The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-02 00:00:00

The Chairman—Begin with the Court of Aldermen.

Mr. Acland—The Court of Aldermen is composed of
twenty-six tradesmen and members of professions. It
comprises two auctioneers, two wharfingers, two stock-
brokers, two builders, one ironmaster, a retired saddler,
a china manufacturer, a bookseller, a silk manufacturer,
a drysalter, a stationer, a retired office-keeper, a corn-
factor, a winemerchant, a coal factor, an upholsterer, a
tea dealer, a printseller, a grocer, a solicitor, a clock-
maker, a salesman, and a banker. They are magistrates
by virtue of their office, and elected for life ; they decide
the vilidity of corporate elections, and even of the elec-
tions of their own body. They are elected from the
municipal lists issued by the aldermen of the several
wards. There is a money influence frequently brought
to bear upon the election of an alderman.

The Chairman—What do you mean by a money in.
fluence !

Mr. Acland—l mean that money is paid by or for a
candidate who desires to be elected an alderman.
The Chairman—Do you mean that there is bribery at
the elections ?

Mr. Acland—l mean that there is bribery, be it in
bribery or treating. That expense is incurred in order
to induce men to vote for an alderman who would not
otherwise vote for him ; and that seven of the present
body, whom I am not prepared to name, but I am pre-
pared to establish the fact by satisfactory evidence if
necessary, have been elected by a direct money influence,
exerted by themselves through other parties, by money
payments.

The Chairman—Do you mean to state that in your
opinion there was what may fairly be called a corrupt
expenditure of money in influencing the election of alder-
men ?

Mr. Acland—There is no question about it.
Mr. C. Lewis—Do you mean payments made from the
private funds of the candidates ?

Mr. Aeland—Yes ; I have spoken of seven cases at
[east, but I believe there have been more.

Mr. C. Lewis—Do you believe that this has been a
recent practice ?

Mr. Acland—l believe it has been the practice for
many years, but not very recently. I think there have
been fewer cases of corruption recently than there were
formerly, but that may arise from a variety of circum-
stances. A party may be a candidate in a ward where
there is no opposition, and where therefore there is less
occasion for the introduction of a money power.
The Chairman--Do you believe the wards differ
materially as to their comparative purity ?
Mr. Acland—There is no question about it. lam
satisfied money influence is most 'exerted where the
wards are small.

Mr. C. Lewis—You say you are not prepared to men-
tion the names of the seven persons who have exercised
a corrupt influence at the election of aldermen—are you
prepared to indicate any means by which that statement
will be supported ?

Mr. Acland—l shall be prepared to put before you
witnesses who can establish it.

Mr. C. Lewis—Then I presume that these witnesses
will name the parties ?

Mr. Acland—l have no doubt of it. An alderman
possesses very considerable influence and patronage in
the city of London, and he is a magistrate for life. The
office is, therefore, coveted by persons who possess
pecuniary means.
Mr. C. Lewis—ls there ever any treating; and are
the public-houses open ?
Mr. Acland—l believe the publicans are very promi-
nent agents on these occasions. The municipal electors of
London are to a far greater extent frequenters of public-
houses, smoking-rooms, and bar-parlours, where the local
politicians congregate, than the occupiers who have not
the municipal franchise. They herd together, and the
publican has more or less influence with those small
men who make and unmake the representatives of the
municipality. A publican seems very naturallytooeca.
pre-
sent himself as an agent for corruption on these
sions, whether as a primary or a secondary.
The Chairman—Do you believe that political conside-
rations enter much into the choice of aldermen ?
a
Mr. Acland
They did while the
'vision between
parties was more obvious than it is now
and they do
not enter so much as they did formerly.
The Chairman—Can you suggest anything to remove
these sources of corruption in the election of aldermen
which you speak of ?
Mr. Aeland—l would make all municipal offices in
the city of London worthy of the ambition of the higher
classes. I would give such a constituency with such
checks on the exercises of the franchise as might, with