The Sun.
London, England, 1823-06-11 00:00:00

COURT OP COMMON COUNCIL.

A Court of Common Council was yesterday
held at Guildhall to 'pike into consideration ct the propriety of
contributing out of the city cash such a sum as may be expe-
dient, in behalf of the brave and .auffering people of the Pen-
insula of Europe; and which may assist them tolriumph ef-
fectually over the unprincipled invasion of.their country by the
ambitious Bourbon Government of France, which.invasion not
only militates against the principles of the British Constitution,
hot the 'very. existence of civil society."'
The Lott". MAYou took-the Chair at a few-minutes after
LI o'clock.
Mr. Altierniarf Woop. said, that he understood that certain
distinguished l*Memen and Members of Parliament were that
day coming to the Court to present to it a petition, He there-
fore moved . that they should be al:Jolted to take seats-on the
Bench of Aldermen.
Sir B. C. Gtxx seconded the motion. Itwas then put and
.carried Unanimously.
Lord 'Erskine, Lord Milton, Mrc.Tohn:Smitli,
Mr. W.. Evan?, 314.0. Tennyson, and Mr. Hobliouse, then
took their seats,pn the Bench of the Ahlernreit.

. ..
Mist,. GREEK CAUSE.
Mr. Aldertnari.Wo64,preB&itedtO the Court a.petition from.
several Noblemen and Gentlemen, who had formed themselves
into; a Committoe, for the purpose of assisting the Greeks in;
tbeit_Present struggle for independence, praying that the Court
would please to give them its assistance in torwarding:the great
and holy etsuae which they had undertaken. to promote, Ile
should first of all ask the Court to receive the petition, and
after it was received, he should move that it he referred to the
Committee of General Purposes. He trusted that, us soori,as
the Committe„e agreed upon their report, they would communi-
cate the fact to his Lordship ; and if they did, so, he had no
doubt but his Lordship would fix an early day fer its being
taken into. consideration by, that Court. He then moved that
the petition should be brought up and read.
After "'he reading of the petition was concluded,
The Lono.MAYou. aisVd the Committee, whether they
wished . to make any observations in addition to those which
were contained in their petition ?,
Lord ER/MINE replied, that after the statement made by
ins Hon. Friend, the Worthy Alderman who presented the
petition, he felt it to be perfectly unnecessary to offer any ob.
servations to the Court. He should leave the subject to speak
for itself, well knowing that every man who was possessed of
feeling must feel deeply interested upon it. He then read
the circular letter issued by the Greek Coninehtee, and atter
concluding it, expressett.the Satisfaction he experienced as a
eitizen of London, in addressing so respectable a body of his
fellow citizens. .
_
Mr. Alderman Woori then moved, that the petition be re-
ferral tothe Committee of' General Purposes.
Mr. Iluncomuts. seconded the motion, anti expressed a hope
that the Committee would give as much relief to the Greeks as
the finances of the c'.ty could possibly allow.
Mr. DODSFOILID was of opinion that the Court then assem-
bled was competent to take the petition into inimediate con.
sideration. As the subject was mentioned , in the summons
that each Menthes had received, he thought that there was no
need of submitting it in the first instanse to the consideration
of a Committee. lie therefore moved as an amendment, that
the Court immediately, proceed to consider the petition presented
to it.
The LORD Mayon was understood, to suggest that it was
not consistent with the standing orders of the Coutt to proceed
instautcr to the consideration of any petition that called for a
grant of money.
Mr. GaLtotrair said, that as the discussion of the Spanish
question was likely to occupy 'the greater part of the day, it
-would be defeated, or at any rate would be much injured, it' the
Court went into any previous discussion into any other sub-
ject- Ile trusted that the Court would not depart from its
standing Order upon this occasion, especially as there was no
pressing necessity for the immediate consideration of the merits
Of the petition from the Greek Committee.
Mr. Jury thought that nobody could complain of being
taken by surprise on this subject, as there wag notice oh the
paper that this petition would be presented. He saw by the
public papers that it was the intention of the Greek Coin.
mittee to. call another public Meeting : now, it would give
to that Meeting great effect if the persons who convened it
should be able to state to it the sum subscribed by the Corpo-
ration orLondon. Besides, they ought to recollect" Ills, fiat,
girl (101 cito."
Mr. Alderman WAIT tni AN agsreed that there would be no
impropriety in suspending the standing order of the Court, if'
there were no other business before it. But the present was a
special Coart held for a specific purpose ' and be therefore
.thought it unwise to discuss at it another question of great im-
portance. The object of his lion. Friend, who hail moved to
refer,this petition to the Committee of General Purposes, was
to avoid all discussion upon it at present.
Mr. Alderman Woon said, that if the sentiments of the
Court were unanimous on the subject, he could have no ob.
jection to withdraw his first motion, and to move in lieu of
' 'it that 600/. be given to the. Greeks.—(Cries of " No, no—a
Committee.")
Mr. DoussronD then withdrew his amendment, and
The ItzfonnEn. was on the point of putting the question on
,the original proposition, when
Mr. OLDIIA;41 wished to know whether the Court intended
to enter into the consideration of the Report of the Bridge.
house Committee that day.
After a short discussion, in which the LORD MAYOR stated
Ws willingness to call a Court on Friday next, to consider the
report in question, which he conceived could not be discussed
.that day, until after the discussion of the subject on which the
Court ,was specially convened, the original motion was put
and carried without a division.
Lord Erskine, Lord Milton, and the other Members of the
,Dreek Committee, then quitted the Court.
LNDEPENDENCE OF SPA,IN.
The Requisition, on which the Lord Mayor had convened
.the Court of Common Council was then read s after which -
Mr. (lALLow,“ rose and addressed the Court. After some
, refatory remarlsa, he said he trusted that the Corporation of
1i
..ntion would set a patriotic, eicample to the whole of Ehgland,
y subscribing a portion of its fends in aid of' the suffering in,
habitants of Spain ; and sure he wag, that if it didso, its example
,would not long remain without many imitators. It had been
said that the trifling donations of the people of England could'
ive but little aid to the people of Spain ; btu that point he
begged leave tha one to dispute. He knew that the aid, which
,was rendered in time of peril was of tenfold value, because it
was rendered in season; and he likewise knew, that eager as
the, people of Spain were to perform, their duty in this time ,of
peril and necessity, nothing could encourage them, more in well.
doing than to see that the people of England not only sympae
'iltized in their cause, but were even ready to lend a helping
hand to their glorious endeavours to maintain their liberties.
Besides, he was of opinion that when France saw the moral
Spree of the people of England arrayed against her, she would
be discouraged in her atrocious projects ; and if so, an object
would be achieved greater than any which they could ,at that
moment contemplate with certainty lie knew that great hopes
bad once been entertained thet the French army would not dia.,
grace itself by perpetrating such outrages as they had- recently
seen perpetrated ' in Spain i but, unfortunately, experience
taught Liven that when men ofice took up the trade of soldiers,
they generally laid aside the adections of citizens. The French
army, contrary to, the hopes both of the people. of France and
,of Spain, had advanced into the Peninsula even to its very me-
tropolie ; but notwithatanding that circumstance he did not yield
' for one moment to despair. lie thought the policy of allow.l
ing the French army to entangle itself in the interior of that
country to be wise ttna prudent; because in the same degree
that French army advanced from its rooftrees' did the Spanish
army retreitt ninon tbetra.-,-4 Hear t ).•:-By suclia system of war,
fare, the Spanierds had formerly defeated Napoleon when he
was at • die auturnit of his veneer ; and he thought that 'they
could not.fail to meet'with similar success now that they were
.struggling against, those who, without a particle of his talents,
possessed all his athisition and desire of aggvandizement. The
' Invasion of Spaitt by ,Napoleon lion. Gentlemen had always
deprecated as unjust, thou 'h its object bad been to forcogood
laws down the-throats of the Spaniards. lie rmiat be wilfully
blind who did not see that the present invasion of Spain by 'the
Bourbons was at least eqnally unwarrantable, the object of it
being to force institutions upon the Spaniards that were incom-
patible with liberty, and were calculated to plunge them irre-
vocably into that abyss of superstition an ignorance from
which they had recently, and with so much success, endea-
Youred to extricate themselves. Ile therefore called upon the
people of' England, as they valued the blessings they enjoyed,
to come forward, and secure a portion of them to the breive and
heroic people of Spain. The Hon. Member then said, that
upon looking at the Journals of the Court he found, that in
'lBl4 R had voted LOW/. to the sufferers in Portugal ; that in
PIO i`t, had voted 2,0004 to the suffering Ruisians ; and in
.)81,1, .5251. to the sufferers in Germany. If at periods when
they were engaged in an extensive war,?and therefore could not
afford to he so liberal as they could be at the present moment,
they had shown such liberality towards nations which had been
outraged by the unjust aggressions of France, lie thought that
,they would not be Justified in showing less liberality to Spain
'at the present moment, when she, too, was suffering from the
unprovoked attack Of the same ambitious and unpto rincipled
power. Under these circumstances, he begged leave submit
to their consideration the following Resolutions.-4 Vide "'dyes • -
Mr . HANSARD said, he felt great pleasure in seconding the
motion. He was glad of any measure which could assist the
true,gles of that brave people, the Spaniards. They had ditr- J

,ing several centuries beer remarkatie for-the ardour with which
' they persevered in their struggles for liberty ; and though on
_many occasions their efforts bad not been crowned with the de-
',sired success, he hoped the case wcailli be alarm t maw, and that
they might soon be in a condition to shew to the nations of
Europe what they could do in their struggle for liberty. In
:referring to the history of Spain, for several centuries down to
;;the close of the 145th, it wiulei be found that theiSpanish people
had hven constantly, occupied in struggles against the usurpa-
tion of the Moors. When the bravery with which they fought
:ifor and recovered their country from the liantls of those infidels
was recollected, no person could despair of the state of Spanish
:.affairs in the present day. They were at this moment making
4a most heroic stand against their tyrannical invaders, and
they onlyiwanted the countenance of a great and free people
I.like those of England to prove themselves as brave as they
had hithorto been. Independently of the hopes to be founded
on the personal bravery of the Spaniards, great reliance
might also be placed on the very little which the French had
yet been able to achieve against them. It should be recollected
that they still possessed Andalusia on the south, Murcia and
Grenada on the east, Estremadura„ Leon, anti alicia on the
west. These were places of great importance, and into these the
French arms had not yet penetrated. When, lie repeated, the
Court recollected the brave stand made in their country's defence
on so many occasions, it would be admitted, thaenothing was
wanted by the Spaniards but the materiel of war, to enable
them to bring their present struggle to a glorious termination.
,This, he trusted, Would be in a great measure supplied by. the
generous sympathies of the British nation. It was a conic'.
dence striking enough, that at the period when our forefathers
were struggling against the pride and hypocrisy of the Catholic
e Priests, and the Pope, and the tyranny of the King, the an-
cestors of the present race in Spain were engaged in a struggle
with their oppressors, which ended in the liberation of one of
their kingdoms. Ile would maintain; that in assisting Spain
on the present occasion, we were fighting by anticipation the
battles of this country.; for if France should succeed in her
present attempt, could it be thought that she would spare that
corner of the Peninsula which was occupied by our oldest ally ?
and if that were the case, we should be called upon to interfere
the moment; the first French soldier set his foot in Portugal.

But in endeavouring to render the present efforts of the SPa-
niartis successful, we should prevent the unpleasant necessity of
our future interference to protect Portugal. At the same tune
that he was anxious that every possible assistance should be given
to Spain, he did not wish that it should be by remittances of
money, or that the sums to be raised ,'should be sent out of the
country as a kind of job, to enrich some foreigners. It was his
wish, as he was sure it would be the ivi'sh of many, others, that
the money to be granted by the Court, and the great national
subscription, of which he had no doubt it would be the nucleus,
should beexpended in British manufacturee—( Hear !)—Let it be
employed in supplying the materiel of war. Give to the Spa-
niards muskets, powder, artillery, and those other munitions of
war which they required. That would be assisting them in the
most effectual manner; and he trusted it would be attended to
in the ultimate appropriation of the sums to be subscribed. He
would not now trouble the Court further on the question, as he
felt it would be only weakening the statement of the Hon.
Member who submitted the motion. He would conclude, there-
fore, by again expressing the great pleasure he felt in seconding
the motion.—(Hear, hear !)
The resolutions were now read by the RECORDER, and put
to the Meeting..
Mr. Wiest( moved as an amendment, that the sum of
2,0001. be inserted in the resolutions, instead of 1,000/.
Mr. PAT TEN said, he felt himself bound to second the
amendment. When the Ministers of the, country expressed
their abhorrence of the conduct of the French; could they, as
loyal subjects and respectable citizens, do less than join in the
feeling, and let 'their wishes not be ie only thing which they
gave to the cause of freedom and of Spain ? The conduct of the
E'rench was not to bodeprecated merely as an invasion of Spain,
but as an attack upon those principles common to every free
people—the right to be governed by a constitution of their own
choice.--(Hear I)—A resistance to such a dangerous precedent
ought to be supported by. every means in the power of the
Court ; and as the Corporation of the Metropolis of England,
he thought they should not give a less sum than that proposed
in the amendment. Ile would, therefore, support it.
The amendment was now read and put by the REconner
Mr. F.evEat. congratulated the Court on the feeling which
seemed to prevail on this important subject—a feeling of as yet
apparent unanimity, which he owned lie had not altogether
looked for ; for he did expect that before the present time some
lion. Member would have stood up to oppose the motion. He
also congratulated the Court on the circumstance of several gen-
tlemen having come forward to take a lead on this occasion,
who bad not been In the habit heretofore of taking a very ac-
tive part in their proceedings. It was KOMI 811LISfitet1011 to
think, that when the old members were wearing out in the ser-
vice of the city, there were others coming forward to supply
their places. N.Vitli respect to the amendment, he could only
express his regret that the funds of the corporation were not at
present in that condition which would enable them to put their
hands in their pocket and affbrd aid to the extent of their wishes.
Their feelings were, however, not to be measured by the amount
of the sum to be voted ; and he thought those feelings on be-
half of Spain would lie as well expressed by a vote of 1,000/. as
by that of 2,001t1. Whatever sum they might vote, he trusted
it would not create any division in the Court. Adverting again
to the amendment, lie trusted his Hon. Friend would withdraw
it, to prevent division. One sum would, as well as the other,
express their detestation of the principles of that Government,
to support which on the throne of France a British army had
been so recently kept up in that country.
The Loan Mayon here observed, that it was not his inten-
tion to have taken tiny part in the discussion, nor would he now
pronounce an opinion upon the motion one way or the other,
but there were some words in the resolutions which lie could
not sanction. Ile did not think that to a power with which our
Government was in amity, and whose ambassador was now re.
sident in London it would become the Corporation to use such
words, as " the ambitious and wicked Bourbon Government of
France." Such language was dangerous, as likely to lead to
unpleasant feelings between the two powers, and he believed it
would he the first instance of such a precedent on the part of a
corporate body. lie would therefore suggest to the lion. Mover
the alteration of those words.
Mr. Get.r.owav said, he had no objection to:concur in the
Lord Mayor's suggestion, and remove the words, and let the
acts of the Bourbon. Glokernment speak for themselves.—
(Hear, hear!)
Mr. Jury said, if, he were to vote for either sum, it would
be for the first ; .for the Court should recollect, that the cause
of the Greeks was yet tp come before them e anti if they voted
1,0001. to the Spaniards, it would be expected that they should
vote the like sum to the Greeks. lie thought, in the' present
state of their finances, half the mini proposed would be enough
to each. And when the present amendment was disposed of,
be would take the sense of the Court upon another amend-
ment, of letting the sum be 5001. to the Spaniards, with the
understanding that a similar sum would he voted to the
Greeks.
Mr. S. Dexore should like, before he wept farther, to know
from the officer of the court what sum had been voted to assist
the Spaniards when Spain was invaded by Napoleon ? [The
officer Applied to, answered that there was none.] So he (Mr.
Dixon) thought; but he could not sec what difference there
was between an invasion by Buonaparte and that by the Hour.
bona, which called Upon the court to interfere. They bad
assisted Russia also; but Russia lied the claim of having driven
the enemy from her territory by an immense sacrifice on the
part of her people. Under till the circumstances, he did not
think this was a case in which the court were called upon to
tnterfeee...He would therefore oppose the motion.
Mr. Sealer said, it was not merely the violation of the Spa-
nigh territory they should consider, but the
inprinciples upon
which it had been made t, for they
.perceived, the speech of
the King of France that the Spaniards ought to have no Con-
stitution but such as they might receive at the will of their des-
potic Monarch. Were dime principles which Ve'nglishinen
could approve ? What would our ancestors have said, it', at,
the time a Monarch of this country fled front it, France, or
any other power, had insisted that they were to have no Cone
etitutioe but such as the banished Monarch might have pleased
to grant—that they were all to subscribe to the doctrines of
non-resistance and passive obedience? Would our ancestors
have brooked such dictation on the part of any foreign power ?
--or, if they had, in what state would civil liberty be in Europe
at the present time? The object of those who wished success
to the cause of Spain was to rescue it from the grasp of France,
which nought to make it a province for the purpose of uniting
its resources with her own against this country. He was rather
surprised at the objection* nettle to the motion on the score of
economy. He heerd of no similar objections when large sums
were yoted for civic: feasts. Thousands and thousands bad
been expended in that manner, without a murmur, and he
thought it would not he to the credit or the Corporation of
London if they Showed themselves less anxious in the cause
of civil liberty than in matters doting and drinking.
Sir It. C. GLYN could not help wishing that the Constitu.
tionalists of Spain might succeed in repelling the armies which
had been so unjustly sent into that country by the Bourbons of
France. At the same time he was of opinion, that the clues-
thin then before the Court ought to be considered merely es it
related to British interests, and to British interests alone. Now
it had been decided that this country should observe a strict
neutrality in the pending conflict :between Fiance and Spain,
He should like to know what would become of its neutrality,
supposinthat Court, representing its it did the metropolis of
the British empire, should determine to place a large sum of
money at the disposal of one of the belligerent parties ? The
two Houses of Parliament, and along with them the majority
of the'country, had approved the policy which had l Mini-
sters to pursue a neutral course; but that Court voted in fa.
your of the resolutions which lied been submitted to it, there

was • an• end at once to our neutrality; and Gentlemen should.
be prepared to come forward and declare, that they wished not
for neutrality, but for war. In that case, he hoped they would
make up their minds to bear an additional load. of taxes with-
out murmuring, and that they would also teach the labouring
classes of the. community to bear without complaining the dif-
ferent privations and inconveniences which inevitably fell upon
theM when the country was involved in war.
Mr. Alderman WAITIDIAL said, that lie had entered the
court unacquainted with the requisition on which it had been
convened, and also with the resolutions which had since been
-submitted to its consideration. It was, however, quite im-
possible for him, after the part he had taken in politics for
many years past in that court, to remain a silent observer of
the debate, without-, rendering. himself liable to many ill-
natured thotigh unfounded insinuations. Besides, certain doc-
trines had been advanced on the other side, which naturally
attracted and merited discussion. He had that morning, be-
fore he came to Guildhall, ran over, as was frequently his
custom, the proceedings of the court on former occasions, and
he could almoat believe from what he had then read, and what
he had since heard, that the Hon. Gentlemen on the other side
had been repeating the speeches which he himself had formerly
delivered. The Honourable Gentlemen had that day talked
very largely about the propriety of one state not interfering in
the concerns of another ; but he recollected well the time when
the language which they held was of a very different tendency.
After the disastrous campaign of 1794, he proposed a petition
containing the very same doctrines for which the Hon. Gentle-
men now contended, and had been almost hooted for it by them
out of the Hall as a rebel.and a jacobin. In that petition, which
had nearly' ruined him--for by proposing it he lost one half of
his business at one fell swoop—were to be found the following
sentences Your petitioners, from their view of public mea-
sures, presame humbly, but firmly, to express to this Honourable
House, their decided conviction that the principle upon which
the war is now carried on, neither is nor can be essential to the
prosperity, the liberty, or the glory of the British empire. Your
petitioners therefore humbly pray, that this Honourable House,
disclaiming all right of interfering in the internal cbncerns of
France, will be pleased to take such -measures as they in their
wisdom shall think proper, for the purpose of promoting a speedy
peace between Great Britain and the Powers with whom we are
now at war." The Court would hardly believe that fdr that
opinion, which was now defended as resting on the most just
and undeniable principles, lie was nearly hunted out of society
by those who then, as now, called themselves the advocates of
religion and of social order. The worthy Alderman then pro,
ceeded to state, that one of the Hon. Gentlemen who had that
day addressed them, had stated that the Court ought not to ac-
cede to the grant which bad been proposed, because it was con-
siderably in debt. In the year 1790 he had himself urged the
same topic. The Hon. Member in question had applied to the
Chamberlain, and had ascertained that there was only 7,0001. in
the city.'s coffers: but in 1790, whenit was proposed that the Court
should give 10,0001. to the Government as a voluntary contribu-
tion, he had stated not merely that the Chamber was overdrawn,
but that there were urgent claims to the amount of 5,0001. upon
it. At that time the Chamber had borrowed 15,000/. of the
Bank, 10,0001. of the late Chamberlain, 50,0001. from the
Bridgehouse esuites, and had subscribed to the Loyalty Loan,
by which it had lost from 10,000/. to 20,000/. Notwithstand-
ing this, the Court voted a contribution of 10,0001., because the
Chamberlain, in his smooth way, declared that he thought it
probable that things might come round. Upon that statement
the Hon. Gentleman on the floor (Mr. S. Dixon) had triumph-
antly, asserted that lie should agree to the proposed vote.
Mr. S. Dixors thought the worthy Alderman must be mis-
taken : he had never stated any such thing.
• Mr. Alderman WAITH MAN begged the Hon. Gentleman's
pardon ; he was not mistaken. He hail looked at the debate of
that day, thinking that it was very likely that the course of ar-
gument which he (Mr. S. Dixon) had formerly adopted would
be a perfect contrast to his argument on the, present occasion ;
and so he thought it had proved.—(Hear, hear ,s)—He would
likewise ask.the Court, whether any objection had been made
by the other side on the score of economy, when it was propos-
ed to borrow 20,000/. Or the purpose of giving a feast to the
Allied Sovereigns, and to expend 10,000/. on a coronation ban-
quet ? If such, an objection had been made, he had never heard
of it, and he therefore thought. that the objection_ to the pre-
scot grant, on the score of frugality, came with a very bad grace
from the quarter in which 'it origmated.—( Hear !)--,-The lion.
Bert. ,who had preceded him, had expressed in strong terms his
dislike to the invasion of Spain, and had condemned in the most
unqualified manner the atrocity of invading it "for the purpose
of giving its people a constitution which was to emanate from
the tyrant who so long had iniscredited their energies. " But,"
said time lion. Baronet, "though this is the case, you ought to
recollect that our Government has determined on observing a
strict neutrality, and, that the tw.o Houses of Pasliarnent have
sanctioned that policy by large majorities ; will yosi'therefore
fly at once in. the face of the Government andSthe Legisla-
tore ?" Ile would answer that question by putting another.—
Did they think., that if the Government had determined on
war, the two Houses of Parliament would not have sanc-
tioned it by the seine large majorities ?—(Hearl)-•--The wor-
thy Alderman then went on to contend that the British Govern.
Merit had been deluded in the late negociations, and to express
the full success of the French,
people of England on that accoisnt
his opioion that a part of the British Cabinet would rejoice in
arms hi "Spain. But were the
most vitatinterests of liberty.and
to stand Idle and uncon-
cerned spectators in a struggle
of so much imPortapce to the
they had not yet so degenerated from the high spirit of their
na-
tion in Europe.
ancestors as to sit tamely by when a deadly blow' was aimed at.
He recollected a time when the Right Hon.
Secretory for Foreign Affairs
Spanish Patriots, our worthy associates in ahßbeart
Spain, but of every' civilized
With those associates we had suici7e:fuivl le;
terminated
ytoetig--I:rm‘ Thes.
diet in which we were then erigage4. The result to them had,
dthe eon's'
in one point of view, been most unfortunate ; for no sooner had,
they restored
their imprisoned Monarch to. his throne, than he
consigned them in hundreds to the dungeon and the scaffold,
and that, too, without our making any efibrt to prevent it. The
Spaniards had, however, liberated themselves from the thrals
don under which they had 30 ln
ng groaned, and lie trusted that
though the Right Hon. might Secretary forget that these men
had been " our Associates in lilierty and arms," the people of
England would always rem sAli
es—el it.. _(Hear, hear i—ska to
whether the vote should be I,OQPiI, or 2,000/., thought it was
a matter of little moment. display of public opinion was
more important than a large subspripuon, and he should there-
fore vote "a less grant, as he thought that would be Noisily de-
cisive of the opinion of the Corporation of London, and would
not be so great as to deter o ler ebiporations from following
their example.
Mr. WALSII now. begged leave to withdraw his amend-
ment, which was withdraivn accordingly.
Mr. JA3IES said, the real question before the Court was, not
whether they should give 1,0004 or 2,0001., but whether it
would be politic to vote any sum at' all. He was of opinion
that the resolutions of the Court would evince their feelings for
the Spaniards as well as any sum of money which they might
be able to grant. In fact, if they went upon the principle of
giving to Spain some effieientpecuniary assistance, they should
vote as many millions as they were now votipg hundreds.
The Worthy Member then went on to state,
that the Spanish
affairs were not in the fiouriShing state which was represented,
and that no money which the. Court could vote would be of
any material assistance. It would be as well, therefore, to
keep their money, and to express their feelings by, their resolu-
tions. • ;
Mr. C aocitErtopposed the motinn on the ground that it would
be violation of the neutrality which this country professed.
He then went into a long financial calculation of the resources,
of Spain,and contended that Spain was not in a situation to carry
on the contest; and to grant the sum inoved for would be only
throwing their .money away. He added, that if the Ambassa-
dor of France did nit call tipois the Attorney-General to file an
information against the Court, if It pessed resolution& couched
in such improper language as wasp used in the requisition, he
would deserve to be turned out of his Ake As betraying the
duty he owed to his country.--4 " Hear. " and a laugh.)
Alderman Tstoairsois said, therewas only, one opinion
throughout the country on this subject, and that was--that the
attack of Spain by France was an act of the most atrocious in-
justice. not, however, was not now the question, neither was
it whether they should give 1,000/. or 500/. to aid the SpAniards,
hut whether the country was to embark in the Spanish cause?
for the Resolutions propsed called on all corporate bedies to
imitate their example, and if they did so, would they, not put
the Government of the country into such a situation as to be
forced Into a war ? On these grounds, he should give his most
decided opposition to the Resolutions.
Mr. GAT,T,OWAY briefly replied, and defended the justice
and neceasity of passingthe Resolutions.
They were then put, and on a show of hands the Louts
MaYon declared them to be carried in the affirmative.
A division was, however, called for, and took place, when
there appeared..
For the resolutions.
Aldermen
Commoners
Tellers

Against them.
1
4 Aldermen - -
(• fit Commoners - -
- 2 Tellers - -

7

;, 16
2

Total ,' 74 1 Total -25
Majority
.for the resolutions and the grant of 1,000.4--49.
A Committee, consisting of the following Members, was then
appointed to carry the resolutions into effect 1--
Aldermen Watthtnan, Venables, Crowder, and Thompson ;
Mr. Deputy Routh, Messrs. flureombe Slade, Drinkald,
Faye], and the mover and seconder, Mr. dallov7ay and Mr. T.
C. Hansard.

The Court then adjourned.
Minority who voted against the grant of 1,0001. from the
funds of the Corporation to assist the Spaniards:--Alder-

men—Sir C. Hunter, Sir .T. Perring, Sir C. Flower, Sir B. C.
Glyn, Barts., Bridges, Atkins, and Thompson; Commoners—.
3lessrs. Dixon, James, Crocker, Hurcmt, Colebatch, Bladen,
R. Smith, Garratt, Aderley,, Cowie, Cape, Hurlock, Itichic.
DOrrave, and Blakesley.
9: