The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-23 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Yesterday, the first court after the holidays was held,
and was very numerously attended.
After some business of a formal character had been
disposed of,
Mr. H. L. Taylor rose and said—My Lord Mayor, I
have waited a moment or two since the confirmation of
the minutes of our last meeting, to see if any member
would take notice of a circumstance patent to us all.
I had looked round to see whether my friend Deputy
Bennoch (the Lord Mayor's deputy) was in the court.
Until the present moment I did not know that he was.
Since we last met we have heard of a very serious acci-
dent that has occurred, in which your lordship was very
much concerned. (Hear.) It was with deep regret
that the members of this court heard of such an acci-
dent, and I may say that I express the feeling of the
members of this court generally when I say that they
are most delighted to see your lordship again in your
place, and that you have not met with such a serious
accident as to prevent your lordship from attending to
your official duties. (Applause.) If I were in order
I would record my feelings by placing something on
record, evincing the feelings of respect which I, in
common with the other members of the court, en-
tertain towards your lordship, and our great delight
at your having escaped more serious injury. (Hear,
hear.) I have now the very great pleasure of moving,
"That this court, having learnt with deep regret
the perilous position in which the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor has recently been placed, when on a journey
upon the Great Northern Railway, to pay a friendly
visit to the municipal authorities at Sheffield, congratu-
late his lordship upon escaping with his life from the
imminent danger to which he was exposed ; and the
court earnestly hope he may be spared many years to
his family, and to continue his important services to his
fellow "citizens." (Cheers.)
Deputy Bennoch—My Lord Mayor, I confess that I
feel, after the pointed reference which has been made to
me by my friend Mr. Taylor, somewhat excited and
partly unnerved. I only arrived in town at an early
hour this morning, in consequence chiefly of the holding
of this court. It is a fortunate circumstance that I was
not present previously to my friend's rising, for the pur-
pose of congratulating your lordship and the court for
this marvellous and almost miraculous escape—(Cheers).
I believe it is much more complimentary to your lord-
ship—l believe it is much more honourable to the feel-
ings of this court—that you should receive from them
the spontaneous thanks of the universal body at the in-
stant, and without the task, which has fallen into very
able hands, devolving on me. I with great pleasure
second the resolution, and add my sympathy to that, I
am sure, of every member of this court—(Cheers).
The RECORDER having put the resolution, it was car-
ried with acclamation.
The LORD MAYOR (who was deeply moved) said—l feel
very greatly indebted to my excellent friend Mr. Taylor,
and to the deputy, for the kind manner in which they
have introduced this most unexpected rosolution--(Hear,
hear). Next to the gratitude I owe to a kind Providence
in preserving my life under such truly lamentable circum-
stances, I owe it certainly to a large number of friends,
whose kind sympathy and whose warm expression of
feeling would stimulate any man towards a career enti-
tling him to such esteem and respect. (Cheers.) But
amongst them all I could receive a testimony of this
kind from no body of persons which recommends itself
to my feelings and affections so much as this in the
Court of Common Council. (Cheers.) Deeply sensible
of the obligations I owe to them, if I needed any other
stimulus to devote my humble energies to the prospe-
rity of the City of London, I should find it in the
very kind and flattering manner in which this resolu-
tion has been proposed,seconded and received. (Cheers.)
Eight members were chosen to be returned to the
Court of Aldermen to supply vacancies in the office of
commissioners, under the act of parliament " for grant-
ing to her Majesty duties on profits arising from pro-
perty, professions, trades, and offices."
A bill to repeal certain acts regulating the return of
jurors to serve on the Mayor's Court and Sheriffs'
Courts of the City of London, and to make other regu-
lations in lien thereof was read a third time and passed.