The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-03 00:00:00

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Yesterday a very numerous meeting of the members as-
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.
sembled in cornmit we of the whole court, for :be purpose of
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adopting resolutiong, :,he tendency of which was to refs,
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C.,:.71474fr ZIN.?' 4''' 4‘*- + in an essential manner,: the Corporation of London:,
Before the committee proceeded to business
Mr. R. L. 'Theme asked whether the Lord Maynr bad any
communication to make to the Court ?
The Loan MAYOR replied in the negative. -
Mr. Acuuasr (chairman of the sub-comniittee) brought
up the report, containing sundry recommendations.
Alderman WlLsoer objected to the reading of the rep et,
which he contended was quite at variamx with the reference
to the committee.
Upon this subject a very angry disc:lv-Con took place, tes-
tifying that there was bat little chance of mini:fifty in the
committee.
It was at length determined that Mr. Amur:,` should
proceed.
Mr. AorzfusT then proposed the first reeolefloe. of which
he had given notice, and which formed ono essential po:tion
of the report. It was a recommendation that the: Court of
Common Council request tte Lord Mayor to restore the
Qualification Bill to the paper of business to be bieught on
at the noxt Court. It was very properly ol!zerved by Alder-
luau Wilson that the Court of Aldermen hall become the
laughiog,-stock of the
.pablic. The conduct of that body
upon the late attempts of the Common Councli to cif:At a
silutary reform was a strong iilustration o; the true :' , r t hat
observation. Seeing, however. that 1:),_, C-.:-.1 :1 ,' . • cil. was re-olved to adopt a sysreur of r. : - :::: :; ; ~,,;,,.-1 ad :Me:nth:ed to apply to Parillment for ~, ..L.:',:ial ch 0...,,. in ifs conetitutioa: Nothing, he c,mttilded, ceuk be i. -re
monstrous than th.e idea that the Lord td.avor lia4t elte poe er
to rensove from the paper of husiness grrs- Mot i:m. nc-Nhich a
member of the Court had given notice. Alcr several re-
marks upon the nlsamptieu of such A power, M.. Aelfurat
moved the reselefien.
Sir P. LAuma felt great pleasure in seconding the motion.'
A great misconception existed, he said, as to the power of
the two Court?. His notion was that the pocket-book reti-
lations constituted the only guide to the Lord Mayor, who
did not represent the Court of. Aldermen in the ecnnuritt3e.
but was merely the chairman, -and it would be intolerable
that a Lord Mayor should attempt. to dictatate do the Court
of Common Council as the representative ofthe other Court.
tie was proud to say that he had been in a minority in :he
Court of Aldermen since the journey to Oxford, and he ad-
mired the spirit with which the Common Council was show..
lug, itself to be master of its own proceedings. If his Lord.
ship did not think proper to do his duty, the'Court would,
as a matter of course, apply to the next officer, for it was
not to be supposed that the great machin-ery of the corpora-
tion was to be stopped by the caprice of one man.—(gear. )
Mr. W. LAWRENCE said that if' the Lord Mayor had a
right to remove a notice of motion from the paper of business
he might claim the right of saying there should be no paper
of business at all.—( Hear, hear.) It was en outrage upon
common sense to suppose the possibility of the existence of
such a power. The Court of Common Council would crease
their own, paper of business. They were willing to do it
...^ t mrd,,i)tiyor, if behappeued to he so dislosel,

P CR. SD.

- •
eeeee- t• . . —(Cheers.) It iviedd ho pi-acing-7 ,
:flitted, in a diagreeable position, to require of him to do
what the Lord Mayor refused to ace:A-oohs!. ;•- but - in a ca,e
of such extreme importance there could be lie oltigetion to
such an alternative.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. PEwTILESS declared that an end would be pat to all
corporation business if the Lord Mayor pssessed so ex-
traordinary a power as Lis Lordship had attempted to
exercise.
Alderman SIDNEY wished to see unanimity exieting!..be-
tween the Courts. He believed there was scarcely an Eng-
lishman to be found who wished ill to the aldermen of Lon-
don.—( A laugh.) A little might be stid in Punch deroge-
tory to there, but they had no hostile feeling directed
against them.—(Cries of " 01,, oh.") If the Curt, did one--
thing calculated to destroy so ancient and honourable a cor-
poration, upon their heads would fall the blame of frittering
away the privileges which they bad sworn to defend. Tire
Lord Mayor had acted open the advice of the Recorder, the,
Common Sergeant, and two eminent counsel.
Mr. U. TATLOR—Who are the eminent counsel?
Alderman SIDNEY could nut at that moment say. .To put
the question which the Lord Mayor had refused •to put
might be erroneous in law, and would not the Court be de-
serving of blame if they asserted a privilege without know-
ing whether they had it or not? He thought . there was a
way of getting out of the dilemma with honour, and he
should propose that way as an amendment. Ha then.moved
that the opinions of the Attorney and Solicitor-General, to-
gether with the opinions- of the Recorder and Comnuee
Sergeant, be taken, whether the Lord Mayor had a right to
put the question.
Alderman WD.soN seconded the amendment, because lao
thought it the only mode of carrying out the reform of the
Court of Common Council. No one could read the whole of
the resolutions on the paper without feeling that, so far
from healing the differences which existed, they must tend
to widen them, and lead to the great detriment of the in-
terests, rights, and privileges of the corporation. The Court
assumed to itself more exclusive power than belonged to the
House of Commons; and be was inclined to think that, so
far as the city of London was concerned, then bad those
extraordinary powers when acting as a vested body of Load
Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council ; but in pawing
for levying taxes on their fellow-Citizens, extending the
elective franchise, and altering the qualifications of the mem-
bers of the Court itself, surely it became them to carry such.
measures in a manner worthy of a deliberative assembly, claim-
ing and exercising such extensive powers as those now con-
tendeq. for. Of what value would a Bill he if not passed
legally according to the customs and charters of the City?
How could they expect that the Court of Aldermen, as a
judicial body; would or could take notice et Bills or laws
passed ie. the -way proposed? hid they suppose that if the
Lord Mayor declined to comply with their request, and.
they attempted to place the Town Clerk above his Lordship,
the latter would remain in the Court, and if the Lord Alay or
left the Court, what would any Act passed in his absence be
worth ? He implored I hem to take the advice of counsel
upne a matter involving the great privileges of their felio w-
citizens. lie concluded by informing the Court that the
couneel upon whose ophdon the Lord etayor had acted, were
Mr. Peacock and Mr. Wilde, as well as the Recorder and
Cononon-Sergeant.
Mr. We JONES saidlthe speeches of the mover aid seconder!
of .e,atnefidtereet were conelusi.ye in favour (-1 the original
'Mott He thought -it wersC,lllyee-ehry to 'gay. eieg
'dermet3lmosed to the Common Colincil rope erough,aled
hec .Vierrenetairdeelearier_thelyes It 4,1:4', C.tr‘, k_ut-ai
case in siten a manner as to insure tne irenvery or--rata op ,nAL
favourable to the views of the party interested. lie con-
sidered it would be the extreme of impolicy to adept the
amendment.

Alderman CHALLIS, at the same time that he :zdvocated.
the original motion, defended the Court of Aldermen front
the charge of wi.,h ng to interfere with the inirependence of
the Court of Common Council.

Mr. Lowe said be had mentioned to the Lord Mayor that
if his Lordship assured the committee that he would restore
the Bill on the paper of business, and allow the questiun, that
the Bill be read a third time, to be put, he would move, as
an amendment, that the Bill be re-eommitted.— Hear, hear.)
If such a vourse should be adopted, the opinion of counact
could be taken as 'o the leality of the 'Bit!, at.d thfignurt
ceuld act upon tte advice.
The L.Seue nAYOR, having been called upon be several
members of the committee, said he always ‘vislied to see
unrinimity established between the two Courts, and a kindly
feeling perpetuated. He l►ad been advises! that be could not
legally put the question, and he had acted upon that advice,
for he was not so presumptuous as to haz ird an opinion
upon such a subject, when men of high legal educatien
and experience suggested the course fur bins to pursue. lie
lamented the disagreement which existed as reach as any
one, and he would suggest a motion to the extent to whim
he could conscientiously go. It wae, that the Lord Mayor
be requested to iueert the Bill to declare the qualification of
freemen of London to be elected members of the Court
of Common Council in the paper of business for the next
Common Council, in order that the said Bill should be re-
committed, aed its provisions reconsidered in committee of
the Common Council.—(Marks of disapprobation

Mr. ANDERTON said 'the Court could not think of. such
a cornpromie of its dignity. The question of the legality
of the Bill was to be deckled elsewhere. The Court would
take upon itself the responsibility of passing it.
Sir JAMES DUKE complained that the advice of counsel
should be taken by a portion of the aldermen unknown to thu
rest of that body. The objection to the Bill ought to have
been taken on the second, and not on the third reading.
Mr. It. TAYLOR said he rose to address the Lord Mayor
personally. His Lordship's car had been abused. Ire was
led by a small clique of the Court of Aldermen, and two or
three other officers. That was a degradation to the mayor-
alty, and it was the duty of his Lordship to retrace his steps,
and put the Bill upon the paper of business to undergo the
necessary discussion.
Mr. It. L. Jogs, and other members, also implored the
Lord Mayor to act independently of the clique by whom it
was evident he was influenced in opposing the wishes of the
great majority of the members of the Corporation.
The question was then put, and there were a few hands
held up for Alderman Sidney's amendment, which was ne-
gatived, amidst acclamation, by an immense majority.
Amongst those who voted for the original question were Al-
dermen Sir Peter Laurie, Liumphery, Wood, Sir James Duke,
and Challis.

There were four aldermen in the minority.
The following resolutions were afterwards carried by great
majorities

"That in the event of the Qualification Bill not being
placed on the paper, this committee be recommended to assert
and adhere to their right to bring on the same for discus-
sion, and to have the question ' that the Bill be read a third
time' put to the Court.
"That the Remembrancer be requested to lay before the
grand committee a copy of any Bill intended to be presented
to the House of Commons to repeal or alter the Act of the
11th George 1., as soon as it shall be proposed."
Alderman HUMPHERY said if the Court agreed to go to
Parliament to alter the Act alluded to, he should so arrange
the support of the Bill that there would be no interference
whatever with the privileges of the Common Councilmen.
Sir PETER LAURIE quoted the opinion of Sir Francis Pal-
grave against going to Parliament.
Mr. R. TAYLOR said Sir F. Palgrave had not only given
the opinion just quoted, but an opinion diametrically
to it.
carried Mr. Ashurst's last resolution, which was
unani-
mously, was that a report founded upon these resolutions, be
opposed
mon Council, and that the same should haNt, precedence of
esalidnet:lcenc,ordpionriaittliioshai.ng
prepared, signed, and presented at the next (hurt Coin-,
all other business.
Mr. AstrunsT then gave notice oafndseevoenrlaplremhoetnio;ig, aasgsereart-t
ing the rights and privileges of the Common Council, snur-
tleiaelticolatanogf the
number and equalising the wards,
variety of Poetrhi:driee:siene
The committee broke up at a late hour.

(IRELAND).---A return of the iggre-
esni
tloa
sNotfs
tplariuzisyieoanrss, importedending
j aftriouma
ryi rcilsain7l.
ot(ov-e Ed. ntf; r
lgaantPde Rah
amount
by Mr. P. Scrope, .shuws that the quantity' of corn (of Irish
growth) so imported amounted, in 1814, to 2,801,206 quar-
ters; in 1845, to 3,251 901 qulrters • and, in 1846, to
1,825,394 quarters. The
quantity of wheat flour, and oat-
meal amounted respectively, in 1844, to 839,567 cwt., and
1,150,976 cwt. ; in 1845, to 1,424379 cwt., and 1,059,185
cwt.; and in 1846, to 723,562 cwt., and 553,147 cwt.
The number of cattle exported from Ireland to Great Bri-
tain, in the year 1846, was as follows :-186,483 oxen, &c. ;
6,363 calves; 259,257 sheep and lambs; and 480,827 swine.
NEW ZEALAND.—TWO blue books were issued
yesterday, one of 87 pages in length, containing papers rela-
tive to the affairs of New Zealand, in continuation of those
presented last August; the other, a document of 511 plges,
contains the voluminous correspondence (from July, 1846, to
Jan., 1847,) relating to the measures for the relief of the
distress in Ireland (commissariat series).
Thomas Smith Badger, Esq., 8.A., of Trinity-
hall, Cambridge, and of 3, Essex-court, Temple (eld.‘,st son of
Mr. Badger, attorney, Rotherham, and ona ot• her Majesty's
coroners for the county of York), was on Friday called to
the degree of Barrister-at-law by the Hon. Society of the
Middle Temple.
Mr. llildyard, M.P., arrived at Farrar.ce's Hotel. Upper
Belgrave-street, yesterday, from his seat near Newark,