The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

ELECTION OF COMMON
COUNCILMEN.

WARD OF FARRINGDON WITHOUT.

Yesterday a very numerously attended wardwote
of the ward of Farringdon Without, was held in the New
Court, Old Bailey, for the purpose of eleeting members
to serve for the ward in the Court of Common Council,
and other ward officers. _ • .

Alderman Sir J. Duke took his seat on the bench at
11 o'clock. The late Common Councilmen arranged
themselves on each side. _ _ _

The ALDERMAN said it was unnecessary for him to do
more than express the very great pleasure he felt in
meeting with the inhabitants of that respectable and im-
portant ward. He would only make one suggestion—if
they had a contest, he trusted that all who took part in it
would abstain from all personalities. If contest there
were to be, it would be an honourable one for a public
office, and, as such, ought to be carried on without either
personality or ill feeling. Before commencing the re-
gular business of the wardmote, he had to deplore that
his worthy Deputy had withstood all solicitation and de-
termined to retire. It was his wish to address the
meeting.—(Cheers.)
Mr. Deputy BLACKET did feel anxious for an oppor-
tunity of expressing to the inhabitants of the ward his
feelings of thankfulness for their uniform kindness
during a period of twenty-nine years which he had been
in their service. It was thirty-one years since they
sought him out for the hotcour ; he refused, in conse-
quence of the inability he felt to discharge the duties of
the office in a proper manner ; but, having been
elected upon the third occasion, he had consented to
the kind wishes and solicitations of his friends,
and neighbours. On entering upon office, he had de-
termined to consider no interests but those of his con-
stituents and of the City in general. The manner in
which he had carried out that determination had been
before them, and he was happy in believing it had met
with the approbation of nearly all. He felt that he ought
not to disappear from before them without touching upon
the nearly all-engrossing subject of the Corn-laws. He
was in the Court when these iniquitous laws were first
imposed, but at that period it was not at all a political
question—he recollected that Ald. Birch was then Lord
Mayor, and the principal person in their favour. The
majority of the Court certainly resisted their imposition,
as far as it was possible; they not only petitioned Par-
liament against them, but they also went to the King
upon the throne against them. That such iniquitous
laws had remained so long upon the statute-
book, was only to be accounted for by knowing
who were our law-makers, that they were the class most
deeply interested in their maintenance.—(Cheers.) Ge-
nerally in this country disputes were settled by twelve
dispassionate men sitting in a jury-box, but that was not
the case with the dispute between the country and
the landowners ; the matter was wholly settled by the
latter, and they still maintained them, but could not
continue to do so if the people would only become
united. After alluding to the improvements of the City
in which he had taken part, he hoped he had satisfied
them—at all events he had acted conscientiously. He
thanked them most heartily for the confidence they had
so long reposed in him, and assured them he retired
merely because he thought he was not capable of giving
that energy to their concerns which one placed in the
situation he had so long held ought to do.—(Cheers.)
Sir J. WILLIAms then rose and said, he felt himself
renewed in health and strength in being called upon to
move a vote of deserved thanks to a man who had faith-
fully served his fellow-citizens in that important ward for
a period of near 30 years. He had had the pleasure of sit-
ting with Deputy Blacket as a colleague for many years,
and the best thing he could say of him was, that no Member
of the Court of Common Council had performed his duties
with more forbearance, yet firmness—with more suavity,
yet a determination to perform them conscientiously—
even those who differed with him in politics differed with
him in nothing-else. He moved that the thanks of the
wardmote were due to Deputy John Blacket, and were
hereby given—that they be emblazoned and presented
to that gentleman in any manner thought most proper.
Mr. BUTTERWORTH, after passing a very high eulo-
gium on the character of the Deputy, cordially seconded
the motion.

Mr. WELLS said, since he had had the honour of a
connection with the ward ; he had been engaged in
many stormy discussions, but if, in the course of any of
them, he had ever said one word which gave pain
to Mr. Blacket, he unfeignedly withdrew it. His
services had been long, and he knew that for some years
they had been unremitting. In place of the expense of
emblazoning the vote being charged upon the ward he
would rather that it was engraved on a silver salver, to
which both rich and poor might contribute; he would be
one of the first.—(Cheers.)
The vote was then passed unanimously, and with ge-
neral acclamation.

Mr. BLACKET (evidently affected) again returned
thanks. He had seen some cling to office after he, and
he thought themselves, must have been convinced they
had lost that energy necessary to the proper discharge
of the duties of their office. He had been afraid of that
being said of him, therefore he retired.
The Wardmote Clerk then read the precept, and the
Wardmote proceeded to the election of the officers.
The former members having been again recommended
by the Precinct Meetings, were again submitted—the
name of Mr. llarding being substituted for that of
Deputy Blacket.
Mr. NOBLE then proposed Mr. Lowden as a candidate.
Mr. DAWSON seconded the nomination because Mr.
Lowden came forward at a most critical time as an
avowed enemy of monopoly in every shape. He was
a man well known and respected in his parish. His
principles were those of a Whig, but he (Mr. D.) sup-
ported him because he was an honest man, and a deter-
mined and consistent hater of all restrictions upon trade
orcommerce.—(Cheers.) He was also in favour of a
reform of all abuses in the only unreformed corpora-
tion in the world.—(Cheers.) The times were very
critical, and it behoved every one to come forward
and boldly assert those principles which he thought ne-
cessary for the salvation of the country. He knew that
the great majority of the Ward were opposed to the de-
stroying Corn-laws, he therefore hoped they would re-
return a man who would give effect to their opinions.
Mr. WATSON nominated Mr. Prendergast, the barris-
ter, which nomination was seconded by
Dr. LYNCH, who said his Learned Friend was a warm
friend to progresm.ive reform, and a determined enemy to
monopoly wherever it existed, but more especially was
he a decided enemy to the accursed Corn-laws, which
starved our population.—(Cheers and hisses.) Now
was the time when the ward wanted men to
represent 'them who were firm of purpose, deter-
mined to pursue a course which would be for the
benefit, not of the few but of all, and enlightened enough
to know what that course was. In his friend Mr. Pren-
dergast they would find all those qualities combined with
talent which would make him respected in the Common
Council.

Mr. PROCTOR did not like to come forward to oppose
his friends and neighbours, but some of them having for-
got what were the opinions of the great majority of theiz
constituents upon a most vital question, he could not
help thinking that his duty required him to do all
in his power to relieve them from their duties, and send
in men who would fully and fairly represent them, their
views, and interests. He therefore proposed Mr. Richard
Williams, who was a firm friend to freedom of trade,
especially in corn and provisions.
Mr. KIRK seconded the nomination, because a crisis
had arrived when every one was bound to act from pub-
lic principle alone. If they were to be swayed by pri-
vate feelings, they would never be able to beat down the
monster monopoly, the Corn laws.—(Cheers.)
Mr. WELLS was then proposed and seconded, upon
which he insisted that he and all those who were returned
last year should give an account of what they had done
and what they had left undone during that period. After
some confusion, the Learned Gentleman, after disclaim-
ing any wish for precedence, said he hoped, although they
might strike him, they would hear him. He had at-
tended 22 out of 23 Common Councils--had only omitted
attending the Sewers once, and he was glad to be able
to congratulate them upon a decrease of 2d. in the pound
upon the Sewer Consolidated Fund, which had been
effected by obtaining 2,000/ of the Corporation Funds;
but he congratulated them more particularly upon the
establishment of the principle that the City funds were
applicable to the City improvements, and were not all to
be devoted to eating and drinking. He had still to com-
plain of the 8001. spent upon the Maria Wood--(A
laugh)—but he understood that that would never be got
rid of; for it was particularly useful in getting off daugh-
ters, as he was told that more matches had been made up
there.—(The remainder of the sentence was drowned
amidst roars of laughter.) He, would now come to the
old topic—the guzzling of the Committees. The first was
the Irish Society, the income of which was 13,000/, out of
which 7,0001. had been spent in a law suit. The whole
amount of the money paid for the estate was origirially
out of the pockets of the Citizens of London,
but they did not get one farthing of the produce.
The Members' attendances upon that Committee
amounted to 4411. The Bridge House Committee was
between 2001. and 3001., yet not content with that, they
applied to the Court for one hundred pounds more,
all to be spent in eating and drinking. The
Learned Gentleman proceeded in this strain through all
the paid Committees, and charged the proceedings as
disgraceful. He then came to his own conduct upon
the Corn-laws. Although great fault had been found
with his vote on that question, he declared he ab-
horred and detested the Corn-laws---(Cheers and
laughter)—but he did not think they were taking the
proper way to remedy the evil. His remedy was to t•Ac
for cheap Government—(Laughter)—by taking off
the window tax—(Laughter)—and other taxes, which
would enable us to grow corn cheap ourselves.—
(Laugh ter.) He would quote a very few words, which
were written by Mr. Cobbett in 1831. He said, so
long as fifty millions must be paid in taxes,
there must be depression in trade. We were
now paying more, yet he believed the depres-
sion of trade' was as great then as now.--(Cries of
" No. no.") He was in favour of altering the represent-
-1 ation, and of shortening the duration of Parliaments,
but he thought we ought to look to those measures and
the lightening of taxation for a remedy for the distress.
—(Laughter and hissing,) It had been said, get id of
the squirearchy—now it was to be borne in mind that
that class of the community were frequent visitors to,
and spent considerable sums in London, much of
which
probably found its way into Fleet-street.
and its neighbourhood.—(Question, question.) He had
not asked for a vote, but if they chose to return him, he
would honestly perform his duty, and he thought they
ought not to part with old friends who had served them,
merely because they differed upon a question which hap-
pened to be the one in fashion at the moment.—(Hisses.)
Sir J. WILLIAMS agreed with Mr. Wells upon the
necessity of a large reform in the Court of Common
Council, and on that ground had voted for him last year;
but now, although he would not oppose any one because
they happened to differ upon some small points_
because that would not be liberal--(Hear, hear)—still