The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-18 00:00:00

MUNICIPAL ItLFORM,q.

Yesterday evening an adjourned public meeting
was held at the New Court, Old Bailey, to take into
consideration the question of municipal reform ; Sir
Jarn.2s Duke in the chair.

On the platform were Alderman Sir J. Key, Al-
derman Sir George Carroll, Alderman Sidney, M.P.,
the Common Sergeant, Mr. Commissioner Bullock,
Mr. J. Toulmiu Smith, and a large number of mem-
bers of the Common Council.

Mr. PULLING entered at some length into an expo-
sition of the laws regulating the affairs of the City.
Referring to those which he contended pressed se-
verely upon the citizens he moved the following reso-
lution :—" That various Acts of Parliament having
interfered with the discharge of several of the rights
and duties of the members of the corporation of Lon-
don, it is necessary to take prompt steps to procure
the entire repeal of all such Acts of Parliament, and
especially of a certain Act of Parliament passed in
the 11 th year of the reign of George 1., and of
all Acts founded upon or having reference to that
Act."

Mr. ACKLAND, in seconding the resolution, con-
tended that the Act alluded to needlessly and mis-
chievously interfered with local legislation. The Act
of 1725—the first Act of interference—was obtained
on the application of a small portion of the alderinanie
body in defiance of the wishes of the great majority
of the citizens. The preamble of that Act alleged as
the necessity for its introduction the numerous dis-
putes which took place at elections, but the allegation
was false. The fact was, that the free citizens of
London claimed the right to vote at elections—a right
which had been conferred upon them from the earliest
times ; and the aldermen, at least 15 of them, con-
ceiving that they ought not to be allowed to exercise
that right, endeavoured to prevent them from doing
so; and when they could not do it by the means
placed et their disposal, they went to the Legislature
and got the Act of Parliament in question.
The Act passed last session, so far as its electoral
character was concerned, took the place of the Act of
1725. That Act was asked for by the corporation
of London on the face of the reports of numerous
committees, which instead of advising the corporation
to apply fur any such Act, recommended that they
should at once demand the repeal of the Act of 1725,
which was, to say the least of it, trifling with the
rights of the citizens of London.
After some remarks from Mr. Deputy BEDFORD,
the resolution was passed nom:con.
Mr. T. SMITH remarked, that the next resolution
to he proposed referred to measures which seemed
best calculated to maintain the integrity of the corpo.
ration of London and the general interests of the
nation. It was one of great importance and would
involve much discussion. Ile would, therefore, pro-
pose the adjournment of the meeting until Wed-
nesday.
This was agreed to, and after the usual compliment
to the chairman the meeting separated.

THE LONDON SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—
Last evening this society performed liandel's oratorio,
Joshua. Exeter-hall was well filled, showing that the
competition between this society and its rival has not
diminished the music-loving appetite of the public. The
principal singers were Miss Birch, Miss Stewart, Miss
lieunetb, Mr. Benson, and Mr. Lawler; atd the chorus
was extremely strong. The whole performance went
off very well, so much so, as to show that this society,
stimulatc.el by rivalry, can assert its claims to a high
consideration with amateurs. In consequence of the
recent death of Queen Adelaide, the orchestra and the
side galleries were bung with black cloth.