The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-10 00:00:00

ELECTION MOVEMENTS.

CITY OF LONDON.

On Thursday a large and influential meeting of the
electors of the city of London was held at Anderson's I
Hotel, Fleet-street. Mr. William Carpenter presided
There were present Mr. Pattison, M.P., Sir William
Molesworth, Bart., M.P., Baron Rothschild, Sir George
Lupine Bart., Mr. D. Salumens, Mr. J. Travers, Mr.
J. Gurney, Mr. J. Lew., Mr. William Hawes, and a
great number of the Court of Aldermen and dommun
Council, and influential gentlemen. The room was
' crowded to cuff -cation.
The CHAIRMAN having opened the proceedings by
bride' adverting to the object of the meeting, which he
t said was to enable the canuidates for the next election
to explain the grounds on which they seek the suffrages
of the electors at the ensuing election,
Mr. Parrssost rose. He said that as their present
representative perhaps he had better address them first.
He did not know that he could say much. He had been
their representative for ten and a half years, and his
votes were before there. Whenever he had been called
upon to give a vote, or to speak on religious subjects, he
had always given it in favour of civil and religious
liberty. With respect to the ballot, he hoped that in the
next Parliament it would be made an open question
He was every day more convinced of the necessity ot
some change in that respect, as it was only that day that
a person told him that he had lost a gentleman's custom
of mere than 1001. per year through voting for a person
against his will. He (Mr. Paulson) hoped his past
votes would he a guarantee for the future. With re
apect to the suffrage, he would vote tor the fullest ex-
tension of the household suffrage, but he could not say
that he would go to the futlest extent at present with
the suffrage.—(Hear, hear.)
Baron ROTHSCHILD said, he thought that general
pledges were better than any specific pledge. He eh-
jected to specific pledges. Their inutility had been
clearly shown in the last session of Parliament. He
should be happy to answer any questions which might be
put to him, and this he thought was the best way of eli-
citirg a knowledge of his intentions. With regard to the
suffrage, a question which had been mooted by the pre-
vious speaker, he should certainly vote for any possible
extension of the rights conferred by the Reform Bill.
He would not say that he could further extend its opera-
tion at pre ent, bat the should do so whenever he
found that it could safely be done. On the subject of
taxation he thought that any reduction of the revenue
of the country which a better apportionment of the na-
tional burdens might require, could be soon made up, as
the resources of the country were so great. He cer-
tainty preferred direet taxation to the present indirect
taxes on commodities in general use. He would support
any measure that aught be brought forward for a re-
duction of the duties on tea, for he considered tr.at the
tea duties pressed very heavily on the poorer classes, and
certainly ought to be abolished. On the subject of civil
and religious liberty he considered that there
ought not to be any intervention by the State to
restrict perfect liberty of conscience. During the past
year the Government had broken through the prescribse
bounds, and of course it would require time to see
how such an experiment would wot k. With respect to
greets and endowtmints for religious purposes, he thought
that circumstances might occur where it might be neces-
. 3ary to concede giants. The subject was a very delicate,
• one with him, and therefore he would not say any more
on that point. With regard to free trade he should
certainly support its full developasent. He did not
think that the strongest Pretecti..nists would cay that
we could in the difficulty which be hoped we had just got
over, have supported tne people for any length of time, if
we had not been supplied with corn from foreign couti-
esees.--(Hear, hear.) He concluded by saying that he
hoped that he should have the support of the meeting et
the ensuing election.—(Loud cheers.)
In answer to a question Baron ROTHSCHILD said, that
he thought the state of the Excht quer would not allow
the repeal of the income-tax at present.
Sir GEORGE LARPENT, Bart., said he rose with con-
siderable difficulty after the two gentlemen who had
preceded him. He hoped, however, he was sufficiently
known to the gentlemen present to claim a patient hear-
ing.—(Hear.) On the subject of the suffrage he
thought that every difficulty ought to be removed,
and that every person who gas intended to have
been enfranchised by the Reform Bill ought to enjoy
that privilege, and not be kept out of his vote, and dis-
qualified by any subterfuge. He would vote fur the
extension of the franchise as far as it was safe to extend
it at the present time with prudence. On the subject
of taxation, he could only say that he had been chair-
men of the committee on the income-tax in the City.
He had seen the working of that tax, which pressed very
heavily on the working classes. He regretted to see that
it was likely to be made a permanent tax. On the sub-
ject of the tea duties, he begged to assure the meeting
that he had taken a great interest in it; he had urged on
both Lord John Russell and Sir Robert Peel the cruelty
.of this tax on the poorer classes; he believed that they
were both impressed with the necessity, but the state of
the Exchequer would not then admit of a repeal. If he
were returned, he would endeavour to procure an altera-
tion in the Customs and Excise laws. After adverting
to the subject of free trade and some minor matters, the
speaker sat down.
Mr. LEE would ask the gentlemen their opinions and
intentions with regard to the window duties.
Mr. Perrnsoe would vote for the abolition of the tax,
which he considered pressed very heavily on the poor.
Baron ROTHSCHILD would do the same.
Sir G. LARPENT would vote for the abolition if a sub-
stitute could be found.
Mr. WILLIAMS (Common Councilman)—lf it was the
intention of the Government to endow the Roman Ca-
tholic Church, how would the gentlemen vote?
Mr. PATTISoN would oppose it.
Baron ROTHSCHILD would oppose any endowment
tailless it was extended to every sect.
Sir G. LARPENT would never consent to endow any
church unless ureter very peculiar circumstances.
Mr. GALLoWAY, having heard with satisfaction the
declaration of the Liberal eandtc'stes, would propose a
resolution for tee consideration of the meeting, when
The CHAIRMAN sail, that as he observed Mr. Alder
1113/1, Johnson present, it would only be :air to give that
gentleman an opportunity of addressing the assembled
electors.—(Cheers.)
Mr. Alderman JOHNSON would not waste their time.
• lie liked plain dealing and sincerity; he had beet. a man
of candour all his life, and he honestly told his three
friends opposite that he woull go to the poll, and fight
them to the lase—(Cheers.)
An ELECTOR—WiII you support any motion for the
reform of the Corporation of London?
/tr. Alderman JOHNSON—No, I will not.—(Hear.)
e' , -Now-don't mistake me; I den's want to have your votes
is; if you ,lon't like it. I say that the city of London is
tbe only corporation in the country that dues not require
err reform.—(Shouts of laughter). I say it again, fearless
of the conssquences.—(llear, and cheers.) Thank God,
your diabolieal Reform Act, one of the worst Bills that
was ever passed—(klear, cheers, and laughter)—has
e not been able to destroy the privileges of the City of
London. I have lived in it from my boyhood, and I ask
if there's any °tilt!. place where the people have the
power of electin s their own magistrates ? Why I can
go down, if I like, to my own borough of Plymouth
and put up for mayor; and if I please I can be made
mayor of the borough or mayor of anything else.—
(Great laughter.) Before a man can be made Lord
.Mayor he must go before the L very and obtain the
suffrages of his fellow-citisens, which is a delightful deal
teetter than the operation of your Reform Bill, because
if he is of doubtful character you have an opportunity
- of rejecting him. Look at my friend Mr. Salomons, he
was elected by the people, though he could not take his
seat ; and I hope the law will be altered, to give him
esqual privileges with the rest of us.—(Cheers.)
A Voice—That is the best thing you have said to-night.
Alderman JOHNSON—No, it is not, I don't think so.—
(Great laughter.) I've told you my sentiments; I shall
' stick to them, you may depend on it. You shan't find
any deceit in me. If any man wishes to ask me a ques-
tion he shall have a straightforward answer. The worthy
.Alderman here resumed his seat, amidst a burst of un-
eeontrollable merriment.
Mr. BOYLE thdught the meeting had heard quite
enough of Mr. Johnson's views to enable them to make
up th.eir minds as to his fitness to represent them in
Parliainen t.—(Cheers.) The worthy Alderman was
engage' in a great work at Plymouth; would he employ,
to superintend ;it, a man who was not only averse to
the task, but who had prophesied that the work would
hear.) He would not detain them, for
.further remark was needless, but at once propose the ful-
lowing resolution
That this meeting is of opinion that Mr. Alderman
Johnson's views are not such as to entitle him to the
confidence of the
Mr. J. Lxvy electors of the city of London."
seconded the motion.
hi A GENTLEMAN pt.
'l4 meases he could obtainJohnson,because, a knowledge of the real views of
Saturday
es.* lane, ho declared that although he hnaigdhot'ncine bßeerindea
s; Tory, yet
le anxious to see the full meansegee: oaf party man, and was
the Reform Bill, placed within franchise, promised by
es.—
(Hear, and cheers.) What was
ptroheiFel hdi°,nteailel etlha: case?
Was he to appeal from the
to the Philip now present gAerisd'eremeaaini
ter.) ma
serious to the al :,•rman merry
?frlpneLoaftunCe:
efra
Johnson had et' course vertect right to g
the electors in a double cheracter. as he 1121352;
wiliing to take the consequ, noes ; and What these woulde
' • ,be it needed no gift ef prophecy to foretel. He would
eoFdially support the res,lmiun.
the question was then put and carried without a
single dissentient.
mr. J. A. GAL ewer then moved, after a brief but
emphatic introduction, the next resolution, which was as
follows:
" That having heard Mr. Pa'tison, Baron Rothschild,
and Sir George Larpent, expound their opinions upon
the various subjects that are at present betore the pub-
lic, and those likely to be brought forward during the
next Parliament, and these opinions and sentiments
.being in accordance with those of this club, we pledge
ourselves to support the above gentlemen' together with
Lord John Russell, at the ensuing election."
Mr. DEAN seconded the motion, which was adopted
without a single dissentient vice.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed the health of Sir
William Molesworth, which was received with much
applause.

yir
NlTullam MOLESWORTH replied, and in comment-
ng upon the claims which the four Liberal candidates
itad upon the electors of the City, took occasion to
a avert in eloquent terms to the peculiar position of
B 'axon Rothschild, who came forward as the representa-
tir of a great principle—the universal toleration of
reL 'gious opinions.—(Cheers.) He felt satisfied that no
-bet, or choice than the gentlemen who stood before them
cola t have been made, and cordially wished that they
migh t triumph in the ensuing contest.
Sew vinyl cther questions having been asked and sans-
factoric, mof wed,. a vote of thanks to the Chairman
dosed t he' ie"9"ciii2gs.