The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-17 00:00:00

HULL.

A public meeting was held in the Court House yester-
day, to consider the propriety of petitioning the Douse of
Lords against the Act which is being passed through the
House of Commons, entitled an "Act to Amend the Na-
vigations."
The MAYOR, John L. Smith, Esq., was moved to the
chair, who, after the requisition calling the meeting had
been read, expressed his opposition to the measure and to
free-trade principles generally.

Mr. HASSELL, taking a portion of the Mayor's speech
as his text, temperately reiterated the old arguments used
on such occasions, and terminated his harangue by mov-
ing a resolution deprecatory of the measure.
This was seconded by Mr. WARD in a firm, straight.
forward, Tory manner.
Upon this resolution an amendment was moved by Mr.
HOLDSWORNII, in a good truth-telling speech.
Mr. Alderman JoNns, ex-Mayor, seconded the amend-
ment, and took occasion, as well as the previous speaker,
to animadvert upon the unusual course adopted by the
mayor in enunciating his opinions from the chair, on a
subject the meeting had to consider, which he presided
over.

Mr. CLARKE, a lecturer on Shakspere, and whose
zeal for exhibition had long shown itself prominent by
a restless inquietude of seat, and a demand for a jug of
water, rose from a chair generally occupied by some of
the dignitaries of the town, and with vehement gesticu-
lations, an attempt at oratory and statistical information,
inflicted a long speech on the meeting in support of the
original motion.

Mr. MATTHEW TATE, shoemaker, also supported it
in a somewhat heavy speech, as did also Mr. DAVID
GOODWILL, jun.

Mr. Flaxcm, shipowner, spoke against the measure.
His opinion being that taxation should be first reduced,
and the British shipbuilder placed on an equitable
footing.
A sailor, whose name was not mentioned, denounced
the measure strongly, on the ground of its interfering
with the British seaman's labour; but, at the same time,
paying a poor compliment to the shipowners.
Mr. John Foster, Belgium Consul; Mr. John Richard-
son, dentist; Mr. William Irving, ilax-dresser; and Mr.
Scholey, tailor, sp,ke in approval or the amendment.
The original resolution was carried by four•fifths of
the meeting, the numbers at which did not at any time
exceed three hundred; amongst whom there was not
many shipowners, only a few captains, and scarcely one
blue jacket. The principal portion of the auditory
were dock-side labourers, lumpers, a few carpenters,
and the usual idlers that mostly attend public meetings.
The meeting, although discursive and various in
opinion, would have ended without ill-feeling, had not
Mr. HASSELL, in replying, forgot himself so far as
to lose nut only his temper but his manners, by using
the word " lie.'
Mr. J. HAnwoon, however, with his usual dexterity
on such:occasions caused all to end peaceably.

HULL, MONDAY, HALF PAST SIX.—At length the
Mayor, Aldermen, and Commo❑ Councillors, have had
a meeting, and the telegraph has been put in requisi-
tion to know if Prince Albert will receive a loyal address
from them. '1 hey meet again to-morrow at ten o'clock
to arra+ ge the ffiir. We would report progress, but
understand they meet in a private room, nut in their
Hall of Council; perhaps this is the reason we have only
just heard of this, their eleventh hour's doing.