The Sun.
London, England, 1840-07-01 00:00:00

THE SHRIEVALTY.

The election for the Shrievalty, which is to termi-
nate this day, began to excite an interest towards the
close of yesterday—business something like that which
manifested itself on the day of. nomination. A rumour,
indeed, has prevailed amongst the Corporation circles in
this city for some days, that Mr. Farncombe, although
a liveryman of London, had omitted to take up his
freedom of the City, and therefore was not qualified to
be elected Sheriff ; and it was generally supposed that
the Court of Aldermen was held yesterday for the pur-
pose of curing the defect, by admitting that gentleman
to his full right as a freeman. As will be observed in
our account of the prceedings of the Court of Alder-
men, a part of their business was transacted with closed
doors, and it is stated that during that interval an
order was passed for the admission of Mr. Farncombe,
and it is said that he was in the hall during the morn-
ing ready to be sworn ; but we subsequently inquired,
and find that he was not admitted by the Chamberlain ;
so that, in point of fact, that gentleman is not yet a
freeman of the City.
Lawyers are, we understand, divided in their opinions
of the consequences which will ensue from this irregu-
larity. Some of them think it will be sufficient if the
person elected is a freeman at the time of his return to
the Court of Aldermen ; while others contend that it
was indispensable for him to have had that qualification
at the time of his nomination. A legal gentleman,
upon whose judgment many of the Court of Aldermen
[lace great reliance, gave it as his opinion that the ir-
eligibility of Mr. Farncombe would ovoid the election,
and lender the holding of another Common Hall neces-
sary ; while other gentlemen of the long robe contend,
that in the event of Mr. Farncombe being proved to be
ineligible, the next on the poll must be returned ; and
in that case, Alderman Gibbs and Mr. Galloway will
be the Sheriffs for the year ensuing.
Blame has been in some quarters thrown upon the
Lord Mayor for putting an ineligible person in nomi-
nation. His Lordship, however, shifts the censure
from his own shoulders to those of the gentlemen who
recommended that Mr. Farncombe should be put in
❑omination, and who, his Lordship supposed, would not
have recommended that gentleman without being con-
vinced that there could exist no objection upon the
score of qualification. Mr. Galloway, it is fresh in the
recollection of our readers, intimated to the Livery on
the day of nomination that he would not sc•rve
the office with the Alderman. The rumour in
Guildhall is that the feelings of Alderman Gibbs and
Mr. Galloway were in this respect reciprocal, and that
should the worthy Alderman be returned with Mr.
Galloway, the former will rather pay his fine than be
unequally yoked, and compelled to make up the dual
number with a gentleman to whom he is in political
opinions diametrically opposed.
A suggestion was, we understand, at one time made
to get out of the dilemma by inducing the livery to vote
for Alderman Magnay and Alderman Gibbs ; but it is
stated that both of the Aldermen disapprove of such an
arrangement, the former being anxious, for privatei
reasons, to delay his nomination for a year, and the
latter being supposed to entertain -a reluctance to serve
as second sheriff to a gentleman so much his junior in
point of years. Alderman Magnay is the senior Alder.
man, and taken precedence in corporate rank of his
brother Alderman Gibbs, although the latter has
belonged for many years to the Corporation.