The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-27 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EV_ENINCT, JANUARY 275_ 1847.

COURT OF ALDERMEN.

Yesterday a Court was held specially, to consider a
motion by Alderman numphery—" That the Remem-
brancer be directed to prepare a petition to Parliament
for a Bill to alter and amend the Act of the 11 th of
George I. cap. 18, for regulating elections within the
City of London, with a view, amongst other things, to
extend the elective franchise in the election of aldermen
and common councilmen. The Court was numerously
attended.

THE NEW ELECTION OF FARRINGDON WITHOUT WARD.
Sir JAMES DUKE is presenting the return of the new
election for the ward of Farringdon Without, the for-
mer election having been vitiated by the wrong casting
of the poll, and other matters connected with the neces-
sary forms, said he was desired by the wardmote to ex-
press their dissent from the decision of the Court of
Aldermen, and their feeling that the common councilmen
had been treated with indecorum by that Court, and by
the Recorder.
Alderman FAREBROTHER asked whether that state-
ment constituted part of the return?
Sir JAMES DUKE replied, that he spoke as a member
of that Court. His constituents complained that they
had not been heard.
Alderman HUGHES HUGHES said that the consti-
tuency had no ground for complaint, as the Court of
Aldermen could not by any possibility arrive at any
other decision.
The LORD MAYOR denied that the gentlemen of the
ward had been treated with any disrespect, either by the
Recorder or the members of that Court.
[lt is proper to state that the Recorder did all he
could at the last Court to induce the members to allow
the counsel for all parties to speak to the subject before
the Court, but without success.]
Sir PETER LAURIE hoped the complaint would be a
lesson to the Court to give the parties interested an op-
portunity of being heard, by adjourning the decision
upon such a return.
Alderman HUGHES HUGHES observed that the court
were bound to correct any manifest error as soon as they
discovered it.
Alderman SIDNEY called upon Sir James Duke to ex-
plain a statement which he had made at the wardmote to
the prejudice of the Court of Aldermen, that some of the
members bad been canvassed by others to throw out the
return, and that they were glad to gratify a secret ani-
mosity to Sir James Duke's ward. Sir James had stated
that his informant was a member of the court.
Alderman COPELAND hoped Sir James Duke would
have the manliness to name the Alderman who had made
such a statement.

Sir JAMES DUKE explained, that his statements to his
constituents had been misunderstood. He had said that
the moment one of the Aldermen looked at the return, ho
declared it must be thrown out.
Alderman HUGHES HUGHES remarked that the defect
was not known fill the return was presented to the
Court.

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some evidence
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ht the o de
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the
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mfAreoldqtieuvreemnsteanetiterweibtoilluotld be placed, if they were subjected to
had heard bitter invectives uttered
against Membe
the Court, and even villanous
cm, on account of their opinions
and decision on't e matter, act being, that the
Court could legally 'cisme to ii Anther conclusion than
that at which they hildifirrired.-PTear, hear.)
The subject was theft dropped h 4
ENLARGEMENT OF THE ELEeTIE rnANcrusE.
Alderman HU3IPITEIN 'rose to iiibmit to the Court the
motion of which he had given niitice, and for the dis-
cussion of which the Court had been specially summoned.
His object was, he said, to go to Parliament for the
power of extending the franchise of the election of Alder-
men and Common Councilmen. There seemed to
exist amongst some of his fellow-citizens, a
decided impression that if the Corporation, or
any part of it, went to Parliament, a death-blow
would be dealt upon its privileges. He did not believe
my such thing. On the contrary, he thought that if the
the corporation applied with an unanimous feeling to
Parliament, the most attentive and respectful conside-
ration would be given to the aject of its application.—
(Hear, hear.) His object was, to alter and amend so
much of the Act of George the First as would enable
those who paid the largest amount of rates and taxes,
and contributed most largely to the support of the
wealthy character of the city, to have a voice is the elec-
tion of aldermen and common councilmen. As the law
at present stood, the voters must not only keep houses
or warehouses, and pay scot and bear lot, but they must
sleep, either by themselves or their servants, within the
wards. He recollected that when he presided at the
election for aldermen in the ward of Bread-street, he
had had experience of that doctrine having been observed,
the rejection of the rotes of many of the most respect-
able and influential men on that occasion, because they
could not prove the fast of their skeping in the
,vard. Such a system inevitably threw upon men
who ought not to have such an authority the power of
electing whom they might prefer, thus leaving the su-
perior classes in the ward unrepresented. Now, his
intention was to throw open the franchise to all persons
paying scot and bearing lot in the city of London,
whether they were freemen or not.—(Hear, hear.)
There were in all the wards individuals who were not
free, and who would not be free, but they bore the great
burden of the City taxation, and no one in his sense,
could at this time of day say that they were not entitled
to votes in the election of those who were to impose

taxes upon them. Generally speaking the merchants
were free, but they were exempted from the privilege of
voting because they thought it was advisable to sleep in
the suburbs after the toils of the day.—(hear, hear.), He
wished to establish the constituency of the Aldermen
and the Common Councilmen upon the basis of the ex-
isting parliamentary constituency. Ile proposed, too, to
limit the duration of election for members of the two courts
upon the parliamentary principle of the Reform Bill.
The present Lord Mayor had witnessed in the case of his
election, the- inconvenience and annoyance of an eight
days' poll, when the business could have been accom-
ilelaaLied as effectively in one day. Tho election of Com-
mon Councilmen, which occupied, in the event of a con-
test, three days, it would be also necessary
pg.o—we(rHoefare,lechteinagr.)AldNeormw,en,inatso
well as
.to limit to
fall, if the present practice woreueatnlhelieinl m e n
now discontinued r In the ward of Farringdon Without,
onechao hands
Common
aosYvn'os i
Cu
od
there were 180 licensed victuallers, all of whom had
votes, and they could by their votes and influence, which
was considerable, and claim whatever candidates they
pitched upon to the Court of Common Council. These
licensed victuallers, if the Act were not altered and
amended, would by and by return members to the Court
of Aldermen, as well as to the other Court. There were,
he believer', 1,000 licensed victuallers in the city of Lon-
don, and if the change were not made in compliance with
the demands and spirit of the times, to these individuals
would devolve the power of supplying the Cor-
poration of London with representatives, of the vast
wealth and power of this great city.—(llear, hear,
and
a laugh.) Now that would be a state of
thing-enot
likely to find advocates in the Court of Aldermen. In-
effectual atternr is had been made ti compel wholesale
dealers to take up their freedom, and it appsared to the
authorities of the Corporation, to be too hard to U5O
compulsory means with the retail dealers, after such an
issue. 'I he constituency, then, must soon be narrowed
in an extreme degree, if the means he proposed for
extending it were not adopted. It was idle to talk of
the danger of the sacrifice of the privileges of the Core
poration upon coming in contact with Lord Brougham in
the House of Lords, and Mr. Williams in the House of
Commons.—(A laugh.) He had no apprehension of the
stability of the Corporation, if they would only go
along with the spirit of the times.—(Hear, hear.) The
Court of Common Council was naturally anxious to
have the privilege of keeping their establishments in
the City, and to sleep oat of town. To that position
he subscribed—(lkar, hear)—but the existing law
prohibited
it. The Bill he was desirous to introduce
to Parliament would quite put an end to that pro-
hibition, and place the Common Council and
the constituency on a level as to privileges. The Com-
mon Council, he believed, were anxious tha touch should
be the case, but they were frightened at their own
shadows the moment Parliament was spoken of, and still
without going to Parliament nothing could be done.—
(Hear, har.) Alderman Humphrey who was listened
to throughout without marked attention, then read the
motion as above.
Alderman HuottEs linGuns suggested the propriety
of submitting a question of so much importance to a
committee to inquire into the expediency of an applica-
tion to Parliament.
Alderman WILSON seconded Alderman Humphery's
proposition. All parties had, he said, agreed that the
time had arrived for an application to Parliament
for the reform of a portion of London, which had,
notwithstanding all that had been threatened and
promised and predicted, ever since the Reform Bill
had passed Parliament, never undergone any
reform at all.—(Hear, hear.) Of late an attempt
had been made in the Court of Common Council, but
they had evidently begun at the wrong end by bringing
in a Bill to alloy the representatives to live out of the
city. It would be very well to introduce that privilege
after the production of other reforms more pressing
ergency. There should be alterations affecting the
conservancy of the river, the improvement of the city and
of the police, and many other matters, the manage-
ment of which, made the Corporation of London the
laughing stock of the world.—(Laughter below the bar.)
It was an absurd and fatal jealousy which interfered with
the power to render the two bodies of the corporation
effective, and largely beneficial to the community, pos-
sessing as they did the elements of good.—(Hear, hear.)
He concurred in the proposition that the franchise ought
to be enlarged. The only doubt which came across his
mind related to those cases in which individuals
paid acs/. each for their freedom.—(Hear, hear.) He
believed, however, that there was a remedy applicable to
that condition.—(llear, hear.) There were some
alarmists who said, that if the corporation went to Par-
liament their charters would become a dead letter, and
it would become the counterpart of the other municipal
institutions of the country.
A VOICE—And
why not?
Alderman Wiesost—The question was fairly asked,
Why not? He would rather see the City corporation
like one of those which had been mentioned than see it
what it had been for a long time, and what it was at
present—the ridicule of the whole country.—(Laughter
below the bar.) The Alderman concluded by saying,
that as Alderman Hum her was an uniform supporter
of the present Government, he would procure the con-
currence of the head of it on the present object, and
use every exertion of which he was capable to advance
so impertant a step to corporate reform.—(Hear.)
Alderman HUGHES HUGHES said ho should move an
amendment, that a committee of the whole court be ap-
poin seck to consider the expediency of directing the
Pen ienalerancer to bring a Bill into Parliament for the
purl ioso stated by Alderman Humphrey. He thought
that so important a measure ought to be preceded by a
corn 4fittee. He believed the time had arrived when it
it al twid be made apparent to the public, that whatever

might be the opinion entertained by the country, the .
Court of Aldermen was not the court to object to an ap-
plication to Parliament for improvement in its constitu-
tion.---:(Hear, hear.) Some people might have disagree-
able forebodings, but he had a firm belief upon being
fairly treated in Parliament.
Sir P. LAURIE seconded Alderman Hughes Hughes'
amendment. He did not believe there was any
necessity for going to Parliament, and he had every
reliance upon the discretion and zeal of the Court of
Common Council, who were perfectly justified in bring-
ing forward the measure to which such unreasonable
objection had been made in the Court of Aldermen.
With respect to the duration of the poll he did not see
how the constituency would bo benefited by limiting the
time of elections. The period occupied in a contest
gave the constituency an 'opportunity of ascertaining the
foundation of objections to the candidates, and there
were instances in which two very queer characters would
have been sheriffs, if it had not been for the inquiry
which the Livery were enabled to make by the duration
of the poll into the merits of the candidates.—(Hear,
hear, and a cry of "We all remember that," and
laughter.) It would be very desirable to adjourn the
subject under discussion, until the result of the reference
to the committee, and the whole Court of Common
Council, should be known.
Alderman Wool) showed that there existed a strong
necessity for going to Parliament as speedily as possible,
for the purpose stated in the proposition of Alderman
Humphery had intimated the fact that, several years
ago, he had brought forward the question, amongst
others, involving the principal details connected with
corporation reform.
Alderman COPELAND supported the original motion.
A committee would inevitably cause delay, and delays
are, in so vital a case, dangerous.
Alderman THOMPSON also supported the original mo-
tion, but was of opinion that the Bill, when brought in
by the Remembrancer, should undergo in all its clauses
the most vigilant examination:
The amendment of Alderman Hughes Hughes was
then negatived by a majority of 12 to 5.
Sir CHAPMAN MARSHALL then moved as an amend-
ment the previous question, which was at once nega-
tived, only one hand having been held up for it.
Alderman lIUMPEIERY'S motion, with the addition
suggested by Alderman TeioeirsoN, that the Bill be
prepared by the Remembrancer, under the direction of
seven aldermen, was then adopted, no more than one
hand having been held up against it.
, The Court then adjourned.
There were several members of the Court of Common
Council present, and they expressed in very plain lan-
guage their astonishment at the radical change exhibited
in the discussion of matters on which the Court had
been long accustomed to deliver opinions diametrically
opposite.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
LIVERPOOL, JANUARY 26. _

STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales 'are —Birkenhead, Lancashire, and
Cheshire, Gs. ad. p.—Birmingham and Dudley, 5 p.—Birmingham
and Oxford, 91i, p.—Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham, It. Bs. 9J.
p.—Clrster and Birkenhead, 201. Skares, par--Eastern Counties,
Perpetual, 7%—East Lancashire, New, 2 p.—Ditto, New Scrip,
I p.—East Lincolnshire, 1% p.—Glas;ow a1..,(1 Greenock, 20—
Great Northern (Nos. Ito 108,000). p.—Huddersflcld and Man-
chester, 3 p.—Lancaster and Preston, 91,,i p.—Leeds and Thirak,
3 dis.—Ditto, Preference, 1/. 3s. 9d. p.—Liverpool, Crosby, and
Southport, 2 p.—Liverpool and Newcastle Junction, dis.—London
and North-Westcni, 191—Ditto, Quarters, New, 11% p.—London,
Manchester, and Birmingham, Quarters, New (B), 7IA p.— London
and York, 1 p.—Ditto, Direct Northern, Is. 3d. p.—Manchester
and Leeds, 24 p.—Ditto, Extension, 235. 9d. p.—Manchester and
Southampton, Gs. 3d. dis.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 20/,
Shares, 1 3 dis.—Midland Stock, 124—Ditto, 40/. Shares, 6sy p.—
Ditto, New, 41/,f, p.—Ditto (Birmingham and Derby), 100—North
Staffordshire, 2% p.—Preston and `Pyre, Halves (B), p.—lloy-
ston and Hitchin, % p.—Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), 11,4 p.
—Ditto (B), p.—South-Eastern and Dover, Thirds, IA p.—West
Biding Union, 13s. 94. p.—York and Newcastle, New, 7 p.—York
and North Midland, Preference, 10!i p.—Newry and Warrenpoint,

TUESDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE

LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S-OFFICE, JAN. 25, 1847.
Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty will hold Levees,
at St. James's Palace, on the following days, at two o'clock :
—Friday, 12th February next; Wednesday, 24th February
next.

N.B. The Knights of the several Orders are to appear in
their Collars at the Levee on the 24th February, it being a
Collar-day.
REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED AT THE QUEEN'S

LEVEES, AT ST. JAMES'S PALACE.
The Noblemen and Gentlemen who purpose to attend her
Majesty's Levees, at St. James's Palace, are requested to
bring with them two large cards, with their names clearly
written therein, one to be left with the Queen's Page in at-
tendance in the Presence-chamber, and the other to be de-
livered to the Lord Chamberlain, who will announce the name
to her Majesty.

Those gentlemen who are to be presented are hereby in-
formed, it is absolutely necessary that their names, with the
name of the Nobleman or Gentleman who is to present
them, should be sent to the Lord Chamberlain's-office,
on the Wednesday previous to the Levee on the
12th February, and on the Monday previous to the
Levee on the 24th February, on either day before twelve
o'clock, in order that they may be submitted for the Queen's
approbation • it being her Majesty's command that no pre-
sentation shall be made at the Levees but in conformity
with the above regulations.
It is particularly requested that in every case the names
be very distinctly written upon the cards to be delivered to
the Lord Chamberlain, in order that there may be no diffi-
culty in announcing them to the Queen.
The state apartments will not be open for the reception of
company coming to Court until half. past one o'clock.
Notice is hereby given, that all persons, having petitions
or addresses to present to her Majesty at the Levees, are to
write on two cards, with their names, a statement of the
object of such petitions or addresses, and the names
of the persons from whom they come; one card to be
delivered to the Page in the ante-room, and the other to
the Lord Chamberlain, who will read its contents, at the
time of presentation to her Majesty ; and, on these occa-
sions, no other statement is to be addressed to her Majesty.
A deputation to present an address is not to exceed four
persona!
LORD CIIAMBEBLAIN'S-OFFICE, JAN. 25.

Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty will hold a Draw-
ing Room, at St. James's Palace, on Thursday, the 25th of
March Next, at two o'clock.
N.B. The Knights of the several Orders are to appear in
their Collars, it being a Collar-day.
REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED AT THE