The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-02 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Yesterday a Court was held for the despatch of business.
A Report was brnught np From the Commissioners of
Sewers, F taring fiat the Commissioners accepted the grant
of 1,6001. fur the erection of a statue of William IV., in
the wide space between King William-street and Grace-
church-street, according to the very beautiful design ex-
hibited to the members of the Court, prepared by Mr.
Kelsey, the surveyor to the Commissioners, and Mr. Nixon,
a very rising artist.
The work was directed to be proceeded with immediately.
WRETCHED HABITATIONS OF LABOURING; MEN IN TILE CITY.
Alderman KELLY presented a petition from the Ward
Inquest of Farringdon ;Within, which he said was one of
considerable importanie and interest, as regarded the poor
people who laboured in the City of London, and was most
credi.able to the humane feelings of the gentlemen from
whom it issued.
That petition stated that the Inquest Jury in going
round the Ward of Farringdon Within, to dispense the
money raised for the service of the industrious poor in the
late severe season, found that the claimants paid enormous
rents for the most wretched tenements, and that the land.
lords in many cases treated them with' great inhumanity .if
they happened to be unable ti pay. The petition, which
resembled that which was a few weeks ago presented to
the Court of Aldermen by the same petitioners, prayed
that the Court would take the case of these poor oppressed
persons into their humane consideration and supply a
piece of ground for the erection of several small houses for
their accommodation upon cheap rent..
Mr. STEEL, one of the petitioners, addressed the Court
in a speech of considerable length. He deprecated the
emduct of unreasonab_e landlords, who deserved to be
punished as severely as tradesmen who gave false mea-
sure and bad quality, and argued that the corporation
would do mere credit to itself by affording the means of
providing cheap and comfortable habitations for the Is-
bouring poor than in laying out large sums of money in
magnificent improvements.
Mr. LAWRENCE said that ore ward were to receive
the accommodation thus required all the rest of the
twenty—ix might be expected to apply for similar in-
dulgence, and the Corporation would never be able, bow-
eaer willing, to comply with such an arrangement. If
the ward of Farringdon Within were so remarkably distin-
guished from all the other wards, would it not be likely
to be crowded to the inconvenience of the inhahitaws ? He
considered that the thing was quite impracticable, and
therefore moved as an amendment—That the petition be
laid on the table.
Mr. STACEY seconded the amendment. He contended
that the very improvements which had bee.] alluded to by
the petitioners, were infinitely snore serviceable to the
poor labourers, than new and cheap tenements could
prove to be.
Mr. ASHURST approved of sending the petition to a
Commitee, and said that it might be advisable to make
the experiment

Mr. R. L. JONES opposed the principle altogether, and
stated that there was not a ward in the City, which had
less reason to complain than the ward of Farringdon
Within.

Mr, ANDERTON said that if the prayer was granted, it
would have the effect of driving the poor of Farringdon
Within into Farringdon Without, which had already quite
enough of its own.

MI: WESTWOOD was convinced that the thing was quite
practicable, and would be highly beneficial.
The amendment was then carried by a very large
majority.
THE COAL-WHIPPERS ENSLAVED BY THE PUBLICANS.
Mr. RICHARD JOHNSON, the late Chairman to the Coal,
Corn, and Finance Committee, presented a petition,
signed by a large body of the coal-whippers of the metro.
polis. It stated that the selection and appointment of the
gangs of coal-Whippers depended upon the owners of pub-
lic-houses, many of whom were shareholders of coal Nrs-
sets and consignees of the cargoes, and had the power to
employ and reject whom they pleased ; that it was the
practice of those publicans to employ those who fre-
quented their houses, and that hard drinking was the best
recommendation; that, as a necessary consequence, the
most profligate and intemperate were in constant employ-
ment, while decent persons who were anxious to bring up
their families properly, found every difficulty thrown
in their way on account of their refusal to join in the filthy
vices of the tap-room. The petition, in very energetic
language, besought the Court to do all they could to save
the poor petitioners from the horrible and degrading ty-
ranny exercised over the body by appointing a:public office
to which.application should be made for coal-whippers.
The petition was received in the warmest manner, and
Mr. R. JOHNSON moved, amidst cheers, that it should
be referred to a Committee.

Mr. STEVENS declared that it was highly creditable to
the poor men who petitioned to show such anxiety to escape
frem such slavery as they had described, and he trusted
that some means would be devised to relieve them and
their families, from the persecution of the harpies of whom
they had expressed such horror.
The petition was unanimously referred to a Committee,

HE REV. H. STOWELL, AND THE

CHARTISTS.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

On Tuesday evening last the Bath Protestant Associa-
tion held their annual meeting at the Assembly-rooms, to
which were invited by placard the operative classes, who,
however, could gain admission but by tickets. The ob-
ject of the party calling the meeting was to form an Ope-
rative Protestant Society, but that object was frustrated
by the Chartist', who attended in great numbers. On
the platform were several Church clergymen, fome
Dis-
senters, and a few members of the Society of Friends. The
number present were estimated at from 5,000 to 6,000.
On the ticket of admission it was stated that the person
using it stood amenable to the direction of the chair.
The Chartists therefore, proposed their ewn Chairman,
much to the mortification of the g-ntlemen on the pl kt-
form, who said they would take steps to put down such il-
legal proceedings. Here a scuffle ensued, which ended in
the success of the Chartist party, who, after much resis-
tance secured the chair, nearly pulling all the platform
gentry who had seized it from the platform. The scene
at this moment baffled all description—never was the like
witnessed in that room before. The appearance of po-
lice on the platform was treated with groans, hooting, and
whistling, which continued for a length of time. At last,
however, the Chartists passed, almost unanimously, a re-
solution against the formation of a❑ Operative Protestant
Society, which, they said, would be like arraying one sect
against another.

—Mr. S. BARTLETT obtained a hearing, and made an in-
teresting speech, tolhe satisfaction of all parties.
Rev. Hera STOWELL, Protestant Missionary from Man-
chester, rose to address the meeting, and after abusing
the Catholics, who, he said, would commit murder if told
to do it by their priests, declared himself to be a Tory.
This declaration was hailed with hooting and groans
from the operative classes, who would not hear him any
more. The Rev. Gentleman at length gave way to the
feeling of the meeting, and retired.

Three cheers were given for the Charter, as many for
Frost, Williams, and Jones ; and after paying the usual
compliment to the Chair, one of the most uproarious meet-
inr,s ever held in Bzth was dissolved about half past ten

The Rev. Hugh Stc well challenged Bishop Baines. of
the Catholic College, to meet him in discussion. The
Bishop was not present.
Bath, March 31, 1341.