The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-09 00:00:00

CITY REGISTRATION.

The City of London licgiitration Committee have
made a Rrport of their labours for the List registration, of
which the following is an abstract :

Regretting the defects, but nevertheless keeping in view
the real and honest purposes of the Reform Act, the Com-
mittee have, as always, sought rather to maintain and im-
prove the rights awarded to the constituent body, than to
contest the franchise of any of their fellow-citizens under
shelter of the technicalities of law, or of quibliles in its
construction; and this may be seen b✓ the fact, that in the
years 1838 and 1839, the Revising Barrister held the
qualification of solicitors as holding " offices" to be im-
perfect, on the ground that the word " office" was not a
term of qualification in the Act, an objection which, if the
Committee had acted upon it at the present time, might,
it was suggested, have been urged successfully against
many of their opponents in that respectable and influential
class of society. The Committee, however, determined
to make no such objections, but to follJw the spirit rather
than the letter of the Act ; and they do not, repent of
having adopted th s course, the Revising Barrister having
this year, contrary to every expectation, deterni;ned that
such votes were good and allowed them accordingly.
The following result, the Committee trust, will show
their labours in a clear and satis'actory manner :

Claims—Liberal, 90 allowed, 23 failed ; Tory 45 al-
lowed, 48 failed.

Objections—Liberal, 97 sustained, 33 failed ;; Tcry,
342 sustained, 2.55 failed.

Amongst other matters, the " notices" of objeetion
made by the Tories to the votes of the Liberal party (the
validity of which is disputed by the Committee, us not
containing ;the objector's place of abode), have attracted
much astention ; and there is certainly good ground to
believe that all such notices are bad, in which belief the
Committee are supported by the opinion of Coun,el, which
they thought it right to take upon the subject. The Com-
mittee, after making three unsuccessful attempts to estab-
lish their own views, of course abandoned the point; but
they recommend that, in the event of any electiu, founded
upon the present registry, the votes struck oil by virtue of
these objections should lics tendered upon proper evidence,
as they think the " notices" of objections would be pro-
nounced invalid before a Committee of the House of Com-
mons, if ally reference were made to that tribunal.
Upon a fair review of their whole labours, the Com-
mittee think they may congratulate the constituency upon
the present state of the register : at the first sight 'of which
it would appear, perhaps, that the Tories had gained an
advantage upo❑ the present revision, but a careful compa-
rison with the register of the year 1837, and the voes
given thereupon in the general election of that yesr, will
gugge-t u very daerent conclusion. Thus of the 439
votes now struck off by the " objections" of both p
SI only voted at that election, and of these 50 were Re-
formers, and 31 'furies. So fir, it is true, there i. a
majority of 19 in favour of the Tories ; but on the other
ha'id, the Reformers have established 45 mole "
than their opponents, which really leaves a net balance of
.26 in their favour.
This small amount :he Committee admit to be of little
importance in a constituency of such large numbers; but
It is an answer to those who are so loud in their vauntings
of the " spread of Conservatism," as well as a proof that
sound and rational principles, instead of being on the de-
cline, are still appreciated and maintained by the citizens
of London.

The following statement, also tending to the same con.
viction, will further elucidate the subject :
Il.egii..tcr of No. of Livery. floushholders. Total Constit.

1837 9,005 10,673
1840 8,139 10,028

19,678
19,067

BG6 d:er, 255 incr. 611 decr.
By this latter table, which the Committee recommend
to earnest attention, it will be perceived that sine., the
year 1837 the Livery, that "stumbling-block to improve-
ment," as may be traced by its influence in its palmy days
of exclusive power, is gradually melting away, whilst the
Householders, who in London, not less than elsewhere,
have proved the salvAion of the country, arc upon the in_
crease. Tile register of electors is, however, far from
complete, and a large field is still open fur exertion, to
tivate which, the constituney should not remain idle.
By order of the Committee,
Dcc. 31, 1340. JOHN TRAVERS, Chairman.