
morrow. The relatives of the deceased are completely
at a loss to account for the rash act, as he was in affluent
, circumstances and of good intellect.
RESPITE OF THE CONVICT SAUNDERS.—The convict
Cliarles Saunders, who was convicted in February last
of the wilful murder of Thomas Samuel Toiler, and sent
to the county gaol of Essex for execution, was respited
yesterday evening for the space of a week, the do-
cument being brought from the Home-office by Mr.
Gipps, the under-sheriff. Since his condemnation the
relatives of the criminal have exerted every endeavour to
obtain a commutation of his sentence, and in the course
of last week they presented a petition to the Home
secretary, setting forth in strong terms their conviction
that he was not in a frame of mind to enable him to dis-
tinguish right from wrong, and giving many passages in
his life which seemed to indicate a deranged intellec.,.
Lord Palmerston, with a view of ascertaining the trut:i
of these allegations, caused inquiries to be made, tehseeettire-
sult of which induced him to send yesterday for Mr.
Gipps, the under-sheriff of the county of Essex. After
a lengthened interview his lordship decided upon respit-
iongut.thelncotnhveicmt
meantime,
tiamwe,efeukr,thdeersiirinnciguiriatesthweillsabme
tfhooa:naonhdopthees ocfoannviuctltiwmialltebceomexamumtainteioan
bshyouelodmbpehtelnt
medical authority. Since his trial the criminall has pre-
served a sullen 'and reserved demeanour,
chaplainrare y speaking
prison, who has been almost constantly. with
himo. f theHe
admits his crime, but maintains an in
even to the Rev. J. B. Hamilton, the'
man-
ner when it is referred to, although
e ri relativeeatefdhieffehraesnceexopfressed i
onfgw regretforsßoE uetich i to.
particularsFAmirHE SIR POWELL BIIXTON.—The follow-
voyage to Port Philip on the coast
to
withtlls thevee it a wreck,ntwhiles,
roe on her
con-
tained in a letter from one of the suffererse' :—" Paraiba,
Feb. 12, 1853.—Y0u have no doubt heard of the wreck
of our ill-fated ship, the Sir Fowell Buxton. On the 16th
December all the passengers were in bed. when about
two o'clock in the morning, we were dreadand col
alarmonfusion
ed
by the ship running aground. The alarm
you may better imagine than I can describe to you. In
a short time we found we had run upon a sandbank,
about three miles from the shore, and it was fortunate
for us it was a sandbank, for had we. been a few miles
farther crown the coast, the probability is you would
never have had these lines from. me. .41. length
ewreereinnostomme
measure allayed by assurances
at last, we werelanded, we encamped
danger. When, . our
an
x i
thatetes wwe
number), and the natives
for several days (200 in
morning came, and
col-
lectedthree boxes ton-ether that we 11112;11t ha ve
collected two or
to wear, but they were sodden with salt
a fov things
bushes to shield us from te beat of the sun. I had
the cl'iP
left
My other necessaries were in the hold,
wafer, as the water had risen up to my cabin before we
We were put on board a mail craft,
and arc all lost.
and sent round the coast, casting anchor every night,
from the place where we were wrecked. The inhalitants
and one time for a whole day. Here we are, 300 miles
are about 500, apd they behave kindly to us. Mary of
us are living in an old convent. We expect a ship from
Pernambuco, to take us away in about three •vveeks.
Providentially no lives were lost."
SACRED RELICS.—The Archbishop of Paris went, on
Sunday morning, to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, for
the benediction of the palms, and the exhibition of the
relics connected with the Passion of our Saviour.
These relics are declared to be a large piece of the true
cross, of the crown of thorns, and two of the nails used
at the crucifixion, all which will be publicly exhibited at
Notre-Dame to-morrow and Good Friday.