The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-21 00:00:00

LONDON.

" The Petition of 'Michael Scales, the thrice duly
elected Alderman of the Ward of Portsoken,
" Sheweth,—That a fiat for costs agaiust him is sued
out by this Court for 2791. ss. He ri quests that the same
may be held in abeyance, or that he may be allowed to
pay over the amount, as a gift, to Samuel Dalton, or if the
Court should not think proper to confer the grant to Mr.
Dalton, that they will allow him time to bring the same
under the consideration of the Court cf Commo❑ Coun-
cil ; and further, that your petitioner may be beard in sup-
port of his petition, for which he prays."
Alderman BROWN objected to the use of the
words " duly elected," as being opposed to the fact ac-
cording to the decision of the House of Lordst the
Court, he was con%inccd, would most willingly entertain
the petition of Mr. Scales, if the proper correction were
made. —( Hear.)
Alterman HUMPIJERY said it was quite evident that Mr.
Sealcs meant that he had a majority of the constituency of
the Ward three times in his favour. He considered that
the petitioner had performed a very important duty to that
constituency in trying the question of the veto of the Court
of Aldermen on a subject of much interest as regarded the
privileges of his fellow-citizens. That he was three times
returned there was not the slightest doubt.
Alderman LUCAS said all that was necessary for Mr.
Scales to do was to omit the word " duly."--( Hear.)
Mr. SCALES most readily made the required alteration,
and upon being asked whether he wished to add an3thing
to the statement in his petition, addressed to the Court
some very pertinent observations. Ho said that he had
considered it to be his duty to resist in every possible way,
and to the utmost extent of bin ability, the power which the
Court of Aldermen had exercised o❑ the question of his
return, because he considered that it was founded on in-
justice. It was unnecessary to revert to the particular cir-
cumstances of the case, but he felt convinced that he was
completely justified in the course he bad adopted, and
the verdict which had been given did not invalidate his
justification. He entertained no hostile feeling towards
the Court.

" Anger like sorrow may have its decent day,
And smiling reason come again in play."
He wished to stand right with his fellow-citizens, whose
privileges he had defended as strongly as he could. The
Court of Aldermen had now the power to send their officer
into his house to seize his property by process of law. If
they chose to resort to that extremity, he should order his
servants to throw open the dour, but he was determined
not to pay one farthing of the amount demanded of him
volurta-ily, nor to do any act which seemed to countenance
an approval cf the course which had been persevered in to-
wards him. He should call the attention of the Court to
the fact that Mr. Dalton, to whom the petition alluded,
was made, without his knowledge, but probably with a
kind motive towards him, relator in the case in which he
had been so long involved. Now, in consequence of that
appointment which he altogether repudiated, the poor
man was subjected to heavy inconvenience and injury. He
trusted that the Court would therefore allow him to pay over
the sum of money specified in the petition to that poor
man, whose circumstances, he believed, to be very adverse,
and on whose wounds the consent of the Court to the
prayer of the petition would operate as balm. If, how-
ever, the Court should deem the application unworthy of
being entertained, he trusted ;that they would hold tbc
matter in abeyance until he should have an opportunity of
pctitionirg the Court of Common Council on the subject.
The Court was then cleared of strangers, and after a
short discussion, in which we understood the kindest feel-
irgs were expressed towards Mr. Scales, the doors were
thrown open.
The RECORDER informed Mr. Scales that the Court had
taken his petition into consideration, and given directions
to the City Solicitor to take steps to stay proceedings in
the case, and to enter into an arrangement with the peti-
tioner so that the matter might be brought to a satisfac-
tory issue.—( Hear, hear.)
The unanimous decision of the Court gave evident satis-
faction, and
Mr. SCALES said that he felt much obliged by the re-
sult of his application to the Court.

ABANDONMENT OF TILE TOWN-HALL BY THE ALDERMEN.
Alderman BROWN stated that he hoped and believed
that a very large majority of his brethren would agree in
the motion he was about to make for giving up the
sittings in the Town-hall, where since the passing of the
Metropolitan Police Bill of last Session their attendance
as Magistrates had become completely inoperative for al-
most every purpose. To be sure a petition had been pre-
sented from some hundred of the inhabitants of
the Borough of Southwark against the report which ad-
vited the breaking up of the expensive and useless esta-
blishment, but the opinion cf the most eminent counsel
stated that the privileges of the inhabitants would not be
affected by putting an end to the farce, and that the Al-
dermen would not be disqualified horn exercising whatever
power remained to them by acting upon the recommenda-
tion of the Report.—( Hear, hear.) Alderman Brown then
detailed the proceedings of the Committee upon the re-
ference, and concluded by moving that the Report should
be agreed to, and the attendance of the Aldermen at the
Town-hall should be discontinued.

Alderman COPELAND seconded the motion with all his
heart. He found whenever he attended at the Town-hall
that his time was merely to be occupied by gangs of in-
formers, who showed the greatest anxiety to molest people
in trade.—( Hear, hear. )
Alderman Lucas said that his opposition to the Report
was founded upon principle. He had, on a former occa-
sion, suggested the propriety of ascertaining the views of
the inhabitants of the Borough on the question of resign-
ing the authority of the Aldermen in that district, and the
Court were now aware that there was a repugnance
amongst those persons, whose judgment ought to be re-
spected, to the discontinuance of the sittings at the Town-
hall.—(Haar, hear.) The Aldermen who sat at the
Town-hall performed duties of no ordinary importance to- '
wards the poor in a population of 1,50,000, or 160,000,
and he was convinced that their absence would be deeply
felt.—(Hear, hear.) At all events, before the Court
came to a resolution to abandon the Town-hall, a public
meeting of the inhabitants ought to be called.
Sir PETER LAURIE said that the petition of the in-
habitants of the Borough against the Report ought to have
been presented to the House of Commons, and not to that
Court. He was decidedly in favour of the Report.
Sir MATTHEW Wools said that the Aldermen acted in
the borough until they were completely ousted, and their
powers were taken away. It was true their civil jurisdic-
tion was untouched, bun that fact did not give them duties
to perform at the Town-hail. They sat at that place as
automatons, and were liable to be defied by every attor-
ney when they attempted to act.—( Hear, bear.) The
Court of Common Council had decided that the establish-
ment was useless, as well as expensive, and very properly
repudiated it ; and lie trusted that the Court of Aldermen
would see their way as clearly.
Alderman FAREISROTHEit said that the Aldermen re-
tained a very important power in the borough—that with
respect to tee Poor-laws, a subject increasing interest
and importance every day.—( Hear, hear.) If the aban-
donment of the Town Hall involved the resignation of
any of the privileges, he would not advocate the Report.
On the contrary, if it did not, he thought it would he advis-
able to get rid of an establishment which was useless and
ex pensive.
Alderman HUNIPIIERY said that he saw the Court was
determined to get rid of the Borough, and ho could not
help. expressing his surprise and regret to see them so
reckless of their privileges. The feet was, they would
fritter away their privileges one after another, until the
authority of the Court would become a complete nullity.
lie lamented that the appeal of the inhabitants of the Bo-
rough was treated with such disrespect and inattention;
and he was sure that the step the Court was about to take
would one day meet with general reprobation.
The Report was then agreed to by a large majority, and
the attendance of Aldermen at the Town Hall ordered to
be discontinued.—Adjourned.

COURT LEET, ST. JAMES, DUKE'S
PLACE.
On Monday the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor attended
in state, and held the annual Court Leet, accompanied by
\lr. Bullock, the steward of the manor. The Liberty of
Duke's place (on the site of the ancient priory of Trinity
Christchurch), is a manor vested in the Mayor, com-
monalty, and citizens of London. After the business of
the Court, which consisted of appointing constables, and
granting licenses to public-houses in the Liberty, his Lord..
ship in,pected the City of London School of Industry, j!,
Mitre-street, Aldgate, and expressed himself highly br,,_
of We
titled with the works of the children, for cactiof whom
ha left a small donation, as an encouragement. This ex-
cellent Charity was instituted On 1806) by the Rev.
Doctor Povab. His Grace the Duke
presided at its anniversary in 1838. Her Majesty is
pa-
her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, &c ,
troness, and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, Queen
AdelaiAe,
are patrons and patronesses. The Lord Bishop of Nor-
wich has kindly promised to preach for its benefit in turn,
and it is hoped and expected that one of the most distin-
guished Members of the Legislature will gcnerou'lY pre-
side at ttie annivcr,:ary for the present year. The institu-
tion is highly preiscd in Highmon's work on Public
Charities.